Level 8 Voyageur Luggage Set
The search for the perfect set of luggage seems to be never ending. Over the past 20 years of travel, we have gone through no less than a dozen different carry-on and checke luggage products.
When it comes to checked luggage, we have had hard-sided luggage and soft duffel bags. We have had luggage with wheels and some without. We definitely prefer those with wheels.
Our most recent checked bags are wheeled soft duffels that came from COSTCO. They have performed well, but are beginning to show some wear and tear.
Finding the perfect carry-on bag is no less challenging. Rickee and I agree that a carry-on must have four wheels that easily swivel and fit "wheels first" into the most common aircraft overhead bins.
We recently became aware of Level 8 luggage from YouTube and reached out to them to see if they would like for us to review their products during a cruise with Swan Hellenic.
The first to arrive was the Voyageur 2-piece luggage set which included a 26" checked bag and a matching 20" carry-on. Some may find the yellow-and-black color scheme to be a bit garish, but we like luggage that we can easily spot in a sea of black bags on an airport carousel.
28" Voyageur Check-In
The Voyageur Check-In is available in three sizes: 26", 28" and 30". We opted for the 28" and it looks quite substantial compared to our current duffel checked bags. The 28" actually measures 27.3"H x 16.6"W x 13.3"D, weighs 11.8 Ibs and has a claimed capacity of 93 liters.
The Check-In is shaped more like a trunk than a traditional piece of luggage. The shell is a German-made Makrolon® polycarbonate construction, which Level 8 claims to be light and durable. Ours came in yellow and black making it hard to miss.
The base of the Check-In is 8" deep while the lid (the yellow part) is 5.5" deep.
The zipper has Level 8 branded pulls which appear sturdy. The zipper is not waterproof, so care should be taken not to leave the luggage in the rain. The zipper is the most likely point of failure on any piece of zippered luggage, and only time will tell if the Level 8 zippers will hold up to the rigors of abusive baggage handlers. The zipper does glide easily and the pulls can be secured into a TSA lock mechanism on the side of the bag.
The four casters each swivel 360 degrees to turn this into a spinner bag. Each caster has two wheels and each wheel has a rubber tread. The bag glides easily on hard or carpeted surfaces.
The aluminum telescopic handle has three detents and is one of the distinguishing features of the Voyageur line up. Unlike on the more traditional spinners, the handle spans the entire with of the bag, making it quite sturdy and stable while placing the support rails inside the bag at the very edges.
This design places the support rails on the interior of the base at the far edges of the bag rather than in the center of the base. This design makes it easier to pack the base without the need to work around the handle support structure inside the base of the bag.
Opening the shell of the Voyageur Check-In may lead to some confusion as the interior designs are not consistent from bag to bag. For some reason, the Voyageur luggage interior comes in two different layouts. On the Check-In sent to us, the black base is covered with a zippered mesh fabric, underneath which are compression straps. On the lid (the yellow piece), is another zippered panel with two zippered pockets. One pocket is a breathable mesh and the other a vinyl “moisture proof” design. The interior configuration of the other version is just the opposite with the two zippered pockets being placed on the black base side.
Limousine Basel
]Even though our plans changed at the last minute, our transfer was not affected.
On a recent river cruise assignment that embarked in Basel, Switzerland, we were in need of a reliable transfer/limo service to take us from our hotel (Swissôtel Le Plaza) to our river cruise boat. As some of you may already know, we like to pre-book our transfers in foreign countries before we leave the USA. We have had a few bad experiences relying solely on local overseas taxi companies. Therefore, a few weeks before our trip, I reached out to Patrick at Limousine Basel. Within a few hours, I received an email reply from Patrick confirming the transfer. The email also included Patrick's phone number in Basel so we could call him if our plans changed.
A minivan transfer to your river cruise boat is the only way to go!
A quick look at Patrick's website reveals that he provides a wide variety of transportation services including airport transfers, transfers to/from Zurich, sightseeing tours and, of course, cruise ship transfers
The real test of a good transfer company is how well they can deal with changing situations. We received an email from our cruise company the day before we left the USA informing us that our boat would not be able to make it to Basel for our embarkation. Instead, the cruise company would provide us with a coach transfer from Basel to the ship which would be docked in Breisach, Germany, but we had to meet them at the Radisson Blu hotel in Basel the morning of embarkation. I emailed Patrick right before we departed the USA for Switzerland to inquire if he could change our transfer destination to the Radisson Blu hotel instead of the riverboat. In less than an hour I received an email from Patrick letting me know that it would not be a problem. That is good service, especially considering there is a seven-hour time difference between Switzerland and the United States!
Patrick's Mercedes minivan
On the day of our riverboat embarkation, Patrick showed up right on time at our hotel. In fact, he was a little early! Our luggage was loaded into his new Mercedes minivan and off we went to the Radisson Blu hotel. The Mercedes minivan is perfect for cruise travelers because it can hold a lot of luggage, and up to six passengers. Often, when you call a taxi in Europe, they show up in a small Toyota or similar and there is little space, if any, for luggage.
Patrick and Rickee pose for a photo before we leave Swissôtel
The drive to the Radisson Blu was less than 15 minutes, but with luggage for three weeks of travel, a transfer is a must. We were very impressed with Patrick's service and his personality. His Mercedes minivan was spotlessly clean and very comfortable. The next time we travel to Switzerland, we would not hesitate to contact Patrick for our transfer needs. We highly recommend his services.
For more information on Limousine Basel, go to http://www.limousine-service-switzerland.com
On Twitter:@LimousineBasel
On Google+:https://plus.google.com/+Limousine-service-baselCh/posts
On Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/patrick.limousine.service
On LinkedIn: @limousineserviceswitzerland
On Instagram:https://instagram.com/taxi.limousine.basel/
EdelSwiss Limousine Service - Basel Switzerland
If your river cruise is sailing from or to Basel, you will need a reliable transfer service from the airport to your hotel or ship.
On a recent trip to Basel, Switzerland, we were in need of an airport transfer to our hotel. After some research, we learned about EdelSwiss Premium Limousine Services (www.edelswiss-limousine.ch). Their website indicates that they offer a wide variety of transfer services as well as sightseeing tours, celebrations, etc. In fact, EdelSwiss offers sightseeing tours for all group sizes in all Swiss cities.
We contacted EdelSwiss through their website to book our airport transfer and quickly received a confirmation email. Sure, we could wait until we arrive in Basel and hire a local taxi to take us into town, but we have learned that after an all-night flight, the last thing we want to deal with is trying to figure out how to get where we are going. Pre-booking a "meet and greet" transfer is the only way to go. We arrived around 11am and as soon as we collected our luggage and walked through Customs, we found Mark with EdelSwiss holding a sign with my name on it.
After a brief introduction, Mark took charge of our luggage and escorted us to his Mercedes van waiting just outside the airport. The minivan was overkill for just the two of us, but it was very comfortable and Mark was happy to point out some interesting sights in Basel on the way to our hotel.
When we arrived at Swissôtel Le Plaza, Mark unloaded our luggage and we said our goodbyes. Mark and EdelSwiss made the process of getting from the airport to our hotel a breeze. That is exactly what we look for in a transfer company.
The transfer from Basel airport to Swissôtel, Basel by Mercedes E class costs CHF110.00 (about $111 US), by Mercedes Viano CHF110.00 or by Mercedes S class CHF120.00.
A transfer from Zurich airport/Zurich city to Basel by Mercedes E Class executive sedan would cost CHF400.00 (approx. $404 US), and by Mercedes S Class VIP sedan CHF450.00. The transfer usually lasts from between 45 minutes to an hour in normal traffic. When there are traffic jams, it can sometimes take a bit longer.
We were impressed with the quick response we received from EdelSwiss and the excellent service. We would not hesitate to use them on future visits to Switzerland, and we can definitely recommend them to our followers.
For more information, check their website at www.edelswiss-limousine.ch