Luggage dropped into water

[orlandofl]

Ok , that is a nightmare. Last cruise out of Ft. Lauderdale when we got back they really smashed up one of our suitcases, completely ripped off a handle and the ID tag that was hooked with a metal ring, they really had to pull on it to get it to come apart, we were lucky that we had colorful bandanas tied to it a couple places, so we could ID it. I have seen how they handle the luggage and it makes me cringe, you would think that even if they are not employed by the cruise lines that they could strongly encourage them to be more careful. I didn't even file a claim , I didn't want to deal with all the paperwork and crap. Feel bad for people whoes bags go in the drink , Yuk.

Cori

Most luggages float for a long time before getting water heavy and sink,that's what you see floating after a plane crash in the ocean,it really pays to take out insurance,a few years ago someone took my suitcase by mistake and when they realised it was not there's,they left it at the airport,i finally got it back after 3 weeks and also collected from the insurance,that payed for my booze on the next cruise.

[FloridaLaura]

I never thought about this before, but does luggage float? How much time does one have to get it before it sinks? How much luggage just sinks and goes away and no one says a thing about the loss? Can someone purchase a waterproof floating suitcase? Maybe I will pack everything in a Coleman cooler!

This is why a love CC, just when you think you see it all, someone comes along with a whole new topic.

 

 

Good idea, but now carnival has a cooler size limit 12" x 12 ", you will needs lots and lots of them :D to get all your stuff onboard via cooler!

[donaldsc]

I am probably wrong, but I don't think the dock workers are employees of Carnival. They are longshoreman and are independent of the ships they unload and load. I can see where Carnival might offer to launder the contents or some other gesture, but it really was not their problem.

 

They might not be Carnival employees but their jobs are dependent upon Carnival ships. The company has to have some clout with the port people.

 

DON

[cruisnpat]

Coolers can be no larger than 12x12. Won't hold to many clothes.:eek:

[Rowan555]

On our first cruise an entire crate of luggage fell into the MS River the morning of debarkation. It delayed debarkation for over an hour. Fortunately our luggage was NOT in that crate - but it does seem like this sort of thing happens more than one might think. Yay for self-assist debarkation - now we just have to make sure our luggage gets ON the ship okay!

[jetskier]

I watched a crew loading luggage onto the ship in Galveston and they dumped several pieces into the water. One of the carts filled with luggage rolled to the edge of the pier and hit a curb causing 5 or 6 pieces to slide off. You know that someone had to be PO'd.

 

 

I was on the Elation two weeks before you except it was the entire cart that went in the water that time. I was on pins and needles because all of our luggage arrived except for my bag with all my dive gear in it. It finally showed up at 9pm nice and dry.

 

Dave

[Cruiser from MS]

I am probably wrong, but I don't think the dock workers are employees of Carnival. They are longshoreman and are independent of the ships they unload and load. I can see where Carnival might offer to launder the contents or some other gesture, but it really was not their problem.

 

The people that load your luggage to be taken off of the ship are Carnival employees. On our last cruise as we were going to our cabin we witnessed some luggage being handled rough by Carnival employees. That is why I contacted the Purser's desk and Carnival directly concerning my luggage. It does not matter if they are employees of Carnival or not. They are handling your luggage on the behalf of Carnival. So ultimately Carnival should be held responsible.

[trarecar]

Just a head's up for future cruisers, when I first heard that TSA was opening suitcases, I got plastic see-through bags and put all my clothes inside so that they could look at them and not touch them (I hope). I had heard stories about people finding dirt streaks on clothing after their bags were opened.

 

We use zipped hardsided suitcases, and one trip back I thought I had spilled something inside a case because the interior was stained when we got home. Nope, apparently the suitcase had sat outside in the rain, and rain had leaked through the zipper. But everything inside was dry because it was all in plastic bags.

 

I then used a spray to try to waterproof the zippers, and it either worked or we haven't encounted rain since :)

 

Wow. :eek: LOL

[UpstateCruizer]

:eek: On top of all of the other worries to consider the last thing I want to worry about is my luggage going into the water! I too keep everything inside zip lock bags and had considered skipping that for this cruise since it hasn't helped much with the wrinkle situation. Guess I'm going to keep using them and perhaps even put it all inside a huge plastic bag inside then zip the suitcase up. These are good things to know about so we can be proactive. Now I wonder how many times those memos that circulate cabins showing missing pieces of luggage are really fish food :eek: Our luggage has been caught in downpours while being loaded at the airport as well. I've yet to have it ruin anything but the plastic bag inside would help ensure that doesn't happen.

[Snorkel2Much]

Pick a porter with an almost empty cart. Then even if it hits the curb YOURS won't go flying... OH MY!! I would be going crazy at the terminal!!

Won't help, the bins go off to get screened before they get on the ship. At screening the bins are unloaded, screened, and reloaded.

[GoinCruisin]

They might not be Carnival employees but their jobs are dependent upon Carnival ships. The company has to have some clout with the port people.

 

DON

 

I think the point was, this isn't Carnival's deal, not their fault the luggage went into the ocean, so they shouldn't be held responsible. The Port Authority has procedures in place for filing claims. They can certainly tell the Port Authority to have the porters to be more careful, but it doesn't necessarily mean they will. And dealing with the Union isn't as easy as just "shouting out demands", it seems in the past, it's been the cruiselines that freak out when these guys threaten strike, not the other way around.

 

Donaldsc, I posted to you on our group forum. You voted in our group poll over there (re: hats/visors) and I don't have your name on the group list. Just want to make sure you get all the amenities.

[GoinCruisin]

The people that load your luggage to be taken off of the ship are Carnival employees. On our last cruise as we were going to our cabin we witnessed some luggage being handled rough by Carnival employees. That is why I contacted the Purser's desk and Carnival directly concerning my luggage. It does not matter if they are employees of Carnival or not. They are handling your luggage on the behalf of Carnival. So ultimately Carnival should be held responsible.[/quote]

 

Not true. They state VERY clearly that they are not responsible and they are doing it on behalf of the Port Authority, NOT the cruiseline. The Port Authority is responsible. If your bags get damaged from your cabin to the exit of the ship, then yes, they are responsible, but once it leaves the ship, it is generally in the hands of the stevedors/porters. You would have to file a claim with the port authority at that point. The vessel, and the port, are two completely different entities.

[Cuizer2]

I was on the Elation two weeks before you except it was the entire cart that went in the water that time. I was on pins and needles because all of our luggage arrived except for my bag with all my dive gear in it. It finally showed up at 9pm nice and dry.

 

Dave

Would it really matter if your dive gear got wet?

[Thirsty Cruiser]

Here is a shot of the Miracle loading luggage in NYC. Surprised this sort of thing doesn't happen more often.

[HeidiHo]

When we sailed on the Fascination a couple of weeks ago we carried our luggage on. I don't like handing my luggage over to anybody. I had researched how big it could be according to Carnival which is 24" x 16". I found a bag that was the perfect size and took two of them for all 4 of us in addition to 2 small matching duffel bags that came with the larger bag.

 

When I got to the Port of Miami I got a bit of attitude from the police officer working at the door of the port. She said something like "Give those to the porters outside." And I said, "No, I want to carry them on." Then she said, "They are too big for the machines." And I said "No, not according to Carnival's regulations. They are the exact same size." Then she said, "I don't care what they say. If they don't fit they don't fit." By now, I was a bit aggrivated. So I said, "Would you like to see the documentation? I printed it out." She said something stupid like "Did I say to show me something?" By now I am like lady, what is your problem? But of course I didn't say that. Finally she said "just go ahead" with quite the attitude.

 

Funny thing is the whole time I could see the scanner and it was huge, not small at all so I knew it would fit. Sure enough, it fit. You could have probably put 2 in of the same size at the same time. Don't know what her problem was but I think she needed the vacation worse than I did, lol!

 

Point is, if you take something 24" or smaller in length you should be fine. Just check with your cruise line to be sure and PRINT OUT the paperwork in case you get a lunatic like mine.

 

24" X 16" Is pretty good sized. That's good to know. I always thought they needed to be smaller.

[HeidiHo]

Would it really matter if your dive gear got wet?

 

I was thinking the same thing. The bag still might have been ruined but at least the contents would have survived.

[novalab]

My daughter & I observed this happening while on our May 2006 Conquest cruise out of NOLA. We had a balcony on the port side & were watching the baggage handlers hurridly throwing last minute bags from the dock to someone (we assumed) standing in the hold doorway on the ship. The net had been removed as the ship was about ready to leave. One of the large suitcases went straight into the water & sunk. Those of you who have left this port know the water in this part of the Mississippi is pretty nasty. All that was left of the bag was a littly cluster of bubbles drifting up to the surface. I often wondered what happened to that bag. I am betting that Carnival had to reimberse those folks. We were sure happy to get our bags, nice & dry, later that afternoon.

[PA Dutchman]

This is reason 14 to get insurance. :D

[Amlee]

My daughter & I observed this happening while on our May 2006 Conquest cruise out of NOLA. We had a balcony on the port side & were watching the baggage handlers hurridly throwing last minute bags from the dock to someone (we assumed) standing in the hold doorway on the ship. The net had been removed as the ship was about ready to leave. One of the large suitcases went straight into the water & sunk. Those of you who have left this port know the water in this part of the Mississippi is pretty nasty. All that was left of the bag was a littly cluster of bubbles drifting up to the surface. I often wondered what happened to that bag. I am betting that Carnival had to reimberse those folks. We were sure happy to get our bags, nice & dry, later that afternoon.

 

 

HMMM I can see it now. Port Authority saying it's Carnival's fault for not catching the bag. Carnival saying it's the Port Authority's fault for not tossing the bag right. Or better yet the pax fault for not getting to the ship on time!

[Cruiser from MS]

Not true. They state VERY clearly that they are not responsible and they are doing it on behalf of the Port Authority, NOT the cruiseline. The Port Authority is responsible. If your bags get damaged from your cabin to the exit of the ship, then yes, they are responsible, but once it leaves the ship, it is generally in the hands of the stevedors/porters. You would have to file a claim with the port authority at that point. The vessel, and the port, are two completely different entities.

 

 

Sorry, but Carnival not the Port Authority reimbursed me for my damaged luggage, and I did not have travel insurance.

[steve4040]

That is the first thing Im gonna do when I get to my girl friends house. Then Im gonna measure mine. I am sure both are 24X16 or less.Before we leave I will print out those guidelines, Than we will carry/slash roll our stuff onto the ship. If I saw my bag in the bay . . . I know one those suckers would be pushed in the water to go get it.:D

 

Sorry, Im just a little bit obsessed with this one right now.

[GoinCruisin]

Sorry, but Carnival not the Port Authority reimbursed me for my damaged luggage, and I did not have travel insurance.

 

Did your luggage get damaged on the ship? Then yes, it is their responsibility. Anything they do beyond that is out of the kindness of their hearts, but not because they have to.

[Wennfred]

Make sure that you luggage goes into the luggage bin and not way on top, also make sure it doesn't have anything that may be crushed inside, ie: Laptops, booze etc.

 

 

Fred

[jnc411]

I never really relax until I see our luggage arrive at our cabin, then the cruise begins.

Cori

[Kudos2Fly]

I guess the old saying goes, bring half the clothes and twice the money ;) This hasn't happens to us yet, but I'm not surprised that it hasn't happen before. Since working around walking suit cases are going to get wet from time to time...