Luggage Stolen on Carib Tours bus

[IslandDreaming]

Greyhound comparison misleading

That post from PICHARDO saying Greyhound told it's customers to "get lost" is a sham.

Basically, he searched and found two instances of Customer Service incompetence and using his typical smoke and mirror response is attempting to say Greyhound doesn't care

Greyhound is bound by US Law and rules of CC and are obligated to pay $250 fort the lost luggage, period

Not a lot but the luggage is insured as part of the Contract

Greyhound.com : Travel Information : Baggage Information

 

[waytogo]

Including mine, there are 22 posts about your stolen luggage. It’s not a pleasant thing that you experienced and understandably you are quite mad. Anyone that has spent a fair amount of time here comes to realize that life here for the vast majority of people is extremely rough and unforgiving. Items such as never knowing what a full stomach feels like, seeing your children go to sleep hungry every night, never experiencing a hot shower, never having a decent job, never owning a vehicle, things that many of us take for granted. Losing your luggage, some clothing, jewelry, and laptop are 100% replaceable. Worst scenario, you will replace what was stolen and your life will go on as before, in the U.S. Think of the good side of this unfortunate matter. It happened on your return home. What if it happened on your arrival? If this is the worst thing that ever happens to you on a vacation, consider yourself blessed. Don’t count the D.R. out, it is a beautiful place to live and vacation.

 

[J D Sauser]

I too think that the OP made some mistakes.
Some obvious ones, like keeping valuables and a lap top away from their immediate control and maybe some based on the lack of knowledge about this country (which you can't expect every tourist to have). But everyone makes errors now and then. And everyone can become a name in the statistic of robbed tourist in this and other countries, even those who have taken all possible precautions and know the country inside out.
I thus empathize with the OP and also think that it is a poor answer to immediately wave the "it can happen in America too" card at these, after all, victims of a crime.

There is one thing however which attracted my attention in the OP:

... When the bus stopped at the first stop in Santiago, my husband went down to the baggage bin to get our water bottle. My luggage had been moved to the first compartment where NO other luggage was. .

I have NEVER experienced that in either, Caribe Tours nor Metro!
Why was that piece of luggage treated so differently than everybody else's and by whom? The OP's certainly weren't the only ones traveling to Santo Domingo (final destination of the bus) with luggage?!?!
Usually, bags are stored in compartments/bays by destination only (to prevent mixups)

QUESTIONS:

• Did the bus stop in La Vega (just of the highway 20 minutes after the second Santiago stop)? Could it have been taken there?
• At least Metro usually has this policy to make sure, that EVERYBODY is OFF the bus before they open the cargo doors, so everybody can witness the hand out of the luggage. I haven't been on CaribeTours for a long time... don't they wait until everybody is off before the allow people to grab bags? Aren't they supposed to?

I think that the only chance to see some of your luggage re-appear is, if the case could be made obvious to the owners of the company, that some standard procedures had been altered in such a way which would raise suspicions about a direct involvement of the driver himself (which, while the luggage apparently having being singled out, certainly triggered my attention, I am not implying explicitly here). Once the owners, who will btw. never accept any fault by the company or their employees, could recognize an obvious pattern, they may put some pressure on whom ever they feel could be the culprit and then, come back and proudly announce that they heroically "found" the lost piece. Unlikely, but a small chance.

Suing? Forget about it! Since you are probably not legal residents, suing, while a legally available option, is made difficult to you by requiring non residents to leave a hefty deposit (prepay) before being able to only file a suit.

... J-D.

 

[Yayow]

I have traveled often from Santo Domingo to other points north via Caribe Tours as well. Just two weeks ago, I went to Santiago and then on to Sosua, and returned to Santo Domingo. I normally travel light and therefore can carry my luggage on the bus with me, but this time because the trip was a little more extended I couldn't do it, first time I wasn't able to, so I put my luggage beneath.

Funny but I didn't notice until we got to Santo Domingo but my luggage was the only one in it's particular bay as well, the last one. So maybe I was being targeted as well, but I did make sure to sit right above the bay where I placed my luggage, specifically because I was uncomfortable in how the luggage was placed in the bus. There was no way that bay could be opened without my knowledge and I watched everything like a hawk.

Sorry for the OP's lost, don't have any advice for your situation. Unfortunately living down here now, I too feel it will be highly unlikely that this situation will be resolved favorably for you.

 

[waytogo]

I think they can access the luggage bays from both sides. It would take 2 people sitting on either side to watch carefully. Hell of a way to travel, isn't it? Idea, what if the bus lines offered a very cheap theft insurance? They would make money and the thieves would have second thoughts. Especially if their bosses had to pay out.

 

[Yayow]

I think they can access the luggage bays from both sides. It would take 2 people sitting on either side to watch carefully. Hell of a way to travel, isn't it? Idea, what if the bus lines offered a very cheap theft insurance? They would make money and the thieves would have second thoughts. Especially if their bosses had to pay out.

Didn't know thatirate:

 

[Black Dog]

Just a thought but if we were to all refuse to travel anywhere that someone had previously had a bad experience, I guess we'd all just have to stay home!!!!!!!!

 

[El Rey de Mangu]

I have been flying both as passenger, Pilot,WSO and RIO for over 20 years and never crashed; Relevance to op?

They guy had his luggage stolen, I'm not sure what your "safety" record has to do with his efforts to find a solution

I'm with Bob on this one. I've been using CT for 6 years and have never had, nor heard of this (knock on wood).

It is sad that the luggage was lost or stolen, but it doesn't appear to be a pervasive problem for CT.

As for the security manager, remember that people here do what they're told. There is almost zero room for interpretation. That's how they keep their jobs.

Sorry for your situation.

 

[RonS]

I suspect that one of the real frustrations here is the absence of any avenue of redress. Yes, theft can occur anywhere. Yes, we can all be more alert and vigilant. Yes, the system should be improved. But, how about providing some redress for the victim! I'm sorry, but if I were the OP and this happened to me, it would of little consolation that this has not happened to many who have used CT in the past, or that theft is somehow acceptable in impoverished countries. Where does the OP present a proper complaint? Who will do anything about her situation and try to give some degree of comfort? Again, I'm sorry, and I certainly don't mean to paint with a broad brush here, but it seems to be all about making excuses for an inexcusable situation. It is quite understandable, and unfortunate, that the OP may never return to the DR and may never experience the DR as the wonderful vacation destination some of us know it can be.

 

[waytogo]

I cannot see anybody coming here for ANY reason and expect it to be like home. How can you come here not realizing it is a third world country and act accordingly. Simple research if you are a newbie and if you are seeing friends or family they should inform the traveler to be on guard with whatever they do and wherever they go. Common sence goes a long long way. They wre just caught offguard. Bet this won't happen again to them.

 

[luzcace]

Caribe Tours is like a Guaga sometimes, letting people on and off in the middle of nowhere, take Metro, never heard of a problem with them.

 

[waytogo]

Metro is run much better, except they to have no idea who is removing the luggage.

 

[Yayow]

Caribe Tours is like a Guaga sometimes, letting people on and off in the middle of nowhere, take Metro, never heard of a problem with them.

When they stop in the middle of nowhere, they don't open the bays they only open the bays at the major stops.

 

[minerva_feliz]

Sorry to hear about your luggage...

I have some other suggested routes if you want to continue pressuring about resolving your case. I think you should use your status as a tourist who experienced such a big theft to your advantage, and take it up with POLITUR and the Ministry of Tourism. They could turn the heat up on Caribe Tours. Even if your stuff doesn't turn up, you could get reimbursed and maybe they will take your case and use it to force Caribe Tours to better protect passengers in the future.

Here are their websites (in Spanish):
Secretar?a de Estado de Turismo - Contacto

Polic?a Tur?stica - Contacto

There is also another website, (in Spanish), that is used to denounce poor service and such events by any business. Sometimes the businesses contact the site owners to get in contact with the person who posted the complaint, because once it is on there it's for all to see...bad press for them.
QU?JESE.com.do | El portal de quejas y servicio al cliente de la Rep?blica Dominicana

So my advice would be to write up what happened in a Word document, like specific details (dates, places, times) about exactly what happened, what the response was, and what you want to result. You could also throw in how you may not return to the DR because of this and would hate to have to advise all of your friends to do the same, because you liked your visit otherwise. Then copy/paste the same things on those websites and see if anything happens.

Don't feel bad or take it personal that your luggage was stolen. Yes, there are precautions, but it doesn't always matter. Sometimes, wherever you are in the world, your luck just runs out. Thefts and burglaries are on the rise in the country overall from my perception, so try to also see yourself as a part of a larger trend.