When to tag luggage

[JDavis6454]

We are leaving on the Zaandam for Alaska on Friday. We booked our own air and have arranged our own transportation to the pier. I have searched my documents but cannot determine when to attach the tags to our bags.

On previous cruises, the cruiseline would pull the luggage for those passengers booking air and transfers through them, but required other passengers to claim their luggage and take it with them.

Does HAL pull the bags for all their cruise passengers or should I wait to attach the tags after I claim our luggage and take it with me to the port?

[grannynurse]

If you're flying in the same day as sailing, tag your luggage prior to leaving home. If you don't have a HAL transfer you may want to reconsider if you're flying from an airport that is notorious for baggage theft. But there are those that will say if your luggage gets diverted having the tags on will expedite them getting to the ship. It's a toss-up.
We fly in a day early and don't tag until we get to the hotel.
GN

[RuthC]

If it were my decision (read: luggage) I would claim my luggage at the airport, put the tags on then, then head off to the port.

I want to know that my luggage arrived before I go handing it off again. If it's ever lost I want to have an idea where to send the search parties first.

[lougee1043]

i agree with ruth and have to say i disagree with granny -- i never put my ships tags on my luggage until after i claim them at the airport --doenst matter if i am using a ships transfer or not ---besides the airline personnel could tear off unnecessary tags

[Krazy Kruizers]

Definitely wait until you claim your luggage before putting on the tags. The cruise lines no longer will automatically "pull" your luggage. You have to claim it and turn it over to a representative. Also the airline may accidently tear off one of those special tags.

[HALOnlyCruiser]

The docs tell you to tag the luggage before you leave home, but whatever works best for you, as long as it is on when the luggage arrives at the pier (so they can see which cabin to deliver it to.)
Last summer and the summer before, our luggage did not arrive at the destination airport with us, and, in 2004, missed the sailing. Last year we went a day ahead, mostly for this reason, and though late, the luggage did arrive that night and we had it on sailing day.
Here is what I did for our cruise in July: (scathingly brilliant idea, if I do say so myself!) I wrote a little Word document that said, in 28 point BOLD type:

SAILING TODAY
SATURDAY, JULY 15
SEATTLE PIER 30 - HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

Then I printed it on neon orange paper, laminated it with do-it-yourself laminating sheets from Office Max, punched a hole in the top, put in a grommet from my sewing kit, and attached it to my checked bags. They both made it! Yay!

Have a great time!

[fcorey]

Last summer and the summer before, our luggage did not arrive at the destination airport with us, and, in 2004, missed the sailing. Last year we went a day ahead, mostly for this reason, and though late, the luggage did arrive that night and we had it on sailing day.


Oh my, dare I ask which airline you were using? One of my employees works from his home in Colorado Springs and has had some luggage difficulties...and here I though the handlers in Boston were uniquely geographically challenged :D

Here is what I did for our cruise in July: (scathingly brilliant idea, if I do say so myself!) I wrote a little Word document that said, in 28 point BOLD type:

SAILING TODAY
SATURDAY, JULY 15
SEATTLE PIER 30 - HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

Then I printed it on neon orange paper, laminated it with do-it-yourself laminating sheets from Office Max, punched a hole in the top, put in a grommet from my sewing kit, and attached it to my checked bags.

That is a great idea

[Aussie Gal]

We always fly in independently and stay a couple of days before a cruise. I always put our tags on our cases when we are in the hotel.

If we were just collecting our luggage and going straight to the pier, I would put the tags on straight after collecting the luggage before getting into the taxi to take us there.

Jennie

[Randyk47]

We always go to the port city the day before and we wait until we're ready to go the next morning to put the tags on. Have done it both at home and the way we do it now, they both work. About the only problem we've had with putting them on before is losing one or two with the airline baggage handling. Not real hot about the locals seeing that we're going to be gone for several days and the baggage tags advertise that pretty well. Not sure that's not just a little too paranoid though. :o

[RevNeal]

In general I put the ship luggage tags on my bags either when I've arrived at the airport and am getting ready to transfer to the pier, or if I've flown in a night or two ahead of time then at the hotel the night before the cruise departure. Yes, it's a hassle ... but a necessary one.

On my bag, in addition to my normal luggage tag that has my business card in it (that has cell phone, office phone, and e-mail addresses) I add a second tag that has my ship's name, contact number, and itinerary.

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Our airline was Alaska, Denver to Seattle, but I am blaming TSA for this one. My bag had been rifled pretty good when I got it. I just think they were taking too long "inspecting" it and it missed our flight.
The second time was Air Canada, Denver to Montreal, with a really close connection in Toronto. I think it just didn't make the flight after we claimed it and re-checked it with Air Canada after customs.
Thanks for the compliment on the homemmade luggage tag. I thought it was pretty clever!:)