How to keep stuff safe at the beach when going solo

Hi all, I'm going to be traveling to the Caribbean on the NCL Gem in March. It will not be my first solo cruise, but I still have not resolved the issue of how to enjoy the water at the beach without having to worry about someone taking off with my stuff. Assuming I wear my cruise card on a lanyard and don't need my passport with me, there isn't much of value in my beach bag besides my smartphone, which I would not go without if only for safety reasons. But last time I went to Bermuda on my own, I couldn't really enjoy the water because I felt I had to keep an eye on my things. I recently saw on a website a supposedly waterproof pouch that you can wear around your neck (much like a lanyard, but it would fit a smartphone, money, etc.) but I have some doubts about its actual waterproof-ness.

I plan on doing shopping and eating an drinking in San Juan, a snorkeling excursion in St. Thomas and an excursion to the baths in Tortola, but I would really like to just plant my butt on the beach for the day in St. Maarten, possibly at Orient Bay. So ideas would be appreciated! Thanks in advance!

Go to Dicks sporting goods, the kayak section, and you will find wear around your neck waterproof boxes that work - various colors, some transparent. I use one of each, depending..... On board I use the see through so I can make sure my cabin key is there. On shore I use the solid because I carry the photo id, credit card and cash. They are on my neck when in the water so no worries. I use the waterproof pouch sometimes.... the baths in virgin gorda as an example. I placed my spare glasses in the pouch to make sure I could navigate the grottos...

Go to Dicks sporting goods, the kayak section, and you will find wear around your neck waterproof boxes that work - various colors, some transparent. I use one of each, depending..... On board I use the see through so I can make sure my cabin key is there. On shore I use the solid because I carry the photo id, credit card and cash. They are on my neck when in the water so no worries. I use the waterproof pouch sometimes.... the baths in virgin gorda as an example. I placed my spare glasses in the pouch to make sure I could navigate the grottos...

Good suggestion. Thank you.

Go to Dicks sporting goods, the kayak section, and you will find wear around your neck waterproof boxes that work - various colors, some transparent.

Read the reviews carefully, my friend went to buy one for our next trip to Cuba (same deal, going on the beach) and found from the reviews that some models are not as good as the glowing descriptions found on the website.

Sorry, I don't know which models she got, I just know what she first thought was a good match ended up with a lot of complaints when she used Google to find the reviews on it.

Dicks sporting goods sells the goods ones. I've tried em all over the years. Some are more leakproof and those are the ones at Dicks.

Dicks sporting goods sells the goods ones. I've tried em all over the years. Some are more leakproof and those are the ones at Dicks.

I realize that my post may make it seemed my friend bought at Dicks website. Sorry about that, she was looking at a number of sites and found that when she read the reviews that many of the websites had glowing descriptions that did not match the reviews of people who used their products.

I don't know where she bought the bags she finally got, or if she even been to the Dicks website.

All I really meant to suggest is to read reviews before spending money.

Sorry to anyone who thought I was putting down Dicks, I know nothing about their quality of goods.

Go to Dicks sporting goods, the kayak section, and you will find wear around your neck waterproof boxes that work - various colors, some transparent. I use one of each, depending..... On board I use the see through so I can make sure my cabin key is there. On shore I use the solid because I carry the photo id, credit card and cash. They are on my neck when in the water so no worries. I use the waterproof pouch sometimes.... the baths in virgin gorda as an example. I placed my spare glasses in the pouch to make sure I could navigate the grottos...

Thank you so much. This is a great idea, and I will definitely pick up one or two of them before my trip!

Funny I just came across this post now... I am planning a solo cruise in 2 months and hope to spend 2 days doing beachy things and had the same question surrounding keeping my stuff safe! I too will be bringing my smart phone along for safety reasons and refuse to leave it at my chair while swimming on the beach (my other stuff like beach bag with cover-up and sunscreen I am happy to leave behind!)

I have done several solo cruises in the past, and my approach before was "stay at my beach chair with my stuff" while at Orient Beach. I also did the Baths but I booked the ship's excursion there and somehow felt safe enough to not take my phone. My stuff didn't get wet though, and when we got through the caves to the nice beach at the end, I just dropped my bag in the sand and went for a swim (there wasn't much of value in there as I only brought my waterproof camera and kept it with me in the water).

So back to my upcoming trip... I spent half the day on Amazon and ended up ordering a waterproof pouch with a waist strap. I intend on wearing it crossbody style while wandering on the beach and splashing in the water. I'll be sure to put it to the test at home when it's delivered with non-valuables inside, and I will also put my stuff in a zip-lock bag before putting it in the case for an extra layer of waterproof-ness while on vacation. I was a bit limited as I am in Canada and didn't want to pay the exchange, but I ordered this one and it has good reviews:

http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00Z91DI7M/ref=sr_ph?ie=UTF8&qid=1456353906&sr=1&keywords=Waterproof+pouch

I have a couple of tried and tested strategies for solo beaching while on a cruise... Firstly, I pack my towel, sunglasses, phone, sunblock, ect in a plastic Target (or other retail store) bag. Then I try to find a couple, preferably older, and with kids / grandchildren, and politely ask them to watch my stuff...

If I am unable to find an "honest looking" couple, I just plop my obviously cheap looking bag on a chair or under a tree somewhere and go for a swim. Have never had a problem using either of these methods...

Why not buy a beach safe to keep your most important things in, cash, cards, phone? Here is one I got for my cruise

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005K6JQXQ/ref=ox_sc_mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=

I have a couple of tried and tested strategies for solo beaching while on a cruise... Firstly, I pack my towel, sunglasses, phone, sunblock, ect in a plastic Target (or other retail store) bag. Then I try to find a couple, preferably older, and with kids / grandchildren, and politely ask them to watch my stuff...

 

If I am unable to find an "honest looking" couple, I just plop my obviously cheap looking bag on a chair or under a tree somewhere and go for a swim. Have never had a problem using either of these methods...

I do this as well. Usually when I'm on my way to a beach excursion, I get acquainted with people on the bus and we will offer to watch each other's stuff while in the water. It has worked out each time.

I received my waterproof pouch last night from Amazon! I may test it out in the shower with some non-valuables! Hahaha! Or dunk it in a bucket of water a few times! If it's not waterproof, it's going back, although it looks quite secure and non-cumbersome if I wear it cross-body style on my back!

Why not buy a beach safe to keep your most important things in, cash, cards, phone? Here is one I got for my cruise

 

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B005K6JQXQ/ref=ox_sc_mini_detail?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=

This is exactly what I have and take on every vacation with me. It locks to the beach chair and I usually just keep my towel over it so you can't even tell it's there. Then I have a beach bag next to my chair with unimportant stuff. Works like a charm!

I just got back from a cruise to the Eastern Caribbean, including Orient Beach on St. Martin. I ordered a couple of WITZ brand waterproof cases from Amazon, a little one for credit card and cash when I didn't have my phone with me and a bigger one with foam padding for beach trips when I carried my phone with me. Both worked like a charm. I hung the bigger one around my neck with a lanyard and went for a swim with no problems. Test them first by submerging them at home with a kleenex inside. If the kleenex is still dry after 30 minutes you're good to go. Try to keep sand from getting into the seal when you open the case, though. Wipe the case off before you open it to prevent drips.

I received my waterproof pouch last night from Amazon! I may test it out in the shower with some non-valuables! Hahaha! Or dunk it in a bucket of water a few times! If it's not waterproof, it's going back, although it looks quite secure and non-cumbersome if I wear it cross-body style on my back!

Did it work? I got a waterproof bag some years ago from CAA and it even stayed dry after some bang up waves in Tobago. I haven't seen them there recently but look similar to your waist pouch.

I think Lee Valley or MEC have the plastic case ones like described from Dick's. I would trust those to be watertight.

Did it work? I got a waterproof bag some years ago from CAA and it even stayed dry after some bang up waves in Tobago. I haven't seen them there recently but look similar to your waist pouch.

I think Lee Valley or MEC have the plastic case ones like described from Dick's. I would trust those to be watertight.

I've been so busy I haven't even tried it! Just tossed it in my pile of stuff to take onboard in 3.5 weeks! Hahaha! I plan on putting my phone in a zip-lock bag inside too, so hopefully it'll be okay regardless! :)

I will report back after I use it!

Mef - I just tried it out by putting some Kleenex in it and submerging it in the sink and under running water. Completely waterproof! I made sure to dry off the outside before opening it and it worked great!!! I won't be wearing it as a waist-pouch because it looks very dorky, but it's not half bad worn as cross-body style with the pouch on my back - it sits flat on my back that way! Looks like a good investment, and I'll be able to put my phone and my cash/documents in it while at the beach!

When I go to the beach, I carry my stuff in a backpack. Before I head into the water, I put my valuables inside (cell phone, etc.) and actually lock one set of zippers with a small keyless padlock. Then I lock my bag to the lounge chair with one of those cheap keyless bike locks. It works. Nobody has ever had the nerve to mess with my stuff. They could easily use a knife to rip my bag from the lock, but would they dare do that in front of everybody?

Those cheap keyless bike locks come in handy on trains too. Thieves are lazy, and will avoid my bags because they aren't worth the hassle to mess with.

I travel solo a lot. I have a PacSafe bag that I can use to lock valuables in and chain to a chair, post or railing, under the car seat in a rental car, or even to the sink trap in a hotel. This is the one I have, which holds my cameras, tablet computer, Kindle, wallet, passport, and other valuables.

http://www.pacsafe.com/travelsafe-12l-portable-safe.html

For the beach, I wear one of those dorky looking waterproof fanny packs. The one I have I bought years ago at REI in their kayaking/canoeing department, and it works very well for my car keys, cell phone, camera, and wallet. I don't care what I look like wearing it. It provides great peace of mind. I often swim or snorkel there there are few other people, so asking someone to watch my stuff can be difficult and risky.

I read a trick somewhere, cant remember. Take along a baby diaper, from a sibling or friend, and wrap the valubles in it like a soild diaper! I will be doing this in my cruises to come!!

i just did three beach days on my cruise and i had a baggie with me and put my little wallet and cell phone in and dug a little hole in the sand without anyone noticing and put my baggie there and covered it in sand and then put my flip flops on top so i knew where i put it. No issues anydays.