I bought a new suitcase

[holacanada]

Hi fellow cruisers,

 

I was wondering if you could tell me what is your favorite kind of suitcase.

What type of material did you prefer, in fabrics/canvas or polymer ? Ect...

 

What would be the main quality you are looking into buying this essential product to satisfy the best your passion for cruising.

 

LOOK or EFFICIENCY ?

 

Holacanada

Edited January 15, 2014 by holacanada

[Krazy Kruizers]

It doesn't make any difference what type of suitcase we buy.

US Airways and HAL manage to destroy 1 suitcase every other cruise.

[Typhoon1]

Luggage will take a beating no matter what kind you buy.

 

Buy something that will get you through two to three trips. After that, the airlines and cruise lines will have managed to beat them up and you'll be ready for something new.

[taxmantoo]

I tend to disagree with the previous replies.

If possible, buy the best suitcase you can afford.

I have had mine (Samsonite) for over ten years. It has been to Europe at least ten times and the Caribbean/Mexico also at least ten times plus other trips in between. It still looks practically new!

Edited January 15, 2014 by taxmantoo

[holacanada]

OK !

So you expect only a 2 or 3 cruise till your luggage will crush ?

This is hopeless.

How is that the employees at the airport or the carriers does not properly handle suitcases that do not even belong to them?

Times change it seems ...

 

As taxmantoo, I bought a hard case luggage. A Life guarantee one - A kind of shell in polymer.

Some locks that fit well wit a combination, 360 pivoting wheels, and the rest.

 

Holacanada

Edited January 15, 2014 by holacanada

[Krazy Kruizers]

I tend to disagree with the previous replies.

If possible, buy the best suitcase you can afford.

I have had mine (Samsonite) for over ten years. It has been to Europe at least ten times and the Caribbean/Mexico also at least ten times plus other trips in between. It still looks practically new!

 

Travel with us and we can guarantee that something will happen.

We spend a lot of time filling out forms to get luggage replaced. And I keep the receipts when we buy new luggage and have it destroyed within a few months of buying it.

[holacanada]

So sad KK ;)

 

Holacanada on Veendam next july from my hometown !

[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

I tend to disagree with the previous replies.

If possible, buy the best suitcase you can afford.

I have had mine (Samsonite) for over ten years. It has been to Europe at least ten times and the Caribbean/Mexico also at least ten times plus other trips in between. It still looks practically new!

 

I have a tendency to agree with you. There have been many threads on this subject. I, personally, have just purchased Samsonite Ziplite luggage (hardside) and I really love them.....so far. They survived a cruise/flying without a scratch. The long term has yet to be experienced.

[Candiaccruiser]

We bought the best Samsonite polycarbonate suitcases we could afford (found a really good special on them) and so far they have survived four or five cruises and still look as good as new. Don't know if we just got lucky!

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[Chelly]

There was a time when I preferred hard-sided luggage for endurance.

 

However, these days I travel solo and want to be able to lift my check-in luggage onto the airline baggage scale.

 

I also need to be able to manage all my luggage myself, including lifting and placing carry-on luggage into airplane overhead storage bins. So I buy low to moderately priced softside luggage in the lowest weight possible and generally replace it after five to six trips. For me, the wheels and pull-out handle get destroyed first.

[ellieanne]

I have some soft-sided, non-wheeled luggage from Lands' End I got in 1991. That stuff id still going string with no real signs of wear. I'd definitely recommend that, but I understand the luggage they have on the market now is nowhere near as good.

 

I got a large rolling box (2 wheels) from L.L. Bean in 2006 that has done beautifully. It has hard sides and a hard back, but a soft top. Again, I'd recommend that, but the newer version is not the same.

 

In the past two years, I had to replace bags destroyed by United Airlines and I got a Samsonite rolling bag (2 wheels) and a Delsey hard-side spinner bag. The Samsonite is great, but has only made 2 trans-Pacific trips, though one involved 8 separate flights. The Delsey has only made one flight. And while I really can't say as to how well the new purchases have held up, I would recommend the Samsonite. I think it's from their Lift line.

 

My best advice is get the best quality luggage and work from there. And best quality does not necessarily mean the most expensive.

[sppunk]

I swear by Briggs & Riley and the TravelPro pro series.

[sapper1]

We always travel with four bags. Two of them have been soft sided Briggs and Riley. We just had to replace our two ten year old Samsonites and since we have been so pleased with the Briggs and Riley, we bought two more. This time we bought spinner types.

 

They have a lifetime repair guarantee regardless of how they are damaged. When the airline broke the pull out handle it was taken care of with no questions.

 

Since the soft sided ones were the same price as the hard sided Briggs and Riley, we asked which we should get. We were told that although there is the repair guarantee, the hard sided ones are more susceptible to damage by the airlines. No brainer. We bought soft sided Briggs and Riley.

 

The current ones still look good after five years of airline and cruise ship abuse.

 

Food for thought. A budget suitcase means a budget zipper. Think about it.

Edited January 16, 2014 by sapper1

[Stelladoro]

I also like my soft sided Briggs & Riley luggage. It got a bit scuffed up, after 4 cruises and land trips, but otherwise, it's held up fine.

[pv girl]

Have always used Travelpro for business as the softside is durable and lightweight - the 22" is perfect for carryon and zippered sides can be expanded and then checked on the return if "extras" are acquired on the trip. Some I have had for years and they still do the job.

 

But a few years ago, I wanted a bigger one to check, and I got it at Costco. Good, strong zippers, good wheels, etc. Has survived many airlines, trains in Europe, and cruise ships. I swear by Costco products, and this is a good example.

[gabbyisadog]

Eagle Creek soft side has a lifetime guarantee and has made it since 2001. Probably 25 trips including 5 to Africa with only one repair of handle. Worth every penny.

[cuagrad90]

Until 2 years ago I use good ole Lands End soft luggage - they fold flat and fit under my bed. Quite durable but without wheels, it is a pain in the airport. So, I bought a 26 inch Heyes polymer spinner suitcase. Three airplane trips and the airline knocked off a wheel. I sent a copy of the receipt to Heyes. I did not expect a new suitcase, I just wanted a wheel to reattach. Well, a year later I had not heard from them. So...

 

I have bought a Ballistic Touring Rolling suitcase from LL Bean. They have a warranty they stand by. I have used the suitcase once and it did well. I was pleasantly surprised how much I could get in it. And, it is only 7 lbs., so light like the polymer type luggage. It has only two wheels that are nicely recessed in the bag. I don't think they will get destroyed as easily as the spinner luggage.

[Cruzin Terri]

I have good luggage and invested in vinyl coverings made to order for them. They cost about $50 each and they have really protected my luggage from both the airlines and the cruiselines.

The company is Carryrite of California. If you contact them with the the dimensions and pictures of your luggage they make the vinyl coverings to order. My luggage is well protected and looks like new.

By the way, it is Vera Bradley and it looks like it came out of the store yesterday and I have it four years.

Terri

[holacanada]

Hi fellow cruisers !

 

Thank you all to share you're luggages «experience». What I can see is the fact that there are two very specialize companies like Samsonite and Briggs & Riley from whom you can trust their solidity and customer services.

I am an happy camper Bcause I bought a Samsonite (no advertising intend).

 

Holacanada

Edited January 16, 2014 by holacanada

[themerle]

Have always used Travelpro for business as the softside is durable and lightweight - the 22" is perfect for carryon and zippered sides can be expanded and then checked on the return if "extras" are acquired on the trip. Some I have had for years and they still do the job.

 

But a few years ago, I wanted a bigger one to check, and I got it at Costco. Good, strong zippers, good wheels, etc. Has survived many airlines, trains in Europe, and cruise ships. I swear by Costco products, and this is a good example.

 

We have had Travelpro for years and really have had good luck with them. We have been wanting to get new luggage and have looked at the Costco luggage and wondered how folks liked it. Thanks for sharing.

[Tampa Girl]

I swear by Briggs & Riley and the TravelPro pro series.

 

 

Will second the TravelPro luggage. We have traveled many thousands of miles with them, on many, many cruises. Not a scratch. No problem. Love them. Bought them because, supposedly, the airline pilots recommended them. We have never had a problem.

[Marianne]

DH and I have used Atlantic luggage since 2000. Bought it all at Triple A during some of their sales specials. This luggage is still going strong, handles work as do the wheels. We travel at least two cruises a year, maybe more. Also airline trips to family events. However, if I do have to replace, I'm thinking seriously of a Travelpro rolling duffel I saw (at Triple A). It would hold a goodly supply of items, and then we would only have to use one other bag on a long cruise. For my carryon, I do use an LLBean bag, no wheels. It too is still in good shape. Perhaps we are just lucky.

Marianne

[boulders]

But a few years ago, I wanted a bigger one to check, and I got it at Costco. Good, strong zippers, good wheels, etc. Has survived many airlines, trains in Europe, and cruise ships. I swear by Costco products, and this is a good example.

 

I agree with pv girl. I first started purchasing the rolling duffles at Costco in 2006. I now have 6 for our family of 4. They have held up very well. They're light and easy to pull. DS was pulling them through the airport when he was 3. They fold flat and have multiple compartments. I love them. And they cost around $30 each. They have lasted around 50 flights each.

[boze9999]

I love this thread! I have had Costco 24" for years and years and multi-million miles of travel and they just won't break or die!! Fortunately, they are incredibly durable, unfortunately, they aren't the superlight cases. I am now searching for BOTH features in a 26"-29" case. I bought one that zipped in the middle and found it held less than my 24" that zipped on top. Keep the comments coming!

[iancal]

Just bought a 21 inch Rick Steves rollerboard for DW. It is very light and is well constructed. Leaving on Sunday for a land trip. If we like it I may buy one to replace my Kirkland roll on because it is much lighter. We have both downsized to carry -so much less to hump around.