Bearland

Princess cruise lines lost my luggage on embarkation. Gave me the run around while on the cruise. Luggage was never found. $3800 worth of clothes/items STOLEN by Princess. Their reply? "Sorry, here's the MAXIMUM we can give you, $250 and hope you'll cruise with us again soon!". Wrote letters to CEO, and EVP...nothing from them. A poor excuse for a company. Basically they have a license to steal from you and shrug their shoulders. They can expect a nice little lawsuit from my attorney. And all the negative publicity I can garner. These companies really should treat their clients better.

Robin72

Are you saying it was stolen on purpose?
Did you have trip insurance? Have you thought about submitting a claim through your homeowners insurance?
What a bummer! Hope you can get some compensation for your loss.

Bearland

I'd say so. What's the deterant? One 48lb bag lost? I don't think so. Some doc hand is wearing my custom suits and Cole Haan shoes.
I guess I'll take it to my homeowners insurance, but seems so unnecessary. Basically Princess/Carnival are pirates, stealing your property at will. Giving you no alternatives to them handling your property. Buyer beware, I guess. My life lesson #32231

bonniejns

The porters on the pier are not employees of Princess. Princess does not pay them. They are actually longshoremen. They work at the port but I don't know who pays them--the port? The cruise line and their employees are not in a position to steal from pasengers until luggage is ON the ship. That is the only time when a cruise line is responsible. You have no way of knowing if your bag got on the ship.
We know a Carnival check in person stole our American Express card and ordered things in Miami with our numbers but Carnival said they had no way of finding who did it as they have SO many employees. AmX was GREAT. Took all charges off and were able to find out who stole it but we were never told who.

Bearland

They may not be actual employees of Princess, but they are hired by Princess to perform a service, thus they are responsible in fact. If the passengers were given a choice to take the luggage on themselves, or have another company load, then Princess would maintain a position of lower responsibility. But, given that you have no other choice but to hand your luggage to thieves paid by the cruise lines, then they are ultimately responsible for not doing proper due diligence and providing supervision. If I hire Home Depot to install cabinets and they sub-contract to someone else, and that company steals or does damage, then Home Depot is to blame. My contract was with Princess, and they were negligent stewards of my property. And the cowards that they are, hide behind a false credo of caring, while allowing "longshoremen" to have a field day with their clients belongings. Its poor business. Plain and simple. No excuses will suffice. They are theives at worse and assessories to robbery at best.
You reap what you sow Mr. Bucklew (CEO of Princess cruise lines). The fish stinks from the head down.

jacketwatch

Get the proof first B4 you make such accusations.

Theresa

I believe the cruise lines are required to use the Longshoreman at the pier. I don't think they have a choice. Longshoreman are union employees.

If you have cruise/trip insurance, I would look into that.

This happens on all lines, unfortunately. Also happens with the airlines.

BudgetQueen

Did you give the porter your bags yourself???? And they are NOT employees of Princess. Just like your transportation there has nothing to do with Princess.

You claim "princess stole your bag", SORRY, but it is just as likely a fellow passenger picked it up, Which does happen.

The bag limits are stated with your passenger contract from the cruiselines, not sure why you would have $3800 worth of "stuff" in your bag anyway??

You sound very angry, and hopefully you can get more via other avenues, but just because you claim to have had all that value in your bag, you also have no proof. So there bag limits, just like with airlines.

This is a good post for those who choose to carry their own bags, which I most always do, with packing light.

JimM

Got to agree with BudgetQueen.

Cruise lines, like the airlines, are bound by regulations that limit their liability. Should Princess have treated you better and explained this? Of course.

We don't like carrying bags. So we pack smart...jewelry, electronics, medicines, travel documenta in carryon bags...and we carry replacement value insurance for check bags. For us, it's an essential expense of travelling.

mickrory

Embarking at Miami its always safer to tip the guys handling the luggage to "help" it abroad.

Beyond the pale if your luggage goes missing after tipping the luggage handlers.

Did you tip?

Hold

I have to agree with BudgetQueen and JimM. Your contract will clearly states the "limits of liability" and therefore you're wasting money seeing an attorney who will tell you that "since you have no proof, you have no recourse".

Travel insurance is commonly purchased on cruises to address just such things and it will also have a set limit for lost or stolen items, so before packing almost $4000 into your luggage you'll want to consider this.

I doubt that homeowners insurance would cover a loss like this, but if they do, please post a response or, what you learned.

Sorry this happened to you.

joan

I would think Bearland would have proof. After all, there is most likely a receipt for those Cole Haan shoes and those designer suits, no?

Bearland, how many bags did you have all together? Were the others delivered to you? Did you tip?

I must say, I have watched disembarkation several times from a balcony perch above, and it amazes me that more luggage doesn't end up in the water. They pile them high, and they teeter all over when moving the huge platforms from ship to shore...

traveller69

After a cruise to Antarctica I discovered a lot of items missing from my suitcase. I called the airline and also Princess cruises just to report it. I contacted my homeowners Insurance company and they just had me fill out a report of the items etc and answer a few questions. I didn't even need the loss report number from the airline/cruiseline. They paid for the replacement of all articles missing less my deductible. No problem. I don't know if it is a Canadian company or if it is in the US as well - it was Aviva.

Bearland

Yes, I have proof of what was in the bag. And according to the attorney, while they have a contract stating limited liability, they (yes, a Princess employee at the airport) took possession of the property without other avenues available. They've shown neglect of supervision and disregard for duty.

Some of these posts appear to want to blame me for their neglect. Ok, blame me for having custom suits and expensive shoes (I'll shop Kmart before going on a cruise next time). They want to blame me for not taking insurance to protect them from stealing from me. (Ok, I thought insurance was to protect me, not them). They want to blame me for not noticing that they had me cornered with a small print contract that was "signed" when I paid them $2500.

You guys are the same folks that would blame a rape victim because she wore short skirt, and was "asking for it".

You're right, caveat emptor. I know better now. I'll be sure to pack cheap clothes, buy insurance from the theives about to rob me, and I'll read the fine print that the limit of their liability is $250.

Its sad that you've accepted this life. I choose otherwise. I'll simply avoid Princess/Carnival and avoid robots that think as you do.

Yes, I'm angry. So?

Bearland

Oh, and yes I tipped....handsomely I must add.

jacketwatch

I will say one thing. I do hope you mean what you say about moving on.

traveller69

Bearland - I certainly understand what happened to you as I said it happened to me. I never take the extra insurance because my homeowners policy covers it. And as I said - they had me replace everything that was stolen and reimbursed me.

BudgetQueen

The major point here, is that you have already slammed PRINCESS for STEALING your bag. Again, SORRY, you have no proof of that. As I again state, there are thieves among your fellow passengers as well.

Although Princess may have LOST the bag, it is UNKNOWN what happened to it.

CapnC

We do not have to know what happened to the luggage other than it was handed over to a representative of Princess Cruise lines who did not use due diligence in the care of that luggage.
Also i believe Princess cruise line would probably prefer those who have custom suits and shoes as customers as opposed to those that do not?

Theresa

The luggage most likely was handed to pier employees (longshoreman). These people are hired by the pier/port authority and the cruise lines are basically forced to use them (port/pier contracts).

So Princess may never have ever had the luggage.