Anyone ever have a bag missing at the pier?

[sprockie]

We just got off the Nieuw Amsterdam on Sunday morning and a tote bag which contained our running shoes and coats was not to be found at the pier.

Has everyone ever had a bag go missing at the pier? I think it's just been mixed up somewhere. It had a debarkation tag on it, so I am hoping it re-appears somewhere. I've called Guest Relations and they are trying to find it, so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

[knittinggirl]

Two missing bags for us on Royal Caribbean! Once in Alaska, and somehow our bag got batched w/ the airport valet bags. We filled out a claim form, and they shipped it to us about a week later. We did have to wait until the final group of bags had been moved from the ship and check them all. Our tags were all correct.

 

The second bag loss was a complete fluke. Royal Caribbean crew had it in the proper place, but our porter lost it! He did the grab two bags off the cart trick, and haul them to the taxi and disappeared. We didn't realize the problem until we got to the taxi. That time, I was a wheelchair passenger, and couldn't keep an eye on the porter.

 

Be sure to fill out the claim form. DH didn't do it on our last Royal Caribbean cruise, and we had to pay the shipping cost ourselves. But I think Royal Caribbean managed to have a better price than we would have w/ Fed Ex. Being sick in a wheelchair really created complications.

[summersigh]

We've never had the problem but just in case I have big florescent green floppy bows tied onto the handles of the suitcases we travel with.

 

It makes it easy to point it out to a porter for gathering and less likely someone would pick it up by accident.

 

Porters have commented that it's a good idea and makes it easier for them as our bags are black just like thousands of others

[Cornus]

Perhaps TMI, but you might be interested in checking this thread on the Cunard board: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2283462

[KirkNC]

We always do self disembarkation so none going off have ever gone missing.

 

I was wondering if anyone has ever had one go missing getting on the ship. In other words you give it to the porter and it never appears.

Edited March 8, 2016 by KirkNC

[USN59-79]

We were missing DW's suitcase in the terminal when we disembarked from a Grand Voyage. Spent about a half hour searching for it then filled out a form with the HAL representative. It showed up at home about three days later. Apparently someone had put it on an earlier airport bus and HAL was diligent enough to find it at the airport for us. Moneywise we came out ahead, as it would have incurred an excess baggage charge on the plane; however, the anxiety was costly also.

[HamOp]

We always do self disembarkation so none going off have ever gone missing.

 

I was wondering if anyone has ever had one go missing getting on the ship. In other words you give it to the porter and it never appears.

 

That would make a good argument for tipping the porters well. You never know what might get "lost" for lack of a tip.:eek:

[sprockie]

Happy ending. The HAL terminal staff in Fort Lauderdale called yesterday and they are shipping it to us. Whew.

[sapper1]

Happy ending. The HAL terminal staff in Fort Lauderdale called yesterday and they are shipping it to us. Whew.

 

I always like a happy ending. Thanks for letting us know.

[sapper1]

I am a firm believer in making our nondescript bags look distinctive.

In addition to brightly patterned luggage straps, I have luggage handle pom-poms attached to each bag. I also use a piece of bright yellow duct tape on the side of each bag and have written our last name on it in black marker.

 

I bought luggage tags that have a catchy message on them such as"Stop--this is not your bag"

 

It may seem like overkill but I can spot our bags on an airport carousel the minute they appear in the opening and could not imagine anyone picking them up by accident before they reached us.

 

In the cruise terminal they stand out in a sea of bags as well.

[puppycanducruise]

Happy ending. The HAL terminal staff in Fort Lauderdale called yesterday and they are shipping it to us. Whew.

 

Good news.

Thanks for the update!

[wurmine]

Good news!

And yes, it happened to us too on a HAL cruise. One suitcase was missing and we search for a very long time in Civitavecchia. (black Remowa)There were lots of cloth, evening dresses and cosmetics in it(of course, it was MY suitcase missing) and I was pretty unhappy. I left my mobil number with the agent and in the evening they called. A passenger had realized, that he had two suitcase just as he was checking in for his flight back home. Only when he was asked to pay for the extra luggage, he remembered that was travelling with just one suitcase. Wired story, isn´t it? Good thing was, we were at the airport too, just 200 meters away and could collect our suitcase from the poor man, who couldn´t stop apologising. He was so shocked that he had "stolen" a suitcase and wanted to show us a picture of his other suitcase(which was in Florida) to prove it looked just the same. We told him a thousand times not to worry, because I was just happy to have it back, which did not really help. I guess, he was in his late 80ies. After we checked in and stopped at the shops, my son, about 5 at that time, took a 50$ note out of his pocket and told us, the nice old man just put it in his hand as we left and said "pocket money". None of us had seen that. So my son bought a big Lego ship, which he still has in his room. Always reminds us of the story.

[OlsSalt]

We watched a bag fall off the disembarkation pallet and drop into the water between the ship and the dock - two HAL ships were in port that day and we could see it from our balcony. Everyone looked down at the water, but there was nothing that could be retrieved.

 

Then some officials came with clipboards but I supposed the only way they could find out who owned the bag was who was left ..not holding the bag -- after everyone else cleared out. Sad way for someone to end a trip, and the fault was obviously an improperly load luggage pallet.

 

One does need to worry about Italian ports or airports. i watched my bag go back on to the small plane we took to Naples and I yelled at the ground crew who waved me off. And then we sat at the airport waiting for this bag to reappear, even after that plane took off again. Nothing to do, except file a claim with AlItaila and keep receipts for the supplies I needed to buy.

 

Three days later the bags showed up at our hotel. My suspicion was the ground crew spotted us as 'affluent" travelers and marked our luggage for further "inspection" (rifling for valuables) and then finding nothing they sent our bags back to us. We had to spend about $170 US dollars to get through the next few days, and finally over six months later we got a letter from Alitalia a check for "$1,700" would be sent to us.

 

Jackpot, we thought! But it was just a pesky screw up between Italian decimals and commas so our check was in fact for $170. Lesson, make sure you have something very distinctive on your bag for immediate recognition and keep your eye on it until it is securely delivered whenever you can.

Edited March 9, 2016 by OlsSalt

[RMLincoln]

We've had luggage delayed but thankfully so far have not really lost anything.

 

Came close once in Iceland trying to catch a 5am bus for an early flight to Oslo when we had an apartment front door slam as we were getting our two bags and two shoulder totes outside after we had left the keys inside the apartment in accord with instructions! OIY! That sinking feeling. But banging on the windows alerted some very kind woman who came to the front door and to our rescue so we could retrieve the bag. Big lesson - always make sure all the luggage is outside before we relinquish the keys.

 

One axiom I've adopted over the years: Pack like you'll never see it again! I no longer bring heirloom jewelry, my mother's pearls or anything I can't replace, albeit with difficulty and expense but without deep regrets. I put all essentials in our shoulder totes/carry-ons but some foreign airlines so severely limit those that it can be difficult.

 

Stuff happens... and sometimes the stuff reminds us that people can be so unexpectedly kind. :) m--

Edited March 9, 2016 by RMLincoln

[Marianne]

Oh yes, this has happened to us. In our early days of cruising we overpacked, each of us with two suitcases. (Today I just use one with a small carryon). We were bussed from the ship to the airport in San Diego. While our bags were removed from the "hold" I saw two of our bags and stood by them, but also watching for the other two. When they were removed from the "hold" I noticed now I had only one bag -- where was the other one? I realized someone picked it up as theirs. Immediately we told an attendant who took charge, telling us "it would be found. Please just wait here so we can bring it to you". Probably 10-15 minutes went by, and we were so very nervous, considering it lost. The attendant was helping others, but I heard his phone ring. Ah, yes, he came right over and told us the bag had been found -- the person picking it up while in line at the airport realized it wasn't hers. We, of course, were relieved and the bag was soon brought to us. As you might have guessed -- yes the bag was black. When we arrived home, one of our next baggage purchases was to replace all bags in the color red. I still use these bags and have never regretted changing colors. No problems since then.

Marianne

[Boatdrill]

We just got off the Nieuw Amsterdam on Sunday morning and a tote bag which contained our running shoes and coats was not to be found at the pier.

It had a debarkation tag on it, so I am hoping it re-appears somewhere.

 

This comment is not directed at you personally, it's just that you mentioned a debark tag was on your bag: another good reason to always have identification and your itinerary inside the bag as well (in case the debark tag came off).

 

btw - happy to know you and your bag have been reunited. HAL shoreside staff work hard trying to get bags to their owners.

[KirkNC]

Happy ending. The HAL terminal staff in Fort Lauderdale called yesterday and they are shipping it to us. Whew.

 

Great news!

[Keith1010]

Glad it all worked out for you.

 

Keith

[knittinggirl]

 

One axiom I've adopted over the years: Pack like you'll never see it again! I no longer bring heirloom jewelry, my mother's pearls or anything I can't replace, albeit with difficulty and expense but without deep regrets. I put all essentials in our shoulder totes/carry-ons but some foreign airlines so severely limit those that it can be difficult.

:) m--

Us too.

 

On Vision of the Seas, they misplaced our suitcase, and that was the one with the wedding suit and handknit sweaters.

[DaveOKC]

On our past couple of cruises we have gone to a new luggage approach.

 

First, we pack all of our formal wear and other non essentials in a large suitcase which we check through the normal process (airplane and ship).

 

Then we take two smaller roller bags which we can carry on the airplane and we carry these onboard the ship as well. In these we place all the items we absolutely must have for our cruise.

 

Finally, we use the ship's laundry to reduce the packing requirements.

 

Not a fool proof system of course, but we feel more comfortable with it, especially at the being of our trip.

[knittinggirl]

We ship our bag to the pre-cruise hotel.

 

We had to do this when DH broke his elbow 6 weeks before a cruise, and found it was so much easier.

 

We ship the bag, and track it confirming w/ our pre-cruise hotel that it's arrived. When we disembark, we ship it home from our post cruise hotel. No worries about the airlines losing our bags (which have happened) pre-cruise.

[KirkNC]

We ship our bag to the pre-cruise hotel.

 

We had to do this when DH broke his elbow 6 weeks before a cruise, and found it was so much easier.

 

We ship the bag, and track it confirming w/ our pre-cruise hotel that it's arrived. When we disembark, we ship it home from our post cruise hotel. No worries about the airlines losing our bags (which have happened) pre-cruise.

 

That works well but it's not cheap.

[scluvsrain]

I am a firm believer in making our nondescript bags look distinctive.

In addition to brightly patterned luggage straps, I have luggage handle pom-poms attached to each bag. I also use a piece of bright yellow duct tape on the side of each bag and have written our last name on it in black marker.

 

 

I bought a screaming lime green luggage strap for my last cruise and I saw it go on the plane for my first leg, but by the time my bags came off the carousel after leg #3, that strap was long gone. Did I do something wrong? Are there lockable straps? In all my years of traveling, I've never used one.:confused:

[scluvsrain]

On our past couple of cruises we have gone to a new luggage approach.

 

First, we pack all of our formal wear and other non essentials in a large suitcase which we check through the normal process (airplane and ship).

 

Then we take two smaller roller bags which we can carry on the airplane and we carry these onboard the ship as well. In these we place all the items we absolutely must have for our cruise.

 

Finally, we use the ship's laundry to reduce the packing requirements.

 

Not a fool proof system of course, but we feel more comfortable with it, especially at the being of our trip.

 

That's a pretty good idea. Thanks.

[scluvsrain]

We ship our bag to the pre-cruise hotel.

 

We had to do this when DH broke his elbow 6 weeks before a cruise, and found it was so much easier.

 

We ship the bag, and track it confirming w/ our pre-cruise hotel that it's arrived. When we disembark, we ship it home from our post cruise hotel. No worries about the airlines losing our bags (which have happened) pre-cruise.

 

Are there weight or size restrictions with FedEx, like there are with the airlines?