Will the baggage handlers handle luggage with care?

[PalmTree's]

Check out this luggage comercial from 1970.

 

Now thats one tough suitcase:D

[CapeCodCruiser]

Well you are the parent,, you could have suggested to DD that that might not have been a wise investment. I mean she is ONLY 13,,which btw you never mentioned in your original post.( we would have been easier on her,, but perhaps not on you,, didn't YOU kind of know the answer to this anyways,,?) . We mostly assumed she as at least 16 or older as I don't know many young children who can earn enough money to buy expensive luggage..

 

OP never said the bags were expensive - but you certainly got the assume part right.

[MedicKen]

My running joke is that, "FRAGILE" means kick with left foot.

[jetskier]

It always tickles me when people tip the porters extra to make sure the bag gets on the ship. When all they are doing is taking the bag and placing it in a nearby loading bin. They will never lay hands on the bag again. A fork lift then takes the bin to the ship where employees on the ship will unload the bins and take the luggage to the individual cabins.

 

The majority of porters are highly paid union workers as the ports are forced to use them.

Dave

[G.C]

You depend on them to handle your bags with as little care as possible all of the time.

[dmdiver]

Check out this luggage comercial from 1970.

 

That's exactly what came to mind when I saw this post.

 

Our luggage is one of those sets from Target, I think. It wasn't the cheapest they had nor was it very expensive. It has held up well on planes & ships. I cringe when I see the bins of luggage at the port. Don't ever put breakables or items of value in your checked luggage. Our luggage is soft, so it gives under pressure. The framing is still in good shape & all wheels intact.

 

An earlier poster asked about repairs. DH had something repaired at Bag & Baggage once, but I think he had purchased the item there to begin with. Any place that specializes in luggage items should be able to recommend a reliable repair shop.

[G'ma]

Rt 70? lol

 

Actually, off Rt 38 a bit east of CH Mall....and near those ugly "luxury" apartment buildings almost across the street.........HA!

[lt]

no no no no.....I can't stress that answer enough

[travelgip]

They care for your luggage is if it's their own :rolleyes: :eek: :D

[tnincy]

the one thing i have learned in all my travels is do not buy nice luggage for checking. they do not care about it. not to mention how many pieces of luggage they handle in a day. i instead go for durable luggage with good solid handles. my luggaage has been lost before due to the porters handling my baggage so roughly, the handle actually came off along with the tag indicating where it should go.

[pmoniz]

Bought my set a few years ago for our cruise out of NYC - we drove so no plane necessary! One of the pieces looked like I had it for 10 years when it arrived to our cabin! Torn on the side, bent frame, plastic broken off near wheel, black marks on it! I was kind of pissed at first - but it's just luggage. Nothing drastic that I couldn't use it any more!

 

My son took our 2nd set of luggage on his last cruise to Bermuda - same thing no plane - and another piece came back torn and marked up! What are you going to do?

 

So I guess the answer is - NO!

[CarnivalCruiseLover]

No they aren't careful at all. I have had my luggage all banged up, not to mention stained from either mud or something they drug it over. The cruise line baggage handlers are far worse than the airlines.

[nealstuber]

 

I also know I've seen "luggage condoms" like my MIL used to have on her sofa.

[RHefley228]

For 20 years I traveled frequently with a Samsonite hard-sided bag and it survived pretty much anything, although I once found a hole punched through one side. I fixed that with fibreglass tape and resin, and it made it through another few years until an airline finally tore one entire side off; when I got it off the baggage carousel my clothes, though filthy, had been repacked and the loose side was held in place with duct tape.

[templed]

It was a first for me... when I was in Moscow, I noticed that all throughout the airport, people where basically "Shrink Wrapping" their luggage... They paid some dude... then they put it on a what best could be described as a pallette wrapper and they wrapped up their luggage...

 

I asked someone about it... they told me... Luggage was very expensive there so they did this to protect it...

 

Well... that was a pretty easy way to pick out non-Russian travellers... as we all basically shrugged it off... I got my luggage on a 2 for one from Kohls... If I spent over $150... that's a lot...

 

I like the black "ballistic" material that the Samsonite's have. The only thing that shows any wear and tear are the zippers...

[starsteveo]

Thanks for the kind advice from some of you eager to answer even the dumbest questions. And to the rest, thanks for reminding me there is no such thing as a dumb question unless you post it on a public forum. Thanks for the warm welcome I received as a new member. I found myself checking this thread to see what kind of smart remarks I was getting, more than for the smart advice. No, I am not an experienced cruiser, this is my first, so don't assume I should have known. It's okay, it's all good. I have tough skin and kind of enjoyed the back and forth. Now I know more about how bags are handled and that was the originally intent of this post. No hard feelings here. :cool: