luggage questions

[waldocruiser1]

We just got back from our Liberty cruise, the vacation was great, the ship was outstanding, this was one of the best cruises we have been on.

 

BUT, we got new luggage for the trip, we went with "spinners" because we wanted to do 2 carry-ons and thought they would be better.

 

Well we were wrong, no we did not go with top of the line luggage, it was mid priced, nice looking, and durable, but the "spinners" did not roll well, always felt like we were dragging the suit cases down the hall, would not roll well at all on the 4 wheels, and the handle kept getting stuck,

 

Fortunately the store took them back when we got back without any fight, (maybe they knew how bad they were)

 

So we are looking for new luggage before our next Carnival cruise.

 

I have a few questions for the experts here on CC

 

1. Do you use "spinners" and like them?

 

2. Do they have 4 wheels (1 at each corner) or 8 wheels (2 at each corner)?

 

3. What brand and price did you pay?

 

4. How large were you able to take on the airplane as a carry-on, No not what do they say you can bring, what have you actually brought?

 

We are thinking of getting the 25 inch size that is larger than the posted approved size, and see if it can get on the plane without paying the checked bag fee and having to use the baggage claim area.

[Danacat222]

 

 

We are thinking of getting the 25 inch size that is larger than the posted approved size, and see if it can get on the plane without paying the checked bag fee and having to use the baggage claim area.

 

I don't like spinners, they are too fussy.

 

For Delta, anything larger than 22" x 14" x 9" is not going to work for carry-on, as Delta says, "Cram sessions are not pretty — and they slow things down." For Southwest Airlines 10 x 16 x 24 inches. That seems big to me. I always think of what is manageable for me and how will my belongings and actions affect those around me.

 

Sorry I missed the Meet & Greet!

[klfrodo]

I've got spinners with 8 wheels and I like them very much. Bought Samsonite.

Not sure if this idea works for you or not but a few, if not most major carriers are now offering to check your carry on at the gate at no charge to help alleviate the over crowding of the overhead bins. These late checked luggage are retrieved at your final destination at baggage claim.

[wrigley80]

I can't help ya with your spinner question. But we have carry-ons that are 24" and they work perfectly. We bought them in March while visiting Disney

[mking8288]

OP, here is a link to FT - http://www.flyertalk.com/ with authoritative and insider's tips on the art, science and exceptions of airline luggage.

 

Not sure when was the last time you've flown and whether it was a legacy carrier in F, J or in Y class - rules are different but also enforced depending on the specific aircrafts on your flight segments.

 

On most US carrier's non-regional jets, including the newest 737-700 and 800 series flying non-stop coast to coast, 22" by 14" by 9" is pretty much the maximum size, assuming that you do bypass the ticket counter in the terminal, hightail pass the TSA screeners (sometimes with the "sizer" nearby) and manage to get up to the gate, and not challenged by gate agent or FA during pre-boarding or boarding process. There are only so much space in the shared overhead bins and you definitely cannot fit it under the seat bottom in front of you.

 

On a full flight even w/o standby pax, gate agents will sometimes offer free gate-checking of suitcases at no charge while another carrier will force you to check them to your final destination for a fee, some with an extra surcharge for not being prepaid. You need to know the airline and its rules, and, small regional jets flown on short to medium routes, i.e. Chicago to Boston, Atlanta to Miama, etc. have smaller overhead bins and as a general rule, nothing bigger than a 16" or 18" roller (2 wheels) will fit inside the cabin.

 

Unless you are flying F or J and/or have "elite" yearly status, you will be among the last to board, in Zone 3 or 4 in the non-carpeted "slow" lane and nowadays, pretty sure there won't be much room left, if any - even for a "regulation" sized 22" carryon to store onboard the aircraft - no choice but to gate-check it for pickup at luggage claim on arrival @ destination airport.

 

Next time you are at an airport, take a good look at what airline crews use and pull behind them - it's usually a 2 wheels roller, not 4 or 8 wheelers - many use a 21" or 22" Travelpro Crew branded luggage, priced around $200 & up - not your typical American Tourister or Samsonite, and they can be repaired by replacing the worn parts (the deluxe ones still have "limited" lifetime warranty with exclusions) i. e. http://www.travelproluggageoutlet.com/Details.cfm?ProdID=397&category=58&type=travelpro

 

Carnival has a suggested size of 24" for checked suitcases, not for carry-ons as those can easily weight 40 to 50 lbs fully packed - you can bring bigger sized luggages like 25" or 26" ones - porters will not refuse them at the pier for check-in purposes and they aren't going to measure it or put it on a "sizer" like the airports or airlines oversea.

 

AFAIK, Jetblue is the only US carrier that will allow the typical 24" suitcase (non-expanded sides) to be taken onboard as carry-on for its fleet of A320's - but not its smaller jets - all of the others we flown in recent years: United, American, Delta & American West, etc. follow the industry norm of defining the MLC as 22 by 14 by 9 (Maximum Legal Carryon)

 

Spinners with wheels, even the quality ones, will wear out over time and repairs are usually not cover by warranties - 24" ones will definitely be checked & subject to more tarmac "abuses." If you like them & plan to use it on a regular basis, invest in a good one that's designed to last & with easy replacement parts for repairs (i.e Briggs & Riley, a popular brand for business traveling elites - expect to spend $350 or more on sale for a 22" one, or Tumi)

 

As for trying to board the main cabin with a 24" rollaboard or spinner - you gotta be kidding, don't even think about doing it - you can't even walk down the narrow aisle with it.

 

To make a long story short, my tip is to pack smartly and travel light - we fly half way around to the Far East with a 22" MLC and a personal bag for 10 days - including a tablet and laptop to keep up with work.

 

Enjoy the cruise but don't sweat it by doing cardiovascular exercise dragging those heavy suitcases ... at some point, anyway - even if you are paying the porters to do the work for you.

[UpstateCruizer]

We just got back from our Liberty cruise, the vacation was great, the ship was outstanding, this was one of the best cruises we have been on.

 

BUT, we got new luggage for the trip, we went with "spinners" because we wanted to do 2 carry-ons and thought they would be better.

 

Well we were wrong, no we did not go with top of the line luggage, it was mid priced, nice looking, and durable, but the "spinners" did not roll well, always felt like we were dragging the suit cases down the hall, would not roll well at all on the 4 wheels, and the handle kept getting stuck,

 

Fortunately the store took them back when we got back without any fight, (maybe they knew how bad they were)

 

So we are looking for new luggage before our next Carnival cruise.

 

I have a few questions for the experts here on CC

 

1. Do you use "spinners" and like them?

 

2. Do they have 4 wheels (1 at each corner) or 8 wheels (2 at each corner)?

 

3. What brand and price did you pay?

 

4. How large were you able to take on the airplane as a carry-on, No not what do they say you can bring, what have you actually brought?

 

We are thinking of getting the 25 inch size that is larger than the posted approved size, and see if it can get on the plane without paying the checked bag fee and having to use the baggage claim area.

 

Too funny after our experience with the spinners we purchased as a great deal from Macy's we ended up returning the second one last night. I called their online number and they sent me a return label to return the one we had already used. I purchased another Delsey http://www1.macys.com/shop/product/delsey-suitcase-29-fusion-lite-30-rolling-upright?ID=643129&CategoryID=26195#fn=sp%3D1%26spc%3D78%26kws%3Ddelsey%20%26slotId%3D4 today using a 25% off discount code (shop) at Macy's. I have 2 of these already and LOVE them. They are so easy to roll and have held up really well.

 

Anything larger than the 21 inch carry on won't fit in the overhead on most planes. If you are brave and want to try on Southwest the bins on the left side of the plane are deeper than those on the right.

[GlendaleCruiser]

I was thinking of buying spinners next time but I have heard from a couple of people about issues with wheels (more to break) so I may just stick with my two wheeled ones.;)

[RuthlessBoss]

Spinners work great in the store and empty on a smooth tile floor. Almost bought one, til I saw my cruisemate struggle with one.

[waldocruiser1]

I've got spinners with 8 wheels and I like them very much. Bought Samsonite.

Not sure if this idea works for you or not but a few, if not most major carriers are now offering to check your carry on at the gate at no charge to help alleviate the over crowding of the overhead bins. These late checked luggage are retrieved at your final destination at baggage claim.

 

That is what we are thinking about. We went Delta last week and they did it at each flight offering to take bags and check for free at the gate.

 

Seams like a good possibility, if we can get checked for free, great, if we have to pay okay, but if we can get checked for free at the gate half the time, I would be happy.