Help, cruise is in two days and no bags due to airline strike!

[cj_one2000]

I'm turning to my fellow CC'ers with an SOS on a crazy situation. We flew from Brussels to Rome pre-cruise, three days prior to sail date. Checking in at the Brussels Airport we were then told that there was a baggage handlers strike for Brussels Airlines only. We put what we could in our carry-ons but with our valuables and electronics, we only had room for a couple of outfits, couple pairs of shoes and our medications. Better than nothing, right?

 

Fast forward to today. Still no bags. Nothing from the airline. Their baggage claim number won't even work because over 20,000 people are in the same situation as us. They won't even answer their baggage customer service line. The bags are still in Brussels, probably still in a warehouse. The strike lasted until last night (Thursday) and their website says they are slowly sorting through all the baggage and they'll get our bags to us "eventually."

 

Problem is we head to the port, Civitavecchia in the afternoon/evening tomorrow (Saturday) to stay the night and the cruise leaves the next day (Sunday). The claim we have with the airline came with a letter that stated it could take up to five days to get our luggage! :eek:

 

Our trip insurance through USAA will reimburse us $300 per person. We bought some clothes today in Rome but couldn't buy a lot since we only have our carry-on bags with us. At least 4 outfits for each of us. Hoping our bags get to us tomorrow...BUT... There's no guarantee. Very frustrating. RCI wouldn't help us because we didn't do Choice Air or purchase our trip insurance through them. Don't know where to go at this point but I guess hope we get our bags back before we head home after the cruise is over?

 

..OR... Do I have any way to make sure our bags catch up with us at the next port? Help!

[cj_one2000]

Well, over 145 views but no advice ? :( if anyone can help, please respond!

[LisaAtlCruiser]

Sorry about your situation! And I don't have any advice other than try your best to have fun and forget your luggage. I know....much easier said then done!

 

I am glad you had the trip insurance through USAA - just imagine if you did not. I have to admit that selfishly when reading your post what I thought was "I sure am glad I bought the trip insurance through USAA". This would not have been a situation I would have even considered!

[emeraldcity]

Wow! There doesn't seem like much they can do for you. I'm picturing the vast sea of luggage that gets lined up after a cruise ... and there is some semblance of order to it, with different numbered tags. Unless that luggage was warehoused in a very organized manner (unlikely when putting together a quick contingency plan) there isn't much of chance. I hope you beat the odds! And don't let it spoil your trip in any event. My mother's luggage was lost in the 80s when she went to Italy and Germany in a tour group and she did three weeks in Europe in the same pants suit (fortunately it was polyester and did a quick drip-dry evening night). She still had a wonderful trip.

[cj_one2000]

Sorry about your situation! And I don't have any advice other than try your best to have fun and forget your luggage. I know....much easier said then done!

 

I am glad you had the trip insurance through USAA - just imagine if you did not. I have to admit that selfishly when reading your post what I thought was "I sure am glad I bought the trip insurance through USAA". This would not have been a situation I would have even considered!

 

Thank you for the well wishes. Yes we had trip insurance. But the agent with C&A told me RCI could not help me at all since we didn't purchase their insurance though RCI or booked our travel though the Choice Air program. All I wanted to see if they could do was help me track our bags maybe, help us make phone calls to the airline once we are on board or something... Anything to try and get our bags to meet up with us at one of the ports.

[jchiefs13]

I can't offer advice, but I can offer a little support. This is... horrible, I'm sorry to hear this is happening to you. In the spirit of trying to lighten the mood I guess I can offer that maybe you need to find a bathing suit and spend more time at the pool than you originally planned.

 

It sounds like you may need to find somewhere to buy a bag of some sort and a few more outfits. Maybe someone at your hotel can help point you to a thrift shop type place? Find somewhere to get the rest of the basics you'll have to have and some re-wearable pieces to help you make due. Remember you can always buy a tee shirt onboard or in ports to help keep you covered for part of the trip. Maybe make that part of the adventure a shirt in each port to wear the next day?

 

You'll be in my thoughts and prayers. Don't let this ruin your vacation! Fingers crossed things will come through.

Judy

[NycSanman]

I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for the bags to catch up with you. There's nothing you can do so just try to enjoy your vacation and worry about the bags when you get home.

[xxHadleyxx]

Oh CJ, what a pain!

 

How early do yu plan to board tomorrow? There is w a fair amount of shopping near the port, maybe you can bord, dump the contents of your bag as soon as y can get to yr room and go back out to get more clothes before y have to be onboard for good? Or, how early in the cruise do you go to kusadasi, there are lots of bargains on knock off clothes there that might at least help,you get by.

 

The kids and I waited five days before our bags came to us in mexico oce and the airline knew where the twenty people flying from new yorks bags were! I cannot imagine how it will go recovering from a strike.

 

I don't know if Brussels air has to get the bags to you in another port or not. it. Could be that the bags will be waiting at the dock for you when y disembark or when you get home even.

[boulders]

I've cruised with zero luggage. It's not fun. I wouldn't count on the airline being able to track you down at port. At this point, I'd buy more outfits and buy luggage to put them in.

[cj_one2000]

Wow! There doesn't seem like much they can do for you. I'm picturing the vast sea of luggage that gets lined up after a cruise ... and there is some semblance of order to it, with different numbered tags. Unless that luggage was warehoused in a very organized manner (unlikely when putting together a quick contingency plan) there isn't much of chance. I hope you beat the odds! And don't let it spoil your trip in any event. My mother's luggage was lost in the 80s when she went to Italy and Germany in a tour group and she did three weeks in Europe in the same pants suit (fortunately it was polyester and did a quick drip-dry evening night). She still had a wonderful trip.

 

When we checked in, an employees of the airline said our luggage would stay in Brussels and taken to storage until little by little, the bags would be delivered to us but it could take up to five days. We got into Rome three days in advance of our cruise... But who knows how long it will take them to deliver 20,000+ pieces of large luggage to everyone.

 

We already started washing our clothes in the sink with liquid detergent bought at a supermarket a few blocks away. Our Italian is limited to a few words but we figured it out what detergent to buy. :)

[cj_one2000]

I can't offer advice, but I can offer a little support. This is... horrible, I'm sorry to hear this is happening to you. In the spirit of trying to lighten the mood I guess I can offer that maybe you need to find a bathing suit and spend more time at the pool than you originally planned.

 

It sounds like you may need to find somewhere to buy a bag of some sort and a few more outfits. Maybe someone at your hotel can help point you to a thrift shop type place? Find somewhere to get the rest of the basics you'll have to have and some re-wearable pieces to help you make due. Remember you can always buy a tee shirt onboard or in ports to help keep you covered for part of the trip. Maybe make that part of the adventure a shirt in each port to wear the next day?

 

You'll be in my thoughts and prayers. Don't let this ruin your vacation! Fingers crossed things will come through.

Judy

 

Judy, we thought of this... Only thing is we may have to pay for an extra bag of luggage on our way back home. But maybe I can politely "yell" at the agent if they try to charge me for the extra bag since they put us in this situation. Frustrating to say the least! Hard part about finding a bathing suit is I wear a not-so-common size and here in Europe, clothes for ladies with larger curves is extremely hard to find :( not counting on finding a bathing suit in my size.

 

Thanks for the encouragement though!

[cj_one2000]

Oh CJ, what a pain!

 

How early do yu plan to board tomorrow? There is w a fair amount of shopping near the port, maybe you can bord, dump the contents of your bag as soon as y can get to yr room and go back out to get more clothes before y have to be onboard for good? Or, how early in the cruise do you go to kusadasi, there are lots of bargains on knock off clothes there that might at least help,you get by.

 

The kids and I waited five days before our bags came to us in mexico oce and the airline knew where the twenty people flying from new yorks bags were! I cannot imagine how it will go recovering from a strike.

 

I don't know if Brussels air has to get the bags to you in another port or not. it. Could be that the bags will be waiting at the dock for you when y disembark or when you get home even.

 

We board about noon on Sunday. We already did a little bit of shopping. Good idea about Kusadasi but that's still quite a few days away. Bummed I might not have my formal wear with me to enjoy formal night. Funny thing though is I packed my dressy heels in my carry on! ;)

[setsail]

3 days before the cruise. Plenty of time to buy a suitcase for clothes and buy any clothes you would need.

[cj_one2000]

3 days before the cruise. Plenty of time to buy a suitcase for clothes and buy any clothes you would need.

 

No, we only have one day before cruise day and we are leaving the hotel tomorrow (airline has this hotel's address for delivery). Another problem is I can't buy whatever I want, I'm a special size and already spent 4 hours today in numerous stores trying to find something to fit. It's not always so simple for some people when luggage is majorly delayed. Frustrating when you want to sightsee in Rome, not shop for clothes :rolleyes:

[setsail]

No, we only have one day before cruise day and we are leaving the hotel tomorrow (airline has this hotel's address for delivery). Another problem is I can't buy whatever I want, I'm a special size and already spent 4 hours today in numerous stores trying to find something to fit. It's not always so simple for some people when luggage is majorly delayed. Frustrating when you want to sightsee in Rome, not shop for clothes :rolleyes:

 

Post 1 says 3 days prior, even 2 is plenty of time. When one travels you do what you have to do to take care of the problem. It's part of travel. Maybe you should be using this time to get the things you and yours need

[SoCalTraveler]

Assume your luggage is irretrieveably lost. Never going to see it again. Buy two cheap suitcases and new clothing. Keep receipts. Stop letting baggage handlers in Brussels ruin your vacation. Maybe you won;t have formal wear, or you'llhave to wear the same thing twice. The important thing is to kep from having your vacation ruined by others.

 

If, when you get home, the luggage shows up, fine. In any event, file claims with your travel insurance, perhaps homeowners insurance, airline. When you are home. Enjoy shopping in Rome and in Civitavecchia.

[emeraldcity]

Judy, we thought of this... Only thing is we may have to pay for an extra bag of luggage on our way back home. But maybe I can politely "yell" at the agent if they try to charge me for the extra bag since they put us in this situation. Frustrating to say the least! Hard part about finding a bathing suit is I wear a not-so-common size and here in Europe, clothes for ladies with larger curves is extremely hard to find :( not counting on finding a bathing suit in my size.

 

Thanks for the encouragement though!

 

That was the problem my mother ran into ... she couldn't find anything that fit right ... and she ended up trying to shop for basic clothes when the rest of the tour group was enjoying the landmarks they'd traveled so far to experience.

 

Please don't let this ruin your trip. Have a wonderful time anyway.

[Arzeena]

OP

Hope it all works out for you. Good Luck. Do post when you get back.

[SConnolly]

So sorry to hear of your luggage situation, over the years we have had our own fare share of issues.

 

We laugh about it now but I can assure you not then.

 

Hang in there, it is amazing what you can do without, RCCL will help you out with extra toiletries etc and may even given you credits for laundry.

 

It's nice to have your own clothes I know, but I guarantee you, in your mind and once. onboard you may still be better dressed that some others onboard.

 

It's Europe I now and folks o make a lot more effort to dress up and actually seem to enjoy it.

 

Agin sorry !

[CanadaDeb]

I have no advice but I am sorry this happened to you and I wish you good luck. I hope you can enjoy your cruise.

[IWORK2CRUISE]

Is it possible that the credit card company used to purchase the airline tickets could provide additional assistance?

Maybe not to get your bags to you but perhaps some additional funds for clothing or luggage.

Try to relax and still make the best of your cruise.

[cujosmom]

We just got back from a TransAtlantic in April. We discovered when we disembarked that one of the wheels from our 28" suitcase had been knocked off. We were taking the train to Rome for 4 days and then on to Switzerland and then home. There was no way we could drag that 45 lb suitcase everywhere we were going.

 

Our b&b in Rome told us to go to a store that had very inexpensive luggage (translation: cheap luggage) with wheels. It was very close to our b&b which was close to Vatican City. The store was right across from the Vatican City walls - south of VC. It was called:

 

Zhu Yong Lin (name of store)

V. Porta Cavalleggeri 15/17 (address)

 

We purchased a 28" suitcase with wheels (2 wheels not 4 spinner style) for 35 euros. It was marked 39 euros but salesperson brought it down to 35 when I asked if that was his 'best price' - probably could have bargained down more.;) The store is owned/run by Asian people. There are probably other stores like that in Rome. The suitcase was cheap but it took 3 airplane rides and arrived home in good condition.

 

If you don't need a 28" size, the smaller sizes were less money.

 

So.....go get you a larger suitcase and fill it up with whatever clothes you can find. I took a pair of yoga pants with me thinking I would wear them to exercise only but ended up wearing them a lot. They wash out easy and dry in hours and are comfortable for daywear. Maybe you could find something like that with some long-ish tops to wear during the day.

 

I doubt if you will get your luggage back until you are back home. If the suitcases are delivered to your hotel AFTER you're on the ship, I don't know what the hotel will do with them. That's something you need to discuss NOW with the hotel.

 

I'm sorry this is happening to you and I wish you lots of luck. Come back on and let us know.

[pepsicruiser]

Try posting this situation on the meet and mingle for your sailing. Maybe someone else has the same problem and is finding out info you don't know about or better yet maybe some nice person can offer you some help with sharing clothes as long as you have them cleaned by rccl. You never know. Once my husband forgot his dress shoes and our cabin steward asked around his friends on the ship and got a pair of shoes for formal night. Good Luck

[JFontaine]

After you board the ship go to the reception desk and ask to speak to the Hotel Director's assistant - not a clerk. Explain your situation to that person and ask that they send an email to Brussels Air with the port agent information for each stop and your baggage claim check information, along with your names and your airline confirmation number. The port agents are critical in getting the bags to you once you board. I think it is routine for cruise lines to give free same day laundry in your circumstances. I've also heard of free tuxedo rental. If the folks on board don't try to help you, ask to speak to the Hotel Director.

 

You might get lucky and find some clothes on board that you like.

 

Good luck to you and all the best for a good cruise.

[monkeyluis]

Sorry to hear & good luck. This is why I always pack light & have one carry on. I have anxiety about this stuff.

 

If anything you'll just have to wash often in the sink or in the laundry room.