How to successfully collect luggage at a cruise ship?

What is more relaxing than taking a cruise? There aren’t many things that can compete with this type of holiday. Sailing from one place to another while enjoying the local culture of the sites you visit, a holiday on a cruise ship is a convenient and fun way of spending your vacation. But how do you go about transporting luggage to a port or cruise ship? Or what do you do when you noticed that you forgot something vital, such as your glasses or your clothes?

In most cases you will ask your friends or relatives to send them to you as soon as possible. However, this might not be as easy as it seems, as a cruise ship frequently changes location. Therefore, we have created this article where we share all the if’s and but’s regarding cruise ship courier service and delivering luggage to a port.

The best way for delivering luggage to a port

Here are a few alternatives for delivering luggage to a port and cruise ship courier service:

1. Dedicated offices
   In many cases, cruise ships have a dedicated office in different ports. Contact the company beforehand and ask if it is possible to give them up as a pick-up or delivery address. Explain to them the situation you are in, and they will surely help their customers in need. They might even help you organize the cruise ship courier service. And as soon as you arrive at the port, you can easily visit them and drop off or pick-up your shipment.
2. Port house or office
   In other cases, the port may have an office with a luggage room where your suitcase can be safely stored. Call them and see what the possibilities are, perhaps they can tell you which port has such services.
3. Luggage depots
   When visiting major ports, there might be a luggage depot nearby. Whether it is operated by one of our partner couriers or by an independent company, these depots know what to do when a courier comes to pick-up your suitcase, and they might even help you with delivering luggage to a port.

Which address do I give up for mailing to a port?

When contacting the office of a cruise ship or port house, make sure you ask for the full address. Ask for a contact person and their telephone number. The courier can collect luggage at a cruise ship, only from a full address with correct postal codes and places that can be reached by anybody (not behind any port control). Couriers can also collect shipments from apartments, company headquarters, company warehouses, private addresses, and hotels.

Below you can find all the info when you want to know: How do I ship a package to a cruise ship?

1. Country
   Choose the country of pick-up/delivery.
   Ex.: Canada
2. Name & Surname
   Add the full name of the consignee.
   Ex.: Port of Vancouver, John Stones
3. Address
   Fill out the street name in full and the number.
   Ex.:999 Canada Pl
4. Additional info – Optional
   Here you can add additional information about the address or consignee.
   Ex.: Port office 1
5. Zip code
   Add the zip code, please double check if it’s the right one.
   Ex.: BC V6C 3E1
6. Town/city
   Add the full name of the town or city.
   Ex.: Vancouver
7. Phone number
   Add the phone number, change the area code if needed.
   Ex.: +1 606 123 1234

Cruise ship courier services

Eurosender offers various shipping services around the globe. Below you find the options that are suitable for shipping to a cruise ship or a port.

• Standard shipping: When delivering luggage to a port, you can send packages, parcels, suitcases, sports, and duffle bags to cruise ships all over the world. Below you see the maximum dimensions for standard shipments and our online Shipment Size Checker, which shows you if your shipment is suitable for standard services (be aware that you can also ship multiple packages in one shipment):
  • Maximum weight of 40kg (30kg in some cases).
  • Maximum length of 175 cm.
  • Length (in cm) + 2x width (in cm) + 2x height (in cm) < 300 cm.

• Freight delivery: When you have big items to take with you on a cruise, for example, wheelchairs, luggage for a family trip or when you need to bring a piano when you work as a musician on a cruise ship, shipping a pallet is the cheapest option. However, always check with the cruise liner if the equipment to handle pallets and a place to store them.
• Dedicated Van delivery: When you need a fast solution to move your luggage or other items to a cruise ship, a dedicated van delivery service is the best option. With this cruise ship courier service, your shipment will be transported directly from the pick-up address to the cruise ship. To place your order, please send us an e-mail at mailto:sales@eurosender.com and mention that you are looking for dedicated van delivery.

Common issues with transporting luggage to a port or a cruise ship and how to avoid them

• Missing company name: Many people will add the name of the receiver and the name of the cruise ship, but forget the name of the cruise company or the office where the parcel should be dropped off.
• Entrance to port: The port might not be accessible for everyone by car or truck. When the vehicle of the courier company needs special permission to enter the port, this should be communicated before. In this case, you should always contact our customer support to discuss the details.
• Language barrier: When you communicate with the courier, be aware that they usually speak the local language. When your language skills are not up to speed yet, be sure that you have someone with you who can help you out.
• Too late: When the ship has already left the port, it is too late for delivery to the ultimate recipient. Try to book your order 2 work-days ahead of the planned departure time, and you should be good to go.

How do I ship a package to a cruise ship FAQ

Here are some questions that we often get from people shipping to cruise ships and ports.

• Can I reroute my shipment and how much does it cost?
  Yes, in case you booked a courier with Eurosender you can change the delivery address and date for free up until the time of pick-up and if you have added the option Flexible changes in the ordering process. If you did not buy this service, you would have to pay 15€ to change the delivery address. Read more on our dedicated blog article.
• What to do if the delivery failed? In case you get a notification or email saying that the courier attempted delivery but that it was unsuccessful, there are a few things you can do:
  • You know that the ship had a few hours of delay or the courier attempted delivery outside the office hours, and they can organize a new delivery the next day.
  • You contact the courier and ask if it’s possible to the change delivery address. Be aware that some delay might occur, and charges can be made.
  • You contact Eurosender, and we’ll do our best to help you with your issue.

If you have any other questions on delivering luggage to a port or questions like: How do I ship a package to a cruise ship? Then contact one of our customer support agents who will be glad to help.

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