Lock luggage?

[maggie1118]

Hello! This is my first cruise and I'm a little leary putting our luggage out the night before. Do I lock it? Will I see it again before I get to customs in the states? I also will have some addititional toiletries that I will need to add the next morning (due to carry-on restrictions). Please help! Thank you!!!

Dawn

[jtibbs]

Yes, lock your bags when you put them out in the hall the last night. No, they will not be there the next morning your room steward will have already put the on a cart and rolled them away for disembarkment. You could always do the self disembarkment and keep them in your room and carry them off your self. Just a thought.

[Costest]

we lock our bags - both going and coming.

 

You usually have to pick up your bags inside the cruise terminal, before transfer to airport, etc. so adding toileties should be OK.

[cb at sea]

Always keep your luggage locked, whether on the plane or the ship!!!

You will have to retrieve your bags before you go through Customs, so you can put any leftover toiletries into the bags you will check on the plane.

[paul929207]

Lock your bags. It is best to get the TSA approved locks. If you use other locks on checked luggage for a flight, TSA may cut them off if they want to inspect your bag.

[msmayor]

Its been suggested to me that in addition to using TSA locks, that I should also use colored zip ties. These can be easily cut off by TSA personnel who may need to inspect the luggage, but its the best way to really know if someone actually OPENED the bags after I'd sealed them. They'd have to have the same color tie, zipped closed to the same size for me not to know its been opened.

[98Charlie]

In 23 cruises we have never used locks on our luggage -- only colored zip ties we buy in bulk at our local hardware.

 

We have to fly to all of our cruise ports and never lock our luggage for flights, not with TSA approved locks or with colored zip ties.

 

We put the zip ties on our luggage before we head to the port and put fresh zip ties on our luggage before sitting it outside our cabin door for pick up the last night of the cruise.

 

Have never had a problem with our system and have never had to worry about a lock being cut off by a TSA or replacing a damaged lock.

 

Anything of real value, ie jewelry, etc., is carried in our carry on luggage.

 

Dianne

[greatam]

I fly for my business over 100,000 miles per year. In addition, I take at least 1 cruise per year.

 

I NEVER use locks anymore. ALWAYS BRIGHTLY colored zip ties that I get at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. I have a big preference for florescent pink and green. Can see my luggage a mile away. I put them on all zippers, a couple on the handle. And a few in the side pocket or my carryon in case TSA opens my bag.

 

Cheap, readily available. TSA locks get cut off often. And any non TSA lock WILL DEFINITELY get cut off if TSA wants into your bag. I laugh every time I walk into Phoenix airport of JFK. Right on top of the luggage scanner in the AA terminal is a BIG RED PAIR of BOLT CUTTERS. They are not for decoration.

 

Use the zip ties. Never failed me yet. Don't forget the nail clippers in your carry on.

[CC Help Michell]

Lock your bags. It is best to get the TSA approved locks. If you use other locks on checked luggage for a flight, TSA may cut them off if they want to inspect your bag.

 

I agree. I hated the couple of years I had to travel with unlocked luggage, before TSA locks came out. I'm not naive enough to think that even a TSA lock will keep a determined thief out of luggage (any more than colorful zip ties will). But I do think the TSA locks will discourage a casual thief/luggage rummager more than a colorful zip tie. Basically, one requires that casual thief to have bolt cutters, and the other one requires nail clippers or a pocket knife. I know which one I'm more likely to have on my person or in my pocket.

 

I think of it like folks who buy home alarm signs for houses which do not actually have an alarm company monitoring an alarm system -- it's deterrence. It's designed to send the casual thief to the next person's luggage (and experienced professional burglars confirm that it does do so, in the house example).

 

That said, I never put anything in my luggage anyone would want (no commercial value). I just don't want the nuisance and "ew" factor of damaged luggage, or picturing someone's hands pawing through my stuff.

 

I will add that even if you choose to leave your luggage unlocked for airplane flights, I would lock it going onto and off of the cruise ship. Once your bags are in the hall they are accessible to teens, fellow pax, cruiseline employees, stevedores or other local employees at the pier, etc. Even if you aren't concerned about the air travel part -- why wouldn't you lock them going onto or off the ship? Those handy zip ties will tell you that "someone" went pawing through your luggage, but they don't do diddly to say who it was. I'd rather send the rummager to someone else's luggage.

[anjoliza]

Use the zip ties. Never failed me yet. Don't forget the nail clippers in your carry on.

 

You're not allowed to have nail clippers in your carry-on - are you? Nor a knife or little scissor - how do you open the zip ties?

[greatam]

You're not allowed to have nail clippers in your carry-on - are you? Nor a knife or little scissor - how do you open the zip ties?

 

All allowed-small knife, small scissors, nail clippers

[Krazy Kruizers]

Definitely use TSA locks when you put your luggage out into the hallway the last night of the cruise.

 

As you enter the terminal from the ship you will go through immigration. Then you will claim your luggage. As you leave the terminal building with your luggage you will hand your customs form to a representative at the door.

 

Once you get to the airport, then you can unlock your suitcase, add what you need to, lock it up again, and then check your luggage.

[98Charlie]

You're not allowed to have nail clippers in your carry-on - are you? Nor a knife or little scissor - how do you open the zip ties?

We keep a pair of clippers in the outside pocket of the checked luggage;)

 

Charlie

[ehfl]

I don't use locks...Locks are just a sign to crooks "Hey...there's something valuable in here besides dirty underwear". If you do use locks, only use TSA locks, or they will break into them. TSA will leave a note if they do open your luggage.

[Jungle Jane]

I used TSA locks and when my bags showed up in my room a few hours after we boarded one of my TSA locks was GONE. No note, nothing, and I KNOW it was locked on there before because of my slight OCD I checked and rechecked (ok and rechecked and rechecked). Nothing was missing but I still reported it. Of course nothing was done about it :(

[Abear2]

I had bought the TSA locks at Walmart and have been having them for years and never had a problem. They have opened my luggage before and left a note inside stating that, but it was always re-locked.

[emjsea]

I definitely locked all my luggage before getting on board and when leaving it out that last night (which is sooo sad to us!). Never had a problem with doing that. Just be sure to unlock it before you drop it off at the airport.

 

Now, however, we can't lock it when we leave because we use the luggage valet service (RCCL w/ American Airlines... and some other airlines) which takes the luggage that night and we don't see it again until we get home (which is a HUGE relief).

[Bequia]

Zip ties always works for us. Easiest way to see if someones gone thru your luggage if the zip ties gone. ;)

72

[CruisingJs]

That said, I never put anything in my luggage anyone would want (no commercial value). I just don't want the nuisance and "ew" factor of damaged luggage, or picturing someone's hands pawing through my stuff.

quote]

 

The problem is, you never know what someone might find "valuable". We dropped our bags off with the guys on the dock and by the time they got to our cabin, one of the locks was broken off and my husband's tennis shoes were gone. Talk about "ew" factor...:p

[CC Help Michell]

That said, I never put anything in my luggage anyone would want (no commercial value). I just don't want the nuisance and "ew" factor of damaged luggage, or picturing someone's hands pawing through my stuff.

quote]

 

The problem is, you never know what someone might find "valuable". We dropped our bags off with the guys on the dock and by the time they got to our cabin, one of the locks was broken off and my husband's tennis shoes were gone. Talk about "ew" factor...:p

 

LOL that reminds me of some shoe auctions I once stumbled across on Ebay. :eek:

 

The main point of my prior post is that -- even acknowledging that TSA locks can be cut off -- isn't using zip ties instead so you will "know if someone got into your luggage" pretty much a pointless activity? You almost never would know when it happened, or who did it, and even if you thought you did, you likely couldn't prove it. I think the zip ties are good for making sure your zipper doesn't work its way open, but not for deterring a thief (casual or otherwise).

 

A truly determined thief won't be prevented by any measure discussed here, either. To me, the only point of using tougher locks (like the TSA ones) is to discourage a casual thief (not necessarily a ship or airline employee -- fellow passengers come to mind, the last night on a cruise) from committing a crime of opportunity. If you don't give them the opportunity (i.e., they don't have a pair of bolt cutters in their pocket to cut off your TSA locks), some other traveler will give them that opportunity, and they'll move on to the next bag.

 

Your mileage may vary. I'm pretty happy with what we do now, since I know that even if we lost the entire bag, basically we lost a couple hundred bucks' worth of used clothes and a suitcase we got at Target (mind, that's on the way home -- on the way to a cruise that'd be a huge pain in the patootie!). On the way home it would still be a nuisance, but not catastrophic. So we think spending a little money on some TSA locks to increase the odds of avoiding that nuisance is worth it. If it happens anyway, so be it.

 

I just don't see any meaningful difference between zip ties and doing nothing -- so maybe someone can explain that part, and how knowing that someone went into your luggage at some point, is helpful?

[greatam]

 

The main point of my prior post is that -- even acknowledging that TSA locks can be cut off -- isn't using zip ties instead so you will "know if someone got into your luggage" pretty much a pointless activity? You almost never would know when it happened, or who did it, and even if you thought you did, you likely couldn't prove it. I think the zip ties are good for making sure your zipper doesn't work its way open, but not for deterring a thief (casual or otherwise).

 

A truly determined thief won't be prevented by any measure discussed here, either. To me, the only point of using tougher locks (like the TSA ones) is to discourage a casual thief (not necessarily a ship or airline employee -- fellow passengers come to mind, the last night on a cruise) from committing a crime of opportunity. If you don't give them the opportunity (i.e., they don't have a pair of bolt cutters in their pocket to cut off your TSA locks), some other traveler will give them that opportunity, and they'll move on to the next bag.

 

Your mileage may vary. I'm pretty happy with what we do now, since I know that even if we lost the entire bag, basically we lost a couple hundred bucks' worth of used clothes and a suitcase we got at Target (mind, that's on the way home -- on the way to a cruise that'd be a huge pain in the patootie!). On the way home it would still be a nuisance, but not catastrophic. So we think spending a little money on some TSA locks to increase the odds of avoiding that nuisance is worth it. If it happens anyway, so be it.

 

I just don't see any meaningful difference between zip ties and doing nothing -- so maybe someone can explain that part, and how knowing that someone went into your luggage at some point, is helpful?

 

Couple of things: Do you realize that quite a few of the largest packing houses in the USA use glorified "zip ties" to secure $150,000 loads of meat in refrigerated trailers? And if the "seal" (they are numbered-hence called the "seal record"-numbers are recorded at the packing house) is missing, you know INSTANTLY that someone was in the trailer. Sure, some packers use the old fashioned metal "seals", but the principal is the same-only the material is different. A piece of metal or plastic where one end is pushed into a "lock". Cannot be removed without cutting the plastic or breaking/bending the metal. Do you REALLY think they would protect their very expensive meat loads with just a piece of plastic if they didn't feel pretty secure???

 

Second-if you use brightly colored zip ties, you can tell in an INSTANT that someone has been in your luggage. You generally can't see that with a lock, as they can EASILY be put back together to LOOK like they are intact. One big reason meat packers don't use locks on refrigerated trailers. A can of freon sprayed on a lock will "freeze" the lock and the shackle will drop off. There are many other ways to open locks and make them look like they are NOT opened with a casual glance.

 

When luggage comes down the conveyor, I don't even TOUCH it if I can't see the zip ties. I walk to the airline luggage agent and have them WATCH me handle and open my luggage. IF it was TSA, the zip tie will generally be a different color and SHOULD have a note inside. IF it wasn't TSA, the airline employee can see that my suitcase has been rifled or not and can file the proper report. When you check in and the airline takes your luggage, aren't you always asked "has this suitcase been in your constant care and control". If you say no, the suitcase doesn't go on the plane until it has been inspected then and there. If you say yes, it then becomes the airline's responsibility. TSA and the airline can get into a contest about whose responsibility it is, but as a general rule, with proper documentation, the airline will pay the claim and work it out with TSA behind the scenes.

 

I stand by my zip ties-both on my 37 refrigerated trailers AND my luggage.

[sixgun8]

 

Use the zip ties. Never failed me yet. Don't forget the nail clippers in your carry on.

 

Thought the nail clippers were on the No No list?? I bought a cheap set of padlocks that are TSA approved. If they want in they have a master key. I am not worried about it. They searched one of my bags this past week. Oh well. Did lose my lock though!:(

[CC Help Michell]

Greatam, with all due respect (and I have a lot of it for you; I love your posts in several areas here at CC including the Cruise Air and Alaska boards)... and I have no reason to believe what you say above isn't true, so I agree. But then... so what? My fuschia zip tie is missing and I go find an airline or TSA rep to watch me open my luggage. Said employee looks at me while I examine my belongings and start to list what's missing (if anything).

 

If I don't have date/time stamped photos of me loading my souvenirs and geegaws in my suitcase (and if I do I then have to beat the accusation that those are doctored or Photo Shopped), basically I have no proof that I ever HAD said item, much less that it's now missing OR that it's the fault of whatever entity I'm looking at.

 

You have a background in air freight, etc. Mine is in law and proving things by a preponderance of the evidence, or even beyond a reasonable doubt. I guess I still am quite unclear how Joe or Joanne Consumer documents and maintains sufficient evidence to make a difference if a ziptie is broken? Ultimately, in the context of getting on or off a cruiseliner, my question is the same -- how could knowing the luggage has been entered identify WHO did it? That's especially true for disembarkation -- where every passenger on your ship has access.

 

On your meat packer example... what I (as a consumer) HOPE happens is that if the "seal" is missing, the load of meat is discarded, or sold at discount to a dog/cat food manufacturer. It should be... without the seal there's no evidence that the meat hasn't been contaminated or tampered with.

 

Since we live in the US, though, I'd nearly bet the mortgage payment that's NOT what happens. Somebody (after a few lawyers are paid several thousand dollars to argue about it) pays a fine, and the meat enters the market. If I'm wrong about that I'd love it.... but I have a feeling my crystal ball that works for everything except lotto numbers is working once again.

 

I do appreciate the reply, but I'm still at a loss as to how knowing that "someone" entered your luggage is useful or worthy of remunerative to an average cruise passenger. Sorry... maybe I'm having a dense day after an intense week at work!

[cruiserbryce]

I always lock them before we put them out the last night...you will have a chance to put in any liquids or other items after you get them the next am and before you go to the airport...we have never had an issue with this...

[Bequia]

I stand by my zip ties-both on my 37 refrigerated trailers AND my luggage.

 

Well said.

 

67