luggage question

[princess10]

Hello I am just wondering if I may have suggestion for Luggages. I have bought several luggages in the past few years and they do not ressit to more than 2 trips. thank you :)

[Kinkacruiser]

I've seen the luggage being handled and it's not very careful, but that yours are only lasting 2 cruises is just awful. If they have a warranty, perhaps you can take them back to the place of purchase.

[paul929207]

I don't know the kind you have purchased in the past, but you may want to try a little better quality. We are still using one bag that is 20 years old.

[RickEk]

Get some hard-shelled Samsonite (or comparable) luggage... they should hold up better. :)

[phonejock]

I am looking for a new bag myself. Just by "googling" different brands/types, I found a ton of information. I will be the crazy lady you see in the store picking ups bags to see how much they weigh empty. lol. Happy shopping !

[bunyababy]

Heys "XCase" has a very nice hard case (ploycarbonate composite) luggage line that is very lightweight. The 30" large piece of luggage weighs only 9.25 lbs! In comparison to almost all 27" - 30" upright suitcases which all weigh in the 12 - 13 lbs range. They also have 360 degree rotating wheels.....which I would never buy another suitcase again unless they had this feature!

[CruisinEars]

I am looking for a new bag myself. Just by "googling" different brands/types, I found a ton of information. I will be the crazy lady you see in the store picking ups bags to see how much they weigh empty. lol. Happy shopping !

 

I have 4 trips coming up in the next year+ so I was out looking for new luggage. I did end up taking my luggage scale and weighing all of them empty. :D It is a very good idea and very eye opening.

 

I ended up buying a hard shell made of ABS 26" expandable style with 4 wheels. I also found a similar one in a 25" for my daughter. These hard shells actually weighed less by a few pounds than the similar sized fabric Samsonite.

 

I was also reading on another thread about airline luggage SIZE restrictions (international I believe). I found out many say that the luggage needs to be 62" or less L+W+H and the 29" and 30" suitcases can be too large.

 

Another thing, I bought my suitcases at TJMaxx and Marshalls. Really good places to find good prices. Just be sure to inspect for damage before purchasing.

[FawnRiver]

I am looking for a new bag myself. Just by "googling" different brands/types, I found a ton of information. I will be the crazy lady you see in the store picking ups bags to see how much they weigh empty. lol. Happy shopping !

I just bought a new carry on and I found that most brands of suitcases list what the pieces weigh empty, so you only have to be the crazy lady reading labels.......

[Toto2Kansas]

I have purchased good quality luggage, and very inexpensive luggage over the years. The good quality luggage seems to hold up 'slightly' better, but not by much. Now I just replace the luggage every couple of years without going to extemes in the price department.

We have to fly to every cruise, and the airlines are tougher on the luggage then any cruise line employee I have ever dealt with.

So, my answer to you is GOOD LUCK! I hope you find better luggage that lasts, and if you do, please let me know the brand name, as I think I have tried most of them in the past. :)

 

BTW-my carry ons have lasted forever, but the checked bags are what seem to be the problem.

[CL-JW]

We llike Eagle Creek luggage, light weight and very well built.

[Love.II.Cruise]

I am looking for a new bag myself. Just by "googling" different brands/types, I found a ton of information. I will be the crazy lady you see in the store picking ups bags to see how much they weigh empty. lol. Happy shopping !

 

No not crazy at all. In Auckland, New Zealand we were pulled to the side as we entered an area with several gates (I think randomly) and our carry-on was weighed. She told us it had to get to a certain weight level. We literally emptied the entire carry on!!! This was a samsonite spinner (not heavy when empty). She then said, "good, you can go now." We carried the insides as we walked away with our empty carry-on. It was hilarious! :p

 

Of course we filled it back up. At the gate we were flagged and had to check it since we re-filled it. What a joke! :rolleyes:

[RotaryMike]

Heys "XCase" has a very nice hard case (ploycarbonate composite) luggage line that is very lightweight. The 30" large piece of luggage weighs only 9.25 lbs! In comparison to almost all 27" - 30" upright suitcases which all weigh in the 12 - 13 lbs range. They also have 360 degree rotating wheels.....which I would never buy another suitcase again unless they had this feature!

 

 

Heys USA sets are great. we have 5 pieces, and have been using them for 3 years. they've held up very well, and the "spinner" wheels turn and roll very easily. google "Heyes USA" to see and shop for them. we found them @ Marshalls and got a good deal on them.

[rdsqrl]

I have purchased good quality luggage, and very inexpensive luggage over the years. The good quality luggage seems to hold up 'slightly' better, but not by much. Now I just replace the luggage every couple of years without going to extemes in the price department.

We have to fly to every cruise, and the airlines are tougher on the luggage then any cruise line employee I have ever dealt with.

So, my answer to you is GOOD LUCK! I hope you find better luggage that lasts, and if you do, please let me know the brand name, as I think I have tried most of them in the past. :)

 

BTW-my carry ons have lasted forever, but the checked bags are what seem to be the problem.

I swear by my L.L. Bean Sportsman suitcase -- it's survived innumerable airline flights in different countries (even Aeroflot baggage handlers!), albeit only three cruises (so far . . .). It's 5 years old and still looks nearly new. The 26" weights in at 9lb empty, so not great but not bad. I love my luggage, so I had to give it a shout-out. FYI.

[Lineaway]

Toto2kansas you are soooo right. Good luggage only lasts a bit longer than cheap luggage. I got 3 ABS plastic 27 inch heavy duty pieces of luggage that were factory seconds. I found them at a Luggage store going for 325 each. They were good quality.

 

American Airlines destroyed a wheel and the collapseable handle on our first cruise and TSA destroyed the locking clasp ( I had left it unlocked with the combo 0 0 0 written on the side along with taping the lock so it wouldn't lock on its own) on the second piece of luggage. On our second cruise there were massive gouges on the sides of our third piece. I have gotten a total use of one flight on one piece. Two flights out of another and I still have the third piece that is beat up but usable. The only issue I have had with cheap luggage is the zippers tend to break.

 

Don't expect luggage to last. I did try a claim once with American but they seem to know how to make it not worthwhile or time worthy.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Hello I am just wondering if I may have suggestion for Luggages. I have bought several luggages in the past few years and they do not ressit to more than 2 trips. thank you :)

 

There was a time when we used to buy expensive luggage.

But the air lines and cruise ships convinced us not to do so any more.

We average one piece being destroyed each cruise.

[Sharon I]

LL Bean is the only way to go. They have such a return policy that if you get a dirty spot on them the store will take them back. No kidding they stand behind every product they sell. I practically live in that store I like their products that much.

The last cruise we were on I bought a close out piece from the LL Bean factory store and my husband said it was such a deal buy two of them. Well the porter in San Juan asked what kind of bags they were and where we bought them and we told him LL Bean and he said that he could tell we paid a lot of money for them because they are made well and he handles lots of luggage. Bottomline we paid $99.00 for each one.

Sharon I

[Happy ks]

Go in person to a luggage store and look at what is available. Luggage costs the same in store as it does online, if you find it cheaper and can prove it, most luggage stores will match the price. Department stores have "sales" that bring the price down to what a luggage store sells the stuff for every day.

 

The advantages are that in the luggage store the clerks are trained to tell you the difference between lines and that they have repair facilities. Department store clerks are many times not trained at all. Online purchases are fine, especially for people who don't have a luggage store in the vicinity, but just like with clothing or shoes or anything else you buy sight unseen, it may not be what you are expecting. They can also help to weed out what you don't want and save you a bunch of time, or tell you about brands you haven't heard of before. For example, Samsonite rests on the name, not the quality. If you have an old piece of Samsonite or Travelpro that you've had for years and it's a workhorse, don't get rid of it, it's not the same as it used to be. Same thing with Victorinox, it used to be one of the best brands out there. Since the last remodel, sales have plummeted, it's just not the same quality. I do have to say that much of it is due to lightening the load, the frames and fabric just aren't as sturdy as they used to be.

 

I've not seen the LL Bean luggage in person, but it looks quite similar to Eagle Creek. I work a second, part time job n a luggage store, so I know the EC brand well. It is nice and it has a lifetime warranty. Speaking of warranties, check them out carefully, many of them are for manufacturers defects only. Some of them cover airline damage. I've never been impressed with Samsonite luggage, I do sell it if the customer wants it, but I sometimes use it to demonstrate the difference between quality and not so great quality.

 

My personal luggage of choice if I were in the market for a new set? Rimowa, pricey but worth it.

[fleckle]

Go in person to a luggage store and look at what is available. Luggage costs the same in store as it does online, if you find it cheaper and can prove it, most luggage stores will match the price.

Another advantage is that when something goes wrong with the suitcase, you can take it back to the local store and they will repair or replace it instead of needing to mess with boxing it up and shipping it off somewhere.

[sjcruiser]

We take rolling 30" duffel bags, along with a 22" carryon, and a garment bag. Two of the three came from Walmart, and one from a yard sale!!! I have an expensive set (Tumi), but never take it unless the I'm driving, or only using the carryon for a flight. I makes me cringe when they mishandle or drop other peoples luggage.

[STARFISH*4]

i have had slightly expensive and slightly cheap and they last about the same amount of time....wont pay alot for the bags anymore-i get on sale or clearance (various brands)

watch those larger bags because they fill up with weight to fast-we went to all 25" bags and smaller and some of those 22" ones that they say are carry-on are really to big (20" and smaller i use now)--take a tape measure and do the measuring if you are buying in person and make sure the bag isnt so weighty to begin with and be prepared for your "new" luggage to look not so new after your first flight and cruise.