Merritt Family Reunited with Missing Luggage After Carnival Cruise Nightmare
On March 1, the Merritt family finally got the good news they’d been waiting for: their missing luggage from a Carnival Cruise had been found. This heart-pounding saga began back in early February when Jason and Tammy Merritt set out on what was supposed to be a relaxing eight-day anniversary cruise aboard the Carnival Magic. Instead, they found themselves dealing with an unimaginable nightmare when Jason’s luggage never made it to their cabin.
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The Disappearing Luggage Mystery
The Merritts boarded the Carnival Magic on February 8, 2025, excited to celebrate their 26th wedding anniversary. However, by the end of the evening, only Tammy’s luggage had been delivered to their room. Jason’s bag was nowhere to be found. Carnival warned the couple that the luggage might not have made it onto the ship, but Jason knew he had handed it over. The couple even had pictures to prove it.
The cruise line gave the Merritts $50 per day in compensation, amounting to $350 for the entire trip. However, Abbey Merritt, their daughter, pointed out that the amount wasn’t nearly enough to cover basic necessities. “You can’t even buy underwear on the ship,” she noted, adding that the missing luggage contained critical items, including a CPAP machine, medication, and electronics. The Merritts estimated the total value of the missing items easily exceeded $1,000.
Tracking the Missing Luggage with Apple AirPods
The situation took an intriguing turn when Jason’s AirPods, left in the missing suitcase, were tracked using the “Find My iPhone” app. This allowed the Merritts to confirm that the earbuds – and presumably the luggage – was indeed on the ship. They were able to monitor their bag’s movements across the Caribbean for weeks after they had disembarked the ship. The family affectionately called the AirPods “Daddy-O’s,” and even created a dedicated Facebook page to track their journey. Despite the tracking information, Carnival insisted they couldn’t locate the bag, leading to more frustration for the Merritts.
Fellow Passenger Implicated
It wasn’t until March 1, 2025, that Carnival finally found the suitcase. It was discovered in the stateroom of a guest just a few doors down from the stateroom the Merritts had stayed in during their cruise. According to Jason, the guest initially claimed the bag was hers, but a crew member recognized it after seeing a photo of the luggage. She had booked a back-to-back cruise on the Carnival Magic, which explained why Jason’s luggage had remained on board.
The woman was placed under “house arrest” and was confined to her stateroom for the remainder of the cruise. She will likely also be banned from all future Carnival sailings. However, the Merritt family now faces a decision: whether to press charges against the alleged thief. They are currently awaiting an inventory list from Carnival to see if any items were missing from the suitcase.
Carnival’s Missing Luggage Policy
The saga of the Merritt family’s missing luggage highlights the frustrations of traveling. Navigating missing luggage policies and getting reimbursed for your valuables can be a challenge.
Carnival requires passengers to fill out a claim form while onboard in order to receive any compensation for luggage that is lost or damaged during the embarkation process. Claims made after the guests leaves the cruise terminal will not be accepted. Guests must also submit copies of receipts within 30 days of debarkation, to prove the repair or replacement cost for any broken or missing items.
Carnival’s policy states that: “the maximum liability for lost or damaged bags is limited to US $250 per bag per Guest up to a maximum of two (2) bags per Guest for sailings 14 days or less and up to a maximum of three (3) bags per Guest for sailings 15 days or longer.”
For passengers that purchase extra travel insurance, additional reimbursement may be available through their lost luggage clause.
Carnival does offer a travel insurance policy, called Vacation Protection, which may provide up to an additional $1,500 for lost or damaged luggage. Cruisers that purchase their own third-party travel insurance may also have additional baggage benefits through their policy.
