BEWARE of lost luggage!!

[Aussie Gal]

I use Estee Lauder and Clinique and always try to buy it either on the ship or when in the U.S. as it is nearly half the price of what we pay here.

 

I am not surprised that the Maybelline only costs $6 in the U.S. as I know the price of makeup over there is so much cheaper than here. We have found that electrical goods, clothes and shoes are so inexpensive in the U.S.

 

Jennie

[Karynanne]

After reading of the incidents of lost luggage, I plan to pack my cosmetics in my carry-on, and just bring double items that are liquids (in case they're confiscated).

 

We fly out of San Francisco, so I'm hoping that we won't have this issue.

 

I also purchased (Magellan's), Luggage Retriever Tags. It is a bright yellow, envelope style, luggage tag. You put your itinerary inside, and one inside your luggage...so in case of loss, it can be sent to the next hotel/port, etc. It has 8 different languages on the front and back.

 

It reads: "Here is my itinerary. Please remove and examine if my luggage if misplaced".

 

Karyn

[SheilaNC]

Karyn,

A suggestion...I bought the Magellan tags several years ago and lost 2 on our first trip...replace the buckle attachment they send with the plastic loops that so many other tags come with...saved 2 of mine from loss! Now I put a copy of itinerary in outside pocket of each bag and make a tiny version to put behind ID on regular tags rather than replace the Magellan ones.

 

One other thing - I often do not pack larger size toiletries but, rather, buy them at our first stop after getting off of the plane (not in a tourist area, but usually a discount drugstore, etc.) Saves packing, worrying about spillage, and not being concerned re: TSA sizes.

[lucky dawn]

HaloV is right the prices are much higher in NZ and Austrailia.

Our luggage was lost and I will blame Quantas/QuantasVacations for the loss due to tight connections. My problem was I am plus size and could find nothing to fit! Not on the ship or on land unless I wanted to pay boutique prices. So.. pack those extra's in your carry-on and if you are traveling with someone try and pack 1/2 his and 1/2 hers in the suitcases in hopes that at least one shows up!

[Karynanne]

Sheila, brilliant suggestion, regarding the tags. Thank you. I always use those plastic loops (I double loop them), and they never come off.

 

And I'm putting my usual large-sized liquid items (shampoos, conditioners, facial cleansers, etc.) is smaller 3 oz. bottles. I'll just bring multiple bottles.

 

We're also doing the "cross-packing" for this trip. We never have in the past, but I want to sure we each have clothes...just in case.

 

Karyn

[HaloV]

Kayrn

We flew out of SFO too. The cruiseline had us leave from SFO even though we are only 60 miles from LAX. If we wanted to leave from LAX it would of cost $2000.00 more. The silly thing was, we ended right back at LAX for a 3hr. layover. We should of said we did not catch the SFO flight & just gone to LAX. We weren't sure though. Our TA was no help.

 

One of the reasons our luggage stayed in LAX, was they did not tag it to go through to Auckland. Another lesson learned. But our luggage was still dry unlike others.

 

I do not wear much make up, but I had everything that was liquid 3 oz. or under in a ziplock bag.(for carry on) I had no problems with that, I just set the bag in the little bin.

 

Lucky Dawn, Thanks for the back up!!:D There was a lot of people from the ship that came back from shopping empty handed. I did not think the ship had much of a variety in their 2 stores. It was funny how more clothes came out as we went to other ports. A lot of the clothes were too fancy for me. I am a blue jeans and T- shirt girl. LOL!! I hope you were able to enjoy some of you vacation.

 

HaloV

[Karynanne]

HaloV, what a disaster for you. We do leave out of SFO, but have a direct flight to Auckland...and then onto Sydney, after a 2 hr. layover....so hopefully no problems. We did not book through Celebrity, so we could have the flexibility (and better fares) of days and times.

 

Karyn

[celle]

HaloV is right the prices are much higher in NZ and Austrailia.

Our luggage was lost and I will blame Quantas/QuantasVacations for the loss due to tight connections. My problem was I am plus size and could find nothing to fit! Not on the ship or on land unless I wanted to pay boutique prices. So.. pack those extra's in your carry-on and if you are traveling with someone try and pack 1/2 his and 1/2 hers in the suitcases in hopes that at least one shows up!

 

No. HaloV is not right and all prices are not "much higher" in NZ and Australia. It doesn't do to generalise. I concede that some prices (for items such as cosmetics, which are imported) are higher, but that is no reason to assume that everything costs more. Regular (not boutique) clothing, meals, coffee, groceries all work out at about the same cost as in the US.

 

There is plenty of plus-size clothing available here in NZ. Department stores have special sections for plus sizes. We aren't a nation of skinny midgets :D.

 

Short connection times when travelling are always a bad idea, as you have now found out. I am sorry that you had such a hassle. Hope you enjoyed your holiday anyway.

 

Just to make you feel a little better, this was one of our experiences last year, in Alaska:

 

In Anchorage, we went for a meal - it was the first week in June. We ordered our meal and enjoyed it. When the bill came, we saw that we had been charged $10 more for each entree than we thought we had seen on the menu. "Hey", we said, "That should not cost so much. We're sure it wasn't that much on the menu." They brought us the menu. Sure enough, our choice had the more expensive price listed, so we paid up. On the board outside the restaurant, we saw the "old" menu, the one that corresponded to the prices we were sure we had seen originally.

 

We unpinned the menu and took it inside. "Look", we said. "Here is the menu we were shown. That's the price we expected to pay." To do them credit, they then refunded the difference and we went away happy.

 

What had happened? Yep, you guessed it. In Alaska, in some places, prices are seasonal, and visitors pay more during the tourist season. The restaurant had switched from winter to summer season prices while we were eating our meal and even the menus inside the restaurant had been switched.

 

We loved Alaska anyway and would dearly like to go back! It isn't the only state we have visited, so I am not basing my cost comparisons just on our experience in Alaska.