luggage weight.......

[lenojs]

How does everyone out there weigh their luggage, with the charges if one pound over
it's $25. YIKES !!!!! I know my home scale isn't going to do it........

[hazelson]

Get on the scale and weigh yourself - then weigh yourself again with suitcase in hand - then subtract the first number from the second and that leaves you with the weight of the suitcase. I always do it in the bathroom - with the door locked lol. TTFN Jennifer

I always weigh my luggage, too! I bought a new digital scale, more accurate than my old one, easier to read.

I'm going on the Sea Princess for 21 days leaving out of England so I'm allowed 70 lbs international. Coming home from New York, its only 50 lbs domestic so I have to do some serious thinking about what I'm taking!

Susie

[danacline]

You're allowed two bags, each of which can be 50 pounds...

Even on a 21-day cruise you should be able to get by with 100 pounds...

Dana

[LisaK]

i do exactly what Jennifer said. Get on the scale, weigh yourself. Then get on the scale with your bags and weigh yourself again, the difference in the weight is the weight of your bags.
Check with your airline - the weight limits vary

[Carol P.]

We actually had a couple in the check in line who had to rearrange their bags on the sidewalk in order to avoid the $50.00 a bag fee. It was a sight to see them pull things from one bag to another. This was in Ft. Lauderdale airport. My cousin had to do the same thing in LAX. Things to consider Do I really need all of this "stuff"?? Remember less clothes more cash :-)

I agree, weigh the luggage at home so you know whether to unpack some of it. My son flew recently, the airlines had him weigh the luggage before boarding.

[Donna]

I actually had to transfer stuff from one suitcase to another. One was 3 pounds under, while the other was 2 over....It is worth it to save $50...

[MercedMike]

A number of companies sell nice little hand held luggage scales. You just hook it to the handle of your bag and lift.

Then you throw it in the bag so you can weigh it again before you come home!! I think more people have problems coming home than going.

[john_galt]

Travelsmith had a hand scale for $9.95. I got zapped on the last cruise but it won't happen again!

[johnthed0g]

Some airlines will not allow extra weight at all. we bought a cheap luggage scale, the sort with a hook.....it bent!!

[Kamloops Cruiser]

Originally Posted by lenojs

How does everyone out there weigh their luggage, with the charges if one pound over
it's $25. YIKES !!!!! I know my home scale isn't going to do it........

You can buy a cheap baggage scale for about $20.

We bought one weighted our bags at home and checked against

the airline scale.

[Lakers Fan]

We have luggage with built in scales .

[Fern]

Just curious, how can you be sure that the luggage scale at home and the airline's scale are the set the same? We generally have 48+ pound luggage (!), but it would be nice to know if we were under weight and could add a few things!

If you have a great luggage scale, please let us know about it and where you bought it!

Thanks,

[Kamloops Cruiser]

We carry the luggage scale with us and measure just before we go to the airport.

Usually the bag for the cruise is packed and not used en route . The carry on bag
carries everything we need during the trip and for the pre cruise hotel night.

[rooborne]

wait until they hit you up for a"coffee card", 25 $

that is because they use a premixed liquid, never fresh brewed

and tastes like what it is. they intend to nickel dime dime you bout 30%

about your initial cruise cost.internet, wow that's another 100$, or more.

[Kamloops Cruiser]

We usually pack so that the weight at home is about 10lbs below what we are allowed.
We then compare our measured weight with the offical scale at the airport.

We got the scale a local luggage or department store . The was about 30$ cdn.

[MercedMike]

Originally Posted by rooborne

wait until they hit you up for a"coffee card", 25 $

that is because they use a premixed liquid, never fresh brewed

and tastes like what it is. they intend to nickel dime dime you bout 30%

about your initial cruise cost.internet, wow that's another 100$, or more.

Hey, Roo, welcome to the boards but you are a bit off topic in this thread. We are talking about the airlines here and specific charges and devices.

Why don't you start a new thread in All Things Cruising with this topic? I know there are lots of posters who would respond to it.

[Fern]

I said:

Originally Posted by Fern

Just curious, how can you be sure that the luggage scale at home and the airline's scale are the set the same? We generally have 48+ pound luggage (!), but it would be nice to know if we were under weight and could add a few things!

If you have a great luggage scale, please let us know about it and where you bought it!

Thanks,

Originally Posted by doopydozer

We usually pack so that the weight at home is about 10lbs below what we are allowed.
We then compare our measured weight with the offical scale at the airport.

We got the scale a local luggage or department store . The was about 30$ cdn.

This is why I asked ! Ten pounds is a lot when you're packing for a 14 + day cruise. If the scale is as much as ten pounds off, it's useless to me .

[Kamloops Cruiser]

Before we trust the scale I check it with a known weight doubled check on a scale at work. We know that our scale is only 2 lbs off the scale that the airline uses.

[topher]

I always take 1 or 2 small bottles of wine in my luggage and know that they will not be returning home with me. This gives me a little wiggle room weight wise. Always also take a small carry on with me. Outbound I have clothes in it, just in case my large suitcase gets lost. On the return I put my shoes and any other heavy items in it, giving me room and weight for items purchased along the trip. I weigh my suitcase before leaving the house and when you check into the airlines it's not hard to see the weight registered on their scales. Gives a good indication of how accurate the home scales are.

[Dannyboy]

Originally Posted by rooborne

wait until they hit you up for a"coffee card", 25 $

that is because they use a premixed liquid, never fresh brewed

and tastes like what it is. they intend to nickel dime dime you bout 30%

about your initial cruise cost.internet, wow that's another 100$, or more.

Depending on the cruise line, Fresh coffee is brewed on Princess, at the bars and International cafe.
The Buffet on most cruise lines use PRE MIX.
Also, every airline has differant charges for overage on luggage weight, often more expensive then a second bag.
Using a scale and weighing your self, then yourself with luggage will provide your weights to determine total luggage weight after subtraction of your body weight.
Always carry a near empty small carry-on, this will allow for transfer over-weight of clothing from checked to your carry-on.

If you max out on flight over, you will have tom pay for extra's purchased on return.

Bon Voyage.

Danny Boy

[PapaBear]

My wife and I traveled around-the-world in 2000, starting in Israel, to Netherlands to USA to China via air. Then to Mongolia, Siberia, Moscow and St Petersburg by train. Then back to Netherlands and back to Israel via air.

We each had a carry-on bag on wheels, and a large handbag. We never checked our bags, and had them with us on all trips. We did laundry several times.

We have used the same bags on 6 cruises since, and it has worked for us. Plan ahead, pack lightly, and be ruthless about what you take. Incidentially, our trip was wonderful Our travel agent in Melbourne Australia made all the arrangements, and every place we were met by their reps.

PapaBear

[lovetocruize333]

Originally Posted by lenojs

How does everyone out there weigh their luggage, with the charges if one pound over
it's $25. YIKES !!!!! I know my home scale isn't going to do it........

local travel store should have smallhandheld scale that you can carry with you about the size of a pack of cigarettes

[Queen of Oakville]

We use the bathroom scale method. I can see how the handheld scale would be handy for the return trip.

We tend to pack close - like 48 or 49 pounds, and we haven't been wrong yet. To be safe, I always pack a few re-usable nylon shopping bags in each suitcase, just in case it goes over .... then the extras can go into the bag, and be brought on the plane as a carry on.


I remember our first US flight (SW) was the first time I was affected by weight restrictions. This flight was also our first with a toddler, and I had packed diapers, formula etc. We got dinged for $50 on the way down. While in Floiday, I went to a target and bought an extra bag for the way back.

I like SW policy of 2 free bags. With our recent Direct Air flight, we had to pay $240 in checked luggage fees. CRAZY. But not as crazy as all the people trying to stuff their overpacked carryons into the overhead bins on the plane.

[Skipper's Mom]

I was recently in my local grocery store parking lot and noticed a man struggling to place a large suitcase in the trunk of his car. I passed him and made the comment that it was an interesting way to do his grocery shopping. He replied that he was leaving the following day for a trip to Europe and was weighing his bag on the grocery store scale and was 4 pounds over limit. I told him that his wife would have to forego some of her shoes. He replied that he had no wife but was going home to redistribute his luggage into a backpack. Too funny!

[RichC]

We've never come close to the max on any trips we've taken but then again we travel light.
They do have a scale in the gym on all ships but don't wait till the last day to use it as sometimes they take it away to keep large crowds of people from lugging their luggage all over the ship.

[anniegb]

I know I am going to get 'flamed' but here goes:

1. It always intrigues me that folks who buy cruises and flights baulk at paying an extra $25 for luggage. I would rather have the luggage in the hold but that is me

Anyway

2. 7 day cruise - 10kg or 22 lbs is enough. For a 14 day cruise - 1 kg/day which leaves me 9kg left over for any souvenirs etc.

3. We always pack too much don't we?

Annie

BTW my suitcase is always lighter on the return flight

[Queen of Oakville]

No flaming Annie! For SW, I think the "over" charge starts at $50.00 not $25.00.

I guess what irks, me is that the charge starts sooooooo high. I'd rather a price per pound, like $2.00 a pound. .... you go over 10 pounds .... it costs you $20.

I generally fly back lighter too, .... why is that? ; )

[anniegb]

Originally Posted by Queen of Oakville

No flaming Annie! For SW, I think the "over" charge starts at $50.00 not $25.00.

I guess what irks, me is that the charge starts sooooooo high. I'd rather a price per pound, like $2.00 a pound. .... you go over 10 pounds .... it costs you $20.

I generally fly back lighter too, .... why is that? ; )

OK - agree $50 is too high - but on the other hand I have seen folks try to cram 11/12 kg suitcases into overhead bins. Put the larger pieces of luggage in the hold. BTW SW allow you to check one piece of luggage fee-free? or so my friends tell me.

Return flight will be minus paperbacks, munchies, wine and toiletries.

Annie