Lost Suitcase In NOLA

[simplynewt]

We wrapped up our very 1st cruise on October 31st with Carnival loosing my wifes suitcase when we went to retrieve our luggage and head home. Both of ours were tagged with the tag that was on them upon arrival and although flimsy and not well made, we even put the "strap" on that was given to us to identify our suitcases before we placed them outside of our stateroom door the night before. 

My suitcase was there with the first tag still intact but the strap that was given was gone. Her suitcase was nowhere to be found. She went as far as to print her name and address on the flimsy strap given to us but doubtful that stayed intact given the fact that the one I put on mine was not attached where I put it. 

We then took over an hour to look for it with no luck and then filled out a lost luggage form with one of the people working for the terminal that the ship was docked at. He suspected someone grabbed it thinking it was theirs and will not discover the fact they grabbed the wrong suitcase until they get to the airport. It did not look promising then and it still remains lost and doubtful we will get it back. 

I had Travel Insurance but so far the process has been cumbersome at best and I do not think that I will get any satisfaction goin that route. The clothes can be replaced. What cant is the painted wooden elephant that I purchased for my wife while in Roatan. Spent a nice amount for it and it was a unique piece of artwork. Very saddened at this and the frustrating efforts Carnival has made in the form of communications in assuring to us they are doing all they can to recover this lost suitcase. 

Anyone else experience this and if so, what was your outcome? Is there something I should have done differently then what I thought was the right thing to do when leaving the ship? Any comments and/or suggestions are appreciated. 

[mondello]

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Your missing elephant reminds me of the time I bought a hand carved elephant in Bali for my mom's collection. I didn't think anything of it when the beach side vendor insisted on wrapping it for me. It wasn't until I got home that I found out he deftly switched my purchase for a broken one.

[Clarasgrandma]

We started tying a bright colored handkerchief around a handle on each suitcase to make our average black suitcases stand out. That way they don’t look like everybody else’s and it is easy for us to identify them. Plus no one should mistake them for their own. Just something to consider going forward.  I hope you do get your belongings back.

[Joebucks]

On my last cruise, the tag fell off my suitcase and it was "lost" for the first few hours of the first day. Eventually, it found its way to wherever lost suitcases go, and I retrieved it. This is actually one of a few reasons I usually carry my luggage. This time, I didn't for whatever reason.

 

On my trip last month, the check-in Agent at Jetblue put the wrong tag on my suitcase. So it went to another destination. It's not fun getting to Aruba without your luggage. Thankfully, we were able to track it and get it delivered to my room the next day. From now, I will double-check the name on the receipt given to me.

 

This is also another reason I will not fly in the day of my cruise. Things happen. That buffer can also be a big help in allowing time before your cruise. 

[Pyrate13]

It's a shame this happened to you but if another passenger grabbed your bag by mistake (or otherwise), there is only so much Carnival can do. They have no way to know who that person might be or where they were going once they left the port. Unfortunately, there are those people that would keep the bag even when they realize it is not theirs.

[Aplmac]

Ain't this the truth............

 

[firedisney97]

I will give you the flip side of this - I was the passenger that grabbed the wrong suitcase when we left the Horizon the end of Sept.  We were literally getting ready to step into our Lyft when my Mom looked down and said "hey, that's not your suitcase".  I tipped the Lyft driver and we we back to the doors we had exited the port from and I gave them back the suitcase, hoping that who it belongs to could get it before they left the port area.  This however led to a whole new set of problems for us.  Because we had left the secure area, we could not go back and get my bag.  Luckily our flight home was not till 330 that afternoon so we got to sit outside the entrance to the port until after 10 am, when they cleared the ship from our cruise and were able to determine what luggage was left.  Luckily at this point they were able to identify my bag (from my tag and my description) and we were able to leave for the airport finally between 11 and 1130.   So no matter what happens, it sucks on both ends when you have a luggage issue. I am just glad we figured out my mistake before we left the port and I hope the other passenger got his luggage back in a timely manner

[LHARTWICK]

3 hours ago, Clarasgrandma said:

We started tying a bright colored handkerchief around a handle on each suitcase to make our average black suitcases stand out. That way they don’t look like everybody else’s and it is easy for us to identify them. Plus no one should mistake them for their own. Just something to consider going forward.  I hope you do get your belongings back.

Same here.  We have neon green bandanas and luggage tags on ours. Good luck to you!  I sure hope you get everything returned. Ruins an otherwise nice vacation of wonderful memories. 🤞  

[RGEDad]

I purchased some very thick, very brightly colored rubber encased name tags with a small steel cable. I was surprised how easy it makes finding/noticing the bags on the Airport conveyer/ship luggage area (I am not going to mention the color as I do not want everybody else to use the same color).

We also purchased a set of ship luggage tag holders (Thick see-through plastic & steel cable attachment) after one cruise where one ship tag was torn off but the bag was still delivered due (I assume) to the same durable name tag. I have also found that putting the ship luggage tag into the purchased tag holder is a very pleasant task leading up to the cruise - kind of like the ceremonial pulling out the luggage from deep storage to start of packing season.

FYI: There are two sizes of cruise line luggage tags...

 

[cyclist_guy1]

im surprised no one has suggested this...yet.

 

i saw a tip a few years ago about adding additional luggage tags on the inside of your bag. that way if the outside tags get lost eventually someone will know who the bag belongs to once its opened. and will hopefully call the owner.

[nlktx49]

When I first started cruising I noticed that almost everyone had black luggage, which made it very hard to find mine in hundreds waiting to be claimed.

 

I bought a new set of luggage, a champagne color that I've never seen duplicated.

 

I also recently bought some luggage tags that are heavy duty vinyl with a steel grommet at the top and a thin stainless steel cable to attach to luggage handles. You fold and insert your printed luggage label. I use two on each bag. I also put a copy of my luggage label inside each bag so if they get lost they can be identified when opened.

 

I can only imagine how dismayed you must have been to not only lose your bag but also your special souvenir!

Edited November 15, 2021 by nlktx49
clarity

[wms99]

I bought some real gaudy duct tape that had a "minion" print all over it. Our suitcases have stripes and wraps of this stuff all over. There is no mistaking it. Think Eddie Van Halen's guitar.

Check the duct tape display at your local box store and get something fun.

 

 

[sunshower9]

38 minutes ago, wms99 said:

I bought some real gaudy duct tape that had a "minion" print all over it. Our suitcases have stripes and wraps of this stuff all over. There is no mistaking it. Think Eddie Van Halen's guitar.

Check the duct tape display at your local box store and get something fun.

 

 

This is what I do, as well as putting our contact info inside the bag.  I buy duct tape in bright colors/eye-catching patterns and wrap it around our suitcases.  It came in handy because on our first cruise, Carnival delivered our bag to the wrong stateroom.  My aunt and uncle saw it sitting outside the wrong room and recognized that it was our bag because of the duct tape.  My husband insists on carrying on all of our luggage now, not only because of that incident but also because on every cruise there has been someone with a lost bag. 

 

I hope yours is recovered and returned to you.  I'm sure this is very frustrating.

[ZoeyVictoria]

We can see these luggage straps from a distance in the terminal, a porter has gone into the back area of the conveyer belt and easily located them, and they add strength to our lightweight luggage,  

[virginiab]

I bought a set of stencils at Michaels craft store and used acrylic paint to put a feather design on each side of each of our bags: front, back, both sides, top, and bottom. No matter which way it is facing, it is easy for me to identify. I hope it will also be easy for someone else to see that it is not their bag!

[LHARTWICK]

2 hours ago, cyclist_guy1 said:

im surprised no one has suggested this...yet.

 

i saw a tip a few years ago about adding additional luggage tags on the inside of your bag. that way if the outside tags get lost eventually someone will know who the bag belongs to once its opened. and will hopefully call the owner.

And/or an itinerary sheet.  

[LHARTWICK]

1 hour ago, wms99 said:

I bought some real gaudy duct tape that had a "minion" print all over it. Our suitcases have stripes and wraps of this stuff all over. There is no mistaking it. Think Eddie Van Halen's guitar.

Check the duct tape display at your local box store and get something fun.

 

 

One more idea is to stencil designs using paint onto your luggage.  I've also done that.  It's super easy!  Some ideas are an initial/initials, or for cruising, an anchor, ship's wheel, or other nautical themed figures.  I get a lot of compliments from other cruisers! 

[canes20]

20 hours ago, simplynewt said:

We wrapped up our very 1st cruise on October 31st with Carnival loosing my wifes suitcase when we went to retrieve our luggage and head home. Both of ours were tagged with the tag that was on them upon arrival and although flimsy and not well made, we even put the "strap" on that was given to us to identify our suitcases before we placed them outside of our stateroom door the night before. 

My suitcase was there with the first tag still intact but the strap that was given was gone. Her suitcase was nowhere to be found. She went as far as to print her name and address on the flimsy strap given to us but doubtful that stayed intact given the fact that the one I put on mine was not attached where I put it. 

We then took over an hour to look for it with no luck and then filled out a lost luggage form with one of the people working for the terminal that the ship was docked at. He suspected someone grabbed it thinking it was theirs and will not discover the fact they grabbed the wrong suitcase until they get to the airport. It did not look promising then and it still remains lost and doubtful we will get it back. 

I had Travel Insurance but so far the process has been cumbersome at best and I do not think that I will get any satisfaction goin that route. The clothes can be replaced. What cant is the painted wooden elephant that I purchased for my wife while in Roatan. Spent a nice amount for it and it was a unique piece of artwork. Very saddened at this and the frustrating efforts Carnival has made in the form of communications in assuring to us they are doing all they can to recover this lost suitcase. 

Anyone else experience this and if so, what was your outcome? Is there something I should have done differently then what I thought was the right thing to do when leaving the ship? Any comments and/or suggestions are appreciated. 

 

Are you saying thet you left the tag that you printed at home on your luggage plus the tag that they left in you room that said what zone to pick your luggage up in? You were supposed to take the first tags off and only have the zone tag that you received the last day of the cruise. If your zone tag did come off your wife's luggage and the other tag was still on, her nag could be on the ship again after being delivered the the room that was on that first tag.

[Computer Nerd]

21 hours ago, simplynewt said:

We wrapped up our very 1st cruise on October 31st with Carnival loosing my wifes suitcase when we went to retrieve our luggage and head home. Both of ours were tagged with the tag that was on them upon arrival and although flimsy and not well made, we even put the "strap" on that was given to us to identify our suitcases before we placed them outside of our stateroom door the night before. 

My suitcase was there with the first tag still intact but the strap that was given was gone. Her suitcase was nowhere to be found. She went as far as to print her name and address on the flimsy strap given to us but doubtful that stayed intact given the fact that the one I put on mine was not attached where I put it. 

We then took over an hour to look for it with no luck and then filled out a lost luggage form with one of the people working for the terminal that the ship was docked at. He suspected someone grabbed it thinking it was theirs and will not discover the fact they grabbed the wrong suitcase until they get to the airport. It did not look promising then and it still remains lost and doubtful we will get it back. 

I had Travel Insurance but so far the process has been cumbersome at best and I do not think that I will get any satisfaction goin that route. The clothes can be replaced. What cant is the painted wooden elephant that I purchased for my wife while in Roatan. Spent a nice amount for it and it was a unique piece of artwork. Very saddened at this and the frustrating efforts Carnival has made in the form of communications in assuring to us they are doing all they can to recover this lost suitcase. 

Anyone else experience this and if so, what was your outcome? Is there something I should have done differently then what I thought was the right thing to do when leaving the ship? Any comments and/or suggestions are appreciated. 

This (and getting off the ship early) is why I hand carry (roll) my luggage off ship.

[canes20]

10 minutes ago, Computer Nerd said:

This (and getting off the ship early) is why I hand carry (roll) my luggage off ship.

[staceyglow]

1 hour ago, LHARTWICK said:

One more idea is to stencil designs using paint onto your luggage.  I've also done that.  It's super easy!  Some ideas are an initial/initials, or for cruising, an anchor, ship's wheel, or other nautical themed figures.  I get a lot of compliments from other cruisers! 

Don't think I want to paint my brand new soft-sided Travelpro luggage. 😁  I am a fan of fun, colorful tags.  Here's what's on mine:

[Computer Nerd]

1 hour ago, canes20 said:

Funny meme yet in 31 cruises I have never yet had to deal with steps to go up or down. Also, I only carry 1 suitcase so not as cumbersome as pictured.

[canes20]

29 minutes ago, Computer Nerd said:

Funny meme yet in 31 cruises I have never yet had to deal with steps to go up or down. Also, I only carry 1 suitcase so not as cumbersome as pictured.

[Computer Nerd]

1 hour ago, canes20 said:

Yep, that's more like it. 😁

[RWolver672]

We always had a hard time locating our luggage until I bought these.  I bought them in bright yellow and had our last name put on them.  Now it's easy to spot our luggage.  https://www.wdrake.com/buy-personalized-blue-luggage-strap-360016?sourcecode=WD21PB399&msclkid=bb8a509b6f66100d03793108e388df07&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=ECI - Google Shopping - All Products [High]&utm_term=4582077278063908&utm_content=All Products