Has anyone had experience shipping their luggage from the US to New Zealand? Since we are spending three/four weeks driving thru NZ in Nov. and then cruising home from Auckland, we have several suitcases. So our answer is SHIP THEM? Any one had experience with this company LUGGAGE FREE....or have any advice/expertise to offer?

Getting excited as November comes closer...

Thanks for ANY info.

Are you sure you can't go lighter? We were in NZ for a month and only had one small suitcase each.

Wow, cruising home from Auckland. How long is the cruise? Very exciting!! I'm thinking laundry costs wouldn't be as much as shipping luggage.

My general understanding is that shipping luggage home can be quite expensive. On the couple of occasions when we have shipped home large purchases it has certainly cost quite a lot. I am totally unfamiliar with the company Luggage Free.

I have never been on a cruise so I will readily admit to being quite ignorant about luggage allowances on them. However, I would have thought that would have been more generous than what you are allowed on the plane flight to NZ. If so, I don't quite understand why you need to get rid of some of your luggage.
Do cruise liners have storage facilities for excess luggage? I have no idea but it might be worth enquiring.

However, if you can afford the prices and it makes you happy well go with it. Otherwise I would have to advocate giving serious consideration to trying to pack less so that this isn't an issue for you. On our last RTW trip (seven weeks) we managed with one large bag and one good size day pack each and that encompassed destinations which included hot and steamy Bangkok, winter in the alps in Europe (so needed good hiking boots and parkas etc) and climatic temperatures inbetween. Of course, it did mean we had to launder the clothes but that is not a big issue for us.

Do have a great trip.

I assume you plan to take a lot of luggage because you'll need dressy clothes for the cruise???

I gather from your other posts that you'll be arriving in and departing from Auckland. Have you considered looking into left baggage services at the Auckland airport? If there is such a thing, it might be cheaper than shipping.

For what it's worth, I suggest you try to pack as little as you can. Moving about with lots of luggage is a royal pain in the butt. Laundromats are everywhere in NZ and I'd be very surprised if most of your accommodation doesn't offer a washer and dryer.

We recently spent three weeks in NZ (winter) and managed just fine with one large suitcase and a duffle between the two of us. In fact, we'd packed several items we never needed and I hope to get by with much less next time.

Found this info on the Auckland airport site:

Baggage storage

Baggage storage is available at the Visitors Information Centre. Charges are NZ$10 per bag per day and NZ$15 a day for large items. Lockers are also available, costing NZ$15 for small items a day and NZ$20 for large items a day. For more information and charges on bulky items contact [email protected]
Location: ground floor, arrivals area
Phone: +64 9 275 6467
Facsimile: +64 9 256 8942
Email: [email protected]

Just for grins I checked the price of shipping an 18 kg bag to Auckland (I randomly selected NY and used the xsbaggage.co.nz site) - NZ $453

If you are seriously considering shipping luggage, go to www.cruisecritic.com, click on Seabourn Cruises and do a search for luggage shipping. Seabourn offers the service and there have been many comments on Seabourn's deal, other luggage shipping companies and the cost.

The best bet is to just pack what you need for the NZ road trip in a couple of carry ons and then put the cruise clothes in another bag or two (checked luggage) and leave those in storage at the Auckland hotel-see my comments on your other post.

In 2006, we did our own precruise trip to Japan, then did the North Pacific crossing (3 weeks) back to the West coast, spent some time touring the coast before flying on home. We spent the first and last night in Japan at the same hotel and just left the larger luggage at the Hotel while traveling. Did the same thing this spring when we flew to Lima for a land trip then a cruise back to San Juan. We had dive gear along with travel and cruise clothes-we left all the big stuff at the hotel and picked it up when we returned to Lima to board the cruise. We cruised back to St Thomas, got off and spent a week in the Islands diving.

Just to reiterate what everyone else said, you don't need more than one piece of luggage to hold everything you'll need for a month traveling around NZ. You're allowed two pieces of checked luggage and a smallish carryon. Use the second piece of checked luggage for your fancier cruise clothing.

Understand about the luggage ....we are doing one medium suitcase for each of us for our four week drive through NZ. We just need a medium suitcase for each of us for the cruise due to dressier, formal and warmer clothing. Believe me we do not want heavy suitcases.

Check my reasoning on my other post: Auckland FLY/DRIVE?

CWN...You got it.....thanks for the tips...invaluable info...lots of good stuff on shipping...seems everyone was pleased!!

Mel...Thanks for the info. on the Auckland Airport...all your research.

To all of you...A BIG THANKS for all your help and info.