Princess To Offer Luggage Valet Service

[Colo Cruiser]

An interesting aside is the difference in price for a cruise in the US and one in the UK. If I am paying £3000 ($6000) for two for 14 nights then an extra £50 ($100) does not appear to be very much. However if I am paying only $1799 (£931) x 2 = £1862 on Celebrity for a 14 night cruise from LA to Ft Lauderdale. Then perhaps The $100 does not look such a good deal. And if I am looking at deals on Carnival or Holland America then a 14 night cruise for 2 could be as little as $2000 for 2 people.

 

 

 

However when I think about it I could afford to send all my luggage in advance paying for cruises in the USA.

 

 

Very well said. :)

[CZEE]

Sorry, but the first part of your statement is incorrect. Try flying into any one of a hundred or more cities served by the new regional jets and you will be limited to one checked bag per person.

 

It depends on the aircraft and has nothing to do with U.S. flight rules.

 

Mike:)

 

Well, I fly out of one of those places serviced by the regional jets and I have never been limited to one bag. I also called the United and they said two bags, not more than 50 lbs or I'd incur extra charges, and one carry on with one personal item--i.e., handbag. My carry on is too large to fit into the bin, so it is checked at the gate.

 

I recently flew to Reno in a regional jet and that was the same deal. Must be airline dependent.

[LonghornKJK]

Well, I fly out of one of those places serviced by the regional jets and I have never been limited to one bag. I also called the United and they said two bags, not more than 50 lbs or I'd incur extra charges, and one carry on with one personal item--i.e., handbag. My carry on is too large to fit into the bin, so it is checked at the gate.

 

I recently flew to Reno in a regional jet and that was the same deal. Must be airline dependent.

 

Spirit Airlines out of Florida is also charging for more than one bag, though the charge is currently only $10 for the second bag and $100 for the third. According to the article, they are the only U.S. company charging for more than one bag. The other airline, as I mentioned before, is British Airlines.

 

http://blogs.usatoday.com/sky/2007/02/spirit_fee.html

[FredS]

Here is the update on Spirit, charging for any checked bag. Not much but is this the future? They say they will lower rates by 45%.

 

Spirit Air to charge for all checked bags

 

MIRAMAR, Fla., March 8 (UPI) -- U.S. low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines says it will charge passengers at least $5 and up to $100 to check baggage in exchange for fare cuts of up to 40 percent.

 

The air carrier will also expect $1 for currently complimentary in-flight coffee, tea, soft drinks and juices, the airline said. Water will still be free.

 

The new policy goes into effect June 20.

 

Customers will be allowed one carry-on bag for free but one or two checked bags will cost $5 each if passengers book their reservations on the carrier's Web site.

 

The fee will double to $10 each for the first two bags if passengers do not reserve for the luggage on the Web site in advance, the airline said.

 

The charge will be $100 for each additional checked bag.

 

The airline currently allows one checked bag for free and $10 for a second checked bag.

 

Ireland's Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost carrier, has dropped fares by charging for extra baggage -- a practice picked up by British Airways, which can charge up to $240 for a second bag on long-haul connections, unless fliers seek an online pre-pay discount, Cheapflights.com reported.

[JGR01]

This service has been available with Cunard for a while now (they call it their white star service addition). However when we were on the QM2 at Xmas we heard an elderley lady who had booked the service for her journey home being told by the company that when disembarking she would have to collect her luggage in the arrivals hall, go through Customs and then find the DHL representative who would then take the luggage.

Is it really worth all the hassle at $90 per bag?

I made an enquiry (just to see what it would cost to ship our luggage home to Ireland from Ft Lauderdale) and was told that it would cost $200 PER BAG. Thanks but no thanks!!!

 

Correct, Cunard offers this service.

 

Correct, you do have to collect you bag in the arrivals hall and then drop it at the DHL location. This is Customs related and not something the cruise line can get around. But there are porters to assist you!

 

Correct UK to US is $150-$200 for one large bag.

 

However with the airlines limiting you to 50# per bag, two bags checked on international flights... and overage is 100GBP per kilo .. this was a LOT CHEAPER for me.

 

I stuffed laundry and all the formal wear into one BIG bag, shipped it home. The other smaller bag was half empty with clothes for the 3 days in London post-cruise .. and yes I filled it with shopping.

 

With International baggage issues .. weight .. this service really in my opinion is a good option.

 

I think it is a great service. I have had no issues with DHL other than the fact I live in remote Minnesota and DHL will not deliver/collect at my house. I have to take it to 'the city' 30 minutes away to a MailBoxes Etc and it is all fine.

[willysgrandma]

I think eventually you will see most cruise lines offer it.

 

Some cruise lines now will not allow these independent companies that started doing this to deliver to the ship - the luggage has to be held in a main area at the pier and the passengers have to pick it up and bring it on the ship themselves.

 

With the way the airlines are starting to nickle and dime for luggage, watch - I bet you'll see more companies than Princess and Cunard offer the service.

[arabrab]

You have to wonder what minds at the corporate office dream up these new programs that they seem to think we will all be so grateful for.

 

IMO, instead they should be concentrating on CORE customer services.

 

 

IMO this is a fabulous service for some people, and I'm glad Princess is offering it. My m-i-l has cruised with us, but she has a very bad back and can't lift a thing or bend very much. Since she lives in a different city, we can't help her with luggage transfers. When visiting us she usually sends her luggage on ahead with UPS, but that wouldn't work for a cruise.

 

It also could be an excellent option for anyone who ends up with a flight schedule that has a connection that is even a little tight, or a same-day arrival at the port of embarkation, particularly if they didn't want to haul carry-on bags through the airports.

 

Kudos to Princess for adding this as an option.

[bhopal21]

bhopal21 - I fly regional jets all the time from Lincoln and have never had luggage restricts different than the regular airline I am flying with. Which airlines are these regional jets with.

 

It is airline and airport dependent (depending on length of runway). Some of the airlines are Atlantic Southeast, Delta, and Comair where I have incurred it and a few others. I first ran into this problem about 3 years ago when flying to the caribbean.

 

Mike:)

[cusyl]

I think eventually you will see most cruise lines offer it.

 

Some cruise lines now will not allow these independent companies that started doing this to deliver to the ship - the luggage has to be held in a main area at the pier and the passengers have to pick it up and bring it on the ship themselves.

 

With the way the airlines are starting to nickle and dime for luggage, watch - I bet you'll see more companies than Princess and Cunard offer the service.

If you are staying at a hotel pre-cruise they will ship the luggage to the hotel and then you can take it in a cab to the ship with the help of porters.

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

Some people dont mind paying for services like this, I know I wouldnt especially on a cruise departing from over seas.

 

Atleast with DHL, UPS, or FEDEX it would be a little more easier to track the progress of your luggage than with the airlines. If an airline loses your luggage they have no idea where it is. If one of the shipping companies makes a boo boo, atleast with the tracking numbers and constant scans you have the ability to join in the search and would have a general idea where to look. LOL. Not a perfect system but I might trust this over an airline. Besides its all they can do to get passengers where they need to go much less their luggage.

[Lynda90]

Maybe Princess will include this service when they roll out their new super duper elite program. Yeah, right!:D :p

[Fuzzzy]

Drats. I thought they were going to offer valet service on board. Valet and butler service would be very nice indeed.

[Wendi&Max]

Ewwww... I would never trust DHL with anything of mine... no way!

[Casshew]

Recieved a quote from Luggage Valet today, 345.00 Canadian $ per piece up to 30 lbs from Toronto - Rome and the same for the return so basically 1380.00.

 

The requirements are that you have the luggage ready for pick up - 14days prior to your cruise. I was wondering do they put the cases inside something? do you lock them? 2 weeks out of your site with DHL workers handling your underwear :eek: