Need New Luggage for Cruise

[skiladyldp]

Hello I need some help selecting luggage for my cruise. I need new luggage since mine is badly worn. Aside from selecting sizes that fit the requirements for the plane, what should I look for in luggage. Should I only buy hard case luggage or is soft ok? What have been your experience with luggage on cruises. Thanks for any help.

[LHT28]

We have used both types...the airlines & dock workers can damage both equally

 

I like ones with an outside pocket to put a copy of my itinerary in in case it goes on a different vacation than I do

[azam71209]

We each bring a rolling duffle from Costco. Not exciting but I like that it is easy to maneuver and can be opened and slid under the bed for extra storage. I just leave some less frequently used things in it and pull it out when needed. Since it's already open, it's much easier to access than a suitcase.

 

I also like that it is unpretentious looking and won't be a target for the bad guys.

 

Mary

[hapzfl]

We just came back from 2 cruises down under where our polycarbonate hardshell suitcase was damaged severely: 1st time one corner was severly cracked and the wheel pushed in with some cracks elsewhere. The 2nd time that wheel was ripped off, the initial cracks expanded and additional cracks appeared. I had to use duct tape to protect the contents for our long flight back.

 

The suitcase was brand new but not one of the very expensive ($500+) brands. Princess paid for it but now we have to figure out how to replace it.

 

Our other suitcase, made of ballistic nylon or something similar, held up for over 15 years and many flights and cruises. But it is heavy and has only 2 wheels; so we replaced a similar one with the light polycarbonate hardshell suitcase with 4 wheels that got destroyed.

 

I sent pictures of the destruction to one of the leading and expensive polycarbonate suitcase manufacturers and their reply was not encouraging. If suitcases get handled in such an extremely unprofessional way similar damage can also happen to their products.

 

And such damage is not covered under warranty but the cruise line or airline will have to take care of that. They will usually try to have the damage repaired, if possible. Ours was beyond repair.

 

Now we need to decide: do we try a light hardshell again by buying a much more expensive brand, or do we get an old fashioned but heavy ballistic nylon suitcase again. We still have time...

[Paulchili]

We like the Eagle Creek brand as they are very light and durable.

Many models come with full life time warranty. As you buy luggage infrequently, I would suggest buying one of their "better" models as it will last longer and have better features/warranty. Ours have held up quite well so far.

Although, there is much to be said for 4 wheelers for their ease of use.

[TERRIER1]

I purchased a suit case with 360 swivel wheels (which are great) in the ugliest, loudest color I can find so no one will confuse mine with theirs.

[Ms Understood]

I also love my Eagle Creek. I find the spinner/4 wheel luggage too heavy, esp the carry on size when you try to hoist it into the overhead. MY DH on the other hand loves his spinners. I bought 2 nieces the Heys hardside Britto suitcases and after 2 trips to NY from West Coast it is still looking good. What you buy should really be dependant on how you travel , do you travel coach class overseas so have to be concerned with weight limits? Do you travel a lot so you need to be concerned with durabilty? Are you light or heavy packer so size is a factor? Lots of variables.

---------------------

Helen

[skiladyldp]

Thanks so much for all the information. I am still deciding on what to buy. Our last luggage was soft luggage and it lasted more than 15 years. We have never been on a cruise before and our luggage is so old so we decided to replace it before the cruise.

[skiladyldp]

Ms Understood, very good points. Most of our travel is from California to Hawaii. We live alternating 3 months in each state. Since we have homes in both states, our luggage is a duffle bag. Other travel plans tend to be road trips so duffle bags are good for us since we just throw them in the back of a truck. This cruise is our first international travel and cruise. I tend to pack heavy since I can't decide what to bring a lot of the time. We are hoping to do more international travel in the future but it would only be once a year.

 

Maybe we can get by with soft luggage with wheels.

[benzamg]

I would suggest a lightweight polycarbonate such as Tumi or Rimowa.For lightweight nylon luggage Victorinox and Briggs &Riley both manufacture great ballistic nylon luggage,totes and carry-ons.Briggs &Riley has the best warranty in the business.

[Imagineer]

...here's a suggestion for you to consider. Six years ago we bought two Rick Steves roll aboard suitcases that are carry on size if you don't expand them. They are made from a ballistic nylon material, have ample outside storage pockets, are easily expandable, and come in a variety of colors. They've survived six years of travel on airlines, cruise ships, trains, buses, cars, have been manhandled by baggage handlers in all those situations and are still in perfectly good condition. If I had to replace them for some reason I would get another set in a heartbeat, they're that good...

 

cheers,

 

the Imagineer

[azevedan]

Casting another vote for Eagle Creek. We've traveled all over with our backpacks that convert to suitcases via a zippered panel. We can carry them on when we want to and check them when we want to and they've always come through fine. We recently bought two wheeled EC duffels as another option.

[LHT28]

HEYS have a soft bag with 360 wheels ...it has a hard bottom & the top 1/2 is material

it worked fine for out last trip flying to TX (it is the 20 ' size but they all sizes)

Going to try it on our upcoming river cruise plus the 26" HEYS polycarbonate one

 

On our last cruise 2 of the 4 feet were ripped off ....one by the cruise & one by the airline...HEYS replaced then N/C

[Jancruz]

We have made 2 trips with our Ricardo FOUR WHEEL luggage from Costco and I would never buy anything else..Stu and I both have bad backs and we could push this luggage with one finger..IMHO it is the BEST!!!!! We were on VikingRiver Cruises, a train, in an apartment and on Riviera and never had one problem and thanked Costco everytime we moved from one place to another..

Jancruz1

[LuAnn]

We have made 2 trips with our Ricardo FOUR WHEEL luggage from Costco and I would never buy anything else..Stu and I both have bad backs and we could push this luggage with one finger..IMHO it is the BEST!!!!! We were on VikingRiver Cruises, a train, in an apartment and on Riviera and never had one problem and thanked Costco everytime we moved from one place to another..

Jancruz1

 

We did not buy ours at Costco (wish I knew that they carried them) but have been very happy with out 4 wheel 28 " one...it's big...but it was the lightest one I could find when searching on line....and..as Jan said...it is VERY easy to DRIVE!! I also chose one in a wine color..which does help it to stand out.

 

We cruise 3 to 4 times a year...so our luggage takes a beating! We have had this for 2 years now...and it is holding up very well!! And since the piece itself weighs less that 10 lbs...you can put alot in side (I KNOW...I ALWAYS over pack!!! :D) I will buy this brand again the next time my luggage gets beaten to a pulp!!!.. also....please note that if your luggage is damaged you MUST report it right away...eg at the cruise terminal....we disembarked in LA...I could not find a Princess agent...so went home and called the next day...no luck in any compensation....have to report it ON SITE!! Good luck with your purchase!!

[canuck.qc]

HEYS 4 wheel spinners (heys.ca) are a great product, their 'packing cubes' are one of the best travel accessories I have found to maximum and organize space in my luggage & tote bags.....

[PHOENIXfire]

We bought the Ricardos too and we love them. Be sure to get the spinners with the composite wheels and not the older metal axcel spinners though. The new design is much better and the older ones are being sold on Overstock and Ross etc.

[skandls]

We have had an Eagle Creek for a while. Very light and the guarantee is very good. I do find it is hard to pack as the sides are very soft. Even though I do use a lot of packing cubes. We just bought a Samsonite set from Costco - I wanted the 25 incher as I was worried about the size with handles and wheels would be too big with a 27 or 29 incher. I like the sturdier and rectangle shape - it makes for easier packing. The new case has spinner wheels which are make 'pushing' easy but needs a little positioning of the wheels to get the case moving. I also like the 'flat' top on the Samsonite for my 'personal' item.

[silkman]

Not for everyone...especially if you want to impress your fellow passengers , but we have been using LLBean's extra large rolling duffles for years.We(well one of us) are not light packers , and they hold A LOT!...Very sturdy, and if it does get damaged , LLBean will replace it ...no questions asked. If you travel with articles such as Suit jackets , dresses that wrinkle , etc , probably not practical , but our destinations tend to be suited for casual dress.

[joysav]

From experience I think soft sided are the best.

 

You can put the fragile stuff in the middle between

the clothes etc . And Antler have an outside compartment

that can be unzipped to expand the Suitcase if needed :eek:

 

At the moment we have all Antler bags

http://www.bagworld.com.au/shop/brands/antler-cabin-bags/

 

1 Antler Aeon Air Cabin Wheel Duffle

1 Antler Aeon Air Flight Bag ( with Sleeve)

1 Antler Aeon Air Luggage 44cm Softsided Suitcase

Sleeve fits over Suitcase or Duffle handle

 

2 Antler Aeon Air Luggage 53cm Softsided Suitcase

1 Antler Aeon Air Luggage 66cm Softsided Suitcase

53cm will fit inside 66cm bag to save storage space

 

 

From Memory :D too much trouble to drag them all down

of the shelf

[traveler916]

I think we personally kept TravelPro in business for the past 20 years. The wuality was good and the guarantee was good. Lately - not so much.

 

So not directly related to your question...Jody and I both have gotten 21' carry on bags with the wheels that go in all directions - not the traditional RollerBoard style...and they are much better for long terminal walks when you can use them to "lean on," as opposed to having to drag everything behind you.

 

I hope you find something good

[ZZROX]

Also needed new luggage for our upcoming cruise in July. I also got a great deal on 4 wheel Samsonite in Costco.

[Shining Clem]

with another vote for Eagle Creek. The ballistic nylons of today are not the heavier ones of 15 yrs ago. Even for a 25" they now are about 10 lbs. There are even lighter ones from France now, but I can't see how these will hold up to airline, ship luggage handling.

 

We'll get abt as many opinions, experiences related here, as about food on cruises! Until recently all the Eagle Creeks were softsided. They now have hardsides and spinners. No longer owned by the original designers/manufacturers.

 

When we started traveling a couple of yrs ago, we found we needed new luggage, as the old stuff (some 25 yrs old) which would go into cars, wasn't up to the realities of today. I researched and researched, and fortunately found ourselves at the end of the Eagle Creek Exploration 2, Tarmac line. This had been in production for at least 5 yrs with raves.

 

First, Eagle Creek has several warranty levels. The best, which many have praised with good experience, is their Lifetime, No Matter What. It includes airline handling, jeeps, boats, camel drivers, European cobblestones, donkey carts, etc. Then they have a Lifetime. Which is good but not as long and complete. If you get an EC, go to their website & register it.

 

Having seen spinners I was intrigued. But then read one review which said that on slopes & ramps (airports), the spinners sort of ran away & ahead of you. Not good on stairs in train stations. I also didn't like the way the wheels protruded, being more easily subject to damage.

 

I also looked at materials - good nylon was the best, with polyester not as strong or waterproof. I looked at the edges, were they reinforced with a plastic hardshell? Interiors? We also liked the fabric 'butterfly' tie down for compression, not just straps. The wheels were well supported and fastened, better quality & bigger and had a protective edge on the outside. With just 2 wheels one could both push & pull and pile more stuff on top. I must have read 100's of reviews on Amazon, eBags, Luggage Pros, Luggage Base & others. Also went to a local luggage shop, but the owner just wanted to sell us very expensive pieces.

 

Hardsided ones did seem to offer more security, but the area around the closing at that pt, was vulnerable we thought.

 

EC had decided to "improve' the Tarmac series & bring out an Exploration 3 Tarmac line and so some of the 2 series started to come up at close out sale prices. From Christmas 2009, into mid-yr 2011 - Everything from Easter to graduation to 4th of July, things started showing up on specials. We bought a Tarmac 2, 22" which had a backpack on it which could be zipped off & an ORV duffel.

 

We then got a 25" Tarmac 2, once we had put the smaller ones to the test and find we can pack it very full and still be under 50 lbs.

 

The test was a trip to NYC in March a yr ago. We went into the City by train from 7 hours away, had the backpack portion for the day's outings, and then found ourselves having to drag the 22" ORV duffel & the 22" along long stretches of broken, under construction "sidewalk", puddles, rain, sleet, up & down subway stairs, (Taxi, taxi! Where are thou?!?) and through a couple of inches of snow when we got home. The pieces & stuff inside held up beautifully. We then immediately ordered the 25" Exploration 2 Tarmac. (The detachable backpack on the 22" is great for cameras, computers & electronic gear going through security. It qualifies as my husband's 'purse' and then he has the rest of the 22" as his carry-on.)

 

We also bought a family college graduate a 22" Exploration 2 Tarmac. He loves it and has started traveling internationally for his job with it. His father has a 10 yo + Travelpro Rollaboard which is starting to fall apart, and has heard the new ones are not nearly as good as the older ones.

 

A couple of months later we took our first cruise - on Constellation to Europe from FL. After departing the ship in Amsterdam, luggage was schlepped all over Holland, Germany, mostly by train & people (us) pulling it, before going to Boston via Icelandic Air, for 2 weeks. We have just returned from a month in NZ & OZ, with a Regatta cruise as anchor. Still looks like new, with a couple of scuffs on corners, which the plastic edges protected it from.

 

Another source I have used is Sierra Trading Post. You have to keep checking all these sources and be patient. STP gets close outs, etc and sell them at very discounted prices. It has become impossible to find any of the leftover Tarmac 2's on the internet, and already people are moaning about the loss. (Unfortunately no Costco around us)

 

But I still think the Eagle Creek with the No Matter What warranty is the best for the money. Shop around, with Father's Day & graduations, it's a good time to look, whatever your decision. We priced others such as Tumi, Victorinix, etc. and the combo of warranty, and usefulness, EC seemed to be the best value. We have also bought several of the packing cubes & compression bags (wonderful for bulky clothing) mostly from Sierra Trading Post.

 

Of course your mileage, may vary! (And I am not in any way affiliated with EC!) We also have some wheeled duffels from LLBean, and they have held up well, but are not nearly as light as the Eagle Creek Tarmac line.

 

There are also some good videos of luggage packing techniques out there, which we found helpful.

[ORV]

Hey, I might have to get one of those ORV duffels.

[Shining Clem]

Hey, I might have to get one of those ORV duffels.

Yes, you should definitely get one! They're tough, practical and singing your song! They also fit nicely under the Oceania beds. Should be easy to prove ownership too. LOL!