How Ship&Play works — door-to-door delivery, carrier routing, the port agent network, and real-time tracking explained.
Guests can book Ship&Play through three equally seamless channels. Each path routes to the same great experience.
Guests visit your co-branded booking URL (e.g., shipplay.com/[partner]). Your cruise itineraries pre-load automatically. Guests select bags, enter pickup address, and pay. Confirmation and labels are emailed immediately.
Step-by-step online guide →Guests (or your call center agents) can reach the Cruise Concierge team directly. The team books on the guest's behalf, handles payment, and mails the welcome packet with labels.
Guests can book disembarkation shipments (bags from cabin back home) through your Guest Services desk while on the ship. Ship&Play supplies labels, zip ties, and instruction cards to keep onboard at all times.
Onboard booking guide →From the moment a guest books to the moment their bags are waiting in the stateroom (or back home) — here is every step.
Via one of the 3 paths (online, phone, or onboard). Works for both directions:
After booking, the guest receives an email confirmation with their Ship&Play order number and tracking info.
Guests pack normally — no special containers, no repackaging. Ship&Play handles standard luggage of all sizes. The only rule: follow the weight and size guidelines per bag type.
Every guest receives a Welcome Packet mailed to their home address. Inside: pre-printed shipping labels, luggage tags, zip ties, adhesive sleeves, and any required customs forms.
The guest simply applies the label to each bag — done. Labels can also be printed from the confirmation email.
A carrier (FedEx, UPS, or DHL) picks up the bags from the guest's home (Monday–Friday). For embarkation shipments:
For hotel deliveries: bags go directly to the hotel front desk — no port agent buffer is required. The hotel is notified in advance.
The guest travels light — through the airport with only a carry-on, or nothing at all. On embarkation day, they board the ship and find their luggage already waiting in their stateroom.
For disembarkation: bags are picked up from Guest Reception on the last night, collected by the port agent, and shipped directly home. Guests walk off the ship with their hands free.
The routing logic differs depending on whether luggage is going to a cruise ship or a hotel.
Ship&Play uses a port agent network for all cruise ship deliveries. Here's why:
Hotel deliveries are simpler — no port agent buffer needed.