Luggage loaded onto wrong ship

[Paul65]

Though it sounds like this was the fault of the cruisers checking their luggage at the wrong place, I'm a little surprised that Royal didn't offer to let them pick out an outfit or two from the onboard shops. Hope they still had a good time on the cruise, though, and made the most of it.

[LMaxwell]

Though it sounds like this was the fault of the cruisers checking their luggage at the wrong place, I'm a little surprised that Royal didn't offer to let them pick out an outfit or two from the onboard shops.

 

Agreed.

 

And I'm not sure they were turned away from the MDR or elected not to go; but they should have met the MD and explained the predicament. I am sure they would have been allowed in.

[TravelerThom]

It's a shame. I don't understand how this could happen, as someone from RCL while loading the bags would notice the name of the wrong ship's name on the bag tags...

The people who take the luggage on the pier are hired by the port, not RCI.

 

For several years, unless you are in a Suite or are Pinnacle or pay (I think) $35 you are NOT sent bag tags. You can print your own and attempt to attach them to your luggage (but I doubt if people who go to the wrong ship are likely to print their own tags). The porter asked "what cabin?", they looked at their Set Sail and told him and he wrote it on a tag. Could he have mentioned the name of the ship? - sure. Could the passengers have mentioned the name of the ship? - obviously. But everyone is in a hurry:cool:

 

Not picking up a pair or two of long pants and collared shirt at K-Mart was compounding the mistake. RCI could have (but didn't have to) done more for these passengers. I suspect that RCI might have provided some laundry etc IF they had been specifically asked, but as Newbies they probably didn't ask. Ultimately the mistake was done by the passengers not making sure they were in the right place.

[sr4mjc]

It's a bummer, but a hard live and learn situation.

[reallyitsmema]

Very unfortunate situation but the person really needed to follow up with guest relations immediately when they boarded the ship. Those bags could have been located prior to sailing, the bags are loaded by deck. It would have been a pain in the neck to find them, but it can be done. Waiting until the next day was a big mistake. The ship could have helped out with laundry and other essentials too but you really have to make sure you are headed to the right ship to start with.

[heatherb1958]

We returned yesterday from 4 cruises b2b on Brilliance and Vision in the order of Brilliance,Vision,Vision,Brilliance. We did the bag drag between both ships twice.

 

First of all It is unfortunate that this happened to your friends.

 

Our experience was that before we were allowed in the building for either ship a port agent checked our Set sail pass and ID. Then it was security scanning before you got close to a check in desk.

If I had been told at the entrance of the building that we were at the wrong ship I would have chased down the porter for retrieval of my luggage.

I must admit it is a little disorganised at the terminal for the Vision as porters have trolleys in the street taking luggage. We stood and watched to make sure ours went in the building but we knew we were at the correct ship.

[deliver42]

This is a little different situation, but on the Serenade in December, the people were on the right ship, but their luggage never made it on. Royal gave them toiletries for the first 2 days until we got to Aruba. When the luggage wasn't forwarded there, they were told to buy whatever they needed and would be reimbursed. I didn't see them at the end of the cruise so I don't know the outcome. I imagine it was some sort of credit on their Seapass acc't.

[BecciBoo]

The porters are members of Stevedores union and employed by the port itself. We watched one run over several suitcases with his front loader one morning while waiting on the outer promenade to do early disembark. There are bound to be mistakes made, as with bags to wrong airports.

 

Not the fault of RCCL most probably. But if the "new" cruisers had read every jot and tittle of their documents online or otherwise they would have known exactly what pier their ship was assigned and where to report to. This was their mistake. Its the same process as at the airport.

 

The bags most probably did not have luggage tags....I wouldn't dream of sending my bags with no tags, even the porters check this and if there are none they put them on, asking you what cabin. Their tags have the ship's name. Unless they were just not paying attention, I do not know how this whole debacle happened:confused:

 

But, I agree the people are not due any compensation. I would expect RCCL to sympathize and help out though. What a bummer! Experience is the best teacher though, they will never make this mistake again.:o

 

Fortunately, we have never had luggage mis-directed, crossing fingers!

[TravelerThom]

...Their tags have the ship's name. Unless they were just not paying attention, I do not know how this whole debacle happened:confused:...

I fly a lot, and IMO less than 1% of flyers check the destination tag that has been slapped on their suitcase before it disappears down the belt. And probably not very many more check the Baggage Check that has been stuck on the back of their boarding pass. I have NO problem thinking that these Newbies never looked at the tag put on their luggage.

 

Thom

 

PS I have more than once caught and corrected the wrong destination airport tag.

[BecciBoo]

Yep

 

I'm an OCD kinda traveler, I leave nothing to chance, it can be annoying to my peeps sometimes, but most times everything runs like clockwork.

[cantwaitt]

My reaction to this?

 

What a security lapse. Someone who is not booked on a ship can get luggage on to the ship.

 

Very, very scary.

 

I would contact the Department of Homeland Security so they can get the porters and longshoremen to implement a requirement that you show them your travel documents before you can place baggage on a ship.

[minn0315]

What bothers me about this entire post is that it was about the OP's "friends" that experienced this. There is no proof that this really happened. I would suggest that the OP ask their "friends" to set up a CC account and give us the real story.

[Ocean Boy]

Agreed.

 

And I'm not sure they were turned away from the MDR or elected not to go; but they should have met the MD and explained the predicament. I am sure they would have been allowed in.

 

Maybe these folks had read Cruise Critic in the past and were too uncomfortable using the MDR knowing what people with their noses out of joint would be thinking about them.:rolleyes:

[Ocean Boy]

What bothers me about this entire post is that it was about the OP's "friends" that experienced this. There is no proof that this really happened. I would suggest that the OP ask their "friends" to set up a CC account and give us the real story.

 

And that would give you proof that it really happened?

[nelblu]

The people who take the luggage on the pier are hired by the port, not RCI.

 

For several years, unless you are in a Suite or are Pinnacle or pay (I think) $35 you are NOT sent bag tags. You can print your own and attempt to attach them to your luggage (but I doubt if people who go to the wrong ship are likely to print their own tags). The porter asked "what cabin?", they looked at their Set Sail and told him and he wrote it on a tag. Could he have mentioned the name of the ship? - sure. Could the passengers have mentioned the name of the ship? - obviously. But everyone is in a hurry:cool:

 

Not picking up a pair or two of long pants and collared shirt at K-Mart was compounding the mistake. RCI could have (but didn't have to) done more for these passengers. I suspect that RCI might have provided some laundry etc IF they had been specifically asked, but as Newbies they probably didn't ask. Ultimately the mistake was done by the passengers not making sure they were in the right place.

 

 

You're are assuming that they did not print their tags and that the bags were not pre-tagged. Also, they probably assumed that RCL would take care of their clothes needs.

[TravelerThom]

You're are assuming that they did not print their tags and that the bags were not pre-tagged...

Gee, why didn't I say that? Oh, wait, I did say that:rolleyes:

...You can print your own and attempt to attach them to your luggage (but I doubt if people who go to the wrong ship are likely to print their own tags)...

[Sailor_Sally]

We have sailed numerous times but last year there was a lot of confusion at Tampa port . Brilliance was supposed to sail from a certain area but it was changed at the last minute and even the port workers were not sure . So I can easily see how this can happen.

[Debde]

What bothers me about this entire post is that it was about the OP's "friends" that experienced this. There is no proof that this really happened. I would suggest that the OP ask their "friends" to set up a CC account and give us the real story.

 

What does that have to do with anything??:confused:

Maybe it has been brought to the attention of some 'seasoned' cruisers that newbies can get confused and to remind us all to double check with the porters.

 

What got my attention to this thread was I sailed for the first time out of NYC and I will tell you that port for a minute had me so confused I did not know where to go so I can put myself in others shoes for a moment.

 

Lots of lessons learned by all here, and yes, the hard way for some but I'm willing to cut the anonymous 'friends' some slack!! :D

[kc320]

Something similar happened to a friend & I in Miami...we were sailing on the Majesty...hotel shuttle dropped us off in front of a RCI ship...my friend handed over her suitcase to the porter...it did have a luggage tag...he put it on the cart & we headed toward the entrance...as we were walking I looked up & realized there was a 2nd RCI ship behind the one we were standing in front of...as we walked a little further I decided to stop & ask another porter where the Majesty of the Seas was...he pointed to the 2nd ship...I then ran back to where my friend had checked her suitcase & was able to get the porter to take it off the cart...we were both experienced cruisers....it was just one of those things, of not paying attention to where we were...lucky for me..."I" was only doing a carry on, so I still had my bag...:D

[Desert Cruizers]

Sorry to hear your fiends didn't get their luggage until nearly the end, one more reason to pack a 3/4 day supply of clothes in your Carry on. A couple on our Coastal last year didn't get their luggage until 5 days in of a 7 day cruise. I don't recall the delay but believe it might have been due to the airlines.

[Merion_Mom]

My daughter's friend made the same sort of mistake last month.

 

She has been an "airhead" for as long as I have known her.

 

They told their cab driver to take them to Houston.

 

They were supposed to be in Galveston.

 

Fortunately, they had enough time to get to Galveston!

 

:eek:

[Ocean Boy]

My daughter's friend made the same sort of mistake last month.

 

She has been an "airhead" for as long as I have known her.

 

They told their cab driver to take them to Houston.

 

They were supposed to be in Galveston.

 

Fortunately, they had enough time to get to Galveston!

 

:eek:

Watch out. If the skeptics can't fathom how someone got their luggage onto the wrong ship I'm sure going to the wrong port will really fire them up.

[reallyitsmema]

My daughter's friend made the same sort of mistake last month.

 

She has been an "airhead" for as long as I have known her.

 

They told their cab driver to take them to Houston.

 

They were supposed to be in Galveston.

 

Fortunately, they had enough time to get to Galveston!

 

:eek:

 

My hairdresser is going on a cruise in June from Miami. When I asked her what cruise line, she said Royal Caribbean, like you. She asked if I had been on that ship, I told her, no, I hadn't sailed on Majesty but had sailed Sovereign. She said that wasn't the right name, it was Oasis.:eek:

[Sharkb8]

Of course they said that. Of course, those curbside porters aren't RCI employees, so that is a bit challenging.

 

 

wow, seeing some heartless replies already but that is not surprising on here.

 

If the OP's retelling is accurate, a representative of the company took responsibility for getting the luggage transferred so there should have been some compensation for their situation.

 

I am sure one of you will come back and say that the person checking them in is not an employee of Royal Caribbean. Whether they are or are not it doesn't matter, they are representing the cruise line.

[Paul65]

My reaction to this?

 

What a security lapse. Someone who is not booked on a ship can get luggage on to the ship.

 

Very, very scary.

 

I would contact the Department of Homeland Security so they can get the porters and longshoremen to implement a requirement that you show them your travel documents before you can place baggage on a ship.

 

Meh. I guess I don't find that aspect of the story to be "Very, very scary." That kind of thing is done some places as an extra measure of security, but they're still screening all the luggage that goes on the ship.