Baggage Trouble at Port Canaveral - RCCL no help!

[FL-momma]

My sister returned after her Independence sailing on 10/20/23 to find her bag missing.  After waiting 2 hours, the RCCL people said there were two people missing bags and two bags left unclaimed.  It appeared that someone had left with the wrong bags.  RCCL gave her the claim information and a website (chargerback.com) where she could file a claim online for her missing bag.

 

Later that day, my sister got a call from one of the other guests who said they had gotten her bag by mistake and were missing their two bags.  My sister called C&A (she is D+) who transferred her to the post-cruise department.  She explained what happened, and asked how she could get her bag back now that they knew where it was. The rep said that the couple who took the bag is responsible for getting the bag back to her and that RCCL was not responsible.  They did confirm, however, that they would certainly be sending the two bags from the terminal to the couple in SC. 

 

WTH???   The people who screwed up get their bags back free of charge, but my sister who did everything she was supposed to do has to pay to get her bag back?!?!  (or depend on the people who screwed up in the first place to get her bag back to her).  Seems very unfair to me.

 

It turns out the bags were brand new (a gift) so the woman that took them wasn't that familiar with what they looked like, but she did ask the porter why there was a ribbon on the handle of her bag that wasn't there before.  They were going into the parking garage at the time, and the porter made up some BS story about RCCL putting a ribbon on the bag if there was any damage.  He didn't check the tags to make sure they were correct or tell them to recheck the tags to make sure they had the right bags.  He just quickly loaded them in the car, took his tip and headed back inside.  If he hadn't been in such a hurry to get to his next tip, he might have been able to save everyone a lot of trouble and expense.

 

I know we have sailed through a number of ports where there are signs saying that tipping is not permitted.  Perhaps Canaveral should change their policy so that tipping is not permitted.  Then maybe mistakes like that might not happen.

 

What do you guys think?

[Charles4515]

3 minutes ago, FL-momma said:

What do you guys think?

Mistakes like that are going to happen. That is why I buy insurance. I don’t see what tipping has to do with it.

[FL-momma]

She has insurance; however, it may or not pay since she knows the location of the bag now.

 

As far as tipping goes, I firmly believe that the porter didn't bother checking the tags when questioned because it would have taken time and slowed down his ability to get back inside and get the next tip.  If he wasn't trying to hustle as many tips as possible, he might have looked at the tags and been able to keep an even bigger mistake from happening.

[time4u2go]

Is it really up to the porter to make sure someone has their own bags? I would think it's up to the passenger and not the porter.

[Charles4515]

2 minutes ago, FL-momma said:

She has insurance; however, it may or not pay since she knows the location of the bag now.

 

As far as tipping goes, I firmly believe that the porter didn't bother checking the tags when questioned because it would have taken time and slowed down his ability to get back inside and get the next tip.  If he wasn't trying to hustle as many tips as possible, he might have looked at the tags and been able to keep an even bigger mistake from happening.

You firmly believe does not make it a fact. Really it was the woman who took the wrong bags fault. She picked up the wrong bag and gave it to the porter. Why do you expect the porter to check the tags? If she had any question she should have checked. 

[FL-momma]

Yes, but when the passenger questioned the ribbon on the bag, it seems the porter should have told her to recheck the bags.  

[time4u2go]

8 minutes ago, FL-momma said:

Yes, but when the passenger questioned the ribbon on the bag, it seems the porter should have told her to recheck the bags.  

If the passenger had checked the bags, there would not have been ribbons on them. They would have been the correct bags.

 

It seems you are intent on blaming the porter for a mistake the other passenger made.

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by time4u2go

[FL-momma]

No, I think the passengers who took the bag are ultimately to blame.  However, I think if the porter had done his job the way it should have been done, he could have fixed it.  Instead he made up some answer about why there is a ribbon there that he knew wasn't true.  That is on the porter.

Edited October 23, 2023 by FL-momma
left sentence out

[Jasukkie]

It's theft, however unintentional. They were responsible for not taking something that didn't belong to them. They can pay to ship it back to your sister or face the consequences. Personally, I'd just make the claim on the insurance and if there were irreplaceable personal items I would pay for them to just ship those items.

[Jasukkie]

45 minutes ago, FL-momma said:

Yes, but when the passenger questioned the ribbon on the bag, it seems the porter should have told her to recheck the bags.  

This sounds like a made up story to deflect blame.

[FL-momma]

Jasukkie - we're definitely hoping they do the right thing and ship the bag back to her.  As far as the made up story, you may be right; however, my sister said it sounded like an older lady who hadn't cruised before.  She said she was very upset and worried about her two bags.  I guess time will tell.

[LobsterStalker]

1 minute ago, FL-momma said:

Jasukkie - we're definitely hoping they do the right thing and ship the bag back to her.  As far as the made up story, you may be right; however, my sister said it sounded like an older lady who hadn't cruised before.  She said she was very upset and worried about her two bags.  I guess time will tell.

The other thing that seems to be missed here is that the porters have no connection to RCCL.

So laying blame on RCCL due to porter issues is misguided 

[FL-momma]

True.  The porters are part of International Longshoremen's Association and not RCCL employees.  However, I believe RCCL along with the Port Authority help to set the tipping policies at their terminal.

[Starry Eyes]

That passenger took other people’s property.  She’d better promptly return that property, at her expense, before she is charged with theft.

[Starry Eyes]

3 minutes ago, FL-momma said:

True.  The porters are part of International Longshoremen's Association and not RCCL employees.  However, I believe RCCL along with the Port Authority help to set the tipping policies at their terminal.

It was the passenger’s fault.  The rest is nonsense.  Maybe the old lady is confused; more likely she is just shifting the blame.  After all, if ribbons marked damaged bags, shouldn’t she have stopped and checked her ribbon-bearing bags for damage before leaving Port Canaveral.  If she had, she would have found, no damage and someone else’s tags.

Edited October 23, 2023 by Starry Eyes

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, FL-momma said:

My sister returned after her Independence sailing on 10/20/23 to find her bag missing.  After waiting 2 hours, the RCCL people said there were two people missing bags and two bags left unclaimed.  It appeared that someone had left with the wrong bags.  RCCL gave her the claim information and a website (chargerback.com) where she could file a claim online for her missing bag.

 

Later that day, my sister got a call from one of the other guests who said they had gotten her bag by mistake and were missing their two bags.  My sister called C&A (she is D+) who transferred her to the post-cruise department.  She explained what happened, and asked how she could get her bag back now that they knew where it was. The rep said that the couple who took the bag is responsible for getting the bag back to her and that RCCL was not responsible.  They did confirm, however, that they would certainly be sending the two bags from the terminal to the couple in SC. 

 

WTH???   The people who screwed up get their bags back free of charge, but my sister who did everything she was supposed to do has to pay to get her bag back?!?!  (or depend on the people who screwed up in the first place to get her bag back to her).  Seems very unfair to me.

 

It turns out the bags were brand new (a gift) so the woman that took them wasn't that familiar with what they looked like, but she did ask the porter why there was a ribbon on the handle of her bag that wasn't there before.  They were going into the parking garage at the time, and the porter made up some BS story about RCCL putting a ribbon on the bag if there was any damage.  He didn't check the tags to make sure they were correct or tell them to recheck the tags to make sure they had the right bags.  He just quickly loaded them in the car, took his tip and headed back inside.  If he hadn't been in such a hurry to get to his next tip, he might have been able to save everyone a lot of trouble and expense.

 

I know we have sailed through a number of ports where there are signs saying that tipping is not permitted.  Perhaps Canaveral should change their policy so that tipping is not permitted.  Then maybe mistakes like that might not happen.

 

What do you guys think?

There is zero, no, none relationship between tipping and someone walking off with your bags.

 

Sounds like if you want your bags, you need to get in the car and go on a road trip to NC.

[Tlbecker1]

Blaming the Porter and Royal for someone grabbing the wrong bags is ridiculous.  The person who took the wrong bags is 100% responsible.  I have never used a porter at the port, but how can it possibly be his fault?  We have bright covers on all of our luggage and I have never seen anyone with the exact ones.  
 

I hope your sister gets her luggage back and the person that took it by accident, makes it right.

[not-enough-cruising]

6 hours ago, FL-momma said:

.  However, I believe RCCL along with the Port Authority help to set the tipping policies at their terminal.

This must be one of the most ridiculous statements o have seen on here in quite some time (and that is really saying something)

 

BTW the tipping “policy” at Port Canaveral is “no tipping requires” it is posted on GIANT signs all over the place. 

[Beer Belly]

Sounds like a road trip is in order.

[time4u2go]

8 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

That passenger took other people’s property.  She’d better promptly return that property, at her expense, before she is charged with theft.

I don't disagree that it's a case of theft, but realistically, what do you think would happen to her, keeping in mind that she is currently in a different state than where the suitcases were taken?

[island lady]

Another reason we use really wild print suitcases...have never seen anything like them (in fact Tumi discontinued that print quite soon after).  Actually I think anyone else would be embarrassed to walk out with them.  They are that tacky looking!  😛

[nelblu]

The proper avenue would be for Royal to charge the shipping of the 2 bags to the individual who made the mistake.  Royal knowing what happened should have subsidized the wronged individual.

 

One time I made a mistake as I was in a hurry and walked out with the wrong bag.  I did not realize it until I was out of the terminal.  Spoke immediately to a Custom officer and was told no one is allowed until all passengers are out.  I needed to make a flight and decided to have Royal ship it to me.  My bad and I paid for it.  The other frustrating part is that when I called to make shipping arrangement, I was never told that the shipping company would not take CC, Cash or personal checks.  The delivery person only wanted a certified check and had to come back the next day to re-deliver the bag.

 

Now I have some of the ugliest bags that look like a cow and can be spotted a mile away.  On my last 2 cruises my bags were left some 15+ cabins away and I was able to spot the bag immediately😜 I also have pom poms attached to the handle.

[mjkacmom]

9 hours ago, FL-momma said:

No, I think the passengers who took the bag are ultimately to blame.  However, I think if the porter had done his job the way it should have been done, he could have fixed it.  Instead he made up some answer about why there is a ribbon there that he knew wasn't true.  That is on the porter.

You know the porter doesn’t work for the cruise line, right? To tell these guys the can’t accept tips for lugging bags to parking lots because they might be in too much of a hurry to check luggage tags that the passengers can certainly check themselves is insane. I love to use them, big family, I want them to hustle (and tip them well). The only person at fault is the other passenger (and I’ve been that passenger…).

[MCC retired]

You see an unknown ribbon on your bag and you don't check for yourself ????

 

[swoopy2110]

Ridiculous post. It's not the cruise lines fault that someone else picked up your sister's bag.

The person who picked it up should be paying for the shipping to send them to where they need to go.