Urgent- theft by passenger- need advice

I am currently onboard the Summit repo, and I will post a full review when we disembark but I am hoping to get some suggestions from CC members on how to handle this situation.

My partner and I were in the Solarium after dinner last night and the way the T pool is laid out makes it very difficult to watch your belongings while you swim. We had a small canvas knapsack with us that tied shut with a string as well as buckled closed, and inside the knapsack was a small case with my 7 year old's Nintendo DS and 9 games. When we exited the pool, the bag wasn't there.

It had been turned into Guest Relations, however the bag had obviously been rifled because inside the small case was just one game. Someone had untied and unbuckled the bag to search it, and then removed the DS and 8 of the games (guess they didn't like the 9th).

My son is devastated and I honestly can't believe that someone would go to such an effort to steal from us. We have notified security however Guest Relations tells me they are extremely busy on port days and won't be able to follow up until this evening, and we have another port day tomorrow and then we disembark. They have said they will review the security tapes to see what happened. I have asked what the protocol is when there is theft by passenger (since I cannot believe a crew member would steal such items from a public area since they know about the cameras!) and the officer said he didn't know.

Has anyone dealt with this before? What is going to happen? I don't care about apologies or anything else, I just want my son's items returned.

It would be really nice if there were lockers or something so that we had a place to store things while at the pool but I never imagined someone would actually go to all that trouble to steal from us.

Any help would be appreciated!!

Ask Security to review their videotapes. It takes a little while for this to happen, but maybe they can make out who else was in the Solarium when you were

I am so sorry to hear of your misfortune. I can understand how upset your child must be. Usually the T pool hasn't a lot going on at that time of the day.

I found a very nice camera once on the promenade deck of Equinox. It was obvious someone had forgotten to pick it up (easily done) I took it to Guest Relations and was asked for my name and room number which I happily gave. Later that day I had the most wonderful letter waiting for me in the letter holder outside my door from the owner of the camera. Of course he thought he had seen the last of it so was more than overjoyed to see the return of it.

I hope by the end of the cruise, you have the good fortune to have your items back. Fingers crossed.

Ask Security to review their videotapes. It takes a little while for this to happen, but maybe they can make out who else was in the Solarium when you were

Yes, we've done that- thought I mentioned in the post.

What I want to know is what happens next. I am sure they will be able to figure who took our items because all they have to do is follow that person until they use Seapass or go into a cabin. But what are they going to do at that point? Can we expect them to actually solve this problem?

Sorry, yes you did say that and I missed it

Report the incident to the Hotel Director. Guest Relations will usually tell you that they are busy and will need time. The HD will be more proactive. All public areas have cameras and the tapes can be reviewed. Might also check with Guest Relations to see if they know who returned the bag. Once again there is probably security tape. The person who returned the bag might not have taken anything. They might just be a good person who saw the bag and returned it to Loss and Found. This is a serious matter that would be very difficult to resolve once you leave the ship. Good luck!

My guess is you can probably kiss the DS goodbye. From what I've been told it will be highly unlikely that anything from the security camera will turn up and given the relatively low value of the DS I'm not sure how much X Security will devote to it. While following someone in a hotel is big on TV, I think in reality and on a cruise ship it isn't so easy.

We were on the Connie last March and after seeing a bag/book sitting unattended in the Solarium for over an hour, I called over the pool butler to have them removed. An hour or two later the owner came by and immediately started screaming at the person now sitting in the seats and yelling for security. I politely told her that her items had been sitting for hours and that the pool Butler had removed them. She returned 20-30 minutes later with Security who asked me a couple questions. Apparently something of value had gone missing from her items. Long story short security told me they would look at the tape but were skeptical they would see anything. I am assuming the focus is in the Casino, shops and Bar areas.

My thought on a cruise has always been... just because these people can afford to cruise, doesn't mean they are good people. I limit my valuables while by the pool/solarium and if I have to leave either take the items with me or try to ask someone to keep an eye out.

Good luck, let us know if anything turns up.

Like I have said, I was asked for my name & cabin number when I handed the camera in. Do they still do this? I know protocol changes all the time but I'm talking recently here.

Unfortunately, just boarding a cruise ship doesn't seem to exempt us from real life. Sorry for your loss. Not to make light of it, but your story reminded me of a time I found that someone had rifled through my car in the night. All I had in there was some Cajun and Zydeco music. They refused to take them!

I am wondering why you are posting this on Cruise Critic. Doesn't make sense?

Just let the security team on the ship handle the situation.

If you are unable to get the game player back, you can claim it on insurance if you have proof of purchase but the value is probably below the deductible.

Report the incident to the Hotel Director. All public areas have cameras and the tapes can be reviewed. Might also check with Guest Relations to see if they know who returned the bag. Once again there is probably security tape. The person who returned the bag might not have taken anything. They might just be a good person who saw the bag and returned it to Loss and Found. This is a serious matter that would be very difficult to resolve once you leave the ship. Good luck!

Yes, I want to solve it before we disembark but I'm worried about a time crunch since today and tomorrow are both port days and they tell me that security is busy manning the gangway.

Should I ask to speak to the Hotel Director now before I hear back from security or should I wait until this evening and see what happens? I am worried they are just going to try and run out the clock and then tell me nothing can be done. I am sure it's an awkward situation since it must be involving another passenger and what are they going to do, say return that stuff you stole? I just don't know what is going to happen and I have a crying son and this is supposed to be his birthday trip :( I really want to fix it.

My partner thinks anyone who would go to so much trouble to steal might have been stealing from others, too. I've already found someone's gold chain and turned it in... I hope the karma comes back.

I am wondering why you are posting this on Cruise Critic. Doesn't make sense?

 

Just let the security team on the ship handle the situation.

 

If you are unable to get the game player back, you can claim it on insurance if you have proof of purchase.

Cruise Critic has always given me good advice, and I have unlimited internet. As far as I'm concerned this is a very serious issue. The DS and games are a couple of years old so no receipt, and I can't afford to replace them honestly. My insurance deductible is $1000 anyway.

I want to handle this in the most appropriate way to get the items back.

Talk to the Hotel Director NOW.

But... You probably will be buying a new Nintendo and games. Sorry.:(

Best of luck.

Yes, I want to solve it before we disembark but I'm worried about a time crunch since today and tomorrow are both port days and they tell me that security is busy manning the gangway.

 

Should I ask to speak to the Hotel Director now before I hear back from security or should I wait until this evening and see what happens? I am worried they are just going to try and run out the clock and then tell me nothing can be done. I am sure it's an awkward situation since it must be involving another passenger and what are they going to do, say return that stuff you stole? I just don't know what is going to happen and I have a crying son and this is supposed to be his birthday trip :( I really want to fix it.

 

My partner thinks anyone who would go to so much trouble to steal might have been stealing from others, too. I've already found someone's gold chain and turned it in... I hope the karma comes back.

Yes, speak to the HD ASAP. Make sure you get a report so that you can file it with your insurance company. You might have coverage that covers the loss. Keep a record of who you spoke to, when and what was said. The more serious you appear, the more seriously they'll respond. Hope that good karma comes your way.

You posted the note about your insurance while I was tying. But, still get the information.

I am wondering why you are posting this on Cruise Critic. Doesn't make sense?

 

Just let the security team on the ship handle the situation.

 

If you are unable to get the game player back, you can claim it on insurance if you have proof of purchase but the value is probably below the deductible.

If you read the original post security was notified.

OP was 'posting on Cruise Critic' asking if anyone had dealt with what happens if they find the person responsible. If someone had experience, there could be some good advice on what they should do in that event. I would probably try posting here if that had happened to me.

Fill out a ship police report and take a copy home with you. If the items don't get returned to you before you get off the ship, you can make a claim on your travel insurance. It should not have a deductible...unless you did not purchase trip insurance. Someone stole our camera on a cruise, and our trip insurance covered for us to get a new one.

Good luck with this situation.

please let us know if notification of Hotel Director moved the investigation along.

Just popped down to Guest Relations and asked to make an appointment to see Mark McSorley. The agent didn't give me a time but said we would see him today. I said we were available at his convenience with the exception of dinner tonight at the Tuscan Grille.

Hopefully he will be able to help? I just don't know what they do. They should be able to see who took the items but then what do they do?? Do they actually confront the passenger to get them back?

Estimated replacement value is around $500 for all that stuff- the games are still so expensive :( I might have one receipt from a game bought recently but that's it.

Just popped down to Guest Relations and asked to make an appointment to see Mark McSorley. The agent didn't give me a time but said we would see him today. I said we were available at his convenience with the exception of dinner tonight at the Tuscan Grille.

 

Hopefully he will be able to help? I just don't know what they do. They should be able to see who took the items but then what do they do?? Do they actually confront the passenger to get them back?

 

Estimated replacement value is around $500 for all that stuff- the games are still so expensive :( I might have one receipt from a game bought recently but that's it.

Just relax. Enjoy your dinner and the remainder of your cruise. The HD knows how to handle the situation and will handle it. Really nothing for you to do once you made a formal report. It's totally in their hands. Unfortunately they've probably had this situation more than you would expect and they have protocols for everything. Just get a copy of any report forms.

I know I shouldn't let it wreck the cruise but I'm really upset. I'm going to get offline and get a drink and see if I can unwind a little but I feel like I won't until this is resolved. I hate having issues on the burner :(

Thanks for all the advice. I will update when I have more info.

I left a very expensive pair of prescription designer sunglasses at a Windjammer buffet table on a Royal ship once and when I went back they were gone. I'm assuming it was a passenger who took my sunglasses and must have wanted them for the designer name. I reported it and they acted like I was making it up - they sent security to our cabin and took the whole place apart like I had somehow hid the sunglasses and reported it as theft. Wanted a photo as proof I had the sunglasses on board [emoji33].They did give me a form which I never did anything with back home. Funny thing was there were a gazillion pairs of sunglasses in the Lost and Found but not mine.

Good luck with the Nintendo. Try going back several times to the Lost and Found before you disembark. Good luck!

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I do appreciate you posting this. If anything, everyone has now been put on notice to protect valuables no matter where you are by having someone watching them at all times or just leaving them in the room. The world has changed and we just have to be a lot more aware of our surroundings as nothing is sacred any more.

I also read another post from someone who missed the ship in Nassau and the nightmare he went through as his passport was in the safe on the ship. It is not as easy as people think when they say you can join at the next port. His information was wiped out from the ship's record and it took some time for them to let him back on board even though his family was there without him.

This just shows that even though a post may seem insignificant, there is always someone who will learn a lesson and there are others who will berate the author.

Mark McSorley is very proactive and will do all he can to help you.

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I would not expect cruise security to confront a passenger over the theft of another passenger's belongings, even if they are able to catch the culprit in the act, and somehow identify him/her by studying the many cameras necessary to follow the person back to their cabin (which might not have been a direct trip). Unless it was a serious crime (and while it appears to be serious to you, it probably is not to them), cruise ships have an unwillingness to confront guests. I'm sorry this happened, but I would chalk this up to a learning experience, and try to not let it ruin the last night of your cruise. I wish you good luck, but I wouldn't have any expectations on what the Hotel Director will accomplish for you, and save yourself from further disappointment.

And adding the obvious - you aren't sure if it was a passenger or a member of the crew who took your items. Can you even be sure that the bag was closed properly, and that they didn't somehow fall out while being transported, perhaps with other items, as a "lost bag"?

I'm sorry that this happen to your son. As someone else mentioned there are cameras around the ship but they don't cover everything. If there is a camera that points at the spot your bag was left that would be a win. However even if the tape shows someone messing with the bag it is probably a long shot that video would clearly show the person to a degree that they could be identified or that there would be cameras that tracked them to their cabin.

File & get copies of the theft reports and if the items aren't recovered file a claim against your travel insurance-that shouldn't have a deductible.