Luggage took a different cruise

[eandj]

I wouldn't be looking for a "free cruise" either. However, your discussion here, and every time you bring it up to others ,is the worst kind of P.R. Celebrity could imagine. I would remind them of that and ask for a considerable on-board credit. If you use it to pay your final bill, they are still getting your money. The room upgrade might not be practical depending on how full the ship is.

I put the blame on Celebrity. If they want to deal with the hotel after the fact, becasue they have a contract to use that hotel, then so be it. Considering Celebrity is part of RCI, it makes it even more irritating.

[ironwmnmk]

CELEBRITY????????

 

 

Sheraton is the one who goofed-but the hotel should reimburse for sure! Ofcourse you would think at the RCI dock they would have had sense enough - to realize the luggage tags did not match their ship and send the bags over to the correct ship-but I can't see how Celebrity would be the least bit responsible.

 

 

Maybe I am wrong, however the instructions letter that we received from both Celebrity and the Sheraton regarding the transfer of luggage reads as follows:

 

“there will be a bag pull in the morning starting at 9:30am. Luggages must be inside your room next to the door for pick up. The cruise line is responsible for collecting, transporting and delivering your luggage to your cabin”

 

I have the letters - typed it directly as worded. I interpret this to mean that it is Celebrity that became responsible for my luggage from the moment it left my hotel room until I received it again, unfortunately but not tragically it was seven days later that this occurred for me.

 

This was not an airline issue, I got my bag from the carousel in San Juan. As I understand it travel insurance is not applicable since I had a contract with Celebrity to handle and transport my bags from hotel to ship.

 

I was told that this particular mix up does not happen often. The circumstances that probably played a role are the facts that:

1. the Royal Caribbean ship was docked right behind our Celebrity ship - literally a few feet away. I believe the terminal was being used to check passengers in from both ships, although I didn't pay much attention to that at the time, I knew where I wanted to be.

2. I was told that the luggage tags used by Celebrity and Royal Caribbean look very much alike as it is the same company (beware......)

3. Luggage transfer operations that were taking place outside the hotel were somewhat chaotic.

4. My bag knew that I want to see Barbados someday so it was trying to save me the trouble.

[ironwmnmk]

I wouldn't be looking for a "free cruise" either. However, your discussion here, and every time you bring it up to others ,is the worst kind of P.R. Celebrity could imagine.

 

Good point, I will kindly/politely/gently work into my letter that I have sought out the sage advice of others on cruisecritic.com in an effort to obtain objective perspective of this situation.

[Terpnut]

4. My bag knew that I want to see Barbados someday so it was trying to save me the trouble.

No, your bag decided that IT wanted to go to Barbados and not Aruba, so IT decided to sail RCI and not Celebrity! :D

[Skyglider]

If her bags were tagged with Celebrity's tags, isn't that already pretty obvious?? What more can a person do? If the baggage handlers aren't looking, don't care or whatever, there is NOTHING else you can do.

Ok, let me change that from

 

"Additional OBVIOUS baggage tags with ship name, departure port and departure date" (I was thinking in big red letters)

-to-

"Large semi-permanent paper labels stuck to both sides of the suitcases with ship name, departure port and departure date in big red text".

 

That should be more obvious than the luggage tags.....;)

Believe me, I am not above doing this and will for our upcoming cruise. There is just too much money and time involved to have a trip ruined by lost luggage. Then if it still happens, it must be fate. Other's actions will vary.:)

[ironwmnmk]

It seems as most that have read and replied understand my reasoning for starting this thread, but I just feel as though I want to clarify things for some.

 

Did not having my luggage and all of it's contents completely ruin my cruise? Of course not, I love life and living much too much to allow that to be true. That is just who I am. But, for me, cruising is both the opportunity to get away from where I live and how I live. I LOVE meeting new people, seeing and photographing new places, learning about new cultures, doing new things. In addition though, I LOVE becoming someone who I usually am not, dressing up to the nines, feeling elegant and glamourous. These are some of the things I look forward to, plan for and fantasize about from the moment I book a vacation until I get to live it out. So please, try and not have an opinion of me being a pouty spoil-sport. I simply had an unusual experience and since the cruise line is apparently held responsible, I am seeking opinions and advise from more experienced cruisers than I.

[martinimadam]

Ironwmnmk - I think you have shown a remarkably pleasant attitude in all of your posts. No one in their right minds could think of you as a pouty spoil-sport if they've read them carefully. So, don't worry about that :) . And, you're right. It was Celebrity's responsibility, not the Sheraton's, as you had signed up for a Celebrity pre-cruise package. And thanks for quoting from the instruction letter. Makes everything very clear...

[CC Help Michell]

Did have a carry-on with few clothes, bathing suits, jewelry, some toiletries. But from what this experience taught me

 

1. No more his and her bags. All bags will be packed with a variety of both of our clothes. (snip)

 

Yes -- this is a very good example of why cross-packing has been standard cruise advice for donkey's years. Each of you pack some of everything in all the bags you are taking. Then the worst case is you wind up wearing the same stuff repeatedly and washing it at night in the cabin, but at least it's YOUR stuff.

 

Hope you get compensation you think is sufficient.

[KLLund]

I learned my lesson on the his and her bags when we arrived in Istanbul for out 16 day Mediterreanean cruise and my luggage took a separate vacation .. I decided to look at it as a challenge and buying levi's and underwear in the grand Bazaar in Istanbul will probably always be a fond memory .. By the way if you are in Turkey .. and you want panty hose .. you must ask for See though Long Knickers.

 

The suitcase caught up with us after Istanbul .. Kusadasi .. Cyprus .. and Cairo .. and 2 sea days. I now am an experienced shopper in Turkey and Cyprus .. but the fun we had !!!!!!!!

 

Now the clothing gets divided .. and if it happens again .. he has to share the pain !!

[Terpnut]

I learned my lesson on the his and her bags when we arrived in Istanbul for out 16 day Mediterreanean cruise and my luggage took a separate vacation .. I decided to look at it as a challenge and buying levi's and underwear in the grand Bazaar in Istanbul will probably always be a fond memory .. By the way if you are in Turkey .. and you want panty hose .. you must ask for See though Long Knickers.

 

The suitcase caught up with us after Istanbul .. Kusadasi .. Cyprus .. and Cairo .. and 2 sea days. I now am an experienced shopper in Turkey and Cyprus .. but the fun we had !!!!!!!!

 

Now the clothing gets divided .. and if it happens again .. he has to share the pain !!

For the benefit of the OP, what compensation (if any) did the cruise line give you for your inconvenience?

[ironwmnmk]

For the benefit of the OP, what compensation (if any) did the cruise line give you for your inconvenience?

 

We are developing a psychic connection because you beat me to my question!

 

Yes, KLLund was the delay due to the cruise line and what was their response?

[KLLund]

The ship was Celebrity Millenium .. and they gave me a t-shirt (which I wore with a pair of my husband's plaid boxer shorts to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul) and a small bag of essential toiletries.

 

But the problem was actually with Delta ( Don't Expect Luggage To Arrive )airlines who lost the bag between Paris an Istanbul.

 

Did I feel I deserved more .. no the experience itself was priceless :)

[KLLund]

Oh .. and my formal clothes got there .. sans shoes and underwear .. but the cruiseline called me every time there was a formal night to see if I needed something to wear .. which I thought was nice

 

They also kept me informed of what to expect re the lost bag .. Ie ..if it doesn't meet you in Kusadasi .. you will see it in Athens at the soonest .. so I did have an idea of what I needed to deal with.

[ironwmnmk]

The ship was Celebrity Millenium .. and they gave me a t-shirt

 

Then we have matching shirts! Seriously, I did feel as though the staff aboard were outstanding in how they helped me to cope. I was given daily laundry service, told to buy what I needed and submit receipts, given suggestions on where to shop, etc. The Front Office Manager offered a complimentary night of dining at the Normandy Restaurant on the last night, but we had already dined there earlier in the week and I really wanted to spend the last night with our new friends from our table, so we declined. That afternoon I was contacted by the concierge who asked me what my table number was. I wondered "Why, is my bag going to join us for dinner?" They sent a very nice bottle of wine for me to share.

[ironwmnmk]

oops

[Lynne79]

I think it's great that you didn't let this put a damper on your cruise.

 

It's just me, but if I were writing a letter of complaint, I would not ask for anything specific or a specific dollar amount. I would ask what Celebrity can do to compensate you for yout trouble. And remind them that you have an upcoming cruise. When you get a response and a starting point, then I might haggle if their offer is not satisfactory. (Of course I have no experience doing this with a cruise company.)

[ironwmnmk]

I think it's great that you didn't let this put a damper on your cruise.

 

It's just me, but if I were writing a letter of complaint, I would not ask for anything specific or a specific dollar amount. I would ask what Celebrity can do to compensate you for yout trouble. And remind them that you have an upcoming cruise. When you get a response and a starting point, then I might haggle if their offer is not satisfactory. (Of course I have no experience doing this with a cruise company.)

 

I have thought of that also, and it just may be the way I do choose to establish communication with them. Through resources I have been able to obtain the contact information of all Officers (Chairman and CEO all the way down the line) and even the Board Members of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. I am just about finished with my letter of explanation (events and how I was affected) to email out to some rather interesting titles. The open ended approach just may be best because I have no actual experience with this either. Who knows, maybe CEO would say to give me OBC equivalent to my portion of fare spent on this past cruise. That would buy a lot of Flirtinis.

[Scylersmom]

I'd definitely be looking for a free cruise out of this!

 

I have a feeling that you are one of those people that complain about everything and then blame everyone else.

If lost luggage is a reason for a free cruise, then I think alot of people will be "loosing" their luggage.

She obviously didn't intend to lose her luggage to negotiate a "free cruise". It was just an unfortunate situation. I would be looking for some form of compensation as well-just to take some of the sting out of this whole ordeal. I for one will learn a lesson from this for my upcoming cruise. Make sure I divide our clothes up between all of the suitcases.

[sustyse]

I learned my lesson on the his and her bags when we arrived in Istanbul for out 16 day Mediterreanean cruise and my luggage took a separate vacation .. I decided to look at it as a challenge and buying levi's and underwear in the grand Bazaar in Istanbul will probably always be a fond memory .. By the way if you are in Turkey .. and you want panty hose .. you must ask for See though Long Knickers.

 

The suitcase caught up with us after Istanbul .. Kusadasi .. Cyprus .. and Cairo .. and 2 sea days. I now am an experienced shopper in Turkey and Cyprus .. but the fun we had !!!!!!!!

 

Now the clothing gets divided .. and if it happens again .. he has to share the pain !!

 

Does he have to share your "see through long knickers" also?:D

[Nikgirlcruiser]

I have to admit this is somthing I worry about! I would have a hard time dealing if my luggage were lost.

[ironwmnmk]

I have to admit this is somthing I worry about! I would have a hard time dealing if my luggage were lost.

 

HAHAHA when I first read your reply I "saw" your name as nakedgirlcruiser - thought of us as kindred spirits!

 

It was really bad for me from when I woke up on the first morning and still found no bag. Then when I spoke with concierge about it still being missing she lacked authorization to offer anything concrete at the time other than a Celebrity white T-shirt and a pair of white cotton panties that even she admitted were much too large for me, I simply cried and left. Sitting by my self on deck four, crying, bewildered, at the break of dawn, it occurred to me that probably someone manning the security cameras was watching to see if I was about to jump overboard.

That first day in port was not enjoyable as I believe I have already posted - frantic shopping sums it up.

Finally, that nights first Formal dinner was making a sort of lump in my throat because I had such a great dress in that bag that I had never worn other than in the dressing room of Lord & Taylor.

 

But, my dh kindly reminded me of one of my personal mantras that "things could be worse", like my bag made it to the ship but I didn't, so perspective thankfully took over and the rest of the week was truly enjoyable. It became a great story to meet strangers with, deciding what to wear was suddenly simple, and as my hubby says - now I'm a tougher cruiser because of it.

 

In carry on I had one nice skirt and knit top that I had packed to wear to dinner that first night planning for the possibility of not getting bag until late that night. Well that outfit became my hubby's "favorite outfit" for me to wear. As in - "What do you think I should wear tonight dear, this skirt and brown top?" "Yes. I love that outfit on you." "Okay." We have joked about putting in a glass case like a retire sports jersey!

[San Diego Ellie]

Michelle, hope you will let us all know how it comes out compensation wise. AFter reading your thread, DH and I are each packing some of our clothing in each other's cases in the future.

[ironwmnmk]

I will definitely keep everyone posted. I have decided to take the approach suggested by Lynne79 and one that I had considered. Priority Mail Letters will go out tomorrow and I shall also be contacting the office of Personal Property Damages whom I had to submit the receipts for the clothing I purchased while on board. Always the optimist, I don't anticipate there being any issues regarding the clothing reimbursement - just hope that it will be resolved quickly. The greater issue of compensation for the whole problem created by the lost of luggage I imagine might drag out some, but who knows, maybe not. Either way I'll definitely let people know. You all have been great. If I ever do decide to write an essay "The week my luggage and I took separate vacations" I'll be sure to let you all know!