Ideas on how to have concerns addressed?

[munson1]

Hi, I was on NCL Epic this past week.All of my families luggage never made it on the connecting flight to the cruise.We had no clothes or toiletries for almost 2 1/2 days till we reached our first port.NCL booked these flights for us,I originally asked for direct flights and they read off their policy to us instead.I found out on the cruise that some couples had direct flights from the same area as us.We we’re told that we would get our luggage on the ship at almost every port but that never happened.The airlines sent the luggage to France for NCL to pick up and they failed to carry that out also. I understand it is a rough year to travel but all of my flights were delayed and one flight we were told was canceled…handed a food voucher/new flight tickets and a hotel voucher.We found out later the flight was not canceled but we were bumped off.
 My Question is how do I kindly explain this to NCL and The airlines for reparations? I had to spend a small fortune and a good part of my cruise buying clothes and toiletries instead of being on vacation.Thank You P.S. I am home and my luggage is still Missing.

[roger001]

I gotta tell you, traveling right now just sucks.   Two different neighbors this past week have had their flights cancelled with no backup.  1000 mi car rental for one.  Another neighbor called yesterday and said they couldn't come to the block party we were having.  They were just off a cruise and a large number of guests tested positive for Covid.  They were now doing a self imposed 5 day quarantine.  No, don't know which cruise line.  But anyhow, just too many sad travel stories right now.  And doesn't answer you question either.  

[SeaShark]

You just follow the claim process that your airline has for lost/delayed luggage. As an alternative, you could file a claim with your travel insurance provider.

[wil e coyote]

I'm so sorry this happened to you and your family.

If you have travel insurance, that is probably the best place to start. Most policies provide some payout for lost luggage. I'd also go to the airline and file claims for your lost luggage.

I doubt you will get much help from NCL for this issue. While they did book the flights for you, they are basically the travel agent for your airfare. They had nothing to do with the bags getting lost/delayed. At the same time I don't have any personal experience in this area with NCL so someone may know more.

Hope it all works out.

[islesdave]

This is not an NCL issue.  This is an airline issue.  NCL just books your flights for you.  Hold times for airlines are incredibly long - reach out to their social media teams with your claim info, they should be able to track down where the bags are.

Lost/damaged luggage reports usually have to be filed with the airline's baggage team prior to leaving the airport, whether they're lost in destination or at home airport.  

Did you purchase travel insurance or have some sort of insurance benefit from a credit card?  If so, I hope you kept receipts of things purchased while on your trip to submit for reimbursement.

[ChiefMateJRK]

This is why I now pack at least one change of clothes in the backpack I have with me when boarding the ship.  Two sets of clothes is infinitely better than one.

 

Also, as is recommended here constantly, don't use NCL to book your flights if you want to minimize problems.

[wil e coyote]

9 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

This is why I now pack at least one change of clothes in the backpack I have with me when boarding the ship.  Two sets of clothes is infinitely better than one.

 

Also, as is recommended here constantly, don't use NCL to book your flights if you want to minimize problems.

Yep - we have always packed a change of clothes and swimwear in our carry-ons just in case. Still, losing access to all the other stuff would be a definite bummer.

 

@ChiefMateJRK, I do agree that there are situations where using "NCL Air" isn't the best option. But in the case of this issue, I don't think NCL's booking of the travel has anything to do with it. NCL has no control over whether the airline loses luggage. 

[Sweetnspicy]

I’m sorry this has happened to you. Most of my friends are flight attendants with Delta and they have all expressed how awful traveling is right now for just about everyone. I only travel with a carry on suitcase because I have control issues and refuse to be without my stuff. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

26 minutes ago, wil e coyote said:

Yep - we have always packed a change of clothes and swimwear in our carry-ons just in case. Still, losing access to all the other stuff would be a definite bummer.

 

@ChiefMateJRK, I do agree that there are situations where using "NCL Air" isn't the best option. But in the case of this issue, I don't think NCL's booking of the travel has anything to do with it. NCL has no control over whether the airline loses luggage. 

Let me explain.  I always book my own travel and 90%+ of the time I'm able to stick with non-stops or direct flights (at least direct going).  That eliminates a lot of chances for misrouted luggage.  Turn it over to NCL and who knows what you'll wind up with.  We used NCL air exactly one time (our first cruise ever).  The going flight had a near-impossible connection (picture OJ running through the airport) and the return flight left late at night.  It was daylight when the cab driver dropped us off at home.  Never again.

[wil e coyote]

5 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Let me explain.  I always book my own travel and 90%+ of the time I'm able to stick with non-stops or direct flights (at least direct going).  That eliminates a lot of chances for misrouted luggage.  Turn it over to NCL and who knows what you'll wind up with.

Touche! Excellent points. I also try to book direct flights as much as possible - with NCL it is a coin flip. On our last trip we used NCL Air and the flight out had a connection while the flight home was direct. Go figure!

Edited July 5, 2022 by wil e coyote
fixed typos

[munson1]

14 hours ago, wil e coyote said:

Touche! Excellent points. I also try to book direct flights as much as possible - with NCL it is a coin flip. On our last trip we used NCL Air and the flight out had a connection while the flight home was direct. Go figure!

 

14 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Let me explain.  I always book my own travel and 90%+ of the time I'm able to stick with non-stops or direct flights (at least direct going).  That eliminates a lot of chances for misrouted luggage.  Turn it over to NCL and who knows what you'll wind up with.  We used NCL air exactly one time (our first cruise ever).  The going flight had a near-impossible connection (picture OJ running through the airport) and the return flight left late at night.  It was daylight when the cab driver dropped us off at home.  Never again.

We had 1 carry on with “back up clothes “. When we went to check in our luggage they strongly suggested we check in the carry on.I know better now to keep my carry on with me.

[munson1]

16 hours ago, islesdave said:

This is not an NCL issue.  This is an airline issue.  NCL just books your flights for you.  Hold times for airlines are incredibly long - reach out to their social media teams with your claim info, they should be able to track down where the bags are.

Lost/damaged luggage reports usually have to be filed with the airline's baggage team prior to leaving the airport, whether they're lost in destination or at home airport.  

Did you purchase travel insurance or have some sort of insurance benefit from a credit card?  If so, I hope you kept receipts of things purchased while on your trip to submit for reimbursement.

The airline sent the luggage to one of our ports during the cruise and NCL failed to pick it up and bring it to us.Now the luggage is 1/2 in Barcelona and 1/2 in Nice France airports.This is why I feel they are partially responsible.

[munson1]

16 hours ago, islesdave said:

This is not an NCL issue.  This is an airline issue.  NCL just books your flights for you.  Hold times for airlines are incredibly long - reach out to their social media teams with your claim info, they should be able to track down where the bags are.

Lost/damaged luggage reports usually have to be filed with the airline's baggage team prior to leaving the airport, whether they're lost in destination or at home airport.  

Did you purchase travel insurance or have some sort of insurance benefit from a credit card?  If so, I hope you kept receipts of things purchased while on your trip to submit for reimbursement.

The airline made an attempt to fly it to one of our ports of call and NCL customer service on the ship promised us that they would pick it up ….that never happened…now my luggage is in 2 separate countries.This is why I feel they are also responsible.I want to write them a letter (nice one) to explain their faults and see if they can do something for us.My trip was partly ruined.

[Montanagirlalways]

As someone said u have to file a claim to get a case #. Start there with NCL. And as mentioned make a claim on your insurance or charge card. 

[dexddd]

Curious what airline it was?  We totally got screwed by AA recently with cancel and no help.  Applied for refund, didn't show up, six months later had to request again.

 

Recent article about how bad AA is.

[alysonofagun]

24 minutes ago, munson1 said:

The airline made an attempt to fly it to one of our ports of call and NCL customer service on the ship promised us that they would pick it up ….that never happened…now my luggage is in 2 separate countries.This is why I feel they are also responsible.I want to write them a letter (nice one) to explain their faults and see if they can do something for us.My trip was partly ruined.

 

Same happened to my friend on a USA/Mexico trip. Guest services on board assured her they would get the luggage on board at our first port, leave it with them, don't worry etc... Double checked on the day - same message reiterated. Come back to the ship after our day in port - no bag, no messages, no responsibility, but hey, here's free laundry for the rest of your trip! 😑

[SeaShark]

32 minutes ago, munson1 said:

The airline sent the luggage to one of our ports during the cruise and NCL failed to pick it up and bring it to us.Now the luggage is 1/2 in Barcelona and 1/2 in Nice France airports.This is why I feel they are partially responsible.

 

I'm not sure just how "why I feel" is valid reasoning. That said, I am curious as to specifically why it is NCL's job/responsibility to obtain transportation for one of their employees to transit to the airport to pick up YOUR luggage. Are we to believe that the airline would hand luggage to someone other than you? Why wouldn't the airline deliver the luggage to you at the ship/pier? Why didn't you run out to the airport to pick it up yourself?

[HuliHuli]

17 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

This is why I now pack at least one change of clothes in the backpack I have with me when boarding the ship.  Two sets of clothes is infinitely better than one.

 

Also, as is recommended here constantly, don't use NCL to book your flights if you want to minimize problems.

From several past experiences, this is why I ONLY pack carry-on regardless of the trip duration.  I've had bags go to Haiti, when I was headed to San Juan; bags left in New York when I was headed to Cairo; and bags thoroughly damaged on flights from Italy.  This doesn't solve the OP's issue, but may save someone the same experience in the future.

[cruiseny4life]

3 hours ago, munson1 said:

The airline made an attempt to fly it to one of our ports of call and NCL customer service on the ship promised us that they would pick it up

@SeaShark - this seems to be why the OP believes it is NCL's fault. I would agree with the OP, except that I would not have trusted NCL to provide pick up the luggage. To be fair, it's pretty challenging for a passenger to make arrangements with an airline while on the cruise - though if this were me I am sure I would have purchased the streaming internet package to have access to email and WiFi calls. Hopefully they would actually go through and not just buffer. 

 

The OP tried to work through the airline/NCL system. While probably not the best option based on other's experiences, this should be an option that works fine. Sounds to me that NCL messed this one up and you're not quite getting that by quoting the post that doesn't have all the information necessary to form an opinion. 

[SeaShark]

3 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

@SeaShark - this seems to be why the OP believes it is NCL's fault. I would agree with the OP, except that I would not have trusted NCL to provide pick up the luggage. To be fair, it's pretty challenging for a passenger to make arrangements with an airline while on the cruise - though if this were me I am sure I would have purchased the streaming internet package to have access to email and WiFi calls. Hopefully they would actually go through and not just buffer. 

 

The OP tried to work through the airline/NCL system. While probably not the best option based on other's experiences, this should be an option that works fine. Sounds to me that NCL messed this one up and you're not quite getting that by quoting the post that doesn't have all the information necessary to form an opinion. 

 

That is an interesting take, however, I only quoted the OP and if a post doesn't have all the information necessary to form an opinion, that is the fault of the poster, no?

 

Still think we are missing a LOT of context here. Who talked to the airline about flying the luggage to the port? Was it the OP or was it NCL? How did it come to be that NCL "volunteered" to pick up the luggage? What explanation was given at the time for the failure? Why would NCL (who isn't carrying a spare car onboard to run errands while in port) agree to go get luggage when they have no way to get to the airport? Would it not have been better to just arrange to have it delivered? Can't speak for the OP, but if it was MY luggage, you can bet that I would have retrieved it personally.

 

Way to many unanswered questions in this to be pointing the finger of blame so quickly.

[SimplyAlbert]

2 hours ago, HuliHuli said:

From several past experiences, this is why I ONLY pack carry-on regardless of the trip duration.  I've had bags go to Haiti, when I was headed to San Juan; bags left in New York when I was headed to Cairo; and bags thoroughly damaged on flights from Italy.  This doesn't solve the OP's issue, but may save someone the same experience in the future.

Same here.  I even do carry on only when I have free bags through my credit card.  Depending on the flight sometimes I'll check them on the way home, but never on the way there.

[munson1]

5 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

I'm not sure just how "why I feel" is valid reasoning. That said, I am curious as to specifically why it is NCL's job/responsibility to obtain transportation for one of their employees to transit to the airport to pick up YOUR luggage. Are we to believe that the airline would hand luggage to someone other than you? Why wouldn't the airline deliver the luggage to you at the ship/pier? Why didn't you run out to the airport to pick it up yourself?

From what I gathered from baggage claim at the airport the Cruise lines and airport worked hand in hand to make a best effort to deliver the luggage.With that said the airline delivered my luggage to a port both NCL and The airline agreed on.If I was told  NCL was not going to get my luggage then I may have paid for a cab from the port to get my luggage.Has this ever happened to you? As$

[munson1]

2 hours ago, SeaShark said:

 

That is an interesting take, however, I only quoted the OP and if a post doesn't have all the information necessary to form an opinion, that is the fault of the poster, no?

 

Still think we are missing a LOT of context here. Who talked to the airline about flying the luggage to the port? Was it the OP or was it NCL? How did it come to be that NCL "volunteered" to pick up the luggage? What explanation was given at the time for the failure? Why would NCL (who isn't carrying a spare car onboard to run errands while in port) agree to go get luggage when they have no way to get to the airport? Would it not have been better to just arrange to have it delivered? Can't speak for the OP, but if it was MY luggage, you can bet that I would have retrieved it personally.

 

Way to many unanswered questions in this to be pointing the finger of blame so quickly.

Are you a troll that works for the cruise line? 

[SeaShark]

5 minutes ago, munson1 said:

Are you a troll that works for the cruise line? 

Why, because only a cruise line employee would dare question your story and ask for facts and clarification?

[SeaShark]

14 minutes ago, munson1 said:

From what I gathered from baggage claim at the airport the Cruise lines and airport worked hand in hand to make a best effort to deliver the luggage.With that said the airline delivered my luggage to a port both NCL and The airline agreed on.If I was told  NCL was not going to get my luggage then I may have paid for a cab from the port to get my luggage.Has this ever happened to you? As$

 

Can you have a conversation without resorting to insults and namecalling?

 

Are you now saying that baggage claim, the cruise line, and the airport got together to work on getting the luggage to you? Did the airline and NCL have a conversation as to which port to deliver your luggage to? Why weren't you involved?

 

Does it have to happen to me for you to provide some basic information?