Luggage Delivery

[Duffysmom]

We will be sailing out of Rome and would like to have our luggage delivered directly to the ship from our home.  Has anyone used such a service?

Thanks

Edited September 18, 2020 by Duffysmom

[2 cruises a year]

24 minutes ago, Duffysmom said:

We will be sailing out of Rome and would like to have our luggage delivered directly to the ship from our home.  Has anyone used such a service?

Thanks

 

https://www.princess.com/learn/faq_answer/pre_cruise/prepare.jsp

 

Scroll down to Luggage Valet.

Edited September 18, 2020 by 2 cruises a year

[EDDY0827]

You want "Luggage Valet"

Princess Luggage Valet delivers your bags from your home to your stateroom, and then back home again. The service is offered in partnership with Luggage Forward® in order to make your travel experience easier. No more hauling baggage through the airport, no more long check-in lines or waiting for your luggage to arrive at baggage claim, and no more risk of being held up in lengthy bag inspections at Customs. With Princess Luggage Valet you can enjoy the ultimate in ease and convenience when you travel. Make it a carefree escape with the new Princess Luggage Valet Service.

Luggage Valet includes:

• Worldwide service to and from more than 170 ports
• All-inclusive rates charged at the time of booking, no hidden fees
• On-time arrival with a full money-back plus $500 guarantee

To book, visit the Luggage Forward web site or call Luggage Forward directly. From the U.S. dial 1-888 693-8229, from the UK dial +44 2033 754769 or +1-617-482-1100 if calling from any other location.

[CineGraphic]

FYI: It's not cheap, and it takes much longer than if you brought it with you.

 

Here's the direct link to Luggage Forwards cruise program

https://www.luggageforward.com/cruise-luggage-shipping/

 

Edited September 18, 2020 by CineGraphic

[BirdTravels]

Personally, we have used the service leaving the ship.

 

But we don't want to leave getting the bags from home to the ship to a service. Going home, the bags can get delayed and there will be minimal to no impact. Not having a bag show up on embarkation would be devastating to us. Keep the $500, I need my undergarments. 

Edited September 19, 2020 by BirdTravels

[Lucky TGO]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Personally, we have used the service leaving the ship.

 

But we don't want to leave getting the bags from home to the ship to a service. Going home, the bags can get delayed and there will be minimal to no impact. Not having a bag show up on embarkation would be devastating to us. Keep the $500, I need my undergarments. 

I totally agree with you. 
Tony

[HotRoot]

We used them because it was a perk when we booked the cruise.  They pick up your bags about two weeks before your cruise.  You can track your bags like you can track a package.  Ours sat in a warehouse until the ship docked.  Our bags were in our cabin when we boarded.

 

On return, we still had to claim our bags for Customs.  Then we had to take them to a room and recheck with Luggage Forward.

[Duffysmom]

I love the idea of not having to schlep luggage through airports but I’m ambivalent about the fact the luggage may not be in my stateroom when I arrive and $500 isn’t going to cut it.  On the other hand if they pick up the luggage 2 weeks before the cruise I should have the ability to tract the luggage and know if it has arrived before we leave.

 

Since we are up in years it is becoming more and more difficult to manage the luggage issue.  The gangways are long and steep and the last time we cruised my DH (86) almost collapsed.  We are avid cruisers and don’t want age to limit our cruising so I’m

trying to be pro active and solve some of the physical challenges.  LOL

 

 

Edited September 19, 2020 by Duffysmom

[Cruise Raider]

1 hour ago, Duffysmom said:

I love the idea of not having to schlep luggage through airports but I’m ambivalent about the fact the luggage may not be in my stateroom when I arrive and $500 isn’t going to cut it.  On the other hand if they pick up the luggage 2 weeks before the cruise I should have the ability to tract the luggage and know if it has arrived before we leave.

 

Since we are up in years it is becoming more and more difficult to manage the luggage issue.  The gangways are long and steep and the last time we cruised my DH (86) almost collapsed.  We are avid cruisers and don’t want age to limit our cruising so I’m

trying to be pro active and solve some of the physical challenges.  LOL

 

 

 

Friends of mine, both in their 60's and traveling with their mother, used it when taking a cruise out of Rome and touring the area for a few of days ahead of time.  They checked all the bags they needed for the cruise and just took small carry on luggage with them for their pre-cruise trip.  They actually asked me for advice about how to go about this and I pointed them towards Luggage Forward.  This is what they reported back to me after using it:

 

It was expensive!!  

They sent their luggage a couple of weeks ahead of time.  It was at the ship when they arrived.  They were amongst the first ones onboard to receive their luggage at their cabin.  

Of course, they packed all their essentials in their carry on bags, along with a few days of clothing.  This allowed them to pack very light for their pre-cruise touring.  

They wouldn't have done it any other way, especially seeing they were traveling with an elderly parent and wanted to fly into Germany and take the train to their port with a stop along the way.  

They even sent it home the same way and had very little luggage to deal with as they flew straight home from there.  They did say they'd have probably saved a small fortune by not bothering with doing it for the way home.  

But, for the luggage to be right there on the ship pre-cruise .. invaluable was the word they used!  

 

 

 

[Duffysmom]

Thank you all for the information.  I now feel hopeful that we will be able to continue to sail with the help of Luggage Valet.👍

Cruise Raider thank you for your post, it helps to know your friends found it “invaluable”.  I refuse to allow ageing to stop our

Joy of cruising.

Edited September 20, 2020 by Duffysmom

[Cruise Raider]

6 minutes ago, Duffysmom said:

I refuse to allow ageing to stop our

Joy of cruising.

 

That attitude will keep you young for a long time!  Bon Voyage, whenever that may be.

[lx200gps]

I just did a quick and rough check of the cost to ship two standard suitcases, 50 lbs each (sorry, SWMBO likes to travel fully equipped), from here in Montreal to Rome and back through the Luggage Forward web site. Total for the return trip for the two bags came to $US1900, or about $2500 Canadian for two bags. Is that possible?

 

A similar booking from here to Fort Lauderdale and return came to a much more reasonable $US706 or about $930 Canadian. ;o)

[milolii]

On 9/19/2020 at 5:32 AM, HotRoot said:

We used them because it was a perk when we booked the cruise.  They pick up your bags about two weeks before your cruise.  You can track your bags like you can track a package.  Ours sat in a warehouse until the ship docked.  Our bags were in our cabin when we boarded.

 

On return, we still had to claim our bags for Customs.  Then we had to take them to a room and recheck with Luggage Forward.

Question about customs.  Were you required to claim your bags at customs at a cruise port or  was it an airport?  After you claimed the luggage, and passed through customs,  did the bags  move on to their destination?  I am guessing your home?  Did you not clear customs On the way to the port?   I am guessing maybe  you embarked from a port in your county, so that wasn’t necessary? 
 

Just wondering how it works with customs.  Thinking about using it for a transatlantic flight in the future. 

[GonzoWCS]

Thanks for this question and the replies.  Very informative!

 

Cheers

[rdsqrl]

One thing I believe I recall from looking into this myself is that you may not pack anything in that luggage except clothing.  Shoes probably are okay, but no evening bags, no toiletries, no curling iron/hair straightener, no books, no emergency stores of butter  [inside joke].  Something to consider. 

[shellbeachjim]

4 hours ago, rdsqrl said:

One thing I believe I recall from looking into this myself is that you may not pack anything in that luggage except clothing.  Shoes probably are okay, but no evening bags, no toiletries, no curling iron/hair straightener, no books, no emergency stores of butter  [inside joke].  Something to consider. 

This is correct. You will also be required to provide an inventory of everything in each suitcase. 
 

The clothing only rule is to make it easier to deal with customs. The shipping company doesn’t want to be the middleman if there are any items which need to be declared. Your personal clothing items would be exempt from customs, so the shipper can avoid paying any duties and having to pass it on to the customer. 

[HotRoot]

We  cruised from Los Angeles to New York so no Customs in LA.  Customs in NYC at the port.  Then we turned in the suitcases.  They arrived home three days later.  For the outbound the only restriction I remember was no aerosole cans.  We sent bathroom stuff and  books.  For inbound, we had no restrictions.  Maybe because we did Customs ourselves?  We were not asked for inventory either way.    We asked about weight and were told they do not weigh the bags even though they specify a weight limit.  Ours were about 75 pounds each.