Hold Luggage Suit/Garment Carrier

[mattyn1]

First world problems galore here!!

Am looking for one of these but they do seem expensive and reviews are hit and miss. I need something to take on a. flight to be worn on Cunard for Transatlantic voyage home. Going all in on the QM2, tux etc. My concern is getting it there, when we fly out with Virgin.

Now we have plenty of baggage allowance (PE so 2 x 23kgs) but in the past I have not had much luck with the inside out/rolling suit jackets and certainly not tried it with a tux... does anyone have recommendations for such a sturdy garment/suit carrier that does not cost the earth (i.e. less than £150-175) that can be either in the hold or carry on.

Needs to accommodate a couple of suits and a couple of dresses (not for me you understand... it's not that sort of voyage!!).

Have found a Samsonite Respark https://www.samsonite.co.uk/respark-garment-bag-tr...

or a

HoL holdall like this: https://www.debenhams.com/product/house-of-leather...

Alternative is to buy oa new tux in NY - which is an option at one of the outlet malls... but comes with a different element of risk.

Or risk the inside out rolling and just pack and see if they can sort any issues on board.

In summary - can anyone recommend a decent and longer than normal suit carrier that can withstand being in the aircraft hold?

Ta!

[ExBoringVolvoDriver]

mattyn1 said:

First world problems galore here!!

Am looking for one of these but they do seem expensive and reviews are hit and miss. I need something to take on a. flight to be worn on Cunard for Transatlantic voyage home. Going all in on the QM2, tux etc. My concern is getting it there, when we fly out with Virgin.

Now we have plenty of baggage allowance (PE so 2 x 23kgs) but in the past I have not had much luck with the inside out/rolling suit jackets and certainly not tried it with a tux... does anyone have recommendations for such a sturdy garment/suit carrier that does not cost the earth (i.e. less than £150-175) that can be either in the hold or carry on.

Needs to accommodate a couple of suits and a couple of dresses (not for me you understand... it's not that sort of voyage!!).

Have found a Samsonite Respark https://www.samsonite.co.uk/respark-garment-bag-tr...

or a

HoL holdall like this: https://www.debenhams.com/product/house-of-leather...

Alternative is to buy oa new tux in NY - which is an option at one of the outlet malls... but comes with a different element of risk.

Or risk the inside out rolling and just pack and see if they can sort any issues on board.

In summary - can anyone recommend a decent and longer than normal suit carrier that can withstand being in the aircraft hold?

Ta!

First of all, hope you are doing as well as you can at this time. Good that you are planning this trip which sounds amazing.

I know you shouldn’t have any issues with the ships motion - the Atlantic is not something I would want to cross on a cruise ship although the Cunard ones are designed better for it.

Anyway whilst I haven’t got a recommendation for a garment carrier as such, my observation would be not to risk anything like that in the hold - have you seen how they throw luggage around on and off the plane?

I haven’t flown PE with Virgin only BA and American Airlines and IIRC they both allow additional cabin baggage as well. So I would suggest having a look to see if you could take a garment carrier as hand luggage - iirc BA allowed 2 items each plus a small handbag/laptop size bag so maybe Virgin would let you combine it all.

I took a nice jacket to America for a cruise and I had it laid flat in the overhead locker and if you talk nicely to the cabin crew I have heard that they might let you hang it up somewhere in their area.

[mattyn1]

ExBoringVolvoDriver said:

First of all, hope you are doing as well as you can at this time. Good that you are planning this trip which sounds amazing.

I know you shouldn t have any issues with the ships motion - the Atlantic is not something I would want to cross on a cruise ship although the Cunard ones are designed better for it.

Anyway whilst I haven t got a recommendation for a garment carrier as such, my observation would be not to risk anything like that in the hold - have you seen how they throw luggage around on and off the plane?

I haven t flown PE with Virgin only BA and American Airlines and IIRC they both allow additional cabin baggage as well. So I would suggest having a look to see if you could take a garment carrier as hand luggage - iirc BA allowed 2 items each plus a small handbag/laptop size bag so maybe Virgin would let you combine it all.

I took a nice jacket to America for a cruise and I had it laid flat in the overhead locker and if you talk nicely to the cabin crew I have heard that they might let you hang it up somewhere in their area.

My lad called my new Volvo boring... I think it is heaven!

Anyway - thank you buddy - doing as well as I can expect to I suppose. Still have no real direction ... well aside from this trip. My good friend who organised the pasties for the funeral has family on Long Island - so we are headed there. I am going to treat Ella to a few nights in NYC and may get a little road trip up to Miagara and Finger Lakes - we shall see how it pans out.

When I flew BA last year to Chicago we only got one item plus laptop/camera bag in the cabin. I am nervous about putting something in the hold but sort of mitigating risk by looking for a decent carrier. Cabin is as you say, safer. I might see if I can work something out - I do have a tendency to over think things... hadn't actually thought of just carrying it with me... good tip!

As for motion - have beens ea sick once and that was on a Plymouth-Roscoff ferry. - although I was six or seven pints in by the time we left Plymouth Sound!! QM2 is supposedly good for it... looking forward to the experience!

[alscar]

When I was travelling constantly on business I used to alternate between an Antler and a Samsonite one , the former had a extending handle and wheels and the latter an all round zip close which was also made of a very strong material. It was also a lot lighter than the Antler.
But both if around today ( the Samsonite link one was a lot smaller and cheaper ) would I think exceed your budget.
However a quick look look at Amazon gives the Hugh Butler one as having high marks / good reviews and is a lot cheaper at £60.

[DB4DM]

If I recall, Cunard vessels are not cruise ships but ocean liners, hence behave very differently in a seaway and are designed to take the swell bows on. If seasickness is an issue, try Stugeron 15mg, available over the counter as a remedy for inner ear turbulence

[AndyAudi]

Not too familiar with Cunard however I’d ask
(Perhaps on cruise specific Facebook page?)

Is formal attire required on night one / each night
Confirm what options for laundry/pressing are onboard

RCCL ships have significant laundries & relativity easy to get formal wear sorted out (RCCL have much less formal wear now)

[omniflow]

The only tip I have is buy a dress shirt in the US. You should be able to find something a bit different, flamboyant even, that still looks really good as part of a formal ensemble.

[BlackTails]

I have the Away Travel garment bag (£155) and think it is very good. The airline should allow you to take a garment bag on as a carry on; I’ve taken mine on with a hard she’ll carry on case which itself is right at the limit of what is an acceptable size.

Whatever you do, you will need to press a dinner jacket at the other end though.

[Shnozz]

omniflow said:

The only tip I have is buy a dress shirt in the US.

Why, out of interest?

[mattyn1]

AndyAudi said:

Not too familiar with Cunard however I d ask
(Perhaps on cruise specific Facebook page?)

Is formal attire required on night one / each night
Confirm what options for laundry/pressing are onboard

RCCL ships have significant laundries & relativity easy to get formal wear sorted out (RCCL have much less formal wear now)

Formal wear advised for gala nights (not compulsory) on night 2 and 6. So yes, having it pressed if it needs it as soon as we get on is the fall back answer.

[omniflow]

Shnozz said:

omniflow said:

The only tip I have is buy a dress shirt in the US.

Why, out of interest?

As I said in my post, you should be able to find something that's a bit different from things you can find in the UK. Instead of a pleated or waffle front you can get them with some quite impressive frills. When worn with a bow tie and a dinner jacket they look really good and not as clown like as you'd think.

I looked in loads of shops in and around London for something a bit different and couldn't find anything. A totally different story in the US.

[mattyn1]

Thanks all. Told you I would likely over-think this.

We can take two cases as we fly PE. I am not going over loaded with clothes like we did last year, so me and daughter can put a garment carrier in a 2nd case which gives us capacity for splurging at the outlet stores in NY.

Then, use the pressing service on board, if needed. I will also like to take a couple of jackets for the non-formal nights, and pressing service will come in handy. Also embarking on QM, we are not restricted for baggage.

Despite a couple of you saying it, and seeing it mentioned in other places, I am not convinced about taking the suit cover on board as carry on... surely they are too big... Virgin for instance the sizes are 56cm x 36cm x 23cm. Is it normally something to "negotiate" once at the gate?

I shall look at the bags suggested here anyway... might be a good investment.

Omniflow's suggestion about buying in NY is very valid - but I don't want to be under pressure to HAVE to get a jacket/shirt etc. An "impressive frill" might go well with my intended burgundy red velvet DJ!!

Great solutions to my first world problem - thank you all! A bit to ponder.

[XJSJohn]

I use something like this Link to a bag on Amazon

I keep the suit in a drycleaners plastic wrap in the bag and they come out as good as they went in, travelled all over the world, sometimes throw it in the hold, sometimes take as hand carry

[goingonholiday]

Flown virgin many times in all 3 cabins, they will not take a second glance at your garment carrier. They regularly get wedding dresses in all sorts of carriers on their vegas and caribbean flights. I've seen all sorts of boxes and carriers and the crew have always been helpful.