LOST LUGGAGE ** Please help!!!**

[Iamthesea]

That's horrible! :eek:

 

The problem with making a claim on your homeowners is that your premium can go up. Not worth a small claim if that's going to happen.;)

[Mel&Ken]

Each of our bags had three tags on them - our own luggage tags on top with our phone number, then two disembarkment stickers (neon green), one on top and one on the side each with our name and phone number.

 

There is also the same information inside the suitcase. So it's certainly not a matter of not knowing who to call.

 

I am intrigued by the technology that essentially is a GPS for your bag and if it's lost you can track it. Then I wonder if it's worth it. We're in our 40's, we take 3-4 trips a year and this is the first time (knock wood) that we've lost bags. Let's hope it's the last!

[peterm]

!

The problem with making a claim on your homeowners is that your premium can go up. Not worth a small claim if that's going to happen.;)

 

This is true. My wife's handbag was stolen while traveling in Europe. Total of the loss (bag and contents) approx. $ 2,000. Before filing a claim with our homeowners insurance, we talked to our agent. He would accept our claim without problem but here is his information:

 

Insurance will pay - BUT:

- You have a deductible of $ 1,000

- Your premium will go up for the next three years (With our insurance company - some other companies may even cancel the policy after payment!)

- Next time you shop around for a better insurance you may be declined because now you have a "claim history".

 

Long story short: Homeowners Insurance is good for big losses (Several 1,000 and more), but don't file a claim for just a few thousand $.

[Iamthesea]

So true for #2. We had a house fire - total loss. After the claim with a company that we have been doing business with for years, they tried to drop us after paying. We got it all straitened out, but sure made us mad and we now think twice about filing a claim for home or car insurance. :rolleyes:

 

Best way to go is through the cruiseline and then the travel insurance. I am not sure that I understand the credit card way and why using two different credit cards for the trip would matter. :confused:

[Lsimon]

... I am not sure that I understand the credit card way and why using two different credit cards for the trip would matter. :confused:

 

Some, but not all, credit cards include a lot of of insurance or insurance like protection as a benefit. Here is a link to a list of possible MasterCard benefits:

http://www.mastercard.us/card-benefits/

If you click on the "Travel Protection" tab you'll see that Lost or Damaged Luggage Insurance is one of the possible benefits but even if your card includes this benefit it only applies "when you pay the entire cost of the tickets with your eligible MasterCard card."

[TeaBag]

Our premium did not go up after our only claim in 30 years. I would not have made this suggestion if it had. I guess I'm not familiar with US insurance companies. Sorry if this mislead anyone.

[Iamthesea]

No misleading, just want people to be aware. :) I think that our claim was a first, too. It was a big one! ;)

 

Oh, I see about the credit card insurance stipulation. I didn't realize the OP had paid part of the cruise ticket on one card and part on another. I thought she meant that one card paid the cruise portion and perhaps another paid the airline fee or something to that nature. I didn't see how the credit card company would even know that. In any event, it's good to know that the insurance is offered. We have a VISA card and use the same card for all charges related to cruise travel, but not for clothes that we buy for the cruise. I'll check out our CC benefits.

[Mel&Ken]

Yes our deposit was paid back in June 2012 and I used my Delta miles M/C. By the time final payment came around a year later the CDN dollar was lower and I used my U.S Visa to save on the exchange. So neither card would qualify for the insurance as I didn't pay the whole thing with them. :( Things you don't really think about until it happens to you.

[attilamom1217]

What is the latest with your lost luggage? Has the luggage been found and returned??? What about the travel insurance and Celebrity? I know you said Celebrity will reimburse up to $300 per suitcase. Have you filed your claim for the difference with the insurance?

 

I've been reading this saga and I see that you did everything right with your luggage but love to know the final resolution.

 

Good luck and I hope it all works out for you.

[cle-guy]

 

I am intrigued by the technology that essentially is a GPS for your bag and if it's lost you can track it. Then I wonder if it's worth it. We're in our 40's, we take 3-4 trips a year and this is the first time (knock wood) that we've lost bags. Let's hope it's the last!

 

I just saw a service like this for an annual fee of $12.95 per bag online

[Iamthesea]

I just saw a service like this for an annual fee of $12.95 per bag online

 

Can you post a link? :)

[cle-guy]

Can you post a link? :)

 

http://3gstore.com/product/4451_trakdot_luggage_tracker.html

 

It's called TrakDot. I have no idea how well it works, just happened to stumble across it the other day. May even be in SkyMall magazines.

[Iamthesea]

Thank you!

[Iamthesea]

Unfortunately, the reviews for this item are not very good. Here is one that says it like it is!

http://www.amazon.com/review/R39KEATXFGMYXQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R39KEATXFGMYXQ

[Cindy]

Unfortunately, the reviews for this item are not very good. Here is one that says it like it is!

http://www.amazon.com/review/R39KEATXFGMYXQ/ref=cm_cr_pr_viewpnt#R39KEATXFGMYXQ

 

Too bad...it's a neat concept.

I'm obsessed with purchasing new luggage right now, for a couple reasons. First, for our overseas flight in May we're flying over in Economy +, which means we're limited to one checked bag each of no more than 50 lbs. If I could get us into two of our existing bags we'd definitely be overweight, so either way it's $100.00.:eek: The other reason is this thread...if we have a suitcase and a carry-on each, we can handle our own luggage!:D

[Mel&Ken]

What is the latest with your lost luggage? Has the luggage been found and returned??? What about the travel insurance and Celebrity? I know you said Celebrity will reimburse up to $300 per suitcase. Have you filed your claim for the difference with the insurance?

 

I've been reading this saga and I see that you did everything right with your luggage but love to know the final resolution.

 

Good luck and I hope it all works out for you.

 

On Oct.11th (3 weeks after our cruise) Celebrity declared our luggage to be officially LOST. On Oct.16th I submitted an itemized list of all the contents of both bags and all the receipts to go along with them. I asked for a confirmation of receipt which I didn't get so I called Monday the 21st and was advised that they received my documents and I needed to be patient while they processed my claim. Nothing about Celebrity is impressing me at this point. :(

 

I can't proceed with any other claims until my final settlement with Celebrity is in place.

 

On a positive note - we have started replacing some items and I found a great deal on luggage last weekend at Macy's in Michigan. Got two large bags with tons of pockets and storage, super light and 4 spinner wheels for just over $100 each - London Fog. I am very happy with them. And the customs agent took pity on me when I explained why I was buying all new luggage and let me go without paying duty! :)

[tnjnmt]

Thanks for keeping us up dated.

[rthereanynamesleft]

Mel, I am so sorry to hear of your lost luggage. I feel your pain believe me! First, for our last cruise we bought new luggage with the 360 degree spinners. Though it was expensive luggage we got it at Ross for half the retail price. When we picked up our luggage after our NCL cruise to NYC we noticed one of the wheels missing. Lovely, used one vacation and I have an disabled piece of luggage. I did not bother to try to contact NCL as I am pretty sure they just throw them away.

 

Now let me tell you about our lost luggage escapades. Last year I flew to Vegas for our granddaughters wedding. I took an evening flight that had only 30 passengers on it. When we landed I made a quick stop at the ladies room and then proceeded to the baggage claim. When I got there I noticed no one around the carousel. I waited and waited till I knew the luggage had all come out. I contacted my son who works for the airlines and he came down and we went to the baggage office. They said it probably got pulled off at the previous stop or continued on to Reno. They assured me it would be returned on the next flight. It did not. Then they said it will be here in the morning. They had no idea where it was. Why luggage is not scanned at every point is beyond me. They should know exactly where the luggage is at all times. I had a very bad feeling.

 

I had basically planned and made all the arrangements for my granddaughters wedding and in this luggage was one of the bridesmaids dresses, my dress, jewelry for the bride and attendants plus basically a whole new summer wardrobe for me. Not to mention I had the seating chart and all the place cards and other wedding "stuff". I got there 6 days before the wedding. I was also doing all the floral arrangements and other things during this time. This was not the time for my luggage to go missing. After day one I went out and bought a new outfit and necessities. Day 2 came and no luggage. By day 3 they admitted that the luggage was most likely stolen. That they have a big problem with this since tags are no longer checked.

 

In the end the luggage was never found, I did my research and found this is a major problem in airports. My son explained that since the flight was so empty that there probably was no more than 5 pieces of checked luggage and that they were at the baggage claim before I was. That a thief will watch a piece of luggage go around the carousel 3 times and then grab it and walk away. I made the mistake of leaving the tags on the new clothes which made it easy for them to return to the stores and get a gift card that they could use or sell. With all I had to do, now I had to shop for clothes and a new dress to wear with literally no time to do this. I was so angry and hurt that someone would put me through this with little or no remorse when they opened and saw what was in the luggage. Needless to say it put a damper on the wedding for me and those who had to listen to me rant for a week.

 

The clincher is, since my son works for the airline and I have free flying privileges they are not responsible for my lost luggage and I received no compensation. I loved the luggage and it could not be found again. Some of the clothes I bought I really liked and they to were no longer in the stores or online. To this day I am still bothered by those events and tell myself, why did I not let my daughter bring my luggage since she was flying on a purchased ticket and there would have been reimbursement. Why did I make that stop at the restroom or if I had only taken an earlier flight?

 

It makes me wonder if someone near your cabin saw you throughout the cruise, liked the clothes you wore and decided to switch tags. Seems far fetched if they could afford a nice cruise but nothing seems to make sense in your case. Your luggage went somewhere! Maybe into a room stewards cabin. Who knows! I am just glad that you did have your luggage for your cruise and did not lose it before. I have seen this happen before. I know of one couple who made the mistake of flying in the day of the cruise and no luggage. They had to board the ship with just a overnight bag with some meds, toiletries and bathing suits but no other clothes or formal clothes. At the end of the cruise their luggage was waiting for them at the airport. All that packing for nothing. I guess that is the bright side for you. NO unpacking! Sorry for the very long post and your lost luggage. :(

 

SanDee

[Tiggertastic]

I am so sorry to hear of these stories, I will be learning from your experiences though and making sure that my expensive items that I do take with me, go into my hand luggage from now on

[GreatLakes]

I am so sorry to hear of these stories, I will be learning from your experiences though and making sure that my expensive items that I do take with me, go into my hand luggage from now on

 

 

Although this did not happen on a cruise, but on airline flights, we also have had the wheels broken on our luggage or the telescopic handle broken on another piece of luggage. We have a luggage repair shop in our city and they do excellent repair work. The last time a wheel broke, my husband purchased a set of rollerblade wheels at Target and just replaced the broken wheel.

[Deb0702]

I was on this cruise and first met Melissa here on our CC roll call. Melissa & Ken are a great, fun loving couple and totally do not deserve any of this. But then of course, nobody does.

 

On the last night of the cruise I remember reading the instructions left in our cabin for tagging our luggage. I'd only been on one cruise before so I was looking for instructions for carrying off our luggage like we did on our first cruise. But I didn't see any mention of that being an option. I vaguely guessed that you're not allowed to carry off luggage in a foreign port, but I didn't ask. We tagged our luggage and placed it outside our door per the instructions. But I did feel a little uneasy about it.

 

Later when I heard what happened to Melissa & Ken it was so very disappointing. What a horrible terrible no good very bad end to a wonderful cruise.

 

People need to be warned about this. You might expect that Celebrity will safeguard your luggage while it's in their care at embarkation or debarkation, but you really shouldn't. Be aware that if you give your luggage to Celebrity and you never see it again, Celebrity will compensate you just $300 per person (not per piece). Provided you have receipts. It's in the fine print. :(

Edited October 29, 2013 by Deb0702
typo

[Mel&Ken]

Question....how long do I have to be patient???? I submitted my claim the 16th. It's been over 2 weeks now and not a word. They have all the receipts - everything. How long does it take to offer me my $300???

 

How long would you wait to call again????

[attilamom1217]

If it's been two weeks since you submitted your receipts, I would call Celebrity. Get the name of the person you speak with each time you call. This way you can quote them - "So and So told me that this would be resolved by such and such date..."

 

Is it correct to assume you cannot file with the travel insurance company until you receive your money from Celebrity? If yes, then that is another reason to call Celebrity.

[helen haywood]

There is no need at all for you to be patient. Polite, yes (but then you are Canadian!), but not patient. I would call on a daily basis and keep a written record of the time and person you spoke to. Call the Captain's Club and any other person/department you can think of. Be persistent. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

 

I had a problem with a TA that was "resolving" a booking for me. I kept waiting and waiting...at the end of each week I'd send an email asking for progress reports. Finally I realized that wasn't doing it and I started sending daily emails with the date in the subject headline saying Resolution Needed Now and cced the head of her agency. Surprise. It got resolved a few days later...

[Mel&Ken]

Here is the latest update for those of you who have asked me to keep you posted.

 

I got the call today - 3 weeks after filing my claim and almost 7 weeks after our cruise. "Princess" has processed all our paperwork and will be submitting our claim today for payment. She was "pleased to inform" me that we qualify for the maximum amount of $600 or $300 per person.

 

Now as I mentioned earlier, this is the same woman who told me after I receive their offer I could then dispute it if I was not happy. So I reminded Princess of our conversation and asked to be transfered to her manager or a manager within the department that could help me further as I was not satisfied with this resolution at all.

 

She told me that $300 is policy and there was no one else I could speak to. I asked again to be transfered and she placed me on hold and came back to tell me that her manager also said to tell me that the policy is $300 and there is nothing more they can do.

 

I told Princess that someone, somewhere within the organization has the authority to do more. She said they do not. So you refuse to transfer me to a manager??? I thought my head was about to spin off my body. I was in disbelief that I could not get past this front line person - at least give me a name, a number....something. No luck.

 

So I switched tactics. I asked Princess where the customer service was - how it is that no one seems to care if there is an unhappy client out there. I asked if it is their practise to leave clients so disatisfied with the cruise line that they would not even attempt to retain their business. How is policy more important than client satisfaction????

 

Her reply was that I would need to contact guest relations. Are you freaking kidding me? How did this woman get a job in customer service is what I want to know.

 

In no way at all am I trying to get a free cruise out of this - but normally when you can't give the client back what they lost you offer alternatives instead to keep their business. Instead of a refund, a store may give you a store credit - that type of thing. So while I didn't expect to get my entire value reimbursed I thought they may offer something like half of what I submitted and the other half in cruise vouchers or OBC or something. Some way to almost force us to use them again which frankly is good business. Because then I either use them again or lose out right?

 

Nope - not so much as an offer of a free keychain!!! So I lasted about as long as I could without really losing my cool and I told Princess that she can let her manager know that I will not be dropping this issue, I will be contacting customer service, members of the executive management - who ever I have to in order to escalate this. All she said to me in response was ok. Then she told me to have a great day and hung up.

 

I am in total shock at how this is being handled. Maybe because I work in the customer service industry this really disturbs me but without question if I had an employee who handled my clients this way, who had no regard for satisfaction and who made no effort what so ever to make things right, I would suggest a new career path for them. I am confident that this is not the experience Celebrity wishes for its customers.

 

So now I have to try and let it go for a few days in order to enjoy my long weekend in Vegas. Then when I get back Tuesday I have to figure out who to call, mail or contact - basically, where to start. I feel so let down. I want to cruise Celebrity again - I love(d) this line. Why did they have to let me down and leave me feeling so angry?

 

Deep breaths....deep breaths.....deep breaths....