Please tell me about Princess' baggage transfer program

[fletcher57]

Hi, Still gathering info re the Princess Inside Passage cruise from/to Seattle. My potential cabin mate mentioned Princess baggage transfer program today. Could somebody please tell me about that? Could we have our checked baggage transferred from Seatac to the ship if we fly into Seattle the day before the cruise and could we have it transferred from the ship to the airport if we flew out of Seattle the day after the cruise ended?

 

I don't know what I would do without Cruise Critic. I find this site so absolutely amazing!

 

TIA. Joyce

[1025cruise]

The only service I know of is EZ Air which takes care of printing your boarding passes and bag tags for you. You put your bags out at night, and don't see them until you get home.

 

I would presume that this is only available if you are flying out after your cruise. If you are flying in early, Princess doesn't know you are coming and you get yourself to the pier. If you are staying a day later, you are probably on your own.

[DrivesLikeMario]

In a short answer: no. Princess doesn't offer it ahead of time unless you're on a cruisetour with the land portion first. Then, they would take your cruise bags to the ship for you and you would hold onto the bags you need for the land portion.

 

At the end of the cruise, there is EZ Check for some airlines and in some ports. This is a program that you sign up for usually on Tuesday or Weds. of your cruise. You're charged $20pp on your onboard account for a max of 2 pieces of luggage to be transported to your airport through security and to your airplane. It is only if you're traveling that day, the last day of the cruise.

[Toto2Kansas]

I agree, they will not hold your luggage overnite either coming our going. To use this service you must be going directly to the airport that day your cruise ends.

[caribill]

At the end of the cruise, there is EZ Check for some airlines and in some ports. This is a program that you sign up for usually on Tuesday or Weds. of your cruise. That would be for a cruise that ends on the weekend. Figure you would get the form about 5 days before the end of the cruise no matter what day the cruise ends.

 

You're charged $20pp plus any airline luggage fees on your onboard account for a max of 2 pieces of luggage to be transported to your airport through security and to your airplane.

 

It is only if you're traveling that day, the last day of the cruise. It is only good for flights leaving after a certain time. Figure after 10:30 if the airport is real close and later if the airport is further away. The form will list the partcipating airlines, the costs, and the time restrictions.

 

see red above

 

Also, if you use this program, be sure any liquids you have in your carryon do not violate airport security rules as you will have no chance to add them to your checked luggage after leaving the ship.

Edited January 15, 2011 by caribill

[danfiveoh]

As an experienced cruiser but getting ready for my first time on Princess, this sounds like a great program. Can any of you that have used this service tell me if it worked well for you.

It seems that $20 is a reasonable price not to have to deal with luggage.

[1025cruise]

In my case, I have to do the carry-on shuffle, so the concept doesn't work for me. I have stuff that will need to be moved to my checked bag once I get off the ship.

Plus, for some reason, I see no need to pay $20 when I am perfectly capable of getting my bags, getting them to the airport, and then checking them in myself.

Now, if I was catching an earlier flight, it might be a different story....

[DrivesLikeMario]

As an experienced cruiser but getting ready for my first time on Princess, this sounds like a great program. Can any of you that have used this service tell me if it worked well for you.

It seems that $20 is a reasonable price not to have to deal with luggage.

 

For certain itineraries and under certain conditions, it's a great plan. We have always been able to walk off with our luggage quicker than most and get to the airport before the hoards. I think if we were doing an AK cruise, we would definitely do the EZ Check program.

[Lin336]

We have used EZCheck for our last 2 cruises out of Ft. Lauderdale. Love heading to the airport with bags already checked & boarding passes in hand. Works really well especially when there are a lot of ships coming back in that morning - no waiting in line to check baggage. For us, it is $20pp well spent.

[danfiveoh]

Thanks Lin336. We will be coming into FLL and I think there are 7 ships in that day so no doubt the airport will be very busy. Our flight leaves at 12:45 so I'm thinking the $20pp will be worth the peace of mind that we won't have to wait in line at the ticket counter. We are flying Southwest and I think I have read that they are a participating airline.

[somethingdifferent]

Does this mean that when arriving at the airport, say Anchorage, we could pass up the ticket counter and proceed to security and then to the gate for our flight?

[Lin336]

This is what we did in Ft. Lauderdale. So nice to just have to go thru security & bypass the check in process. I assume it would be the same in Anchorage but having not been there I can't say for sure. Maybe someone knows about this.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Does this mean that when arriving at the airport, say Anchorage, we could pass up the ticket counter and proceed to security and then to the gate for our flight?

 

Yes, but you can also pass the ticket counter if you print your boarding pass online the day before you disembark and it's free. What EZ Check does is save you time at the airport so you don't have to wait in a line for your suitcases to go through the security scanner. And in SJU, you don't have to go through the agriculture check with the bags either. For us, both lines took a total of 10 mins. but it can be a very long wait if you're not first off the ship.

 

At most ports, you still have to claim your bags in the port terminal, then take them to a truck. After that, you don't see your bags until you arrive at your destination city's baggage claim area.

[Coral]

I love EZCheck - you put your luggage out the night before and don't see it until you get home. I have used it in many ports and never had a problem with it. Best $20 I have spent.

[DrivesLikeMario]

I love EZCheck - you put your luggage out the night before and don't see it until you get home. I have used it in many ports and never had a problem with it. Best $20 I have spent.

 

It depends on the port though - some of them you have to claim your luggage on the last morning, then wheel it to the luggage truck.

[Coral]

It depends on the port though - some of them you have to claim your luggage on the last morning, then wheel it to the luggage truck.

 

Every port I have done it in, I have never had to do that (NYC, Vancouver, Seattle, FLL, LAX).......

[DrivesLikeMario]

Every port I have done it in, I have never had to do that (NYC, Vancouver, Seattle, FLL, LAX).......

 

SJU - you had to do it there.

[Casey12]

It depends on the port though - some of them you have to claim your luggage on the last morning, then wheel it to the luggage truck.

 

We also use the service and have never had to claim our luggage. That would defeat the purpose of the program.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Sorry, but that's what you have to do in SJU. I don't make the rules, I'm just letting people know so they aren't surprised when they have to do it. Just trying to help. :cool: SJU's rules are quite different than other ports. For one, they do not allow walk-off disembarkation AT ALL. This is a new rule that many people don't know about either.

[Casey12]

Sorry, but that's what you have to do in SJU. I don't make the rules, I'm just letting people know so they aren't surprised when they have to do it. Just trying to help. :cool: SJU's rules are quite different than other ports. For one, they do not allow walk-off disembarkation AT ALL. This is a new rule that many people don't know about either.

 

 

At most ports, you still have to claim your bags in the port terminal, then take them to a truck. After that, you don't see your bags until you arrive at your destination city's baggage claim area.

 

Most ports you do not have to claim your luggage. Maybe you do in San Juan but you don't in most ports.

Edited January 16, 2011 by Casey12

[DrivesLikeMario]

Most ports you do not have to claim your luggage. Maybe you do in San Juan but you don't in most ports.

 

Thank you so much for that clarification. I should have said, "some" instead of "most". Excuse me.

[somethingdifferent]

DrivesLikeMario,

How would you print tags and boarding pass while still onthe ship? Are there printers with the computers onboard and are they tied up prior to disembarkation day with people printing tags, etc.?

[Casey12]

It appears that in one port - San Juan you have to grab your bags.

[DrivesLikeMario]

DrivesLikeMario,

How would you print tags and boarding pass while still onthe ship? Are there printers with the computers onboard and are they tied up prior to disembarkation day with people printing tags, etc.?

 

Just go to the internet cafe, log onto your airline's website and complete your Online Check-in. It has to be within 24 hrs. of your first flight. All you need is your airline's Record Locater # (combo of 6 letters & numbers). Just realized you asked about luggage tags. They won't print out. You can get those at the airport. Just get in the short lines that are for those that have used the kiosks to check in.

 

It's best to go earlier in the day or pretty late in the evening to avoid the crowds. When you print the boarding passes, you'll be charged something like .50 a page to your onboard account. :)

Edited January 16, 2011 by DrivesLikeMario

[skyline]

Coral, Saw you did a fall foliage on the Crown in 2009. We will be going from NYC to Quebec City this fall. Do you know if lugggage service is available from Quebec City? Thanks