Luggage Tags and Flying

[books4sail]

I'm going on my first cruise in 28 days now, and I finally have my cruise docs, luggage tags, etc. The directions state that I need to place the tags on my luggage before I leave home. Now, I'm flying in the night before, and obviously will need my luggage in my hotel room--does the tag before leaving home thing still apply? Is this so that if my luggage doesn't arrive with me, it will be designated to be taken to the ship?

 

I'm at that stage where the littlest things are causing me anxiety, and this is the latest nagging issue.

 

Thanks!

[LHT28]

Put the cruise tags on when you leave the hotel. I keep them in an outside pocket then they are ready to put on and if my bags get lost they are there also for them to catch the ship (I hope)

[Happy ks]

Don't put the cruise ship luggage tags on until you are on your way to the ship. I have no idea why they still say to do that!

 

In the old days, when the cruiseline used to handle your luggage, they would claim it and take it from the airport to the ship. Now, you have to claim it yourself. Added tags to the luggage is just another step in the possibility of losing your bags. Remove any old tags from your luggage, checking the bottom to make sure any old barcodes are off, too.

 

The paper tags they send you are also prone to tearing off, so don't give them any more opportunity to do that, either. My own luggage tags are secured with cable ties, I have had nice leather tags torn off in the handling process.

 

A final warning (because I've been reading these boards too long) is that if you are taking cruiseline ground transportation, instead of your own cab, make sure your bags are with you when you are dropped off at your ship. Many times ships within the same line can have the same initials. Such as RCI Sovereign of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, etc...:(

[Krazy Kruizers]

Before you leave the hotel, put your luggage tags on them.

 

They could get ripped off during the flight.

[stowaway2k]

The airline will likely remove any tags that do not pertain to the flight that the luggage is checked onto.

[books4sail]

Excellent. Thank you all for the great answers and advice. I'm glad I asked about this.

[DanJ]

You could also put your ship info on your personal luggage tags, if you use those. This way, if the bag should get misdirected, this will at least give the airline people a chance to know where to forward it. But I wouldn't put the cruise line tags on until I'm heading to the ship. And if you have extra, which we always seem to, put them on the bags too, as an added precaution in case one gets ripped off.

[missybirchfield]

We are flying in on the day of the cruise.. so to make sure I understand this right... put our air tags on for the flight and when we get to the airport in San Juan, get our bags and put the cruise tags on them? If this is the case, we need to put our cruise tags in our carry on and at the airport put them on when we collect luggage?

 

Thanks,

 

Missy

[cherylandtk]

We are flying in on the day of the cruise.. so to make sure I understand this right... put our air tags on for the flight and when we get to the airport in San Juan, get our bags and put the cruise tags on them? If this is the case, we need to put our cruise tags in our carry on and at the airport put them on when we collect luggage?

 

Thanks,

 

Missy

I advise in your case, put the tags on at home. When flying in the day of a cruise I think it is better to put the tags on before hand, although others do not. And despite what was said above, most airlines don't mind this sort of extra identifier tag any more than they mind the required personal luggage tags--ship tags do not have the barcodes or airport idientifiers that can cause bags to be easily misdirected. If they get ripped off accidentally there are always extra tags at the port, or if you did not use all the ones sent to you, take those in your carryon. Mostly the tags come through flight handling just fine.

[missybirchfield]

Thanks for the help. This is the first time we will be flying to port, since had to really persuade dh to fly! He absolutely hates it! I love it!

 

Missy

[wrp96]

The airline will likely remove any tags that do not pertain to the flight that the luggage is checked onto.

 

Actually after my last several cruises when I got to the airport, I made to take off the cruise tags from my luggage, and the airline employees told me to leave them on as they were extra identification.

 

I always put mine on before I leave home, that way if they get lost, misdirected, etc. then the airline knows where to send them. I'm always sent too many luggage tags anyways and if they get ripped off I have more to put on the bags when I get to my destination.