Do you lock your luggage before checking it in at the pier?

[dcsam]

We like to lock our luggage when we fly. But what about at the cruiseship pier? Do you lock it, or is it pretty safe?

[MichTraveler]

We don't lock it, but we put one of those plastic cable ties in it. Easy to break, but obvious if done. We carry nail clippers to open in the cabin. Also discouranges anyone when we leave the bags in the hallway at night. We do not do this for airline.

[Sea Day Cruiser]

Always lock it both when arriving and when leaving the ship.

[chasetf]

I never have anything in my checked bags I worry about losing. If I have something like that it is my carryon. So because of that I do not lock my cases.

 

If they want to dig though my dirty undies, they can have it.

[Princess Chatterer]

Folks had stuff stolen from their luggage after handing bags to the cruise dock porters Trust no one. Lock your luggage at all times and when your bag is dumped off at your transfer hotel or airport NEVER EVER let it leave your sight when possible. I've heard way too many Princess baggage horror stories.

[BigGuy25]

For what it's worth ... I've traveled domestically a lot for both business and pleasure over the past 40 years and have never locked a bag and have never had an item missing. The only time we ever lost an item was on our first cruise. Weather, unscheduled plane changes, and a late airport arrival (back in the days when the cruise line took care of your bags all the way from the check-in airport to the ship) caused us to get to the ship ... but not our bags. They actually held the ship a couple of hours waiting for our arrival ... but they couldn't wait for the missing luggage. After six days ... and two ports ... our bags finally caught up with us in Acapulco. All that was missing was a hair dryer. What I don't know is, if they had been locked, would they have been broken into anyway? By the way, we had plenty of "cruise clothes" in our carry on to get through the six days pretty well. Ships staff helped fill in for things we needed. But, we weren't too formal on the first formal night!!!!

[Admiral Horatio Nelson]

Always treat your luggage as you would anywhere else. I was working on a Grand Class ship in 2005 and was involved in a case of stealing from suitcases. I was brought in to do a spot of forensics on two laptops as the management believed them to be stolen. I did in fact establish they were indeed stolen and the culprits were removed from the ship.

 

It's very rare but it does happen.

[Coral]

Yep - always lock them.

[Coolmama_1]

I always lock mine too.

[BND]

Lock it, but not for the reasons other's pointed out. This came up on the Carnival Thread a few months ago and I also then pointed out that locking them is less about security and more about your bag not coming open and your clothes, etc being dumped out. If you have a zippered suitcase and the zipper gets caught on something, it doesn't take much for it to pull apart. If you have a hard side with latchs, they can pop open easily.

 

As for theft, you really shouldn't have anything in your luggage worth stealing, you should carry it on, and the cruiselines and airlines both tell you that. Other than clothes, in my luggage, the only things you'll find are toiletries, hair dryer, make up, and generic OTC medications, like tylenol.

[mii]

We always lock our luggage before entering the ship and leaving.

 

Marilyn

[billet]

Never even thought about it. I have travelled extensively for the past 8 years on planes and ships and have never had anything stolen, nor have I met any frequent travellers who have found things missing from their case. Without doubt theft occurs but I have no evidence of an epidemic that will cause me to become neurotic.

[suzyaz]

Lock em with plastic thick wire ties, that way if they have to do a security check, they won't tear up my luggage getting off a metal lock.

[drummondcreek]

ditto to the plastic ties.

They are easy to use and cheap. Actually easier to break those little luggage locks than the plastic ties. I keep a handful in my briefcase when I travel and slip them on whenever I have to leave the luggage. With most things, you can't stop a thief, you can just make it easier for him to steal from someone else who has less security. I've had things you would assume no one would steal, like a belt, taken from my bags.

 

The other thing to be cautious about is that your luggage can be used as mule. Drugs or other illegals can be slipped in by one person and a partner retrieve it once you are past customs and security,.

[Gator83]

I ALWAYS lock my luggage before it goes on the ship and when it is leaving the ship. I also lock it while flying as I have those TAS locks.

[Pam in CA]

I have a TSA lock on every suitcase and bring an extra in case one of them is opened and lost (by the TSA, which has happened.) Yes, I lock my suitcases.

 

Coral -- how was your Russian cruise? I was thinking of you and wondering how it was. :)

[DameAtSeaII]

Yep......on the sea and in the air, it's plastic wire ties for us. Mainly because I have watched too many personal items circle on the carousels when the zipper has caught on something and items fall out. If someone wants to actually steal something, they will get in it no matter how you secure it.........this just stops a broken or snagged zipper.

[sonomaphil]

Does it matter? TSA can get in it anyways if they want too, TSA approved lock or not. And if your reponse is going to be that the bagage handlers can't open it with the lock, you're pretty naive. (I didn't direct that at anyone in general)

[dcsam]

Do cruiselines inspect luggage like they do for air travel? Guess I've never worried about locking my luggage for a cruise, but we do remove valuable items.

Thanks for the info!

Caroline

[jak378]

Does it matter? TSA can get in it anyways if they want too, TSA approved lock or not. And if your reponse is going to be that the bagage handlers can't open it with the lock, you're pretty naive. (I didn't direct that at anyone in general)

 

You are quite correct, the handlers I am sure can open any lock they want to. However, all things being equal and with no other knowledge of contents, an unlocked bag is much more likely to be stolen from than a locked one, simply because of the ease with which it can be opened and the time factor.

 

I don't believe that TSA has anything to do with baggage at a cruise ship dock.

[willysgrandma]

We always lock. Why tempt someone?

[GBeret]

I always lock our check-in bags with TSA approved locks. They are put on when we leave home and kept on until they are delivered to our cabin. On the last night, they are set outside the door locked. :D

 

Still, I don't put anything worth stealing in my check-in luggage. I have had a theft from my luggage. I think in the LA airport, prior to using TSA locks. A dive/computer watch.

[MaryPoppinz]

We don't lock, but there's not much worth stealing in our checked baggage (unless you consider underwear and casual clothes worth stealing.) The good stuff is with us.

[Spender Nui]

I flying (which I now try to avoid) I use plastic tie wraps.

 

If not flyng, or if after flights and have had the bags opened for inspection, I always lock as everywhere I can.

 

I've traveled extensively for years and have had too many bags broken into whether or no they've been locked. No reason to make it easier.

 

I also will never use expensive luggage again. It not only invites a look but after the 3rd trip it's already a mess.

[Happy5804]

Never lock my luggage whether cruising or airporting;

nothing stolen either.

I pack nothing that can be construed as valuable though.