Mardi Gras Great Cruise - but Went Home Without My Luggage

[cruisequeen4ever]

I’m sorry you had to endure that stress and still have to endure stress of the DMV and hoping your bag will come before your next trip. Your experience was the last bit of confirmation I needed to buy air tags. Hope your bag comes in time!

[redsox1584]

Good luck with your luggage situation - I hope you get it in time.
 

The same thing happened to me on Royal at Port Canaveral many years ago and I have been carrying my luggage off since. Maybe it’s a Port Canaveral thing?

[ZoeyVictoria]

19 minutes ago, Schoifmom said:

Carnival no longer "assigns" tag numbers.  You pick them up at the designated locations (unless you are P/D or in a suite).  There would be no way for Carnival to "look up" what area your bag was "assigned" to.  

I didn’t say it was Carnival, because I can’t remember that particular cruise. Probably Royal Caribbean, or possibly Carnival several years ago. But a hint that might help someone else in the future in any case. 

[onlyano]

11 hours ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

seems pretty harsh saying you won't sail Carnival anymore because your luggage got displaced.

 

I understand being upset. Oh well it's your money. Hopefully you are just saying this in the heat of the moment and when you calm down you'll change your mind .

 

We'll have to see if I sail Carnival again. I'm waiting to see if Carnival sends me a shipping number so I can manage the delivery of my luggage. Since I will be out of town for two weeks starting Monday, I really need options.

On the bright side, my bag might come before I leave. Fingers-crossed!

 

I had not cruised on Carnival for 14 years, I've stuck with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. It's unfortunate the baggage thing happened with Carnival, since I don't have the built in loyalty.

 

It's nice to have cruising options. If my offers on Royal Caribbean continue to be better than Carnival, that will also be something I will have to consider.

 

 

 

 

[CruisingFromLA]

I had a similar experience with the Mardi Gras at Port Canaveral last summer. There was 4 of us, with a total of 3 pieces of luggage. We went to our designated number area and could not find any of our luggage. It took us an hour going up and down every aisle before we eventually found them (which were all in different locations). Luckily we didn't have a flight until 7pm as we were planning on spending the day at the Kennedy Space Center, but still a frustrating experience. Honestly, I think the port workers were just lazy and did not want to sort and place the luggage in the correct area. 

[SDPadreFan]

33 minutes ago, cruisinqt said:

You can also use the AirTags if you have other Apple products. My friend doesn’t have an iPhone (he’s an android guy) but he bought a friends older iPad to use for his AirTags and they work great with it. 

You are correct that the "basic" functions of an air tag will work with other Apple products. But the newest feature (which makes them so valuable is this...

 

"Ultra Wideband

Each AirTag incorporates a U1 chip, which Apple says enables unique precision tracking features for users with the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12. The U1 chip can be used to more accurately determine the distance and direction to a lost AirTag when it is in range, using what Apple calls “Precision Tracking.” 

Each AirTag is equipped with the Apple-designed U1 chip using Ultra Wideband technology, enabling Precision Finding for iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 users. This advanced technology can more accurately determine the distance and direction to a lost AirTag when it is in range. As a user moves, Precision Finding fuses input from the camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope, and then will guide them to AirTag using a combination of sound, haptics, and visual feedback."

 

That technology (the U1 chip) has only been installed since the iPhone 11 so it is very doubtful that your friends old iPad can pull off that trick.

 

Same with the Smart Tag+ by Samsung. The Ultra Wide Band technology has only been incorporated in the models S21 and newer. That Ultra Wide Band technology is what makes these items so valuable for tracking lost luggage. Pinpoint accuracy compared to ballpark accuracy.

 

Tile is also working on incorporating Ultra Wide Band technology in a future product.

[SDPadreFan]

26 minutes ago, onlyano said:

I had a Tile in my bag, but for some reason it isn't working. It did work when I cruised 6 weeks ago.

I will definitely get an AirTag.

Does your tile have a replaceable battery (many do). Could be the old one is dead.

[onlyano]

5 hours ago, Joebucks said:

This is why my bag never leaves my sight (when possible). Happened to me through Jetblue. Be thankful that it was at the end of vacation, not the beginning. I'm sure it will be found.

 

Also funny when you praise Royal and hate on Carnival because of a simple mistake, when in reality, it could have been the same employee both times. 

 

I have learned a few lessons. Pack light, carry my bag, and buy an AirTag...or at least make sure the Tile in my bag is working. Yes, this could have happened on Royal too and I would have been upset. 

 

I was thankful it was not at the beginning of my vacation. I would not have had time to purchase replacement clothing.

 

My bag is no longer missing, but the logistics of me being home to receive it are not clear. That's a me problem, not Carnival. 

 

In one of my responses, I did mention that the actual Carnival employees weren't helpful until I started crying. The first woman (I wish I had her name) was dismissive, which is part of the reason I started crying.

 

I've totaled up my lost items. Along with the suitcase, it's only around $2000. I've actually replaced a few things this morning. I probably can claim it on my homeowners if the bag delivery fails. I'm staying optimistic that it won't.

 

Knock on wood, I've never had a bad experience with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity. This was my first time on Carnival in 14 years. It's an unfortunate comeback event.

 

[onlyano]

4 minutes ago, SDPadreFan said:

Does your tile have a replaceable battery (many do). Could be the old one is dead.

 

Darn, I didn't know that. I bet that's what happened.

[Bollycats]

Could you have your bag redirected to your next destination instead of it going to your home?

[Schoifmom]

54 minutes ago, ZoeyVictoria said:

I didn’t say it was Carnival, because I can’t remember that particular cruise. Probably Royal Caribbean, or possibly Carnival several years ago. But a hint that might help someone else in the future in any case. 

 

You didn't.  To be fair, though, that was a reasonable assumption, since this is a Carnival forum.  It also serves to level-set expectations for any cruisers who may be on this forum and new to Carnival or not familiar with how debarkation tags are distributed today.

Edited November 14, 2022 by Schoifmom

[onlyano]

25 minutes ago, Bollycats said:

Could you have your bag redirected to your next destination instead of it going to your home?

I would love to, but so far no luck finding a human to talk to. I'm trying.

[windsor26]

Wow the cost of the tags is getting far higher than 4 for 99 mentioned originally  I will have to hunt around here in Australia for those that are compatible with an android

[cruisinqt]

9 hours ago, SDPadreFan said:

You are correct that the "basic" functions of an air tag will work with other Apple products. But the newest feature (which makes them so valuable is this...

 

"Ultra Wideband

Each AirTag incorporates a U1 chip, which Apple says enables unique precision tracking features for users with the iPhone 11 and iPhone 12. The U1 chip can be used to more accurately determine the distance and direction to a lost AirTag when it is in range, using what Apple calls “Precision Tracking.” 

Each AirTag is equipped with the Apple-designed U1 chip using Ultra Wideband technology, enabling Precision Finding for iPhone 11 and iPhone 12 users. This advanced technology can more accurately determine the distance and direction to a lost AirTag when it is in range. As a user moves, Precision Finding fuses input from the camera, ARKit, accelerometer, and gyroscope, and then will guide them to AirTag using a combination of sound, haptics, and visual feedback."

 

That technology (the U1 chip) has only been installed since the iPhone 11 so it is very doubtful that your friends old iPad can pull off that trick.

 

Same with the Smart Tag+ by Samsung. The Ultra Wide Band technology has only been incorporated in the models S21 and newer. That Ultra Wide Band technology is what makes these items so valuable for tracking lost luggage. Pinpoint accuracy compared to ballpark accuracy.

 

Tile is also working on incorporating Ultra Wide Band technology in a future product.

Yes his older iPad doesn’t have access to the newest technology with AirTags. But it did sync up via Bluetooth. And he can go onto his “Find My” app and look on the map to locate where his AirTag is. He is still able to use the pop up quick setup window, get directions (gps only), play sound (over Bluetooth), use the AirTag lost mode, and identify a found AirTag which is still a lot for such a low price. It’s not pinpoint accuracy like you would get with the newer iPhones but he’s very satisfied with the results and it does what he was needing it to do. Even though having a newer iPhone would be ideal, people can still use their older Apple products in conjunction with the AirTags and do a decent job of keeping up with their belongings, which was my basic point. Though I have to admit, I have an iPhone 13 Pro and I love how well it works these AirTags. The precision and accuracy is amazing. 

[cruisinqt]

10 hours ago, onlyano said:

I had a Tile in my bag, but for some reason it isn't working. It did work when I cruised 6 weeks ago.

I will definitely get an AirTag.

You might check the battery on your Tile. The AirTags have a small battery inside that needs to be replaced once a year (unless you remove it while not in use). My husband picked up a bunch of the batteries for it at Dollar Tree. 

[cruisinqt]

10 hours ago, onlyano said:

 

We'll have to see if I sail Carnival again. I'm waiting to see if Carnival sends me a shipping number so I can manage the delivery of my luggage. Since I will be out of town for two weeks starting Monday, I really need options.

On the bright side, my bag might come before I leave. Fingers-crossed!

 

I had not cruised on Carnival for 14 years, I've stuck with Royal Caribbean and Celebrity. It's unfortunate the baggage thing happened with Carnival, since I don't have the built in loyalty.

 

It's nice to have cruising options. If my offers on Royal Caribbean continue to be better than Carnival, that will also be something I will have to consider.

 

 

 

 

Yeah Royal Caribbean and Carnival are so similar I just go with who gives me the best deal. I’ve had good and bad experiences with both lines but they’re very comparable to one another. I always tell my dh that I wish I could take the best of Royal Caribbean and the best of Carnival and combine it to make the best cruise line ever. Carnival has given us better Caribbean cruise options. But for Alaska Royal Caribbean’s offer couldn’t be beat. We are headed out to Alaska on Quantam of the Seas in May. It’s always nice to have options but I never turn away from any cruise line because any day at sea is way better than a day on land. 

[lasvegascruising]

Yikes, this brings back bad memories.  Nothing to do with a cruise but from past horrors, I always take a carry on with me on the plane.  I pack everything I think I will need for a week cruise, clothes and shoes.  This carry-on never leaves my grip until it lands in my cabin.  Hubby has his own carry on too.  We also have one more piece of larger luggage that we check with the airline.  This large bag has stuff that I want but not stuff I can't live without.  For example, snorkel stuff, those cute beach towel chair clips, extra shoes, husband's baseball caps, etc.  We have resorted to taking all three pieces of luggage with us onto the ship.  No porter for us.  We also carry off all three pieces.  I worry a lot less with this system.

[onlyano]

Update:
Sorry to leave you hanging.
I received my luggage on Saturday afternoon, November 19th. One week after my Mardi Gras cruise ended.

I did finally talk to a "real" person at Carnival. If you need to speak to a person, call the 305 area code number. You can talk to an operator. 
They were all very nice, and sent me the tracking number for my luggage. Maybe they would have sent it anyway.

Everyone at FedEx was great too. I signed up with FedEx so I could have real-time tracking. FedEx was supposed to call or text me when I was the next delivery, but they didn't. Because I kept checking online, I was able to see when my bag was delivered. 

My bag was sitting out in the package area. I was able to grab it before someone else did. I live in a mid-rise and packages aren't usually delivered to our doors.
I noticed they removed the tags from the outside and placed them in the bag. I guess to protect the bag from being caught on something during shipping. 

A few side notes: The bag would have been delivered on Friday, but there was a problem with the shipping label. I now see where the Tile needs a battery. I'm sure it's dead since it has not been replaced since it was purchased a few years ago.

About my driver's license...I got to the DMV at 7:00 am. It opens at 7:30 am. About 60 people were already in line. At first, I was given a 1:30 pm appointment. I was able to explain my issue, and they let me in. After an hour and a lot of phone calls, they determined my license was okay.
I flew out of Dallas-Fort Worth a few days ago. When I went through security, they didn't scan my license. After I got through the line, I told one of the not-busy TSA agents what happened in Orlando. He scanned my license, and it checked out fine. The agent said I should always travel with my passport, but I don't think I want to do that. 

Hopefully, I didn't come off as too negative and whiny, but at the time to me, it was a stressful situation.
I gave the Christmas present I bought for my Mom in Amber Cove early. I guess I'm having a "life is too short" moment.

I hope everyone had and has a happy holiday season.

I'm not sure if I will do a Mardi Gras review. There are already a ton of wonderful live ones out there.
I will say Great Cruise. I would do it again, but try to pack using carry-on only!
 
 

Edited November 26, 2022 by onlyano
added a picture

[CruizinSusan70]

On 11/13/2022 at 6:05 PM, BlerkOne said:

I'm thinking luggage not on the ship is outside of Carnival's control. Dock workers are not Carnival employees.

Since when do dock workers come into the ship to collect luggage that is placed outside your cabin to go into the numbered holding area?  That would be Carnival employees doing this job.

[BlerkOne]

14 minutes ago, CruizinSusan70 said:

Since when do dock workers come into the ship to collect luggage that is placed outside your cabin to go into the numbered holding area?  That would be Carnival employees doing this job.

I'll try this again.

 

I'm thinking luggage not on the ship is outside of Carnival's control. Dock workers are not Carnival employees.

 

The luggage was not on the ship, therefore was not under Carnival's control.

[rodndonna]

On 11/14/2022 at 12:03 PM, Sugar67 said:

Quite possibly not Carnival's fault.  Another passenger could have moved it.  Glad you will be getting it back 

 

We were on a HAL cruise in the fall and a passenger (and wife) just took the wrong bags. We were on the bus to the airport and a HAL rep came on and asked for Mr XYX. They then managed to determine they had Mr ABC's luggage who was still back at the terminal.

 

I think at the terminal, Mr ABC was left looking for his luggage and the only bags remaining were Mr XYX, yet HAL knew he was on our bus to head to the airport. Anyway, HAL coordinated the switch back at the airport.

[CruizinSusan70]

19 hours ago, BlerkOne said:

I'll try this again.

 

I'm thinking luggage not on the ship is outside of Carnival's control. Dock workers are not Carnival employees.

 

The luggage was not on the ship, therefore was not under Carnival's control.

You inferred that it was dock workers who were at fault.  It started with Carnival employees who picked up the luggage outside the cabin in the first place.  There is 100% proof that a Carnival employee started the process.  Nobody knows what happened afterwards.  It might possibly have been a dock workers fault, but then again it could have been a Carnival employee or possibly another passenger. 

[karlmonday]

I hate to hear this.    Several years ago I saw someone else trying to take my bag as I was nearing my pickup location.   I was able to get to them before they exited, since then I always debark with my bags.

 

People suck sometimes.

[LibertyBella]

Well, one time my SIL forgot one of her bags--I mean she really forgot she had even brought it on the cruise--and went home and then remembered!  Yes, the cruise line packed it up and shipped it home to her.

 

A few years ago my big bag was lost on my way home from a longer European cruise as we were on connecting flights and it just did not make it.  I was very stressed because I had a lot of fancy gowns and wonderful souvenirs. However, after filling out all the forms I received some great email updates (not in English!) and my bag had a very good journey!  It was delivered to my home by a private driver late at night after arriving in the airport two days after me. 

 

Another time I went on a cruise and my luggage was never delivered that first day.  The airline had put it on the wrong flight!  Because we were at sea I had to wait a few days until the luggage could catch up with us.  I had to buy underwear, clothes, and even a formal gown on the ship, and they lent me some high heel shoes.  The airline did pay for a certain amount of clothes afterwards.

 

Yes, we always look all around the dock area after disembarkation.  I think it is much safer to have the bag still in the cruise area rather than on an airplane somewhere. I do agree bags get moved around a little bit.  I probably would not have departed the cruise terminal until I looked everywhere and asked the workers for help.  We do not self-carry our big suitcases off the ship.

 

Well, I would not say I would never travel again because of misplaced luggage.  True LOST luggage is when it is gone for at least a month, and by then it is probably not recoverable.  The adventures of travel make for great stories and memories.

[onlyano]

9 hours ago, LibertyBella said:

Yes, we always look all around the dock area after disembarkation.  I think it is much safer to have the bag still in the cruise area rather than on an airplane somewhere. I do agree bags get moved around a little bit.  I probably would not have departed the cruise terminal until I looked everywhere and asked the workers for help.  We do not self-carry our big suitcases off the ship.

 

Well, I would not say I would never travel again because of misplaced luggage.  True LOST luggage is when it is gone for at least a month, and by then it is probably not recoverable.  The adventures of travel make for great stories and memories.

 

I had to leave the cruise area because I had a plane to catch. 

 

Looks like I am already over my Carnival boycott, because I have a deposit down on the Celebration for April.