CAUTIONARY TALE - Checking Bags on Flights to Your Cruise

[jean87510]

On 6/16/2023 at 8:14 AM, 3CanadianBears said:

We did carry on only for our recent cruise to Alaska, and enjoyed not having to worry about lost luggage, no waiting at a luggage carousel and most importantly being able to easily handle our bags. 

 

Saw so many people struggling with loads of luggage coming out of the airport, walking to shuttles, getting on to public transportation etc.  More than just the chance of having luggage lost to consider - be sure you can easily manage lifting, moving your own bags. 

We did the same for our May RCCL 2022 Alaska.  Needless to say, no formal wear packed.  Wore jeans at specialty and alternated tops.  Wore my hiking boots on plane and my sneakers the rest of the week including specialty.  

We have to do checked for Caribbean as we have our snorkeling stuff in there BUT only get direct flights to Florida, SJU or TX.  Limits the lost luggage scenario.

[Markanddonna]

3 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

Wait, doesn't he have a camera man and producer that travels with him?

Ah, reality. You noticed that minor detail, didn't you? And he has connections everywhere he goes and a budget to buy whatever he needs. I still love Rick Steves, though.

Edited June 20, 2023 by Markanddonna

[doccide]

1998 arrived Barcelona 2 days early, daughter did not get suitcase until we reached Marseille. 2003 we arrived in Barcelona 1 hour before departure with NO bags for  4 people.  Got them next day in Monaco. ( good thing we arranged flight with Royal C.) 2006 missed our connection to Rome due to our initial flite 3 hours late.  Good thing we were in Rome 3 days before the ship left.  Bags arrived night before departure.  2017 we couldnt leave Raleigh airport for JFK due to lighting for 6 hours.  Missed flite to Praque.  ( we couldnt get our bags but somehow we did have them in Prague).  

[chemmo]

32 minutes ago, doccide said:

1998 arrived Barcelona 2 days early, daughter did not get suitcase until we reached Marseille. 2003 we arrived in Barcelona 1 hour before departure with NO bags for  4 people.  Got them next day in Monaco. ( good thing we arranged flight with Royal C.) 2006 missed our connection to Rome due to our initial flite 3 hours late.  Good thing we were in Rome 3 days before the ship left.  Bags arrived night before departure.  2017 we couldnt leave Raleigh airport for JFK due to lighting for 6 hours.  Missed flite to Praque.  ( we couldnt get our bags but somehow we did have them in Prague).  

Remind me not to share flights with you…You must be lucky in love with such unlucky travel experiences…

[letsgogogo]

On 6/16/2023 at 12:21 PM, micruiser2002 said:

I think another issue here is staying in an AIRBNB, if you were in a hotel you would not be locked into being close by.  The airline should be able to deliver the luggage at the hotel without you needing to be there.  Also when checking bags you should still do a carryon with at least a few days change of clothes.

That makes total sense, but in this case, United hadn’t even attempted to see whether they could deliver. And they couldn’t provide an update on the whereabouts of the bags even though they were sitting in Brussels airport. 

[bakedak]

ON THE LAST FEW INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS WE FLEW THE CARRY ON BAG WAS LIMITED TO 15 POUNDS.  WONDERING HOW TO GET 1-2 WEEKS OF CLOTHES 15 POUNDS OR LIGHTER.

[Bo1953]

1 minute ago, letsgogogo said:

That makes total sense, but in this case, United hadn’t even attempted to see whether they could deliver. And they couldn’t provide an update on the whereabouts of the bags even though they were sitting in Brussels airport. 

lggg - does not UA provide tracking of bags in their app???

 

If so, it must not have been useful or updated to show the location of the bags...

 

Happy to hear that they have been found...

 

Now enjoy the balance of your trip!!!

 

bon voyage

[micruiser2002]

9 minutes ago, Bo1953 said:

lggg - does not UA provide tracking of bags in their app???

 

If so, it must not have been useful or updated to show the location of the bags...

 

Happy to hear that they have been found...

 

Now enjoy the balance of your trip!!!

 

bon voyage

We started using air tags for checked bags.  Haven't needed them yet but good peace of mind.

[Mark_T]

15 minutes ago, bakedak said:

ON THE LAST FEW INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS WE FLEW THE CARRY ON BAG WAS LIMITED TO 15 POUNDS.  WONDERING HOW TO GET 1-2 WEEKS OF CLOTHES 15 POUNDS OR LIGHTER.

Start with a light bag or you've already lost a few pounds before you even think about clothes...

[MikeMary4449]

2 hours ago, doccide said:

1998 arrived Barcelona 2 days early, daughter did not get suitcase until we reached Marseille. 2003 we arrived in Barcelona 1 hour before departure with NO bags for  4 people.  Got them next day in Monaco. ( good thing we arranged flight with Royal C.) 2006 missed our connection to Rome due to our initial flite 3 hours late.  Good thing we were in Rome 3 days before the ship left.  Bags arrived night before departure.  2017 we couldnt leave Raleigh airport for JFK due to lighting for 6 hours.  Missed flite to Praque.  ( we couldnt get our bags but somehow we did have them in Prague).  

Ah, the joy of flying out of RDU.  It's hard to get a direct flight to anywhere!  We feel your pain!

Mike and Mary

[smtcan]

We travelled with carry on only on a 14 day October/November river cruise with three extra days in Amsterdam.  Since river cruises are very casual it wasn't a problem.  I travelled in my walking shoes and took sandals, washed underwear, socks and tops in the sink and took several pairs of lightweight pants.  For warmth I had a packable down vest and a packable rain jacket.  These could be warn together or individually, with or without a wooly hat and mittens.  We knew the cruise line toiletries were of a good standard.   We met a couple on board who didn't receive their luggage until part way through the second week, so we thought we had made the right decision.  

[2Long2NxtCrz]

A very long time ago, more than 27 years ago since I was pregnant with my oldest child (I didn't yet know it, though) we flew to California and rented a car so that we could visit Yosemite and other places. We spent 3 days with our bags chasing us. The airline made sure to deliver them to us, no matter where we were (and that was multiple cities away from the airport by the time the bags caught up with us). The airline gave us money the first day to buy clothes and such. I have no clue if any airline would be that accommodating now, but they went far above and beyond back then.

 

Then I have the opposite story. My bags went and we didn't. We got stuck in Madrid for 3 days with only our carry-ons. This was way back in 1992, to give context. We had to live out of carry-on. We managed.

 

After 9/11, all bags are supposed to go along with the traveler. We all know that doesn't always happen and flight disruptions increase the chances of your bags not arriving with you. My advice is and always has been to pack as much as you can in your carry-on so that you can live a few days out of it. Your luggage should find you or you'll meet up with your luggage by then.

[Markanddonna]

9 hours ago, bakedak said:

ON THE LAST FEW INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS WE FLEW THE CARRY ON BAG WAS LIMITED TO 15 POUNDS.  WONDERING HOW TO GET 1-2 WEEKS OF CLOTHES 15 POUNDS OR LIGHTER.

It does depend on how many seasons you have to deal with and if it is winter, you might not be able to do the carry-on. Launder items in the sink or send them out. I also discovered on this past cruise that I could cut out my evening outfits and didn't bring my pretty dancing shoes. I don't dance all that well anyway!

 

[mpk]

On 6/16/2023 at 5:17 AM, paulh84 said:

AirTags are okay for your peace of mind (although you can track your bags in many airline’s app) but when the location hasn’t updated or the baggage office is uncooperative they aren’t going to do any good.

 

They're also useful in unexpected ways.

 

Last month, I accidentally left my backpack in a 4x4 offroad jeep.  On the shuttle back to the port, I got notification that I left something behind.  It was within about 5 or 10 minutes.  Soon enough to turn around and get it.

 

I apologized to the rest of the shuttle, but they were all very nice about the detour.

[mpk]

On 6/18/2023 at 7:33 AM, tfred said:

next up - dogs

 

50-Pound Emotional Support Pit Bull Takes Plane

[HWC_Mom]

Success!  Just flew into Venice yesterday with two checked bags and both arrived!  I had packed in carry on enough clothes for a week so clearly if you want your luggage to arrive just pack a lot into carry on then Murphy's law will take over!  This all being said we had an extremely tight connection in Montreal on our way from Toronto, we had the cabin steward check if our luggage made it and he said it had.  Our one bag was the 3rd last to come down the carousel.  So the checked bag experience wasn't all sunshine and rainbows but they arrived! 

[Bo1953]

6 hours ago, mpk said:

 

50-Pound Emotional Support Pit Bull Takes Plane

m I thought you forgot a digit in the link, 250, and was a surreptitious filming of me boarding a flight!!! LOL...

 

That "dog" should not have been allowed to board under any circumstances IMO...

 

Hopefully those days are coming to an end...

 

bon voyage

[Georgia_Peaches]

5 hours ago, HWC_Mom said:

we had the cabin steward check if our luggage made it and he said it had. 

Congratulations on bag arrival!  I've learned a lot from those who've posted about packing light and only using a carryon but two bags PLUS a week's worth of clothes in a backpack??  Be still my heart!  This is 100% me...I DO love having options.

 

Quick question...how would the cabin steward be able to check if you bags made it on board?

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

[mahdnc]

6 hours ago, HWC_Mom said:

Success!  Just flew into Venice yesterday with two checked bags and both arrived!

 

Let the vacation begin!

[bakedak]

13 hours ago, Markanddonna said:

It does depend on how many seasons you have to deal with and if it is winter, you might not be able to do the carry-on. Launder items in the sink or send them out. I also discovered on this past cruise that I could cut out my evening outfits and didn't bring my pretty dancing shoes. I don't dance all that well anyway!

 

Agree, I was just wondering how much someone can pack in a carry on for some international flights that limit the carry on to 15 pounds.  I think my roller bag was 7 pounds by it's self and 8 pounds of clothes would not get me far no matter how often I washed them by hand.  On domestic flights I can see using a carry on only, but for international it is not worth the hassle for me. 

[mahdnc]

3 minutes ago, bakedak said:

Agree, I was just wondering how much someone can pack in a carry on for some international flights that limit the carry on to 15 pounds.  I think my roller bag was 7 pounds by it's self and 8 pounds of clothes would not get me far no matter how often I washed them by hand.  On domestic flights I can see using a carry on only, but for international it is not worth the hassle for me. 

 

I know when I travel on United Airlines to Amsterdam from Chicago, I can get by for the work week with a roller carry on.  It certainly weighs more than 15 pounds, but it is not weighed.  On the other hand I do read that a lot of foreign carriers will weigh your carry on (e.g Singapore Airlines). 

 

It's one of the reasons that I stick with the domestic carriers whenever I can when flying overseas--they are a known quantity.  I remember during one of my business trips, as I was going to the jetway the gate agent looked at my bag and thought it was maybe too big (it may be an inch beyond one of the dimensions).  I told her that, it fits perfectly in the overhead bin and that it has not been a problem during my past trips.  She let me through.

 

But the best plans can be foiled.  On one of my trips, my boss checked his bag so I still had to go to baggage claim at Schiphol.  Ugh.

[HMR74]

On 6/16/2023 at 7:31 AM, Ex-Airbalancer said:

I hope airlines will start checking everyone’s carry one size , since  it appears some carry on are larger my check bag 😁

one of traveling friend bag was delay , and the owner of the Airbnb was around to accept to bag when it came next day in Barcelona 

Was on Aegean for 7 flights the last few weeks and one of their agents walked around looking for carry on that was oversized.

We were in business class and that allows us to check bags and do carry on without a problem. Get a tag as we checked in.

 

Also if you have status via miles or first class you get priority baggage (and boarding) and that helps reduce possibility of lost luggage.

 

Also if you change flights make sure you have time, or as I learned from Aegean, they tag it and separate the bags for "quick transfer" along with priority-we had a flight from Santorini to Athens with 50 minutes to change to a flight to Naples and all went well. Planning the right way reduces risks of all sorts.

 

So when checking in do not necessarly do it at kiosks, go see an agent. Explain your concerns and they usually have solutions ahead of time to prevent problems.

 

Aegean competes with the likes of Ryan air, so coach tickets are very reasonable but any carry on or check costs on amy of them running up the total cost, Costs so much its just easier to book business class. Gives you access to Aegeans lounge in Athens which is great.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HMR74]

here is an idea for less luggage weight if you are doing land based and using Airbnb or VRBO--rent places with washing machines and dryers.

 

and or terraces with sun exposure with drying racks. No problem leaving washer/dryer on to run full cycle or putting things on terrace to dry and go sightseeing for a few hours.

 

makes packing easier, and  walking with the luggage easier.

 

5 weeks in europe and we did not see anybody we knew! Never needed long slacks. Shorts worked well.

And ditch the heavy  digital camera, the better phones do a great job.

[HWC_Mom]

7 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Congratulations on bag arrival!  I've learned a lot from those who've posted about packing light and only using a carryon but two bags PLUS a week's worth of clothes in a backpack??  Be still my heart!  This is 100% me...I DO love having options.

 

Quick question...how would the cabin steward be able to check if you bags made it on board?

 

Have a wonderful cruise!

We learned from our other experience that the luggage is scanned several times, my brother in law is a pilot with our airline of choice so he was able to check.  So the cabin steward just called whomever it is who keeps this information and knew the exact time that our bags made it onto the flight.  We had been in business class but it never hurts to ask. My husband always asks.  Probably comes from growing up the son of a pilot and the twin brother of one. 

 

Also our weeks' worth of clothing was in a maximum carryon roller bag and another.  We're 3 travellers so one carry on was just clothing for my son and husband.  I used the bundle method someone posted a video of here and it was great! 

Edited June 22, 2023 by HWC_Mom

[TeaBag]

We flew Singapore airlines last month and they did not weigh our carry-ons.  I wonder if they recognised our status with Star Alliance?