Luggage help

[cthrn27]

Hello.  My older parents want to cruise but can't manage the luggage - not from/to the airport or to/from the ship.  They have limited mobility and can't manage walker and suitcase.  Anyone have experience on how to handle this???? Would appreciate suggestions.  Thank you

[Elaine5715]

1 minute ago, cthrn27 said:

Hello.  My older parents want to cruise but can't manage the luggage - not from/to the airport or to/from the ship.  They have limited mobility and can't manage walker and suitcase.  Anyone have experience on how to handle this???? Would appreciate suggestions.  Thank you

Porters will take luggage onboard.  Porters will be available on return at luggage pickup

[FastShip24]

2 minutes ago, cthrn27 said:

Hello.  My older parents want to cruise but can't manage the luggage - not from/to the airport or to/from the ship.  They have limited mobility and can't manage walker and suitcase.  Anyone have experience on how to handle this???? Would appreciate suggestions.  Thank you

Porters and you can get wheelchair assistance. It's doable

[VentureMan_2000]

Google "cruise luggage delivery service" and you will find plenty of companies to manage luggage for you and yours.

Here are a couple of random sites that came up:

Ship to a Cruise - Luggage Shipping With Luggage Free

Ship Luggage to a Cruise Ship - Best Service Guarantee - ShipGo

Cruise Luggage - Baggage Delivery to Cruise Ships Service (luggageforward.com)

[LibertyBella]

 

Well, will they be able to lift the suitcases onto the bed and unpack, and then put the empty suitcases under the bed? Or are they mobile enough to stoop down to the floor and unpack?

 

The porters do help, but sometimes you have to load or unload suitcases by yourself into your car.  

 

Perhaps they may want to hire a companion to accompany them and assist them with all physical activities.  

[JHU]

17 hours ago, cthrn27 said:

Hello.  My older parents want to cruise but can't manage the luggage - not from/to the airport or to/from the ship.  They have limited mobility and can't manage walker and suitcase.  Anyone have experience on how to handle this???? Would appreciate suggestions.  Thank you

I used Luggage Forward for my Holland America cruise round-trip Boston in the summer of 2022.  I was very pleased.  UPS picked up from and delivered to my house.  I shipped two large, heavy pieces (35 day cruise).  The luggage was picked up from the house about a week ahead.  One caution on the return shipment:  they sometimes deliver to you house a day or so early, so maybe add a day or two to the date for the home delivery (i.e., back home on Monday, have the pieces delivered on Wednesday).  The reason I did this was because I stayed an extra day in Boston.  Hope this makes sense.

 

Also, it would be best to have someone home with them on the days that UPS picks up/delivers to the house.  UPS only retrieves luggage from the curb or driveway.  You might want to inquire if it can be dropped off at the local UPS office by you.

[ProgRockCruiser]

On 3/27/2023 at 10:06 PM, cthrn27 said:

Hello.  My older parents want to cruise but can't manage the luggage - not from/to the airport or to/from the ship.  They have limited mobility and can't manage walker and suitcase.  Anyone have experience on how to handle this???? Would appreciate suggestions.  Thank you

That's a tough call - if they are both using walkers and cannot therefore handle additional luggage, I would suggest they need a traveling companion to help them out.  There's only so much the porters and delivery services can do. 

 

On 3/27/2023 at 10:08 PM, Elaine5715 said:

Porters will take luggage onboard.  Porters will be available on return at luggage pickup

My concern would be how does the luggage get to the cruise terminal, since it seems the parents can't take it there from the airport, and how does it get from the cruise terminal to home, for the same reason?  

 

21 hours ago, JHU said:

UPS picked up from and delivered to my house. 

How did UPS get the luggage from the cruise terminal after the cruise?  And how did UPS get the luggage to the cruise terminal?  I'm curious about the logistics of that, with no outside help.

 

On 3/27/2023 at 10:44 PM, VentureMan_2000 said:

Google "cruise luggage delivery service" and you will find plenty of companies to manage luggage for you and yours.

This might be the way to do it, but two pieces of luggage is at least $200 (I assume "round trip", otherwise double that).  OTOH, if you fly certain airlines, that might be what you pay to check two bags.

[Elaine5715]

6 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

That's a tough call - if they are both using walkers and cannot therefore handle additional luggage, I would suggest they need a traveling companion to help them out.  There's only so much the porters and delivery services can do. 

 

My concern would be how does the luggage get to the cruise terminal, since it seems the parents can't take it there from the airport, and how does it get from the cruise terminal to home, for the same reason?  

 

How did UPS get the luggage from the cruise terminal after the cruise?  And how did UPS get the luggage to the cruise terminal?  I'm curious about the logistics of that, with no outside help.

 

This might be the way to do it, but two pieces of luggage is at least $200 (I assume "round trip", otherwise double that).  OTOH, if you fly certain airlines, that might be what you pay to check two bags.

Limo service pick up at the airport with assistance requested.  

[JHU]

29 minutes ago, ProgRockCruiser said:

That's a tough call - if they are both using walkers and cannot therefore handle additional luggage, I would suggest they need a traveling companion to help them out.  There's only so much the porters and delivery services can do. 

 

My concern would be how does the luggage get to the cruise terminal, since it seems the parents can't take it there from the airport, and how does it get from the cruise terminal to home, for the same reason?  

 

How did UPS get the luggage from the cruise terminal after the cruise?  And how did UPS get the luggage to the cruise terminal?  I'm curious about the logistics of that, with no outside help.

 

This might be the way to do it, but two pieces of luggage is at least $200 (I assume "round trip", otherwise double that).  OTOH, if you fly certain airlines, that might be what you pay to check two bags.

Call Luggage Forward (or other companies) for them to explain the process and check if they service a particular port and cruise line.  

[mz-s]

Nobody is going to be there to get the luggage from their cabin door to their bed for unpacking, then under the bed for storage during the cruise, etc. Are they independent enough to safely cruise without someone able-bodied with them? Serious question.

[lesters]

This is exactly why on our last cruise my husband and I accompanied my parents on the trip they wanted to take.  Dad had significant stroke 5 years ago and now relies on a fair amount of support at home - uses a cane/walker depending on length of the journey.   

 

It is not an option for everyone, but there was no way even with the wheelchair assistance in the airport, porters at the terminal etc. that they could have managed getting through airports and getting on board the ship without our help.  Once on board the did pretty good - which makes them think that a trip on their own could be doable... sigh... that's a discussion for my siblings and I down the road - tag your it 🙂

 

But depending on the flights - how would they manage if there was a delay or cancelation, length of layover(s), so many places for something to sideways if they are not as strong as they once were - going along for the cruise may be the safest option for them and your sanity as you worry about them each step of the way on their own.

 

I know this is not feasible for many people and I do count us as lucky to have been able to support my parents like this - and make a bunch of great memories in the process. 

[Elaine5715]

2 hours ago, lesters said:

This is exactly why on our last cruise my husband and I accompanied my parents on the trip they wanted to take.  Dad had significant stroke 5 years ago and now relies on a fair amount of support at home - uses a cane/walker depending on length of the journey.   

 

It is not an option for everyone, but there was no way even with the wheelchair assistance in the airport, porters at the terminal etc. that they could have managed getting through airports and getting on board the ship without our help.  Once on board the did pretty good - which makes them think that a trip on their own could be doable... sigh... that's a discussion for my siblings and I down the road - tag your it 🙂

 

But depending on the flights - how would they manage if there was a delay or cancelation, length of layover(s), so many places for something to sideways if they are not as strong as they once were - going along for the cruise may be the safest option for them and your sanity as you worry about them each step of the way on their own.

 

I know this is not feasible for many people and I do count us as lucky to have been able to support my parents like this - and make a bunch of great memories in the process. 

After my dad reached his 80s, either my sister or I traveled with him if his buddy wasn't available on his trips.  He fell once out of town and needed to go to a big city ER but my sister was with him.  We were both with him when there was a plane change (pre-app/online) and it was whoever was first to customer service, got on the new plane so I outran the crowd. For his last trip (not that we knew) we upgraded his ticket to First Class and he decided that was the only way to fly.  

[ninjacat123]

I cruise with my mom and it's doable just the two of us but much easier with my DH and DDs along for support.  I couldn't imagine my mom cruising on her own.  The companion idea sounds feasible but my mom would say no to that.  Good luck OP!!

[lostsoulcruiser]

On 3/27/2023 at 9:06 PM, cthrn27 said:

Hello.  My older parents want to cruise but can't manage the luggage - not from/to the airport or to/from the ship.  They have limited mobility and can't manage walker and suitcase.  Anyone have experience on how to handle this???? Would appreciate suggestions.  Thank you

Unless someone is travelling with them, there will be significant challenges.  Once at the port, porters will take the luggage and put it in front of the room but who will take the luggage into the room and unpack.  Ditto when it comes to disbarkation, who will pack and place suitcases outside of room.  

Assistance can be found at the ports, to get individuals onto the ship.  Assistance can be found to take suitcases from the disbarkation luggage area to the car.  

If someone is travelling with them, even if that person is in a different cabin, there is assistance to get them on the ship and off the ship (my wife uses this service when we arrive).  Someone from Carnival with a wheelchair will get them on the ship (tips appreciative).  Same getting off.

Good luck with this.