Carnival destroys our luggage again

[spiritualtraveller]

last august carnival broke the wheel on my fairly new luggage while we were boarding the glory in nyc. they offered me a free fabric bag in the gift shop in exchange, or when we got to canada, to purchase the same luggage at the same value. unfortunately, my luggage was $300 in canada!! upon return to home we submitted paperwork with receipt for my original luggage, and carnival sent us a check very quickly!!! we were totally satisfied.

[golfadj]

The companies that put out a guarantee like that are pretty safe saying it. Once you pay to send it away and wait for it to return, is quite a deterrant.

 

Not to mention that it will never live long enough for it to prematurely wear out from normal use.

[pghsteelerfan]

I had a similar problem with my largest suitcase- the outer part of the rolling wheels cracked and fell off. It still worked, but it left a black streak across any floor that we wheeled it across so we finally tossed it (used it to store stuff for a move then threw it away!).

 

In this case the suitcase was 10 years old and after the first trip never went on a plane or cruise again. Just driving trips where we were the only ones handling it. It was stored in the garage so my DH figured the heat & cold just weather-checked the wheels. Ever since our suitcases are stored in the closet of our spare room.

 

My suitcase is also about 10 years old and has been on numerous land vacations to NC & SC, where we drove, in addition to many trips to PA which we make several times a year. Our Liberty cruise this past April was it's 5th time traveling by air. We've always kept our suitcases in the closet in a spare bedroom. Thanks for the input...maybe in my case it's just age/wear & tear that caused that and not the handling by Carnival. Other than those wheels this past trip, it's held up very nicely. Wonder if we have/had the same brand...

[pbsteve]

My wife and I get that letter from TSA quite a bit as well, and last time, someone whom I hope was a lady helped themselves to the five finger discount on some of my wife's clothing.

 

Never anything of value in my luggage, if they want my old underwear, sure no problem, never had anything taken, probably because theres clothes and thats it. I buy anything like contact solution when I land at walgreens or walmart, whatever is close.

[andy.capitan]

Should we conclude that one can never get Carnival to pay up because they blame the porters who are not Carnival employees, so pax can't get satisfaction?

 

In any case, I guess cruisers are well advised to buy luggage worth less than $50 per bag, at least...

 

The $50 is for the bag AND contents with a maximum of $100 per cabin and is something you agree to when you accept the ticket contract. Carnival often compensates more than they need to, but insurance is not included in the price of your cruise.

[Crusin6]

Sorry to hear that. I use one carry on for a 7 night cruise, so I roll it on and off the ship myself. I don't give the cruise line a chance to damage it.

 

Same here! I have done it for 21 day European trips that included 12 day cruises!!!

[Crusin6]

Never travel without a roll. DH calls me "McGyver!" He doesn't laugh so loud when I pull out my duct tape to repair a tear in luggage, hold up a hem that came down, etc.!:D As far as luggage goes, I love my Samsonite rolling duffles. We had bought 12 rolling duffle bag pieces (from carry-ons to 32" ones in red - before red was a popular color) when we got married. (my mom always said to invest in good luggage - so we did!) After 31 years of heavy travel and cruises, 4 carryons, 2 29" duffles and one 32" one are still with us. That is 7 out of 12 pieces- not too bad. The replacement luggage I bought has not held up as well - had to replace a few of them already, after 1 year.

 

Did they have luggage that rolled on back then? Lol

 

I remember lugging the stupid metal wheels thing with me and having to strap the luggage on to it. Lol

[DeanDeeDee]

On our Conquest cruise in March, we had a piece of luggage virtually destroyed. When it was delivered to the room, we were told to report to Guest Services about our damaged luggage. They did credit our account $85 for replacement. I was happy that I had packed my roll of duct tape just to pack and get our "stuff" home!

[Jean1946]

I'm not sure that all Cruise Lines has this, but on another CL one of our suitcases' handle broke and when we got on the ship, took it to the front desk and assured them that they did not do the damage, but could they please check and see if they could/would fix it. They did and did not charge us a penny - they even put another new "brad" on the other side of the strap too.

[pe4all]

Did they have luggage that rolled on back then? Lol

 

I remember lugging the stupid metal wheels thing with me and having to strap the luggage on to it. Lol

 

They did have rolling duffles back then, though we must have had one of the first Samsonite ones made! They are made of heavy-duty canvas - not nylon. And no one had red luggage - it was soooo easy to spot ours when it came out aound on the carousels! And (for us back then) we spent a lot of money - I still have the receipt from Macys in my "honeymoon" book - $79 for the 32 inch rolling duffles, $59 for the 28" rolling duffles, and $39 for the rolling carry-ons! To us that was a fortune - but we definitely got our money's worth!

[golfadj]

They did have rolling duffles back then, though we must have had one of the first Samsonite ones made! They are made of heavy-duty canvas - not nylon. And no one had red luggage - it was soooo easy to spot ours when it came out aound on the carousels! And (for us back then) we spent a lot of money - I still have the receipt from Macys in my "honeymoon" book - $79 for the 32 inch rolling duffles, $59 for the 28" rolling duffles, and $39 for the rolling carry-ons! To us that was a fortune - but we definitely got our money's worth!

 

Rolling duffle is in our future. Time for something different.

[DolfanNY]

I have 28 cruises with Carnival. Never had any damage to my luggage. I always tip the porters.

[golfadj]

I have 28 cruises with Carnival. Never had any damage to my luggage. I always tip the porters.

 

So do I. That has nothing to do with it. Damage happens after the porters put it into the carnival cages and walk away.

[Shaded Lady]

My suitcase is also about 10 years old and has been on numerous land vacations to NC & SC, where we drove, in addition to many trips to PA which we make several times a year. Our Liberty cruise this past April was it's 5th time traveling by air. We've always kept our suitcases in the closet in a spare bedroom. Thanks for the input...maybe in my case it's just age/wear & tear that caused that and not the handling by Carnival. Other than those wheels this past trip, it's held up very nicely. Wonder if we have/had the same brand...

 

Sorry- I don't remember the brand... I know we bought it at Sears, it was big and black, had the pull out handle and slightly recessed wheels. I know my current set is a combination of Samsonite and American Tourister, but the big black bag I bought on its own for our Hawaii vacation in 2001. We only used it maybe 3-4 times until the wheel thing happened, which is why my DH is convinced the heat of the garage got to it.

Edited July 3, 2014 by Shaded Lady

[Crusin6]

I have 28 cruises with Carnival. Never had any damage to my luggage. I always tip the porters.

 

Our damage was at debark. No way to tip the porters. Just search out your color coded damaged luggage

 

Wheel broken off ours in civitavecchia. So it is the porters who do not work for the cruiselines who cause damage.

 

We roll everything on and off anyway. Easier for us ymmv

[near the beach]

Damage may not be from anything done by a cruise employee. The baggage starts with the porters at the curb and ends with the porters in the luggage collection area.

 

Luggage and clothing can be replaced. Anything breakable we always carry and don’t put in checked luggage.

 

With enough usage luggage can wear out. With the vast number of cruise passengers every year there is bound to be some luggage that has a problem.

 

We are lucky enough to never have had any problems with our luggage.

[BigEasyCC]

Delta ripped the wheels off mine before we ever got to the ship!

[Disconnections]

Our damage was at debark. No way to tip the porters. Just search out your color coded damaged luggage

 

Wheel broken off ours in civitavecchia. So it is the porters who do not work for the cruiselines who cause damage.

 

We roll everything on and off anyway. Easier for us ymmv

 

The porters come on the ship the night before reaching the port of disembarkation and put all of the luggage into the cages stored on Deck Zero?

[Crusin6]

The porters come on the ship the night before reaching the port of disembarkation and put all of the luggage into the cages stored on Deck Zero?

 

Nay nay my friend. The most damage occurs when the forklifts take the luggage off the ship on the cages and then the porters throw it into the lines on the floor.

 

All of that is done by longshoremen. You know those unionized decently paid guys that most cruisers think they must utilize when getting dropped off.

 

I do carry on only and always because I never let my luggage out of my view.

[Disconnections]

Nay nay my friend. The most damage occurs when the forklifts take the luggage off the ship on the cages and then the porters throw it into the lines on the floor.

 

All of that is done by longshoremen. You know those unionized decently paid guys that most cruisers think they must utilize when getting dropped off.

 

I do carry on only and always because I never let my luggage out of my view.

 

While that may be true, your post is insinuating that Carnival's employees don't contribute to any damage with luggage, at all. This, once again, reinforces the fact on Cruise Critic that Carnival can do nothing wrong.

 

Carnival's associates throwing luggage in the cages the night prior to disembarkation have just as much of a probability of damaging a guest's luggage as a third party operating participant operating a forklift.

Edited July 4, 2014 by Disconnections

[pghsteelerfan]

Sorry- I don't remember the brand... I know we bought it at Sears, it was big and black, had the pull out handle and slightly recessed wheels. I know my current set is a combination of Samsonite and American Tourister, but the big black bag I bought on its own for our Hawaii vacation in 2001. We only used it maybe 3-4 times until the wheel thing happened, which is why my DH is convinced the heat of the garage got to it.

 

I didn't remember the brand of mine either, so I just went up and looked. It's a Samsonite. Pretty much fits the description of your first one except that mine is navy blue. I got mine at work, believe it or not. I used to work at the HDQ office of a large hotel chain and before Christmas every year, they allowed some really good outside vendors in and many of them had good products at great prices. I think I got mine for about $100. I'll keep using it until I no longer can because I just love that suitcase. I guess I'll never know for sure what got to the plastic around the wheels whether it was handling or wear and tear.

[jackson bernard]

We have been going on about 3 cruises a year and on about 1 in 3 our luggage gets severely damaged.

 

We typically drive to port and do self assist getting off so the only time they can do this is embarkation day.

 

Just off the Liberty and they destroyed one wheel and pretty much ripped off the rivets on two others. We were lucky to roll it off the ship.

 

Showed it to guest services and they gave us authorization to fix/repair.

 

Looked at other luggage today and they pretty much take themselves off the hook for mishandling (not that i blame them).

 

Our choices are to either take luggage to our cabin ourselves or resign myself to buying luggage once a year.

 

Anyone else having this problem?

 

Luggage was probably made in china.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Forums mobile app

[LHP]

We have never had an issue.....

 

 

but they are hard on the luggage.

 

I have seen a little lady cabin steward (that weighed less than the 90 pound bag she was trying to drag off the top) just pull it and let it drop.

 

But to be honest...I do not know how else she would have does it since she was so tiny.

[woodey]

I feel your frustration

I have 9 cruises in plus a few trips in the States in the last 10 years and I have probably gone through 5 or 6 pieces between myself and my bride... Airlines are just as much to blame as the Cruise porters IMHO...I just bought a new set last month after my last cruise I hope it lasts me awhile....

[tbbtravels]

On our Conquest cruise in March, we had a piece of luggage virtually destroyed. When it was delivered to the room, we were told to report to Guest Services about our damaged luggage. They did credit our account $85 for replacement. I was happy that I had packed my roll of duct tape just to pack and get our "stuff" home!

 

Gonna start taking duct tape. I read in a travel tip thread where someone said to take duct tape and wrap it on an old store loyalty card.

We had luggage so torn up I had to buy another piece just to get home from Vegas one time.

 

I have new Samsonite luggage I bought in March of this year. I don't want to use it. LOL. I don't think my last luggage - leisure 360 from Belk - will make it again. Metal pull up handle isn't right now and I am afraid it's gonna break off.

 

 

Thanks about taking luggage to carnival and seeing if they can fix. Might take my old luggage and try that.