When to affix luggage tags

[eel]

This may seem like a silly question. I just printed my luggage tags and was wondering if we should affix the tags before our flight or before we leave our hotel for the port. In the past we have always put our tags on our bags before we left for the port. I was always worried the paper tags would tear off in transit. But now I am worried that if our luggage was lost or delayed it would be easier for the airline to get our bags to the ship if a luggage tag was attached.

 

We now have plastic luggage tag holders so I think they would be attached fairly securely. In the past we only had the paper tags provided by the cruise line and they seemed pretty flimsy.

[steamboats]

Never ever put the tags on your luggage before your flight! Any other tag than the airline baggage tag can cause "confusions" with the baggage transport system. All frequent flyers will tell you that you should remove all old and other electronically readable tags from your bag if you want to see it again on the luggage belt after arrival :D!

 

And it´s too risky to lose the cruise tag. Those transportation systems tear off anything from your luggage!

 

steamboats

[cruisestitch]

I always put them on before the flight. Airline personnel have said that there is no way the bar codes cause any problems for the airlines. And if the bag goes astray it helps them know that it needs to get to a cruise, not back to your home. If it happens to get torn off, they provide new ones at the pier.

 

A cruise "greeter" in FLL said that if they ever see a lone suitcase going round and round the carousel unclaimed and it has cruise tags on it, they can get it to the ship.

 

I agree about removing all previous flight tags. Airline personnel always do that when they put the new flight tags on but they always leave the cruise tags because the bar codes aren't going to mess up the airline baggage routing.

[fleckle]

This may seem like a silly question. I just printed my luggage tags and was wondering if we should affix the tags before our flight or before we leave our hotel for the port......

Some airport personnel will cut off and discard all tags on luggage other than the tag for the current flight.

They don't stop and take time to examine all those tags on all those bags to see what kind of tags they are.

 

We lost a favorite and distinctive looking luggage tag from a train ride that way.

 

We have also seen some cruise passengers get quite upset when it happens to their cruise tags that they attached before leaving for the airport, and just assure them that they will receive new tags at the cruise port when they check in their bags.

But I still miss that nice train tag. :(

 

[OhioDogLover]

We have done it both ways, putting a luggage tags on before the flight and afterward, too. Generally, we wait until we leave the hotel for the ship. If it falls off, you can always get a new tag at the port.

One of my favorite parts of the whole trip experience (I have a long list of favorite parts :D) is when we see the luggage on the carousel at the airport after the flight. That means that the stress part of the vacation is over and we are ready to have a good time.

 

Ohiodoglover

[phoenix_dream]

We always put them on when we arrive (always at least a day early) but I can see the value of having the tags on if the suitcase were to be temporarily lost or delayed. I may reconsider my habits. Due to concern about them being ripped off at the airport, I would bring an extra set in my carry-on just to be sure.

[Cruise a holic]

This may seem like a silly question. I just printed my luggage tags and was wondering if we should affix the tags before our flight or before we leave our hotel for the port. In the past we have always put our tags on our bags before we left for the port. I was always worried the paper tags would tear off in transit. But now I am worried that if our luggage was lost or delayed it would be easier for the airline to get our bags to the ship if a luggage tag was attached.

 

We now have plastic luggage tag holders so I think they would be attached fairly securely. In the past we only had the paper tags provided by the cruise line and they seemed pretty flimsy.

 

We affix tags after the flight-typically at the hotel or if going directly to the pier, as soon as the luggage comes off the plane.

 

We also put on our cellphone numbers on the ID if a problem should occur. In addition, because as you say the luggage tags are flimsy- we put two on each suit case. One on each handle.

 

Enjoy your cruise

[Christine Frances]

I always put them on before the flight. Airline personnel have said that there is no way the bar codes cause any problems for the airlines. And if the bag goes astray it helps them know that it needs to get to a cruise, not back to your home. If it happens to get torn off, they provide new ones at the pier.

 

 

 

A cruise "greeter" in FLL said that if they ever see a lone suitcase going round and round the carousel unclaimed and it has cruise tags on it, they can get it to the ship.

 

 

 

I agree about removing all previous flight tags. Airline personnel always do that when they put the new flight tags on but they always leave the cruise tags because the bar codes aren't going to mess up the airline baggage routing.

 

 

That is what we do as well and for the same reasons. We have had the same confirmations from airline personnel re the barcodes.

 

 

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[cle-guy]

I've done both, if overnighting at a hotel pre-cruise, I affix when I leave hotel, when flying, I affix before leaving home just to be done with it. If they come up missing during flight, just have the Porter add a new tag. there really is ZERO need to affix luggage tags or pre-print or order them other than for the "ooh and Ahh" we get from doing so ourselves....

 

As to the theory that the airline would get them to the cruise ship faster if they have a cruise tag on them, I don't buy that theory at all.

 

If you have a missing bag, you will report it to the luggage folks who will take a report and ask you about where it needs delivered. So when they find a bag, with or without a cruise, tag, they are going to go the the baggage office and look into the file to determine whose bag it is and where to send it, without regard for the tags that are on the bag. They wont just see a cruise tag and run and get the bag to the cruise line the airline needs to go thru their paperwork routine to close out the file, if they just sped it on its way, they'd have an open bag claim, and be open to payments for lost luggage that never arrives.

 

As others have posted the theory that the barcode on a mailed celebrity tag would interfere with luggage systems is nonsense too. Barcodes are a unique "language" to themselves, and there are literally hundreds of barcode languages (called 'symbologies') that exist. A computer needs have the appropriate symbology decoding software loaded into it to read a particular barcodes, So airlines have agreed on whatever symbology they will use so as not to allow their systems to be confused by errant barcodes from other services such as people shipping items in original boxes that have a UPC code (UPC even has multiple symbologies, not just 1) won't be read or understood by the airline scanning systems. Companies like Fedex and UPS use multiple symbologies on their labels, so 1 set of scanners can read 1 barcode but not another as they make their way thru processing to help with sorting, and many items ship on airplanes with both FedEx and Airline labels on them every day.

[WestLakeGirl]

We are in the "put them on before you leave home" camp. They can't cause your luggage to go astray en route and they might prove useful if someone else goes to grab your bag because it resembles theirs

[Phxazzcruisers]

We are put them on at hotel before heading to ship, or after the flight on the way to the ship. Just our preference

[Happy2cruise]

We never put them on going to the airport.....just feel they could easily be torn off. Always put them on when leaving the hotel for the cruiseport. If going from airport directly to port, they go on once we have gotten our luggage from the carousal:D

[Christine Frances]

We never put them on going to the airport.....just feel they could easily be torn off. Always put them on when leaving the hotel for the cruiseport. If going from airport directly to port, they go on once we have gotten our luggage from the carousal:D

 

 

We always bring the extra tags and if any are missing or damaged we can just replace them. Hasn't happened yet though.

 

 

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[BILLP1]

I never thought that there could be ten answers on when to put on luggage tags on luggage...

[eel]

I never thought that there could be ten answers on when to put on luggage tags on luggage...

 

Yes, it is amazing and it seems there is no consensus. I think we will stick with putting them on at the hotel before heading to port.

 

We do make a copy of our itinerary and put that inside each piece of luggage so hopefully we will get our bags even if they are lost. Good point about the airlines taking your itinerary information when you report a lost bag. Still I am a belts and suspenders kind of guy when it comes to things like this.

 

We are cruising in Europe and our US cell phones won't work there. We do include an email address on our regular luggage ID tags so hopefully if the wrong person takes our bag they can contact us that way.

[cle-guy]

--- Not Thread Related ---

 

Could you email me your signature formatting from the Crusie critic user portal?

 

I had tried to do Columns and tables, and it never worked, you have accomplished EXACTLY what I wanted in my footer....

 

Thanks!

 

\/ \/ \/ \/ is my email....

[cb at sea]

If someone grabs your bags "by mistake", they are NOT looking at tags of any kind at all.

 

Nothing should be on your bags except the airline's tag for THAT flight. Don't leave old flight tags on your bags. Don't put your home address on or in your bags.

 

Slip a copy of your itinerary and cell phone # into an outside, unlocked pocket on your locked luggage, just in case it goes astray.

 

There's no reason or need to put the ship's tags on until you're headed to the ship AFTER your flight.

[cle-guy]

Nothing should be on your bags except the airline's tag for THAT flight. Don't leave old flight tags on your bags. Don't put your home address on or in your bags.

 

Slip a copy of your itinerary and cell phone # into an outside, unlocked pocket on your locked luggage, just in case it goes astray.

 

There's no reason or need to put the ship's tags on until you're headed to the ship AFTER your flight.

 

TSA (http://www.tsa.gov/traveler-information/packing-tip) recommends your address and contact information on both OUTSIDE and inside a bag.

 

Many airlines REQUIRE you to affix your contact information on the bag.

 

Definitely remove all old airline tags, and place slipping itinerary in the bag just in the unlikely event they take the time to look inside.

 

But from experience losing a bag, having a phone number MINIMUM on the bag will provide the fastest service versus just relying not he airline tag.

 

I had a bag taken by another passenger earlier this year (exact same bags). I realized it when I stood at carousel watching that last bag on the belt go round and round all by itself that looked exactly like mine but wasn't mine.

 

Took that bag to airline counter, the first thing they did was call the number on the tag the customer filed out on the bag, which as a cell number, and not the number their computer had (the computer had a travel agent phone number) so they were immediately able to resolve the situation, customer turned around and drove back to airport immediately swap bags.

 

When filing my claim, turns out their computer had a phone number on my record ( a frequent traveler as well with a full and updated profile) that as attached to a friend who I had booked a ticket for 6 months earlier and provided his number. My Frequent flyer profile and MY numbers, but for some reason, whatever info they luggage system pulled data from, they found a phone number from another passengers flight 6 months earlier linked to my profile. So calling him in denver and leaving a voicemail wound''t have been too helpful either.

 

Another time, I lost a bag in Heathrow airport, they found it I went to claim it, it was lost again. I have a sticker with my name and phone number affixed to the inside of the bag.

 

Turns out the first time they found it it still had tags on the outside, then they must have come up missing, and the bag sat around for ages till it showed up in my front doorstep 3 months later. They hadn't bothered to open the bag for that long to look for whose bag it was....and they had already paid out to me $2200 for the lost luggage and contents a month prior.

 

So best advice, ensure you have current id and contact info on OUTSIDE of bag to ensure the best service.

[eel]

Could you email me your signature formatting from the Crusie critic user portal?

 

I had tried to do Columns and tables, and it never worked, you have accomplished EXACTLY what I wanted in my footer....

 

Thanks!

 

\/ \/ \/ \/ is my email....

 

Email sent....

[Jessejo]

We usually put the tags on before we leave home.

 

We put extra tags inside our suitcases - the cruise line ones with the stickum - just peel the whole backing off and paste the tags inside the lids of our suitcases - in plain sight, if opened.

[phoenix_dream]

It is certainly possible for someone to grab your bag by mistake. I have almost done it a time or two myself when I was in a hurry:). While I agree that a cell phone is the most valuable information to have on your bag in most situations, I disagree that you should not put your address info on your bags. I presume this is concern about theft at your home while you are away. I guess I feel that while there is some risk to this, I don't really think it is very high. Just because one person in a household is traveling does not mean that everyone is. That would be an awfully big assumption. Also, while it makes sense not to go around on Facebook or wherever online posting your plans, think for a minute about how many people know about your plans. Often that includes your family, your extended family, friends, your boss, people at work, many people who work for the airline, perhaps a limo driver, cruise line employees, perhaps a travel agent, perhaps a hotel desk clerk, and the list goes on and on and on. If someone really wants to find out who might be out of town there are a million ways to do it. No, we don't want to make it too easy for them, but I think the potential benefits far outweigh the risks in this case IMHO.

[zwolinski]

Checked with Choice Air, they said to put the tags on before the flight.