Stolen Luggage

[LonghornKJK]

I have never had luggage stolen on a cruise, misrouted, but not stolen.

Be careful with luggage tags, I have had some stolen. They wer NBC luggage tags, so I suspect someone took them to make them feel important. The same may hold true with the Longhorns. I would find a longhorn sticker to put on the suitcase instead. Also, as a safety measure, put your home address inside your suitcase, and on the outbound, if you have luggage tags, put your destination and ship. This tip was given to me by my travel agent, so no one will know you are not home.

 

Some good points here. I think I might attach the tags with locking zip ties so they aren't easily removed.

[rebeccalouise]

Has anyone gotten their luggage stolen during debarkation?

 

It would be pretty hard to get your luggage stolen. First of all the crew members aren't going to take it- they have no place to put it.

 

Secondly, no one is allowed into the baggage terminal other than passengers and porters. So don't sweat the small stuff- extremely unlikely that something like this would happen.

 

The only thing I will say is that don't ever travel with nice luggage on a cruise- no matter what line you are on they handle it roughly.

[gooch47]

Someone, somewhere broke into one of our suitcases on our way home from London in July. I didn't notice it at the pier, but it could have happened there. The lock was still dangling from one of the zipper pulls but the other was broken off. I knew someone had been inside the suitcase because my makeup was out of its zippered bag and scattered through the clothing. (I checked in London to make sure it was OK to have it locked. I use those "special" TSA locks that can be opened in the USA by the security people.)

 

But no, we've never had luggage stolen or even missing at a debarkation point.

[fti]

An interesting story related to luggage..

 

Last year I was on a hotel shuttle in Minneapolis heading to the airport. A family was on the bus who couldn't fly out the day before. Ended up being weather delay but they might not have made it anyway. The shuttle the day before stopped at another terminal first to drop off a different passenger. That passenger mistakenly took one of this family's pieces of luggage (luggage loaded from and stored in the back). The family of course did not notice it until they were dropped off and were missing a piece. The first person had already checked in and went through security. It took the better part of 2 hours to retrieve their suitcase.

 

A word to the wise - those brightly colored tags or pieces of tape could also help prevent incidents like this.

 

On another note, I believe sometimes those straps either fall off or TSA doesn't closet hem correctly after inspections and they fall off that way. Could also be theft, but not always.

[ladysail2]

..another interesting luggage story....

 

...flew to Toronto...hopped on a 10-person shuttle bus for a 3 hour ride to my parents' home. A good hour from the airport, the first drop-off occured. Seems the customer wanted the driver to look for his 'other' suitcase..because the one he was handed wasn't his. The driver looked but it was not in the back of the van. What happened...the customer had picked up someone else's bag at the airport thinking it was his...and now it was an hour from the airport. His bag was probably going around on the conveyer belt with someone else wondering where the heck his\her suitcase was.

This fellow did not read the tag to verify that it was indeed his suitcase!

Don't know how the bags got to the correct owners....but I've heard that it isn't that hard to do the switch. The airlines seem to know the drill and will help out.

 

I always read the name tag on my luggage even if all the 'adornments' look like mine! Never hurts to double and triple-check the ownership.

[Jimsgirl]

Disembarked at Vancouver, no sign of my two suitcases (clearly marked with ship disembarkation tags , coloured straps etc). After filling out missing luggage form etc for cruise line. and 90 mins of searching I had to leave to catch flight home

 

Phoned next day told my luggage had been found, was safe and was being sent to me UPS. nothing came, phoned again, told my luggage had been "put on another cruise lines ship and had gone to Alaska"

After 10 days again told my luggage was safely back in Vancouver, under lock and key and would be sent via UPS "on Monday". Nothing came, found that UPS would not pick up luggage because handling company had not paid their bills.!

 

In the end my TA had to arrange for UPS and agree to pick up the cost until she could get it re imbursed by Cruise line.

 

Time taken a month, when luggage arrived realised it had been ransacked, although nothing had been taken. Never did get any explanation as to how it went from disembakation "safe location" onto another cruise lines ship without any tags related to that ship, and with no cabin tags either.

[Widespreadpanic]

On a USA3000 n/s flight, collected luggage at other end but was missing one piece. Spoke with airline rep, who had a suspiciously similar looking piece that was not claimed. Filled in report & left to drive to final destination 1 hr. away. Received phone call next day - luggage was picked up by a deaf & dumb passenger who did not look carefully at it. Was told my USA3000 they generally charge the person/customer who made the mistake $100 to cover cost of sending luggage on to rightful owner. Passenger only had $30, which was handed over, and the bag was delivered that night (24 hrs. after landing) by an airline employee who happened to be in the area for a meeting.

 

MARK YOUR LUGGAGE & BE SURE IT IS YOURS YOU ARE TAKING!:rolleyes:

[prarie cruiser]

Once an airline out of Cleveland bumped my luggage due to high winds and blizzard type conditions and lessening their luggage load so they could take on more fuel. I was assured it would be on the next flight and would be deliered to me that night. Instead, it got to go to Hawaii for several days while I was visiting another blizzard location. Bummer!!

[CroozinFamily]

We have luggage straps with our last name on them.

 

As for luggage that has been opened by security, they are supposed to put a note in the luggage letting you know it was them who opened it. My sister has her luggage opened all the time for some reason. She has had experiences where they have not replaced the lock and sometimes they don't leave a note. If nothing is missing, I guess you can assume it was Security. Either that, or the crooks found nothing of interest!

 

When I worked on a cruise ship, the Captain looked at every single comment form and read and reviewed every letter we received from passengers. It was only about a 600 passenger ship, so it was much easier to do than it would be on some of the mega-ships of today. At the weekly staff meetings he would bring up any negative comments to the department heads and give them the "what-for", no matter how big or small the complaint. He took them all with the same seriousness.

 

We received a very angry and irate letter from a passenger one time who said that when he got home and unpacked his suitcase, he was missing a pair of his underwear! I don't know what was so special about these underwear that he needed to write a letter about it! Most people would assume that perhaps they had fallen under the bed and they just didn't get packed or that maybe he had "miscounted" the underwear in the first place. Who counts their underwear when they get home, I have no idea. Well, the Captain went on a 20 minute rant with the Chief Housekeeper insisting that one of the cabin stewards must have stolen the underwear! He needed to get on the matter right away and find out who it was. he needed to institute new rules, regulations and procedures to assure that this never happens again. We cannot have word getting out that cabin stewards steal underwear on this ship!!!!!! This poor Chief Housekeeper had to endure this in front of all the other department heads and everyone in the meeting was just dying to burst into a fit of laughter! I know what you are thinking.....that the Captain was probably just being sarcastic about it. NO....he wasn't! You would have to know this Captain! I was not a Department Head but was at the meeting to take notes and type them up. This Captain expected all details to be included in the meeting notes. I was hysterical as I was typing it up. It took me forever, as I was desperately trying not to make the Captain look like a total fool, which was really an impossible task.

 

So, the lesson here is to be sure to count your underwear before and after each trip!

[LonghornKJK]

We received a very angry and irate letter from a passenger one time who said that when he got home and unpacked his suitcase, he was missing a pair of his underwear! I don't know what was so special about these underwear that he needed to write a letter about it! Most people would assume that perhaps they had fallen under the bed and they just didn't get packed or that maybe he had "miscounted" the underwear in the first place. Who counts their underwear when they get home, I have no idea. Well, the Captain went on a 20 minute rant with the Chief Housekeeper insisting that one of the cabin stewards must have stolen the underwear! He needed to get on the matter right away and find out who it was. he needed to institute new rules, regulations and procedures to assure that this never happens again. We cannot have word getting out that cabin stewards steal underwear on this ship!!!!!! This poor Chief Housekeeper had to endure this in front of all the other department heads and everyone in the meeting was just dying to burst into a fit of laughter! I know what you are thinking.....that the Captain was probably just being sarcastic about it. NO....he wasn't! You would have to know this Captain! I was not a Department Head but was at the meeting to take notes and type them up. This Captain expected all details to be included in the meeting notes. I was hysterical as I was typing it up. It took me forever, as I was desperately trying not to make the Captain look like a total fool, which was really an impossible task.

 

So, the lesson here is to be sure to count your underwear before and after each trip!

 

His name wasn't Queeg by any chance, was it? ;)

 

[NZYU]

We traveled with a group of thirty people a couple of years ago. Sea of black suitcases. Everyone's bag had our group's colored fabric tied to handle.

 

In addition, we also had other markings on our bags.

 

We were among the last passengers off the plane second week of the trip. Someone had pulled our group's bags off the conveyor belt and they were setting to the side being guarded by the tour leader.

 

One of our bags was NOT there. Panic. Rest of group is way ahead.

 

Other passengers, not in our group grabbed theirs and there were less and less black bags. The conveyor belt stopped. All luggage is out.

 

Finally figured out one of the remaining bags on the belt had our group's fabric so we looked at the tag.

 

One "la-la land lady" had grabbed our bag without looking at the tag. Her bag was smaller than ours. Her bag had a brightly colored belt around it but ours didn't; so she SHOULD have known the difference.

 

At that point, we decided she must be up ahead so we took her bag and found her. Sure enough. She had ours. No apology. Just, "Oh..." as she handed over our bag and grabbed hers. :eek:

 

GGGRRR!

 

The moral?

Don't become complacent because you have special markings on luggage. Even if you have distinctive markings on your bags, they still might be picked up by mistake by someone from La-la Land.

 

 

 

P.S.

Later in the trip she insisted on dragging a non-rolling carry-on bag behind her on a walk between terminals. It sashshayed left and right and kept causing us to either trip over it or get hit by it. She was walking with the person who knew the way between terminals on a narrow walkway so it was impossible to get past her.

[Steve13]

I have a friend who travels a LOT and even though he buys good quality luggage, the airlines beat it up enough so he has to replace it every year or so.

 

He buys typical black luggage, but as soon as he gets it he takes white spray paint and paints "MINE" on both sides of each bag. Funniest thing I've ever seen!:D He gets some strange looks but never has any trouble finding his luggage.

[CalTravelers]

Only once and it wasn't really stolen. Another passenger picked it up in error and returned it as soon as the error was discovered. Another good reason to have brightly colored straps or handles to identify it as yours. :eek:

 

Same thing happened to us - only the luggage got all the way to the airport in Ft. L. We were staying on for Disney World and had to wait several hours while everythinng was straigtened out. Can't agree more about clearly identifying your luggage with special colors/straps/ ect.

[LonghornKJK]

My preprinted Longhorn luggage tags came today after I just ordered them Tuesday! We'll be all set when we head to Seattle next Friday!

 

Hook 'em, Horns! :)

[LuvBNatC]

I've used hot-pink Samsonite luggage straps for years and have NEVER seen another one on anybody's suitcase anywhere. Samsonite must have sold only 3 of them--all to me.

 

After losing several rather nice, pricey leather luggage tags during airline handling, I bought a cheapo luggage tag kit at some craft store (I think 3M made it) for laminating a business card. Instead of using the plastic loops that came with the kit to fasten them to the case, I got some simple rectangular metal key rings with spring fasteners from Home Depot. Have not lost a single one of my home-made tags since, but I wouldn't cry if I did because I can easily make more.

 

Martha Stewart would be so proud...

[seamama1]

[quote name='Widespreadpanic']On a USA3000 n/s flight, collected luggage at other end but was missing one piece. Spoke with airline rep, who had a suspiciously similar looking piece that was not claimed. Filled in report & left to drive to final destination 1 hr. away. Received phone call next day - luggage was picked up by a deaf & dumb passenger who did not look carefully at it. Was told my USA3000 they generally charge the person/customer who made the mistake $100 to cover cost of sending luggage on to rightful owner. Passenger only had $30, which was handed over, and the bag was delivered that night (24 hrs. after landing) by an airline employee who happened to be in the area for a meeting.

MARK YOUR LUGGAGE & BE SURE IT IS YOURS YOU ARE TAKING!:rolleyes:[/quote]

[B]Deaf and Dumb????:eek: :eek: :eek: [/B]

[10splyr]

I finally decided that duct tape, string, yard, etc. were being done by everyone, and all black/maroon/blue/pick your color luggage all look alike. So I bought an alpha stencil, a ... stencil, a spongee and white paint at Michaels, and I stenciled all of our luggage (including carryon) with a very distinctive stencil. There is absolutely no way that anyone can/could mistake our luggage for theirs unless they simply do not look - or USE A PORTER! On our last cruise out of FLL, when we got off the ship and went into that huge cavern to claim our luggage, the carryons (2) and one large suitcase were there, but the other large suitcase was gone. I wandered all over the terminal looking for it, and finally a "helper bee" came along to assist me. She said "how could anyone walk off with a suitcase that was so clearly marked as yours?"

To shorten this very long story: we got on our airport bound bus (after filing a lost baggage claim form) and went off to the airport. While waiting for our plane I heard an announcement that told me to come to the checkin desk immediately. I did, and lo and behold, waiting for me was our missing suitcase! A porter had picked it up with the group next to our group and just loaded it on their bus, but when it got to the terminal, they said "that's not ours" (and this is what got it to our terminal: I had completely filled out the luggage tag with our airline info - airline, flight, etc.).

The lesson we learned from this adventure is: our bags were well-marked; we completely filled out the disembarkation tags (which we had never done); we filed a lost baggage claim, and best of all, we ended up with our lost bag on our return flight.

So if you have a porter load your bags on a cart, make sure they are yours. And go to Michaels (or your favorite craft store) and buy the stuff and mark your bags. It certainly works for us as we can spot our bags on an airport carousel from 30 feet.

[Widespreadpanic]

[quote name='seamama1'][B]Deaf and Dumb????:eek: :eek: :eek: [/B][/quote]

yes, but not blind!!:rolleyes:

[Tanmanny]

Unfortunately, we just came off the Grand last Tue in Barcelona & were missing a bag...last time we saw it was in the hallway the night before...my guess is that someone picked up the wrong bag...it is frustrating as PCL policy is "we'll call you if we find the bag"...I guess it is the same with airlines, just wish we got updates when I call like "we searched the disembarkation area & didn't find any bags with torn-off tags, we searched the ships luggage hold & no stray bags left/etc"...I called PCL each day since we returned home but they don't have any info...we did have colored yarn & id tags on the bag but I think colored tape is the way to go...we've been on 18 or so cruises & this is the 1st time this has happened...when I made the claim at the pier, the PCL staff member said "were so sorry but this happens alot - usually someone hurrying to get out & takes the wrong bag"...I guess with larger ships, it happens more often...

[tONYpAL85]

I think last year we took some masking tape and put it on every side of the bags. Then we wrote our names on the masking tape. Hopefully everyone knows their own name.


~Tony

[Widespreadpanic]

when someone realizes they have picked up the wrong bag, what do they do with it? The logical thing to do is to let the airline/ship know (assuming you call them to report YOUR bag missing), and let them pick it up & return it to have it sent on to the rightful owners. Has anyone ever picked up the wrong bag? What did YOU do with it?

[cindiedee]

I am pretty deaf and wear 2 hearing aides, but let me assure you I am not dumb. Neither are most deaf people - what a shame that people categorize you - if you are deaf, you must be dumb. I don't know ANY people that are deaf that are also dumb! Think before you "speak". ;)

[Widespreadpanic]

[quote name='cindiedee']I am pretty deaf and wear 2 hearing aides, but let me assure you I am not dumb. Neither are most deaf people - what a shame that people categorize you - if you are deaf, you must be dumb. I don't know ANY people that are deaf that are also dumb! Think before you "speak". ;)[/quote]

I'm sure that the airline employee who referred to the woman as "deaf and dumb" was not aware that it was not PC to refer to her that way. As I have no way to remind her of this, I will assume that your message is meant for the masses and, I think, well said.

[jlp20]

Several years ago there was a post concerning a Caribbean cruise. Evidently, there was a cruise line that had vast numbers of empty cabins for a cruise that started in San Juan. From what I remember, the cruiseline sold a ton of cabins to the locals at dirt-cheap rates and some people brought their children.

It was reported that these children (10-17) roamed the ship as a gang disrupting the cruise experience for most. A lot of small personal items came up missing during the week, the kind of stuff you leave on your deck chair while swimming. In addition, there was a large amount of vandalism to “art work” hung about the ship. On the last night, as is custom, people put their bags in to the hall for pickup. No one saw it, but it is assumed, the same group took bags and returned to their balcony cabin, stole items from the bags, then threw the bags and remaining items overboard. No one knew of the thefts until everyone had disembarked and the missing bags were not found. The bad guys had made a clean getaway and were probably home before the first bag was declared missing. In addition a large wall hung tapestry came up stolen. Crew knew about it and kept an eye open for anyone leaving the ship with a rolled up carpet. No one took it off the ship and it was never found onboard. It was assumed it was also thrown over the side.

I have seen a few posts from people saying things had been stolen from their bags, but they could never be certain where along the line (ship, longshoreman, bus driver, skycap or airport luggage handler) it had occurred.

[Lady Vidora]

Although, I agree the phrase "deaf and dumb" is often used to mean stupid the word "dumb" used to mean that the person was unable to speak. It's the same meaning as the phrase "struck dumb"---someone was rendered speechless, not necessarily stupid.
I think the phrase "deaf and dumb" came from the assumption that people born deaf didn't talk because they didn't have the ability --- we now know that many do.
I just want everyone to be offended for the right reasons...;)
hehe