Port Valet lessons learned - Discovery Princess 26June 2022

[George P Burdell]

Greetings all:

 

We're just off the Discovery and this was our first experience with Port Valet. I thought I'd post some experiences / lessons learned to help others who might have questions.

 

In general, PV is a service offered by the Port of Seattle that lets you check your luggage directly to your flight when you put your bags out the night before.  So, really easy to just do walk off in the AM, not have to wait for bags to be put out on the dock, etc.

 

We signed up for PV when we booked our cruise (and then accidentally , again, right before we got on the boat), via the PV website.

 

It turns out, that you can also sign up on the boat. We had some issues with getting paperwork from our Cabin Steward, and the PV paperwork was one of the sets we didn't get. In theory, it was due by noon on Day 4, so I would watch for it, and ask early in the cruise.

 

Our first indication that we had not been processed was when we got our departure paperwork, and our exit group was not the PV group.  We went to Guest Services and after explaining we had 1) prepaid and 2) didn't get the paperwork, they let us file for all three cabins.

 

We received our paperwork and luggage tickets about 5:30 the day before embarkation, but only two of the cabins had luggage tags. My luggage tags were printed blank (ie, we got boarding passes, but no luggage). We went back to Guest Services and they told us that they would try to fix and get to us by 9 PM.  Reprint was delivered at 8:30 pm, but was blank again. Back to GS.  They worked on it for a while, and ....got it to print. So, we put our tags on the luggage, and went to bed.  As I'm writing this, we received notice from the airline that all three of our bags had been received and checked in at the airport (10:10 AM local).

 

So, in summary..... I'm not sure what caused the issues with my PV. It could have been multiple registrations before hand, or the fact our luggage was free due to status, etc, but.... the on board GS staff is able to resolve issues, so don't despair.  Then, look for the PV paperwork on the boat and make sure you get the paperwork submitted early.

 

One of the people around me in the airport this AM said that luggage check in was over an hour, and PV allowed us to skip all of that drama...

 

Happy Cruising

 

[hpeabody]

Thank you for sharing.  I will be trying PV for the first time in August off of Discovery also.

[Cruise Raider]

9 minutes ago, hpeabody said:

Thank you for sharing.  I will be trying PV for the first time in August off of Discovery also.

We have used it multiple times and always successfully, before CoVid and after the return to service.  Seattle picking up the tab for it is just icing on the cake.  

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Thanks for the report.  We are thinking of using them in a couple weeks.

 

Would you suggest Booking PV Onboard, instead of ahead?

(Kinda sounds like booking & paying ahead may be an issue?)

 

We are returning on Alaska Air, and I'm wondering if they

cancel a flight?   What happs to PV checked bags.

Thanks for further info.

 

[GloriaF]

We used PV on Crown, disembarking June 18.  We did not get forms in our cabin, and GS first said that Crown was no longer participating in PV except for those that had preregistered.  

 

We had heard conflicting stories on if it was better to pre-register or onboard, but finally decided to wait unto we were onboard.  When GS said only preregistered was being honored, I went to Internet Cafe, filled out form and printed it.  Back to GS with no definite answers.

 

We had booked Seattle Express to the airport, so we were covered with or without bags.  Friday afternoon we received PV tags and info, so we walked off with only our carry-ons.

 

My husband was able to track our bags, saw they had been checking in at the airport, so all was good.  

 

Cancelled flight.  Second leg of our flight home was cancelled, and we wondered where our bags were.  Delta Help desk assured us they were in airport awaiting instructions for our next flight and would be put on that flight.  When we were unable to get on the flight, our bags were sent to final destination anyway.  Delta Help said once we reached final destination to check with the Baggage Office.  We did and our bags were waiting for us the next day.  Delta gave us hotel voucher for the night.

 

Good luck to all travelers, with cancelled flights it is frustrating!

[Kansas Gal]

You said you prepaid, but then that it was free???

[Cruise Raider]

41 minutes ago, Kansas Gal said:

You said you prepaid, but then that it was free???

Port Valet - Enjoy Seattle Luggage Free! | Port of Seattle (portseattle.org)

 

Maybe this will help.  

[Sea Hag]

45 minutes ago, Kansas Gal said:

You said you prepaid, but then that it was free???

Maybe they meant baggage fees. You do have to pay those.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

Thank you for sharing.  

[caribill]

4 hours ago, Sea Hag said:

Maybe they meant baggage fees. You do have to pay those.

 

Post said there were no luggage fees due to airline status

 

12 hours ago, George P Burdell said:

....our luggage was free due to status...

 

 

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

Yeah thats alittle confusing....

 

Is it possible to signup PV ahead, but take care of any airline fees onboard?

I don't want to be charged twice...

 

 

 

[Cruise Raider]

7 hours ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

Yeah thats alittle confusing....

 

Is it possible to signup PV ahead, but take care of any airline fees onboard?

I don't want to be charged twice...

 

 

 

 

Just sign up onboard and you will have no issues.  We take a printed copy of our airline confirmation ...never had any issues. 

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

On 6/27/2022 at 5:02 PM, Cruise Raider said:

 

Just sign up onboard and you will have no issues.  We take a printed copy of our airline confirmation ...never had any issues. 

 

We'll have to do that.

Do many people take advantage of this? 

 

[cruising deacon]

I tried to use PV on our recent Crown cruise (may 14) what a mistake that was.  I filled out the paperwork and turned it in on time and was told all was OK, but after that was given the run around by Princess at every inquiry.  They kept telling me my boarding passes and luggage tags would be arriving that last evening and to keep waiting for them.  By 11:00 pm I told our cabin steward (he was ready to go off duty) who went and got us regular Princess colored tags to pick them up in the terminal when we got off of the ship.

 

We picked up our luggage in the terminal and went to the airport.  When checking our luggage we were told that we had already checked our luggage, why are we now adding more.  After a considerable hassle we were able to get the airline to accept our luggage, I think the airline was concerned that we were going to claim lost luggage (the original bags) when they didn't arrive at home.

 

I know I will not be trying to use it again.  It sounded like a great idea but turned ugly for me. 

[GloriaF]

On 6/26/2022 at 9:03 PM, Sea Hag said:

Maybe they meant baggage fees. You do have to pay those.

yes, baggage fees.  The Port Valet pick up service is free

[GloriaF]

26 minutes ago, cruising deacon said:

I tried to use PV on our recent Crown cruise (may 14) what a mistake that was.  I filled out the paperwork and turned it in on time and was told all was OK, but after that was given the run around by Princess at every inquiry.  They kept telling me my boarding passes and luggage tags would be arriving that last evening and to keep waiting for them.  By 11:00 pm I told our cabin steward (he was ready to go off duty) who went and got us regular Princess colored tags to pick them up in the terminal when we got off of the ship.

 

We picked up our luggage in the terminal and went to the airport.  When checking our luggage we were told that we had already checked our luggage, why are we now adding more.  After a considerable hassle we were able to get the airline to accept our luggage, I think the airline was concerned that we were going to claim lost luggage (the original bags) when they didn't arrive at home.

 

I know I will not be trying to use it again.  It sounded like a great idea but turned ugly for me. 

I don't think the issue is with Port Valet, but with Crown Princess.

[Cruise Raider]

16 hours ago, CalLuvsCrusingToo said:

 

We'll have to do that.

Do many people take advantage of this? 

 

 

I don't think a lot of people know about it.  We were given a disembarkation lounge for those with early walk off and port valet.  There were very few taking advantage of it last year.  We actually had to go to the desk to inquire about it but that was early on in the restart so they were getting their ducks in a row.  But, even in the past, I don't know why people wouldn't use it, especially in Seattle where it is offered complimentary.  I've always had a positive experience with this service in 10+ times of using it.  

The other really nice thing about it is you can ditch the luggage scale.  I would not overdo it but if your bag is a pound or two over the weight limit, you don't get charged for that.  There is really no downside to it as far as I can tell.  I believe Fort Lauderdale and Miami also offer this service, but with a pp charge.  In that case, we've always just paid for one since we don't have a lot of checked luggage and the other one of us just checks in for the flight separately.  

 

[dentalhyena]

Just off the Discovery.  We booked PV several months before cruise and did not hear anything on the ship and on day 5 received regular luggage tags.  Enquired at guest services and they told us that our request had been denied by the airline and there was nothing they could do to help resolve it since the airlines ultimately makes the decision. she also said that over 100 requests had been denied for our cruise.  This made us have to consider other luggage options as our flight was not until 9:30pm.  We found a luggage storage option through verteo.com.  For a small fee, we were able to drop off our luggage and pick it up when ready to head to the airport.
it worked out ok but would have been much easier if PV had worked out for us.  
I would say check early in the cruise to make sure your the PV is approved.

[CalLuvsCrusingToo]

 

Could you say What airline?

 

Wonder why so many denied?  Wow