Where do you put your "stuff" during excursions?

[lovestocruise19]

I've cruised once and we did an airboat tour in Florida and then a city/beach tour in Freeport. I had a backpack with me and each time brought it with me. My question is, where do you usually put your "stuff" on excursions? I'll be doing horseback riding in Grand Cayman and Chukka Dune Buggy in Jamaica. I've heard of locker rentals or perhaps leaving your "stuff" on the tour van/bus. Is this a safe option?

[Almost Packed]

depending on the tours...if i know our tour bus will be parked and locked with attendant, i'll leave my stuff. if not, it will go with me.

 

depending on the excursion is what i will do.

 

example, while river tubing in Jamaica, i carried a small drawstring type back pack with a waterproof box (from walmart about $8). inside i kept phone, dh's wallet with our id, copy of passports and cash and our S&S cards and my camera. i carried waterproof box inside of backpack with me. i would wear this little back pack or dh would. i did this as well while river/waterfall canyoning in zip lining in Costa Rica as well. while sitting in the tube, i would just put the backpack on "backwards" meaning i carried it in front of me. it did not hinder me at all.

 

while at the beach, i would do the same as above, just kept it light as possible. I would go swimming, play on the trampolines and other water toys. the water would drain right out of the little backpack and everything packed in the waterproof box stayed nice and dry and i never had to fear about my valuables or pay for a locker. This way, dh & i could both enjoy the water together without fear of our things being messed with.

 

on another excursion, our bus was locked in a secured parking area and i left things on it.

 

i hope that helped some.

[lovestocruise19]

Thanks for your insight! I'm wondering how one knows whether or not the tour bus/van will be locked and secure before heading off the ship. Hmm...

 

For my horse excursion my finance said to wear my backpack, but I thought that that would be too much and that maybe they wouldn't allow you to have a backpack while on a horse.

 

For the dune buggy I think I will just bring my camera case with camera, passport card and sign and sale card. I can keep that slug across me the whole time.

[Almost Packed]

Thanks for your insight! I'm wondering how one knows whether or not the tour bus/van will be locked and secure before heading off the ship. Hmm...

 

For my horse excursion my finance said to wear my backpack, but I thought that that would be too much and that maybe they wouldn't allow you to have a backpack while on a horse.

 

For the dune buggy I think I will just bring my camera case with camera, passport card and sign and sale card. I can keep that slug across me the whole time.

 

if you book privately, you can ask the tour guide in advance through email or phone...however you made your reservations. for us, we just asked when we were getting on board the van/bus.

 

i have only done an excursion regarding horses once on vacation and it was a private, several hours long horseback ride, and our guide carried my backpack for me. so that was a different situation.

 

as far as the horses go, they can handle the extra weight of you wearing a backpack. and if they can't, that's a horse i would not want to ride, and a guide i would not want.

[Almost Packed]

Thanks for your insight! I'm wondering how one knows whether or not the tour bus/van will be locked and secure before heading off the ship. Hmm...

 

For my horse excursion my finance said to wear my backpack, but I thought that that would be too much and that maybe they wouldn't allow you to have a backpack while on a horse.

 

For the dune buggy I think I will just bring my camera case with camera, passport card and sign and sale card. I can keep that slug across me the whole time.

 

you can also buy a hike pack...think something like a fanny pack, but larger. many hikers/outdoors people use them. i am wearing one in my sig photo but it's hard to see. sometimes i would sling it to the front of me, or in the case of ziplining, i slung it to the back so i could zip line. mine has a water resistant (not waterproof as i cannot plunge it in water, but no rain will get in) so i keep my non waterproof camera in there.

 

I have had two digital cameras stolen from me. I have become very protective over my stuff now. After replacing the second stolen camera, I got to where I didn't even want to carry my camera out of fear it would be stolen. Then I realized there was no point in having it if I wasn't going to carry it and use it.

 

Now I take all precautions to make it as difficult as possible for someone to get inside my zippers on my backpack. Sometimes we use a small luggage lock, sometimes i just have large safety pins "pinning" the zipper pulls together. it slows any would be thief down just a second for me to feel them if they attempted. then i have several safety pins if i ever need a quick repair on a swimsuit strap too lol.

 

Maybe someone thinks i'm overreacting, but these pick pocket people are good. they got my camera off of me while it was in a small little bag around my neck...and i lost every single vacation photo. I've learned since then. make it as difficult as possible for a thief.

[travellover39]

 

Now I take all precautions to make it as difficult as possible for someone to get inside my zippers on my backpack. Sometimes we use a small luggage lock, sometimes i just have large safety pins "pinning" the zipper pulls together. it slows any would be thief down just a second for me to feel them if they attempted. then i have several safety pins if i ever need a quick repair on a swimsuit strap too lol.

 

Maybe someone thinks i'm overreacting, but these pick pocket people are good. they got my camera off of me while it was in a small little bag around my neck...and i lost every single vacation photo. I've learned since then. make it as difficult as possible for a thief.

 

Excellent suggestions. I'm so sorry you had to lose not one camera but two.

By posting this you probably have saved many personal items of others. Thanks:)

[Getaway3]

I just purchased a Kyss locking bag. I dont have the link but you can google it and watch the video. It is excellent quality and their customer service is excellent. I will be using it on our next cruise.

[lovestocruise19]

you can also buy a hike pack...think something like a fanny pack, but larger. many hikers/outdoors people use them. i am wearing one in my sig photo but it's hard to see. sometimes i would sling it to the front of me, or in the case of ziplining, i slung it to the back so i could zip line. mine has a water resistant (not waterproof as i cannot plunge it in water, but no rain will get in) so i keep my non waterproof camera in there.

 

I have had two digital cameras stolen from me. I have become very protective over my stuff now. After replacing the second stolen camera, I got to where I didn't even want to carry my camera out of fear it would be stolen. Then I realized there was no point in having it if I wasn't going to carry it and use it.

 

Now I take all precautions to make it as difficult as possible for someone to get inside my zippers on my backpack. Sometimes we use a small luggage lock, sometimes i just have large safety pins "pinning" the zipper pulls together. it slows any would be thief down just a second for me to feel them if they attempted. then i have several safety pins if i ever need a quick repair on a swimsuit strap too lol.

 

Maybe someone thinks i'm overreacting, but these pick pocket people are good. they got my camera off of me while it was in a small little bag around my neck...and i lost every single vacation photo. I've learned since then. make it as difficult as possible for a thief.

 

That safety pinning idea sounds like a good idea!

[Banditswife]

Yes the safety pin thing is a great idea, thank you for posting it. As others said, you may have saved some folks from losing their valuables. That said, I have never had a problem, but keep things very close & light while in ports. I have left my things in the van/bus while on water type excursions with no problems.

[Katikat23]

depending on the tours...if i know our tour bus will be parked and locked with attendant, i'll leave my stuff. if not, it will go with me.

 

depending on the excursion is what i will do.

 

example, while river tubing in Jamaica, i carried a small drawstring type back pack with a waterproof box (from walmart about $8). inside i kept phone, dh's wallet with our id, copy of passports and cash and our S&S cards and my camera. i carried waterproof box inside of backpack with me. i would wear this little back pack or dh would. i did this as well while river/waterfall canyoning in zip lining in Costa Rica as well. while sitting in the tube, i would just put the backpack on "backwards" meaning i carried it in front of me. it did not hinder me at all.

 

while at the beach, i would do the same as above, just kept it light as possible. I would go swimming, play on the trampolines and other water toys. the water would drain right out of the little backpack and everything packed in the waterproof box stayed nice and dry and i never had to fear about my valuables or pay for a locker. This way, dh & i could both enjoy the water together without fear of our things being messed with.

 

on another excursion, our bus was locked in a secured parking area and i left things on it.

 

i hope that helped some.

 

Thanks for the idea of the waterproof box! I never thought of that but it's a great idea! Just found one on Walmart's website that I plan to get before our cruise.

[Almost Packed]

I'm glad I could help.

 

When my camera was stolen, along with the new (at that time a $50 battery) and a very expensive new memory stick as well) I was upset over the financial loss, but I was more devastated by the loss of my photos. We had chronicled every step of our vacation, from leaving the house, to our flight, to my very first ever tequila shot. This particular camera was stolen the last night of our vacation...so yep, I had tons of photos on there.

 

Now, anything of value stays with me. I also upload my photos on a regular basis. I change out memory sticks for different ports as well now. i leave the other memory sticks locked in the safe. at least now i will not lose my entire vacation photo album lol.

 

the safety pin idea came from fear of someone just unzipping my backpack while we were waiting in line or in a crowd. I know it's not much, and i don't want to keep up with little keys for a lock...and zip ties require a knife to cut...so i thought of the pins and how they could be helpful. hopefully, theyll slow a would be thief down, and give someone the chance to speak up if they saw someone fiddling with my pack. Also, monkeys in Costa Rica will open your zippers and steal your stuff. so you have to keep them sealed some way lol.