Belongings on the beach

Ladies what do you do with your belongings. Passport, credit cards, money etc when you are at the beach? Also when shopping after the beach, do the shop owners have a problem with you coming in with your bathing suit/ cover up on?

I can offer some advice, from my experience, we usually leave someone on the beach with our stuff, sometimes if we are sitting next to someone off our ship and we feel ok we have asked our neighbor to watch things. I have a small loop key ring and I've buried things in my beach bag and hooked it to a chair, under the chair. but then I have one eye on it and not really relaxing.

I have seen on these boards people talk about a very thin strong cable system they use to hook their bag to a tree or a post.

But why are you taking your passport off the ship? I carry copies of the important pages, but actual passport stays in ship safe. That would be the worst thing to have stolen. I usually carry the cash I plan on spending in port. No credit cards, and my pix id and ship card. Though how you get back on the ship if that's taken I don't know. I guess ship security gets your passport from your safe to identify you.

I have a small waterproof pouch that goes around my neck (men can put them in a pocket). Credit cards, ship cards, laminated drivers licenses are all waterproof anyway and as one who has put cash through the washing machine, I can attest to the fact that it comes through just fine. I use shorts and a t-shirt as a cover up when off the ship so no issues there.

We also NEVER take our passports out of the safe.

As far as bathing suit cover ups.....I do not know which Islands you are visiting, but some are more lenient than others. Bermuda, for example....very modest people. You are not even allowed on the buses without a cover up. I once proposed this question many years ago. The reply was.... "How would you like it if we visited YOUR city, got on YOUR transportation and shopped in YOUR stores in a bikini." Makes a lot of sense.:)

We carry passport cards. They can get wet, as well as ship cards, credit cards and DL. I use a sports wallet that goes into my swim trunk pocket. Sometimes, I put it in a sandwich baggie, and than into my pocket. (keeps the money dry).

For the poster that says, leave the passport on the ship. The passport is a form of ID, while visiting a foreign country, and not just a paper to get you into the USA at the end of the cruise. The card won't get you an airline ticket, but it would make it easier and it only cost I think $20.00 as an "add-on" to your book when you renew.

As far as what to wear. Bring a t-shirt and shorts with you. The "shops" you are talking about are not on a beach or boardwalk. Think about going to your local mall, and walking around in swimwear. You are dealing with many different cultures.

Here's my advice: take everything with you in a waterproof neck thing, or get one of those lounge chair safes.

On Labadee a couple years ago, my cell phone (which doubles as my camera) was taken while I was five feet away in the water. We were the first off the ship and the first on to that beach, so it was very clear to us that it was a local person (there was a band setting up nearby and some locals setting up lounge chairs).

Luckily after offering a "reward" :rolleyes: our phone miraculously was "found" by one of these guys.

We bring to a beach day....a bit of cash, 1 credit card (not linked to the ship account), DL and aside from towels and a book...that's it!

No one wants your flip-flops or tee shirt. One of use is usually with our stuff, but on the rare occasion that we both need to get wet at once, we simply keep an eye on our stuff.

If you want to take cash, credit cards and seapass into the water...it's fine...they are ALL waterproof!

A good coverup is fine...not a "see-thru" net thing, but something that looks like a sundress, or shorts and tee is fine.

For a full day in a beach port, we bring a backpack. We have a retractable cable lock that is sold as a ski lock in ski shops. Its about the same size as a deck of cards and the cable retracts into the housing. The thin cable can be put through the zipper tab holes and attached to a beach chair or tree. Not absolute security but I figure a thief will be diverted to easier pickings. Even so, we only carry a paper copy of passports, and expired drivers licences as ID.

I great idea I got recently from DDIL, take along a disposable diaper to the beach. When you want to leave your valuables alone, wet the diaper a bit and wrap your valuables up so as to look like a used diaper - no thief will mess with it!

I great idea I got recently from DDIL, take along a disposable diaper to the beach. When you want to leave your valuables alone, wet the diaper a bit and wrap your valuables up so as to look like a used diaper - no thief will mess with it!

What a fabulous idea!

The ink on the cruise card is not waterproof.

The ink on the cruise card is not waterproof.

Especially if it comes into contact with suntan lotion.

Especially if it comes into contact with suntan lotion.

Maybe that's what did it in. Easy to get replacement :)

I use to worry amount my stuff when I went into the water . I didn't like to just leave my bag unattended. I bought and love the KYSS bag I bought , it locked to a chair or tree or whatever . Look it up.

Ladies what do you do with your belongings. Passport, credit cards, money etc when you are at the beach? Also when shopping after the beach, do the shop owners have a problem with you coming in with your bathing suit/ cover up on?

I will NEVER use a CC in a foreign port. Take small bills.

You will see tons of people with swim suits etc. BUT if taking cabs they may not pick you up if you "appear" to be wet--even damp.

We use http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vacation-Vault-Portable-Lightweight-Travel-Safe-with-Three-Dial-Combination-Lock-Purple-VV-PURPLE/202512224?cm_mmc=Shopping|Base&gclid=CPmug-DDl8cCFYEYHwodG2gIpg&gclsrc=aw.ds

it locks to the chair or the palapa

I am NOT a fan of tying something around your neck if you are swimming-- accidents can happen.

I have a bunch of water wallets big enough to hold cash and cruise card, won these playing trivia on RCCL never go to beach without one. Most caribbean ports sell them in gift shop also.

We do two trips - one for the beach and a second trip for shopping. After the beach, we head back to the ship for a quick shower/change and lunch. Then we head into port a second time for shopping.

I don't bring many valuables to the beach. Just a water proof camera. And we bring a few bills to pay for the beach chairs or buy a few drinks.

For the beach, I bought a 6' steel cable tie-out for dogs at the dollar store and I secure it through our backpack zippers. Then I wrap it around a lounger or tree and lock it with a combination lock. It's not exactly theft-proof but it's worked well at keeping our things safe. As for shopping in port, I always wear a dry sundress type coverup.

A sundress over your swim suit should be perfect for shopping.

Ladies what do you do with your belongings. Passport, credit cards, money etc when you are at the beach? Also when shopping after the beach, do the shop owners have a problem with you coming in with your bathing suit/ cover up on?

1. NEVER take our passports off the ship. I make copies of our passports and take them off the ship

2. Most islands, we don't worry. We leave our backpack and go walk, etc. I take my little Royal pouch with me and that has my cash/cc/ship card. If we snorkel, I have a waterproof case I take that stuff with me

3. Believe me - The vendors could care less that you are in a swimsuit coverup. I never leave the ship in an island port that I am not dressed in a swimsuit and coverup. Never since we started cruising in 1994 have I had a problems shopping or eating on an island dressed that way.

You are all awesome. Thank you. Even though it's a year away I'm shopping already and looking forward to September 11 2016

Guess I'll look for a waterproof pouch of some sort. We've always just

kept our eyes on our beach stuff while we're in the water, maybe just

been lucky.

Serene56 - If you ever take a Med cruise, I think you'll have to start

using a cc in port. My husband uses a money belt (Rich Steves) and

we're never had a problem. I use a cross body bag and keep my hand

on the bag while shopping, etc. It just becomes a habit.

Or do you mean a vendor or restaurant copying your card...that can

happen in U.S. too.

ziplock back with bills, cc, and cruise card is what I take. My swim trunks have velcro and I usually carry the ladies/girls stuff if we are out for a swim.

Almost on every beach excursion we had our camera, towels and of course the valuables... when we are going for a quick swim never had a problem....

There are also all sorts of waterproof packs you can take with you if you really aren't comfortable leaving your stuff.

I will NEVER use a CC in a foreign port. Take small bills.

You will see tons of people with swim suits etc. BUT if taking cabs they may not pick you up if you "appear" to be wet--even damp.

 

We use http://www.homedepot.com/p/Vacation-Vault-Portable-Lightweight-Travel-Safe-with-Three-Dial-Combination-Lock-Purple-VV-PURPLE/202512224?cm_mmc=Shopping|Base&gclid=CPmug-DDl8cCFYEYHwodG2gIpg&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

it locks to the chair or the palapa

 

I am NOT a fan of tying something around your neck if you are swimming-- accidents can happen.

Thanks for this!! I just ordered in green. We use my phone for our camera a lot and I was worried about what to do with it while we are both in the water, this solves it!:D

Here's another vote for Vacation Vault. We love ours!

http://www.homedepot.com/b/Vacation-Vault/N-5yc1vZ67k

I use a Vacation Vault. It is really easy to pack in luggage and secure to a beach chair. Under $20 and it holds belongings for three of us with no problem. I am getting a KYSS bag for Christmas this year.