Yes!! It's another shipping thread

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

So I'm starting another shipping thread. I'm going to try and summarise the info in the 2 very good previous threads, and hopefully get a follow up on the companies that the people decided to go with.

Here are the threads:

zoobuffalo's very helpful thread

Another UK shipping thread

Now I know that companies will vary in value for money depending on how much your sending but I thought I'd gather up all the companies that have been mentioned anyway, just for handiness...

Companies mentioned:

Excess Baggage: Good reviews all around from LOADS of VJer's, including ElmcityMaven, KikiDoug, tom_q, , pricing geared towards a few boxes, probably not the best if you have a containers worth of stuff, was cheaper than John Mason for jpkeswim.

Doree Bonner: Ladynara used them, but didn't get any final feedback, zoobuffalo got a quote but didn't go with them

John Mason: zoobuffalo's eventual choice, don't know if she's still happy with their service

UPakWeShip: Redkitty using them for the 2nd time - happy customer!

Allied Pickfords: Lansbury is a happy customer, KiKiDoug sent a full container with them and I believe StP has her stuff en route with them, and is ahead of schedule for delivery!!!

Move Me: zoobuffalo's quote was much higher than others

Sterling International: seemed even more expensive than Move Me for zoobuffalo

Atlantic International: Sunnybear is a happy customer

Crown Relocations: StP's friends recommendation

Anglo Pacific: gave a good quote to StP, but has had at least one bad report: http://www.visajourney.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=108798, but has also had good reports elsewhere

Now, I'm wondering if anyone has any experience of All Freight?

I have requested a quote from them so I'll let you know how it goes, but their excess baggage prices look way cheaper than, well, Excess Baggage.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Seven Seas Worldwide are the first company I have come across that will actually give you a proper quote online. Fill in the boxes you want and click quote. Then you can play around with the boxes you want to bring, and update the quote. They seem to be pretty reasonable too.

[snowfrostedlashes 0]

I just thought I'd add that it's worked out cheaper for me to POST items via surface mail than to use Excess Baggage to ship them. Yes that means they're not insured but as it's personal items they cannot really be replaced anyway.

Excess Baggage quoted me £180.40 and it's cost me around £90 to post the same items.

I know that won't be much use to most people, but if you only have a few things that you want to ship but can't cram it all into 2 bags due to space and weight restrictions, and you don't have a friend coming over for the wedding who can lend you the use of a suitcase - posting it in small 2kg or less packages is an option. I've posted items such as CDs, books, ornaments, old diaries, etc.

[Jeraly 4]

Ooh - can we sticky this? I'm going to PM Ewok maybe... I bookmarked most of the places already but it is soo useful to have it here as well Especially if we can get reviews from people

[Eli the Barrowboy 16]

Seven Seas are half the price of excess baggage for me ...

Can't be arsed bringing a bike by airplane, plus the dog ... struggles ....

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

yup, seven seas are cheap, but All Freight are still the cheapest for me. Thing is they only do Door to Port for LA. I'm not sure I'd mind picking it up from the port tho, should only be maybe 5 or 6 boxes. For a significant saving, it might be worth it.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Decided I'd give good old PSS a call, since they seem to be the sole advertisers on this website.

They have an ad in TNT magazine for NZ/Aus: 3 teacartons for £135 and £25 for additional cartons. sounds amazing. Unfortunatley their prices for the US were not the same. £169 for the first teacarton and £50 for each after that. So 6 boxes would be £419. Shockingly their website told me it would be £719. They should sort that out.

Excess baggage would be £530, and Seven seas are £424 for 6 boxes,

Still not better than All Freight, which are £85 for the first, and £45 there after. So 6 boxes would be £310.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Just called Global Moves, they quoted £430 for my standard question of 6 boxes, 4 teacartons and 2 book boxes, door to door, London to LA. For the record the guy I spoke with was very knowledgable and was really nice and helpful in a relaxed non-pushy-salesperson kind of way,

[NickyMcMillan 0]

I'm with you Mark and Hannah! I'm posting a keyboard & a couple other things via parcel force for £45 with insurance. Way cheaper than any of the quotes I've seen.

The rest of my stuff I have family coming out who are bringing out a bag for me.

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Out of curiosity, how are people judging what about of space/how many boxes they will require? Everything I am thinking of shipping is going to be small. I am also wondering if I should be taking into consideration weight. I know a lot of places quote by volume, but a box of books can get heavy very quickly.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

well i would have to first post it to my family in Ireland, so it works out cheaper for me to send it straight from here. I don't really have anywhere in London I could leave stuff, space is too much of a premium!

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Companies that deal in full relocations generally deal with volumetric weight.

The amount of stuff that I'm looking at is really just excess baggage. Some of the companies have pricing scales based on their standard boxes, but the final price will usually also be charged by volume.

Air freight is charged by weight.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

A funny thing happened. I got an email from the helpful guy that I spoke to from Global Moves, and the company was Anglo Pacific!!! weird.

[Alex & Rachel 78]

Thank you for this thread and the quotes you are giving us, by the way, it is all very helpful.

[VisaJourneyLady 33]

Noticed a deal on All Freights website, £250 for 8 teacrates Door to port in LA. I sincerely doubt I'd get a better deal elsewhere. That's it, I'm sick of shipping companies. Going with them.

They've let me switch 2 of the boxes for book boxes too.