Luggage Question for anyone who has or is booking Overseas/European routes

[SanFranBayCruiser]

My husband and I just booked the Constellation for the July 1, 2006 Baltic cruise. We did our first European cruise this summer on the maiden voyage on the Carnival Liberty. One of the very few drawbacks about the cruise this summer was the luggage we took with us....12 nights on the ship plus 3 days prior in Rome...it added up to a lot of clothes and a lot of luggage.

 

We're thinking of using one of those luggage shipping services that picks up and delivers your luggage door to door. I'm a little hesitant to actually try these services and I'm concerned the shipping cost will be more than the cost of an airline ticket overseas.

 

So...if you have ever used these services. Would you kindly post the cost and your experience with these services. Would you do it again? Did it arrive on time as promised? Any problems such as stolen items from the luggage?

 

Would love any insight and information!!

 

Thanks!

[Blazerboy]

Hey there, we'll be on both a few months ahead, and many months after you on the COnstellation! Our experience with shipped luggage was actually with Cunard for the QE2, and we ended up feeling as you might, that the cost was prohibitive- almost $300.00 a suitcase, by the time we calculated the weight. We actually took that money, and purchased rolling garment bags to match our other luggage, and now find that, with two rolling bags and a carry-on, we're good to go for almost three weeks, and we're both clothes horses! My advice would be to save your money, pack carefully, and use some of the savings for porters, etc, just to make it easier on yourselves. I do have friends who ship everything through the cruise line (Crystal) and they've mostly had good luck, with bags only being delayed once.

 

 

Good luck., and happy cruising!

[Boo's Mom]

Hi SanFranBayCruiser....

 

I do not have any experience with shipping luggage.

 

(BTW, I am sailing with you on the Constellation !)

 

I am going to pack for about a week....and just budget some money to have things laundered/drycleaned.

 

We have started to do this...even with a one week (there are 4 of us) cruise. We send out about 2-3 outfits per person...to be cleaned. It works for us. :)

[atb]

I have a packing list that I carry with me - and make notes during each trip :cool: - I have it pared down - and I don't pack things we don't wear.

We pack enough underwear - but we send the rest to the laundry - we have a carry-on and 2 26" rolling suitcases -

which we lock -

too long to cruise heaven:(

[Queenk2]

Hi Boo and San fran,

We are also on the Connie with you. Last year we were on the Galaxy for 11 days and extra time in Rome. I packed like Gunga Din and I will never do it again! I didn't wear half the things I packed and as you know it was VERY hot!. In the Baltics, it will be cooler...I promise NOT to tell that you repeated!

Karen

[Dick in Falls Church]

Consider that I used to travel half way around the world for a couple of weeks at a time, and that I had to carry a uniform and civvies--and I never had more than one suitcase. That will give you a perspective of where I come from. First, my wife doesn't subscribe to this packing theory. We went 12 days to the Baltic in July. Had 2 suitcases and 2 carry-on bags. Most of the clothing was hers. Yep, we washed undies daily and hung them up.

Actually, it was warm enough that we didn't even wear our jackets, sweaters, etc. Temps in the mid 80s F, with only about 5 minutes of rain in Tallin.

 

Take some clothing you can mix and match with. And keep in mind, that for the most part, you'll be with people you've not seen before and most likely won't see again (with a few possible exceptions). So, if you wear a certain dress for formal night, go ahead and use the same one with different necklace/earrings another night.

 

If weight is a real problem, a formal can be rented on board (or ahead). That way one wouldn't need shiny black shoes. Of course, we saw a fellow in formal with sandals on, and I wore my gray Mepistos (my wife groaned a bit, but didn't hear any other comments and once I was seated, noone could notice.

 

Just enjoy it, and take it as it comes. I didn't see any Fashion Police on board or at any of the ports.

[travellgirl]

We shipped two large pieces of luggage home from Hawaii after a cruise when we were staying addtional days and did not need all the formal wear. It was about $150.00. We looked into doing it again this past spring on a Mediterraean cruise and the cost was about $600.00. Needless to say, we kept our luggage with us through addtional days in Venice, that was $600 more to spend there.

We had a problem with the water taxi dropping us off directly in front of our hotel and we had to carry 4 large suitcases and two carry-ons throught the streets of Venice (we were quite a sight) I agree with the above poster, I would think twice about bringing lots of luggage.

[kitty9]

Celebrity does not allow you to send bags to their ships, only to send them home at the end of a cruise. I think this really stinks as we tried in vain to get Celebrity to change their policy and allow shipped bags. Most other cruise lines allow you to ship bags, especially for their more exotic itineraries, but for some reason, Celebrity remains unmoving in their policy.

 

I've shipped bags to many ports in Europe and I've found DHL to be the best in terms of price. I shipped two 50lb bags to Copenhagen last month for a Crystal cruise and it arrived at the port agent's office in three days.