Beware of Luggage Express Program

[Crystalbast]

I just came from from sailing on Carnival Valor Sunday and used their Luggage Express program (known as Airport Bags Plus on the Internet). I have used the program before and when it works it is great, when it doesn't it is an absolute disaster.

 

As you can guess, my experience this time was not a good one. When I arrived in OKC, sans luggage, the lady at Continental baggage claimed checked their records and they did not show that I had any luggage checked in (I saw the screen myself). I filed a notice of lost luggage with Continental.

 

I called Carnival the next morning and Guest Serivces referred me to the Luggage Express people (not a toll free call by the way). They were to email their Miami Port agent to find out what happened and call me back. The second call went the same way. A total of four calls later (now 48 hours after I got off of the ship, they finally heard from their port guy. He does not show that a airport tag was printed off and put on my luggage. Now they are trying to blame Carnival. They tell me to let Continental find it (how they will without them putting a Continental check in tag on the luggage I don't know).

 

I have called everyone I can think of: Carnival Guest Service, Continental, Luggage Express and even emailed the Miami Airport Lost and Found the the Corporate HQ for Luggage Express. The last lady that I talked to at Continental is trying to call someone she knows at Carnival to get a phone number for the pier (at least she is trying to help).

 

It dawned on me (too late) that when you participate in this program you are doing it on a wing and a prayer that things will work out. I have found out (again too late) that when it does not work out it is an absolute nightmare. Unlike when you check your luggage in by yourself at the airline where you get a checked bag sticker with identifying info, you don't get the same comfort level with Luggage Expree. The only proof I have that I participated in the program is that I have the envelope that my valet sticker and bording passes came it, I kept the boarding passes and printed new ones at the airport when I changed my seat assignment, and the charge on my sign and sail card.

 

If you do choose to participate in the program I would seriously recommend that you still go to the check in counter of your airline and ask them to confirm that your luggage has actually been checked in. I can tell you that I will never use the program again.

[77Network]

I just came from from sailing on Carnival Valor Sunday and used their Luggage Express program (known as Airport Bags Plus on the Internet). I have used the program before and when it works it is great, when it doesn't it is an absolute disaster.

 

As you can guess, my experience this time was not a good one. When I arrived in OKC, sans luggage, the lady at Continental baggage claimed checked their records and they did not show that I had any luggage checked in (I saw the screen myself). I filed a notice of lost luggage with Continental.

 

I called Carnival the next morning and Guest Serivces referred me to the Luggage Express people (not a toll free call by the way). They were to email their Miami Port agent to find out what happened and call me back. The second call went the same way. A total of four calls later (now 48 hours after I got off of the ship, they finally heard from their port guy. He does not show that a airport tag was printed off and put on my luggage. Now they are trying to blame Carnival. They tell me to let Continental find it (how they will without them putting a Continental check in tag on the luggage I don't know).

 

I have called everyone I can think of: Carnival Guest Service, Continental, Luggage Express and even emailed the Miami Airport Lost and Found the the Corporate HQ for Luggage Express. The last lady that I talked to at Continental is trying to call someone she knows at Carnival to get a phone number for the pier (at least she is trying to help).

 

It dawned on me (too late) that when you participate in this program you are doing it on a wing and a prayer that things will work out. I have found out (again too late) that when it does not work out it is an absolute nightmare. Unlike when you check your luggage in by yourself at the airline where you get a checked bag sticker with identifying info, you don't get the same comfort level with Luggage Expree. The only proof I have that I participated in the program is that I have the envelope that my valet sticker and bording passes came it, I kept the boarding passes and printed new ones at the airport when I changed my seat assignment, and the charge on my sign and sail card.

 

If you do choose to participate in the program I would seriously recommend that you still go to the check in counter of your airline and ask them to confirm that your luggage has actually been checked in. I can tell you that I will never use the program again.

 

Did you have your name and address on the bag? It is a good idea to have it written or stuck on the outside. Tags can get pulled off. I also like to write it on a full size sheet of paper and put that on top right before I close it.

Your bag is someplace. Sooner or later someone will see that it has been sitting in the same spot for too long and figure out it is yours and ship it to you.

[aquilegia]

That's a bad experience. Really hope your luggage turns up.

Suggest you post this on the Carnival board.

[Crystalbast]

Did you have your name and address on the bag? It is a good idea to have it written or stuck on the outside. Tags can get pulled off. I also like to write it on a full size sheet of paper and put that on top right before I close it.

 

Your bag is someplace. Sooner or later someone will see that it has been sitting in the same spot for too long and figure out it is yours and ship it to you.

 

I had a luggage tag on it plus there is a slot for a tag on the bottom of the bag. I also had a color copy of my passport in the bag.

[77Network]

I had a luggage tag on it plus there is a slot for a tag on the bottom of the bag. I also had a color copy of my passport in the bag.

 

 

That’s smart to do. Don't get too upset over the whole thing. I am sure that by this time next week you will have your bag. After you get it, make a call and tell them you want your money back for this service. You obviously did not get what you paid for.

I have had bags lost too. I know they want you to fill out forms and sit on hold and other annoying crap. You might as well just do nothing. Either way the process is the same. The bag will end up in a pile of other lost and misdirected bags. Someone then goes through them. If it has your information on it they will contact you and arrange to have it returned to you.

[Teris50]

6 of us on the Emerald in Feb did this with Princess EZ check, and our luggage was there when we arrived home. NO PROBLEMS at all. I loved it, although I did know how to check to make sure the info they gave us was correct. But accidents do happen

[Crystalbast]

I found the company's website and found out which cruise lines that they offer this program and then I then posted my warning on each cruise lines section.

[77Network]

I found the company's website and found out which cruise lines that they offer this program and then I then posted my warning on each cruise lines section.

 

Mistakes happen. And it hasn’t even been 48 hours yet. Give them some time to figure out what happened to them.

[Pam in CA]

You say that the airline claims that an airline luggage tag was never printed off yet you would have received a printed airline tag to put on your luggage in your cabin along with the luggage tag receipt and your airline check-in. Since you put the airline tags on yourself and you have the tag receipts, you know for sure that the tags were printed off and put on the bag. You would also have received a cruiseline tag to put on the luggage that quickly identifies it as being EZCheck so it doesn't make sense to me that this is a cruiseline or Luggage Direct issue. It sounds like an airline problem to me and that they're not admitting they screwed up.

[Crystalbast]

You say that the airline claims that an airline luggage tag was never printed off yet you would have received a printed airline tag to put on your luggage in your cabin along with the luggage tag receipt and your airline check-in. Since you put the airline tags on yourself and you have the tag receipts, you know for sure that the tags were printed off and put on the bag. You would also have received a cruiseline tag to put on the luggage that quickly identifies it as being EZCheck so it doesn't make sense to me that this is a cruiseline or Luggage Direct issue. It sounds like an airline problem to me and that they're not admitting they screwed up.

 

All Carnival gives you is a scanable valet tag. Once the luggage is on the pier and picked up by the luggage people they are supposed to scan the barcode to get it the information into their computer system and then print off the actual airline luggage tag. So no I was not given the actual airline luggage tag. And without the airline tag I don't know how they can expect Continental to find the bag. I saw the computer screen at the airport and it did not reflect that any luggage was checked in. The purpose of the program is for them to check in you luggage and you dont' see it again until you reach your home airport. It is not the airlines fault that the luggage company never put the appropriate luggage tag on the bag. And they aren't doing anything to try to find it.

[caribill]

All Carnival gives you is a scanable valet tag. Once the luggage is on the pier and picked up by the luggage people they are supposed to scan the barcode to get it the information into their computer system and then print off the actual airline luggage tag. So no I was not given the actual airline luggage tag. The purpose of the program is for them to check in you luggage and you dont' see it again until you reach your home airport. It is not the airlines fault that the luggage company never put the appropriate luggage tag on the bag. And they aren't doing anything to try to find it.

 

As Pam pointed out, it does work differently on Princess as you do get the luggage tags to put on your luggage before putting them out the last evening.

[INCHARGE]

The airline tags should have been in your envelope with your boarding passes. Just like at the airport, you keep the stub identifying the tag you put on your bag. I do not see anywhere that you put the printed tag on your bag, which leads me to think someone did not put them in your envelope. But then again, I see that you used the program before, so you had to know this. Did you get the tags, and if so, where is your stub? Each time i have used it, the airline tags were in my envelope, so you do have proof because of your matching stub. Please let us know the outcome, and with all your info, you will get it back.

[INCHARGE]

All Carnival gives you is a scanable valet tag. Once the luggage is on the pier and picked up by the luggage people they are supposed to scan the barcode to get it the information into their computer system and then print off the actual airline luggage tag. So no I was not given the actual airline luggage tag. And without the airline tag I don't know how they can expect Continental to find the bag.

 

I did not notice this reply. I wonder why you did not get the actual airline luggage tags? Do you usually get them when you have used it before? I always have, so I don't get it. It should be procedure at all times, not just some of the time.

[Oakman58]

Sorry to hear about your lost luggage. Be sure to save any written correspondence as you will need it to claim reimbursement from your travel insurance. Hopefully someone will find your luggage soon.

[zqvol]

OP

 

How many times are you going to start this same thread? Your continued bashing is coming close to being libelous.

 

Things happen.

 

Luggage gets lost even if you carry it and give it to the airline yourself. usually it shows up, but sometimes it ends up in that big warehouse in northern Alabama.

 

File your claim and move on.

[frito58]

We used that Luggage program at FLL where they take your bags to the airport and hold them for you as we had a late flight , we were catching a cab to the mall for a few hours . Yea that was a cluster as well showed up for my bags a 2pm and the guy had not showed up yet and we gave them to him at 9 am , the kid was like oh he will be here sometime . About 45 minutes later they wandered in with them , I was like did they get lost its 20 minutes away he's like no they ususally go screw around before they come here :eek:

[kyrisong1]

We've used the luggage program twice, once on Celebrity and this last time on the Miracle. The airlines tags were printed and in the bags, we had reciepts we tore off to id the bages, plus we always have our names and addresses in and on the suitcases themselves.

We loved the program and had no problem what so ever, but there will always be that one or two times that stuff happens, I'm sure you'll find your luggage. Sorry this happened to you.

[Crystalbast]

OP

 

How many times are you going to start this same thread? Your continued bashing is coming close to being libelous.

 

Things happen.

 

Luggage gets lost even if you carry it and give it to the airline yourself. usually it shows up, but sometimes it ends up in that big warehouse in northern Alabama.

 

File your claim and move on.

 

I only posted my warning as to what happens when things go wrong to all the cruise lines that the company reported offering similar luggage express programs.

 

Yes when the program works it is great but people need to beaware that SHOULD things go awry it is a total diaster and you can kiss your luggage goodbye. erYou end up dealing with three entites and it is a big shell game of trying to find out will will accept responsiblity for losing your luggage. Should people use the program they need to think ahead of time of steps that they can take to minimize any risk or loss. Having either pictures or a list of the packed items will help with any potential claims. Checking with the airline AT the airport to make sure that your luggage actually got checked in can help initiate a search immediately. Knowing the actual name of the company and their phone number makes it easier to contact them to initiate a search. I never knew until now exactly who the company was and only by good internet search skills did I figure out exactly who they are. If I had a cell phone, and if it had GPS tracking on it, and it was password protected as far as making phone calls, I would actually consider packing in in my suitcase in a not obvious location. It would make it much easier to find if it strayed.

Also, if you have an inexpensive computer there are some anti-theft programs that, if the computer is stolen and you notify the company, the program will have the computer automatically take a picture (if it has that capabiltiy) of the first person who powers up your laptop, and send it and the location of the laptop to the company which will then notify you so that you can notify the police. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

 

What people don't realize is that by the time that I contacted Carnival, the airline, and the Luggage Express company the Miami cruise port was shut down until this weekend. Nobody can go in to see if it is any place at the port. I have provided detailed information to all parties involved and realistically can not do anything more until next Monday at the earliest. My estimation of the claim is now in excess of $1,400.

[77Network]

OP

 

How many times are you going to start this same thread? Your continued bashing is coming close to being libelous.

 

Things happen.

 

Luggage gets lost even if you carry it and give it to the airline yourself. usually it shows up, but sometimes it ends up in that big warehouse in northern Alabama.

 

File your claim and move on.

 

 

Woman scorn...

[rebelcruiser]

OP

 

How many times are you going to start this same thread? Your continued bashing is coming close to being libelous.

 

Things happen.

 

Luggage gets lost even if you carry it and give it to the airline yourself. usually it shows up, but sometimes it ends up in that big warehouse in northern Alabama.

 

File your claim and move on.

 

...

[farler05]

OP

 

How many times are you going to start this same thread? Your continued bashing is coming close to being libelous.

 

Four that I found.

[buddylover]

As Pam pointed out, it does work differently on Princess as you do get the luggage tags to put on your luggage before putting them out the last evening.

 

We used this program on CCL, the Miracle, in Feb, we too got luggage tags that we ourselves attached to the suitcases, as well as a matching tag to keep for our records which matched the luggage tags. Maybe, that is the problem, you did not get the luggage tags so there was nothing for them to "scan" in. I am praying for you...hope they find your luggage SOON!!

[jsmac3]

Would travel insurance cover this type of loss?

[halos]

I only posted my warning as to what happens when things go wrong to all the cruise lines that the company reported offering similar luggage express programs.

 

.

 

I appreciate the heads-up because I have used this service on NCL. We were actually going to do this on our last CCL cruise but at the last minute decided we didn't need to. I feel your post was informative and I thank you for posting. :)

[cruisecruisecruise2011]

Would travel insurance cover this type of loss?

 

Depends but there are a few scenarios with some variation.If you purchased a travel guard style policy and included your transportation costs in the fare then yes.

By travel....airline tickets (cost included in cost of trip you told them)Yes

If you drove,with a pre cruise hotel stay,included in cost of trip,then coverage starts at hotel stay but it gets touchy as your bags could be gotten at the pier.

If the OP included the cost of this express service in the cost of trip than again yes.If not,then it will depend on whether express can maintain their position they never got them,which would drop it on the cruiseline.