Has any one used Luggage Forward with Celebrity?

[Jetswdo]

We are thinking of possibly having one suitcase picked up from Celebrity Summit at Cape Liberty after cruise, through Luggage Forward--- The charge for 50 pound bag is $124-- We would have to pay $50 for our airline- the difference is $74---may be worth it to us--

 

I have used this company a couple of times before- one time went smoothly, another time, had an annoying incident, where they weren't so wonderful- this was in Europe- not cruise ship related.

 

I've never done this with cruise ship, as usually we leave and return from Fort Lauderdale or Miami, where for just a minimum fee (well worth it) the cruise lines work with most airlines and the luggage just shows up at our home airport---

 

But this time, Cape Liberty doesn't offer this, and it wouldn't work anyway as we won't be leaving the area for a week (visiting friends and family)--

 

Just curious if any one has used Luggage Forward with Celebrity, after cruise is over, and how it went.

[cruisead]

We much prefer using Luggage Concierge for our shipping needs. We're on Summit in June and we are shipping both to the ship and back home. We've used LC maybe 15 times and have not had a problem, knock on wood. The company is based in NY, so their delivery to the ship and pick up at the end of the cruise is very smooth.

[Jetswdo]

The two companies merged a while ago. So, you have used them for pick up from Cape Liberty and have had no problems?

[Jetswdo]

We may consider sending 1 duffel to ship as well-- If we can get our stuff into just two suitcases for check in- then we probobly won't do it. But I have a feeling we will have 1 duffel bag as well ( snorkeling stuff,etc) so if that is the case then we just might do this, at least for after the cruise. We have no extra charge if we do have that duffel bag going to the cruise, but coming back it would be $50 on the airline-- So for an extra $74 to not have to take up space in hotel room, I think it would be worth it for us.

[cruiserhal]

I have used Luggage Forward for both domestic (Ft. Lauderdale) and international (Southampton) cruises without any trouble. It was well worth the cost especially because we had hotel stays before each cruise and I did not have to lug the extra suitcase around.

 

I'll be using them again for a cruise from Rome later this year.

 

Hal

[Jetswdo]

First, let me say that I didn't have it sent directly to ship. We spent 10 days touring on our own, from Venice to Rome. Because I was nervous about having bag delivered straight to ship, I had it sent to our hotel. We spent 5 days in Rome before the Reflection cruise. I deliberately had the luggage sent 1 week before cruise. Our hotel was to hold on to the bag so that it would be in our hotel room upon arrival. Luggage Forward assured me that it would be there.

 

Here's what happenned: We arrived at the hotel. The front desk manager gave us a message that "the police confiscated our bag and it is being held until Luggage Forward pays them more money for it." It turned out, they meant to say "customs" (not police) insisted that Luggage Forward pay them more money, before it would be released. I called up Luggage Forward in a panic- and very calmly was told "yes we have been having trouble with Italian customs lately- they have been demanding more payment then we have been giving them." (***!) So I said, " when will we receive the duffel bag as our cruise leaves in 4 days?" They said they will try their best to resolve THEIR issues with Italian customs. The luggage finally arrived the evening before we left for the cruise. Meanwhile the entire time in Rome, was spent by us worrying that we wouldn't have our bag. I was furious with the company--no apologies, no nothing- no offer at the very least for a discount or something to show good will, with what happenned.

Bottom line, is I don't think I would use them for any out of U.S. port, as their customer service was dreadful overseas.

[keithm]

We are thinking of possibly having one suitcase picked up from Celebrity Summit at Cape Liberty after cruise, through Luggage Forward--- The charge for 50 pound bag is $124-- We would have to pay $50 for our airline- the difference is $74---may be worth it to us--

 

I have used this company a couple of times before- one time went smoothly, another time, had an annoying incident, where they weren't so wonderful- this was in Europe- not cruise ship related.

 

I've never done this with cruise ship, as usually we leave and return from Fort Lauderdale or Miami, where for just a minimum fee (well worth it) the cruise lines work with most airlines and the luggage just shows up at our home airport---

 

But this time, Cape Liberty doesn't offer this, and it wouldn't work anyway as we won't be leaving the area for a week (visiting friends and family)--

 

Just curious if any one has used Luggage Forward with Celebrity, after cruise is over, and how it went.

We've used the "Luggage Concierge" & loved it. You can book it on board. You will get a note from guest relations offering it. It costs about $25/bag(as well as airline fees)but it gets dropped off at the final destination & you pick it up there. The only "if" is the slight possiblity it will get "inspected" by TSA. If that happens, you'll be notified & you go through customs as usual when you leave the ship. The charges will be refunded back to you, which is as it should be.

[cruisead]

We've used the "Luggage Concierge" & loved it. You can book it on board. You will get a note from guest relations offering it. It costs about $25/bag(as well as airline fees)but it gets dropped off at the final destination & you pick it up there. The only "if" is the slight possiblity it will get "inspected" by TSA. If that happens, you'll be notified & you go through customs as usual when you leave the ship. The charges will be refunded back to you, which is as it should be.

 

Celebrity uses Luggage Valet, which is different from Luggage Concierge. It's Luggage Valet that X uses to take your luggage from the ship, to the airport and then you pick it up at your home airport. What the OP is looking for is a luggage shipping service that will pick up the bags and ship them home, usually using UPS as the shipping agent.

 

Jetswdo, I don't know anything about Luggage Concierge and Luggage Forward merging, but they have their own websites and different phone numbers. I have used Luggage Concierge out of Bayonne with no problem. Give Lori a call at Luggage Concierge and see what they can do for you. I know she's picking up our bags at Bayonne after our Summit cruise in June.

[Jetswdo]

No, luggage forward and luggage concierge is one company, inspite of different phone numbers. Lugless has also merged with them-- similar to car rental National/Alamo. Ex. Carnival corp owns Princess. Royal Carribean/Celebrity---

 

Here is what we decided to do: We have used luggage forward/ concierge with absolutely no problems domestically- Once it was luggage concierge- the other luggage forward, one time lugless... so actually 3 times with each name and no problems at all going from our house to hotels, in the U.S.

 

So for argument sake, I will use the parent company name, luggage forward.

We decided to have our duffel bag delivered to and from the ship--L.F. has a very good guarentee policy with that, so we will give it a try.

Not cheap but worth it to us. Hopefully it will be on ship without a problem.

 

We are also sending home from our hotel near JFK, 1 suitcase. We are letting luggage forward do that as well, because we just don't want to be bothered driving to the nearest fed ex or ups store.

 

I should mention that when we fly into Miami or FLL, our local, around the corner from us Post Net store sends our luggage to the pre cruise hotel for about half of what luggage forward charges, with no problems what so ever.

But to send luggage directly to cruise ship, I think Luggage Forward is the way to go. Now, I keep wondering what would have happened if I sent that suitcase directly to the Reflection in Rome, instead of to the hotel? All I remember is the Luggage Forward representative admitting to me that they were having a lot of trouble with Italian customs---but not other ports in Europe, just in Italy. After that experience, I would think twice though about sending any luggage outside of the US.

[sasset]

I have used Luggage Forward for both domestic (Ft. Lauderdale) and international (Southampton) cruises without any trouble. It was well worth the cost especially because we had hotel stays before each cruise and I did not have to lug the extra suitcase around.

 

I'll be using them again for a cruise from Rome later this year.

 

Hal

 

Hi Hal. We used Luggage Forward for the first time this spring to send one bag home from Civitavecchia. All in all no real problems other than finding the courier amidst the masses at debarkation. How does it work when they ship to the ship? Is it delivered to the stateroom or do I claim it first and then hand it over to the luggage handlers at the dock? Any restriction on how far in advance you can have it sent? We will probably be leaving home here in California 10 to 14 days prior to the cruise.

 

Thanks

[shippmates]

Several years ago we used Luggage Forward to ship luggage from our home in PA to the QM2. At that time they used DHL as the shipper and picked the luggage up one week before we boarded the ship and it was in our cabin when we boarded the ship. It was a little pricey but at that time it seems luggage was being misplaced more often than not. We were doing a TA and were afraid the luggage would not fly with us and we would have no cloth the entire cruise. We took the luggage with us when we returned home. It was such a stress free flight not having to worry about your luggage.

[MKESail]

This is kinda related, tried this in the RCI forum with no luck so I thought I'd try it here as well. May be the OP or anyone else can help me with this.

We are sailing on Anthem this coming New Years and on the way back we wanted to do a Shore Excursion that would drop us off at Newark but it is kinda tight time-wise. The RCI rep said we should still be ok but I want to at least eliminate the luggage check-in step to save us some time before the flight. Has anyone used any of those services post-cruise? How does the whole pick up work? I mean you go through customs, get your luggage, then what? And since there is an excursion scheduled, it all has to happen BEFORE we are on the bus. We normally use luggage valet but Cape Liberty does not have it, so I am trying to find an alternative.

 

Anyone has any experience with this?