Flying in for a cruise question

[Notso]

This is our third cruise, but we usually just drive. We are carrying on our luggage, but one of our planes is teeny so I know we will have to gate check on one leg.

My question is: What info do I put on my luggage tag? I usually throw in a business card, add my cell number and hotel info and call it a day, but if our luggage is lost and takes more to a day to find, I'll need it to somehow find our cruise. Is that even possible?

Any pros have tips?

 

[Justacruiser]

did you book your flights thru DCL?

 

[sillecruisers]

We are flying in 2 days prior and not putting cruise info on our checked bags. I think a cell number would suffice- they would call you and you could let them know where you are at that point.

Disclaimer: not speaking from personal experience. We are flying in a week and I am not concerned with that happening.

 

[wilkeliza]

If your luggage is lost and you are flying in the day of or even day before the cruise it will be rather hard for them to find you. You can put the guest services number, the ship you are on, and the sale dates if you wish but no guarantee the airline is going to call. We've never had airline luggage go missing on our way to a cruise but that doesn't mean it won't or doesn't happen.

Never happened to me but I have met a couple who actually lost their luggage at the port! Disney is not who is in charge of getting your luggage actually on board, that is handled by the port staff, and occasionally a bag falls off the trolly or never even makes it on one and just sits at the dock until you realize it is missing and they go hunting for it.

 

[Notso]

We are flying in two days before, and did not book through DCL, but do have insurance.

 

[JessM]

If the airline loses your luggage you will have to stop by their luggage desk in the baggage claim area. The airline will ask for your baggage sticker stub (sorry I can't remember the actual name for this), they should be able to scan the stub and tell you where your bag is. Both times i had bags go missing the agent was able to tell me which flight my bag will likely be put on next to reach my destination.

You will then need to fill out a claim form where you will list your info and where you want the bag to be delivered. Every time I have had a bag go missing they usually deliver it within 24 hours to wherever I ask them to bring it. SW has even left bags in our garage overnight while we were sleeping.

It's a good idea to have your info on the bag in case the airline baggage sticker comes off but you will know the bag is missing before they will when it doesn't show up at baggage claim, then you can give them any additional hotel or cruise information.

 

[turtle27]

The last time they made me gate check my bag on one of those tiny planes (they asked everyone to), they were so slow unloading them, I almost missed my next flight, we waited for our gate checked bags for over 20 minutes. Luckily, there were enough of us, that they held the plane for a few minutes. I would not have been so annoyed, except for the fact that there was room on the plane for some of the bags. My advice, depending on your connection, just don't part with your bag, so long as it really will fit in the overhead bin. I don't trust the airlines any longer.

 

[Club Disney Chandler]

Not trying to tell you what you should do or anything but just sharing a helpful hint. When my family of 4 go on cruises we each put clothes on every suitcases. That way of 1 or 2 get lost none of us are completely without our stuff. Just my $.02

 

[bumbershoot]

For the leg with the gate check, I'd ask them to gate, hmm, UNcheck that bag so you pick it up on the ramp if possible. That way you have it in hand.

 

[MunFam]

I fly internationally for work a lot. Often times with printers and computers in my checked bags. I usually put my travel itinerary in an envelope and seal it. I write on the front of the envelope "travel itinerary for XXX" and stick it on top. The reason I do this is because we often move around a bit...so if the bag gets lost, and we are in a remote area with limited reception and internet, they can still look at the date and figure out what city/airport to forward the luggage to. This has been needed twice. The reason I seal it, is because I do not want any of the workers to know when I will be away from home and when I will be back because my luggage tags have my address on them...which says...send your friend to rob me. I have never had the seal broken, unless the bag got lost.

Is it OCD? Totally!

 

[diznymom]

I include our travel itinerary in each bag where it is easily visible if it is opened. Just in case my bag goes to the North Pole (or somewhere) and I don't, the bag can find me.

 

[SuzanneSLO]

I include our travel itinerary in each bag where it is easily visible if it is opened. Just in case my bag goes to the North Pole (or somewhere) and I don't, the bag can find me.

We do the same -- and use my office address for our home address.

 

[cedricandsophie]

Not trying to tell you what you should do or anything but just sharing a helpful hint. When my family of 4 go on cruises we each put clothes on every suitcases. That way of 1 or 2 get lost none of us are completely without our stuff. Just my $.02

We do this all the time, even if it's only me and my husband. Plus in my carry on I usually out a change of underwear at least just in case.

 

[Bree]

I have had my luggage lost before a cruise. We were cruise newbies and flew into San Juan the day of departure for our southern caribbean cruise. Our luggage never made it onto our originating flight from Boston. We went to the airline office by luggage claim and they tracked our bags and said they would be on the next incoming flight. They were not there and we were told that they would be on the NEXT incoming flight. Nope. They never showed up. We gave them a copy of our cruise reservation and they said they would do their best to get our bags there before we set sail. My husbands bags made it to the ship, but mine did not. We set sail then had two days at sea then arrived in Aruba. I got my bags that afternoon.

Lessons learned:

• Always buy trip insurance. I was reimbursed for the clothing, etc. I purchased in case my luggage never came.
• Cross pack clothing and shoes!!!
• Always bring a carry on with a day or two of clothing. I'm sailing DCL in November and only live an hour from the port. I'm still bringing a carry on with changes of clothing for all of us.

 

[diznymom]

We do the same -- and use my office address for our home address.

I NEVER use my home address. I don't want unwanted visitors or anything.

 

[ksucats]

If it is just a gate check because of being on a regional jet, you will get your bag back as soon as you land at the next airport. It usually just takes 5 minutes and you will get it in the jet bridge. I fly 10-30 trips a year for the past 10 years and almost always have one leg on an regional jet. I have never had an issue with a gate check getting lost. Also, being based out of Wichita, every where I go requires a connection.