Lost Luggage Issues

[drakes2]

7 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

Your story and the one about the mis-delivered suitcase being shoved under the bed is mind blowing to me.

I know,  so unbelievable. I've met some rude entitled guests on cruise ships. I have stories of my own.

[mahdnc]

Many people have already mentioned Apple's AirTags.  We used them for the first time on our last cruise (Constellation).  All of our luggage arrived at our stateroom except for one (mushroom symbol).  The AirTags allowed us to keep a watchful eye on it.

 

I was also starting to wonder if this piece of wayward luggage was somehow impounded in the naughty room for having something illegal in it (I wouldn't know what that would be, but it turned out not to be the case).

 

Fortunately it got delivered to our stateroom well before we sailed out of Rome.

 

Edited April 3, 2023 by mahdnc

[Georgia_Peaches]

So sorry to learn of your lost luggage.  I would not say this is typical but I guess you are living proof that it DOES happen.  I would've  liked to have read that Celebrity did more to accommodate your situation beyond a few white t's, razor and toothbrush...even if it's as simple as having a few items on loan like dress pants or swim trunks that can be returned later.  I read on a Royal thread once that when this happened to a lady passenger they gave her a credit to buy some clothing on board.  Maybe it's just worse for women to be without their luggage than it is for men.  To that end, I am sure you were glad it was you and not your wife.  DH always prays that my luggage arrives even if his doesn't as he knows that happy wife with luggage means happy husband on cruise.  I'm getting air tags right now!

[Essiesmom]

Years ago I did a B2B cruise without changing cabin.  On turnaround day, two large suitcases appeared outside my door.  Certainly not mine, just told cabin steward and they went away.  EM

[NutsAboutGolf]

This should be a wake up call to others to be proactive by:

 

1)  Buying airtags/tile device

2)  Double check your credit cards to see if they offer any kind of travel insurance

3)  If NO to #2, considering opening a credit card with travel insurance.  I have no problem with cards that offer an annual fee assuming you receive the value from the perks but if one is searching for a no annual fee card with good rewards, I have (and personally own) the Chase Freedom Unlimited which gives you 1.5% back on everything.  Do not consider the Celebrity credit card, it's far below 1.5% back

[Jim_Iain]

14 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Agree, but anyone hear of a bag checked at the pier being stolen?  Dropped into the ocean?  Yes.  Stolen, no.

Yes there have been a couple threads on it -  Here's one from 2015

 

 

[Jim_Iain]

Only problem with AirTags is that unless you turn it off, every time you leave your cabin you get an alert you left you suitcase behind.   

 

It can also come in handy as once I left my backpack at my Son's house (1 hour away).     Got two blocks away and an alert told me I left it behind.   Yea..

[mahdnc]

2 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

Only problem with AirTags is that unless you turn it off, every time you leave your cabin you get an alert you left you suitcase behind.

 

[cruisequeen4ever]

I’m so sorry this happened to you! I’m also sorry some people’s first reactions were to say they’ve never heard of it happening on Celebrity, which is a 100% unhelpful statement. I’d definitely fight to get all purchases reimbursed and a healthy FCC. Celebrity’s offerings to you were terrible customer service as obviously you need head to toe clothes immediately, and with the laundry, you can’t send out your outfit and wait a day to get it back, or you’d be naked for 24 hours! Good luck!!

[mahdnc]

12 minutes ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

I’m so sorry this happened to you! I’m also sorry some people’s first reactions were to say they’ve never heard of it happening on Celebrity, which is a 100% unhelpful statement.

 

To be fair, the OP, a veteran cruiser, was not asking for advice or help.  Instead the OP wanted to know if anyone had a similar lost suitcase experience and if his report was typical (post pandemic).  That was the question I attempted to answer.

Edited April 3, 2023 by mahdnc

[drakes2]

3 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

To be fair, the OP, a veteran cruiser, was not asking for advice or help.  Instead the OP wanted to know if the lost suitcase experience was typical or not for Celebrity (esp post pandemic).

Never lost luggage but once found it myself 4 doors from my cabin and last spring on Eclipse I was upgraded from inside to balcony shortly after getting onboard. My luggage was found late at night same floor as my original cabin but on the opposite side all the way forward. 

[weregoingcruising]

A receipt should be given to you by porter like its done at the airport. This is prove that you checked the bag at the port to be loaded on to the ship.

[George C]

Wife was panicking on a recent celebrity cruise even though we were in suite and supposedly got priority getting luggage ship sailed before our cabin steward finally found them and delivered them to our cabin.

[m8zenblue]

I don't want to get away from thread, sorry.

How much do you tip the porter ?

I have been told by other veteran cruisers that the norm is $5 per bag ?

We usually have 2 large suitcases and we give porter $20.

I know I will probably get flack from others, but, after many cruises have never lost bags.

Just another observation, I have seen porters at Miami, Tampa and Ft Lauderdale get upset or complain to other porters about low tips.

[JFontaine]

In a Penthouse (pre-Covid) I once found my suitcase left on the other end of the ship near a service door, many hours after sailing. From what I've read, the norm is free laundry, as often and as quick as reasonable, whether luggage is lost or delayed by an airline or the ship. Sorry that it happened to you. 

[NutsAboutGolf]

57 minutes ago, weregoingcruising said:

A receipt should be given to you by porter like its done at the airport. This is prove that you checked the bag at the port to be loaded on to the ship.

 

Porters will fight for their tip opportunities by claiming its too time consuming, waste of paper, printers could go down, etc

[gotta cruise again]

11 minutes ago, NutsAboutGolf said:

 

Porters will fight for their tip opportunities by claiming its too time consuming, waste of paper, printers could go down, etc

Got me to thinking…maybe next cruise, while DH is handing off our bags to the porter, I may snap a photo or two. DH may be able to get the porter to pose (or maybe porter would prefer to pose with me—LOL) but we’d somehow end up with a pic of the porter and the bags on the cart.

 

We always take photo of our luggage after packing so we’ll have that photo for the airline in the event of a lost bag, but I’ve never thought that it might be a good idea to have some proof our bags were given to a porter.

[NutsAboutGolf]

3 minutes ago, gotta cruise again said:

Got me to thinking…maybe next cruise, while DH is handing off our bags to the porter, I may snap a photo or two. DH may be able to get the porter to pose (or maybe porter would prefer to pose with me—LOL) but we’d somehow end up with a pic of the porter and the bags on the cart.

 

We always take photo of our luggage after packing so we’ll have that photo for the airline in the event of a lost bag, but I’ve never thought that it might be a good idea to have some proof our bags were given to a porter.

 

Just get airtags or something simular as it covers all travel not just cruising.  X has screwed up on my first sailing with them in 2019 by for whatever reason leaving the bag on the ship for another sailing.  I took a pic of it out in the hallway mainly because I realized I didn't have a pic of the bag.  When you contact X with a missing bag claim it's handled by a third party, when I dealt with them they could care less about my picture.   Not sure if having a photo with baggage and porter would change anything.  At that time X's standard compensation for lost luggage "as good will" was either $250 or $300.

[NutsAboutGolf]

Fascinating, X's third party lost item form asks if you have airtags/tracking

 

[Oceangoer2]

5 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

So sorry to learn of your lost luggage.  I would not say this is typical but I guess you are living proof that it DOES happen.  I would've  liked to have read that Celebrity did more to accommodate your situation beyond a few white t's, razor and toothbrush...even if it's as simple as having a few items on loan like dress pants or swim trunks that can be returned later.  I read on a Royal thread once that when this happened to a lady passenger they gave her a credit to buy some clothing on board.  Maybe it's just worse for women to be without their luggage than it is for men.  To that end, I am sure you were glad it was you and not your wife.  DH always prays that my luggage arrives even if his doesn't as he knows that happy wife with luggage means happy husband on cruise.  I'm getting air tags right now!

We had 2 cases lost during air travel.  X nicely provided T-shirts (no razor, etc).  They contacted the airline for us repeatedly;  cases showed up 3 days later at 2nd port, after we shopped in San Juan for 'essentials', shorts, tees etc.  I don't use Apple but would like to have air tags.  I think we can shop for Google tags? 

[NutsAboutGolf]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

Only problem with AirTags is that unless you turn it off, every time you leave your cabin you get an alert you left you suitcase behind.   

 

It can also come in handy as once I left my backpack at my Son's house (1 hour away).     Got two blocks away and an alert told me I left it behind.   Yea..

 

2 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

 

That is simply a notification, you can slide it to the left, select options, and can mute them for an hour, the whole day or turn them off entirely.  If you mute/turn-off, they still work you just no longer receive notifications.  Can still open the "Find My" app and see where things are

[Alakegirl]

I remember a situation years ago where a small (carry on size) case got delivered to the wrong room.  It was brightly flowered so clearly wasn’t part of the other person’s luggage.  Took a couple of hours to find it and return it to me.  A few tense moments but resolved fairly quickly.

[DaKahuna]

On the third or fourth day of our last cruise we received a small note in our stateroom concerning a missing piece of luggage.  Was surprised that it was still missing that far into the cruise. 

 

Like many others, we are using AirTags in our luggage.  I just store them in a clothing item inside the bags.  Work really well,  Just remember, as @Jim_Iain said, to turn off notifications once you have stowed your bags in your stateroom. 

 

[Charles4515]

19 hours ago, Arizona Wildcat said:

Agree, but anyone hear of a bag checked at the pier being stolen?  Dropped into the ocean?  Yes.  Stolen, no.

It is probably on the ship somewhere. At least with an AirTag or Tile that could be known. 

[drakes2]

4 hours ago, m8zenblue said:

I don't want to get away from thread, sorry.

How much do you tip the porter ?

I have been told by other veteran cruisers that the norm is $5 per bag ?

We usually have 2 large suitcases and we give porter $20.

I know I will probably get flack from others, but, after many cruises have never lost bags.

Just another observation, I have seen porters at Miami, Tampa and Ft Lauderdale get upset or complain to other porters about low tips.

Aren't they 3rd party longshoremen unionized and make very good money? I tip a few bucks for my bag but I hate it when they put their hand out for money.