Is it possible to ship luggage?

How can I pre-ship my luggage for a reasonable price?

• Four of us will be taking a 7 day Alaskan cruise starting from Vancouver BC, ending in Wittier Alaska. We would like to forward our luggage from Coon Rapids, Minnesota (55433) to the cruise ship in Vancouver, then have it sent back to Coon Rapids from Wittier. We would each have a large suitcase and a garment bag. So far we have been quoted a price of $475 PER PERSON for this service, and we are hoping to find a significantly better price.

• Answer:

  The cheapest way is going to be to just take it with you. It may not be the easiest, but at least it won't cost you any extra. Be sure to box them up good and don't put anything fragile in the suitcase, or anything you will have to have for your vacation, such as medication. You never know where you luggage will end up and if it will be on time, so you will want to have a small bag with things you need and possibly a change of clothes. The best thing is to probably check different prices with USPS, DHL, UPS, Fed Ex, etc. USPS is usually the cheapest, but has more limitations. I've found that DHL and UPS tend to run less than Fed Ex. Just try to find the least expensive option, meaning the slowest. Be sure to give yourself plenty of time before you will be taking your cruise in case it gets lots. It is not going to be inexpensive, but you should be able to get it for a lot less than $475 per person. You would have to have a really large, heavy bag for it to be that expensive. Finally, be sure you are only bringing what you have to have. Space on cruise ships are limited, even with some suites, and suitcases will take a lot of space. Especially if you only have one room, you may want to try to cut out one or two bags. I try to pack as little as possible for my cruises so I have more room in the stateroom. Hope this helps!