Valet service on Celebrity for bags to the airport

[B & K Travelers]

Was wondering if you use the valet service if you have to leave the ship with the first few groups to take your bags thru customs? Our flight does not leave until 3:00 PM and since we have Elite waiting area for departure we don't necessarily want to be early off. I guess it might depend on how many trips they have to make to the airport. We have private transportation - Ft Lauderdale to MIA airport. Anyone have experience with this?

[Toni's Mom]

We've used the valet service twice, and both times were in the first group off the ship - flight times don't matter. We were told that they have to keep you in the same group because of the placement of the luggage, tho the last time our luggage was mingled with other passengers' stuff.

[Cathy Laz]

When I used the valet service (which I loved and will always pay extra for this service), I did not have to get off early. We were called based on flight times. The second time I used the service, I was called with the first group, but only because I had a tour booked due to a late flight. Eventually, you will have to get off (sadly) because they need to clear the ship to board again, but certainly not the very first group. The other suggestion is to have "selective hearing"! Apologies to my Uncle Charles, but it worked on Aunt Helen :p .

 

Cathy

[judyfssw]

Let me tell you our experiences with the luggage valet. We were on the Millennium this past August in Alaska. My cousin, mother and I were flying Vancouver to Detroit through NWA. Everything worked out well with our luggage and it was waiting for us when we finally landed in Detroit a day later then expected. My sister was flying United and only had one of her suitcases when she landed on time in Chicago. She called and eventually found out that it had been left on the ship. She was told that they found it and would ship it out the next day Fed EX. However, they went through it and found a bottle of wine (bought on the ship - a special deal) and her little bottles of rum and had removed them. This was Celebrity that she spoke to this time. She was told that she needed to be with the wine to take it through customs even though it was duty free and it was Celebrity's fault that the luggage was not sent with her. She could not even have our cousin pick if up. Another cousen stayed in Vancouver for a couple of extra days. Her suitcase was finally delivered about 2 weeks later. She called one time and they said that it was in Memphis????? When she received it, she indicated that she could tell that it had been gone through several times because some christmas ornaments that she bought and were packaged had several different tapes on them.

So, to summarize, we liked it very much and will definitely use it again. I don't know about my sister though.

[fernem]

Hi, everyone. I'm in mourning; just left the Millennium today after a lovely cruise ... not much rain, btw ... and had the luggage valet service. Brilliant. My ridiculously oversized and overstuffed ... way over fifty pounds ... suitcase was picked up last night in front of my stateroom and I found it at SFO at nine p.m. tonight. Easy. But we did have to convene at seven twenty five a.m. and left the ship at eight a.m., escorted by a representative of the pier who walked us through so we would have no lines, out to customs and on the street by 8:05 a.m. There was no choice; we asked if we could leave later. Celebrity guest relations said no. We had to leave as a group. Still worth not having bags and you have to leave relatively early anyway. Everything's being cleaned up around you for the next cruise. Time to go. Sigh. Loved that ship.

[jagoffee]

I had a good experience using this service when I departed the Summitt in Fort Lauderdale. But in our case, we had to collect our luggage go though customs/immigration and then give the luggage to someone after customs. We used a Skycap for the process. It does make it easier if you do not need to claim or see your luggage thoughout the process. I can see where it might get touchy if you have something that needs to be declared in your checked luggage that is not with you. They never look at it anyway, but they have to trust you since your luggage is not with you. It our case, we were off in one of the earlier group, but I do not know if it was required, we will going on a tour.

 

Personally I will use the service whenever it is offered.

[B & K Travelers]

Hi, everyone. I'm in mourning; just left the Millennium today after a lovely cruise ... not much rain, btw ... and had the luggage valet service. Brilliant. My ridiculously oversized and overstuffed ... way over fifty pounds ... suitcase was picked up last night in front of my stateroom and I found it at SFO at nine p.m. tonight. Easy. But we did have to convene at seven twenty five a.m. and left the ship at eight a.m., escorted by a representative of the pier who walked us through so we would have no lines, out to customs and on the street by 8:05 a.m. There was no choice; we asked if we could leave later. Celebrity guest relations said no. We had to leave as a group. Still worth not having bags and you have to leave relatively early anyway. Everything's being cleaned up around you for the next cruise. Time to go. Sigh. Loved that ship.

 

Did you leave from Ft Lauderdale or Miami airport?

[CaroleLee]

Was wondering if you use the valet service if you have to leave the ship with the first few groups to take your bags thru customs? Our flight does not leave until 3:00 PM and since we have Elite waiting area for departure we don't necessarily want to be early off. I guess it might depend on how many trips they have to make to the airport. We have private transportation - Ft Lauderdale to MIA airport. Anyone have experience with this?

 

Does anyone know if this ervice is available for E. Med cruise either to Rome or retrun Rome?

Carole