On Sunday, March 2, 2025, one recent Royal Caribbean passenger made a confession: She had forgotten her own suitcase in Florida’s PortMiami.
In the hustle and bustle of disembarkation, it had slipped the cruiser’s mind that she had checked her carry-on bag. Usually, she only checks her big suitcase, so it was also a break from her normal routine.
By the time she realized her mistake, several hours had passed and it was too late to return to the cruise port to retrieve her carry-on bag. She ultimately had to fly home without it and hope for the best.
After following the steps outlined by Royal Caribbean, the guest got her wish. By Tuesday, March 4, the guest’s bag had been located. On Thursday, March 6, the bag arrived at her home with no damage and no items missing.
“Finally on Tuesday the automated email title changed from “Do Not Reply” to “Your Item Has Been Found”. I followed the option to pay to ship my item. Thursday afternoon the box arrived. It was fine,” the cruiser shared in a Reddit update on March 10, 2025.
Considering the guest was initially told she would receive a response from a Royal Caribbean representative in seven to 10 days after first reaching out, the fact that her carry-on was returned to her in under a week likely means she is extra happy with the outcome.
“Yes, it cost me $73 to ship my carry-on home. I could have easily wasted that much in taxi fees by going back to the terminal. There was never any indication that I could have gotten back inside, past Customs and Border Control, and to the actual spot where leftover luggage was corralled,” she continued.
Per company policy, Royal Caribbean will ship lost items home to guests at the passenger’s expense. There is no fee to search for the missing item, but its owner must pay shipping costs.
That said, there are some situations where items may be delayed or undeliverable due to Customs policies and other factors – which thankfully didn’t apply to this situation.
How the Guest Helped Return Her Own Luggage
Although the cruiser made a dumb mistake that led to some hassle, she also played an active role in helping Royal Caribbean return her luggage – but without becoming rude, angry, or overbearing.
In fact, other cruise fans commended her calm response and level headedness as she explained her predicament and sought advice from the cruise community.
“The system worked. A mistake was made and the person owned it without griping about how there should have been protections against their own mistake. Solid updates. A+ no notes. Wish we could see more posts like yours here,” one person wrote in response.
Read Also: Six Ways to Protect Your Cruise Ship Luggage
So, how did the guest help herself in the end? First, she promptly filled out a short form through Chargerback.com to begin the lost and found process.
The form asks simple questions to try to locate the missing item, such as the date it was lost, sail dates, and where the item was last seen.
However, the cruiser took this a step further – likely making it easier for the Royal Caribbean team – because she was able to track her suitcase’s specific location using an Apple AirTag packed inside.
The day before it was found, she also had the foresight to upload a photo of her distinctive luggage tag, which likely made it easier to spot and identify her standard black bag.
In general, it’s a good idea to take photographs of your luggage ahead of your cruise in the event it does become lost – as it may help crew members relocate it sooner.
She ultimately ended her update with a final takeaway: “I would not recommend leaving behind luggage after a cruise, but if it should happen the chargerback system works.”
Of course, the Chargerback system that Royal Caribbean employs can also be used for more than just suitcases if you happen to lose something else onboard or in the cruise port. If this applies to you, it will likely be reassuring to hear a story with a swift and happy ending.
