what every cruiser needs to know about lost luggage

[Thetrail]

But, but, but, the OP legibly added his airline and flight number to make it much easier;) :D;)

Does this sound anything at all like....OK my mistake which is obvious by the way, but I think I'll blame everyone but me and throw in a little lawyer subterfuge to make myself sound like a well......a lawyer!:):rolleyes:

[BronteBlue]

Thank you OP – I’m a newbie and that could have easily happened to me. You saw no luggage other than the passengers bringing their own off. You were told to get on your designated bus by an RCI agent. You did not pass through or stop at a terminal or customs. I, too, would have assumed my luggage was underneath on my designated group bus to the airport.

 

From some of the rude/defensive/judgmental posts, it seems the fault is with “inexperienced cruisers”:rolleyes:

No wonder newbies don’t post.

[cruisenfever]

Thank you OP – I’m a newbie and that could have easily happened to me. You saw no luggage other than the passengers bringing their own off. You were told to get on your designated bus by an RCI agent. You did not pass through or stop at a terminal or customs. I, too, would have assumed my luggage was underneath on my designated group bus to the airport.

 

From some of the rude/defensive/judgmental posts, it seems the fault is with “inexperienced cruisers”:rolleyes:

No wonder newbies don’t post.

It has nothing to do with being an "inexperienced cruiser". It has to do with reading, understanding and following instructions. And, taking responsibility for your own actions.

 

The day prior to debarkation all the necessary details are delivered to your cabin the day on what to do with your luggage. Those instructions list the time your luggage is to be put outside your cabin the night before and in what lounge you are to meet the morning of debarkation. Lounges are determined by the color/number of your departure tags.

 

Along with these instructions are your departure tags that are either color/number coded. These are to be applied to your luggage as once the luggage is removed from the ship, it is organized in the terminal by either color or number.

 

It is obvious that the OP did not follow those instructions or misunderstood the instructions, especially when they wrote their airline information on their debarkation tags. The OP was under the impression that RCI was offering Luggage Valet which is not the case over in Europe or even in Australia.

 

You must always claim your luggage once off the ship, it doesn't matter what port you are disembarking in. Some ports require you to go through Customs and Immigration after retrieving your luggage but before exiting the terminal. The only time you would not claim your luggage is if you were using Luggage Valet, but as stated earlier, that is only offered in selected US ports and only select airlines participate. The cost of luggage valet is $20pp USD and is charged to your SeaPass Account. The OP would have had to sign up for this program mid-way through the cruise.

 

The OP said that there was no terminal. I can not believe that the Port of Civitavecchia (Rome) does not have a terminal for disembarking/embarking passengers. I have friends that are leaving for the August 4th cruise on Navigator. I will be interested in how their debarkation is handled.

[celle]

Thank you OP – I’m a newbie and that could have easily happened to me. You saw no luggage other than the passengers bringing their own off. You were told to get on your designated bus by an RCI agent. You did not pass through or stop at a terminal or customs. I, too, would have assumed my luggage was underneath on my designated group bus to the airport.

 

From some of the rude/defensive/judgmental posts, it seems the fault is with “inexperienced cruisers”:rolleyes:

No wonder newbies don’t post.

 

BronteBlue,

 

As others have said, it really does not have much to do with being inexperienced. It is more to do with READING, LISTENING AND FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS.

 

The cruise companies have experience with disembarking thousands of people and their luggage every week. They have a fairly standardised way of doing this, which is remarkably similar from one cruise line to another. Very little goes wrong with it.

 

All passengers are given written instructions about the process. There is also a presentation about it in the theatre the day before the cruise ends. This presentation is recorded and can be watched on your stateroom TV, as many times as you like - it seems to run on a continuous loop.

 

It's pretty obvious that, at some stage, the OP did not follow the instructions he was given, because he got an incorrect idea into his head.

 

He still holds that incorrect idea and does not listen to the collective wisdom of more experienced cruisers, but accuses them of having blinkers on, while he does not answer specific questions, the answers to which might clarify the situation.

[varoo]

................... I can not believe that the Port of Civitavecchia (Rome) does not have a terminal for disembarking/embarking passengers.

If anyone doubts the existence of cruise terminals at the Port of Civitavecchia, right on the Royal Caribbean website, under Directions to the Pier it even states:

 

"Once inside the port, signage posted throughout will direct guests to their assigned terminal"

 

 

Also under Parking:

 

"Parking facilities are available near the cruise terminals starting at a cost of € 60 EUR for a seven day cruise plus €12 EUR for each additional day (price subject to change without notice) for the duration of your cruise. The parking facility will only accept Euros on arrival and will not accept credit cards or checks. The parking facility is located inside the port area. The parking facility does not offer a shuttle service to the cruise terminal. Based on availability, guests can pay for a taxi to transfer to and from the pier terminal."

 

 

Port of Civitavecchia (Rome) Italy - Royal Caribbean International

 

[Paulxyz2004]

Thank you OP – I’m a newbie and that could have easily happened to me. You saw no luggage other than the passengers bringing their own off. You were told to get on your designated bus by an RCI agent. You did not pass through or stop at a terminal or customs. I, too, would have assumed my luggage was underneath on my designated group bus to the airport.

 

From some of the rude/defensive/judgmental posts, it seems the fault is with “inexperienced cruisers”:rolleyes:

No wonder newbies don’t post.

 

Well yes the fault is indeed with the inexperienced cruiser here.

None of us can say never to make a mistake regardless of being experienced or not. But if you make a mistake you should admit it and not blame others for your mistake.

I even think this thread can be used as a Service for the inexperienced cruisers, but in another way the OP intended it to be.

The lesson learned should be to not leave the port without your luggage unless you used valet Service and to listen to the debarkation talk which will Detail all the things you Need to know. If there´s anything you are not sure about go ahead and ask the guest Services.

However the OP wants us to believe you can leave the port without your luggage and still RCI will be responsible to eat up your mistake on the legal grounds of up to over 100 year old court rulings.

IMHO RCI wasn´t impressed by the rulings quoted to them, but they just decided it was the easiest way to get rid of the OP.

 

The fault in this thread is not the OP making a mistake, but the OP failing to see this mistake even though it´s been pointed out by many, but instead continue to blame the cruiseline.

 

This thread would have gone in a whole different direction had the OP posted how he made a mistake due to being an inexperiend cruiser and not paying Attention to their surroundings, thus warning others from doing this as it can get a costly mistake.

 

BTW, pointing out when someone is in the wrong is not rude/defensive/judgemental IMO.

[xxHadleyxx]

Well yes the fault is indeed with the inexperienced cruiser here.

None of us can say never to make a mistake regardless of being experienced or not. But if you make a mistake you should admit it and not blame others for your mistake.

I even think this thread can be used as a Service for the inexperienced cruisers, but in another way the OP intended it to be.

The lesson learned should be to not leave the port without your luggage unless you used valet Service and to listen to the debarkation talk which will Detail all the things you Need to know. If there´s anything you are not sure about go ahead and ask the guest Services.

However the OP wants us to believe you can leave the port without your luggage and still RCI will be responsible to eat up your mistake on the legal grounds of up to over 100 year old court rulings.

IMHO RCI wasn´t impressed by the rulings quoted to them, but they just decided it was the easiest way to get rid of the OP.

The fault in this thread is not the OP making a mistake, but the OP failing to see this mistake even though it´s been pointed out by many, but instead continue to blame the cruiseline.

This thread would have gone in a whole different direction had the OP posted how he made a mistake due to being an inexperiend cruiser and not paying Attention to their surroundings, thus warning others from doing this as it can get a costly mistake.

 

BTW, pointing out when someone is in the wrong is not rude/defensive/judgemental IMO.

 

Exactly this.

[mommabean]

It has nothing to do with being an "inexperienced cruiser". It has to do with reading, understanding and following instructions. And, taking responsibility for your own actions.

 

The day prior to debarkation all the necessary details are delivered to your cabin the day on what to do with your luggage. Those instructions list the time your luggage is to be put outside your cabin the night before and in what lounge you are to meet the morning of debarkation. Lounges are determined by the color/number of your departure tags.

 

Along with these instructions are your departure tags that are either color/number coded. These are to be applied to your luggage as once the luggage is removed from the ship, it is organized in the terminal by either color or number.

 

It is obvious that the OP did not follow those instructions or misunderstood the instructions, especially when they wrote their airline information on their debarkation tags. The OP was under the impression that RCI was offering Luggage Valet which is not the case over in Europe or even in Australia.

 

You must always claim your luggage once off the ship, it doesn't matter what port you are disembarking in. Some ports require you to go through Customs and Immigration after retrieving your luggage but before exiting the terminal. The only time you would not claim your luggage is if you were using Luggage Valet, but as stated earlier, that is only offered in selected US ports and only select airlines participate. The cost of luggage valet is $20pp USD and is charged to your SeaPass Account. The OP would have had to sign up for this program mid-way through the cruise.

 

The OP said that there was no terminal. I can not believe that the Port of Civitavecchia (Rome) does not have a terminal for disembarking/embarking passengers. I have friends that are leaving for the August 4th cruise on Navigator. I will be interested in how their debarkation is handled.

 

And for a lawyer, a longwinded one at that, to not be able to figure this out as entire ships full of people do day after day on every cruise line - well, this is one lawyer I'd certainly not want representing me in any way. Let's face it, these are some pretty basic directions. Most of us would easily figure it out without reading the directions, with no cruise experience whatsoever.

 

Gina

[Paulxyz2004]

And for a lawyer, a longwinded one at that, to not be able to figure this out as entire ships full of people do day after day on every cruise line - well, this is one lawyer I'd certainly not want representing me in any way. Let's face it, these are some pretty basic directions. Most of us would easily figure it out without reading the directions, with no cruise experience whatsoever.

 

Gina

 

 

But it´s so much easier to Google for some 1896 court ruling than to take personal responsibility for your own actions and belongings;)

[sparky-elpaso]

but it´s so much easier to google for some 1896 court ruling than to take personal responsibility for your own actions and belongings;)

 

:d like :d

[live2vayk]

Packing lightly has no downside.

 

I couldn't agree more!! Our first cruise we packed on the heavy side to accommodate two nights of formal wear, and the like. Never again. We still enjoy formal night, but are much more strategic and bring mix and match items, and (gasp!) we re wear some shirts/shorts!! We pack light, and love it!

[emeraldcity]

For the most part, I've just been lurking on this thread for a number of days. I have to say that it's a.) informative and b.) entertaining. We can all sympathize to some degree with someone who has made a very expensive mistake. But the sympathy ends when there's no interest in accepting personal responsibility.

 

I, for one, am not interested in paying higher cruise fares because someone is launching frivolous claims against the cruise line. Instead of paying corporate lawyers for defense, I'd rather RCI spent the money on enhancing our on-board experience.

[labeachcomber]

The fault in this thread is not the OP making a mistake, but the OP failing to see this mistake even though it´s been pointed out by many, but instead continue to blame the cruiseline.

 

This thread would have gone in a whole different direction had the OP posted how he made a mistake due to being an inexperiend cruiser and not paying Attention to their surroundings, thus warning others from doing this as it can get a costly mistake.

 

So true. Instead we got a thread titled "what every cruiser needs to know about lost luggage" instead of "what an inexperienced cruiser learned about disembarkation and a lesson learned".

 

Instead of owning up to his mistake immediately, he cites 100+ year old case law to try to prove he is right. Stereotypical lawyer - finding evidence where there is none to right a perceived wrong. Imagine the time and effort he has spent looking up these decades old cases and arguing with RCI. If he had just taken an ounce of that and put it into reading the disembarkation instructions and watching the video on the tv, we wouldn't be reading this thread right now.

[uksimonusa]

I must say, it is remarkable how so many of you just have blinders on. Fors instance, the poster who said I should have picked up the suitcase at the baggage claim area. There wasn't any, period. 10 buses were parked next to the boat. I've been told that is impossible. Wrong. Long at the website for services that pcik up passengers. There was no unloading and taking to a terminal. We did not stop at any terminal, assuming there is even one there anymore. The bus left the port - it was the first one - before mopst of the luggage was unloaded from the boat(if not all). For all I know everyone who got on my bus brought there's along - I don't know that but I'm amazed that so many of you can't get it, that there was no luggage or luggage area and I was directed to get on the bus which thereafter left the port.

 

Good luck when this happens to you. And when you get the same response from RCCL I did. Only way they can blow passengers off is because passenger sbuy into what they are selling, such as stories about customs terminals which are nonexistent, and the like,.

 

Looks to me like the OP got off the ship with the self disembark passengers, instead of waiting for his number to be called, if his bus was the first one, the first busses are normally for self disembark, as they are the first people off the ship. Its probable that his luggage was not off the ship at the time he disembarked.

[awhcruiser]

Why is this all of RCCL's fault and not your's for looking after your luggage? :rolleyes:

In response to a number of questions raised - First, the tag does not have a space at write Airline & Flight number. I wrote it on & clearly precisely out of caution, in case something like what did happen happened. I did not expect it but figure if RCCL had the bag or found it somewhere, they would have the goo sense to call the airport. It, of course, had my name & Roomnumber, so it would have taken about 5 minutes to figure out who it belonged to.

 

On the paper given out the day before - and I should note pertient info regarding this should have been given in Ticket materials provided before cruise - there is one place where it says be sure to claim your suitcase once you get off the boat. Further down, however, there is language that refers, in effect, to the Valet program, where they load it for you. As mentioned, when I go off the boat, there were no bags anywhere in site. But since I was instructed to get on bus, I assumed bag, which had in bold print the bus number on it, would be placed on the bus. As to who brought their bags with them and who did not, I can't say. At the airport, I did overhear a couple other people ask the RCcL person where their bags were, because they were not there. But I don't know their circumstances.

 

And aqs to other comments about hpw it is hoped I learned something, the one thing I learned is don't count on a cruiseline to do what is their responsibility. I followed their instructions to a T -but they obviously did not unload luggage in a timely manner - after all they picked it up the night before, they never advised anyone before or after disembarkment that it would be awhile before luggage was unloaded, or be sure not to get on bus until all the luggage is unloaded, so you can claim your bag, etc. So it was a safe assumption it would be put on the bus, and as one of a busfill of passengers, I was hardly in a position to demand that the bus go nowhere until RCCL could prove to me the suitcase had been put onboard.

 

It appears the critics have never had to encounter this situation. Let me know your thoughts when you've done everything you were instructed to do and your luggage disappears. And RCCL says to you tough luck, its your fault.

[rt1092]

It seems to me that Royal was not at fault. And they handled it properly.

I posted on this thread a while back that I was in a similar situation. But it was in the USA. I actualy forgot one of our bags (totally my fault) I went back to the pier but they couldn't find it. The bag was sent to my house at no charge.

[bouhunter]

A classic example of how no one wants to accept responsibility for their actions. "It's all RCCL's fault, even though I strolled off the ship without ever giving a thought to the luggage procedures....."

 

We might as well give it a rest and let this thread die, the OP will never acknowledge any responsibility.

[Aquahound]

Looks to me like the OP got off the ship with the self disembark passengers, instead of waiting for his number to be called, if his bus was the first one, the first busses are normally for self disembark, as they are the first people off the ship. Its probable that his luggage was not off the ship at the time he disembarked.

 

Is the self disembark option available at Civitavecchia? If so, I'm also pretty convinced this is what happened and I, too, am joining the ranks of those who say he misunderstood the instructions. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but the archaic case laws really threw me over.

[cruisenfever]

Is the self disembark option available at Civitavecchia? If so, I'm also pretty convinced this is what happened and I, too, am joining the ranks of those who say he misunderstood the instructions. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but the archaic case laws really threw me over.

We have friends boarding August 4th and they were told that there is express debarkation.

[lady_cruiser]

I think one of the numerous TV judges would call this "bailment."

[awhcruiser]

Like..

A classic example of how no one wants to accept responsibility for their actions. "It's all RCCL's fault, even though I strolled off the ship without ever giving a thought to the luggage procedures....."

 

We might as well give it a rest and let this thread die, the OP will never acknowledge any responsibility.

[Bobal]

Is the self disembark option available at Civitavecchia? If so, I'm also pretty convinced this is what happened and I, too, am joining the ranks of those who say he misunderstood the instructions. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but the archaic case laws really threw me over.

 

We did self disembark in Civitavecchia in May, so yes it is available.

[Paulxyz2004]

Is the self disembark option available at Civitavecchia? If so, I'm also pretty convinced this is what happened and I, too, am joining the ranks of those who say he misunderstood the instructions. I wanted to give him the benefit of the doubt, but the archaic case laws really threw me over.

 

Yep have done it myslef at the port for an early flight home, though I would have made my flight with time to spare with regular debarkation as well. Better safe than sorry though.

[Bella O]

Yes, op probably signed up for express disembarktation, not knowing or realizing that meant he needed to take all his luggage off the ship. He put his luggage outside his door per TA's advice (not RCCL's instructions). The cruiseline took the luggage, but op was ignorant of common procedure, and as he left the tented terminal with the first passengers off, did not see any luggage (because everyone else in group 1 HAD their luggage). Op clearly failed to avail himself of the 1,001 opportunities on board to understand the dis-embarktation process.

 

I don't mean to be mean, but I fail to understand how anybody, much less an educated lawyer, could take any mode of transportation anywhere, and not make sure one fully understands how their luggage will be handled, and then blame someone else for the missteps. Even when I've been in foreign countries with languages I did not speak or read, I would find someone who spoke a language I understood, and asked.

[boo214]

Yes, op probably signed up for express disembarktation, not knowing or realizing that meant he needed to take all his luggage off the ship. He put his luggage outside his door per TA's advice (not RCCL's instructions). The cruiseline took the luggage, but op was ignorant of common procedure, and as he left the tented terminal with the first passengers off, did not see any luggage (because everyone else in group 1 HAD their luggage). Op clearly failed to avail himself of the 1,001 opportunities on board to understand the dis-embarktation process.

 

I don't mean to be mean, but I fail to understand how anybody, much less an educated lawyer, could take any mode of transportation anywhere, and not make sure one fully understands how their luggage will be handled, and then blame someone else for the missteps. Even when I've been in foreign countries with languages I did not speak or read, I would find someone who spoke a language I understood, and asked.

op claims the busses were right next to the boat and he did not go thru terminal/tent. can anyone confirm if this is possible? even if he was ushered onto the bus there was nothing stopping him from inquiring about his luggage.