Lost luggage occurs almost every cruise and it is the responsibility of the Purser’s Office to try to locate the bags.
There are many reasons why luggage may get lost:
- Delayed or mishandled by the airline
- Left on the bus by the guest or bus driver
- Left on the pier
- Delivery to the wrong ship. For example the Fascination and Imagination dock alongside
- Delivery to the wrong cabin due to a cabin change, incorrect cabin number or badly written tag or a missing tag.
When a guest first reports a bag missing it is important to establish where they last saw the bag and who was responsible for misplacing the bag.
If the bag was lost by the airline then a lost luggage form should be completed immediately and investigation can begin at the time the guest reports the bag missing as the bag is very unlikely to show up on board.
In the case of luggage last seen on the pier at check-in to the cruise ship, the guest must be advised that luggage delivery takes until 8:00pm.
It is also advisable to direct them to the unidentifiable bags that are delivered to the Purser’s office.
In this case the guest will be requested to return after Housekeeping confirms luggage delivery has ended, to complete the lost luggage form.
When completing the lost luggage form it is crucial that the Purser completes the form themselves, filling out all fields correctly and clearly.
After ensuring that all areas are completed and that any paperwork such as baggage tag numbers or flight schedules have been collected you will want to assure the guest that all measures will be taken to locate the bag and that the lost luggage Purser will be in touch with any updates.
If the guest is missing all of their casual clothing and toiletries they may be provided with a T-shirt and amenity kit as a gesture.
LOST LUGGAGE ON THE PIER
If the luggage was last seen at the airport or on the pier then a description of the missing luggage will be distributed to all stateroom stewards in order for them to check their cabins for the item in case of misdelivery. If the luggage has not been located by the next morning the Purser, in communication with the Chief Purser may consider postage of up to $25.00 non-refundable on board credit to their Sail and Sign account to assist with incidental expenses. Carnival’s maximum liability per person is $25.00 each, per day, to a maximum of $50.00 per cabin.
Additionally, those guests missing formal clothes may be provided with a tuxedo voucher to Formalities for complimentary rental.
Any monetary compensation will not be posted on to the account at any one time, as the guest does not necessarily know our maximum liability and the bag may appear at any time. Also if the guest is given the full amount at the beginning of the cruise, they will expect additional compensation if the bag is not located during the cruise.
LOST LUGGAGE BY THE AIRLINE
The Miami Office can assist in locating and having luggage expedited to the next port of call.
The Purser assigned to Lost Luggage will scan all complete Lost Luggage forms and e-mail them to the Guest Relations office in Miami.
Both Guest Relations and the Lost Luggage Purser will then follow up with the airlines and make arrangements for the bags to join the ship in a later port of call. They will then be collected by the Ship’s agent and delivered to the ship, so that the guest may still enjoy their cruise.
Keep in mind, that when the bag is lost by the airlines, the airline has the responsibility of compensating our guests. Different airlines will vary in their amount of compensation and most are a set amount per day the bags are lost. The guests should be advised to keep all related receipts.
DAMAGED LUGGAGE
During embarkation, many personnel including porters, bus drivers, stewards and airport staff handle guests’ luggage.
This combined with the volume of luggage handled results in the possibility of luggage being damaged.
Guests may report damaged luggage to the Information Desk. When they do so, they should be requested to bring the bag/suitcase to the desk, so that together the guest and the Purser can identify the areas damaged.
The Purser should also ask the value of the bag and the Purser must check the Passenger system to see if they have purchased Carnival Travel Insurance.
If the guest has insurance they should be provided with an insurance pamphlet and advised to contact Berkley Care on their return home for assistance. No compensation should be offered.
If the guest does not have insurance and the bag looks like it can be repaired by a specialist the guests should be advised to have the bag fixed upon their return home. They should also be provided with the Guest Relations contact details in order to follow up for reimbursement.
If the bag is damaged beyond repair and the guest does not have insurance the guest may be paid up to a maximum of $50 (Carnival’s maximum liability). The bag must be taken from the guest as back up that the bag is damaged beyond repair. If the guest does not accept this offer, they should also be provided with Guest Relations follow up information. In special circumstances the Chief Purser may authorize a higher payment as a gesture of concern, particularly in the case of international guests who may not be able to follow up with Guest Relations upon their return home.
