Planes, Trains and Automobile..oh yeah and Cruise Ships

[CruznMooses]

The DW and I are taking BTB cruises (kinda sorta). The first cruise is a 6 day Pacific Coastal from LA to Vancouver on the Crown. Then take a cab (automobile) to the Amtrak station (train) for a ride to Seattle for our Plane ride back to LA to take a 3 day Pacific Coastal to Vancouver (all sea days). There are 2 days between cruises so we will be spending a night in both Vancouver and Seattle.

What we would like to do is send home one suitcase after the first cruise. Anyone have a suggestion on how we can do that? If we have to take it with us it will be 2 flights so it would run us $70 for that one piece of luggage.

[mreasier]

The DW and I are taking BTB cruises (kinda sorta). The first cruise is a 6 day Pacific Coastal from LA to Vancouver on the Crown. Then take a cab (automobile) to the Amtrak station (train) for a ride to Seattle for our Plane ride back to LA to take a 3 day Pacific Coastal to Vancouver (all sea days). There are 2 days between cruises so we will be spending a night in both Vancouver and Seattle.

What we would like to do is send home one suitcase after the first cruise. Anyone have a suggestion on how we can do that? If we have to take it with us it will be 2 flights so it would run us $70 for that one piece of luggage.

Good news - you can ship it via luggagefree. Bad news - it is $4.50 a pound from Canada. We did use it once - we did not want to carry an extra bag around Central Europe for 3 weeks. Had a bag shipped from Nevada to the Royal Princess in Copenhagen. Cost over $200 but worth it.

Edited December 26, 2015 by mreasier

[moki'smommy]

Just a thought, but is it possible to pack your carry on and personal item "heavy" and the two of you share one real suitcase? Even if that means doing a load of laundry at one of the hotels, it will be a lot cheaper and more efficient than the additional suitcase.

 

I just did a one week cruise with my carry on bag and a small back pack--that included clothing for formal night (obviously not a ball gown). My goal was to not have more family luggage than I could handle by myself. I've never had my carry on bag as heavy as it was for this trip, but it was really nice to not have more "stuff."

 

You can send it home UPS, but it costs and you need to get to the UPS store.

[CruznMooses]

Just a thought' date=' but is it possible to pack your carry on and personal item "heavy" and the two of you share one real suitcase? Even if that means doing a load of laundry at one of the hotels, it will be a lot cheaper and more efficient than the additional suitcase.

 

I just did a one week cruise with my carry on bag and a small back pack--that included clothing for formal night (obviously not a ball gown). My goal was to not have more family luggage than I could handle by myself. I've never had my carry on bag as heavy as it was for this trip, but it was really nice to not have more "stuff."

 

You can send it home UPS, but it costs and you need to get to the UPS store.[/quote']

 

 

Lets put it this way, not an option...the best case scenario would be that we have 3 checked bags plus carry on....

[Colo Cruiser]

Lets put it this way, not an option...the best case scenario would be that we have 3 checked bags plus carry on....

 

 

Try calling DHL Worldwide, Princess uses them sometimes for a luggage shipping service.

[LilyN]

I'm unclear as to where you need the suitcase shipped from (Vancouver?) and to... LA?

 

Have you considered sending it as "freight" on Amtrak? They'll hold it at the station. Don't just check it and leave it unpicked up - there is a shipping option for packages on Amtrak. https://www.amtrak.com/express-shipping

 

Greyhound offers a similar option....

[Steelers36]

Good news - you can ship it via luggagefree. Bad news - it is $4.50 a pound from Canada. We did use it once - we did not want to carry an extra bag around Central Europe for 3 weeks. Had a bag shipped from Nevada to the Royal Princess in Copenhagen. Cost over $200 but worth it.

 

Send the extra bag from Seattle - not Vancouver. Crossing border = bad idea and $$$$$.

[CruznMooses]

Send the extra bag from Seattle - not Vancouver. Crossing border = bad idea and $$$$$.

 

 

Was planing on shipping from Seattle but the problem is we live in a smaller city in Eastern Montana that is not on a regular "Beat n path" we do get FedEx , UPS and freight

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

I hear you..... but thought the Do a load of laundry idea, was terrific, vs. more suitcases.

 

As for me when I had a situation like that..... I brought Throw away clothes.

 

Yes, I brought mostly clothes I would have Donated to Salv.Army (some clothes & undies Not All) and Tossed them as I went.

This freed up space for for a few items I purchased along the way.

 

I bring one pair of shoes, and One pair of flipflops for deck or In cabin.

 

Just a thought.....

[fishywood]

Long ago my parents were on a land tour of Hawaii when one of their suitcases was smashed on an inter-island flight. A few days later the mailman handed me notice of a package to be picked up; off to the post office to find a giant box full of dirty clothes. Upon return my mom told me the Hawaii pack-n-ship place handled her request like a daily occurrence. Obviously not so simple to do internationally with today's rules and prices--but can't hurt to ask from Seattle.

[skynight]

The DW and I are taking BTB cruises (kinda sorta). The first cruise is a 6 day Pacific Coastal from LA to Vancouver on the Crown. Then take a cab (automobile) to the Amtrak station (train) for a ride to Seattle for our Plane ride back to LA to take a 3 day Pacific Coastal to Vancouver (all sea days). There are 2 days between cruises so we will be spending a night in both Vancouver and Seattle.

What we would like to do is send home one suitcase after the first cruise. Anyone have a suggestion on how we can do that? If we have to take it with us it will be 2 flights so it would run us $70 for that one piece of luggage.

You can always send a suitcase by courier, but it will cost you, and someone will have to be at the destination to receive it. The two of us never go on a cruise with more than two suitcases at under 50lbs, and two carry ons about 15lbs each. That is all we require. If it were me I would just pack in two suitcases and bring them to L.A. It doesn't seem to be a big issue. Mix & match, wash & dry.

[pris993]

We pack like you do... if it was me, I would simply pay the extra $70 on the flight... actually just paid about $150 for being over weight on a QM2 14 day, coming back from NY to SFO.

 

We pack good or nearly new clothes, so prefer to to keep with us vs shipping -- obviously we are just the opposite from those who either pack less and do laundry (have never done laundry i 30 years of traveling) or those who donate old clothes.

 

To each his own... hope you work it out.

[SadieN]

Was planing on shipping from Seattle but the problem is we live in a smaller city in Eastern Montana that is not on a regular "Beat n path" we do get FedEx , UPS and freight

 

 

Do you have a Greyhound station nearby? Greyhound takes freight. Amtrak will also take freight.

 

To save on shipping, pack some stuff in a duffle and ship just the clothes home. (Duffle shipped or packed into your suitcases.). Why pay the freight on a suitcase

 

Could you just do carryon and laundry? $6 and an hour is much better than $70 in baggage fees.

Edited December 27, 2015 by SadieN

[Robinsoncruiseso]

I am making an assumption that you will be staying a night in Vancouver after your three day. If so, see if your hotel in Vancouver will hold your bag while you travel to Seattle-LA-Vancouver. Then you would just have to fly home with it.

[moki'smommy]

If it helps...and obviously I don't know your situation...under the ADA, you are allowed one suitcase of up to 50 pounds over and above any luggage allowances on your flight FREE if it contains only medical equipment. Technically the airlines can inspect it and verify that it is totally medical equipment, but most take your word for it.

 

The problem with this is obvious--the medical equipment is the most important stuff we are bringing with us and is the stuff that must be in the carry on as far as possible. If you load your carry on with medical stuff, the checked bag is obviously clothing and stuff.

[martincath]

I am making an assumption that you will be staying a night in Vancouver after your three day. If so, see if your hotel in Vancouver will hold your bag while you travel to Seattle-LA-Vancouver. Then you would just have to fly home with it.

This is what I'd do. Since a lot of folks spending a bit of time here also do short trips to Victoria, Whistler etc. and trains/floatplanes especially have restrictions on bag sizes & weights, it's not at all unusual for a hotel to hold bags for a few days.

 

Even leaving a good tip to the bell staff and paying your suitcase fee once on the way home, it's probably going to cost less than shipping the suitcase home as well as avoiding the hassles of someone needing to sign for it on arrival or getting yourself to nearest Greyhound/Amtrak station for pickup.