Imagine the freedom and simplicity of travelling only with carry-on, no matter how long your trip! Imagine breezing through airports without the discomfort and inconvenience of carrying luggage!
Pre- and post-cruise travel is a lot more relaxing and less stressful when you’re not travelling with luggage, and pampered cruisers use luggage valet services to ship their luggage directly from their home to the cruise ship (and back home again after their cruise).
Here are some of the benefits of travelling without luggage:
- No waiting to check in at the airport. You can check in online at home, print out your boarding pass, and proceed straight to the gate.
- No ‘checked luggage’ or ‘overweight bag’ fees. Luggage fees are a billion-dollar industry for airlines. Using a luggage shipping service, you can pack as much as you want. You’ll know exactly what you’ll be charged ahead of time, with no nasty surprises at the airport.
- No worry or hassle of lost, stolen, or damaged luggage. Luggage that goes missing or is damaged in transit is a lot more common than most airline travellers realize. You’ll eliminate this worry with a private luggage shipping service.
- No frustration and inconvenience of delayed luggage. The last thing you want when you’re going on a cruise is luggage that doesn’t make it to the ship on time!
- No waiting to pick up your bags after your flight. Instead of waiting at the airport luggage carousels after your flight, trying to find a luggage cart, then experiencing potential delays if your bags are selected for inspection, you’ll walk straight out of the airport ahead of everyone else.
- Explore your embarkation and/or disembarkation port without being burdened by luggage. The first and last day of your cruise can be a challenge with luggage. When you remove this limitation, you’ll have a lot more options. Pre- and post-cruise days can become exciting, memorable parts of your vacation instead of boring, wasted time.
Here’s how a luggage valet service works:
- Book your luggage shipment online or by phone.
- Your luggage is picked up at your house or other agreed-upon location. Your bags will be picked up 7-14 days before
- departure, depending on whether you are travelling domestically or internationally. This ensures your bag is on time, with extra time allowed for international shipments, where your luggage must go through customs and may be delayed if your bag is selected for inspection.
- Customs documentation and any other loopholes are handled for you. Your luggage is monitored throughout the trip.
- Your luggage meets you in your stateroom.
- After your cruise, your bags usually arrive home within a few days.
Luggage Free is my favorite company (www.luggagefree.com), and it’s also the provider for Regent Seven Seas Cruises.
Here are some of the reasons I prefer Luggage Free:
- They ship to (and from) 130 countries – this includes any cruise port in the world.
- Your luggage is covered with a protective prior to shipping and for the duration of the journey.
- You’re only charged for what you pack. Other companies use ‘block pricing’, where the price is the same for all bags in the same weight range e.g. 40 – 60 lbs.
- They offer one of the industry’s most comprehensive delivery guarantees
You also get an upfront consultation, so you’ll benefit from good advice. They can advise you about little-known rules and regulations (which vary from country to country) so you don’t unintentionally import illegal items or contraband.
Other reputable luggage valet services include:
• Luggage Forward (www.LuggageForward.com) – exclusive provider for Seabourn cruise line
• Luggage Concierge (www.LuggageConcierge.com) – provider for Crystal Cruises
If you’re planning a multi-stage trip, a luggage valet service can be an especially convenient option. For example, maybe you’re taking a Mediterranean cruise that departs from Rome, and spending two weeks in Paris ahead of time. Using a luggage valet, the bags you need for Paris will be at your hotel when you arrive, and will be picked up again when you leave for Rome. The bags you need for your cruise will meet you in your stateroom two weeks later on embarkation day, and will be picked up from the ship upon debarkation. You’ll travel hands free all the way home.
Sue Bradley
