FOUND: Wedding Ring in Safe

[cruisinfanatic]

So some of the posters here think they would do better than lost in found? Taking an item off the ship that does not belong to you is pretty close to theft no matter what your intention.

Suppose you find a wallet on the floor in Walmart. No ID in it, but lots of cash. Assuming you are honest, are you really going to take it out of the store rather than turning it in?

[Fouremco]

Two questions for the OP and those who support the OP's approach:

 

What happens to the ring if no one claims it, and how long do you wait until taking this action?

 

If it had been a very valuable piece of jewelry, would your approach have been the same?

[BND]

My feeling is turn it into guest services and you've done your part. There is no real data on how many items are returned to their rightful owners by those that find them and take them home. So, no one can say it's better to do so than to turn it in. The fact is, some people will end up keeping what they find, so OP, what do you plan to do with someone's wedding ring if you don't find the owner? It's not yours and never should be. For every story of someone never getting their item back, there are probably more of people who do. The fact is, more people will complain than praise so we really have no idea. A small percentage of cruisers even know cruise critic exists so to think the owner will be on this site is ridiculous. You are not smarter by taking it home and using the excuse you "googled" doesn't pass the smell test. Just when did you decide to google this? My guess is you've read a couple of posts on here where some say they are better equipped to find the owner and you went with it. Just realize you are not the one who gets to decide how lost and found is handled. I know, if I lose something the first place I'd check is with the cruise line and not some website.

Edited December 13, 2016 by BND

[Coralc]

JMO. I would turn it in to guest services, because I wouldn't want to be responsible for it. It's not mine, and I wouldn't want to be in possession of someone else's treasured item, that doesn't belong to me. It is between the cruise line, and the person that lost the ring.

[ColoradoGurl]

Two questions for the OP and those who support the OP's approach:

 

 

 

What happens to the ring if no one claims it, and how long do you wait until taking this action?

 

 

 

If it had been a very valuable piece of jewelry, would your approach have been the same?

 

 

I suppose they could always contact the cruiseline and arrange to mail it to their corporate headquarters.

 

I think my approach was in support of the poster only because I've read stories here of people having such poor luck getting their items back from the ship, either because of lack of communication or because the item disappeared before the guest services people had a chance to go look for it (perhaps the room stewards or housekeeping take things that are left behind before guest services gets there, who knows).

 

If the person who took the item off the ship is actually making a concerted effort to locate the person the item belongs to, I don't think anything fishy is going on. But if I hadn't read of these stories happening I probably would have turned it into guest services.

 

 

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[Magnetchief]

Honestly. I feel this is no better than theft.

Turn it over when you find it and move on.

 

 

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Edited December 13, 2016 by Magnetchief

[Langley Cruisers]

...Someone finds something that is not theirs and decide that they can do better at finding the owner. You cant!!!! It was wrong of you to take it off the ship...

 

JMO. I would turn it in to guest services, because I wouldn't want to be responsible for it. It's not mine, and I wouldn't want to be in possession of someone else's treasured item, that doesn't belong to me. It is between the cruise line, and the person that lost the ring.

 

Absolutely agree with both replies. It was not OP's place to remove the ring from the ship, even though I can understand the heart and reason behind the action.

[mollyeilis]

10% isn't bad.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, royal has access to 100% of their cruisers.

 

Just because we hear of problems doesn't mean there aren't tons of good stories. Just means people aren't talking about it here. When people have problems they talk about it. When people have solutions they rarely talk about it. If someone is already a member here of course we'll hear about their problems.

 

Taking it is theft IMO.

 

Wonder if all the unreturned, unfound, items people mention here weren't found because of people, for whatever reason, taking the items off the ship.

[purescottish]

Op is asking the owner to send a picture of the ring as proof........ how many people have a picture of their wedding ring !

[secret1122]

Op is asking the owner to send a picture of the ring as proof........ how many people have a picture of their wedding ring !

 

Don't know the actual answer, but it IS a very popular photograph to be taken by wedding photographers, and also copied by non-professionals. It's the photo of the couple's hands together, or the bride's hand on the bouquet, both clearly focusing on the ring.

 

Plus, for insurance reasons, many people have photos of valuable items.

[S.A.M.J.R.]

This reminds me of the time on Carnival ship back in 1986, so no CC or social media, when on the last night when we cleaned out the safe we found a Canadian passport! Took it to the purser, predated the term "guest services" but always wondered how it's owner ever got home. But of course travel was easier then. I think we traveled with birth certificate and voter registration card!

 

I think the idea of going to media makes sense. Great exposure for the story. They might even be able to get RCI release the name of the prior cabin passengers.

I know this is an old story, but notice this poster didn't notice the extra item until their last day. So if the passport holder had contacted RCI (even on disembarkation day), they'd have no information on it.

[BillOh]

I know your heart is in the right place, but I seriously doubt you increased the owners' chances of getting the ring back by keeping it. What did RC say when you contacted them and told them you had the ring? They know exactly who was in the room before you.

 

This was my thought, and would RC release that info or would you trust them to relay it to the previous occupant? Sounds like a no win situation to me, but I'll be curious if RC replies.

[BillOh]

I agree. The OP could have turned it in to Guest Services and still gone on CC and social media in the hope that the owner would read about the ring having been found. Taking the ring home simply complicates the issue.

 

If it was something like a phone or SD card that could possibly be identified I might consider taking it with me to ensure it gets to its rightful owner, I won't chastise the OP as the cruise lines do have a bad reputation of getting things back for example the Iphone on Disney a few years back. I am just slightly dismay'd that the cabin attendant didn't catch it on cleaning. That should be on a checklist.

[JLODK]

I am the person who found the wedding ring in the safe on our last day. While I appreciate that everyone took the time to read my post, the puspose of my post was to get the message our there, not ask for your negative opinions of my choices. it wasn't necessary to post your personal opinions of whether you think I am a thief or not. It is actually quite the opposite - I work in the hospitality industry and know what happens in the "lost and found" departments. If they aren't claimed within 6 months, they are given back to the person who found it to keep. Some places have smaller windows and some have larger windows - but the end result is the same. When you turn something in and walk away, if it isnt claimed, you never know about it and then a staff member can take it. The odds of getting it back are even worse when the department is in the middle of the ocean.

 

The piece of jewellery I found is clearly someone's wedding band - it is far too important and valuable to just turn it into the ships lost and found department. Our plan was to connect with RCI Corporate office, which we have, to find the rightful owner. If we are not able to find the owner, we will ship it to their head office in Florida for them to keep, rather than leaving it on a boat that sails every 10 days all over the world. Since we found it in a stateroom, it should be fairly easy to get it back to the owner, and I will continue to work with them until they find the owner. A few phone calls and posts to reunite someone with their ring is the right thing to do.

 

We asked for a photo and stateroom number to ensure honesty and authenticity - in the very unlikely event that they do not have a photo of their ring, a description would suffice as it is a very specific style.

 

I know that if I lost my wedding band, I would certainly check the community boards of the cruises and since cruise critic comes up #1 on google, it's good odds. We have also done the right thing in contacting head office and will ask the facebook pages to post as well.

 

Thank you for those who kept the thread positive - I appreciate your positive energy in reconnecting the owner with their ring. Our heart is 100% in the right place, we are not criminals or theives and we will continue to do the right thing.

 

For those who will continue to keep making this post a negative one, accuse me of theft, and tell me I am wrong - all I can say to you is Merry Christmas!

[troykahack]

The reason we put our valuables in a zip lock bag before placing them in the safe

[John&LaLa]

I left my class ring in the room on debarkation day by accident. Basically I left the room to go to breakfast and then leave. I ran into the room steward for my wife's cabin as we were leaving and he told me that my cabin steward informed him that she was turning in my ring to GS.

 

So I went to GS, waited in line and then gave them my cabin number and asked if my ring was in lost and found. The lady went to check and asked me to describe it. I did and then she asked if I could tell her what was written inside the band. I said of course, my name. :rolleyes:

 

Signed for it and went on my merry way.

 

Always makes the most sense to turn things in to GS.

[George C]

I also would have turned it in to guest services, but also understand your reasons not to, I had a bad experience with a missing ring and a totally inept cruise staff on another line ( a line I will never cruise on again)

[PortSideCruzan]

 

Hi Jlodk :)

 

While it's very true that a teenie tiny percentage of travelers use Cruise Critic, there is a positive side here; I noticed when doing a (Google search) such as typing in:

Serenade Of The Seas: Lost Wedding Ring

That your post comes up in the search saying: FOUND: Wedding Ring in Safe

Be sure to consider posting to Royal Caribbean on Facebook. The odds of connecting with the owner are greater, along with your real name & theirs. Hopefully they will also do an internet search for their ring as well, which will bring them to your post right here, along with any other posts you decide to place in other areas of the Internet.

 

There is no would've, could've or should've, there is only the 'now'... Good luck! Come back to your post here to update us when possible.

Have a terrific day!

 

 

:)

 

 

 

Edited December 13, 2016 by PortSideCruzan

[WisconsinFan]

I lost my wedding ring many, many years ago while on vacation (pre-internet/social media). It was a week long vacation at a resort, and I am still not exactly sure where I lost it, but most likely in a parking lot. I told the resort and I told the local police department. Left my contact information everywhere, including home and the resort we were at. It was the first day of our vacation. I was sure it was gone forever. My husband was very nice about it as I was so upset.

 

Returned home, filed a claim on my homeowners policy a few days later. No sooner than filing my claim in my mailbox was an unassuming, plain little box addressed to me with no return address. The postage mark was not from the town where I lost my ring, but inside the box was my ring. I don't know ho found it, or which place I left my contact info at told them who I was. I never was able to thank them. Notice they did not turn it into the police department but took it home with them.

 

By posting this across as many platforms as you can and keeping in touch with RCC there should be a good chance that you can reunite them. There are good people in the world and I think the OP is one of them.

[BecciBoo]

Absolutely agree with both replies. It was not OP's place to remove the ring from the ship, even though I can understand the heart and reason behind the action.

 

DITTO! I understand the pure motive of the poster, but still should be considered a form of theft....i.e. "taking something that does not belong to you". Sorry OP.:o

[ptf2009]

Hello Royal Caribbean Cruisers,

 

We recently sailed on the Serenade of the Seas from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. On departure day, when removing the contents of our stateroom safe, we found a ring that appears to be a Ladies wedding band.

 

After looking on google to see how likely it would be to get the ring back to its rightful owner via Guest Services on board, we decided we would keep the ring and contact Royal Carribean ourselves to see if anyone has reported it missing - thinking their chances of getting it back might be higher if we told them we had it. We've read nothing but horror stories of people trying to get RCI to help find their missing items, to never hear back from them, and due to the significance of this ring, we wanted to increase the chances of getting it back to its owner.

 

If you have lost a wedding band in your stateroom on the Serenade of the Seas, please reply with a photo of the ring you lost and the stateroom you were in. If the ring matches what we have, we will return it to its rightful owner.

 

Please do not waste time with prank replies or comments.

 

Please check to see if there is any engraved info inside the band. There may be a wedding date. I think I lost my wedding ring in a safe in one of my many cruises. My wedding date is 6-29-74.

[ptf2009]

I wish it was mine!! I think I left my wedding ring in the safe of Navigator but no luck in getting it back :(

 

Yes, this is how I felt when I realized I lost my wedding ring. It was just a plain gold band with our wedding date (6-29-74 engraved as well as "tf to pf" on the inside of the band. You see, I didn't wear that ring very often because I have another band that my husband bought me for our 25th anniversary. I brought it on the cruise to wear when we were at a port.

 

It is my hope that someone found it and will see my info. However, a part of me is wondering if a RCCL employee found it and kept it or sold it.

[Fouremco]

It is my hope that someone found it and will see my info. However, a part of me is wondering if a RCCL employee found it and kept it or sold it.

Why would you assume an RCCL employee rather than a passenger? This thread clearly shows that some passengers feel that taking an item home is fine.

[Paulxyz2004]

The only right Thing to do is to turn in the ring. It is not up to the OP to Play Sherlock Holmes.

 

I also agree with those thinking this is bordering on theft.

 

Stories on the Internet about itmes not reunited wit their owners are absolutely no indication about how good or bad the lost and found works. It´s simply single stories without proof and without any relation to the number of lost items Overall.

 

If I´d lose anything I´d want it to be turned in and not being taken off By someone like the OP.

[dcgrumpy]

Why would you assume an RCCL employee rather than a passenger? This thread clearly shows that some passengers feel that taking an item home is fine.

 

So true. Maybe a helpful passenger decide to bring it home instead of turning it into GS.