Bags Program - Not as great as it seems!

[CCinSTL]

My husband and I just sailed on the Jewel Jan 3-10 and signed up for the NCL BAGS Program, where they offer you the "convenient option" of taking your luggage to the airport for you and you get "easy walk off" when you leave the ship.

 

I knew it was too good to be true. First - to disembark with "easy walk off" you must leave the boat first, usually at 8am, but the bags did not clear until 9ish so if we had been ready to leave then, we would have sat waiting for clearance. Then soon after, NL starts calling tag numbers for everyone else to leave the ship, at that point your "easy walk off" option is gone, you are in the line with everyone else. When the Customs Agent asked us where our bags were, we told him we used the Bags program and he said "good luck".:mad:

 

My husbands luggage arrived but mine did not. The airline said it would be on the 10:30pm flight, I just got a call this morning stating that it is missing and they do not even know if it will be on the next flight. :mad:

 

No one knows at what point the bag went missing, but the frustration of missing almost everything I brought on the trip is so upsetting.

 

PS - I just read the final paperwork for the bags program - when you do it, you agree that the value OF ALL THE BAGGAGE does not exceed $100 (?!) WHAT?! How did we miss this?

 

DO NOT DO THE BAGS PROGRAM!!!

 

I do not recommend using the bags program, keep your items safe and where you know they are.

[silkhair1]

Wow, My sister wanted to do the bags program on our last cruise and it was not offered. I guess that is a good thing. I hope you get your bag back! Good Luck!

[SeaShark]

PS - I just read the final paperwork for the bags program - when you do it, you agree that the value OF ALL THE BAGGAGE does not exceed $100 (?!) WHAT?! How did we miss this?

 

 

This is pretty standard and shouldn't be a surprise.

 

Check your airline tickets...you will see a similar restriction on the airline's liability for the value of lost luggage.

[Globaliser]

PS - I just read the final paperwork for the bags program - when you do it, you agree that the value OF ALL THE BAGGAGE does not exceed $100 (?!) WHAT?! How did we miss this?

Insurance companies sell insurance. Transportation companies (ie cruise lines and airlines) are not insurance companies, so that there are always such limits on liability. If you want your bags to be insured against loss, buy an insurance policy.

 

You shouldn't be concerned, anyway, about the mishandled bag. There's a 99%+ chance that it will turn up within the next three to four days.

[CCinSTL]

I just spoke to NCL, there were some bags left at the pier but mine was not one of them. Am hoping it shows up on the flight out of Miami tonight.

[Tideone]

If your bag does not return to you, there is a good probability you could find it and its contents at a store in Scottsboro, Alabama that specializes in lost luggage...

I have stopped there a couple of times and I just can't believe all the stuff they claim from people's unclaimed baggage...

[CCinSTL]

If your bag does not return to you, there is a good probability you could find it and its contents at a store in Scottsboro, Alabama that specializes in lost luggage...

I have stopped there a couple of times and I just can't believe all the stuff they claim from people's unclaimed baggage...

 

OMG, I don't even want to think of that!!

[trish1c]

Oh Colleen you poor thing!

We looked at the program but decided against it. With all of our travel woes this trip I didn't want to risk having our bags go through even more hands.

We were part of the 9:20 group to disembark. Some guy also did the bags program & had to stand in the horrible line with everybody else.

The VIP / cut to customs was completely open. I think if they are going to do this & charge $19.99 for it they should at least let you cut the big line. Then maybe it would be worth it.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for you that it's found.

[BIG_Steve]

What a terrible way to end a cruise. I've been thinking about using the program on my next cruise, but have been worried about exactly what happened to you.

Will keep my fingers crossed it turns up.

 

Keep us posted.

[CCinSTL]

Trish - I wish I had consulted my cruiseship lawyer first!! ;) I guess what could I expect when NCL had 2 dancers and a jr. waiter serving as crowd control for disembarking.

 

So get this - Official system from AA - They have one flight from Miami to STL a day so they load on all the luggage that did not make it yesterday, then after the flight arrives, anything left spinning at the carousel is then checked out and then they make a claim, if the claim recognizes my claim, I am a winner!!

 

That is the system they use! I asked if they scan items before being put on a flight or if they are left behind and the rep laughed and said they were not UPS! Ha ha ha!....ugh I will know if my luggage was left spinning in 2 hours or so...:rolleyes:

[garycarla]

Yes, some people have had good experience with the bags program.

 

Personally, I do not like packing the night before, so that program is out for us. I prefer to enjoy one more day of the cruise.

 

As to getting off. I prefer to have the bags myself. I am in control.

 

We would never use group transfer and instead use a cab. Less expensive and we are in control.

 

We do not use cruiseline air. Again, we are in charge vs somebody at a desk in Miami that is off today.

 

I see no point in paying other people money to add stress to my life.

[jaja]

I really feel for you.--do hope you get some good news soon !!!

[cruisers302284ever]

I am sorry to hear about your problems that you have encountered. We sailed on the Jewel the week of 13th of Dec and signed up for the Bags Program. We had no problems at all and highly recommend it. It was so nice not having to deal with checking and parying for our luggage at the airport in Miami. The easy walk off program is for people who take all their luggage off the ship themselves with no help from anyone.

[pullbangdead]

We did Bags Program on the 20th Dec sailing for Jewel, and it was a breeze and went perfectly. Our bags came out on the carousel at our destination exactly like we wanted.

 

The Bags program clearance to leave the ship was later than they expected it to be (Easy Walk Off was around 8, we were told to expect it to be about or after 9, but it ended up being at like 9:45 I think), but we knew all along that it was a separate customs clearance and would be after the Easy Walk Off people were cleared. Not sure what you asked or who told you what, but we were clear all along that we couldn't leave with Easy Walk Off people, and wouldn't be allowed off the boat until well after them.

 

In fact, we had more trouble getting our luggage from the dock to our room at the beginning of the cruise (one bag was severely damaged) than we did getting our bags to our final destination with the Bags Program at the end of the cruise.

 

I think it works perfectly almost 100% of the time, and the times it doesn't work right, I highly doubt it's NCL's fault, but I do understand your frustration and hope it works out in the end. But your frustrations (the late customs clearance to leave the ship and the limited liability of $100) were both very clear to us before we signed up for the service and are both nearly 100% out of NCL's control.

 

But really, for those scared off fo the program by threads like this, I think most people can rest easy with the program. We could actually see the truck being loaded on the dock (it had the BAGS logo written on the side of the box truck, so it was clear what it was) with all the bags from our ship from our stateroom balcony, so I can guarantee that a LOT of people do this program. And I can also bet that anyone who has a problem with it reports on the forum just like the OP. With so few reports of problems (this thread being the only report I've found), I feel confident that almost everyone has an experience like ours, where it works exaclty like it's supposed to.

 

But finally, I know it is frustrating to lose a bag in transit, and I sincerely hope it works out for you very soon.

[yoyocruiser]

Colleen, Sorry to hear your problems. We did not use the BAGS program but we also ended up with a lost bag. At least at this point ours has been found so I am very happy about that. We usually carry it off as I am such a control freak about such things. I will never leave it to someone to take off again I appreciate that it works most of the time, but if you are the one it does not work out for it doesn't really matter that it is successful for thousands of others. By the way--the 100 dollars is the same rate as for the regular luggage pick up. I read the contract over after our bag went missing and saw that amount. Our issue now is that once they find the bag they will pay to ship it. I don't mind paying, but my daughter is at college where they will not accept COD deliveries, so even though the bag is found we're still trying to figure out how to get it to her. Very frustrating, I have a thread on this and was checking it when I saw yours.

 

I have learned that I will always carry my own bags and stay in control. Great if the service works out for you, but not worth the loss of control and potential problems it can create--but that is simply a personal choice.

 

Too bad to end the cruise with these issues as it was such a fantastic time and a wonderful cruise.

 

I so hope we both get this worked out!! Good luck, I hope you get good news tonight.

 

yoyocruiser

[Hockey19]

I'm confused. We did the BAGS program in Seattle. We never touched our bags from ship to Newark and somehow did not pay Continental's bag fee. I feel bad you had a problem but count me in as a big fan.

[CCinSTL]

Thanks everyone for your input.

 

Update - NCL said they would call me this afternoon but did not.

 

American said they have 3,000+ pieces of luggage sitting in Miami (OMG!) I guess when the temp drops below 60 in Miami everything stops.

 

My husband did get his bag, which is all the more frustrating as I don't know why I did not get mine. But am keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Yoyo - good luck with yours, maybe we had a strange situation in our end of the hallway since we were 4 rooms apart.

 

Oh and Pullbangdead "Not sure what you asked or who told you what, but we were clear all along that we couldn't leave with Easy Walk Off people, and wouldn't be allowed off the boat until well after them."

 

- NCL mentioned this many times in the tv promos that run the entire cruise. Also, the people running the door getting off the ship were 2 Dancers and one Jr. Waiter, I cannot believe that NCL did not have a customer service professional handling their customers, the Dancers were overwhelmed and rude, the poor Jr. Waiter did not know what to do.

[trish1c]

Betsy, the dancer, was there when we disembarked too. She seemed fine. NCL usually has entertainment personel doing embarkation & disembarkation b/c sterotypically their English & other language skills are superior to some other service positions.

Did AA find your luggage yet? I've still got my fingers crossed for your luggage lottery. Did you really have your meds in there? Please e mail me at prcarley at gmail dot com when you get a chance.

[yoyocruiser]

I too am wondering how you are making out on finding your bag.

 

We finally have made arrangements to have my daughter's bag shipped to a friend's house in the same city where she goes to school. They would not agree to jsut pay to ship it to her at school OR to let me pay by credit card and have them ship it directly to ehr at school Frustrating, but I am not letting it ruin my fantastic sense of this cruise.

 

I have my fingers crossed for you--that somewhere in thsoe 3000 bags--it has to be there!

 

yoyocruiser

[CCinSTL]

My bag is still missing. I did get a call from NCL today, they told me the woman who runs the program is looking for my bag. They said AA scanned it in but AA told me they did not so who knows.

 

I just keep thinking I was stupid to let it out of my hands, but it sounds like Miami airport was a mess Sunday.

 

Joanne - glad things worked out for your daughter!

[trish1c]

You are not stupid. The people who lost your bag are.

[CCinSTL]

Good news - AA.com states they found my baggage and it is in STL!! It will be delivered tomorrow.:D

 

For the record, NCL told me the woman in charge of the program was going to the airport herself to find my bag. Kuddos to them for that extra mile and not pushing it off on American. :)

 

Fingers crossed that it all works out.

[SeaShark]

Good news - AA.com states they found my baggage and it is in STL!! It will be delivered tomorrow.:D

 

For the record, NCL told me the woman in charge of the program was going to the airport herself to find my bag. Kuddos to them for that extra mile and not pushing it off on American. :)

 

Fingers crossed that it all works out.

 

Sounds great for you! :D

 

So if I got this straight. NCL handed your bags over to AA, then they got lost. So isn't this more of an airline issue and not a BAGS program issue?

 

 

Glad they found your bag! :D

[scchasgal]

Good news - AA.com states they found my baggage and it is in STL!! It will be delivered tomorrow.:D

 

For the record, NCL told me the woman in charge of the program was going to the airport herself to find my bag. Kuddos to them for that extra mile and not pushing it off on American. :)

 

Fingers crossed that it all works out.

 

Yeah I am happy for you.

[Bamagal in FL]

I am sorry to hear about your problems that you have encountered. We sailed on the Jewel the week of 13th of Dec and signed up for the Bags Program. We had no problems at all and highly recommend it. It was so nice not having to deal with checking and parying for our luggage at the airport in Miami. The easy walk off program is for people who take all their luggage off the ship themselves with no help from anyone.

 

 

 

We used the BAGS program off the Pearl on our Alaska sailing and LOVED it. It was nice to let our bags go the night before and we "reunited" in Orlando. I will say we were taking bets on whether ALL bags (there were 6 people) would make it but they did. Sorry to hear about all the horror stories, though.

I agree that you should check "Unclaimed Baggage" in Scottsboro, Ala. I am originally from there and it is AWESOME, unfortunately someone benefits with a great deal from someone elses misfortune.