Episode 1: Our Suitcases — What Works, What Doesn’t, and What We Need for Alaska

Mama Bird
Jan 23
6 min read

Privacy, Images & Affiliate Disclosure Some images in this post are real family photos that have been artistically altered to protect our children’s privacy while still sharing our real travel experiences.

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Hi everyone, it’s Mama Bird here 🐦

I’m officially on a quest — a quest for suitcases.

What we currently own works just fine for road trips down to Florida. But after years of traveling as a family of five, we’ve lost a few suitcases along the way — you shall be missed! And with a two-week Alaska cruise coming up this summer, we’re going to need luggage that can truly handle the adventure.

Traveling as a family of five means one thing: not everyone can haul a big suitcase.

Papa Bird and I can manage the heavy lifting. Big Brother can usually handle a large suitcase — sometimes even an extra one. Sister does great with a medium suitcase and maybe a carry-on. Little Brother… well… he can manage a carry-on — with plenty of grumbles and complaints.

So this is the kickoff to my Suitcase Series. Maybe not the most exciting topic — but absolutely essential for every adventure. Over the next few months, I’ll be sharing:

What we currently own
What I’m looking for
The top contenders
What we end up purchasing
How it performs on a practice trip
How it packs for Alaska
And finally… how it holds up through airports, ships, and the trip home

And just for a little extra credibility — this will be my fourth trip to Alaska, and I spent part of my childhood living there thanks to my dad’s service in the U.S. Army.

Grandpa Bird on our last Alaska cruise in 2023 💙

Our Current Suitcases: The Good, The Bad, and The Retired

Papa Bird’s SwissGear Carry-On (20+ Years of Travel)

This carry-on has been with Papa Bird longer than I’ve known him — easily 20+ years old. It’s traveled everywhere: LA to Virginia, transatlantic flights to Germany, Canada, and countless trips to Port Canaveral.

Pros

Extremely durable
Great laptop slot
Still works after decades

Cons

Two wheels only
Hard for Little Bird to pull

This one isn’t going anywhere — but it’s not Alaska material. It’s best for weekend trips when Papa Bird handles it himself.

The Star Wars Suitcase (American Tourister)

We bought this about six years ago. It’s huge — which is both a blessing and a curse.

Pros

Holds a LOT

Cons

Easy to overfill
Bottom zipper is completely gone
Top zipper is starting to fail
Can no longer be locked safely

Its Minnie Mouse twin already had to be retired when the frame gave out and made it nearly impossible to pull. Sadly, Star Wars won’t be coming to Alaska. It may get one last road-trip adventure to Legoland, since locking isn’t an issue when we’re driving — but with the frame starting to weaken, it’s likely nearing the end of its travel life.

The Mismatched Disney Set (FUL Suitcases)

(Minnie — still usable & stackable)

Originally, we had two matching Disney suitcase sets — one Minnie and one Mickey. Over time, real life (and real travel) happened, and the full sets didn’t survive intact.

Here’s what changed:

Big Minnie had to be retired after an unfortunate pet-related accident
Medium Mickey eventually became unusable due to a broken divider zipper
Big Mickey is no longer in our lineup

So while we started with two matching sets, we’re now left with a smaller, mismatched setup that still works for us.

What we currently have:

Medium Minnie
Small Minnie

These suitcases are staying in our rotation as long as we can fit them inside a larger suitcase when needed.

That flexibility is key for us, especially for cruising.

Stackability is a non-negotiable requirement. Everything needs to:

Fit under the bed
Nest or stack efficiently
Move smoothly through terminals and embarkation days

These two still check all those boxes.

Medium Minnie is the perfect size for Sister to pull independently, and the small Minnie works well for shorter trips or as a shared kids’ bag. While this isn’t a perfect matching set anymore, it’s a practical, real-life system that continues to earn its place.

For reference, this is the FUL suitcase we currently use:

Minnie suitcase: https://amzn.to/4pLMEWR

The Old Garment Bag

This one has a strange flaw: it can only hold garments. The buckles are hard to manage and the zipper can be tricky.

It works — but it’s not ideal.

The Samsonite Trio (Mixed Feelings)

Samsonite Stryde 2 Glider — Large, Medium & Carry-On

This set was one of my favorites — at least at first.

What I loved

The large suitcase is a smart hybrid: half garment bag, half traditional packing space. It solved my biggest frustration with garment bags: keeping clothes from wrinkling without giving up usable packing space.

The carry-on pairs beautifully with the large. It stacks securely inside and includes a trolley sleeve that loops around the large suitcase handle, which is a game-changer when navigating airports and cruise terminals with kids. One less bag in hand matters.

The problem

The system breaks down with the medium suitcase.

The medium does not nest into the large, and the carry-on does not fit inside the medium either. I didn’t realize this until we were already cruising — and for trips where stacking and storage efficiency are essential, that’s a major drawback.

Because of this, the medium is no longer part of our cruising lineup. The large and carry-on may still come along, but not as a complete set.

Where I landed

To make things more frustrating, I purchased a second large suitcase after this model was discontinued — and after only one or two trips, the zipper began popping open. That suitcase was retired almost immediately.

I don’t know whether that was a one-off defect or a sign of declining durability, but it was enough to make me cautious.

Here’s my honest takeaway:

I still appreciate the design of the large and carry-on
I would not recommend the medium at all
And I can’t fully endorse this line without reservations, especially for cruising

If stacking, durability, and efficient storage are must-haves, this set may not be the right fit — even though the large and carry-on still stand out in a few key ways.

I’m leaving affiliate links here for reference only, as this model has been discontinued. I’m still on the hunt for a true replacement and will update this post if I find one I love.

Samsonite Stryde 2 Glider – Carry-On & Large (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4pWaYWl

Large Hard-Side Samsonite

Framelock Max Large Spinner

One thing I really liked about this suitcase is that it matched the rest of our Samsonite pieces, which made it easy to spot at baggage claim — always a plus when you’re juggling multiple bags.

This is the Framelock Max Large Spinner, which Samsonite is still selling.

What We Like

Solid frame design: Papa Bird actually likes this suitcase quite a bit. After years of mixed luck with luggage, he finds the frame-lock system reassuring — it simply clicks into place and feels secure.
Easy to identify: The matching color with our other Samsonite pieces makes it stand out quickly at baggage claim.
Structured and sturdy: It feels solid and well-built, especially compared to some softer or more flexible bags we’ve retired over the years.

Considerations

No expansion: There’s no expandable section, which limits flexibility when packing bulky items or bringing souvenirs home.
Tight interior packing: The structured interior means packing needs to be more intentional, especially for colder-weather gear.
Locking system preference: While Papa Bird appreciates the click-to-close frame lock, I’m still undecided. I tend to feel more comfortable with traditional zippered systems, especially for flights and cruise port handling.
Requires some pressure to close: If overpacked even slightly, it can take a bit of effort to close — a reminder that space is less forgiving.

Current Status

This suitcase works very well for road trips and controlled travel, and it hasn’t been ruled out entirely. It’s still under consideration as we evaluate what will truly work best for flights, cruise ports, and a longer Alaska trip.

For reference, this is the Samsonite Framelock Max Large Spinner we currently own.

(Amazon link — https://amzn.to/45feqUw)

The Big Realization

After documenting all of this, one thing became very clear:

The Bird family is hard on zippers. With five people, heavy packing, and frequent travel, weak points show up fast. I’m firmly on Team Overpack — I’d rather wash everything at home than stress over ship laundry rooms.