Luggage finder

[Webecrusing]

As you know how hectic it is to find your luggage after disembarkment. What would be the best luggage tracker to purchase to make it easier find your luggage in that mess?

[CruiserBruce]

Most times we have gotten off a ship, the bags are sorted by disembarkation tag color. So only look where the red tags, or blue tags, or yellow tagged baggage is, depending on what color you got.

[Webecrusing]

Thank you. But, even then it's still a mess. After 4 different cruises we still have problems, even with the porter helping.

[John Bull]

Can't help thinking you're looking for a high-tech solution to a low-tech problem.

 

Have you not tried something bright & distinctive like a ribbon or tassel or pom-pom tied to the handle?

Works for most folk. :)

 

JB :)

[Webecrusing]

Thanks.

[Philob]

Or when getting new luggage try a color other than black or tan.

 

SWMBO recently purchased a lime green and a pink Samsonite 24" spinners from Ross. I wanted the Holstein Cow pattern, but ended up with the pink :eek::rolleyes::p

[paul929207]

We have a red ribbon that we tie on to each of our bags.

[John Bull]

Or when getting new luggage try a color other than black or tan.

 

SWMBO recently purchased a lime green and a pink Samsonite 24" spinners from Ross. I wanted the Holstein Cow pattern, but ended up with the pink :eek::rolleyes::p

 

Good thinking.

Cos no self-respecting thief is gonna steal it. :D

 

JB :)

[beachbum53]

Or when getting new luggage try a color other than black or tan.

 

SWMBO recently purchased a lime green and a pink Samsonite 24" spinners from Ross. I wanted the Holstein Cow pattern, but ended up with the pink :eek::rolleyes::p

 

This! About four years ago, when we needed to buy new luggage, we knew that black was a pretty common color, so my wife got purple, and I got red. We added some bright distinctive luggage tags, and we've never had a problem finding our luggage, either at the cruise port or the airport. "Duck" brand duct tape comes in a variety of bright colors and patterns. To add to what John Bull said, you can make your luggage stand out by putting two or three strips of colored duct tape across the front and back of your luggage.

[Webecrusing]

Thanks. I will use duct tape.

[navybankerteacher]

I've used the distinctive symbol duct tape method for years - while it helps you identify your luggage, it also helps keep some careless fellow passenger from grabbing your bag from an airport carousel.

[Terpnut]

One way to completely eliminate your problem is to specify a time 1 or 2 hours earlier than your planned disembarkation time on your disembarkation form. From my experience, because most everyone else will have picked up their luggage and left before you, your luggage will be amongst just a handful of other luggage in your color section. So it'll be super easy to find your stuff. Another bonus is that, while everyone else is in one section climbing over bags, searching for their luggage, and then having to negotiate the crowd out, your section will be completely empty and you just wheel your bags straight out to Customs! Works every time for me! :)

Edited April 11, 2016 by Terpnut

[Webecrusing]

That's great! Never thought of that. Thanks. Leaving next week for an eleven day Hawaiian cruise.

[Terpnut]

That's great! Never thought of that. Thanks. Leaving next week for an eleven day Hawaiian cruise.

Just remember that the cruise line will ask you for your flight information to "reverse engineer" an estimated disembarkation time. Their calculations are usually timed to get your bags off within the time range that you will disembark to catch your flight. For example, if your flight is 2 pm and it takes 20 minutes to get to the airport, they will generally assume you want to disembark the ship around or before 10 am. But that forces you off the ship with the same color and at the same time as everyone else scheduled to disembarking at say, 9:30am-10 am.

 

So if you want your bags out at a specific (earlier) time and you know your planned disembarkation time, then the best thing to do is to NOT give them your flight information. Instead, mark the "independent traveler" or similar option, specify the early disembarkation time (remember, this is the earlier time for your luggage--not you!).

 

Looked at a different way, my strategy requires that you disembark at least an hour or more AFTER your color and number (or section) are already called. This allows all the others to claim their bags and vacate that color area! Good luck!

Edited April 11, 2016 by Terpnut

[Alaskan Joe]

We have a red ribbon that we tie on to each of our bags.

I guess I will take my red ribbons off my bag:D

[OCruisers]

Having them sorted by departure color is a big help.

Also, we have large neon tags on ours. :)

[lisiamc]

I've used the distinctive symbol duct tape method for years - while it helps you identify your luggage, it also helps keep some careless fellow passenger from grabbing your bag from an airport carousel.

 

Among other bits, I've got bright tape wound around the handles of my luggage. If someone picks up my case by accident, they've got to grab the ugly yellow tape to do it. I'm hoping they'll notice it's the wrong bag at that point! :p

[Terpnut]

Of course, then there are the high-tech solutions to the problem: http://bluesmart.com/?gclid=CjwKEAjwlq24BRDMjdK7g8mD6BASJABBl8n3xAVMsL_DT17GMIyqb5QkpyEZ-RMGwtq34nHGEWejahoCCsrw_wcB. :D