Personal Valet

[Margate Cruiser]

I have always heard about Seaboun's personal valet, so my wife and I said we would give it try. We sent two bags from Philly to Athens and they were in our cabin before we got in ourselves. We did the reverse one two Philly and being we are going on a Christmas cruise starting in Ft Lauderdale we sent a bag direct to the ship from Dubai. The nice thing you can track you bags anytime after 24 hrs to see where they are. You can even set it up and they will send you an E Mail back when they were delivered. I do caution any person using the service is, only pack clothing nothing else. Boxes camera's jewelry is a no no. For your bags are x rayed and sniffed by a dog. The price like anything else these days is a bit pricey but considering the airports check in and getting your bags at the end of the flight it's well worth the price.

[Martita B.]

I totally agree as to using Seabourn's Luggage Valet Service! As a solo traveler this service has been a life saver! Someone once ask me if using the service wasn't expensive.....I replied, "yes, it's pricey, but compared to back surgery, it's quite reasonable!"

I'll take my luggage this time to Ft Laud., but am shipping it home from St Maarten ~~

Anita is truly an amazing lady! She has always been right there when there have been luggage "hic ups!"

See 'yall Sat. aboard!:D

Martita B.

[Margate Cruiser]

See you on board Sat. after the drill, hope Nelson will be at the bar, what a great guy. He remembers everything what a gem.

[Martita B.]

Mr. Nelson will be there Sat. anxiously waiting for us!

See 'yall soon ~~

MB

[CruisinMatt]

I've been singing the praises of Seabourn's Valet service since it first came out. I'm glad to hear you were impressed as well MargateCruiser! :D

[marazul]

Too bad it can't be used for South America!

We have used it before in Europe and it was great.

[njguy_south]

Could you give me an idea of the cost?

[Martita B.]

I sent my one piece of luggage home from the Pride ~St Maarten~

last Sat. I received an e-mail from Anita Mann yesterday that my bag had arrived at Blue Lagoon Dr and that it would be sent by FedEx ~~arrival date, Friday, Jan. 2nd. What service!:D

As to the cost ~~the best idea is to call Seabourn (Anita Mann) and visit with the Valet Service Manager. (this service is worth every penny)

MB

[CruisinMatt]

Martita, why did it have to go via Blue Lagoon? :confused:

 

NJGuy, it's not cheap, but worth it for me.

[Martita B.]

Matt

I think to be on the safe side Anita had my bag FedExed to Miami, then on to West Texas ~~as you know I live in "the sticks" and even our US Postal Service is a hit 'n miss ~~

Last Oct. my luggage was not picked up by DHL....the company had pulled out of this area and didn't even notify Seabourn......it was certainly an inconvenience but I toted it to UPS and it went on to Lisbon ~~was in my suite when I arrived Oct. 16th.

I will again use the Valet Service next March.

Feliz 2009!

Martita B.

[SantaAna,CA]

I used the service last year and it took two weeks to get my bag back from the Pride; some kind of snafu. I decided to use them again this year for my Panama Canal cruise just this past December. Seabourn placed the bag on in Ft. Lauderdale (on the two week cruise just prior to mine) and it sailed TO me in Caldera. That was smart, since I guess it's easier to ship to a US city than to ship to Costa Rica.

 

My cruise ended in Ft. Lauderdale, I disembarked December 19, a Friday. The following Monday, my bag arrived home. This time it worked perfectly! It is expensive (it can be up around $400 one way for a 50 lb. bag)...but it's a load off my mind. I tend to get nervous in airports, so having one less (humongous) bag helps!

 

Jane

[Host Dan]

Matt

I think to be on the safe side Anita had my bag FedExed to Miami, then on to West Texas ~~as you know I live in "the sticks" and even our US Postal Service is a hit 'n miss ~~

Last Oct. my luggage was not picked up by DHL....the company had pulled out of this area and didn't even notify Seabourn......it was certainly an inconvenience but I toted it to UPS and it went on to Lisbon ~~was in my suite when I arrived Oct. 16th.

I will again use the Valet Service next March.

Feliz 2009!

Martita B.

Just a "heads up". DHL is no longer doing any domestic shipping..

 

Host Dan

[JaneBP]

Cost? Depends on the number and sizes of the luggage as well as the destinations. For me it's about the cost of a round trip coach ticket to the port of embarkation. However, I fly Business or First <G>.

The cost of Anita's services? Priceless.

[Martita B.]

Year before last I disembarked the Pride, in Ft Lauderdale after a 3 week Dec. holiday cruise ~~ my 2 pieces of luggage were in the Ship Terminal (with all the luggage) For unknown reasons, one of my bags was carried back aboard the Pride!:eek: (it was my hanger bag and contents, my formal wear and formal shoes, handbags, etc.) Well, the Ex. Housekeeper simply kept the bag and when I boarded in March for the TA Crossing, there it was waiting on my bed ~~

The piece of luggage had gone a'round South America ~~yep, a 72 day voyage! I'm sure it had a "grand time!" Sooo that hanger bag has 72 more days on Seabourn than I do!!:confused:

'Truth is always stranger than fiction~~

Martita B.

[Host Dan]

Year before last I disembarked the Pride, in Ft Lauderdale after a 3 week Dec. holiday cruise ~~ my 2 pieces of luggage were in the Ship Terminal (with all the luggage) For unknown reasons, one of my bags was carried back aboard the Pride!:eek: (it was my hanger bag and contents, my formal wear and formal shoes, handbags, etc.) Well, the Ex. Housekeeper simply kept the bag and when I boarded in March for the TA Crossing, there it was waiting on my bed ~~

The piece of luggage had gone a'round South America ~~yep, a 72 day voyage! I'm sure it had a "grand time!" Sooo that hanger bag has 72 more days on Seabourn than I do!!:confused:

'Truth is always stranger than fiction~~

Martita B.

So will your hanger bag get a free cruise before you do?? :D

 

Host Dan

[Martita B.]

Dan

As I'm busily working on my 2nd free 2 week cruise that hanger bag has already qualified!!

I don't think Seabourn will allow me to accompany that hanger bag, do you?

It'll have a wonderful time while I stay home! :cool:

MB

[JaneBP]

Thought this might be interesting.

 

http://www.petergreenberg.com/2007/11/02/luggage-shipping-services-solving-the-lost-luggage-blues/

[Chairsin]

Jane,

While I do have to admit that using Seabourn's service last year started out as being very convenient and a great stress reducer( nice to have the packing done and out of the way more than a week in advance), after the poor end result I have trouble justifying using it again.Now I am nervously trying to figure out how to handle this July's Baltic trip. On short domestic trips Sailor Boy and I can easily manage with a carry on bag -- but not on an overseas Seabourn trip. I am doubly anxious because we change planes at Heathrow(the luggage equivalent of a black hole) on our way to Copenhagen. So I guess we will crosspack a carry on with clothes we will each need for a couple of days ,check the other bag and keep our fingers crossed.

[GrannyLorr]

To get to our Baltic cruise from Copenhagen, we change planes in Singapore, Dubai AND Heathrow (about a 40 hour trip) .........it will be a very exciting moment to see if our bags make it all the way to the carousel in Copenhagen! :D I will pack both suitcases with half my clothes and half hubbys, (he doesnt quite get half) so if ONE bag makes it we will still survive.......then we have 4 days in Copenhagen to buy anything we may have lost!!

[Chairsin]

GrannyLorr,

Ok, you put my concerns into perspective -- it could be alot worse! Flying to and from the ship is really the only down side to being addicted to Seabourn.I will be very curious to hear from you as to whether all of your bags make it. it really is like playing Russian roulette. BTW, it is very nice of you to give your husband "almost" half off that very precious luggage space. Actually, while I definitely bring more clothes than my husband they usually take up less space. Before I started crosspacking people always assumed that the bigger of the two bags we had were his. why just one pair of his shoes alone weigh more than two pair of mine( and his also take up more space).:p

[GrannyLorr]

On our last trip (to Europe back in November...Brisbane to Bangkok to Vienna to Amsterdam....then return...Budapest to Frankfurt to Singapore to Brisbane) we decided to make it easier to identify our luggage on the carousels...of course we had the usual "bright coloured ribbons" tied to our bags.......but so does everyone else these days.....black luggage and red luggage......hundreds of them!......so we came up with the idea of huge "stickers"......found some in a "dollar store" which are laminated and meant to be stuck on car windows......we got lovely big frangipanis!! Hubby looks a bit strange wheeling his luggage through the airport with big flowers all over it....we figure that at least they wont go un noticed...and hopefully get a few extra looks by the baggage handlers....might even get to the right place!!

You wouldnt believe the comments we got at each carousel over our frangipanis...everyone thought they were a great idea......somehow I think there will be a lot more "flowers" etc on baggage from now on... :D

[Chairsin]

What a great idea!Your mention of frangipani's reminds me of when I was a young girl living in Hawaii. I used to love making frangipani leis from our trees to give to friends when they visited for the first time.I guess I can't use the same flower decals on our luggage -- then yours would not be unique and so identifiable. perhaps since we are now living in Arizona I should use a saguaro flower.On the otherhand, if all Seabourn CC'ers used frangipani stickers it would like our secret code.

[Martita B.]

Chairsin

I use the Seabourn Valet Service for most of my cruises but for other trips I have "Retriever luggage Tags" on my bags. Have used these for years ~~(Magellen) These are vinyl tags with your flight itinerary, hotel, etc. enclosed. If your luggage is misplaced or lost a quick look inside by airline handlers and your bag is forwarded to you while you're still enroute.

Last year these tags saved my life as I flew Houston /Amsterdam/Oslo ~~my luggage flew to New York ?? (never have figured that out) When I landed in Oslo no luggage!

I checked with the authorities and 'lo and behold my bag was in the Manager's office ~~thanks to my "Retriever tag."

Check the tags on Magellen's website.

Martita B.

[Chairsin]

Martha,

Thanks so much for the tip -- I just might look into that. Lord knows how Sailor Boy would handle the trip with just one pair of shoes.

 

And may I add, that even for those of us that have been fortunate to have traveled quite a bit, especially on Seabourn, it is nice to know that there are always some new tips and tricks that can be put to use to make improve the travel experience. So I would just like to thank my fellow Seabourn message board posters for always being there with helpful information and opinions.

[Martita B.]

Chairsin

I just e-mailed you the "Magellen Retriever Tags" website. These can actually solve misplaced baggage enroute to your destination.

Another tip for you men ~~if your luggage does not arrive on the ship in time for the 1st formal evening simply ask the Laundry Master if you might borrow from the staff's supply of formal wear. ~~~there is a room where all the staff's Tux, etc. are kept. I knew of a fellow who borrowed black "tails" one evening (he did look akin to the Maitre'D ~~but he was thrilled to have the loaned clothing)

MB