What Happens to Luggage When You Miss the Ship?

[Butterbean1000]

So what does happen when you miss the ship?  I thought I heard once that they go to your cabin to look for your passport and pack your bags.  Is this true?  What do they do with your luggage?

[1025cruise]

While I don't have personal experience, I believe they'll get your passports from the safe and any meds they see. When you rejoin the ship, you get your luggage. If you don't rejoin until disembarkation, you get to go on and pack.

[coevan]

It's a little more complicated, first of all you will have to fly, on your own dime, to the next port. You will need your passport to fly. 

 

 

6 minutes ago, 1025cruise said:

I believe they'll get your passports from the safe and any meds they see

 and do what with it?

[keywest1]

It's been a couple of years since we last sailed on Carnival, but the Fun Times used to have a tear off strip with contact info should you have problems in port.  If you aren't going to make it back to the ship, they can leave your passport/other essentials with the port agent.  The agent can help with local information to help stranded cruisers find lodging or flights.  You'll be responsible for making the arrangements and paying, but they can help figure out the logistics.  Not sure about luggage?  

[Underwatr]

1 hour ago, coevan said:

It's a little more complicated, first of all you will have to fly, on your own dime, to the next port. You will need your passport to fly. 

 

 

 and do what with it?

They give the passports to the port agent, listed in the daily program or port info sheet, so you have a chance of getting to the next port before the ship leaves.

There isn't time between all-aboard and ship departure to do much more than that for you.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, Butterbean1000 said:

So what does happen when you miss the ship?  I thought I heard once that they go to your cabin to look for your passport and pack your bags.  Is this true?  What do they do with your luggage?

Probably just off-load it at your scheduled port of debarkation along with everyone else’s.  Kind of iffy from that point on.

 

 Frankly, I would prefer to not find out.

[SantaFeFan]

We have been told during Q&A session events with officers on Celebrity and Princess ships that a security officer will open your safe and remove any passports that are in there, and turn them over to the port representative. They do this just prior to pulling up the gangway. They will NOT go through your cabin looking for things to retrieve due to liability issues.

 

We always keep our passports in the safe if not required to carry them due to local laws. We keep them in a quart sized, clear zipper baggie that also includes any medications we may need on a daily basis at the time. 

Edited July 8, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[Underwatr]

DW and I had to suddenly leave the ship in a port of call due to illness. We had time to pack one bag but they packed everything else into the remaining bags (haphazardly) and I met the ship at the disembarkation port to collect the bags and the car.

[jocap]

I only know what some passengers who missed the ship at Gibraltar reported afterwards- they were given their passports by the agent, and told to be in Southampton to retrieve their luggage in 3 days time- ie, the day the ship docked.

[zqvol]

21 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

So what does happen when you miss the ship?  I thought I heard once that they go to your cabin to look for your passport and pack your bags.  Is this true?  What do they do with your luggage?

 

Luggage will meet you at the final port of disembarkation when the ship returns.

[clo]

1 hour ago, zqvol said:

 

Luggage will meet you at the final port of disembarkation when the ship returns.

So you don't have the opportunity to join the ship at a later port?  We cruised from Barcelona to Miami some years ago and a couple lost or had their passports stolen (can't remember).  They were able to join the cruise later.  But that was probably 15 years ago.

[SantaFeFan]

47 minutes ago, clo said:

So you don't have the opportunity to join the ship at a later port?  We cruised from Barcelona to Miami some years ago and a couple lost or had their passports stolen (can't remember).  They were able to join the cruise later.  But that was probably 15 years ago.

 

Yes, you can join the ship at the next intermediate port stop if there is one. You will have to pay your way to get there, however. The port agent may offer planning assistance, but that is not guaranteed. 

[Hlitner]

Just to add some fuel to the fire, but keep in mind that many of those doing Closed Loop cruises do not even have Passports.  If those passengers get left behind on an island they will have other issues trying to catch up to the ship or get back into the USA without a Passport.  If they are US Citizens or legal US residents they will eventually be able to return to the USA although there could be a delay of several days while the situation is worked-out with the airline and US authorities.

 

As to those with Passports who get left behind, the normal protocol is that ship security will search your cabin and cabin safe for Passports which will be turned over to the Port Agent.  This is why those who are left behind should immediately contact the Port Agent (the port agent info will either be in your daily schedule or in the port handout).  As others have said, the cost of catching up to the ship or getting back home (including delays while resolving issues) are the responsibility of the cruiser.  If you do not catch up to the ship you would need to contact the cruise line to work out the details of how to get your luggage returned.

 

Hank

[Heidi13]

On 7/7/2019 at 4:53 PM, Butterbean1000 said:

So what does happen when you miss the ship?  I thought I heard once that they go to your cabin to look for your passport and pack your bags.  Is this true?  What do they do with your luggage?

While many variables apply, from experience, but not from having missed the ship, this is probably the most common.

 

If time permits, the Hotel staff/Security may enter your cabin to check the safe and have a cursory look around for passports, possibly even other official documents. Any passports found will be handed to the Ship's Agent, just prior to gangways being cleared. However, if the Captain has valid navigational/scheduling concerns, he/she may not permit this additional delay.

 

The Ship's Agent's contact details are normally included in the ship's daily newspaper. However, the Ship's Agent is contracted by the cruise line for their operation and also transportation of embarking/disembarking crew members. They are generally not contracted to manage passengers. Therefore, the Ship's Agent may leave an employee at the dock for a period of time with the passports, but they are not obligated to do so. The Ship's Agent may also assist in making arrangements for onward travel to the next port, but again are not obligated to do so. All arrangements are to account of the passengers. If the Ship's Agent employee does not remain at the dock, it is the passenger's responsibility to contact the agent. Once you establish contact with the Agent and plans are made, the Agent will pass the information to the ship.

 

Most pax join at the next port, so most times there is no issue with luggage. However, if pax do not return before disembarkation, the ship will pack up your cabin and ship at pax expense. This is a potential issue on R/T Alaska from Seattle, as if you miss the midnight departure from Victoria, it will be challenging to reach Seattle the next morning, prior to the ship's arrival.

[sverigecruiser]

On 7/8/2019 at 3:34 AM, SantaFeFan said:

We have been told during Q&A session events with officers on Celebrity and Princess ships that a security officer will open your safe and remove any passports that are in there, and turn them over to the port representative.

 

I wonder what will happen if that passenger is onboard. May never happen but what if something goes wrong in the system and the computer think that someone hasn't returned when they are on the ship? The staff that register people coming back can make a mistake and someone isn't registered correct.  

Edited July 9, 2019 by sverigecruiser

[Turtles06]

6 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I wonder what will happen if that passenger is onboard. May never happen but what if something goes wrong in the system and the computer think that someone hasn't returned when they are on the ship? The staff that register people coming back can make a mistake and someone isn't registered correct.  

 

After the All Aboard time, the ship starts paging those guests shown in the computer system as not being back on board. 

[sverigecruiser]

4 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

After the All Aboard time, the ship starts paging those guests shown in the computer system as not being back on board. 

 

I know that and that make me believe that even the cruiselines doesn't trust the system to 100%!

 

Lots of people ignore the announcements and may miss that someone is looking for them! 

[navybankerteacher]

13 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I wonder what will happen if that passenger is onboard. May never happen but what if something goes wrong in the system and the computer think that someone hasn't returned when they are on the ship? The staff that register people coming back can make a mistake and someone isn't registered correct.  

Interesting thought:  they might leave your passport with the port agent in Nassau , believing that you are still ashore.  Then, supposing you had to fly back to England the next day from Miami,  you would be in something of a bind.

 

However, they do, of course,  repeatedly announce missing passengers’s names.  So, it is a good idea to listen to announcements  — just in case the above scenario unfolds.

[Turtles06]

5 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I know that and that make me believe that even the cruiselines doesn't trust the system to 100%!

 

Lots of people ignore the announcements and may miss that someone is looking for them! 

 

 If you knew that, perhaps you should have said so. 😉

 

In any event, what’s your solution?  (I can’t recall anyone reporting that this has happened, btw.) 

[SantaFeFan]

25 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I wonder what will happen if that passenger is onboard. May never happen but what if something goes wrong in the system and the computer think that someone hasn't returned when they are on the ship? The staff that register people coming back can make a mistake and someone isn't registered correct.  

 

They scan your card and it makes a sound when accepted, both when leaving and boarding the ship. If no sound is made, the staff knows it hasn't been accepted, and will re-scan the card. Most modern systems also display the passenger's photo for further confirmation. Yes, mistakes can happen, but highly unlikely. 

 

Unless the passenger climbs up one of the ropes securing the ship to shore, the staff will know if that passenger is aboard or not. 😁

Edited July 9, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[sverigecruiser]

24 minutes ago, Turtles06 said:

 

 If you knew that, perhaps you should have said so. 😉

 

In any event, what’s your solution?  (I can’t recall anyone reporting that this has happened, btw.) 

 

Yes, I could have said that but didn't thought that was important.

 

I don't have a solution to it but the cruiseline doesn't have any obligation to find someones passport and if they take it when it's a mistake they are responsible to find a solution, I think.

 

Most of the time it's probably good for the passenger if the cruiseline leave the passport onshore because the system is seldom wrong. (As I said I have never heared that it has happened.)

[sverigecruiser]

29 minutes ago, SantaFeFan said:

 

They scan your card and it makes a sound when accepted, both when leaving and boarding the ship. If no sound is made, the staff knows it hasn't been accepted, and will re-scan the card. Most modern systems also display the passenger's photo for further confirmation. Yes, mistakes can happen, but highly unlikely. 

 

Unless the passenger climbs up one of the ropes securing the ship to shore, the staff will know if that passenger is aboard or not. 😁

 

But why do they make announcements if they are sure and trust the system?

 

(I know that you don't have the answer and I don't think that we disagree about this!) 

[Underwatr]

3 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

However, the Ship's Agent is contracted by the cruise line for their operation and also transportation of embarking/disembarking crew members. They are generally not contracted to manage passengers. Therefore, the Ship's Agent may leave an employee at the dock for a period of time with the passports, but they are not obligated to do so.

You may be correct. However, when we needed to leave the ship in port due to illness, the port agent employee was in contact with me periodically during our time ashore to offer any needed assistance.

[SantaFeFan]

2 hours ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

But why do they make announcements if they are sure and trust the system?

 

(I know that you don't have the answer and I don't think that we disagree about this!) 

 

They make the announcements for two reasons: 1) in case there was a rare mistake 2) to announce the name so a family member or traveling companion can verify if they are on board or not.

 

Making he announcement takes virtually zero effort, and acts as a good backup. I would expect them to take that minor effort. 

Edited July 9, 2019 by SantaFeFan

[Heidi13]

30 minutes ago, Underwatr said:

You may be correct. However, when we needed to leave the ship in port due to illness, the port agent employee was in contact with me periodically during our time ashore to offer any needed assistance.

Different circumstances, to a pax missing the ship by not returning in accordance with the gangway board. In the unfortunate occasion of illness, the ship is off-loading a passenger, so will task the agent to provide follow up, especially when the cruise line doesn't have customer care reps on hand.