Additional Fees for Luggage on Cruise/Tour

[Blackrobe]

We just received our pre-cruise information for our South American cruise/tour in January. We have mandatory transfers because it is a cruise/tour. We fly into Rio; spend two nights in Rio; fly to Iguazu Falls and spend one night at the Falls; then we fly to Buenos Aires and board the Royal Princess. At no time were we informed of the stringent baggage restrictions on the flight to and the flight from Iguazu Falls. Princess advises that all of our luggage will travel with us. We are allowed two bags not more than 50 pounds per bag on our international flight. Princess then tells us that we are allowed 44 pounds per person on the flight to the Falls and 33 pounds on the flight from the Falls. Anything in excess of the limitation is charged $1.00 per pound. Using the baggage allowance on the international flight to calculate the weight of our luggage we are looking at $246.00 in excess baggage charges for the excursion which we are already paying top price to Princess!

 

Has anyone experienced this on one of their cruise/tours? BTW when I brought this to the attention of Princess I was informed that they are not responsible for contract operators and additional charges they impose. This is covered in the small print at the back of the brochure. Do I feel ripped off?

[karen2cruz]

Hi,

 

It is a tad frustrating. We are doing a Globus UK tour next fall and we are allowed 40lbs main bag and 30 lbs carryon, plus the sizes are way smaller than airline regulations. We will probably wind up paying about $100 "portage fees" for the excess weight/size. But it is the price I am willing to pay so my daughter and I can relax and know we will be taken care of (no driving, planning where to go, reserving hotels, etc). Sorry this is so dissappointing for you.

 

Hope the rest of your trip turns out stress-free.

[Hulagirl]

Truly, I can understand how you feel. In 2001 we did the pre cruise tour with Princess of Switzerland before sailing on the Golden Princess for 12 days in the Baltic. We flew into Zurich 4 days ahead of meeting with the tour, so of course that meant even more clothes for those days. Being there was 3 of us, we had a bit of luggage. This whole trip was going to be 21 days, so there was no way we could do it with just one piece of luggage (day clothes and night time cruise clothes). We were fine for weight limits on the international flights but there was definitely a problem when flying from Geneva to Barcelona. Thank goodness the tour guide stayed with the whole group. The first couple was at the desk forever and then we found out that the weight restriction per person was 44 pounds total. This sounds exactly what you are dealing with. We were told had Princess purchased the air tickets in the US the weight restriction wouldn't have been so tight, but since they were purchased in Europe we had to abide to them. No to this day I really don't know if that was totally true, but that is what tour guide told us. She went to bat for us with the airline. They finally decided to weigh the luggage for the whole entire group and then divide up the pounds to see what overage we would be. Turned out when they did this we were underweight by about 20 pounds. Thank goodness there were a few people who packed light.

 

Now I don't know if this makes you feel any better or not since it doesn't help you, but yes it has happened to us also. Thank goodness we didn't have to pay the extra because I know we would have been in about the same situation you are.

 

Good luck and have a wonderful trip. The pre cruise we did was wonderful, but also very pricey.

 

Susan

[BJS]

Your post is a good "heads up" to anyone considering pre or post cruise packages. It would be wise for them to check on luggage restrictions for flights within the country they will be visitng. They can then decide if they want to book with the imposed restrictions.

 

Do I feel ripped off?

I don't think it has anything to do with the "mandatory" transfers. It is most likely the airlines that are making your weight restrictions. When you fly international to Europe and then spend some time in Europe before going on to your port to board the ship you also experience much lower weight restrictions for the flights in Europe. If your flights just transfer in Europe without a stay and baggage is checked to final destination you are under the international weight restrictions as a person in transit.

 

If you do feel ripped off you might just switch to the cruise only and eliminate the pre-cruise tour. If not, consider using the ships laundry or laundry service rather than paying for the excess baggage fees.

[spongerob]

Thanks, BJS, that's good info. I am curious why bags cannot be sent ahead to the ship, as they were when we did our Alaskan land tour - security, perhaps?

[Blackrobe]

Let me follow up a bit. When we planned this trip we discussed doing the CruiseTour with Princess or, alternatively, simply planning a trip to Iguazu Falls on our own as a pre-cruise activity. There was a significant difference in dollars with Princess being much more expensive. We chose to go with the CruiseTour because Princess did such a fabulous job on our CruiseTour in Alaska. In Alaska we moved all over the place leaving baggage here and there (always with Princess oversight) and it worked perfectly with all of our luggage arriving at the ship without a hitch.

 

To answer spongerob's question, in Alaska Princess has train cars going back and forth between Anchorage and Fairbanks as well as trucks. At times they charter aircraft. It is a much bigger operation handling lots of people so that there are economies of scale that are not available on a South American CruiseTour.

 

Having said that, Princess knows that everyone on the CruiseTour will be spending a minimum of 19 days on the tour. There are very few people who can travel 19 days out of one suitcase weighing not more than 33 pounds. I know one or two but it is not common. Furthermore, are we suppose to lose 11 pounds during our stay at the Falls? Even if I threw my used underwear away it wouldn't amount to 11 pounds!

 

Princess enters into contracts with these carriers. Princess (and the Carnival Corporation in particular) has the clout to negotiate favorable contracts. Why wouldn't they negotiate a contract that allows for a more reasonable weight allowance on these flights? Alternatively, why wouldn't they slightly increase the cost of the CruiseTour and avoid aggravating and alienating customers. It is very poor marketing as far as I am concerned.

 

By the way I am aware of the difference in weight restrictions between the United States and foreign countries. In fact I checked the weight restrictions for the flights to and from South America. Nothing that I read prepared me for this. I don't mean to make it sound like it is cataclysmic. It is a shock when you shell out nearly $700.00 for vaccinations, another $200.00 for visas, and now another $240.00 for excess charges for a tour that you thought you had already paid for.

[BJS]

It would have also been a big shock to me to find these luggage restrictions. It is too bad Princess did not have the forsight and to either tell people this before they booked this Cruise Tour or better still make some type of luggage arrangements for those on the tour.

Let me follow up a bit. When we planned this trip we discussed doing the CruiseTour with Princess or, alternatively, simply planning a trip to Iguazu Falls on our own as a pre-cruise activity. There was a significant difference in dollars with Princess being much more expensive. We chose to go with the CruiseTour because Princess did such a fabulous job on our CruiseTour in Alaska.

Is going to Iguazu Falls on your own still an option that you might consider since the Princess pre-cruise is not fullfilling your expectations?

[Blackrobe]

Doing the Iguazu tour on our own probably is no longer practical because of flight connections. I am exploring the possibility. Thanks for the suggestion.

[spongerob]

I'm not sure if it is entirely justifiable to classify this as corporate failure in marketing. The tour contractors might simply be passing on higher fuel costs. At least, you have some means to control the costs, rather than having the fee built into the cost of the tour.

 

It might also be a mistake to assume that corporate clout could be used to resolve the situation in your favor. You cannot beat your suppliers' prices down to the point where they can no longer afford to do business with you. That is also a poor way to do business, particularly when you have competitors in the same area.

 

I'm not saying I'd be any happier than you, I'm just suggesting that there is another way to look at it.

[jajammer]

I would maybe suggest you have a travel agent look into a good tour for you. We had our travel agent book a tour of Australia after we get off the Sapphire after 30 days on December 23. Spending an additional 10 days touring the country.

 

When our documents came there was mention of one suit case allowed if flying domestic within Australia, which we are several times. The tour company and Quantas both have said since we are international customers then we go by the international rules which is two suitcases at 70 lbs each.

 

I don't know if we would have figured this out without his help. This was not booked through Princess but through a travel agent. Just a suggestion. Good luck.

[Blackrobe]

We did not have to pay any additional fees for luggage. Our tour guides did some negotiating and stated that Princess was paying something additional but no one on our tour was required to pay anything additional for luggage.

 

For reference purposes, the airline used by Princess from Rio de Janiero to Iguazu Falls was Varig and from Iguazu Falls to Buenos Aires it was Aerolineas Argentinas. The seats on Varig were as close to one another as on any airline I have ever been on. The Argentine airline was wonderful.

 

By the way the excursion to Iguazu Falls was absolutely wonderful!!!!

[coiran]

Let me follow up a bit. When we planned this trip we discussed doing the CruiseTour with Princess or, alternatively, simply planning a trip to Iguazu Falls on our own as a pre-cruise activity. There was a significant difference in dollars with Princess being much more expensive. We chose to go with the CruiseTour because Princess did such a fabulous job on our CruiseTour in Alaska. In Alaska we moved all over the place leaving baggage here and there (always with Princess oversight) and it worked perfectly with all of our luggage arriving at the ship without a hitch.

 

To answer spongerob's question, in Alaska Princess has train cars going back and forth between Anchorage and Fairbanks as well as trucks. At times they charter aircraft. It is a much bigger operation handling lots of people so that there are economies of scale that are not available on a South American CruiseTour.

 

Having said that, Princess knows that everyone on the CruiseTour will be spending a minimum of 19 days on the tour. There are very few people who can travel 19 days out of one suitcase weighing not more than 33 pounds. I know one or two but it is not common. Furthermore, are we suppose to lose 11 pounds during our stay at the Falls? Even if I threw my used underwear away it wouldn't amount to 11 pounds!

 

Princess enters into contracts with these carriers. Princess (and the Carnival Corporation in particular) has the clout to negotiate favorable contracts. Why wouldn't they negotiate a contract that allows for a more reasonable weight allowance on these flights? Alternatively, why wouldn't they slightly increase the cost of the CruiseTour and avoid aggravating and alienating customers. It is very poor marketing as far as I am concerned.

 

By the way I am aware of the difference in weight restrictions between the United States and foreign countries. In fact I checked the weight restrictions for the flights to and from South America. Nothing that I read prepared me for this. I don't mean to make it sound like it is cataclysmic. It is a shock when you shell out nearly $700.00 for vaccinations, another $200.00 for visas, and now another $240.00 for excess charges for a tour that you thought you had already paid for.

 

What are the visa and vaccination requirements for South America? Do you need more than a passport?

 

Ron

[FredS]

What are the visa and vaccination requirements for South America? Do you need more than a passport?

 

Ron

 

Depends on where you are going in South America. Each country is different. You do need a visa for Brazil. It is good for 5 years, is multiple entry. If you are going to Rio and the Falls then vaccinations are not needed. If you are going to the Amazon area then Yellow Fever vaccination is needed. It is suggested you get a couple of others but not required. We entered Brazil through Manaus on the Amazon River and we only had to show proof of Yellow Fever vaccinations. These cost us $85 through our county med. clinic. A Brazil visa is at least $100 plus process costs in some cases. Chile does not require vaccinations nor a visa but you have to pay $100 US cash when you get off the airplane at immagration. Only US cash and nothing else. Best bet is to check country embassy web sites.

[calif cruise]

Princess enters into contracts with these carriers. Princess (and the Carnival Corporation in particular) has the clout to negotiate favorable contracts. Why wouldn't they negotiate a contract that allows for a more reasonable weight allowance on these flights? Alternatively, why wouldn't they slightly increase the cost of the CruiseTour and avoid aggravating and alienating customers. It is very poor marketing as far as I am concerned.

Right on....times 20

[patlanta]

jajammer,

 

You might want to doublecheck that baggage size limit on Quantas. There were a lot of people re-packing their bags on the airport floor when we traveled to the outback with Princess. I remember women buying exta-large purses on Alice Springs too.

 

Quantas was the most strict airline we have traveled on. In Los Angeles they were weighing the cary-ons--18 lbs as I recall. At each take-off in Australia the bags were weighed and people re-shuffled their belongings.

 

Blackrobe,

 

I was just working on selecting an 06 South America Princess cruise because I was so disheartened to find out yesterday that Princess is going to use the Golden (class iof ship is too big) in 2007 that I thought I better hurry up and get there on the Regal. Now you say I have to be concerned about the baggage weights--yuck! I thought the current limit on the Xpedition of 30 lbs for a week was difficult but, if I understood you correctly, 33 lbs for a 21 day cruise because of a precruise is beyond my desire to comprehend.

 

Enjoy your South America cruise. Usually after I get over these "disappointments" I can rally and get back on track. Been there, done that with the visas and immunization too, understand what you're saying.

 

Similar happening on the Beijing--Terra Cotta Warriors excursion, but with a different twist. It seems those folks believed (probably for the cost) that their rooms and belongings in the rooms would be "theirs" while they went on the overnight trip. On the way to Beijing they said they found out they would be surrendering their first night lodging and their luggage would be stowed while they were gone for the second night and they would go through the whole new room/luggage process for the third night.