Putting Princess tags on luggage...

[AdrieneAGD]

Okay everyone - less than a day before I leave for FLL for our CB cruise! :) :) :)

 

Quick question, though - Princess included our luggage tags in our docs, and suggested putting them on before you check your luggage at the airport.

 

However, several on here have said that they wait until they claim their luggage before putting them on.

 

So, here's my question - what are the pros and cons to putting them on before you check your luggage or waiting until after you've claimed them in FLL to put them on?

 

THANKS!!!

 

 

<----Currently doing the Cruise Happy Dance. ;)

[mountainhouse]

Rather not put anything on the handle that might confuse an airline baggage handler. Imagining how many bags they handle a day, I don't need anyone on auto pilot thinking my green Princess tag mean Bozeman, MT. I always arrive a day early, so there's plenty of time to put tags on.

 

Bon voyage!

[Pam in CA]

There really are no "cons" to putting on your luggage tags before you leave home other than airline personnel thinking they're old airline tags and trying to remove them. (I had that happen once.) If you do put them on at home, just make sure that when you check in, that they know those are cruise tags and not to take them off.

 

The "pro" to putting on your luggage tags at home is that they're on the luggage and you don't have to stop or do it in the airport. I always put two tags on my suitcase, one on the top, one on the side, in case one falls off. They're pretty sturdy, unlike the old paper and elastic tags we used to get.

[spongerob]

I never put them on when flying. I have the same fear that they will be removed, or that our bags will wind up with Frank's luggage in Bozeman.

[AdrieneAGD]

Gotcha. :) We fly in early enough tomorrow that I think we'll have plenty of time to put them on before catching the shuttle. :)

 

I can't wait! I don't think I'll sleep at all tonight! :D :D :D

[BJS]

PROS: Per Princess Rep. at FLL airport. "Sometimes airlines can not fit all the luggage plus other items that are going on the plane so they leave some off. If they see cruise tags they will make sure they get on your flight because they are given top priority. If the bags are lost they are delivered to the ship much faster than trying to locate you through lost baggage department." She says she meets hundreds at the airport and has never had a problem with luggage that was tagged before leaving home but has had multiple problems with luggage not arriving when it was not tagged with the cruise tags. She also mentioned that there has never been a problem with the airlines confusing the tags with a destination nor has anyone had the tags removed by the airlines. (Obviously Pam in MA has had that happen assuming they weren't torn off by machinery.)

 

CONS: None unless you count a machine accidentaly tearing the tag off. We also put one on each handle plus carry any extras should we need them but tags have always been on when they arrived at destination.

 

We always put them on before leaving home. Have never had them removed. The airlines have tags they scan so no confusion.

[Druke I]

Have been told the same thing as BJS - that the tags may in fact help expedite the luggage.

 

I always put them on before leaving home, and carry any extras in my carry-on, in case one should be ripped off somewhere en route.

 

Thus far, we have been lucky with our luggage, save one experience years ago in Montreal, when some of the bags were not removed from the luggage bay of the bus. (The half-dozen affected passengers did get them the next day, in Quebec City!)

[Ship Dude]

thanks for the question and the answers.

[KansasScrapper]

I put on ours at the hotel the morning of.

[stones902]

If you are using Princess Transfers - by all means attach the tags BEFORE you leave.

 

If you are coming in early - attach them in the morning (less likely to get torn off on the plane).

[argosy]

Case in point:

 

One piece of my boyfriend's luggage was lost by the airline on an Alaska cruise, NOT because of the luggage tags or Princess tags...but simply because they switched us to another plane at the very last minute. NONE of our bags made it on the plane with us.

 

(My luggage was lost too, but I did NOT have the Princess tags on mine. This one piece of his did. Reason: we just didn't take the time to put it on all of them).

 

Two days later, they were able to get the one piece of luggage with the Princess tag to us on the ship. It was much easier to identify that way. The airlines and the cruiselines specifically utilized the tags. The luggage without the Princess tags did not make it. We only received them at home, once the cruise was over.

 

My advice: Use them; put them on before you go to the airport.

[septrack]

that the luggage will be put on the bus with the people purchasing transfers, if you are not buying that service. Not that the luggage showing up at your room would be a problem (if they still do that) , but I'd hate the hassle of trying to track it down!

 

Mark

[BJS]

that the luggage will be put on the bus with the people purchasing transfers, if you are not buying that service. Not that the luggage showing up at your room would be a problem (if they still do that) , but I'd hate the hassle of trying to track it down!Mark

Everyone collects their own luggage at the airport so there is no chance it would be put on the bus. Those taking the bus have to bring their luggage to the Princess Rep who then directs or takes you to the bus. No one except the passenger collects the luggage.

 

Yes they take your luggage that you give to the porters on the pier to your room.

[Sumar76]

I haven't gone on a Princess cruise in approx. 3 years, but the last one, when I got the tags with my documents, there was only 4 tags. One for each check in bag..assuming you might have 2. How does everyone get more tags to put on handles AND sides, or both handles??

[septrack]

BJS,

 

Thanks for your reply. we have cruised almost exactly as many times as you. I guess gone are the good ol days when we could check our luggage in Portland, OR and not see it again till it magically appears in our stateroom.

[Colo Cruiser]

Get additional tags at the pier.

[marly]

This has nothing to do with flying, but may be of help. Somehow our tags came off of our bags between giving them to the porter outside the ship and getting them to our cabin. After a little to do with the purser's desk and a little luck on our part, we finally did get our bags delivered (hubby happened to see them before they were delivered to the wrong cabin!).

 

Word of advice: put masking tape in several places on your luggage with your ship and cabin number written very clearly.

[BJS]

I haven't gone on a Princess cruise in approx. 3 years, but the last one, when I got the tags with my documents, there was only 4 tags. One for each check in bag..assuming you might have 2. How does everyone get more tags to put on handles AND sides, or both handles??

We have been getting 8 luggage tags.

[Dortmunder]

We just got six for our upcoming cruise.

[Times Prince]

One thing we've noticed is that airline personnel, hotel clerks, and others seem to be much nicer when they observe the luggage tags for the cruise. They know you are on vacation and are going for a relaxed trip. It's really nice to get good wishes of "have a nice cruise" from the airline check-in folks.

 

Another little side benefit is that you have a starting place for conversation with other cruisers on the same flight when you see those little tags on carry-on bags.

 

We've only lost a tag once, and that was in between the airport and the terminal at FLL. A porter gave me a white Princess tag for met to put the cabin number on, and it arrived OK.

 

So, go ahead and use them from the moment you leave your home.

[Tania]

The situation BJS describes above is exactly what happened to us. The first leg of our flight was on a small Air Canada turbo prop and 2 pces of our luggage were taken off due to too much cargo. No Princess cruise luggage tags. Luggage taken off despite the PRIORITY tags on it because we were flying business class the rest of the trip (but took that up with the airline) Our third piece went to SFO!

 

We were on our way to an Alaskan cruise and had no luggage until it was delivered by pilot boat on Valdez. Princess customer service was exceptional in retrieving the three pieces...it went a long way in building this customer's loyalty.

 

It was the only time we flew in the day of the cruise. Had this happened a day earlier, we would have had the luggage that evening.

 

MORAL: fly in a day earlier! We have ever since!