Luggage Tags

[Mum2Mercury]

So I see that we now print our own luggage tags at home.  How do y'all handle them? 

 

- I see that Amazon sells plastic tag covers, but I don't want to pay $13 for luggage tags -- covers that I might not ever use again.  

- Has anyone covered them with packing tape ... or laminated them?  

- We will bring a small-ish cardboard box with consumable items ... is it okay just to tape a tag to the box?  

[wingatesl]

I print them for everyone and then “laminate” them with packing tape. We will usually borrow a stapler from the hotel front desk to attach them or worst case, have a porter do it for us. 

[D4]

2 minutes ago, wingatesl said:

I print them for everyone and then “laminate” them with packing tape. We will usually borrow a stapler from the hotel front desk to attach them or worst case, have a porter do it for us. 

I do the same.  I also put 2 tags on each bag (top handle and side handle.)

[jeh10641]

I purchased see-through, plastic, luggage tags holders from a cruise line a few years ago. They were nowhere near as expensive as $13.00. I do not remember which one. They are oversized. I print out my tags at home and keep them in my accordion file folder with all my other documents (tickets, reservation slips, passports, etc.). The night before embarkation (or even the morning of) I insert them into the tag holders. Done!

 

Jim

[Mum2Mercury]

Great -- sounds easy enough.  

Yes to two tags on each bag.  

Buying oversized makes sense -- then they'd work for any cruise line.  

I have a small laminator at home -- it's useful more often than you'd think.

 

THANKS, ALL. 

Edited June 13, 2022 by Mum2Mercury

[volk904]

Print them off, fold them to the tag size.  I like to put a piece of clear packing tape over them but it is not required.  When you get to your hotel or the cruise port staple two on each bag well and you will be fine.  When you fold them they will be about 3 layers thick.  

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

So I see that we now print our own luggage tags at home.  How do y'all handle them? 

 

- I see that Amazon sells plastic tag covers, but I don't want to pay $13 for luggage tags -- covers that I might not ever use again.  

- Has anyone covered them with packing tape ... or laminated them?  

- We will bring a small-ish cardboard box with consumable items ... is it okay just to tape a tag to the box?  

We use luggage tag holders that we bought years ago. 

 

Before that, we would put a piece of duct tape on the back and bring some packing tape to attach the tag to our luggage once we arrive in the departure city. 

 

We always put one tag on the top handle and one tag on the side handle. 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/ccstore/luggage-tag/

 

[rudeney]

I have a thermal laminator that I use.  i use hole punch and a zip tie and done.  

[ONECRUISER]

Got mine on Amazon about 10yrs ago, 8 pack I've used at least couple dozen times and most are still good as new

[trojan3000]

Here is a link to the luggage tag tool

https://www.softpedia.com/get/Office-tools/PDF/PDF-Luggage-Tag-Tool.shtml

makes printing labels easy

[Surfguyxxx]

5 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Got mine on Amazon about 10yrs ago, 8 pack I've used at least couple dozen times and most are still good as new

Same.  They're very convenient.

[Cruise a holic]

10 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

So I see that we now print our own luggage tags at home.  How do y'all handle them? 

 

- I see that Amazon sells plastic tag covers, but I don't want to pay $13 for luggage tags -- covers that I might not ever use again.  

- Has anyone covered them with packing tape ... or laminated them?  

- We will bring a small-ish cardboard box with consumable items ... is it okay just to tape a tag to the box?  

Those luggage tag holders are worth it .  Small investment .  You might, or a friend or family member , could borrow in the future.

[hallux]

On my first cruise (after which it's amazing I've taken 4 more!) both the self-attached cruise line tags and the normal luggage tag were torn off my bag.  I was at guest services at 9 PM the first night looking for my bag as it was never delivered.  The tags were torn off somewhere between the curb and the ship.

 

Ever since then I use the plastic sleeves with a metal grommet (the CC ones don't have those) and a screw-together wire loop.  Haven't had a bag or a tag go missing since.

[Bound4Bermuda]

I got a 4-pack of the cruise luggage tag holders on Amazon for $6.99.

Edited June 13, 2022 by Bound4Bermuda

[Submariner]

Every cruise I did was to get those page-sized ziplock plastic bags and place the luggage tag sheet in the ziplock and staple them correctly around a handle on the luggage. Not one has gone missing and saves spending $ on crap on Amazon. El-Cheapo alternative.

[Wineaux007]

7 hours ago, trojan3000 said:

Here is a link to the luggage tag tool

https://www.softpedia.com/get/Office-tools/PDF/PDF-Luggage-Tag-Tool.shtml

makes printing labels easy

I've been using that software for the past 6 years when it was introduced to me.  Prints out 4 tags per sheet, then I put them into those Amazon luggage tag holders.  Works like a charm.  

[topnole]

I never print out tags.  I just have the porter out two of their tags on each and write my name and cabin number.  Takes about 30 seconds to do all of that.  No worries.  Never lost a bag over many many cruises.  

[mets07]

1 hour ago, Bound4Bermuda said:

I got a 4-pack of the cruise luggage tag holders on Amazon for $6.99.

Me too.... and they are quite sturdy. 

[poocher]

1 hour ago, Submariner said:

Every cruise I did was to get those page-sized ziplock plastic bags and place the luggage tag sheet in the ziplock and staple them correctly around a handle on the luggage. Not one has gone missing and saves spending $ on crap on Amazon. El-Cheapo alternative.

I spent about $12 getting the tags from Amazon (have 10) and have used them on 4 cruises so far.  That’s $3 per cruise.  All in perfect condition so I expect use them for the next 2 I have booked.  That bring the cost to $2.40 and will probably be even less by the time they wear out/break.  Very heavy duty plastic with metal tie ons.  I think it’s worth it.

[Wineaux007]

44 minutes ago, topnole said:

I never print out tags.  I just have the porter out two of their tags on each and write my name and cabin number.  Takes about 30 seconds to do all of that.  No worries.  Never lost a bag over many many cruises.  

I've seen some of their handwriting on the luggage tags filled out by the porters.  I find it easy to print and stuff in luggage tag holder.  

[Desert Cruizers]

I have used the luggage tag holders numerous times but prefer to secure them with a zip lock tie then either the metal or loops. I will add the tags the night before at the hotel. I even bought some as a gift for our daughter. If ordering the holders, make sue you specify which cruise line to get the proper ones.

[topnole]

1 hour ago, Wineaux007 said:

I've seen some of their handwriting on the luggage tags filled out by the porters.  I find it easy to print and stuff in luggage tag holder.  

I write the info in myself.   Name and cabin number.  If your have 2-4 checked bags it takes almost no time.  Takes way longer to print tags and out them in luggage tag holders.  Now if I had 10 bags I’d prepare ahead.  But usually I’m too busy wrapping up lose ends before leaving to worry about luggage tags.  I have a job that usually requires a lot of attention before I can leave, but if I was retired maybe I’d spend days ahead getting packed and prepared like some I know. 

[hallux]

1 hour ago, Desert Cruizers said:

make sue you specify which cruise line to get the proper ones.

or just figure out which ones are the biggest and have a 'universal' set.  Selling a holder as being for a specific line is such a marketing ploy to get you to buy a new set when you go on a different cruise line.

[EatonDoolittle]

5 minutes ago, hallux said:

or just figure out which ones are the biggest and have a 'universal' set.  Selling a holder as being for a specific line is such a marketing ploy to get you to buy a new set when you go on a different cruise line.

 

Exactly. Here are a Celebrity (RC)  and Princess tag in the same holder.  Get the bigger one. 

 

 

[S.A.M.J.R.]

39 minutes ago, topnole said:

I write the info in myself.   Name and cabin number.  If your have 2-4 checked bags it takes almost no time.  Takes way longer to print tags and out them in luggage tag holders.  Now if I had 10 bags I’d prepare ahead.  But usually I’m too busy wrapping up lose ends before leaving to worry about luggage tags.  I have a job that usually requires a lot of attention before I can leave, but if I was retired maybe I’d spend days ahead getting packed and prepared like some I know. 

Had no problems printing tags & taping them.  The docs are ready 30 days in advance.  I think it took ~15 minutes to get everything printed, folded, and taped.  Then, then morning of the cruise, borrow a stapler from the hotel and put them on the bags.  

 

Personally, I'd rather spend 15 minutes (heck, even 30) in the 30 days before hand, than worry about someone reading handwritten numbers. 

 

This will be the first trip we're using the Amazon luggage tags.  In which case, I'll have everything printed and inserted weeks ahead of time and it will take <5 minutes to attach to the bags (which I can do anytime after getting off the plane).