Seabourn Develops Method to Deliver Bags Directly To Suites

July 8 /PRNewswire/ -- Small-ship specialist Seabourn Cruise Line has teamed with DHL Worldwide Express to provide an optional service that allows cruise guests to ship their personal luggage from their homes directly to their luxurious suites on the intimate Yachts of Seabourn anywhere in the world. Dubbed "Personal Valet," the service includes preparation of all shipping and customs paperwork; conveniently scheduled DHL pickup of luggage at the guest's home; 24-hour online tracking; Shipment Value Protection and delivery directly to the guest's suite on board. Rates are available for both one-way and roundtrip shipping. Personal Valet service will be available to guests sailing on all cruises of the 208-guest Yachts of Seabourn starting August 15, 2002.

"Schlepping luggage through airports was never fun," said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, Seabourn's senior vice president of sales and marketing. "But since last year, with increased security, random searches and so forth, it's become more of a hassle than ever. We were looking for a way to make travel to and from our ships as trouble-free and pleasant as possible, and DHL helped us create our Personal Valet solution. With Personal Valet, guests can relax and travel light, knowing that their luggage will be delivered right to their suite on board," he added.

The cost of Personal Valet service depends on the weight of luggage and the destination. For example, a suitcase weighing up to 30 pounds shipped from the U.S. to London to join a Seabourn Pride cruise of Scandinavia and Russia will cost $200. For a bag weighing 60 pounds, the maximum allowable, the fee will be $350. Bags shipped from the UK back to the US will cost approximately $50 more. Two key elements of the program are ease of use and reliability. Seabourn is renowned for the detailed, personalized service on board its all-suite ships, and Seabourn's staff will ensure that the Personal Valet service will match this standard. The department has created a special toll-free number, 1-888-491-0771, for guests to order the Personal Valet service, or it can be ordered through the travel agent at the time of booking. Standard service can be ordered up to 14 days prior to departure. Within two weeks of departure, expedited service may be requested at an extra charge, based on availability. Once the order is received, Seabourn's Personal Valet service desk will prepare all paperwork and forward the airwaybill, customs forms and complete instructions to the guests via overnight delivery. The guest can then call a toll-free number to schedule a convenient luggage pickup time directly from DHL Worldwide Express. DHL, in turn, will utilize their superior, reliable worldwide shipping network to deliver the luggage to Seabourn's local ship's agent at the port of embarkation. The port agent will deliver the luggage to the shipboard staff on arrival, for distribution to the guest suites. Guests and agents will be able to track the shipment on DHL's online tracking system 24 hours a day using the airwaybill number, or Seabourn's Personal Valet staff will track it on request.

Information on the Personal Valet service will be included in cruise documentation sent to travel agents and guests beginning this month, with service available for cruises departing after August 15, 2002. Along with the shipping documents, guests will receive a list of items that cannot be shipped, and instructions about the sorts of items that should be kept with the guest's hand-carry baggage.

Personal Valet luggage shipping is another in a continuing series of refinements being introduced aboard the award-winning Yachts of Seabourn. Elements already introduced include complimentary fine wines and spirits throughout every cruise; free Massage Moments on deck; complimentary Exclusively Seabourn shoreside experiences on every cruise; Movies Under the Stars on deck; exciting new dinner menus created by renowned chef Charlie Palmer, enhanced services at The Spa at Seabourn and Seabourn's Pure Pampering featuring fine wellbeing products and a selection of therapeutic bathing experiences by Molton Brown, London.

The Yachts of Seabourn provide the ultimate in small-ship, ultra-luxury cruise vacations to the most desirable destinations on earth. The Seabourn fleet includes Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend. Seabourn Cruise Line is a member of the exclusive World's Leading Cruise Lines alliance, which also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Cunard Line, Holland America Line, Costa Cruises and Windstar Cruises. Together, these member lines share a commitment to quality and value, offering cruise vacations that appeal to a wide range of lifestyles and budgets and sail to some of the world's most exciting destinations.

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