Luggage Question

[FrenchieMama79]

We are taking our very first cruise ever in November, departing from Fort Lauderdale. We are flying in the day before the ship leaves, and we have a layover in St. Louis which will also be our first time experiencing that. My question is… you see and hear all these stories regarding lost luggage. Is it safe to check our bags through or do you recommend carry on to be safe? TIA!!

[SpeedNoodles]

I check it on, but we carry it off.  I

[smokeybandit]

Airlines losing luggage is actually quite rare.

A few weeks ago I had multiple delays and two changed flights due to those delays on international flights. Yet my luggage made it with me.

[twangster]

10 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

Airlines losing luggage is actually quite rare.

It was before 2022.  

[FloatyBoaty]

Do you mean you're worried about the airline losing your luggage?

If so, then try to just do all of the recommended things to do your part - get to the airport 2 hours early. Check your bag and double check when the baggage claim tickets are created that they are checked all the way through to your destination. If you're checking at the curb (which I actually prefer) give them a nice tip and they'll take care of you as much as possible. Also, consider a tracker so at least you can help find them if they get misdirected. I started using Apple AirTags this summer, which Matt also talks about in one of his videos.

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

2 hours ago, FrenchieMama79 said:

We are taking our very first cruise ever in November, departing from Fort Lauderdale. We are flying in the day before the ship leaves, and we have a layover in St. Louis which will also be our first time experiencing that. My question is… you see and hear all these stories regarding lost luggage. Is it safe to check our bags through or do you recommend carry on to be safe? TIA!!

If your luggage is small enough to carry on the plane then do that…if that is what your questioning.  Why check it if you can carry on? 

[Pattycruise]

Take all important items-medicines, ID and medical equipment in your carry on. Add a day or two of clothing just in case.

it amazes me when I read of lost bags and the owner complaining their meds or documents were in there.  
I even have a foldable recycling bag in the outer pocket of my carryon.  If they tell me there’s no room for my carryon I’ll unpack half that stuff from the carryon into my recyclable bag so I still have my most important items in my possession. 

[CrimsonCruiser]

I wouldn't say it's not safe nor would I say it's 100% safe. There are risks and with lower than normal ground crew staffing issues mistakes can happen. On our return flight after our cruise last month, a couple did actually have their luggage lost. They were the only ones on the whole, fully packed 737 non-stop flight that were missing things. I don't know when they checked in or if they had had a layover prior to the flight (all of which are factors that apply).

That said, if you do everything in your power you should be good. 2 hours before means your luggage is on the cart and waiting to go to the plane as soon as the plane arrives/starts loading up. Those trackers seem to be a good idea if you're worried about it getting lost cuz then you at least know where it actually ended up which I imagine would be helpful for staff so they could call the exact location vs hoping the system tracked it to the new destination.

We fly with 28" suitcases so there's just no way to do carry on.  We don't have trackers (yet, thinking about them for a December trip we have) but we do all the other things and have so far been safe.

[WAAAYTOOO]

I know this is going back a few years....but wasn't there a part of the security protocols after 911 that stated that it was illegal for you to fly without your luggage or for your luggage to fly without you ?  Whatever happened to those rules ??

[CrimsonCruiser]

1 hour ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I know this is going back a few years....but wasn't there a part of the security protocols after 911 that stated that it was illegal for you to fly without your luggage or for your luggage to fly without you ?  Whatever happened to those rules ??

Took me a second to realize what you were asking but if I understand the protocol correctly, what they really do it just make sure the passenger ticket that matches a baggage claim tag has been scanned in as boarding at the gate. Meaning it could be quite possible for someone to board one plane and their baggage board another because in the system it would show that the person attached to said luggage did indeed board a plane.

[WAAAYTOOO]

20 minutes ago, CrimsonCruiser said:

Took me a second to realize what you were asking but if I understand the protocol correctly, what they really do it just make sure the passenger ticket that matches a baggage claim tag has been scanned in as boarding at the gate. Meaning it could be quite possible for someone to board one plane and their baggage board another because in the system it would show that the person attached to said luggage did indeed board a plane.

I do agree that this is what is happening now....but the original "law" forbade anyone from traveling on a different plane from their luggage.  I guess it's been changed or else nobody is following that requirement any longer.

[Xaa]

14 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

I do agree that this is what is happening now....but the original "law" forbade anyone from traveling on a different plane from their luggage.  I guess it's been changed or else nobody is following that requirement any longer.

I certainly recall that WAAAYTOO.  I remember it being difficult to go standby on a slightly earlier  or later flight if there was baggage checked and being quoted that rule.  That was when I was traveling heavily in the first few years after 9/11.  I suspect that even then accidents would happen keeping people separated.

[cruisellama]

7 hours ago, FrenchieMama79 said:

We are taking our very first cruise ever in November, departing from Fort Lauderdale. We are flying in the day before the ship leaves, and we have a layover in St. Louis which will also be our first time experiencing that. My question is… you see and hear all these stories regarding lost luggage. Is it safe to check our bags through or do you recommend carry on to be safe? TIA!!

Luggage handling has become very reliable.   The times we've used it, our bags made it with us.    Its lower risk  if you don't have tight connections (or direct flights), but if you're uncomfortable, it is also possible to do carry-on for a 7-day Caribbean (very casual).  We carry-on most of the time because we hate the waits at destination.

[Dan Curtis]

Lost luggage is not to bad anymore, I work at Cincinnati airport, bags are scanned now, they know how many bags are on the plane, tight connection are the biggest concern , we also use the porters , skip the lines inside and go straight to security. To us its hard to do carry in for a cruise.

[PPPJJ-GCVAB]

Our friends who cruised with us were booked to fly from FLL to BWI to PVD yesterday afternoon.  Our flight was in the morning so we all got to the airport together and checked our luggage (they were sent to a different area to check theirs because they couldn’t check in for their flight yet).  But their tags were clearly marked as final destination PVD.  Their 4:35p flight was delayed until 8:40p which meant they would miss their connection in BWI to PVD!  The agent at the gate put them on the 6:30am (today) from BWI to PVD.  They both received $200 vouchers for their inconvenience.  Their delayed FLL flight was delayed again and they left finally at 10:35p.  Once they arrived in BWI they had to wait for this morning’s flight.  I picked them up at 7:30am but neither of their suitcases made it!  Both were still sitting in BWI because the original transfer plane had already left so apparently no one looked in the computer to see what their new flight was!  They were both given another $100 voucher and picked up their luggage in PVD this afternoon.

So I guess in cases of delays and rebooks it can be impossible to keep the checked luggage with the passenger?

[KJones]

Even without delays and rebooks checked luggage might not travel with the passenger. My luggage went with me from SFO to SEA but did not make my SEA to Anchorage flight, despite a +/-3 hour layover. Traveling companions' bags all made it just fine. Airline was able to easily track it (plus I had an airtag inside it), saying it had made it onto the next SEA-ANC flight arriving a few hours later. Fortunately we arrived early afternoon so there were a multiple flight options for my luggage to arrive before we left the next morning for Seward. I packed a carry-on with 3 days worth of clothes just in case something like this happened and my luggage couldn't meet me until Juneau.

[HillaryG]

Like others have said, I would have a few days worth of clothes and important items in your carry on and just check the rest if need be.  I've had luggage arrive both earlier (a few hours) and later (a few days) in the last few months of traveling. 

[Pooch]

On 9/26/2022 at 1:04 PM, CrimsonCruiser said:

I wouldn't say it's not safe nor would I say it's 100% safe. There are risks and with lower than normal ground crew staffing issues mistakes can happen. On our return flight after our cruise last month, a couple did actually have their luggage lost. They were the only ones on the whole, fully packed 737 non-stop flight that were missing things. I don't know when they checked in or if they had had a layover prior to the flight (all of which are factors that apply).

That said, if you do everything in your power you should be good. 2 hours before means your luggage is on the cart and waiting to go to the plane as soon as the plane arrives/starts loading up. Those trackers seem to be a good idea if you're worried about it getting lost cuz then you at least know where it actually ended up which I imagine would be helpful for staff so they could call the exact location vs hoping the system tracked it to the new destination.

We fly with 28" suitcases so there's just no way to do carry on.  We don't have trackers (yet, thinking about them for a December trip we have) but we do all the other things and have so far been safe.

If I took every stitch of clothing I own, I couldn’t fill a 28” suitcase!  

[Mike n Ky]

51 minutes ago, Pooch said:

If I took every stitch of clothing I own, I couldn’t fill a 28” suitcase!  

If only that were true for us. LOL We do however just take one large each for clothes as opposed to our first few cruises that required three and a garment bag. 

[whitsmom]

When we flew to Amsterdam last month Delta changed our 2-leg flight to a 3-leg flight so I packed a carry-on with 3 days of clothes and all the underwear just in case.  Our luggage arrived with us but I would pack a carry-on at least to be on the safe side.

[CrimsonCruiser]

17 hours ago, Pooch said:

If I took every stitch of clothing I own, I couldn’t fill a 28” suitcase!  

Technically, thanks to flight weight restrictions, my 28" isn't really full either. Plenty of space for more things. But I don't have enough space in my 21" for everything.

Shoes (of which I only bring 3 pair + pool and water shoes), clothes, and toiletries tend to take up the most space. I...pack a lot because only on a cruise am I actually likely to change clothes up to 3 times in a day

[Pooch]

My mama did not raise a fashionista although back in her day she was one!  Must skip a generation cuz DD is one too.  I plan for bathing suits & cover ups during the day & capris/nice tops & wrinkle free brushed cotton dresses at night.  Just made my annual pilgrim the outlets in Kittery Maine (the only place I can stand shopping) & grabbed a few new outfits.  Hubby & I agreed to forego formal nights this time around so that saves space too.  One 25” and one 21” for the 2 of us with space for all the stuff I’ll buy the grandkids.

[CrimsonCruiser]

I'm working every time to get myself down to 1 full 28" and a half full 21" but I always end up finding something more to pack that I didn't account for when I modified the last list T_T

[Pooch]

Helps that we are both low maintenance for toiletries too.  One gallon size ziplock bag holds everything we need, including a couple cans of sunscreen.