10 Things that can go wrong around the vacations – and possible solutions

Vacation, in theory, means perfect all around, indeed arguably the best days of the year. However, in practice, distance, means of travel, or other factors sometimes create problems that can put a crimp in the vacation or even bring a twist that makes you downright relieved when you finally arrive home again. You want to know what is the pinnacle of those things that can go wrong? Then we have some examples for you – including tips on how to avoid such problems, or at least solve them as quickly as possible.

1. Your hotel is really bad

In the past, you had to fully trust the travel agent to choose your accommodations, such as on-site at the travel agency. There you got all the information you needed and could look at some photos in glossy magazines. However, everyone was probably aware that these hardly correspond to reality. Nowadays there are many more ways to search and choose a hotel. Most of you probably resort to the internet for this one. There you can finally find on different pages the information, pictures& Co. compare. The same is true for the prices. Get more realistic insights from customer reviews or unedited photos and reduce the risk of being disappointed on the spot. Plus, if you're lucky, you can score a real bargain.

Unfortunately, there is still no guarantee that you will like the hotel. So it's entirely possible that a big disappointment awaits on site – conditions may even be intolerable. In such cases, you do not have to grit your teeth and endure the situation, but there are definitely ways to improve it. Which ones depend on how you booked the hotel:

• First of all, you should go to the hotel management and report the deficiency immediately (!) make a complaint. Ask for a nicer room, for example, or that booked details like an ocean view be honored. At best, you can prove this through the booking confirmation.
• On the other hand, if you don't want to stay at the hotel at all, perhaps due to construction noise, contact the tour operator you booked through online or offline. This person is then responsible for finding a solution for you. However, this can take a few days, which you have to wait out or you can look for a substitute accommodation on your own. However, you may be stuck with the extra cost.
• If you have booked directly with the hotel, the only option is direct communication to find an amicable solution. If necessary, you can inform yourself about the cancellation conditions. Perhaps at least some of the expenses will be reimbursed and you can instead seek a sleeping arrangement that is more to your liking.

So, in any case, it is important that you locate the right person and act immediately. Additionally, if you remain friendly as well as willing to compromise, there is a good chance that a solution can be found for you to enjoy your trip after all.

2. Vacation turns into financial fiasco

When planning a trip, there is always the question of budget. Thereupon you can check how much money you have available per day, week or month on the trip, for example for accommodation, food or activities. It is therefore important that you calculate such costs realistically by researching the usual local prices. Still, it can be difficult to get accurate values – or there may be unforeseen costs, perhaps due to a missed flight or similar situation. These can cause travel to suddenly exceed your budget significantly. What then?

To avoid such a fiasco, you need to start in two places: on the one hand, in the planning and, on the other, during the trip. So when planning your trip, make a realistic calculation with enough buffer. Should you take out a loan, for example for a longer trip, it is important to make sure you use a reputable provider. Otherwise, unexpected additional costs also loom. While traveling, it's also important to be frugal with your money and stay on budget. It is helpful to roughly divide this up from the outset into the individual days, activities or expenses such as food, in order to keep track of things. Always take a cash check and check whether you have kept to the calculation so far. Also, be sure to take care of your cash, cards and valuables to avoid costly losses due to theft or con artists. Forewarned is forearmed, so is the motto when it comes to financial issues while traveling.

3. The weather strikes back

4. Your luggage disappears never to be seen again

You probably know those anxious moments from your own experience, when you stand at the airport conveyor belt and eagerly hope that you will soon catch sight of your suitcase. In most cases it shows up sooner or later…in other cases it remains missing for the time being. That luggage is temporarily lost during air travel is anything but unusual. You must then report to the airline counter immediately. The employees locate the luggage and have it sent to you as soon as possible. For the meantime, you may buy a reasonable amount of replacement clothing as well as cosmetics at the airline's expense. What is considered appropriate is best clarified in a face-to-face conversation. And don't worry: 95 percent of lost suitcases turn up after a short time.

If, on the other hand, the luggage is damaged or permanently lost, you have a right to compensation. You have to declare this in writing within 21 days. However, the maximum compensation is about 1.385 euros per box. That's why it's important to buy expensive items, clothing& Co. leave at home if possible. So only pack in your suitcase what you can do without if necessary – and always carry valuables in your hand luggage. If, on the other hand, your luggage is lost on other occasions, such as when you are traveling in a coach or in a hotel room, you do not have a basic right to claim compensation. It may therefore be worthwhile to purchase luggage insurance for such cases; this is especially true if you do want or need to carry more valuable belongings after all.

5. You get more than just an airport sniffle

Getting sick on vacation is the horror scenario for many people. Unfortunately, this can happen quickly, after all, you come on the plane, on site at the hotel, on the beach& Co. With unfamiliar food and numerous people in contact. Quickly, therefore, bacteria or viruses can make your life miserable for a few days. In many cases it is then sufficient to recover a few days in the hotel room or to help out with medicines from the travel pharmacy. Packing these sensibly is therefore a first important measure to prevent or at least get through an illness on vacation more quickly.

Of course, it may happen that you have to go through a worse illness or get seriously injured while on vacation. Once you need medical help, you can usually contact hotel staff, who may call a doctor or at least give you a place to go. Alternatively, the emergency room at any hospital is open to you to at least provide initial care. Then, depending on the individual case, you have to decide whether the trip has to be canceled and whether you need return transportation or just have to rebook the return trip. So that you are not left with high costs in all these cases, it is important in any case to take out an international health insurance, which covers such cases sufficiently. This at least gives you one less thing to worry about if you get seriously ill while on vacation. However, of course, the lost time can not be made up..

6. The tour operator goes bankrupt in the middle of the trip

In recent years, it has happened time and again that an airline or tour operator has had to declare bankruptcy. This caused major problems, especially for those customers who were in the middle of their trip. Suddenly, namely, numerous questions arise – and here you will find the answers:

• Have insurance coverage? As a rule, when you book a package tour, you also take out a compulsory insurance policy. For this you will receive a so-called travel insurance certificate, which you should definitely have with you on vacation. If you do not receive such a security certificate, you may be dealing with a dubious supplier and should refrain from booking a trip with him.
• Are entitled to reimbursement of expenses? Yes, if additional costs are incurred due to the insolvency, for example for return transportation, or if you have to cancel your vacation as a result of this.
• Is it necessary to cancel the trip? In principle, the insurer can require vacationers to cancel their vacation if they become insolvent. But you are not obliged to do so, i.e. you can continue the vacation at your own expense. However, doing so will cause you to lose your right to reimbursement for the cost of your stay and return trip.

If the tour operator does not have insurance or refuses to pay the compensation due to you, you can take legal action. But since there are often numerous other obligations to other, mostly more important "creditors," the chances of getting your money back are rather slim. So, in this regard, you should also take appropriate precautions while planning your trip.

7. Your most important documents go missing

IDs, insurance details, reservation confirmations, airline tickets – these are just a few of many examples of what important documents should always be at hand when traveling. However, you may have forgotten them at home or lost them along the way. What then? This is exactly why it is recommended to first make copies of all important documents. You then always leave one copy handy at home, just clearly visible, in case someone needs to photograph or forward them to you. You then pack the copies (or in exceptional cases, say the originals if needed) in your hand luggage. Whenever you leave them out of sight, for example in your hotel room, it is best to lock them in a safe. And just in case, you still make a digital copy, such as a photo on your smartphone or a scan that you email to yourself. So you have several options at once to get important data quickly after all in emergencies.

8. There is a real fight with the partner

As much as you may look forward to a vacation together, it can become a stress test for a relationship. This is true both when traveling as a couple for the first time, because then you'll suddenly learn about the quirks of your new, seemingly perfect love interest as well. However, this also applies to long-time couples who may even travel with their own children. Therefore, you can and should take certain measures even before you leave to prevent a dispute preemptively. To do this, clarify the wishes and expectations that both partners have for the vacation – and find a compromise. After all, all fellow travelers should get their money's worth on the trip. In addition, talk about financial and organizational issues: how big is your budget? Who watches the children and when? Which activities will be done together and which alone? The more precisely you discuss everything in advance, the lower is the risk of conflict during the stay.

If there are still discrepancies, it's important that you resolve them as quickly and factually as possible. Otherwise, negative feelings may be building up and threatening to explode as the trip progresses. So speak up if something is bothering you or find some time alone if you need to sort out your thoughts as well as emotions first. Also, try to fit in some "quality time" as a couple on your vacation – then it can become a real opportunity for love to get closer (again) and also solidify the relationship for after you get home.

9. You will be denied entry into the country

It is the horror scenario par excellence: you have taken the long journey, but then you are denied entry. There can be a variety of reasons for this: Maybe something is wrong with your papers, maybe you don't have a valid visa, maybe you have failed a health check. The consequence, however, is the same: you may not travel on and must take the next opportunity to travel home. The costs for this, for example for a return flight at short notice, must then even be borne by themselves. First, however, it pays to have a one-to-one conversation with the relevant authorities. Sometimes a solution can be found so that – perhaps after some waiting – you are allowed to go on the planned trip after all.

If you have booked a package tour, you should also notify the tour operator. Possibly this one can clear up the misunderstanding. Depending on the individual case, sometimes your lawyer can help you too. Accordingly, get as much information and professional assistance before you panic and organize the return trip. This won't guarantee that your vacation will work out after all, but in any case, it will increase your chances of getting in…or at least getting reimbursed.

10. You have an accident with the rental car

One last problem that often occurs is an accident with the rental car. Whether the damage was minor or major, and whether or not you were at fault for the accident, there is always the question of who has to pay the costs in such cases – and what is the right thing to do in such a situation:

• Make sure you have adequate insurance when you rent the car; at best, it's a comprehensive policy with no deductible.
• Secure the accident site and provide first aid if necessary.
• Call in the police to clarify and record how the accident occurred.
• Inform the rental company to get a replacement car if necessary and arrange for the removal of the damaged rental car.
• As a rule, the insurance company then pays for the car costs incurred. However, if you do not have (sufficient) insurance coverage or have agreed on a deductible, you may have to bear all or part of the costs.

Also, when signing up for a rental car, be sure to include liability insurance with sufficient coverage. This is because it is not mandatory in all countries, and so while you might not be responsible for the damage to the car, you would be responsible for property damage and personal injury to the other parties involved in the accident. So checking the contract carefully and not skimping on insurance coverage is the most important basic rule to avoid worrying about this "vacation problem" anymore.

Summary and conclusion

If you've ever traveled, you may have noticed that certain discords can never be ruled out with certainty. Most of them, however, can be objectively classified as trivialities that do not have to spoil your vacation completely – and that can sometimes even be prevented with the right preparation. And if they occur anyway, with the tips mentioned above, as well as the necessary composure, you may be able to save your vacation after all; or at least avert a financial loss to save the money for the next trip. Hopefully without incident then!

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