Beach safety

I'm going on my first cruise to the Bahamas in a couple of weeks, and our first stop is at Great Stirrup Cay. I'm wondering how safe it is to leave belongings on the beach/ in chairs while swimming or snorkeling. I'll be traveling with my mom, but chances are there will be times when both of us are in the water. I don't plan on bringing anything too expensive, but it would be nice to have a camera and my kindle for when I'm not in the water. Also I understand we need to have our room card with us? Will these things likely be safe in a backpack or do people have other tips?

Thanks!

Although we don't own one, a lot of people seem to like these:

http://www.kyssbags.com/

Plus, according to their web site, they apparently have a sale going on right now.:)

While I do believe that most people are honest, there are a few around that are not, so I would not leave items unattended while I went swimming. But maybe I'm too cautious.

Perhaps you and your mom could take turns in the water so that one of you would watch your stuff. Or, you could get some waterproof bags so that you could keep your items with you while in the water.

Hope you have a great cruise.

use your back pack but lock the locks. Lock it to the chairs. (dont jsut leave it there for someone to grab.

So far, I've never been to a Caribbean beach where I couldn't SEE my stuff from the water! I wouldn't leave anything out in the open, except for flip-flops and tee shirt....everything else goes in my tote if I'm not using it.

No one can board the ship using your room key...your photo is "linked" to it. I use it as a bookmark in a real book. Perhaps you should consider bringing a paperback, instead of a kindle to beach locations.

Personally I would take nothing more than a cheap camera and stash it out of sight when you aren't right there, and would bring a couple magazines or a paperback book to read. In my opinion, electronics can disappear in the flash if an eye, and often do, so why risk it?

Although we don't own one, a lot of people seem to like these:

 

http://www.kyssbags.com/

 

Plus, according to their web site, they apparently have a sale going on right now.:)

I'm sure of it because I've considered buying one of these bags, but the price has stopped me.

If you leave a kindle or camera unattended on any tourist laden beach anywhere, you may want to save crooks the time and energy and just attach a tag to them that says "take me".

All I would take is whatever key or key card you need to get"home." And even that I would put in one of the waterproof plastic "credit card" boxes on a lanyard, which can be purchased in any surf or dive shop and worn into the water. (Note that some of these are big enough for the very smallest "point and shoot" cameras). Also, if you use sunglasses, get a really cheap pair for the beach.

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Anything you leave unattended on a beach can--and probably will--be stolen. Even if you can see it from the water, what are you going to do? Chase a thief who is probably much younger than you, and who will not hesitate to hurt you if you do manage to catch up with him--or her? You're playing by the rules; they're not.

Anything you leave unattended on a beach can--and probably will--be stolen. Even if you can see it from the water, what are you going to do? Chase a thief who is probably much younger than you, and who will not hesitate to hurt you if you do manage to catch up with him--or her? You're playing by the rules; they're not.

That's a bit pessimistic, Langoustine. There isn't a 50% loss rate of stuff left on beaches, not even valuable stuff.

Having said that, there's no point taking a Kindle. Take a second hand paperback instead. Cabin key cards can be carried in a zipped pocket (wear lightweight shorts over your costume if need be), so can credit cards, and maybe have a cheap waterproof camera (I think it would have to be an old-fashioned film camera) for beach days. Or the cheapest digital and chance losing it - if you do that, make sure you have a new memory card every day, or download it to a laptop each day, or something.

There isn't a 50% loss rate of stuff left on beaches, not even valuable stuff.

Have you been to the Caribbean lately? I wish you luck.

Have you been to the Caribbean lately? I wish you luck.

I have...both cruise and land vacations to 9 different locations. At every one we left a backpack unattended (under a chair) that contained valuables. Nothing has ever turned up missing (our stuff or anyone around us).

I see people suggest locking a backpack/tote to a chair. Really? If someone comes to the beach looking to steal things they are probably going to have a very sharp knife/razor and simply cut the strap/bag. After all, it isn't the $25 bag they are after it is the potentially hundreds of dollars of "stuff" inside.

Locks are simply a tool to keep honest people honest. Now that doesn't mean I don't look my car, house, rooms, etc. But be honest, if someone wants in, they are probably getting in.

DW and I have been beach lovers/goers for nearly 50 years and still spend many months a year on various beaches around the world. So here is our warning to the OP!

IT IS NEVER SAFE TO LEAVE UNATTENDED VALUABLES ON ANY BEACH!

So, what to do? When we go to the beach we do not take any "valuables." Items like good cameras stay in our cabin or hotel! I often do not even take a wallet. Instead, I take some cash, 1 major credit card, cruise card (if on a cruise)..and that is all! I carry this in my waterproof "Sea Caddy" which is a special waterproof fanny pack that can easily hold those items. There are plenty of other waterproof containers and packs for sale at online travel sites (like Magellans) and you can also find these thing at many "dive shops" if there are any in your area.

Now there are some who will say that since Great Stirrup Cay is essentially a Private cruise line venue, anything will be quite safe as there are plenty of other passengers around to keep an eye on things. And of course we might say that there are never any thieves traveling on cruise ships :). Your risk at this place will certainly be less then if you were on a beach in Antigua or St Thomas...but there is always a risk.

As to our Kindle, we do not go to any beach without that device. But our Kindle's cost us less then $100 and are not a particularly favorite target of thieves (they would prefer your valuable camera, iPhone, etc). Besides, my Kindle has spent too much time on beaches and now looks the part! Nobody would want that ratty ole thing with its peeling paint and falling-apart cover :)

Hank

Anything you leave unattended on a beach can--and probably will--be stolen. Even if you can see it from the water, what are you going to do? Chase a thief who is probably much younger than you, and who will not hesitate to hurt you if you do manage to catch up with him--or her? You're playing by the rules; they're not.

Although there's a risk, I feel sure you didn't actually mean "probably will get stolen", which is clearly a great exaggeration.

But I do agree that simply being able to see your things, or even seeing someone approach them, isn't going to stop a moderately-fit thief from successfully making off with them.

Other folk from the same ship can be identified by their towels, so asking them to look after your stuff can significantly reduce (not eliminate) the risk, but of course you'd need to reciprocate.

But an expensive camera?

Or even an I-pad, kindle or I-phone?

No, they stay in the cabin safe.

An underwater camera is worthwhile in good snorkelling territory, but goes into the water with us.

A successful thief would be disappointed with his haul - ship's towels, sun-cream, cheap sunglasses, ten bucks or less, smokes, mebbe a bottle of something fizzy, cruise-cards.

I don't see cruise-cards would be of use to a thief.

I don't know how they'd react to a ducking but I did inadvertently find out that US dollars are remarkably resilient in water. :)

This is one of those threads that are all about risk-assessment & personal opinion.

Now you've had mine. ;)

JB :)

Thanks for all the info. I was originally referring to just the beach on great stirrup cay, and don't plan on leaving anything of real value on any beach, but I didn't know if people are a little less vigilant on the private islands. I was hoping to bring the kindle to save space and also cause I can never decide what I'm going to want to read, but I get that it all comes down to people's honesty. Thanks again, it's good to hear what other people do.

Hi, I have used pacsafe bags. I own 3-4 of their wallets and bags.

http://pacsafe.com/

I just purchased the Slingsafe 75 and I love it.

We have been on many cruises and have stopped often at beaches including GSC. I do love to take my Kindle and a camera. I also bring a very large beach bag. When I go into the water I put my stuff at the bottom o the bag, stuff my clothes and a towel on top, put the bag under the chair and drape another towel over the chair to "hide" what is underneath. Does it make it safer not really but at least if someone takes the stuff they will have to work for it. :) I also try and put my stuff away about 5-15 minutes before I plan on going down to the water. If someone is watching me, hopefully they have gotten bored by the wait or think I am just going to doze off and moved on.

When my DH was into taking pictures and took his "good" camera with him; we had a wire mesh bag that stretched. You put your stuff in it, and secured it around a solid object -- we often used a palm tree. You can still buy them from pacsafe Pacsafe C25L Camera Bag Protector

hope this helps you.

I found the Vacation Vault recommend a lot on the CC boards. http://www.vacationvault.com

I purchased one for our next cruise. You can find them on Amazon. I found it cheaper online from Home Depot and got free shipping by picking it up at a local store.

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I found the Vacation Vault recommend a lot on the CC boards. http://www.vacationvault.com

I purchased one for our next cruise. You can find them on Amazon. I found it cheaper online from Home Depot and got free shipping by picking it up at a local store

Thanks for sharing this, I think this will serve our purpose well.

Our 1st cruise in 8 short weeks wow!

Sheila

Will people take your things on the beach? Well, I do know that in the market at Labadee one vendor sells nothing but used shoes -- all flip-flops, Crocks, sandals, water shoes. Where do you think he gets his merchandise?

We always keep our sea passes and some small bills in my DH water wallet, in his zipper pocket of his swim shorts.

Labadee is the only place we leave our bag unattended.

We take a beach bag:

We leave the bag with the following items on our chairs

We buy a cheap water disposable camera

we wear water shoes

we use the ships towels.

sun tan lotion

If the bag is taken, they get little, but my favorite bag.

If we go to other islands, one person is always with the beach bag, while the others swim.

Sea Ya

but hey langoustine

my mom and dad in their one and only cruise went on the britanis back in the eighties!

my wife and I had been on several cruises and finally talked them into taking one!

and as far as the beach, while on private islands such as coco, half moon and great stirrup cay, we might bring a beat up digital camera, our room cards since now all these private islands just use the room card is about all we take other than a towel, beach bag and some shot bottles of liquor! woo woo!:)

but I got a good pocket for the room card so even in the water I got it on me!

heck I left my credit card at the bar on one of those islands across from cable beach last time! I was quite polluted!:eek: just as we were getting ready to head to get the last tender they made an announcement for ken ellis please come to the bar! I didn't even have a 500 dollah bar bill that day!

:D

Great Stirrup is probably a bit less risky than typical public access Caribbean beaches, being NCL's private island; still it is not a great idea to leave any really valuable articles unattended anywhere. Don't leave anything which you REALLY cannot afford to lose. Your ship's card, ID, credit cards and cash should be kept on your person or with someone you trust. There are plenty of ways to swim with those items.

On our last cruise we went with two other couples, both first timers. At the beach (Labidee) the one husband was very nervous about leaving his beach bag on his chair. Our bag pretty much just had sunscreen in it, so we couldn't figure out why he was so nervous. It turns out he had $500 in cash with him because he was afraid to leave it in the room safe! So he clung to it the whole time.

I took a look at the vacation vault. I like it and will probably purchase one before are April cruise.

I could not tell if they come in more than one size. Anyone know? IF not, if you have used one -- what can you fit inside?

I think they only come in one size. I recently purchased one for our upcoming cruise next month. It is a pretty good size. Large enough for a compact digital camera and a cell phone. I have a Canon G12 and an iPhone 5S and I was able to fit both of them with room to spare.

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