Imagine being stuck on a cruise ship with nothing but the clothes you’re wearing. That’s what happened to an Englishwoman when a company hired to load her luggage put the bag on the wrong ship.
While I empathise with the woman concerned, I think the story has wider implications.
Airlines have a rule that a passenger’s luggage is removed if they don’t take the flight. It is, of course, a matter of security.
P&O should certainly be questioning its compensation policy — Carole Cookson got just £125 for going a week without her belongings, meaning she and her partner Steve Webb couldn’t enjoy many of the ship’s delights, including the formal evening.
Moreover, both the cruise line and the agent the couple used, Alternative Cruise Parking, should be looking at the lack of security that allowed Carol’s bag to be placed on the wrong ship. Cruise operators, like airlines, should know exactly what they are taking on board and who it belongs to.
On the bright side, the bag did get a free two-week tour of the Mediterranean.
