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Shipping luggage
Any suggestions about shipping luggage? With all the horror stories about lost luggage, I'm considering this.
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Any suggestions about shipping luggage? With all the horror stories about lost luggage, I'm considering this.
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That would be an interesting topic and a great idea. DHL? That would cost a pretty penny.
Many companies are now offering the service. Given the serious disruption in European flights and lost luggage, certainly something to consider.
My experiences with DHL just here in the US, don't give me much confidence that they would be any better getting luggage to your destination any faster. I'll bet it is pretty pricey, as well.
I remember a long time ago we went to a formal wedding in NY in December literally on the way Antarctica. What was I going to do with NY winter clothing including a long wool coat in Antarctica? I sent them UPS in a locked suitcase back to Calif. at the time, it was a easy.
I used Luggage Forward, based in Boston, this past June to ship one bag from Edinburgh to Rhode Island at the end of my Week in Scotland tour. I was going to Greece and didn't need my colder weather Scotland clothes. It was easy and efficient. I arranged it before I went to Scotland. They sent me the paperwork and a large luggage tag to attach to my bag. When I left Edinburgh I gave my bag to the hotel concierge and DHL picked up my bag and it was in RI in 8 days. In the future, I'm going to use them at both ends of a trip. Highly recommend Luggage Forward.
8 days! That wouldn't be so good on the outbound, and you wouldn't want to send anything you might need for the eight days you ship early until your flight! And who do you ship it to- the hotel and hope they hold if for you? You certainly wouldn't ship it to the airport. If things don't get any better by December, we will carry on.
And for going anywhere, what if you have to cancel at the last minute?
I've been reading and doing some research and, given the mess in Heathrow, I'll probably try shipping a suitcase. My travel agent also suggested it and many of her customers have been using Luggage Forward with good results. If I have to cancel at the last minute, I'll figure out something. I will have it delivered to the hotel the day I arrive and will send an email to the hotel prior. I, of course, will take a carry on with all necessities and a change of clothes, just in case....fingers crossed.
with the heatwave you're better off taking only a BIKINI! no need to have luggage.
think it will break before I arrive in August....
August is always hot in Europe and with no A/C in places
August is also when Europeans take their yearly holidays within Europe.
Weather in Edinburgh averages in the high 60s in August. The Scottish Isles run in the high 50s in August....
"And who do you ship it to- the hotel...and hope they hold if for you?"
After securing some form of written agreement from the hotel. I would send it to: "Hotel guest, traveler name, home address, arriving on this date".
Of course there is a chance that a shipped bag will be delayed by the customs service in any overseas location. If you only ship clothes and shoes that inspection/delay should be insignificant.
I'm using Luggage Forward...good reputation. Sending email to hotel with the details and asking for confirmation from them. If I get nervous, will call to ensure they are aware of the suitcase and my arrival. Shouldn't get stuck in customs, but fingers crossed. Following the do not ship requirements carefully......,.big thing is nothing with alcohol...sanitizers, etc. Not sure how they will know unless they open suitcase and what will prompt them to do that?...We'll see...
Looking into this. MEHTraveler, did it work for you??
Shipping my suitcase worked like a charm...It was in my hotel room in Edinburgh when I arrived...
My daughter just shipped a suitcase (12kg) from Europe via DHL. It was just under 100 USD and is supposed to arrive in 4 days on the west coast.
Apple air tags. We flew from Milan to SFO via Zurich with an unplanned stop in Chicago overnight. We checked all four of our bags (two duffels two small rollaboards) going home and did not expect to see them again until SFO. But, during a medical emergency divert to ORD, we had to claim our bags. We rechecked three, took one and checked it again in the morning. None of the bags went on our airplane, all preceded us on two different aircraft. When we got to the SFO United baggage service the bags were scattered all over. We tracked the bags using the air tags and in five minutes we were on our way. Ship your bags if you wish, but the airlines really don’t often lose bags, but they get a lot of press when they do.
Sealord - glad you posted about the Apple AirTags - we picked up a set of 4 at Costco several weeks ago & plan to use them next week on our Ultimate Alps & Dolomites trip. Glad they worked so well for you - we've heard lots of good stories & it's certainly a peace of mind for us.
As mentioned, I keep one Apple Air Tag inside my handbag, another one on a set of keys and another on a bike. Some people put one on their dogs collar.