So upset with Oceania

[pmatawan]

We are book on a grand voyage that includes free luggage service. I received the "blue book"  with luggage tags today and expected to see info about luggage service. So I call Oceania and they tell me to call luggage forward. Luggage forward says they have no request for service from Oceania and to call them back. Having a wonderful friendly contact at Oceania, I emailed asking for help. Oceania says the luggage service can not deliver to ship in Mumbai and offered some obc as compensation. I am so disappointed in Oceania. We have a pre cruise planned and don't want to drag luggage with us, looking for another luggage shipping  company, asked Oceania if they can increase compensation or offer another solution.

[Flatbush Flyer]

53 minutes ago, pmatawan said:

We are book on a grand voyage that includes free luggage service. I received the "blue book"  with luggage tags today and expected to see info about luggage service. So I call Oceania and they tell me to call luggage forward. Luggage forward says they have no request for service from Oceania and to call them back. Having a wonderful friendly contact at Oceania, I emailed asking for help. Oceania says the luggage service can not deliver to ship in Mumbai and offered some obc as compensation. I am so disappointed in Oceania. We have a pre cruise planned and don't want to drag luggage with us, looking for another luggage shipping  company, asked Oceania if they can increase compensation or offer another solution.

If industry leading Luggage Forward says it can’t deliver to Mumbai, I wouldn’t trust others to do it.

FWIW: when we do certain pre-cruise land stays (e.g., Safari), we’ll fly to the embark port (e.g., CPT) and leave our main luggage at the hotel we’ll use for two nights pre-cruise. We pack duffels in our checked bags and use them for the initial land trek and any local domestic flights (e.g., Safari). Works great!

[PhD-iva]

1 hour ago, pmatawan said:

We are book on a grand voyage that includes free luggage service. I received the "blue book"  with luggage tags today and expected to see info about luggage service. So I call Oceania and they tell me to call luggage forward. Luggage forward says they have no request for service from Oceania and to call them back. Having a wonderful friendly contact at Oceania, I emailed asking for help. Oceania says the luggage service can not deliver to ship in Mumbai and offered some obc as compensation. I am so disappointed in Oceania. We have a pre cruise planned and don't want to drag luggage with us, looking for another luggage shipping  company, asked Oceania if they can increase compensation or offer another solution.

I am so sorry to hear this. I would also be very disappointed. Ridiculous to offer a service unavailable in the country you are going to. What’s up with that? Did I misunderstand the issue?

[pmatawan]

From what I have been able to gather, India will not release luggage to 3rd parties. The owner must claim luggage at customs at airport. I guess that's too complicated an issue for Oceania as they just say Luggage Direct is a 3rd party provider and can not provide additional information. They are servicing cruisers boarding in other ports, just not Mumbai.

Edited December 8, 2023 by pmatawan
Typo

[Snaefell3]

Rube Goldberg would be proud of "Oceania free baggage shipping".

 

Oceania "partners" with Luggage Forward, who in turn contracts with UPS/FedEx/DHL/etc to pick up your bags, transport them to your embarkation port, and deliver them to whichever port agent there that Oceania hired.  The port agent holds the bags before delivering them to your your ship on embarkation day.  Then the ship's crew in turn delivers the bags to your cabin.

 

Lots of moving parts, lots of chance for missed communication, lots of chance for bags to go astray.  But, IMNSHO, still more reliable than getting them there as checked airline baggage.

[pmatawan]

5 minutes ago, Snaefell3 said:

Rube Goldberg would be proud of "Oceania free baggage shipping".

 

Oceania "partners" with Luggage Forward, who in turn contracts with UPS/FedEx/DHL/etc to pick up your bags, transport them to your embarkation port, and deliver them to whichever port agent there that Oceania hired.  The port agent holds the bags before delivering them to your your ship on embarkation day.  Then the ship's crew in turn delivers the bags to your cabin.

 

Lots of moving parts, lots of chance for missed communication, lots of chance for bags to go astray.  But, IMNSHO, still more reliable than getting them there as checked airline baggage.

And lots of poor communication on Oceanias part, advertising a service "their service partners" cannot deliver. 

[LHT28]

On 12/8/2023 at 5:09 PM, pmatawan said:

From what I have been able to gather, India will not release luggage to 3rd parties. The owner must claim luggage at customs at airport. I guess that's too complicated an issue for Oceania as they just say Luggage Direct is a 3rd party provider and can not provide additional information. They are servicing cruisers boarding in other ports, just not Mumbai.

So you  will be in Mumbai  to board the ship   can you not just collect it at the airport??

Seems like  an issue with customs in India  so  using another delivery service will probably have the same issue

[pmatawan]

1 minute ago, LHT28 said:

So you  will be in Mumbai  to board the ship   can you not just collect it at the airport??

Seems like  an issue with customs in India  so  using another delivery service will probably have the same issue

Oceania has not ordered service from  luggage forward for me and has not yet given me any alternatives other  than to offer some obc. They are just pointing fingers and hiding behind "3rd party providers".

I'm hoping my appeals don't result in a form letter reply. 

 

[LHT28]

9 minutes ago, pmatawan said:

Oceania has not ordered service from  luggage forward for me and has not yet given me any alternatives other  than to offer some obc. They are just pointing fingers and hiding behind "3rd party providers".

I'm hoping my appeals don't result in a form letter reply. 

 

I do not see why they cannot have your bags delivered to Mumbai airport   as  Luggage Forward  does have that destination listed

You will just need to collect them  from Customs

Anyone on the roll call having the same issue?

good luck

[Hlitner]

A few observations from 50+ years of extensive travel.  We have never lost a bag (knock on a bulkhead) which we attribute to keeping our luggage with us when traveling.  Shipping luggage to third world countries is just not something we will do.  These days, having Air Tags in each piece is also a smart strategy.  
 

We have met plenty of folks who swear by Luggage Direct, DHL, and others.  We have also met quite a few who have spent weeks waiting for luggage services to react to missing bags.  It’s great when you get to your destination and the luggage is awaiting your arrival.  But a true nightmare when the pieces disappear and the various services start playing the blame game while you seethe.

 

Following Silverseas thread where a lady going on their world cruise has two missing bags (out of 7) last seen in Memphis on their way to Florida.  Such is life.

 

Hank

[Flatbush Flyer]

14 hours ago, pmatawan said:

And lots of poor communication on Oceanias part, advertising a service "their service partners" cannot deliver. 

Did you read your O ticket contract and T&Cs. As do most (if not all) cruise lines, O assumes zero liability for the performance of its contracted services which include things like air arrangements, port services, spas, ship’s excursions, luggage forward….)

[pmatawan]

5 minutes ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Did you read your O ticket contract and T&Cs. As do most (if not all) cruise lines, O assumes zero liability for the performance of its contracted services which include things like air arrangements, port services, spas, ship’s excursions, luggage forward….)

Yes and I'm sure there is a clause about errors and omissions also.

[Harry Lake]

4 hours ago, Hlitner said:

We have never lost a bag (knock on a bulkhead) which we attribute to keeping our luggage with us when traveling.  Shipping luggage to third world countries is just not something we will do.

When my spouse was working, they traveled 50% to 75% of the time, domestic and intl, first and second and third world. And never lost a bag. Once that I remember he had one delayed because HE had cut his connection too short. But that was it.

[pmatawan]

I tried luggagetoship and they can not provide service to port in Mumbai either. I know it's a customs issue, but shouldn't Oceania  have known about this? Shouldn't someone have advised me that an advertised amenity is not available? I'm resigned to the fact that I'll be lugging my bags though 4 different airports and paying excess baggage fees and extra fees for hiring vans instead of sedans for transfers. These costs well exceed what has been offered by Oceania.

[Snaefell3]

Lessons to be learned:

• It may be Oceania's fault, but it's YOUR problem.  Track your bags so you can start folks fixing issues early.

• "Combat load" your bags.  Do not pack them "his" and "hers".  Better for both of you to have ½ your stuff than one of you to have none.

• Shipping bags early gives more time to get any issues fixed than does airline checking your bags.

• "Traveling" is a short way of saying "there will be opportunities to solve problems".

[ShopperfiendTO]

On 12/10/2023 at 1:16 PM, pmatawan said:

I tried luggagetoship and they can not provide service to port in Mumbai either. I know it's a customs issue, but shouldn't Oceania  have known about this? Shouldn't someone have advised me that an advertised amenity is not available? I'm resigned to the fact that I'll be lugging my bags though 4 different airports and paying excess baggage fees and extra fees for hiring vans instead of sedans for transfers. These costs well exceed what has been offered by Oceania.

Could you explain why you would be lugging your way through 4 different airports?  

Don’t you just check them in at your initial airport leg and not see them again until arriving at the final airport?

[ShopperfiendTO]

36 minutes ago, ShopperfiendTO said:

Could you explain why you would be lugging your way through 4 different airports?  

Don’t you just check them in at your initial airport leg and not see them again until arriving at the final airport?

Oops, I think I understand what you wrote.  Please disregard my earlier post, it’s too late for me to delete it.

[pmatawan]

45 minutes ago, ShopperfiendTO said:

Could you explain why you would be lugging your way through 4 different airports?  

Don’t you just check them in at your initial airport leg and not see them again until arriving at the final airport?

We have an early flight out of Newark so we are flying out of our home town airport up a day early and spending the night at an airport hotel. I asked if I could check my baggage through and was told no as an overnight was involved.

Then we fly to Delhi for a pre trip visit to Agra to visit Taj Mahal. We have a tour reserved, but the sedan will not fit our luggage so we will check cruise luggage into storage facility and pick them up before our flight from Delhi to Mumbai.

All my plans were made thinking we would be traveling with a carry on only. The friend who was to drive us to the airport can't because of the luggage, so we will likely take a car service. Oh, excess baggage charges also. 

[shepherd really]

Since Luggage Forward is included, have you spoken to Oceania about sending your luggage to meet the ship at the first port Luggage forward can deliver too and just pack enough to get by until then?  

[pmatawan]

4 minutes ago, shepherd really said:

Since Luggage Forward is included, have you spoken to Oceania about sending your luggage to meet the ship at the first port Luggage forward can deliver too and just pack enough to get by until then?  

I've emailed a member of upper management to ask his team to find a solution rather then the obc they offered and did not receive a response yet. First 4 ports are in India, so the same custom issues probably exist there also.

[ORV]

Just how much luggage are you taking? Perhaps this is part of the problem. 

[pmatawan]

5 minutes ago, ORV said:

Just how much luggage are you taking? Perhaps this is part of the problem. 

It's a 72 night cruise.

[pmatawan]

4 minutes ago, pmatawan said:

It's a 72 night cruise.

Need to pack for warm weather and not so warm weather. We were planning on shipping 3 large suitcases for the 2 of us and  each traveling with a carry bag on for our pre-cruise. 

Edited December 12, 2023 by pmatawan
Clarify

[ORV]

Do they have included laundry for a cruise this long? Truly, no one but you care if you wear the same clothes more than once. 

[pmatawan]

Just now, ORV said:

Do they have included laundry for a cruise this long? Truly, no one but you care if you wear the same clothes more than once. 

Yes, they have a laundry and we will survive this 1st world problem.... my point is we were promised a service, never notified that Oceania and their 3rd party providers couldn't deliver on their promises. I relied on information provided by Oceania on every invoice and planned accordingly. Oceania let me down, no excuse for poor communication.