Lost Luggage with Formal Wear

[stan01]

Let's say the worst happens, and luggage containing formal wear does not arrive for a transatlantic cruise despite all efforts by the passenger to be proactive such as travelling at least one day early.  Airlines can and do lose bags.  What is the reasonable expectation for a passenger who faces this?  Should one be expected to only eat in their room or casual dining even if they are in a QG or PG suite?  Putting formal wear into carry ons isn't achievable.  I certainly hope losing bags doesn't happen, but at the same time it would seriously detract from one's enjoyment of an expensive vacation.

 

 

[exlondoner]

Two thoughts.

Firstly, aren’t airlines that lose luggage supposed to reimburse for essentials? A visit to M and S would supply those at a reasonable price. 
Secondly the ship might help and be able to supply something suitable perhaps.

 

[Poole Boy]

14 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Two thoughts.

Firstly, aren’t airlines that lose luggage supposed to reimburse for essentials? A visit to M and S would supply those at a reasonable price. 
Secondly the ship might help and be able to supply something suitable perhaps.

 

Or John Lewis, who have a surprisingly good range of formal suits available at the moment.

[Qcsailor]

From Cunard web site:

 

QM2 and QV

Yes, gentlemen can rent tuxedos, including shirts, pants and dinner jackets, on board from the shops

Tuxedo packages range from $90 for one night up to $250 for 5 nights

We do not currently offer a rental service for ladies formal wear on board, however a range of women’s evening wear is available to purchase from our on board shops. 

 

QE

Yes, gentlemen can rent tuxedos (pants and dinner jackets) on board from the shops

Tuxedo packages range from $130 for one night up to $250 for 5 nights

We do not currently offer a rental service for ladies formal wear on board, however a range of women’s evening wear is available to purchase from our on board shops. 

[D&N]

53 minutes ago, stan01 said:

Let's say the worst happens, and luggage containing formal wear does not arrive for a transatlantic cruise despite all efforts by the passenger to be proactive such as travelling at least one day early.  Airlines can and do lose bags.  What is the reasonable expectation for a passenger who faces this?  Should one be expected to only eat in their room or casual dining even if they are in a QG or PG suite?  Putting formal wear into carry ons isn't achievable.  I certainly hope losing bags doesn't happen, but at the same time it would seriously detract from one's enjoyment of an expensive vacation.

 

 

You don't say what your airline luggage allowance is.

 

We only need to fly from Nice to London on an economy flight, and have 2 checked bags, 2 (full cabin size) backpacks, and 2 smaller under seat bags. We share our formal wear around all 4 of the larger bags. And we put anything that couldn't be replaced in the backpacks. If both our checked bags went missing, we'd still manage to have tuxes and gowns available for the 14 nights. I also put the QM2 address at Red Hook inside the checked bags, with the date and time the ship will be docked in case British Airways found them and were able to get them to the ship in time for our second week.

[Victoria2]

Quite honestly, if an airline 'lost' my bags and couldn't forward them, I would hope we'd have total consideration from Cunard and if they couldn't furnish me with rented clothes, I would expect   to be treated with courtesy and consideration and be 'allowed', to travel as if we were dress code compliant.

[Windsurfboy]

24 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Quite honestly, if an airline 'lost' my bags and couldn't forward them, I would hope we'd have total consideration from Cunard and if they couldn't furnish me with rented clothes, I would expect   to be treated with courtesy and consideration and be 'allowed', to travel as if we were dress code compliant.

 

Completely agree, but not sure about rented clothes . First port of call would be one of well known  shops to buy the basics, underwear , nightwear, shirts , for a week ...... A tux would be bottom of list.

[Victoria2]

6 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Completely agree, but not sure about rented clothes . First port of call would be one of well known  shops to buy the basics, underwear , nightwear, shirts , for a week ...... A tux would be bottom of list.

Slightly problematic on a TA

[exlondoner]

15 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Slightly problematic on a TA

I think it was a metaphor.

[Victoria2]

6 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I think it was a metaphor.

What was?

 

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

What was?

 

The port of call.

[Windsurfboy]

Yes , never thought when I said first port of call, meant first port of call ie first thing I would do, would be a shop to......

 

This is one advantage that was never discussed of buying air tickets via Cunard. Although the airline would be the one legally responsible to reimburse you, there would a moral responsibility for Cunard to be accommodating as their agent had caused problem. 

Edited May 2 by Windsurfboy

[Host Hattie]

Several years ago our formal clothes sent via White Star Luggage didn't catch up to the ship until about Day 4.

The ship lent Mr HH clothing, they did have a few evening dresses but nothing that fit me !

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Windsurfboy said:

Yes , never thought when I said  port of call, meant port of call would be a shop to......

 

This is one advantage that was never discussed of buying air tickets via Cunard. Although the airline would be the one legally responsible to reimburse you, there would a moral responsibility for Cunard to be accommodating as their agent had caused problem. 

It is also another benefit of flying in the day before, as it gives some chance of re-equipping. And it is clearly very sensible to put things belonging to both passengers in each suitcase if you are travelling with someone else, though I would find that very difficult. 

[Victoria2]

12 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Yes , never thought when I said first port of call, meant first port of call ie first thing I would do, would be a shop to......

 

This is one advantage that was never discussed of buying air tickets via Cunard. Although the airline would be the one legally responsible to reimburse you, there would a moral responsibility for Cunard to be accommodating as their agent had caused problem. 

 

17 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

The port of call.

Ah

Never knew there were well known shops on a TA [#7] trip where one could buy the essentials. One lives and learns!

Edited May 2 by Victoria2

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Host Hattie said:

Several years ago our formal clothes sent via White Star Luggage didn't catch up to the ship until about Day 4.

The ship lent Mr HH clothing, they did have a few evening dresses but nothing that fit me !

Very good that you weren’t on a TA. Did you get compensated by the luggage people?

[Windsurfboy]

10 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

 

Ah

Never knew there were well known shops on a TA [#7] trip where one could buy the essentials. One lives and learns!

 

 first port of call is a well known English saying for the first place I would go. 

[exlondoner]

10 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 first port of call is a well known English saying for the first place I would go. 

But perhaps rather confusing in the context, like describing a fireman as blazing, when you mean he was furious.

[Victoria2]

12 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 first port of call is a well known English saying for the first place I would go. 

Of course it is but again, problematic if on a TA.

Hopefully, Cunard would assist and a friend to whom this happened not on Cunard, told me fellow passengers pitched in to help.

[WantedOnVoyage]

Happened to me thanks to United en route to Southampton and QV to the Baltic last May. Not an issue... Cunard provided, gratis, with full formal attire (thank goodness I flew in a suit and tie and black shoes), lent me a perfect fit Next suit, shirts etc. (I was lucky a former cruise director was my size it seems) and other kit, too.   My luggage finally caught up with me halfway through the cruise at Stockholm. Wish I had kept the suit....

 

I wouldn't fly United again in a month of Sundays and this reminded me why I value Cunard Line. 

 

 

Edited May 2 by WantedOnVoyage

[tigerfan75]

In the U.S., typical travel insurance would reimburse expenses (up to a specified limit) for clothing due to lost or delayed luggage.  Perhaps this can be the back-up plan?

[ratflinger]

WantedOnVoyag, Years ago flying all over for Business United lost my Luggage twice in one week. So I wanted to gate check and the Agent at the gate told me she could not. I explained that they had lost my luggage already twice this week and she better comply. She told me that she was a Flight Attendant for 20 Years and never lost her Luggage. My reply was that I had never seen a Flight Attendant check their Luggage in all my Years of Travel. She gate Checked it.

[WantedOnVoyage]

Stuff occasionally happens with travel. I know, I had 42 years in the travel business and the scars to prove it.  But it's how companies deal with it and their customers that counts... Cunard and everyone associated with them, including InterCruise (their transfer agents) and Cunard's Swedish agents... were simply outstanding. United was not. I have booked four cruises with Cunard since then and would never set foot on a United plane again.

[napria]

40 years ago on our honeymoon to Hawaii, our luggage was lost.  Our hotel had a dress code in the restaurant for dinner.  As a new bride, and after flying more hours than I’d ever flown in my life, I tearfully explained that we were on our honeymoon and our luggage was lost. The Maitre’d seated us in a back corner of the restaurant and we got our dinner. Our luggage didn’t catch up to us for two days.

 

I now always travel with a few changes of under garments in my carry on bag, as well as a lbd (little black dress).  It’s a thin, sleeveless dress that can be dressed up with a necklace or scarf.  
 

Travel insurance covers anything I would need beyond my contingency plan, and fortunately the ships have stores.

[Pushpit]

I know the internal process that British Airways uses in this scenario, and it makes a big difference as to where your next port of call about 3 days from the embarkation airport. The notes are 8 pages long so there is a genuine attempt to do something about it. But for a transatlantic it's very problematic for obvious reasons - BA will attempt to contact the passenger to ask if they want it returned home or to the disembarkation port, to summarise rather a lot of details.

 

BA's policy is to pay "reasonable and necessary costs" up to an amount denominated in SDRs, let's say £1400 per person. This is the maximum liability under the Montréal Convention so all IATA airlines are bound by this. But it also covers complete loss, a rare scenario, as well as delay reimbursement. Maybe some Avios on top for customer relations purposes, but in essence because Montréal sets the standard then BA doesn't go beyond that by default. Clearly some people will need insurance for that (and insurance is mandatory for UK Point of Sale bookings).

 

I have seen it happen on QE2 and QM2. In QE2 it was basically "we can lend you some items, but regardless, you must abide by the dress standard".

 

On QM2 , it was a couple on my next table and the gentleman's single bag went missing (the lady's 4 bags arrived on time, so yeah that was something to talk about). They had gone into M&S to grab what they could in 30 minutes - helped by a department manager who was very much aware of this scenario, guided them around the relevant shelves, pushed the transaction through without them having to queue, who even told offered to drive them to Mayflower. He also gave them a business card for any follow up with insurance or the airline.  The flight was late and they were worried about QM2 leaving the dock - of course it didn't do so until 9pm but these things aren't always clear. 

 

The Maitre d' did come around specifically to the table and said to them "sorry to hear about this, but you really don't need to worry. Sir, you look very fine as you are". Everyone was very kind.