Question about pre-shipping your bags

[nyctravel]

I am sailing on the Emerald Princess on November 10th and I can't wait! :) I am going with a friend who suggested that because of the weight restrictions on checked luggage (we are flying from NYC to Ft. Lauderdale) that it might be easier to ship our luggage down to the pier by UPS or some other carrier. Has anyone ever done this? Her thought is that since we will be bringing wine/vodka in our checked bags plus all our clothes that it might be easier and cheaper to pre-ship the luggage rather than run the risk of having our bags be over the weight limit and then having to pay extra. I really don't see why we should do this but I said I would ask all you kind folk for your expert opinions!

 

Thanks,

nyctravel

[cb at sea]

Check the prices--it may be cheaper to just pay the extra bag fare. At the pier, who is going to accept your shipment? How do they hold it for you?

[nyctravel]

We are travelling with a group, a seniors group actually...neither she nor I are seniors, we're both in our 40's...it's a long story, but we're going on a senior discount!

Anyway, her idea was to ship the bags so that they would arrive at the same time as the rest of the group...she's had problems with lost luggage in the past and she's nervous about checking her bag and then not having it there when we arrive and then having to get on the boat without her luggage. Personally, I don't want to look for trouble and would just prefer to have my stuff with me, I'm much more nervous about pre-shipping than I am about checking the bags. She seems to think that it would be cheaper to ship rather than pay extra at check in.

[AllieInMD]

I wouldn't count on it being cheaper. And - no normal delivery service (DHL, UPS, etc) is going to come to a crowded pier, and wait an match you up with your luggage.

 

Why not fly with your clothes in luggage and hit a liquor store before you go to port to embark? That's what we'll be doing.

 

We are travelling with a group, a seniors group actually...neither she nor I are seniors, we're both in our 40's...it's a long story, but we're going on a senior discount!

Anyway, her idea was to ship the bags so that they would arrive at the same time as the rest of the group...she's had problems with lost luggage in the past and she's nervous about checking her bag and then not having it there when we arrive and then having to get on the boat without her luggage. Personally, I don't want to look for trouble and would just prefer to have my stuff with me, I'm much more nervous about pre-shipping than I am about checking the bags. She seems to think that it would be cheaper to ship rather than pay extra at check in.

[nyctravel]

Thanks a bunch cb and allie for your responses.

I did think about the liquor store in Florida idea except that our flight time has been changed to late morning and we don't arrive in Florida until 2pm so I don't think we're going to have much time to do anything other than get ourselves on the boat. She wants to bring those Starbucks Frappacino drinks in the glass container and she thinks it will make her suitcase too heavy...I just say, don't pack so much!

[EGG]

First of all I would change my flight. I am from NJ and while the flights to FLL are plentiful you will not know you will be late until it is too late. How many times have ALL flights been delayed in the NY area for several hours on the runway. For someone who is worried so much about their luggage being lost, you will be a nervous wreck when your flight is delayed or as you sit in the plane. I would be more worried that shipped luggage will make it and I won't.

 

Since you don't have to change flights, you are less likely to lose your luggage. I take my luggage to the counter, and I wait till they put the luggage on the carosel. I agree with a previous poster about not trusting the shipping companies. Most people who ship luggage, ship to a hotel where they are staying the night before.

 

I would call the airline and ask them for an earlier flight or a flight the day before. If they ask for a change fee I would feign innocence of the time change or cry and act like you were stupid and did not pay attention to the time change and you now realize that you were cutting the time so close you will miss your cruise. This even goes if you booked the flight through the cruise line.

[AllieInMD]

Who in the world booked you to arrive at 2pm? Don't most/all ships leave Florida around 4:30-5pm? That's cutting it WAY too close - way too much risk of missing the ship. At least on RCCL, but probably all lines, you have to be ON the ship 90 minutes before departure because they transmit the pax manifest to Homeland Security 60 min before sailing. I'm flying in the day before because we are leaving DC in winter. We'll hit the local store and buy alcohol and water an soda.

 

Thanks a bunch cb and allie for your responses.

I did think about the liquor store in Florida idea except that our flight time has been changed to late morning and we don't arrive in Florida until 2pm so I don't think we're going to have much time to do anything other than get ourselves on the boat. She wants to bring those Starbucks Frappacino drinks in the glass container and she thinks it will make her suitcase too heavy...I just say, don't pack so much!

[EGG]

I would like to add to my answer that if they won't change your flight for free, I would pay the change fee.

[nyctravel]

I'm traveling with a group and we were to leave at 7am or so and now I think it's around 10am, so we should get to Ft. Lauderdale around 1:30pm. I'm not sure I could change at this point. I'm hoping all goes well, it is a direct flight so if I'm late for the boat about 100 other people will be late too. Not that matters to Princess...

[AllieInMD]

You should find out if you can change your flight - that is cutting it way too close IMO. Most of us fly in the day before sailing - but leaving 10 from NY and scheduled to arrive at 1:30 is insane. And yes - they'll leave you if you are not on the ship 90 min before sailing. Tell me you have insurance.

 

I'm traveling with a group and we were to leave at 7am or so and now I think it's around 10am, so we should get to Ft. Lauderdale around 1:30pm. I'm not sure I could change at this point. I'm hoping all goes well, it is a direct flight so if I'm late for the boat about 100 other people will be late too. Not that matters to Princess...

[nyctravel]

Yes, we do have insurance.