documents inside luggage

[fishwood]

My wife and I will be leaving for our first Alaskan cruise this weekend. We depart from Ft.Myers, Fl to Houston to San Fran to Anchorage.
A few months ago I thought I read that you should put your cruise itinerary as well as your name, address and phone #'s in each of your bags, checked and carry-on. And with 3 flights home I would just delete the cruise info.

Do any of you put this information in your bags, I guess name tags could get torn off during all the handling... If a bag did get lost, would the airline open it and send it to which ever port we would be in?

[I_heart_vaca]

I tend to be a err on the side of caution girl, so I do include an itinerary and cell number in the front pocket (unlocked) of my checked bags. I do not include my home address as I dont need people in my home town knowing I am not home. I have never lost a bag to date (and now that I said that fully expect to on my next trip) but I would hope this would be one more way to help my bag get to me.

[Putterdude]

I am probably naive as I am one of those people who don't lock their luggage or expect to be ripped off at every turn. So with that bit of information I have no trouble putting a copy of my itinerary and my home address in each bag....I think people obsess on bogymen. I really don't fear that someone is going to break into my home while away, I just want my luggage to catch up with me ASAP if it goes missing.

[fishwood]

I'm not worried about my home getting broken into 4,500 miles away, plus my mom is house/dog sitting for our trip. I was thinking the same thing as far as hopefully the luggage would catch up to me on any part of the trip.
Adding the cell # is a good idea also.

[pdmlynek]

Yes, it is a good idea to put your contact information inside of your checked luggage. I just put my business card in.

[Glaciers]

We include a complete itinerary including dates, ports, hotels and contact info for the cruise line, hotels and our info excluding our address. It also includes our travel insurance info.

I used to process bag claims at an airline many years ago. You would not believe how many bags were on hand at any given time where the owner could not be identified as there was nothing in the bag and the outside ID was missing.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I have 2 luggage tags on each suitcase (not counting the cruise line tag).

And I do put our home address inside out luggage.

[mapleleaves]

I had never heard of this before, but it's a good suggestion. I've had the entire handle ripped from my suitcase so it would be easy enough for the luggage tag to come off !!
Having ID inside increases the chance of getting misplaced luggage returned or forwarded to you.

[Sunshine91]

I attach our personal ID tags with those zipper-tightening cable ties. I also put them on any loop or ring or any place other than the handle. Much less likely to be fiddled with.

The paper cruise tags don't go on until we are ready to board the ship. Don't want to confuse anyone. And I bought clear holders for the paper to slip into. Sort of what the Olympic credential-holders look like, except for the lanyards. These clear holders came with clear loops, but I could also use the cable ties.

I always type up our itinerary to give to my folks, his folks, the cat sitter.... I just delete the columns that aren't relevant & stick a copy inside the luggage. In an outside zip pocket there's a little card that I've put clear contact-paper on both sides. It has our names, both cell phone numbers, an emergency phone number & his work addy, which is close to the departure/return airport. That way, if luggage is lost, at least it will get close to home.

True story: Maybe 10 years ago flying to FLA for a cruise, we had 2 duffel-type bags plus a hang-up garment bag. I saw all 3 on the luggage carousel, but we only got to 1 of the duffels & the garment bag on the 1st go around. The other duffel never came around again. Ever. We waited, waited, waited. HAL is there to take us to the ship. Red coat finally suggests we file a claim with lost luggage. I'm so upset because I had seen the bag.

And, on the carousel is a bag of the same brand, color, similar size, etc. Not a real common one, either, like Samsonite. So I know what happened. We take the other bag, which has a Princess Cruises tag on it to Lost Baggage & try to explain what happened. This is 10 years ago. Not everyone had cell phones. All luggage is black or blue. The only phone number on the luggage tag is a home number. Lost Baggage wants us to call anyway - don't know why, it was a home number. We are in FLA. We call it & the kid who answers can't help. His folks are cruising. The clerk at Lost Baggage was useless. Finally one of the handlers goes out & finds the Princess luggage truck - and our bag. Happiness was restored to the world.

[Keith1010]

On your outbound trip I would include key information:

Your cell phone numbers
Hotel phone number for where you are staying
Name Of Cruise Ship and date of departure

I still lock my bags.

On the return flight(s) I am less concerned. For that I just rely on my luggage tags which have name and address.

Keith

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

I put my information in those plastic sheet protectors. I also put my brothers address and phone number.

Mary