Pick pocketed before a cruise from Rome. Options?

It was my girlfriend, we're actually in different parts of Italy and meeting up tomorrow. She lost her wallet, money, credit cards, and passport. She does have a work ID and a virtual passport, like an App thing. She called Royal and they said they won't board her. Cruise leaves sunday and US embassy is closed tomorrow, she thinks her only option is to go to embassy on monday and fly to Santorini to hopefully board there. She's staying in civitavecchia, tomorrow she'll go down the RCCL office there if it's staffed on saturday.

Surely there are other options, she can't be the first to be pick pocketed a day before a cruise. She does have a work ID, she's Diamond level so taken many cruises, and I can vouch for who she is. If we can get her on the ship, I'm thinking we can get an emergency passport in Athens later in the week.

What are the options here?

Ouch! Unfortunately pickpocketing is common in Rome, as well as a few other places in Spain / Italy / France.

When we went there in October I kept my hands in my pockets round everything at all time! The bad thing is they're so good at doing it, I bet she didn't even notice ?

Hopefully you get a resolution to this. The rules aren't as stringent as in the US and if you can get a passport from the embassy she'll be able to board in the next port as long as they agree to it. Being Diamond has nothing to do with this unfortunately.

Sucks that happened and the Embassy isn't reachable until Monday. Your GF's idea is a good one. I don't think she is going to be allowed to cruise without her passport. Plus if she stays put until Monday, she can get one or more of her credit cards replaced. Best of luck in getting this resolved.

If she has any kind of travel insurance (mine comes free with my cc), she should contact them immediately and they will help her work out a game plan.

If you have Royal Caribbean Travel Protection purchased contact them immediately.

Worldwide Emergency Assistance Services can be accessedby calling On Call International at 1-(866) 509-7716 or, fromoutside the U.S. or Canada, call collect*: 1-(603) 328-1716.

Otherwise the credit card company that you paid for your flight with or any other travel insurance policy should be able to assist.

A police report must be filed to get an emergency passport. Go ahead and get a passport photo made.

I feel for her- the same thing happened to my brother in law in Milan a few years ago. A couple asked him to take their picture in the train station. He put down his briefcase momentarily and someone stole it while he was distracted. She should hang tight in Rome and get this squared away. Did she buy the cruise insurance?

They may not let her board in Santorini. A. It's a tender port and there is no customs agents on the pier or on the ship to my knowledge. If weather was bad, she wouldn't be able to tender at all, and for this reason, the cruise line will probably advise her that she can't board in Santorini.

US Embassy has after hours phone listed.

U.S. Embassy Rome

Via Vittorio Veneto, 121

00187 Rome, Italy

Telephone: +(39) 06-4674-1

Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(39) 06-4674-1

Fax: +(39) 06-4674-2244

The Rome consular district include the regions of Lazio, Marche, Umbria, Abruzzo, and Sardegna.

uscitizensrome@state.gov

CONSULATES

U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome

Via Boncompagni, 2

Telephone: (+39) 06- 4674-3500

Emergency after-hours telephone: (+39) 06-4674-1

Fax: (+39) 06 4674-3535

Email: USUNRome@state.gov

U.S. Embassy to the Holy See

Via Sallustiana, 49

00162 Rome, Italy

Telephone: +(39) 06-4674-3428

Emergency After-Hours Telephone: +(39) 06-4674-1

Fax: +(39) 06-575-8346

If she had already boarded the ship she could reboard with her ship card, but if she has yet to get a ship card but has no passport, regardless of cause, boarding will be denied.

Suggest you reconcile, assemble necessary items (photos, etc) and have her standing at the consulate door when they open on Monday.

Don't be surprised if she is not first in line. Several others will likely have lost their passport over the weekend.

Ouch! Unfortunately pickpocketing is common in Rome, as well as a few other places in Spain / Italy / France.

When we went there in October I kept my hands in my pockets round everything at all time! The bad thing is they're so good at doing it, I bet she didn't even notice ?

 

Hopefully you get a resolution to this. The rules aren't as stringent as in the US and if you can get a passport from the embassy she'll be able to board in the next port as long as they agree to it. Being Diamond has nothing to do with this unfortunately.

Those pickpockets are real pros. One of the RCI Jewelry Consultants told us that he is very careful because this goes on all the time. However, while he was on a bus, someone "bumped" into him, and when he got off the bus, his wrist watch was stolen right off his arm. He said he didn't know whether to be angry, cry, or applaud the guy for being such a pro.

That's a great tip keeping your hand on the items in your pocket. I passed this on to my DH. I keep a crossbody purse zipped up and hold it up against my chest under my arm. All we can do is try to be safe.

Hope the OP and his girlfriend will get help from the U.S. Embassy.

I think this is one of those, when life hands you lemons- make lemonade. See if the cruise line will refund you the cruise fare (if you didn't buy insurance- they can only refund the port charges and taxes for both of you). Take that money and go to a nice air BNB in italy, if she isn't able to catch up with the ship in Santorini. RC will tell you if that's even an option. The airfare to Santorini, last minute, may also be pricey. So the two of you will have to make some big decisions. My son was sick one year and we couldn't sail and only got the port charges and taxes refunded. It was expensive because we were stranded in Copenhagen.

Royal Caribbean uses Aloshi Bros. as their port agent in and they might have some experience with this issue.

Civitavecchia Branch Office

Via Terme di Traiano 38

00053 Civitavecchia, Italy

Ph: +39 0766 34023

Fax: +39 0766 21776

E-mail: civitavecchia@aloschibros.com

Naples Head Office

Via Marino Turchi 34

80132 Naples, Italy

Ph: +39 081 7648240

Fax: +39 081 7648816

E-mail: info@aloschibros.com

So sorry to hear of this. Can you post the outcome for future cruisers.

A police report must be filed to get an emergency passport. Go ahead and get a passport photo made.

I agree on the importance of having a police report that may be required for other purposes aside from securing asap a new passport.

I hope she catches up with the OP on the next port at the latest.

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Replacing the passport and credit cards at this point is more important than the cruise - get that sorted before worrying about anything else. If real lucky, the passport may be "found" so the police report is important.

She did file police report and canceled her cards. $1000 taken from her debit card but visa should get that back to her.

We didn't have cruise insurance from the agent or line but my credit card might offer it for free, need to look into that.

How did the pickpoket get her debit card PIN?

Passeport is always in my money belt. Can't be too careful.

The only time it is in my purse, is on the way to airport or port.

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How did the pickpoket get her debit card PIN?

No pin is needed to buy goods and services. Only need pin to obtain cash at an atm.

Last time it happened to us the perp. bought $1500. worth of stuff at Disney World before anyone noticed the bogus charges.

Only need pin to obtain cash at an atm.

From the post, that's what understood happened - $1000 at an ATM. Whenever one buys something, even with a debit card, it is processed as a credit card transaction (chosen at the point of sale terminal) and you are protected by fraudulent credit card rules. A bit different when you use a debit card as a debit card with a PIN.

 

We didn't have cruise insurance from the agent or line but my credit card might offer it for free, need to look into that.

Why do you guys in America constantly travel without Insurance, I won't even travel to France without insurance and thats only 25 miles from our country.

Why do you guys in America constantly travel without Insurance, I won't even travel to France without insurance and thats only 25 miles from our country.

Because we like to take chances and self insure.

Biker, who can't wait for the replies to this one though I'm not sure it will be popcorn worthy.

From the post, that's what understood happened - $1000 at an ATM. Whenever one buys something, even with a debit card, it is processed as a credit card transaction (chosen at the point of sale terminal) and you are protected by fraudulent credit card rules. A bit different when you use a debit card as a debit card with a PIN.

It's not too far out there to postulate that she had her pin written on her card. It happens a lot more than we like to think. Definitely a really bad idea.

Why do you guys in America constantly travel without Insurance, I won't even travel to France without insurance and thats only 25 miles from our country.

I'm from the US and I always buy travel insurance. I don't understand why anyone would travel without it. I'd rather be out a couple hundred dollars than several thousand, or more in case of a medical emergency.

Why do you guys in America constantly travel without Insurance, I won't even travel to France without insurance and thats only 25 miles from our country.

Many people here on the mid East Coast of USA commute more then that to work.

You have probably already seen this link to the U.S. embassy and emergency lost passport replacement if you have done a Google search: https://it.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/lost/

This page indicates that the passport photo can be made at the consulate in Rome.

There are links on the page to forms to be filled out.

Does your GF have a copy of the passport home that she can get her hands on. It may be acceptable to RCL.

One time I was traveling to Toronto on a business trip and forgot my passport (had my driver's license). I was able to get into Canada, but I would have a problem getting back to the US. Called my wife and she faxed a copy that we usually home. No problem, showed my copy to US Customs and they, fortunately, let me in. PS. This was before 9/11.