Why do people carry on Luggage

[crdtrnr]

Years ago, around 15 or so, in New Orleans, the fuel truck had a coupling on the hose come off..1 or 2 cages full of luggage got soaked with diesel fuel.  The passengers did not find out until after the cruise had set sail.  There is no way you can wash/clean the luggage and the contents...

Luggage falling into the water, though a rare occurrence,  still happens occasionally.

 

I bring on 1 medium size and 1 back pack...always carry on.  When my husband used to cruise with me, we did 1 large, 1 medium, and tote.  Always carried it on.  The porters would tell you, as you passed by, that you would have to check it...but I know better..having done so many, many times.

 

[TheSeagoer]

Let people do as they wish. 

[RollingMeadows]

I ask myself the same danged question every time I board an airplane. At least I'm not waiting for some weakling to stow her luggage.

 

[staceyglow]

2 hours ago, RollingMeadows said:

I ask myself the same danged question every time I board an airplane. At least I'm not waiting for some weakling to stow her luggage.

 

But you are waiting at baggage claim for your stuff while I am already in an Uber to my destination. 🙂

[Rudyard]

They can lose or damage my luggage all they want. That's what insurance is for. No way I'm putting anything valuable or that I might need in the first 24 hours in my checked bags (although if they do lose it I'll be sure and file a claim for that Van Gogh and bag of Krugerrands that was in there). I usually have a couple of days worth of spare shirts and underwear in my carry on just in case this happens. Last thing I want to do is start my vacation by being a pack mule when there are alternatives. 

[TNcruising02]

On 7/14/2022 at 5:44 AM, MagnoliaBlossom said:

The cruise line dropped my bag into the Mississippi River because they did not have the nets out that day.   Bag sunk and I had only the clothes on my back for seven days.  Never again.

That would be horrible!

We travel light and always use carry on bags for Carnival cruises.  When we used to get FTTF, we would take our bags directly to our cabin as soon as we boarded the ship.   Then we would do our laundry once or twice during the cruise.  We like to unpack as soon as we board.  It's just a thing with us.  We do the same thing when we arrive at a hotel and are staying more than a few nights.  

Now that we are Platinum, it's even easier to travel light and and carry on our bags.  We can drop them off at the cabin and then have our laundry done several times during the cruise.

When I cruise on a line that doesn't have self service laundry, I take a larger bag, check it with the porter and hope for the best.

[IntrepidFromDC]

As professional travelers, we learned a long time ago to pack everything a backpack and overhead-bin sized rolling carry-on.  We never have problems asking nicely to put our things in the room, as the doors in the hallways are open at that time.  We just say "we just want to put these in the closet and we'll be gone".  Never had a problem and it allows us to do the ultra early self assist debarkation, which mean we can take an earlier flight home, which means we can see the dogs and ferrets sooner!

[DrSea]

On 7/14/2022 at 3:44 AM, MagnoliaBlossom said:

The cruise line dropped my bag into the Mississippi River because they did not have the nets out that day.   Bag sunk and I had only the clothes on my back for seven days.  Never again.

Ouch. Although it has never happened to me, I worry that this may as I am very unlucky.

[Joebucks]

On 7/18/2022 at 5:04 PM, Rudyard said:

They can lose or damage my luggage all they want. That's what insurance is for. No way I'm putting anything valuable or that I might need in the first 24 hours in my checked bags (although if they do lose it I'll be sure and file a claim for that Van Gogh and bag of Krugerrands that was in there). I usually have a couple of days worth of spare shirts and underwear in my carry on just in case this happens. Last thing I want to do is start my vacation by being a pack mule when there are alternatives. 

 

I never understand these types of posts.

 

"I'll be damned if my vacation starts by wheeling a bag to my room. Inconvenient as all hell".

 

"I could care less if I kick off my trip without my luggage, and all my stuff. Not to mention the inevitable hassle to get reimbursed for the missing items".

 

Perhaps the most inconvenient vacation experience I have ever had was the airline losing my luggage on a trip to Aruba. Spending time shopping, watching spending limits, to buy inferior and uncomfortable items. Going back and forth between the airline and credit card company as to who covers it. Insurance is overrated. Precaution is underrated. 

[Rudyard]

5 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

I never understand these types of posts.

Problem is that you took it literally. Of course I care if I lose my luggage. Who wouldn't? I figured I typed the original post slow enough that most people would get that there was a bit of hyperbole attached. When you think about how many pieces of luggage the cruise lines deal with compared to the probably small fraction of a percent that get lost or seriously damaged, I prefer to play the odds and not have to deal with  getting it onto the ship and to my cabin myself. 

[MagnoliaBlossom]

2 hours ago, IntrepidFromDC said:

As professional travelers, we learned a long time ago to pack everything a backpack and overhead-bin sized rolling carry-on.  We never have problems asking nicely to put our things in the room, as the doors in the hallways are open at that time.  We just say "we just want to put these in the closet and we'll be gone".  Never had a problem and it allows us to do the ultra early self assist debarkation, which mean we can take an earlier flight home, which means we can see the dogs and ferrets sooner!

That is always our plan as well.  On our neck’ed cruise, we had driven to the port and didn’t even think about the bags going awry in the 100 feet from the sea cap drop off and the ship 😳. Whodathunkit?

[Ilovesailaway]

33 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

Insurance is overrated. Precaution is underrated.

Bingo!!!

[cruisingguy007]

49 minutes ago, Joebucks said:

 

I never understand these types of posts.

 

"I'll be damned if my vacation starts by wheeling a bag to my room. Inconvenient as all hell".

 

"I could care less if I kick off my trip without my luggage, and all my stuff. Not to mention the inevitable hassle to get reimbursed for the missing items".

 

Perhaps the most inconvenient vacation experience I have ever had was the airline losing my luggage on a trip to Aruba. Spending time shopping, watching spending limits, to buy inferior and uncomfortable items. Going back and forth between the airline and credit card company as to who covers it. Insurance is overrated. Precaution is underrated. 

 

Good point, My biggest fear also (well besides problems with the ship). It's hard to find big/tall stuff and I'd be forced to wear the same outfit/shoes for a week. Heck, there are very few stores I can walk into and buy an outfit that fits or shoes in my size, so even if I got some money to shop at the ports, it may be useless unless I can get good internet and drone delivery lol. This thread is making me want to carry my stuff, yikes. Here I thought it was just folks that are too cheap to tip the porters, some have some legit concerns. Interesting thread.  

Edited July 20, 2022 by cruisingguy007

[cruisingguy007]

On 7/14/2022 at 3:44 AM, MagnoliaBlossom said:

The cruise line dropped my bag into the Mississippi River because they did not have the nets out that day.   Bag sunk and I had only the clothes on my back for seven days.  Never again.

 

What was your compensation for this? Hopefully, not some "oh well it's in the contract that we can lose your bag" nonsense. That's horrible.  

[MagnoliaBlossom]

55 minutes ago, cruisingguy007 said:

 

What was your compensation for this? Hopefully, not some "oh well it's in the contract that we can lose your bag" nonsense. That's horrible.  

On the second night of the cruise they asked me to make an inventory list with prices of the contents.  When on returning to the ship on day three (Costa Maya) we security told us to go to the pursers office.   They told us the stevedores had fessed up to dropping the bag and they counted out a stack of $100 bills for the full cost of my list.  When we got home I wrote a letter (%this was when people actually wrote real letters) about how certain representatives on the ship had behavior that was less than stellar.  That letter I was told by my then TA at one of the big cruise outlets told me her RCL rep was telling her about this hysterical letter and she knew it was me.   The CEO told them to take heed as this was exactly how to NOT handle this kind of situation.   The next week I received a letter entitling me to a free cruise for two.

[cruisingguy007]

57 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

On the second night of the cruise they asked me to make an inventory list with prices of the contents.  When on returning to the ship on day three (Costa Maya) we security told us to go to the pursers office.   They told us the stevedores had fessed up to dropping the bag and they counted out a stack of $100 bills for the full cost of my list.  When we got home I wrote a letter (%this was when people actually wrote real letters) about how certain representatives on the ship had behavior that was less than stellar.  That letter I was told by my then TA at one of the big cruise outlets told me her RCL rep was telling her about this hysterical letter and she knew it was me.   The CEO told them to take heed as this was exactly how to NOT handle this kind of situation.   The next week I received a letter entitling me to a free cruise for two.

 

Wow, what a story! Glad they made things right. I couldn't imagine the frustration of it all. Sounds like it worked out in the end and you were made whole with a nice topper bonus. Thanks for sharing. 

[cableguynoe]

On 7/12/2022 at 11:50 AM, Saint Greg said:

To answer the other side of it. Why would I want to check it instead of carry it? They seem to be tougher on security with carry-ons. I have twice if not thrice had them digging through my backpack looking for what turned out to be a wallet or a bottle of cologne or something like that. I have never had them call me down to open my suitcase for anything. So the thought of having to bust open my entire suitcase in the terminal like I did the two times I flew to Cancun is not appealing.

 

 

Also easier to smuggle in alcohol when you check in your bags.

[cruisinbeachbum]

If you are platinum or above you can get into your room right away (or at least drop stuff off since covid started) so you don't have to worry about it getting lost or having to wait for it. 

[john91498]

We do it because it's easier to smuggle booze on board. Security has longer to look at checked luggage. For carry on, security has a few seconds to scan to keep the line moving. Much easier to get booze on board. 😀

[DrSea]

1 hour ago, john91498 said:

We do it because it's easier to smuggle booze on board. Security has longer to look at checked luggage. For carry on, security has a few seconds to scan to keep the line moving. Much easier to get booze on board. 😀

I went to a medical conference this weekend, and I literally got those rum runner flasks (branded with our medical society's logo of course) to sneak that hooch on. HILARIOUS that my medical society gave us all free gifts like that. 

[Dthomas1]

1 minute ago, DrSea said:

I went to a medical conference this weekend, and I literally got those rum runner flasks (branded with our medical society's logo of course) to sneak that hooch on. HILARIOUS that my medical society gave us all free gifts like that. 

I've done the same with the plastic bladders bought from Amazon. Works like a charm.

[DrSea]

1 minute ago, Dthomas1 said:

I've done the same with the plastic bladders bought from Amazon. Works like a charm.

Very smart. Yea I don't think those screening bags will want to touch it even if they did find liquid in the plastic bladders. LOL!

 

Too bad I don't drink very much any more. I miss my 20s (I know I should be thankful and enjoy my 30s before they are gone too haha). 

[centurycruiser]

I carry on and carry off. My luggage never gets lost (anymore)!

[Dthomas1]

2 minutes ago, DrSea said:

Very smart. Yea I don't think those screening bags will want to touch it even if they did find liquid in the plastic bladders. LOL!

 

Too bad I don't drink very much any more. I miss my 20s (I know I should be thankful and enjoy my 30s before they are gone too haha). 

I don't drink at all anymore, hangovers ouch! I take it for other's to enjoy.

[DrSea]

5 minutes ago, Dthomas1 said:

I don't drink at all anymore, hangovers ouch! I take it for other's to enjoy.

You sir, are a saint.