The Airline Ruined My Cruise
Maybe it was a slow news day but the Royal Gazette in Bermuda ran a story titled BA Ruined my Cruise. It would have been a better titled “How I Ruined My Cruise.” You can read the link for full details but the summary is that between Bermuda and Spain via Philadelphia and London a woman’s luggage detoured to Italy. She had two days in Spain before sailing on a cruise to the Mediterranean and when her luggage didn’t show up she sailed without her clothes. A point made a number of times was how Ms. Carvalho’s friends had organized a birthday dinner and cake in one of the specialty restaurants on-board the cruise ship but she wouldn’t have her picture taken because she was wearing a $3 T-shirt and $5 pants. “Everyone was dressed up in there except me,” she said. “BA managed to ruin the whole trip and of course my birthday.” There were so many things the woman could have done to save her cruise but she did not do any of them.
The first thing to do (that she did right) is to arrive a few days before the sailing. It is always a good idea to leave yourself a buffer in case of weather delays or transportation problems or in this case, lost luggage. However, the story says she reported her luggage missing and was only €60 a day. With an excursion already booked and paid for that day, Ms. Carvalho only had a couple of hours to pick up some essentials at a budget store. It seems she did not arrange her priories well because as far as budget is concerned, €60 seems a fairly generous amount per day. Even onboard, the couple of days allowance would have bought some nice items.
We have discussed in a few past articles packing tips and packing hacks. Planning for lost luggage while packing can reduce potential problems. When you are traveling with friends and family, divide a portion of your clothing between a few people, also bring a complete change of clothes in your carry-on bag. As you pack, place one or two changes of clothes in a small vacuum bag, seal it up, and have someone place it in their luggage and you do the same in exchange. If your bag gets lost you will have back up. You’ll likely have the now smelly clothes you are wearing, a fresh set in your carry on, and another set in your co-travelers bag. If necessary, the onboard Laundromat will surely last you until your first port of call for some shopping. Make sure you report the luggage missing at the earliest time and contact your traveler’s insurance hot line before departure if possible. Discuss what you need to do to make a claim and what amount you will be reimbursed for. Then get those shoes you saw in the boutique.
