BEWARE of lost luggage!!

[HaloV]

Hi, For all of you that are getting ready for a Celebrity NZ/Australia cruise, pack a carry on for at least two days of clothes.

We had 3 pieces of luggage out of 254 other pieces delayed or lost. Last cruise we were told 107 were delayed. They expect more for the next cruise ( I hope not)

It took us four days to get our luggagge, and we were the lucky ones. Some did not get theirs until the 11th day of the cruise. 9 pieces did not get to the ship at all. Most of the luggage was wet because of the storm, when we left.

 

The prices for everything are very very expensive in NZ. For example: $204.00 for a bra, 69.00 for a tank top. Crazy!!

Celebrity gave us each a Celebrity T- shirt and laundered our clothes. But we had to ask or we would not of gotten anything. We also had to ask for comp toothbrushes & tooth paste and then we got various other sundries.

 

We have learned a valuable lesson to pack a carry on with extra clothes.

We were able to get money back from Qantas, but it was a big hassel. If this ever happens to you, make sure you keep all paperwork of claims, boarding passes and any airline tags and reciepts of anything you had to buy.

Over all the cruise was nice, yucky weather most of the time, not summer at all:( . HaloV

[jannandjohn]

The prices for everything are very very expensive in NZ. For example: $204.00 for a bra, . HaloV

 

my God..where did you shop????

[Johanna7]

I guess I will have to stuff my carry-on with essentials but what about things over 100 grams. I guess I will have to get travel sizes of toothpaste and hand creams facial cleansers and stuff it all in my poor red carry-on. Also undies and Ts. Not much fun on formal nights if you don't get your luggage. Hard to pack extra shoes and walking shoes just do not make it on formal or informal nights either.

 

Thanks for the warning though. I know it can happen. We had a precruise in 2005 and 1 of my husband's cases was missing. The nice people in Cairns gave him one of those over the hook things with all types of men's lotions and potions and a razor & shaving cream. Also a T-shirt with the Qantas logo.

 

His case was in his room the next day when we got back from a trip. It was wet as well as it had been wet in LA before we left there. The contents was fine though.

 

As for the prices in NZ, that is outrageous.

[leg]

Not to mention when we arrived home last night from this same Mercury cruise which we arrived two days late due to plane problems our luggage was again lost and as of today we have not received any luggage. It seems to be all of our problems, missing the plane in Los Angeles, lost luggage both going into and out seemed to arrive at this airport. It seems to be very very unorganized, the worse we have ever travelled out of and wont be going through that airport again, made the cruise too stressful.

Leg

[mochuck]

$204 for a bra!!!!! They really saw you coming. Was it Versace?

[mochuck]

As for the prices in NZ, that is outrageous

 

Please do not believe that they are typical prices for NZ. I have no idea where this lady shopped but I've never seen prices like that.

 

Also to the OP did you arrive a day before embarkation or on the day?

 

On the Mediterranean cruise I went on recently a number of people also had missing luggage. All bar one arrived on the day of embarkation. It always pays to have a contingency - like carryig a spare set of clothes in carry on and arriving a day early in case of missing luggage.

 

The problem is not with the luggage not arriving with you, its the ship leaving before your luggage has arrived. You have no control once you have embarked.

[Karynanne]

Was this lost luggage problem related to just Qantas and Los Angeles? Or did other's on your cruise have issues from different airlines and departing cities?

 

Thank you,

 

Karyn

[celle]

 

As for the prices in NZ, that is outrageous.

 

You're dead right that is outrageous! I have no idea where the OP bought a bra at that price, and I don 't believe it. You can get bras for $10 to $50 and a tank top need not cost more than $20.

 

NZ is not as expensive as the OP claims.

[Tampa Girl]

HaloV,

 

Was the flight a Mercury-arranged flight? You have, however, affirmed my intention to pack two days' of clothes, including dress shoes. My worst fears have been confirmed!

 

 

Virginia

[sailingkiwi]

 

The prices for everything are very very expensive in NZ. For example: $204.00 for a bra, 69.00 for a tank top. Crazy!!

 

We have learned a valuable lesson to pack a carry on with extra clothes.

 

I want to lend support to the others that have posted saying that these are not normal prices for NZ clothes (unless of course you are buying big designers). I have never paid more than NZ$50 (or US$38) for a bra (and I don't have cheap tastes - this would be something like Elle McPherson) and a tank top or t-shirt of good quality can be bought for NZ$20 (US$14) - sales tax is included in both of these prices. European designers are probably more expensive, but then the market is smaller in NZ and we are further away, therefore freight costs etc are more expensive.

 

Packing a set of extra clothing in your carry on is standard travel advice, likewise packing essentials such as toothbrush and toothpaste.

[Globaliser]

The prices for everything are very very expensive in NZ. For example: $204.00 for a bra, 69.00 for a tank top. Crazy!!

I agree with the others: The only crazy thing is managing to find a shop that charged this much! How on earth did you do it? :rolleyes:

[mochuck]

Packing a set of extra clothing in your carry on is standard travel advice, likewise packing essentials such as toothbrush and toothpaste.

 

Hear, hear! Its not rocket science.;)

[HaloV]

Hi, Sorry for all of you that do not believe me. We went shopping in Tauranga, not far from the ship. Everyone that was looking for clothes were so disappointed in the prices. Many people found a thrift store & bought clothes. When we got to Napier, I also asked where the nearest thrift store was. Found some great deals!!

 

Those in disbelief have to realize we don't know where the best places to get the bargains like the NZ people & we only have a short period of time in port. I was hoping to find a Wal Mart :D (Maybe I should of taken pictures of the prices.) Where we shopped, were many stores, but all very expensive. One woman said she spent $ 1200.00. A lot of people bought clothes from the ship too.

 

I must say, that everyone was super friendly and nice in New Zealand & Australia.

 

celle,The missing luggage was from several different airlines.Ours was booked through the cruiseline. Things got messed up in LAX I think for most.

 

I did not buy the bra or tank top. Way too much for me!!

 

Leg, I am sorry you didn't get your luggage again. Were you able to file a claim at the airport? It really did put a damper on things. I just loved the click we had all wearing the Celebrity T- shirts. We were a special club. I hope you get your luggage soon. I slept in the extra large T shirt. For formal night, my husband made a joke and said "let me borrow you nightgown"

 

Exceptions were made for the dining room because so many of us did not have our luggage.

 

HaloV

[celle]

Hi, Sorry for all of you that do not believe me. We went shopping in Tauranga, not far from the ship. Everyone that was looking for clothes were so disappointed in the prices. Many people found a thrift store & bought clothes. When we got to Napier, I also asked where the nearest thrift store was. Found some great deals!!

 

Those in disbelief have to realize we don't know where the best places to get the bargains like the NZ people & we only have a short period of time in port. I was hoping to find a Wal Mart :D (Maybe I should of taken pictures of the prices.) Where we shopped, were many stores, but all very expensive. One woman said she spent $ 1200.00. A lot of people bought clothes from the ship too.

 

I must say, that everyone was super friendly and nice in New Zealand & Australia.

 

celle,The missing luggage was from several different airlines.Ours was booked through the cruiseline. Things got messed up in LAX I think for most.

 

I did not buy the bra or tank top. Way too much for me!!

 

Leg, I am sorry you didn't get your luggage again. Were you able to file a claim at the airport? It really did put a damper on things. I just loved the click we had all wearing the Celebrity T- shirts. We were a special club. I hope you get your luggage soon. I slept in the extra large T shirt. For formal night, my husband made a joke and said "let me borrow you nightgown"

 

Exceptions were made for the dining room because so many of us did not have our luggage.

 

HaloV

 

Hi HaloV,

 

I am sorry that your lost luggage caused you so many hassles. it must have been horrid for you. Your first post made it look like the problem was in NZ, but now I see it was at LAX.

 

I think that what has upset so many of us Kiwis (NZers) is that you made statement that "everything is very very expensive in NZ", but appeared to have based this sweeping statement on 2 examples (the bra and the tank top), in one port.

 

I agree that the prices you quoted are totally outrageous, and no-one I know would ever dream of paying them - if they weren't stunned speechless at the price of that bra, locals would probably tell the shopkeeper (and not very politely) where to put such prices.

 

However, you do not need to know where are "the best places to get bargains" to pay much less. I have just paid $16.99 for a pair of summer trousers and $15.50 for a pretty cotton blouse - not at a bargain store, but in a shop that has branches in many NZ towns.

 

I have been to the US several times, and I have found that, dollar-for-dollar, the prices are pretty close.

 

I think you were inconvenienced by having to shop within a limited time frame, and close to where the ship docked. While Mount Maunganui is a lovely place, it can sometimes be a little pricey (boutique shops etc).

 

If this situation happens to anyone else - losing luggage and having to replace clothes at short notice - it might be better to get a taxi to the nearest department store. Tauranga has a huge shopping mall at Bayfair. There are branches of "Farmers" in most towns; some towns have a K-Mart; and The Warehouse is about the closest we have to Wal Mart, which NZ does not have.

 

I'm glad you found us friendly "down-under".

 

Best wishes,

 

Celle

[SheilaNC]

So sorry so many of you had luggage problems. I'm hoping that by staying in Honlulu for 2 days, ours would catch up with us before we go to Sydney. There's not a single time that we travel long distances with plane changes that I don't have a lump in my throat and a queasy tummy over the luggage delivery issue. Ours didn't make it to Sydney until our 2nd day there more than 13 years ago and for a period of about a year several years ago, some piece got lost on almost every trip I took....so I'm being cautious and packing some things in our carry-ons and assuming that there will be no problems. At least in Sydney, there are plenty of stores of all types and we have travel insurance so we could replace what we really need.

 

Hope everyone has gotten back whatever was missing and I applaud you for having a good trip despite the difficulties...

[mochuck]

Please do tell us the name of the store (if you can remember). I can see how a boutique could justify a tank top for $69 if it was a good label but the bra!!!

[mochuck]

Here is the $204 bra. Its a luxury lingerie brand called id sarrieri.

 

http://www.indulgefashion.com.au/departments/for-women/next.ac

 

Top row - 2nd from right.

[Johanna7]

In Las Vegas you can find great bargains in clothing OR you can pay a fortune. There are several high end casinos where I like to play as the machines are the same as are the payoffs but the atmosphere is nicer.

 

They have very high end shops you pass going in them and their prices are outrageous. Although I have been there a number of times, I seldom see customers in those shops but just personnel working in there.

 

Yes, shoes of $1,000.00 or more and I couldn't even wear them. Purses that can cost even more than that (knock-offs can be had for under $50 that look similar or the same).

 

Then they have the Fashion Show Mall where there are stores with sales in January where you can get lovely things really cheap and their outlet mall is great too. You have to know prices though.

 

I am sure all cities and towns in tourist areas have their 'high end' shops where the prices are outrageous. It is the same here in Toronto.

 

Incidentally, we have no more K-marts in Canada but do have Wal-Mart. I try to avoid those but some of their prices cannot be beat but again, you have to know prices because in some areas, they can be higher.

 

Anyway, my pockets and carry-on will be stuffed with essentials. I guess travel size of toothpaste though or it could be confiscated.

 

Johanna

[celle]

In Las Vegas you can find great bargains in clothing OR you can pay a fortune. There are several high end casinos where I like to play as the machines are the same as are the payoffs but the atmosphere is nicer.

 

They have very high end shops you pass going in them and their prices are outrageous. Although I have been there a number of times, I seldom see customers in those shops but just personnel working in there.

 

Yes, shoes of $1,000.00 or more and I couldn't even wear them. Purses that can cost even more than that (knock-offs can be had for under $50 that look similar or the same).

 

Then they have the Fashion Show Mall where there are stores with sales in January where you can get lovely things really cheap and their outlet mall is great too. You have to know prices though.

 

I am sure all cities and towns in tourist areas have their 'high end' shops where the prices are outrageous. It is the same here in Toronto.

 

Incidentally, we have no more K-marts in Canada but do have Wal-Mart. I try to avoid those but some of their prices cannot be beat but again, you have to know prices because in some areas, they can be higher.

 

Anyway, my pockets and carry-on will be stuffed with essentials. I guess travel size of toothpaste though or it could be confiscated.

 

Johanna

 

I get your point, Johanna. It is what I was trying to say, when I pointed out that the boutique shops in a port can be expensive, but are not typical of NZ as a whole, any more than the inflated Las Vegas prices are typical of the US as a whole.

 

What the OP claimed was that "The prices for everything are very very expensive in NZ", and based her claim on the inflated prices she saw in one port.

 

Those prices are not typical of NZ and those of us who live here are keen for potential visitors to know that.

[Aussie Gal]

We have travelled through L.A. airport a number of times in the past 18 months and we have declared we will never use that airport again.

 

Not only from the point of losing luggage but also the unfriendliness of the place, everyone is treated as if they don't exist, no please, thank you's or recognition that you are a human being.

 

Jennie

[SheilaNC]

Jennie,

I absolutely agree about LAX. When I went to Auckland last March, I purposely flew through San Francisco (difference between night and day) and on our upcoming trip, we're flying to Dallas/Forth Worth and stopping in Honolulu before heading to Sydney. Anything to avoid LAX. I could tell stories of many bad experiences, but enough said. Time they got their act together.

[leg]

Hi

Yes we filed a claim but apparently we need receipts of things we bought to get luggage insurance. With the plane delays and missing the ship for 2 days by the time we got to the store on the ship everyone who had lost their luggage before us had bought out most things in our size and I agree everything at the ports we stopped at were expensive and of course we were taking tours everyday so did not have time to do alot of shopping around for pricing so we did not buy anything so therefore have no receipts to claim.

Next time I will be booking my own air and going in a day earlier and not depending on Celebrity to book my cruise/air. We came back feeling we had not had a vacation with missing the plane due to mechanical problems and than missing the connection out of LAX and therefore missing the ship and than the luggage missing both going and returning home. My husband said if this is what travel is today than we had better stay home as we usually we go away to get away from the daily stress. Now I am home and having to spend lots of time writing letters to Celebrity, Delta, New Zealand Air, & Air Canada to see if they will compensate us in some way. Leg

[Aussie Gal]

Leg,

 

I do feel for you. It is such a long way for you to travel to have missed out on boarding the ship in Auckland, plus the loss of your luggage both going and returning home. No wonder you feel as if you have never been away from home. I just hope once on board you were able to relax a little and enjoy visiting N.Z. and our Country.

 

We always have to travel long distances to board our cruises and we make sure that we have a couple of days in the pre cruise port for a number of reasons. Firstly in case of cancellations and missed flights, secondly in case of lost luggage and thirdly to get over jetlag. We have been fortunate that in all of our overseas trips we have never had a missed connection or lost our luggage but we know it can happen and it is part of the stress of travelling.

 

Jennie

[HaloV]

leg, We filed a claim as soon as we knew our luggage was not at the airport in Auckland, and as soon as we got on the ship with Uma. Once we got to Sydney we filed another claim, and they paid us on the spot. I had all of my receipts and all of the luggage tags and info. They even wanted the boarding passes from when we started. I was frazzled!!

Even though we had problems, we would go New Zealand & Australia again in a heartbeat & sail with Celebrity.

 

celle, I remember going to Farmers and the Maybelline mascara was $22.00. I pay about $6.00 in the US. I am not sure if Farmers is anything like our Wal Mart or K Mart, but that is where the shuttle dropped us off. I know port cities try to stick you with high prices. When we come back, I will be prepared for stores, though I would like to visit the beautiful country instead.

 

LAX is our major airport and it is a pain. I guess we are just use to it, and we know they are not very friendly. This is the first time in 16 cruises we had lost luggage.

 

On our trip we always came across the most friendly people in New Zealand & Australia. It is odd for us to see that. When I was in Dunedin hicking around by myself, a lady offered to walk with me and show me around. I thought that was so nice.

[mochuck]

I think Farmers is a little more upmarket than Wal-Mart and K-mart. I just looked at the price of Maybelline mascara in Australia in Coles Online (supermarket). Its $15.62 so $22 is probably about right for NZ.

Thats about as cheap as you would get anywhere in Australia and NZ. I suppose its import costs and maybe sales taxes are higher.

 

But I also think that the people who work in shops in Australia and NZ get paid a lot better than their US counterparts and that also affects the prices.