E-Docs question ( ship baggage tag)

[Tatka]

Sorry, this might sound silly but this is my first experience with E-Docs (E-tickets) :confused:

 

In Ship Baggage Tag section it says:

 

"Please be sure to attach any personal ID to each piece of luggage before you leave home. Ship baggage tags are available from our Porters at the pier. To assis you in filling in required baggage tag info upon your arrival please copy from info provided below... etc"

 

Bellow there is a photocopy of a tag....

 

Question: Who should we ask for a tags? Person who will check us in ?

 

Thank you in advance :)

[canderson]

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Question: Who should we ask for a tags? Person who will check us in ?

 

Thank you in advance :)

I haven't been to ALL of the embarkation ports (yet!) but here's my understanding from those that I've seen so far.

 

You'll be handing your bags over long before you get to the check-in area. The "porters" are the people that take your bags and assure they get to the loading area for the ship. You tell them your cabin number and they'll mark them on the tags that they will supply.

 

Having rid yourself of your bags, you then head in to the check-in area. The only things you'll be taking with you to check-in are your hand-carried items.

[davehau]

The tags are usually available at any point where you would be dropping off checked bags. In Baltimore, they had dockworkers at several locations taking bags and loading them into containers to be brought to the ship. At each location, they're supplied a stack of the tags. There was different locations depending on whether you were being dropped off by private car, taxi, parking your car, or coming in via coach.

 

I usually make sure to have a medium Sharpie on hand to fill out the tags, so the writing is both legible and somewhat durable.

 

I also tuck some of my personal cards, which have my name, cell phone number, etc, in the front pocket of each bag as well as tucked somewhere inside.

[morriscats]

We got labels the size of the luggage tags and wrote all the info on before we got to the terminal (the edocs give you examples). Then when they give you the tags just write your stateroom number (if you don't already know it) on there and stick it on the luggage tag. Saves having to stand there and write info on tags.

[smoothdancer]

morris

Do you remember the size of the labels. That is a very good idea. I just hate filling out the tags at the port. I miss receiving the tags in the mail.

[sueclark]

The label stock is available to Travel Agents. They can print your luggage tags from the information in your E-docs. Just ask your TA.

[jcrandle]

Last few cruises, I've just taken a supply of the return address labels that my insurance agent insists on mailing me every month or so. I slap them on the luggage tag, and write in the stateroom number, and I'm good to go. ;)

[dakrewser]

How tacky! I'd gladly pay them $10 extra for real docs with real luggage tags, if the money is so tight at RCCL.

[Tatka]

Thank you for all info and suggestion!

 

Unfortunately I can't ask my TA as it's online agency( They will respond fast but can't give me labels).

 

 

I miss receiving REGULAR documents.:(

[Randyk47]

After being quite anxious about this very thing ourselves it turned out to be really easy. Luckily I mentioned it to the bellman at the hotel we stayed at the night before the cruise. He reached in a drawer and whipped out a stack of blank Celebrity luggage tags. We filled them out there but could have just as easily done it at the terminal as every porter had a stack of them and a marker. Seems silly they can't provide a better method but quite frankly it turned out to be a total non-problem.

[BarbSul]

I'm a bit confused. Do you still get a set of documents in the spiral sort of booklet, or what is this about an e-doc. Also, how far ahead has Celebrity been sending whatever documents there are?

[davehau]

I'm a bit confused. Do you still get a set of documents in the spiral sort of booklet, or what is this about an e-doc. Also, how far ahead has Celebrity been sending whatever documents there are?

 

Many lines, including Celebrity, are switching over to an PDF file (which can be viewed and printed with Adobe Acrobat Reader) for tickets, which is emailed to the guest's travel agent (or directly to the guests). Obviously, this saves quite a bit of expense in the handling, preparation, and shipping of documents, and allows guests to book much later and still have their docs in hand when they come to the port. You get everything in the packet you'd normally have, except the excursion info, and the adhesive luggage tags. Right now, it seems to depend on the arrangement your travel agent has with RCL as to whether you get the eDocs, but soon they will be universal.

 

While some do not like this development, I prefer it myself. I can print out multiple copies of the first page, with all the itinerary and schedule information for family and to stuff in each piece of luggage, and I can look back at previous cruises easily because I keep the PDF files on my laptop!

 

In the future, I wouldn't be surprised to see the lines outfit the luggage drop-off areas with a small hand-held terminal/printer combo, which would allow the porters to print the luggage stickers as needed. While the handwritten tags work, they probably slow the baggage handling routine down a bit.

 

I usually book rather late, so I end up getting my eDocs within a day or so of booking. Otherwise, I think you get them about the same time they'd usually begin mailing the old style documents.

 

One addition to my earlier post: When I put a few of my cards in my bags, I write my room number on each card, just in case the tag gets ripped off en-route to the ship. While I am sure they'd find me by looking up my name through guest services, why add that delay?

[c-to-sea]

Following a suggestion on another thread, we scanned the baggage tag info from our e-docs, then pasted it into a six-cell table on a single page Word document. Printed the page, took it to the local copy centre and had it laminated.

 

Brought it home and cut out the six identical baggage tags, then punched

a hole in the top of each one for an elastic band. These will be attached

to our bags when we board the shuttle from the hotel with a couple of spares,

just in case the shopping in FLL is really good. Total cost - $2.00.

We will also have ID on and in all checked and carry-on baggage plus

copies of our complete itinerary, including air and hotels enroute.

 

Just a couple of suggestions from a former airlines baggage claims guy (me) -

make sure your outside ID on your bags is concealed. No need to tell

everyone where you live while you are away on vacation. Use cable ties

(the nylon ones) instead of locks. Carry extras, preferably different colors

so that you know if the bags have been opened for security or any other reason.

We put small nail-clippers in an outside pocket of each suitcase

so that we can get them open later. The clippers could be confiscated if they

are in your carry-on. Make a list of the contents of each bag, just in case

of loss. Check the liability limits of each carrier or company that will have

custody of your bags and take out insurance if your value is higher.

Often, this is included in your credit card agreement but only if that credit card is

used to make that purchase. Finally, attach something distinctive to all the

checked bags. It is easy for someone to pick up yours when theirs is similar.

We use red electricians tape on the handles and also attach a bow made

from day-glo tape. Some people actually paint stencils on the bags.

 

All this may seem like a lot of extra work but it sure becomes worthwhile if it

means you always get your bags where and when you need them.