Luggage Service: Door to Door

Zlato

Although I also posted this query on cc river board, I hope that I can get responses from this forum. Have any of you used one of the various luggage services which will pick up your luggage at your home and have it delivered to your precruise hotel or boat? Would appreciate any comments or recommendations.

ScorpioS

Hi Zlato,

If you post this on the Cruise Critic Crystal board, you will get answers since a lot of people there use these services and will be happy to answer you.

Happy cruising.

Sheila

Zlato

Thanks. I anticipated little or no responses on this forum.

jdurkin

I'd be interested in this service. I'm sure the topic would interest many others, too. Perhaps you could post a summery here, as well?

Cheers,

Jan

Zlato

Thus far, only one person has responded to my query regarding luggage service and that one response was on the cc board. I am also having my TA look into this option. The one cc respondent used two companies; i.e. , Luggage Concierge and Luggage Forward and endorsed these luggage delivery services. Luggage Forward on their web site quoted a price of over $1400 for two 50-70 lbs suitcases (Amsterdam and return to U.S) For a lot less then that price, I could buy a round trip ticket for someone to take my luggage to the destination, stay overnight, and return to home base the next day. I am still waiting for a quote from Luggage Concierge. I guess I will just ask my wife to carry all the luggage.

jdurkin

Zlato wrote:

I am still waiting for a quote from Luggage Concierge. I guess I will just ask my wife to carry all the luggage.

Tsk, tsk! You are a very bad person, Zlato! I know your wife is a saint! It's a wonder she lets you travel with her!!! ))))

Cheers,

Jan

PS Thanks for keeping us posted. I have a vague memory of checking this once before and coming to the same conclusion as you. I'd rather go with the luggage for the price to and from Australia! I have been on Tauck US trips where fellow travellers have sworn by the practice. They sent off their cases on the last night of the trip with nothing to worry about on departure day.

Zlato

You are correct --- my wife is a saint! Sainthood, however, has to be earned; thus, I guess I am an enabler, and I would think she would be grateful that I allow her to earn points to maintain her sainthood status.

Back to lugguage: Given that Tauck provides more upscale travel opportunities, I have often thought that tauck should provide this option for those who are willing to pay the costs of this type of luggage service. With the realization that Tauck contracts with hotels for pre and post cruise hotel arrangements, I also think that they should offer upgrades to junior or other types of suites at an additional cost. Although I make our own air arrangements, I know that Tauck offers an upgrade to business class---why not expand the opportunities for upgrades to hotels, etc.? Otherwise, Tauck is one of the best travel companies, and we will continue to travel with Tauck in the future.

jdurkin

Well, far be it from me to take up the role of Devil's Advocate in your dear wife's case! )

As for accommodation upgrades ... take pity on the poor TD's on the job, Zlato. Can you just imagine the scene! On the bus and the end of a long (but exhilarating, naturally) day on the road. The TD steps back into the bus with the little bundle of envelopes from the front desk. I'd rather not think about that .... could get ugly. And then, can you imagine behind the scenes in the Tauck hotel booking department ... full of stressed out, rapidly greying and/or possibly balding, harried staff. There's only one suite per hotel ... how to allot? I see a future of corporate espionage, not to mention phone taps. So I won't mention phone taps. Oh, Zlato, have a heart! We need Tauck to keep being our favourite tour company. We need all of them alive and kicking.

Cheers,

Jan

ScorpioS

To Zlato,

Do you realize that Tauck will pick you up at the airport for free even though you arranged your own air transportation? All you have to do is get your luggage on a cart to the "welcome area" and it will be taken from you by someone hired by Tauck. You can always ask some nice fellow passenger to help you put the luggage on the cart.

Sheila

Zlato

Thanks. Yes, I do realize and am expecting that Tauck will provide the necessary transfers to and from the airport(s), ship, etc. I sent my flight arrangements to Tauck months ago; however, we have extended the post cruise stay in Bucharest, and our return flights have us flying from Bucharest to Zurich with an overnight stay and then flying to the U.S. the next day. We will have to claim our luggage in Zurich, take to hotel, and then check in our luggage the next day prior to flight. Thus, it is the returning flights that prompted me to look into this option. I recently found out, however, that in Zurich the airline (Swiss International) can pick up our luggage at the hotel (for a flat fee) prior to checking in for our flight back to the U.S. In any case, I appreciate your information. Given our propensity to overpack, I thought that the door to door luggage option for the return trip might eliminate some of this hassel. Given some of the quotes from these services, I probably will ask for some assistance from "friendly people" if necessary.

Thanks Again.

ScorpioS

Hi Zlato,

If I read your post right, you are extending over in Bucharest after the tour ends. If you are extending at Tauck's hotel (J. W. Marriott), you will still get a transfer to the airport. So glad you have made a connection with Swiss International to pick up your luggage in Zurich. Have a great time, we start our cruise/tour on the Treasures when your cruise/tour ends.

Sheila

carolgreen435

we start our cruise/tour on the Treasures when your cruise/tour ends.