What if your luggage doesn't make it?

[Imagineer]

...hi all, what with the brave new world we have that gets more and more interesting with each passing day, I have a question. Now that it appears fairly likely that carryon luggage will be severely discouraged, leaving you to check everything, what do you do if you get to your embarkation port and your luggage has gone AWOL? You're not going to want to wear the same clothes for two weeks, I know its a 'what if' but I'm curious how you seasoned travellers would handle such a scenario. We're booked to take the Insignia in April from Rome to Venice, we're neophytes at the whole cruising thing, I want to bring a decent camera along and if I can't carry it on board I feel a bit loathe to check it in unsecured suitcases letalone chance the fact it might not even arrive...
...any thoughts on how you'd handle a worst case scenario?

thanks.

cheers,

the Imagineers
upcoming NCL cruise on the Wind - Aug 27/06 - ten days and counting
upcoming Oceania cruise on the Insignia - Apr 28/07

[LHT28]

You go shopping!:D

At this point I think you are allowed cameras in your carry-on as long as you are not transitting in the U.K. I would check in April to what the rules are then.

We had a lady without her luggage for 5 days on a Norway cruise...she was a lady of size and they did not have her size in the gift shop onboard.
The cruiseline had her clothes cleaned each day for her. Her bags finally caught up with her in Bergen.

[aztex]

We can't control how the airlines deal with baggage, but obviously there is going to be a great deal more luggage and this may lead to on-time delivery problems.

My only suggestion, which we always do when we have to be at a certain place at a certain time with luggage in hand, is to leave a couple of days early. Should your luggage be lost you stand a better chance of getting it and you have time to adjust to the new time zone before sailing. It takes a lot of worry out of your trip and adds two or three days of enjoyment to the cruise. Also, given that aircraft may see increasing delays or even reroutings, it would be wise to protect your trip by leaving early, knowing you have days and not hours.

[BeBeReader]

Try wearing a couple of layers of shirts or tops and pack some extra clothing in your carry-on that you can wear it in a pinch. It probably will not happen anyway -- so try to be optimistic and try not to worry about it. :)

[daquri]

It has been my experience that not all my luggage is lost. Usually 1 out of 3 . I pack every bag with half my clothing and half my husbands. I pack complete outfits, shoes & all. I also have a luggage tag which is a little plastic pouch that holds my itinerary & says "trip itinerary' in 8 languages. It helps my luggage catch up with me.

[Leonid]

Imagineer: Just returned from 12 days in Alaska out of SF. First stop was Victoria...beautiful as ever with great weather.
Regarding lost luggage, it happened to us several years ago when flying from Chicago to Venice on Swiss Air. Concierge seemed to know what to do. We got it the next day. We did fly in three days early to see the city befor sailing on SB. The problem was that the luggage was put on the wrong flight and was pulled when they couldn't match it with a pax. Did get the other two pieces when we arrived in Venice.
Enjoy a beatiful and interesting city.

[drwong]

Two words: Travel Insurance.

And make sure your policy covers not just baggage loss, but baggage DELAY.

On our recent Black Sea cruise, several passengers boarded in Athens without their luggage (they were the ones who wore the same outfits in the Grand Dining Room for the first few nights, until appeared wearing Nautica gear from the boutique (advertising our ship, not the apparel company).

The luggage didn't catch up with them until several days later when we were transiting the Dardanelles. As we were exiting the Sea of Mamara, a small orange fishing boat came racing up the ship's starboard side until she was abreast of the 3rd deck entryway. (The Nautica never stopped or slowed down). Ropes were dropped down from the side of our ship, lashed to the suitcases, and they were hauled aboard one by one. I rushed back to the cabin to grab my camera (by then we had already passed Istanbul and eating lunch) but by the time I got back on deck, the boat was pulling away. :(

[Napi's Mom]

Just a quick note...was on a cruise that people at our table's luggage was in Cairo, but we were in Oslo, then it chased us across the Baltic for 3 days...She was tiny and little was found for her to wear, especially for the formal night 2nd. nt. out.
Also had similar boat experience but with people!!! Not luggage. On R2 in Casablanca...a couple were 1 1/2 hrs late back to the ship, out on their own> After much searching etc, We left port very late ( so they sonetimes do wait)when we were just outside the harbor and we awaited our dinner in the Polo Rest. (our only time we went there) Not sure of the name then, The Ship ]STOPPED dead in the water, started to wallow BADLY and as we watched out the nice windows of the stern, the Harbor Pilot boat comes flying back out very fast, pulled alongside and we were later told the people had to JUMP to the excursion area from the boat. At sea! A not to be forgotten episode. Ever notice the things that go wrong are the things most rememberd of vacations (Ah yes the time the Catamaran we were on for a sunset cruise ran aground 1 1/2 hrs before the ship was to sail....R4 Bora Bora)