First time traveler to Europe

[RachelG]

I have never had bags totally lost, but have had them delayed, usually less than 24 hours, but once for several days.  Thank heaven, that was on the way home.  One reason I always try to fly in at least a day before embarkation is because of the luggage issue.  Wants to allow it time to catch up to us, just in case.

[1982CruzStart]

22 hours ago, RachelG said:

I have never had bags totally lost, but have had them delayed, usually less than 24 hours, but once for several days.  Thank heaven, that was on the way home.  One reason I always try to fly in at least a day before embarkation is because of the luggage issue.  Wants to allow it time to catch up to us, just in case.

We also always fly in the day before as well but it still took until we got to the 2nd or 3rd port before my bag caught up with us. The baggage handlers in Toronto (which was a connection for our flights to Chile) were working to rule and they decided to store my bag there for a couple of extra days. 

[DeepFreeze63]

Tammykva123

A lot of good advice from experienced travelers. You might want to share some details of your potential itinerary so we can add some specific suggestions in detail.

[UUNetBill]

In ten Regent cruises we've only had two relatively minor luggage issues - one, my wife's main suitcase didn't make it to Copenhagen.  We were spending a day in town before we sailed so we had time for it to arrive.  No worries on that one, although we did have to make an emergency shopping trip for some essentials.  It showed up at 9:00 PM the evening before we sailed.

 

Our second problem - also going to Copenhagen, coincidentally.  My bag didn't arrive.  In fact, found out later that it took a completely different route than we took.  It was a VERY odd situation, with weather delays, reebookings, etc.  When we arrived in CPH, all of our bags were there except my big bag (of course).  The good news is they had already located it in LHR.  The bad news?  It didn't get to us before we sailed.  The worse news?  It didn't catch up with the ship until day 5 in Lithuania.  

 

You just have to plan for this stuff - we buy the zipper pouches (color-coded his and hers) to pack our clothes in and we usually swap a few pouches from suitcase to suitcase so we both have clothes in case a bag disappears (although we didn't do that for the last CPH fiasco - our bad).  Overall we've been pretty lucky considering all of the short connections we've had over the years.

[Hambagahle]

As a matter of routine I "cross pack" - mix Ken's and my things between the bags so if one does disappear for a few days at least one of us isn't left with nothing.

 

Arriving in Europe with a connecting flight:   IF the airport you first land in is in Schengen you clear Immigration there.  Arriving at Paris for example and connecting to Nice for a cruise - bags go to Nice but your passport is checked at Paris and then Nice is a domestic flight.  Also of course works cross-border:  Arrive in Frankfurt (never do that BTW!)and connect to Athens.  Passport control is in FRA.  Bags appear in ATH.  The UK is not a Schengen member so if going via London you will go through passport control AND customs on arrival wherever you are bound from there.   Interestingly (especially for us!)  Switzerland is also a Schengen member but not a member of the EU.  So if on Swiss with transfer at ZRH Immigration is in ZRH.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

2 hours ago, UUNetBill said:

...

You just have to plan for this stuff - we buy the zipper pouches (color-coded his and hers) to pack our clothes in and we usually swap a few pouches from suitcase to suitcase so we both have clothes in case a bag disappears ...

 

Great idea using the colour-coded packs--I've never used these packing cubes but have considered it.  We too cross-pack for a cruise--I make sure that there are basic outfits for both of us in each bag.  Only lost bags twice and both times just for a few hours, luckily on land--I agree that arriving early for a cruise mitigates this issue a bit.

[mrstanley]

Hi Tammy. We are very experienced travelers. Have done many cruises, travel with tour companies and independnet travel.

When going to Europe with just my husband on a land trip we go with carry on. We always fly Business so there is

plenty room for a 21 inch piece of luggage. We each have another tote bag with our drugs, etc. We don't check anything.

When going on any cruise we each take that same 21 inch bag and we each check a larger bag. We never leave to go anywhere without our 21 inch bag and tote with us. In the 21 inch I can pack enough for 5 days. We both are excellent packers.