Luggage tags being withdrawn fleetwide

[Big_G]

How much could they possibly save at the cost of a cruise? It just sounds a little cheap to me. Maybe if they stopped giving away C & A pins they could afford it. I'd rather they raise the price of the cruise by the cost of the tags, envelopes, and postage.:rolleyes:

[davekathy]

Can't say I like the idea, but I'm sure I will adapt. My biggest issue is that we don't like to put our tags on until after our flight. So now I will have to carry packing tape. Not a huge deal, but not great either.

 

Laminate them prior to leaving for your Cruise. If you are staying at a hotel for your pre-Cruise stay ask to borrow a stapler from the front desk. Just fold the tag over and staple it. Another option is to punch a whole in the tag and wire or twist tie the tag together. There is also always the option of getting your tags from the porter at the embarkation center. When Princess fisrt announced no more luggage tags there was a big uproar on the Princess forums with concerns and complaints. Now very rarley mentioned. Because a lot of good information is shared on CC a lot of suggestions and recommendations came from other Cruisers on how to handle this minor inconvenience. Seems when we get use to a certain service we don’t expect it to go away and when it does some find it harder to adjust to than others. I agree, it sucks.

[Puffinater]

How much could they possibly save at the cost of a cruise? It just sounds a little cheap to me. Maybe if they stopped giving away C & A pins they could afford it. I'd rather they raise the price of the cruise by the cost of the tags, envelopes, and postage.:rolleyes:

 

Multiplied by the number of cruises and the number of cabins on each ship I am sure it is a rather significant amount.

[davekathy]

How much could they possibly save at the cost of a cruise? It just sounds a little cheap to me. Maybe if they stopped giving away C & A pins they could afford it. I'd rather they raise the price of the cruise by the cost of the tags, envelopes, and postage.:rolleyes:

 

Some claim eliminating the turn down chocolates is saving RCI money. Why wouldn’t eliminating tags, envelopes and postage? Just saying not arguing.

[orville99]

How much could they possibly save at the cost of a cruise? It just sounds a little cheap to me. Maybe if they stopped giving away C & A pins they could afford it. I'd rather they raise the price of the cruise by the cost of the tags, envelopes, and postage.:rolleyes:

 

 

Conservatively, somewhere between $10,000,000 and $20,000,000/year in printing and postage costs.

[Big_G]

Multiplied by the number of cruises and the number of cabins on each ship I am sure it is a rather significant amount.

 

I would agree with you if they automatically mailed tags to everyone but they don't. What percentage of the cost of a cruise are the luggage tags? Maybe they should cut down on the wasted photo paper first. They could just add your photos to your interactive TV and you buy them like ordering room service. Just saying it sounds a little cheap to me.:rolleyes:

[BillOh]

I would agree with you if they automatically mailed tags to everyone but they don't. What percentage of the cost of a cruise are the luggage tags? Maybe they should cut down on the wasted photo paper first. They could just add your photos to your interactive TV and you buy them like ordering room service. Just saying it sounds a little cheap to me.:rolleyes:

 

I have to go with you here. Maybe on the Sunshine class they can save money buy not making numbers for the cabin doors, require everyone to print out a deck plan and know which cabin is theirs.

[Motorman23]

I travelled on Carnival in November and had no issues with the paper tags. Just folded them as instructed and stapled them to the bags the morning I left the hotel. Worked fine. BTW, you can go on the internet and purchase a permanent plastic holder for the paper tags. You just fold them up and slip them into the clear plastic holder, when it is time for the next cruise pull the old one out and replace it. They also have them at the dock for people who dont have access to a printer.

 

http://www.luggagetags.com/clheweplluid.html

 

Mike

[Puffinater]

I would agree with you if they automatically mailed tags to everyone but they don't. What percentage of the cost of a cruise are the luggage tags? Maybe they should cut down on the wasted photo paper first. They could just add your photos to your interactive TV and you buy them like ordering room service. Just saying it sounds a little cheap to me.:rolleyes:

 

While I agree 100% that issue would have to be taken up with the onboard contractor/vendor not RCI. The Oasis and Allure do have kiosks where you view first.

Have no idea what the % might be but my guess and it is only a guess is that over a years time it amounts to a pretty big number.

Not sure that if in the history of change that there has been one that made everyone happy.

[ryano]

Conservatively, somewhere between $10,000,000 and $20,000,000/year in printing and postage costs.

 

Wow! if that is the case its a wonder they havent cut them out long ago!

[Ocean Boy]

Ok , so it's no big deal to print them yourself ( apart from the fact I don't have a printer ) the fact that people then have to find a way to make them strong enough to stand all the handling once you hand them to the porters , suggests that these printed tags are sub standard , we ourselves are concerned that our bags will go missing because the tags are sub standard so we make the self print tag system work by adapting them , what if we just printed them and stuck them on ? Royal could end up with a problem on their hands with loads of bags going astray and the headache they find themselves with , trying to match passengers to their bags , I am sure they would then get their act together and realise that we do actualy like getting proper luggage tags , we pay enough to cruise to warrant a little bit of consideration , seems to me that penny pinching works well in some cases , like us printing off our own set sail passes etc but come on Royal give us decent luggage tags .

 

I agree with you completely. No matter what the cruise lines decide to cut back on, and then leave for us to take care of, seems to be no problem for some people. With the handling that luggage goes through at the port it won't be long before the threads start around here about bags going missing.

 

This seems like a very short sighted decision. It also seems to present the company as a "budget" cruise line. But, of course, that is only my opinion.

[time4u2go]

What if someone doesn't have or use email or a computer?

[Ocean Boy]

I travelled on Carnival in November and had no issues with the paper tags. Just folded them as instructed and stapled them to the bags the morning I left the hotel. Worked fine. BTW, you can go on the internet and purchase a permanent plastic holder for the paper tags. You just fold them up and slip them into the clear plastic holder, when it is time for the next cruise pull the old one out and replace it. They also have them at the dock for people who dont have access to a printer.

 

http://www.luggagetags.com/clheweplluid.html

 

Mike

 

So the cruise line can save a few pennies by transferring that expense onto the customer. I just can't wait to see what they cut out next.... Easy-Cruise re-incarnated.

[davekathy]

What if someone doesn't have or use email or a computer?

 

The porters at the embarkation center have plenty.

[Aquahound]

Maybe they should cut down on the wasted photo paper first. They could just add your photos to your interactive TV and you buy them like ordering room service. Just saying it sounds a little cheap to me.:rolleyes:

 

The photos are taken and printed by a contractor. I believe they print and recycle the paper at their cost. Plus, I think they are starting to go that route with the kiosks and interactive televisions. You can view your photos on Oasis Class cabin televisions.

[Cheerysmom]

hmmm. Just ordered my luggage tags this morning for my upcoming April 6 cruise. Not a big deal if they stop the process . ..but as long as they are still offering, I'll order. :)

[travelplus]

One idea would be to have passengers upload their photos online and then at the Port they are given a reuseable card with a Barcode. For all subsequent cruises you enter your Barcode of the Tag Card and when you arrive they scan it and will put it into the room.

If the bag got left at the security room they would scan it and then have the security staff call the rooms etc.

The same can go for port transfers and you can trace your bags via the IPhone App and it would say Status" On truck awaiting arrival at port" Or' Arrived Port waiting Security' "In transit to stateroom" Estimated arrival time etc.

On the return it would say"In Customs" or "On truck to airport' "Delivered to Airline for Inspection" etc.

Not only is this card linked with your Frequent Cruise card you are saving money on paper and passengers can track and setup alerts so they are not anxiously awaiting the arrival of their bag.

The Sateroom attendant could have the same app and check on the status of the bags and if there is a problem can alert the port so they can coordinate the transfer of a bag to the next port.

Works like FedEX and would help passengers especially when they pick up their bag in port. It would say'Bag arrived Port Section 3 Row 2 Bag#122

Before leaving the port the attendant checks your Passport and matches it up with your ID and scans it so there is less chance of someone else picking your bag up

[njmomof2]

[quote name='cruisenfever']Get a roll of clear contact paper or a roll of Scotch brand 2" clear packaging tape. Print the tags and then sandwich them in between what ever you want to use to cover them with. They are more durable and will not rip apart.:D[/quote]

I do this at the office. Print them on the color copier, go to the mailroom, use the 2" packing tape and create my own, tough luggage tags. Usually I'll staple them on the handles (in 2 places) on the luggage. Nice and tough and won't run in the rain (although I can't say the same for the contents of the suitcase if it rains hard enough).

[BeachChik]

[quote name='Lottycruiser']Ok , so it's no big deal to print them yourself ( apart from the fact I don't have a printer ) the fact that people then have to find a way to make them strong enough to stand all the handling once you hand them to the porters , suggests that these printed tags are sub standard , we ourselves are concerned that our bags will go missing because the tags are sub standard so we make the self print tag system work by adapting them , what if we just printed them and stuck them on ? Royal could end up with a problem on their hands with loads of bags going astray and the headache they find themselves with , trying to match passengers to their bags , I am sure they would then get their act together and realise that we do actualy like getting proper luggage tags , we pay enough to cruise to warrant a little bit of consideration , seems to me that penny pinching works well in some cases , like us printing off our own set sail passes etc but come on Royal give us decent luggage tags .[/QUOTE]

I don't really see the big deal. We printed our own for our carnival cruise and it worked fine. I didn't laminate them or anything, just folded them as directed and strapped them on. All suitcases arrived fine and the tags were still attached when we disembarked.

[GaNavy]

[quote name='LeeGrant']RCCL have been told me that luggage tags are being withdrawn from all sailings soon.

An email will be sent 4 weeks before the cruise and you will need to print your own.

Goodness knows what will happen if it is raining when you unload your suitcases as the ink will run on the printed paper.

Either that or the poor porters are going to be overrun with requests for them to add tags.

Lee[/quote]

Wow, I didn't know that anyone still actually mailed these. As other posters have said, Carnival has been doing it this way for years, and I've never had a problem, even when the tags get wet. Write your name & cabin number with a Sharpie and it won't matter even if the printer ink does run....your info will survive a storm that would have Noah loading the animals two-by-two.

This seems like an easy way for RCI to save some bucks (imagine the cost of printing tags for everyone on Oasis/Allure) with no inconvenience to passengers. At least it's no problem to me.

[Motorman23]

[quote name='Ocean Boy']So the cruise line can save a few pennies by transferring that expense onto the customer. I just can't wait to see what they cut out next.... Easy-Cruise re-incarnated.[/quote]

Perhaps, but that is why I said "can", the paper ones when folded as explained and stapled worked fine.

I agree, they are making the experience less convenient but if that keeps the price of my cruise from increasing I can accept that. Cruising is still is a pretty good bargain when you compare the cost of a cruise in today's dollars vs 10 years ago and compare the price of other items in today's dollar's vs 10 years ago. I do not own RCCL stock nor am I an RCCL Cheerleader just trying to state where things are.

Mike

[setsail]

What goes around:D

[URL]http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=110355&highlight=luggage+tags[/URL]

[tactic]

We are on the Independence in March and have our tags. Maybe I am missing the point here.... bags without tags will no doubt end up being lost, misplaced etc. This can't possibly be a cost saver because it is going to cost far more in the long run, extra staff at ports, longer to delivery luggage on board etc, surely someone needs to do a time and motion study! I dont understand how as paying customers, to enable RCCL to save a few dollars/pounds we are all expected to not only pay for a cruise, with reductions in services/facilities year on year, but we are now expected to work for them free gratis becoming printing houses and tag manufacturers!

If you are not net savvy and dont own a printer etc how to you manage? My MIL would stress and not bother booking a cruise.

Business opportunity here for someone to start their own printing of tags and charge... or maybe we can let RCCL into a few ideas for save a few more bucks.... bring your own bedding and towels, empty the swimming pool to save someone checking the chemicals, limit the luggage to 20Kg per passenger and charge for extra and oversized bags (therefore reducing fuel costs), weigh passengers at the begining of the cruise and charge for every pound they have gained by the end of the cruise for example! Someone quoted Easycruise, but then look what happened with Stelios! Maybe it will become the norm, but will they reduce the cruises in price accordingly in line with their supposed savings, how about not likely!

Rant over, it really annoys me when companies believe that by penny pinching it still achieves 100% customer satisfaction.

[Ocean Boy]

[quote name='tactic']

will they reduce the cruises in price accordingly in line with their supposed savings, how about not likely!

Rant over, it really annoys me when companies believe that by penny pinching it still achieves 100% customer satisfaction.[/QUOTE]

There is one thing, and only one thing, that will get cruise lines to reduce the price of a cruise..... lack of reservations.

[RevSmith]

[SIZE="3"]I seem to remember them doing this before for a little while and then the tags were back again. I don't care one way or the other as long as Royal keeps sailing and I keep cruising that is all that matters in my cruising world.
rev[/SIZE]