Be warned re Barcelona

[Griller]

Every single time we have cruised out of Barcelona there have been passengers pickpocketed, even people I have warned on forums, trouble is there is always someone on here saying "don't be paranoid, Barcelona is no worse than Naples or Rome - BUT IT IS WORSE, even though those other places are bad.

Last year on our transatlantic, in spite of my warnings, a CC organiser lost all of his tour groups cash in Barcelona. And did not/could not/would not - don't know which - pay restitution.

One reason I won't pay in advance to an uninsured and unbonded selfappointed tour organiser even if the tours are half the ship price.

Anyway this years T/A is out of Southampton, a city not noted for pickpocketing, or for anything much at all.

No need to duct tape my wallet to my chest there. Its what I do in Barcelona if I have to carry anything valuable.

[Griller]

For our next years TA from Barcelona, we have many seasoned travelers with us and have been advised on being safe, but also they tell us not to be paranoid, just be street smart. One of the items they all suggest, are the Pac Safe products. http://www.walkabouttravelgear.com/pacsafe.htm

 

 

No, you're right to be paranoid - they are out to get you.

Streetsmart may help just a little but will not be any guarantee at all in Barcelona.

[Griller]

You may want to, carefully, reread my post. You seem to have misunderstood what I wrote.

 

Can't see any hidden meaning in it regardless of how I read it, carefully or not.

English is my native language and I can't see how you mean anything else than you are saying the rating is worthless.

[jmraggs]

I've traveled extensively and have only had a problem in Barcelona.

 

We were ripe for the picking, two guys with luggage and packpacks getting on the subway however we had talked about the pickpocketing problem before we even got there.

 

I wore shorts with zippered pockets and figured that I would know if I was getting robbed.

 

On the subway we got in and stayed with our backs next to the door, three young girls got in after us and the doors closed. For some reason I reached back to make sure my wallet was still in my zippered pocket however it was gone. I immediately turned around and said "My wallet was stolen" and grabbed the girl behind me who had a sweater over her arm.

 

When I did that she dropped my wallet and Patrick grabbed it as soon as it hit the floor. The three girls hit the "open door" button on the subway and jumped off before we could do anything else.

 

As you can imagine this all happened incredibly fast since we hadn't even left the station when all this occured and while I got my wallet back it sort of ruined Barcelona for me.

 

Since then, zipper or no zipper, I usually carry my wallet in my front pocket and keep my hand on it when around people.

 

They're pretty good; they can even retrieve your wallet from your front pocket without you even knowing! I don't want to worry when I travel, my travel pouch that straps at my waist beneath my pants works great. They would have to actually take my pants off to get to it, we have never had a problem and I like not really having to worry about it either.

[marci22]

They would have to actually take my pants off to get to it, we have never had a problem and I like not really having to worry about it either.

 

Same here, I pinned the money belt to my clothing.

 

We got pickpocketed on the #1 local bus in Naples. A man stood in front of me in the aisle and behind DH and wouldn't let my kids on. As I was yelling to not close the doors, the men were pushing us and DH's backpack, worn on his front, was slashed several times. My oldest son's pocket was picked (a wad of worthless paper) and we didn't even realize (in the chaos) what had happened until we were back on the ship. An older woman (looked like anyone's mother) was tugging on my (empty) shorts pocket and when I said something to her she made a sign like "I'm not doing anything!"

 

I had all the valuable things in the money belt. DH only had Kleenex, snacks, and a plastic compass in the outer part and a camera in the innermost compartment. The guy got the compass but that was it. Now he knows what direction to run after he robs someone else.

[Bobal]

Can't see any hidden meaning in it regardless of how I read it, carefully or not.

English is my native language and I can't see how you mean anything else than you are saying the rating is worthless.

 

Thank you - you beat me to it :)

[KeywestK]

Tripadvisor 2010,

today has named Barcelona as the worst city in the world for pic pockets

 

You need to be careful EVERYWHERE you travel. My godson lost his passport in a pickpocket incident in Barcelona, and my best friend lost her wallet in Paris thanks to a pickpocket. So, in preparation for our trip to Barcelona next year prior to our TA cruise, I purchased a PacSafe cross-body handbag (it's slashproof,) and DH bought a money belt. Better safe than sorry....:)

[wcook]

English is my native language and I can't see how you mean anything else than you are saying the rating is worthless.

That - and only that - is exactly what I meant. I am discounting the significance of this particular "award." It has nothing to do with whether or not there is a sticky in Tripadvisor's Forum. It has nothing to do with whether or not there are expert on the Tripadvisor forum who warn of pickpocket danger. It has nothing to do with whether or not there is a pickpocket issue in Barcelona.

 

Just that this particular rating isn't an expert telling us there is a problem... it is merely the fact that people use the word "pickpocket" a lot in their reviews of Barcelona.

[BostonBud]

They're pretty good; they can even retrieve your wallet from your front pocket without you even knowing! I don't want to worry when I travel, my travel pouch that straps at my waist beneath my pants works great. They would have to actually take my pants off to get to it, we have never had a problem and I like not really having to worry about it either.

 

They're VERY good. I didn't even feel her unzipper the pocket or take out the wallet. It was instinct for me to check when I did and I had no idea which girl picked my pocket either it was luck that the one I grabbed dropped the wallet. they even had the nerve to wave at me when the train was pulling away.

[arc918]

we spent a few days in Barcelona - we were very worried (based on what we read), but all you need to do is be careful and not keep all your belongings on

your person (use the hotel safe)

 

I kept a few Euros handy in my pocket and used on of those money belt things (goes under your clothes) to keep a little extra cash and my credit card

 

we did have some gypsys come up to us and try to give us flowers, but we quickly told them to go away

 

bottom line, be smart and safe and you'll be fine

[Bakincakes]

A friend of mine was robbed in Paris as well.

 

A girl behind her on an escalator got her wallet.

 

My friend, unwisely, chased the girl and threw her up against a pillar. the girl gave her the wallet, which was empty. So my friend started screaming "give me back my money"..the girl obliged, the police were called and they waited one HOUR for them to arrive.

 

The cop called the thief by her first name..so he knew her well.:rolleyes:

 

I don't advise anyone to go after a thief like my girlfriend did.:eek:

[Coralc]

Is it really that awful to wear white sneakers? I only have white, and have an awful time finding comfortable shoes. I'm going to look like a tourist anyway, I hope the shoes won't matter that much. We will be cautious. Thanks for all the information. The stories are fascinating. :)

[jmraggs]

They're VERY good. I didn't even feel her unzipper the pocket or take out the wallet. It was instinct for me to check when I did and I had no idea which girl picked my pocket either it was luck that the one I grabbed dropped the wallet. they even had the nerve to wave at me when the train was pulling away.

 

I probably would have waived back and smiled since she didn't get-away with it.... Well, probably not as I would have been too upset feeling violated. Off topic, I guess from looking at your cruise history that you like Atlantis? We have never tried it.

[Desert Cruizers]

Griller how it was told to our roll Call, you have to be extra careful in Barcelona, but at the same time, be aware of your surroundings. I think what they meant by the paranoid comment, was one should enjoy the sights of Barcelona but not restrict yourself so much that you don't dare look at what Barcelona has to offer, because your spending all your time watching out for people. This will be our first trip and I am reading as much as I can taking the advise given to me and do everything possible to limit any problems.

[cruie4ever]

We use money belts when we travel & that protects our valuables in any location

[Griller]

Griller how it was told to our roll Call, you have to be extra careful in Barcelona, but at the same time, be aware of your surroundings. I think what they meant by the paranoid comment, was one should enjoy the sights of Barcelona but not restrict yourself so much that you don't dare look at what Barcelona has to offer, because your spending all your time watching out for people. This will be our first trip and I am reading as much as I can taking the advise given to me and do everything possible to limit any problems.

 

Absolutely right, enjoy Barcelona but be aware, and of course if possible just don't carry anything you care about losing.

For example I would not carry my passport if I was sightseeing, if you are joining the ship in Barcelona you may not have any choice about what you carry around.

We were warned about Dakar Senegal when we went there - don't wear any jewellery,earrings may be ripped out of your ears, or watch may be twisted off your wrist, don't carry anything of value, don't wear desirable footwear - or you may have your shoes stolen............. a guy comes up each side of you and lifts you off your feet while a third thief takes off your shoes and runs away with them.

Nice to know there's somewhere actually worse than Barcelona.

[Desert Cruizers]

Griller, we will be arriving on the 26th, 3 days before cruising, so I have warned DH, that we will walk out of our Hotel with only a few Eros each rest stays in the hotel safe. No passports will be needed until we board, then only copies will go off the ship with us.

Another thing on my to do list will be to notify all credit card Companies involved that we will be out of the country, so they won't be surprised if a charge shows up from Cartegna. :). I have already purchased a Money belt, so no visible purse, and have a Pac Safe Camera case.

[Tucker in Texas]

 

The cop called the thief by her first name..so he knew her well.:rolleyes:

 

I don't advise anyone to go after a thief like my girlfriend did.:eek:

 

I heard that when the Olympics were in Barcelona, they gathered up all the known pickpockets and took them out of town to a "camp" for the duration.

 

Tucker in Texas

[Darkwolfe]

Hmm.. This all has me wondering how many fingers I can break before the pickpockets leave me alone. If and when I get to go that way of course.

[BobbyD]

I am not an ace photographer but enjoy taking pictures. I am a bit concerned about carrying a camera around. Is it safe in a backpack? Any suggestions?

[CVU]

I am not an ace photographer but enjoy taking pictures. I am a bit concerned about carrying a camera around. Is it safe in a backpack? Any suggestions?

We spent 11 Days in Barcelona before or after our 2 TA cruises.

We saw many with their back packs worn on the front. Women with two hands on the straps of their purses.

 

My DH bought a thin metal cable at a sporting goods chain store. He had it attached to his belt loop with a key ring type thing, and ran the cable through all the belt loops to the camera and another key ring onto the camera. The cable was long enough for the camera to fit into his pocket and take it out to take a photo.

 

I had no purse, he had no wallet. We had a travel pouch that attached to our belt and wore inside our clothes, with shirts/jacket out over top. We felt safe and were not bothered. We kept a few Euros handy so we were not going into our pouch for them. Our valuables were in the hotel safe.

 

We did stop a pickpocket lady in the Hop on Hop off line up. She came to stand right beside me in the line and tried to get into the pouch of a backpack of the man in front of me!!! She had a coat over her arm. She was on her cell to another woman working the line.............after we alerted the man in front, she went back down the line.

[dirtgirl]

I'm in Barcelona in December, and I'm freaked out!:eek: People are scared to go to the Mexican ports with all the reports of gang wars 1000 miles away. I have never felt unsafe in Mexico. But I feel unsafe in Barcelona, and I'm not even there yet...:o

Looks like I'll be ordering PacSafe bags. I have to get to my hotel on my own as well, and I'm even nervous about being in the airport alone.

[chipmaster]

What is the point? To tell people to avoid Barcelona or to be careful?

 

Much ado about nothing IMHO. When out traveling use common sense. Yes some places have more opportunistic petty criminals than other places but we found Barcelona no worse then many other places I've visited.

 

Act like a chump and you will be taken in your home town. Act smart and be on alert in your travels and you'll be fine.

 

Tripadvisor 2010,

today has named Barcelona as the worst city in the world for pic pockets

[Desert Cruizers]

I would not put anything in your back pack or wear a Fanny pack, they are easily removed. Best to wear a Pac Safe item and wear under your clothes. Pac Safe has Camera pouches that have metal in the straps and they say are unable to cut these items. http://www.walkabouttravelgear.com/pacsafe.htm

The Camera Pouch is called a VentureSafe 50 Digi Pouch. Our Liberty Roll Call for next years TA several have already purchased items from Pac Safe.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

OP, Very true , we witnessed it and quite a few on our cruise had been done. One lady could not board her ship because they had taken her bag with everything, passports the lot.