The Trip That Didn’t Go as Planned—and Why I’d Do It Again
As a travel agent, I often get invited on FAM trips—or “familiarization trips”—where I can experience a resort or destination at a discounted rate to better serve my clients. The best part? I usually get to bring a guest.
Recently, my friend Beth and I embarked on a FAM trip aboard Symphony of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean cruise. Sounds dreamy, right? Well… things didn’t exactly go according to plan.
We had less than a month to pack and prep, which is always a little chaotic. But the real curveball came the day before we left: the government shut down. Airports across the country were short-staffed as TSA employees weren’t being paid. For us, that meant three cancelled flights before we finally boarded a plane from Philadelphia to Miami—after a three-hour delay.
When we landed, our luggage didn’t. And we had only 2.5 hours to spare before our cruise ship departed. Panic mode: activated. No underwear, no bathing suits, no toiletries, no formal night outfits… and definitely no Eagles gear for the big game.
Luckily, the cruise port was close to the airport, so we made a quick Target run and grabbed everything we could.
My Emergency Cruise Shopping List
If you ever find yourself in a luggage-less situation, here’s what I recommend picking up:
Underwear & socks
Swimsuits & cover-ups
Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, razor)
Casual daytime outfits
Formal night attire
Flip-flops or sandals
Chargers for phone and electronics
A light jacket or sweater
Team gear or themed outfits for special events
Carry-On Essentials I’ll Never Leave Home Without
After this experience, I’ve added a few “just in case” items to my carry-on bag for every trip:
A change of underwear, socks, and one outfit
Travel-sized toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, face wipes, shampoo)
Swimsuit (if you’re headed somewhere warm)
Any medications you may need
Chargers for phone, tablet, and camera
Copies of travel documents (passport, boarding passes, hotel/resort confirmations)
Small snacks and a refillable water bottle
A lightweight jacket or sweater
Sunglasses and a hat
A small bag for essentials if your checked luggage is delayed
Getting Your Luggage Back on Track
The best part? American Airlines went above and beyond to get our luggage to us. All we had to do was:
Call American Airlines customer service and file a claim.
Have handy information ready: flight numbers, frequent flyer ID, cruise ship name, date luggage was lost, and a description of your bags.
Keep the claim number for reference.
Once on the ship, we went to Royal Caribbean Guest Services with our claim number and flight info. The cruise line arranged to pick up our luggage from the airport in St. Maarten (we paid a small fee, which was totally worth it). By 3:30 the next day, our luggage was delivered straight to our state room—no beach day missed!
Even better, when we returned home, we filed the American Airlines claim and were reimbursed for everything we purchased at Target and the Royal Caribbean luggage fee.
When our Luggage Finally Arrived
It was such an awesome moment when our luggage finally arrived on day three! After a couple of days of improvising without our stuff, opening those suitcases felt like Christmas morning. Beth was over the moon to see her Philadelphia Eagles fan gear—she practically hugged it—and I couldn’t stop grinning at the sight of the inflatable floaties I’d been missing. It was one of those little travel victories that instantly lifted our spirits and made the rest of the trip feel even more fun, like everything was finally falling into place.
Traveling With the Right Person Makes All the Difference
One of the highlights of this chaotic trip was traveling with Beth. In the midst of cancellations, lost luggage, we just made the best of everything and had so much fun with it. We had a speed-shopping spree in Target racing thru the store as if we were on Supermarket Sweep. And on our first night aboard the ship, we discovered a deal on shals along the Royal Promenade—five for $40! So we got creative, mixing and matching them as bathing suit cover-ups or to change up the look of the one formal night dress each of us had purchased from Target. It was such a blast to improvise, laugh, and turn a stressful situation into a fun adventure together.
Why I’d Do It Again
Yes, this trip was stressful. But it was also memorable and rewarding. We learned how to navigate unexpected travel hiccups, relied on helpful airline and cruise staff, and ended up enjoying every single day of our vacation.
Sometimes, the unplanned adventures make for the best stories—and as a travel agent, they give me firsthand tips I can pass on to my clients.
