First time cruiser, question about waterproof wallets.

Hello all! I am going on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Sea's in June and am very excited!

I have been thinking about this and I was thinking that I will need to bring my credit card, some money and my passport on excursions and am sure that I will be running into the ocean now and then but do not want to leave my wallet on the beach unattended. Well, I ordered an inexpensive waterproof wallet online for 15 bucks. Good idea? What do you experienced cruisers do?

Just wondering.

Also, I had to go as inexpensive as possible so went with an inside room (no windows or anything). What are my chances to get an upgrade? Anything special I could do to improve my chances? I'll be just fine if not since I do not plan on spending much time there but thought I'd ask.

Thanks to all of you! I've experienced nothing but graciousness on this site! :)

Hello all! I am going on Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Sea's in June and am very excited!

 

I have been thinking about this and I was thinking that I will need to bring my credit card, some money and my passport on excursions and am sure that I will be running into the ocean now and then but do not want to leave my wallet on the beach unattended. Well, I ordered an inexpensive waterproof wallet online for 15 bucks. Good idea? What do you experienced cruisers do?

 

Just wondering.

 

Also, I had to go as inexpensive as possible so went with an inside room (no windows or anything). What are my chances to get an upgrade? Anything special I could do to improve my chances? I'll be just fine if not since I do not plan on spending much time there but thought I'd ask.

 

Thanks to all of you! I've experienced nothing but graciousness on this site! :)

I bring a driver's license, a credit card and a little bit of cash. I leave my passport in the cabin safe.

Are you in a specific cabin or an inside guarantee? If you are in a specific inside cabin your chance for an upgrade is nil. If you are in an inside guarantee, you might be upgraded to a better inside cabin. Your chances for an upgrade to an ocean view or better is very slim.

If you want to improve your chances for an upgrade, marry the captain or the CEO.

In 30 cruises in the last few years, I have never received any kind of upgrade, other than if I booked a gty, I got a little better cabin.

Some beaches have lockers.

We never bring that much stuff to the beach to worry about it! Most beaches are so narrow, you can take a dip and still see your stuff on the beach!

Don't count on upgrades..we've NEVER gotten one, either!

Based on recommendations by CC posters I got a little waterproof wallet for my Caribbean cruise. It worked great. I carried some cash, my seapass and one credit card. Never got wet and I never had to leave it anywhere. Even used it to go to the pool and hot tub on the ship, but there all I needed was the seapass. As another poster said, everything else, including passport and regular wallet, stayed in the safe. Have a great cruise.

We never bring that much stuff to the beach to worry about it! Most beaches are so narrow, you can take a dip and still see your stuff on the beach!

It only takes a second for someone to lift your stuff. A wallet or waterproof case for your waist or wrist or around the neck give you some peace of mind and are essential for snorkelers who will be looking at fish, not at the beach. We bring an inexpensive waterproof camera, as well as well as the wallet containing cash, cruise card, credit card and driver's license. Passport is not necessary and can remain in the safe, but if it makes you feel better, you can carry a photocopy on shore. My towel, hat & sunscreen are the only things that remain on the beach.:)

Yea, thank you everyone. Seems like the waterproof wallet is the way to go. Glad I bought it!

I booked an inside guarantee room so I'll keep my fingers crossed then.

Most leave their passport on the ship?

It's a closed loop cruise so I thought the whole reason to get a passport was if you miss the disembarking ship you won't have problems?

You are correct. It's not necessary to carry a passport for a closed-loop voyage beginning and ending at the same US port. However, it is highly recommended you carry one in the unlikely event you become ill or injured on foreign soil and need to fly directly back to the U.S. Without one, you risk being held, further scrutinized, or even denied boarding the plane. In other words, a huge headache on top of whatever ailment is necessitating a return home in the first place.

Do bring your passport with you and do leave it in the room safe. There is no need to bring it ashore with you for entry to the country(s) you are visiting - all that information is transmitted to your port of entry long before you arrive and the whole ship is cleared to come ashore. On our first cruise we brought our passports ashore in Bermuda and finally found a government building on Front Street where someone was interested enough to look at it and stamp it.

All we ever bring ashore is our ship ID card and a credit card and perhaps a small amount of cash. We've never needed to bring more than that, which also means that there is less for you to try to keep track of.

we bring copies of our passports, but in case you miss the ship or need to fly home copies wont do it...we will probably go back to carrying our passports....to many stories of what can happen when you DONT have it--you have to decide what you feel "comfortable" in doing!!

try out your 'waterproof' wallet because some of them arent...hubby purchased one from an outdoor store-and used for cavetubing but it leaked and his passport copy was damp.

I buy men's quick-dry shorts with zipper pockets. Wear over my bathing suit, and put my S&S card, credit card (both plastic) in pocket. Money as well, since it will dry out, or put in a zip-lock bag. Zip pocket closed, and use safety pin to prevent zipper from opening.

ColoradoKat, would you mind telling me where you get the shorts? I've been looking for swim shorts that are not short short. I lost a lot of weight and have loose stuff to hide.

I buy men's quick-dry shorts with zipper pockets. Wear over my bathing suit, and put my S&S card, credit card (both plastic) in pocket. Money as well, since it will dry out, or put in a zip-lock bag. Zip pocket closed, and use safety pin to prevent zipper from opening.

Don't forget to use waterproof tape on the safety pin to prevent it from accidentally popping open.

Regarding the "waterproof wallet" we have a waterproof fanny pack (the Brits laugh when we use this term) called a Splash Caddy. These are actually approved for US Navy Divers and consist of a nylon fanny pack with an inner triple sealed clear plastic bag. This comes in lots of different sizes and is sold all over the internet at major travel sites such as Magellans. What I like about this particular item is I can use it on land or sea, it is even good if we go SCUBA Diving, and it really works. When we go off to the beach (on a cruise) I will usually take cash and 1 major credit card and keep it in the fanny pack.

Hank

Thanks for all the tips everyone! Can't wait for this cruise!!

Don't forget to use waterproof tape on the safety pin to prevent it from accidentally popping open.

I assume this was firmly tongue-in-cheek Cuizer? Made me chuckle! ;)

I assume this was firmly tongue-in-cheek Cuizer? Made me chuckle! ;)

Yes it was. :)

Iv liked all the stuff I bought from Cruise Critic.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/announcement.php?f=215&a=256

FREE Beach Safe with $19 purchase!

Be ready for the beach!

Get a FREE Beach Safe with a $19 purchase in the Cruise Critic store. Simply use coupon code BEACHSAFE when you check out. It's that easy! Money, IDs and keys are safer when they're with you. Latch secures credit cards, room keys and more within the case - and keeps them dry during a day at the beach.

Iv liked all the stuff I bought from Cruise Critic.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/announcement.php?f=215&a=256

 

FREE Beach Safe with $19 purchase!

Be ready for the beach!

 

Get a FREE Beach Safe with a $19 purchase in the Cruise Critic store. Simply use coupon code BEACHSAFE when you check out. It's that easy! Money, IDs and keys are safer when they're with you. Latch secures credit cards, room keys and more within the case - and keeps them dry during a day at the beach.

Except you can't get your passport in it which was the sole reason that I purchased it. Oh well.

Except you can't get your passport in it which was the sole reason that I purchased it. Oh well.

I only take my drivers license into ports. You only need a photo ID to return to your ship in the ports.

I once took my passport and got it wet, so now I leave it in the safe. License works fine to take.

Regarding the "waterproof wallet" we have a waterproof fanny pack (the Brits laugh when we use this term) called a Splash Caddy. These are actually approved for US Navy Divers and consist of a nylon fanny pack with an inner triple sealed clear plastic bag. This comes in lots of different sizes and is sold all over the internet at major travel sites such as Magellans. What I like about this particular item is I can use it on land or sea, it is even good if we go SCUBA Diving, and it really works. When we go off to the beach (on a cruise) I will usually take cash and 1 major credit card and keep it in the fanny pack.

 

Hank

I have the Splash Caddys too, one for the waist and one for around the neck or cross-body. They are great, and large enough for a passport.:)

SheriAZ - The quick dry shorts are just men's swim suit shorts. Sometimes they have a mesh lining in them, and I just cut that out with scissors. Just pull them over my regular bathing suit. Mostly have draw-strings to help size them to your body. I look for the ones with the zip pockets on the leg.

SheriAZ - The quick dry shorts are just men's swim suit shorts. Sometimes they have a mesh lining in them, and I just cut that out with scissors. Just pull them over my regular bathing suit. Mostly have draw-strings to help size them to your body. I look for the ones with the zip pockets on the leg.

Have a link to these? Thanks! :)

I only take my drivers license into ports. You only need a photo ID to return to your ship in the ports.

 

I once took my passport and got it wet, so now I leave it in the safe. License works fine to take.

What if you accidentally miss the ship for any reason?

Why would I need a passport to begin with then?

Not to be a smartass because I am a first time cruiser and really don't know,,,

What if you accidentally miss the ship for any reason?

 

Why would I need a passport to begin with then?

 

Not to be a smartass because I am a first time cruiser and really don't know,,,

If it is a closed loop cruise (you embark and disembark at the same port) you don't need a passport at all. The bottom line is, you have to weight the chances of missing the ship at a port against the chances of having the passport lost, stolen or damaged.

I've been on seventeen cruises visiting over 50 ports and I have not missed the ship yet. My passport stays safe in the safe on board the ship.

SheriAZ - I pick up the Men's quick dry shorts at Target or Walmart. Cheap!