NotThePest_Too

First off, sorry for your loss,

Second, what kind of idiot moron PAX would take your luggage especially if your luggage was clearly marked with unique identifiers attached?

Does Oceania allow PAXs to “walk off” their luggage instead of having Oceania do it for them? On other cruise lines I’ve been on, mass market Princess and Celebrity, when time to debark, I always chose to walk off with by luggage.

I’ll do the same on my upcoming cruise on Sirena.

FWIW, I would never pack medications in other than my carry on bag. For me they are too important to loose.

Hope you have better luck with your luggage next time on a different cruise line instead of Oceania.

 

King

I'm not going to beat a dead horse; however, you sir or madam should reread what you've posted to figure out why people are correcting your ass-u-me (ption). What you may have meant to say and whay you actual stated don't line up. Don't be defensive, it happens to everyone who uses text to communicate ...it's a flat medium.

Ramona

My 1st ever cruise was through a group and I never gave any of my money to the group organizer. There were people who gave the organizer their moneies to place on their accounts. My observation, I don't think anyone in the group who gave their money to the "parent," have traveled before as you need to input your personal information into the WEB page.

When I put down my deposit, I went to the WEB page of the TA, used the group id number and set up my page, paid the deposit and the final payment on that WEB site. I also inputted my Passport Number, birthdate, etc, info I wouldn't give to a "group, parent, etc." leader. I need to know my stateroom number, etc and if sharing a room, I "fly" solo/singe, who with.

People seemed to trusting and worse yet, did not research on what was required.

Ramona

Rocky from London I'm including a link from TripSavy (For those who may fly in to NYC for Cunard or Princess cruises, NOTE: LaGuardia is undergoing modernization construction, outside and inside) and traffic can be a nightmare, or a night terror): https://www.tripsavvy.com/brooklyn-cruise-terminal-visitors-guide-1613372

Ramona

This thread has been quit; however I wanted to add a link about Brooklyn Cruise Pier. You can find the best way from LaGuardia, JFK to get to the Terminal. LaGuardia is closest; however, the modernization and construction involved can be a nightmare getting into and out of increasing the travel time. Cunard and Princess use the Brooklyn Terminal

https://www.tripsavvy.com/brooklyn-cruise-terminal-visitors-guide-1613372

Ramona

Thanks for all your reply’s.....we have two big suitcases, so the car will need a big boot ( trunk)....hoping to get off the ship early by carrying off our own luggage and get to New York Penn station for the train to Boston....

 

Not sure if I should pre book train tickets, but if I do and miss the reserved train journey....that will be a pain.

 

So thinking we should be off by 9.30 am....

Is it an hour to the train station ?

Do you have the App for Amtrak, register as a user then you can purchase tickets on the go. I'd hate to visualize you running across the lobby dragging your luggage, especially the big one, across the lobby, down the steps and then the platform trying to catch your train.

Ramona

The Brooklyn Cruise Terminal operator has a contract with a car service to provide authorized transportation at the port. As I understand it the nature of the arrangement is such that it would not be considered an illegal or "gypsy cab" operation. The cruise terminal acts as the base for the service, and it is not a case of random drivers hanging out at the cruise terminal trolling for fares. I believe this is the company, Executive Transportation Group with which they have the contract:

 

https://etgweb.com/

Brooklyn girl (woman) here. A Gypsy is one who picks up street hails …you know the ones that are passing by. If there is a taxi stand/base, and you either walk up or call them, they are not gypsies.

Ramona

Be careful, Uber or Lyft vehicles i have seen can tend to have small trunks, a problem if you have much luggage. Car services that use Lincoln Town cars have large trunks or an SUV might be better.

Haven't used Uber but Lyft, through the App allows you to pick the type and size of the vehicle. You can also indicate how much luggage you have.

Ramona

At times like these we smile and I introduce for the both of us by announcing " We're the Heathens. " That nips it in the bud.

Ramona

Ok let me say my husband and I are Christian. He is actually a pastor. BUT people like this just piss me off!!!! Oh my word I would have asked for them to be moved from my table. Now I do say a prayer before I eat BUT in a situation like this it would be to myself and I enjoy nice conversation with people that isn’t always about God. I am Christian but not a religious jerk. There is a difference lol this sounds terrible

They were victims of a Spiritual Mugging

Ramona

This post is for all those looking for Luggage Tracking Devices:

In my google and amazon search to find Luggage Tracking Tech. (There are suitcases that have it built in - But I have luggage already), I found this one LugLoc: https://lugloc.com/

On their WEB site I found a contact number/email and wrote an email asking for further information. I received this response (info on another product to be released this month, May, mid-month 2018:

Support Team (LugLoc)

May 13, 16:28 CDT

Ramona,

Sure that can work. The LugLoc bluetooth proximity sensor has 100 feet of range but If I were you I will take a look at our new product called GEGO at www.gego.io I can get you a 40% off for two or more units plus free shipping inside the US.

• It works over 3G networks worldwide. That means that GEGO has coverage in countries like Japan, where 2G was not available, and also improves connectivity in all countries since the 3G network is wider spread than 2G.
  
• GEGO combines WiFi networks detection with Cell Tower locations, dramatically improving the accuracy of your location reports. GEGO will not only report the city you are at but literally give the exact address where it is. Since GEGO doesn't depend on GPS signal, it also works indoors.
  
• GEGO is designed for flight travel, but also for personal use throughout the day. When the device is not near an airport, it will keep reporting its location when it is moving.
  
• With GEGO, you can define "Safe Zones", that allow receiving notifications whenever the device enters or exit the area.
  
• Battery life has been dramatically improved! GEGO reports its location every time it starts moving, instead of being online all the time. It also smartly turns ON or OFF, so you don't even need to activate an ON/OFF switch.
  
• There is a 4.99 USS dollars fee but it can be cancelled at anytime.
  

The GeGo will be available at mid May.

Best regards,

Soooo, we have a lot to research, however, a new product that has not been released meaning not reviewed or tested by an independent outside party.

Ramona

I put our surname / email address on the tag we rarely take our cell on vacation

I put an itinerary inside the case as well as in one of the outside pockets to give the hotel/ship location & hope if the bag is lost someone will email us

 

a few years back in Florida there was a case of a main stream line res agent giving the address of pax out to friends who in turn robbed the homes while people were sailing

Wow! I'm going to try looking that up. The Law of Agency (Business Law) states that a representative or employee of a Business, in so many words, reps the company and as such is the company. In NYC a teller did that, she gave out account numbers, codes, etc. to her boyfriend.

Ramona

Which app do you use?

I want to know too. I'm hoping he gets back to answer us. I've googled luggage tracking but have had mixed results. I really want to read the reviews, the good, the bad.and the ugly.:D

Ramona

The fear of being left behind is why people book ship sponsored excursions.

No I think I'm right in what I wrote. There seem to be a lot of looking down at all those poor folks who didn't know they could save money on Private Excursions which has nothing to do with getting left behind. You can get left behind on Ship Sponsored Excursions if you're not at the pick-up point at the pick-up time.

Ramona

Carnival has some nice clothing in the on board gift shops. I am wondering why the OP could not come to an agreement with Carnival to choose clothing from the gift shop. It is a shame it came to tears because that just puts a damper on the cruise. You just have to make the best of situations like this and Carnival may have worked with you better. In my dealings with Guest Services, sometimes at first they come across as not wanting to help but as long as the interaction remains calm and positive, Guest Services has always remedied the situations for me. This was certainly not worth ruining a vacation.

I think it had to do with sizing and something the stops don't sell, underwear. I don't think OP's wife had packed a change of cloths in their carry-on. When they got to the next port, they were celebrating a national holiday and no stores opened.

I have been a road warrior for fifty years and have almost every suitcase calamity known to man but since the turn of the century I have not had a baggage problem. I can track the exact location of my gear with a cell phone. Works anywhere. It uses RFID, GPS, GSM, Wifi, and Iridium.

 

Last month on Horizon, one bag was "tardy." A look at the phone and it was about 75 feet away in front of the wrong cabin. Problem solved before they cast off the bow line.

 

The technology is now under $100 and can also be found built into suitcases. For me it is peace of mind, and allows me to track my own stuff. Sometimes I send luggage ahead of my travel, and I can track its location before I arrive.

Are you using Lugloc? Most of the trackers reference airports not cruise ships.

Ramona

I agree 100% with most of your post and do feel somewhat sorry for people who only book cruise line excursions. Most of them are subpar compared to 3rd party excursions. But there is a percentage of the population that is not capable of doing research. Or thinking on their own. Even doing a google search is beyond their capability. Not everyone is internet savvy. You can tell that by many of the questions asked on Cruise Critic that are repeated over and over. Also some people need to be taken care of, need something simple like a cruise line excursion. They probably could miss the ship if they went DIY. They know their own capabilities. Cruise line excursions fill a need for a segment of the public. Some people should be taking cruise line excursions. Everyone can't be or is not going to be savvy traveler. Be thankful that you can be.

Umm and what does this have to do with getting left behind.

Ramona

Bumping This Up! Very Important

On my first ever cruise (11/2017), a Princess (Caribbean) Panama Partial Transit, I booked all my excursions through Princess. The group I can with just went to the docks and found the cheapest and hopped in and only stayed in the vehicle. The majority of what I booked, except one, was eco-tourism, rain forests hikes, canoes, etc. A stop at an insect research center. etc.

My second one coming in Feb 2019 is 49 days of the 17 excursions I've booked, 3 are Princess, 9 are booked through my Travel Agent's WEB SITE (Shore Excursions) and 5 are Private put together by veteran cruisers I communicate with on the Roll Call. All of the excursions booked through my Travel Agent guarantee either back to ship or transportation to the next port. The five private ....well I'm going by their "Elite" status with Princess and their having been to S.A. two/three times, and some four, and are familiar with the tour agents. I'm taking them by strong faith.

Ramona

Deliver42,

 

To my knowledge no you cannot use princess OBC until you are on board. If you call Princess they might get be able to take it off your obc but I've never seen a way to use the credits for buying the excursions in advance as it requires your to pay for them before it adds to your booking. I do believe that if you are on board and have some excursions that you book while on the ship those will come off but then you run the risk of the ones you want filling up and waiting in the large lines at the excursions desk. Hope this helps and I'm sure someone will chime in if I'm wrong but you might try calling Princess in order to do it in advance still no guarantee. Take care

 

Sent from my XT1585 using Forums mobile app

I booked an excursion (Princess) on the Royal (S.A. Grand Tour) expecting to pay with my credit card by my side. During the check out process...my Princess OBC was used to book the excursion. That happened in April 2018. Prepare to pay but take note of where they draw down the payment from.

I want to pop the bubble where people believe that the airlines are more responsive to missing luggage than the cruise lines. I don't think so. Although my link is not about missing luggage, it is about a broken item that United messed up on. Either people on this thread never heard of it or they have forgotten.

Enjoy

Ramona

I know people who are fully capable of walking but they "game" the system by using walkers on public transportation; access wheelchairs for access to planes early; etc. When in conversations to ask why they do it, it's all for selfish reasons. I'm the same age or younger than them yet I would never dare to sign for a package that hasn't been delivered and I hope never will.

Ramona

How to write a letter to an Executive Officer of a company and get someone to read it. Do not send a letter. Have on hand premium paper stock and matching envelopes. In your best cursive writing, send your complaint as concise as possible. The person in charge of their mail will think it's an invitation to something wonderful. the wonderfulness of it will be your thoughts and make it positive.

Ramona

I did my renewal last year and used a tracking link which helped me follow the process except for it being stolen from either the postal sorting facilities or my local post office. Although the Passport process took less than three weeks, tracking, reporting my passport as non-received, filling a complaint with the U.S. Postal Service (Not my local Post Office), It took all of three months from the time I applied for my renewal.

I did receive a letter from the US Department of State suggesting that someone had used the newly issued Passport to leave the country but by the time the new one was issued, they had flagged it. I was also offered Identify Theft tracking for a year. When I went to a meeting with my local Post Office Manager, by happenstance, three people came in complaining about not receiving their Passports although they had been sent a link showing their Passports as being delivered .... Don't wait for the last minute to get your Passport renewed or applied for. There can be a delay between it being sent out ...and receiving it.

Ramona

The reissued Passport has a notification on the last page that the Passport was replacing Number ##########.

One thing--I change clothes A LOT on a cruise. Since they aren't worn much, you can wear them again.

I pack 3 tees & 2 shorts--those are for breakfast, walking around casual ports.

1 swimsuit & 1 cover up is enough for me--if it is damp, sun will dry it quick.

I pack several nicer tops & capris for wandering around the ship in the afternoons & on port.

I bring a couple pair of nice black capris & several nice tops for dinner.

Hardest part for me is shoes...love me my shoes!

BUT we have done a 7 day Caribbean cruise with just a backpack & carry on suitcase each. We had a tight connection that I was worried about our luggage making it; decided it wasn't worth the worry. We even did formal nights (DH just brings dress shirt & pants; we have a neat shirt folder/holder for dress shirts so they don't wrinkle)

IT CAN BE DONE--and it is freeing!

Thanks for your input. I'm saving all this good suggestions on my computer.

Ramona

Actually, you've got plenty of time to figure out how much personal care product to pack. Buy a set of 1 or 2 oz travel bottles, fill with your favorite shampoo, conditioner, and skincare. You can do the same for cosmetics which can be decanted or come in a travel size. Note which day you start to use each item and which day you ran out. You now know how much product you use over a specific amount of days. I think you'll find that you may use less product that you'd expect. If one 1/2/3 oz bottle of something isn't enough and it is hard to get but you must have, bring two of it. For the items which you must have more than 5-6 oz, think about transitioning to a solid version of that item, picking it up locally, or simply doing without.

 

Shampoo, conditioner, cleansers - it is less expensive to refill empty travel bottles (you can re-use hotel toiletry bottles) than to buy the prepackaged travel versions. I only buy the travel size if I want specific packaging like smaller skincare items, wipes, sterile, or squeeze tubes of lotion & toothpaste. If you wear contacts, you may be able to bring disposables or pack larger bottle of solution as long as you tell the TSA when screening that it is medically necessary https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/whatcanibring/items/contact-lenses Or pack as many bottles as you need and pick up easier to acquire items locally. Toothpaste flavor may be a bit different but still works, unless you need a specific formulation/flavor.

 

Solids can go in a different pouch than 3-1-1 with liquids & gels.

 

You can check the excess if you really do require more liquids than fit in a 3-1-1. Double bag it in ziplock, put in a shoebox or large disposable food container if there's glass, surround with some spare packing materials/clothing, tape shut, place in lightweight duffel bag and gasp, check it! Most people can scale down their toiletries to fit into a 3-1-1 for < 7 weeks but some people are exponentially happier with a little bit more and don't mind waiting at the airport to pick up their bag. You can re-pack it into your carry-on at the airport upon arrival if you need to consolidate bags... Just be sure to leave enough room.

 

As for the hot to cold to hot, bring layers and pack a compressible puffy coat. My favorite would be down and Uniqlo.com offers up a few versions of packable down coats in the fall, as does 32Degrees sold at Costco. Warm Hat and gloves won't take up too much space. Put them in a space/compression bag if you really need to though I usually just wear my coat on the plane and other fluffy items go on the bottom/under other weightier items so it compresses down, instead of having to pack around a compressed football sized lump.

Thank you for this detail and considerate post. One of the personal care products I use is for my skin, Shea Moisture Baby Eczema which comes in a six oz jar/container. It is raw with Chamomile, Frankincense and Myrrh (Shea Butter doesn't smell very good when raw). I already melt some of it down and place it in empty clean pill bottles but I never thought of recording when I first begin using it as I carry it in my backpack or pocketbook to use on the go. Soo, I melt some down to use after my showers and see how long one pill bottle last. Thanks for that.

I just purchased one of those light down jackets made by North Face from REI as well as insulated hiking boots that are unbelievable light in weight and feel like bedroom slippers. I plan to wear them when I leave for my flight (JFK to FLL - Fort Lauderdale) as I have a Feb 2019 departure.

This is what I'm thinking about. I'm retired but from when I retired to now I've become an exercise instructor for groups and I've also lost 65 pounds so my Business Attire is, well workout clothes. All my business suits, dresses, skirts are way to big and I don't want to buy things just for this cruise which I won't wear unless I'm on a cruise seems like a waste of money. I'm thinking of getting some beach cover-ups, maybe three four and pair them with my workout pants as I feel the most comfortable in my pants.

I know I have time but I've stopped thinking of, "What do I wear..." since I stopped doing my big people job. Thinking of looking in some of the dollar and Lot Less Stores and see what they have from now until departure. Two weeks worth of clothes and just launder and wear again ...

Again, thank you so much for your help and suggestions that were right in front of me but I never thought about.

Ramona