what to do with valuables while snorkeling?

[sklja]

Our next cruise will be the first time my husband and I have gone without any other family members. My question is- when we are doing a excursion like snorkeling, what do we do with our "card-room key", credit cards, money etc?Anyone ever buy one of those waterproof things that you wear that I have seen on the web? Do we just hide them with our clothes etc on a beach blanket? Hope this is not too dumb of a question, but thank you if you have any ideas.
sklja

[bc3536]

I bought one of the waterproof cases from the gift shop and I put the keycard, cc's, and money in ziplock bag for extra protection. Then I would tuck case in my swim suit top while I was in the water.

[mamaofami]

We looked for one of those waterproof cases on the Noordam, and there weren't any. I think you can order one from Magellan.

[O2B@C]

The waterproof cases are great, and not expensive. If there is a dive shop near you, try them - or online. I got two, one for DH and one for me. His went in his swimsuit pockets. For mine, I tied the lanyard tied around my bathing suit strap, and then tucked the case inside the suit down near my waist. Not pretty, but everything was secure and stayed dry.

Anything that won't fit in the cases - well - just don't bring it. (E.g., camera.)

The staterooms have safes in the closets, so anything you leave on board will be fine.

[shotei]

I have used a waterproof case for years. They work great. However, a word to the wise:

The seal needs to be maintained. The sealing element is a black rubber o-ring which is put under pressure when the lid is closed. A few grains of sand will ruin the integrity of the seal.

When you buy the case, make sure to get a small container of silicon grease. Every 2 or 3 uses (or if you haven't used it for a while) remove the o-ring, wash it, and give it a new coating of the silicon grease. Also, wash the sealing surfaces and give them a light coat of grease.

If you do this, it will last you a good long time.

Marc

[grsnovi]

Agree with all of the above on the waterproof case. Got one while in Hawaii the last time and needed one big enough for the rental car key. I slipped that in with some credit cards and room key car and wore it under the sun screen shirt that I need to wear so my back doesn't end up lobster red.

[jtl513]

I would think a credit card, room key-card, and a small amount of money would survive just fine in seal-able plastic sandwich bag stuffed inside your bathing suit. Even if it leaked, I don't think the sea water would damage the magnetic strips on the cards, and the money can be dried out! If the room key card does stop working, it can be replaced easily. As far as camera goes, I would suggest you buy a disposable under-water camera and take it with you. That leaves only a watch as a "problem" item - and maybe you could buy a cheap waterproof one just for snorkeling. :)

[jrzebird]

I would think a credit card, room key-card, and a small amount of money would survive just fine in seal-able plastic sandwich bag stuffed inside your bathing suit. Even if it leaked, I don't think the sea water would damage the magnetic strips on the cards, and the money can be dried out! If the room key card does stop working, it can be replaced easily. As far as camera goes, I would suggest you buy a disposable under-water camera and take it with you. That leaves only a watch as a "problem" item - and maybe you could buy a cheap waterproof one just for snorkeling. :)

I'm not sure I would trust a plastic sandwich bag. Particulary since the water-proof cases are so reasonable and easily found. And, while it's true that if the magnetic strips are damaged you can get a new room card, you need the card to get back on the ship, where you would have to go to replace it. And, your credit cards would be unusable for the remainder of the trip. Not worth the chance for a purchase that is under $15.00, and very small when you consider the price of the trip. Penny wise and pound foolish, but thats just my opinion. :D

[Robin7]

waterproof things that you wear that I have seen on the web? Do we just hide them with our clothes etc on a beach blanket?

There's an interesting thread on the "Ask a Cruise Question" board with a different option for this problem.

Robin

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=729360

[Stevesan]

Splash Caddy w/Aloksak inserts are PADI certified. There is a variety of sizes and shapes to suit your needs.
Nothing lasts forever. If you decide to order, I recommend getting an
extra set of inserts.

http://www.watchfuleyedesigns.com/index.cfm?do=list&categoryid=3

[Jim Avery]

In Fla. you can get the waterproof cases on a lanyard at any dive/surf shop. They hold all the room cards, credit cards and cash you will likely need. Leave the jewelry, etc, in the room safe. Also, recommend buying one or more disposable waterproof cameras. Work well for snorkeling, beaches and are cheap.
Jim.

[rlb81]

I've always put my room key, credit card, and some cash in a zip up pocket in my bathing suit. Never had damage to the magnetic strip, and the money dries. As for a watch, I'm going to buy a cheap water resistant digital.

[grsnovi]

I guess my situation was slightly different as the rental car key was an integrated key that had to whole remote door lock as part of the key rather than on a separate fob. I was driving in Hawaii (not a cruise-related trip).

[Jsipes]

What valuables ??? Who has valuables ?? Haven't you heard about the economy ? Hee-Hee:) Jer the Bear

[jtl513]

And, while it's true that if the magnetic strips are damaged you can get a new room card, you need the card to get back on the ship, where you would have to go to replace it.Getting back on the ship has nothing to do with magnetic stripe. They scan the bar code on the front, not the magnetic stripe on the back.

My DW lost her key card on Grand Turk. She was allowed back on the ship to go to the front desk to get another. There were 3 of us with her that still had key cards ... but even if you lose your card while traveling alone you WILL be allowed back on the ship, even if you have to be escorted to the front desk by a security officer.
And, your credit cards would be unusable for the remainder of the trip.We never travel with just one credit card and we never bring more than one ashore at any port.

[Host Michell]

We are avid snorkelers. What we do depends on the nature of the excursion. If we are going on a ship-sponsored excursion, or independent excursion recommended here on CC, we usually take our "dry bag" with us -- about $18 at a sporting goods store -- and put the things that would be a "nuisance" to lose but wouldn't ruin the trip if it happened, in it -- stuff we'd just like to have for our day on shore, like change of clothes, hair brush, sun hat, maps. That bag we will just leave on the catamaran, small snorkel boat, etc. while we are in the water.

On that kind of excursion we do bring one of our digital cameras -- it's a used weatherproof Stylus we bought for $40 for just this reason on Ebay a couple of years ago. It takes much better above water shots than the disposable waterproof ones we also bring, but if it's stolen from the drybag, we can deal with it... it doesn't have our main vacation photos from non-water based activities, which are on our primary digital cameras and backed up on the laptop on the ship/in the hotel room. We think the odds of it being stolen on a ship-sponsored trip with fellow pax, and even on an independent tour are pretty slim, but we do know we take a chance by doing it. We're okay with that, considering the cost of the camera.

However, if we are doing an independent snorkel from the beach type trip, or a ship-sponsored "beach break," we cut it WAY down. We don't bring the drybag OR the Stylus. We bring beach towels from the ship, cheap beachmats to put on the sand, one bottle of sunscreen, and I always bring a hairbrush and scrunchie. We wrap the "stuff" in one of the towels to transport it. Anything else we bring stays on our bodies. If someone is really scrounging the beach and wants that used bottle of sunscreen.... have at it. I read a story here within the last year about a woman on her Hawaiian honeymoon who was going snorkeling and wrapped her engagement ring and brand new wedding ring in saran wrap with a half-eaten sandwich, then put them in the cooler before going swimming. It was stolen by the time they got back -- and the thief left the sandwich. :( Thieves know where tourists hang, and they do watch out for chances like this. They may be watching you even when you think nobody is.

For both types of excursions we use a "beach safe" (google that for lots of cheap options), or our "splash caddy" someone above mentioned, if we have a few more things than a beach safe will hold (magellans.com has that one). That's where we keep the stuff that would cause a vacation conniption if they were lost -- credit card (just 1 while on shore), cash, driver's license, S&S, rental car keys, etc. Those never leave our bodies.

We also each bring a waterproof camera (disposable from Fuji) on both types of excursions, which stays with us in the water. And I don't bring/wear jewelry on either type of excursion except a cheapie waterproof watch (with no exterior metal parts), which lets us keep track of time. I remove rings, earrings, and necklaces before leaving the ship -- not so much because of the risk of theft but because some ocean predators really LIKE shiny, fish-scale-looking objects, and I'd rather not have one of those cruise by to check out my "shinies."

PS if that sounds like a lot of planning, it's really not. It's just what we've figured out works best for us over many years of Florida beach vacations and cruising, and it's become automatic to us now. It took me about 5x longer to think about what we do, phrase it, type it, and post it than it takes us to do it on vacation.