Important to know about damaged luggage

[lkneller]

If you find your luggage damaged by Celebrity when you pick it up at the pier you need to find someone at the pier and report it. Unfortunately I didn't know this.

 

I just got off the Silhouette this morning and found my soft sided suit case with a pull in the zipper wire. It was a loop sticking up about 1 1/2 inches where the zipper wire was pulled out. Once I unzipped the zipper to the broken section, the rest of the zipper just opened up. This suit case is ruined.

 

I didn't know what to do, so I took a picture in the parking lot of the broken zipper and made sure the ship and my #45 green luggage tag still attached was in the picture, which also has a date and time stamp. It was all I could think of at the time as this never happened to me before. I called the insurance company as soon as I got home to ask what I had to do. I had purchased Celebritys insurance but never received any kind of policy.

 

They insureance Co told me they would send me a claim form and would have to review the claim. They said that I had to report this to Celebrity as soon as possible, and actually transferred me to Celebrity. It was Celebrity then that told me they would deny any claim because I did not report this to someone at the pier.

 

I hope anyone that reads this never needs to use this information, but share this information with others to prevent others from having this happen to them.

[rbuenger]

Same holds true for damaged baggage claims with airlines, must be done in person, at the airport you picked up your bag. Once you leave the facilities, there really is no way to prove beyond a doubt that it happened while in their control....

[WELSH WIZARDS]

If you find your luggage damaged by Celebrity when you pick it up at the pier you need to find someone at the pier and report it. Unfortunately I didn't know this. .......................

Thanks for the information lkneller. It's useful to know.

On my last cruise Celebrity managed to punch a 6x8 inch hole in my guaranteed unbreakable luggage.!!

When I complained they took it away after we unpacked and super glued it.

I then had a lengthy conversation with them when they could not understand why I was not totally happy with my now repaired new luggage.

Edited April 10, 2012 by WELSH WIZARDS

[FunNut]

Yet another reason to book your outgoing flight a minimum of 4-5 hours after docking at your final port. No matter what manner of travel, boat, train, or air, damage must be reported immediately before leaving port, station, or airport. Allow time for a report to be filed.

[dodger1964]

airlines dont cover damage, do cruise lines??

[Phxazzcruisers]

airlines dont cover damage, do cruise lines??

 

Airlines do cover damage to baggage as long as you report it immediately as the luggage comes off the belt.

[Taxguy77]

airlines dont cover damage, do cruise lines??

 

What airlines????

DW received a new suitcase in Singapore, I forgot what airline.

The first electric razor I had was from my uncle from an airline who lost his luggage.

Edited April 11, 2012 by Taxguy77

[dodger1964]

i guess it depends on severity. this is delta's policy for what they won't pay for:

 

Normal Wear and Tear

In the course of normal handling during travel, your luggage may show evidence of wear and tear. Also, the automated systems used by airlines may sometimes accidentally scratch or nick your baggage during handling. Like most major airlines, we don't accept liability for damage to checked luggage such as:

Broken wheels or feet

Lost pull straps

Minor cuts and scratches

Damage resulting from over packing

Damage to retractable luggage handles

Fragile or perishable items damaged during transport

Items unsuitably packed or unsuitable for transportation

Damage resulting from Transportation Security Administration (TSA) inspections

Written notification will be placed inside your luggage or a seal may be placed on the outside of your luggage, if the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) made a random search of your bag. Contact them at 1-866-289-9673 if you feel they damaged your bag during a random inspection.

[RhondaC]

I picked up my suitcase from the carousel, just off an Airtran flight. There was a hole in it. I brought it immediately to the Airtran office, on the same floor of the airport. They brought me into a room filled with new suitcases, all sizes and colors, and told me to pick one out! :)

[lkneller]

thanks for sharing. It's is one of those things that I never thought about, and just didn't know what to do when it happened. thanks for the airline info. If it happens again I'll know what to do.

[Leo Jay]

Thanks for the tip.

 

I picked up my suitcase from the carousel, just off an Airtran flight. There was a hole in it. I brought it immediately to the Airtran office, on the same floor of the airport. They brought me into a room filled with new suitcases, all sizes and colors, and told me to pick one out! :)

 

Good to know some companies still believe in good customer service; I hope the replacement options were of comparable quality to hour original bag!

[caribbean1004]

So sorry to the OP and wish their experience could have been better.

 

Just wanted to share my experience with broken luggage and Celebrity. Our suitcase had a wheel broken off during embarkation (as opposed to when disembarking as with the OP). Celebrity staff on board were super kind in helping us try to fix the suitcase and providing a new (although really cheap) suitcase as a temporary solution to go back home. Back home, it was a long process of phone calls and e-mails, sending in comparables, and a reduction because we did not have the receipt. Ultimately, they reimbursed us a reasonable amount for the damaged suitcase, and we were happy with the outcome. FYI, we did not purchase travel insurance. So sometimes, Celebrity does pull through :)

Edited April 11, 2012 by caribbean1004

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Great tip thank you ...

[Pris13]

They busted two of our Samsonite suitcases and told us they would replace them with Walmart suitcases. We kept the busted suitcases.

[kkorman]

This is why I buy my luggage t Costco... Not only is it relatively cheap, but they will replace it.

[Leo Jay]

This is why I buy my luggage t Costco... Not only is it relatively cheap, but they will replace it.

 

Really? If damaged by an airline/cruiseline? Under what limitations/conditions? Anyone else have experience with this? Thanks.

 

 

 

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2

[dutchess43]

I have 2 pieces of expensive luggage Tumi a large 30" suitcase & my Dh has a garment bag that he uses a lot. I now travel with cheap luggage if it breaks I just throw it out I do not want to worry about how they all seem to destroy the luggage no matter what the cost.

[kkorman]

Really? If damaged by an airline/cruiseline? Under what limitations/conditions? Anyone else have experience with this? Thanks.

 

 

 

Sent from my SCH-I405 using Tapatalk 2

 

I had purchased a hard case several years ago. USAirways punched a huge whole in it on one of my trips. USAirways took me to their room of luggage replacement, but mine was part of a set. Rather than settling for replacement I just took set back to Costco for full refund.

 

We just bought a new set 2 nights ago to test out on our next cruise. It is a super lightweight. We will see.

[FunNut]

Brands with a good warranty/guarantee include ebags own brand at their website (my personal favorite), Briggs & Riley, and Eagle Creek. I spent years in the travel industry, these are my go-to brands. I own vintage Hartmann, but only use it for car trips and carry-on - those pieces are never ever checked.

 

I would never buy expensive luggage because it's a magnet and target for thieves in airport baggage handling and TSA. Read up on the recent busts of baggage handlers at JFK. They acknowledged that they "profile" luggage by checking tags (looking for bags from upscale addresses) and the pricey brands.

 

When you travel, be sure to make a complete list of the contents of your bag. Keep a copy at home, e-mail a copy to yourself, a copy with your other important travel documents, and put a copy ON TOP on your clothing in the suitcase with a note: "I have a complete inventory of the contents of this bag." This discourages thievery, especially from the TSA. And if your bag is never recovered - believe me, this happens - you have a much easier time with insurance claims. Finally, never never check electronics, jewelry, important paperwork, medications, or anything you wouldn't throw away in the street. In other words, only check things that are easily replaceable.

 

Now stepping off soapbox...

[Bridge Maven]

This thread illustrates how much traveling has changed from years ago.

 

During the seventies, we took a flight on American Airlines from New York to San Diego. When we got to our hotel in San Diego, I noticed that there was a crack in my luggage, but to my pleasant surprise, there was a note on the claim ticket attached to it. "Damaged at JFK" with someone's initials after it. I then called American Airlines, and they told me to bring the damaged luggage to their service area at San Diego airport. When I did, they apologized for the fact that it happened, and asked me to leave my damaged luggage with them so they could order an exact replacement for it. That new piece of luggage, identical to the one that they damaged, was delivered to our hotel room in San Diego a few days later.

[smtcan]

They busted two of our Samsonite suitcases and told us they would replace them with Walmart suitcases. We kept the busted suitcases.

 

Celebrity broke my hard shell case - it was cracked right through. They offered to replace it, but the replacement was an enormous cheap suitcase. We declined, so they gave us some duct tape and a claim form to send to head office. We sent in the form and have heard nothing back since last November in spite of several phone calls and e mails. It hasn't put us off sailing Celebrity, but it is the first really bad customer service we have had from them.

Sheila

[Kryssa]

We only use LL Bean luggage. Relatively inexpensive and full refund/replace policy for any reason :)

[dodger1964]

I had purchased a hard case several years ago. USAirways punched a huge whole in it on one of my trips. USAirways took me to their room of luggage replacement, but mine was part of a set. Rather than settling for replacement I just took set back to Costco for full refund.

 

We just bought a new set 2 nights ago to test out on our next cruise. It is a super lightweight. We will see.

 

And how is this right?

[kkorman]

And how is this right?

 

They are standing behind the products they sell. It is part of their membership and I respect that in a company. I am sure they are reimbursed cost from manufacturer. The product should survive normal wear and tear.

[lucinjo]

Its why I love Briggs and Riley. Guaranteed for life. Twice we have had a piece damaged. Took it to the luggage shop, they sent it in, once they fixed it, the other was too badly damaged and replaced. It is now on its 25th trip.