Luggage Pre-Check in FLL?

[Tropic5115]

 

We are sailing on the Sky Princess in a few weeks and after our cruise we must wait around for a 5:30pm flight.  I seem to recall in the past that there was a program offered where you could pay to have your luggage checked in and taken from the ship to the airport, but I can't remember what it was called (or if I am just imagining it).  Does such a thing exist? Does anyone have any other ideas for what to do with the luggage for a few hours, so we don't have to sit in the airport all day.  We are traveling with a 5-year-old, and I already know that trying to entertain him for all those hours in the airport will be a nightmare! We are flying out of FLL on Southwest.

[DHP1]

https://app.luggageforward.com/cobrands/X9QEC4Q39DPX?cpn=JEGDKHKHE7ED&utm_campaign=princess%2Ffq7tgp2jgwdggzcf&utm_id=JEGDKHKHE7ED&utm_medium=strategic_partner&utm_source=princess_cruises

 

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. Inquiries can be sent via email to support@luggageforward.com or you can call Luggage Forward directly at: 1-860-866-4172.

Edited January 29 by DHP1

[SCX22]

We had a 6:15 pm flight from FLL a few days ago.  We took a taxi to FLL and picked up a rental car for a few hours.  The Fort Lauderdale beach area is a few miles from the airport and Sawgrass Mills, a large outlet mall, is also a few miles from the airport in the opposite direction.

[tulok]

You may be thinking of EZ check. For 25.00 they will send your bag to the airport from the ship. You have to ask for the form once on board. Not sure if the airline will hold it for that many hours in FLL. I am sure someone here has a picture of the form.

[DHP1]

12 minutes ago, tulok said:

You may be thinking of EZ check. For 25.00 they will send your bag to the airport from the ship. You have to ask for the form once on board. Not sure if the airline will hold it for that many hours in FLL. I am sure someone here has a picture of the form.

I do recall seeing that form. 
 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2600562-signing-up-for-princess-ez-check/

Edited January 29 by DHP1

[DHP1]

13 minutes ago, tulok said:

You may be thinking of EZ check. For 25.00 they will send your bag to the airport from the ship. You have to ask for the form once on board. Not sure if the airline will hold it for that many hours in FLL. I am sure someone here has a picture of the form.

 

[ijscheer]

 We used this service just yesterday, from the Celebrity Ascent. We were in the same situation as you; late afternoon flight on Southwest. Celebrity charged $29 pp, but since we had only two bags, we were only charged for one person. Everything worked fine.  By the way, FLL (the Airport) is warning that airlines may only accept checked baggage two hours before flight time. Don't know if SW is enforcing this, but Terminal 1 is notoriously short on pre-clearance seating.  

[PurpleHays]

4 hours ago, ijscheer said:

 We used this service just yesterday, from the Celebrity Ascent. We were in the same situation as you; late afternoon flight on Southwest. Celebrity charged $29 pp, but since we had only two bags, we were only charged for one person. 

Princess may charge each passenger the fee. It's the best $25 spent on the trip home.

[Cmildenb]

If you can’t use EZ check, FLL has a luggage storage service just down the escalators from check-in. We used it a couple weeks ago when we had a late flight home. $10/bag until 5pm that day. With our luggage being stored we went to see a movie and have lunch before our flight.

[capriccio]

9 hours ago, Cmildenb said:

If you can’t use EZ check, FLL has a luggage storage service just down the escalators from check-in. We used it a couple weeks ago when we had a late flight home. $10/bag until 5pm that day. With our luggage being stored we went to see a movie and have lunch before our flight.

For those interested in the luggage storage, their website is www.bagstogo.net.

[cruisinsince75]

EZ check if you can.  Princess will know if available for your flight.  If available, they will issue your boarding passes, collect your luggage the night before and ship it to the airport and you won't see it until you arrive at your home airport.

[DCThunder]

20 hours ago, ijscheer said:

 We used this service just yesterday, from the Celebrity Ascent. We were in the same situation as you; late afternoon flight on Southwest. Celebrity charged $29 pp, but since we had only two bags, we were only charged for one person. Everything worked fine.  By the way, FLL (the Airport) is warning that airlines may only accept checked baggage two hours before flight time. Don't know if SW is enforcing this, but Terminal 1 is notoriously short on pre-clearance seating.  

American refused to accept our bags for check in until 4 hours before the flight began boarding.  This was Terminal 3 and we were flying first class.  Unfortunately EZ Check wasn't available for this cruise, because it was a trans-Atlantic.

[Tropic5115]

Thank you everyone for the great info!  Hopefully we can use EZ check but glad to hear there is a baggage storage option in case EZ check isn't available to us. 

[arizonaperson]

On 1/29/2024 at 1:26 PM, Tropic5115 said:

 

We are sailing on the Sky Princess in a few weeks and after our cruise we must wait around for a 5:30pm flight.  I seem to recall in the past that there was a program offered where you could pay to have your luggage checked in and taken from the ship to the airport, but I can't remember what it was called (or if I am just imagining it).  Does such a thing exist? Does anyone have any other ideas for what to do with the luggage for a few hours, so we don't have to sit in the airport all day.  We are traveling with a 5-year-old, and I already know that trying to entertain him for all those hours in the airport will be a nightmare! We are flying out of FLL on Southwest.

I know you were asking about luggage storage, this may interest you to another alternative since you want to keep your  5 year old occupied,but what we have done in the past in Fort Lauderdale is Rent-A-Car until our late flight ,so that we can go to lunch, and or the beach, or just drive around and explore. Another time we called a local hotel and asked them for a day use rate, we were able to use the pool and they had an onsite restaurant and we were able to do that and then took I believe their free shuttle back to the airport.

Edited January 30 by arizonaperson

[happy42cruise]

We used a day use hotel as EZ Check isn't available to Miami airport from Port Everglades.  If you can't use EZ Check or storage look into Resort Pass or Day Use (dot) com for hotels that offer pool use, or cabanas, even rooms at some hotels. 

[cruisinsince75]

On 1/30/2024 at 12:40 PM, DCThunder said:

American refused to accept our bags for check in until 4 hours before the flight began boarding.  This was Terminal 3 and we were flying first class.  Unfortunately EZ Check wasn't available for this cruise, because it was a trans-Atlantic.

Oh no!  I wonder if it is the same with HAL.  We have a TA booked for next year and fly home on American and was hoping to use Luggage Direct.  Same as Princess EZ check.  My wife and I both use mobility scooters and handling luggage is a real struggle.  🤞

[It'smegrandma]

Just a note about the EZ check.  I used this on the last cruise and loved it although it was just for convenience and didn't have a late flight.  I get free checked bags with my credit card; however, I was issued a baggage fee through Princess even though I told them the bags were paid for.  It was no problem getting a refund when I arrived home.