"Did you pack this bag yourself?"

[EdmPair]

Those of us who fly know the questions:

Did you pack this bag yourself?

Has it been under your supervision since?

 

I do not know if all cruise lines handle luggage off the ship the same, but I know some follow this pattern. "Pack your bags and set outside your room and the staff will pick it up and take off the ship for pickup or route thru to the airport."

 

I have only done one cruise with another planned, but this bothered me enough I carried my own luggage off. There are two problems. The fact is my luggage is unattended in the hall and anybody (staff or passenger) could either rummage thru for valuables or worse stash contraband hoping I would be the mule to take it off. I have thought of zip ties or locks. Neither provide me the assurance I want for this problem. With the luggage to go on the plane in hours, should I recheck it.

 

I keep wondering if the ship could run a counter where you take your bags and get a claim check. It takes the other passengers out of the equation, but are all the staff of the ship checked as much as airport staff? Who knows? Or am I being overly paranoid?

[Shmoo here]

Those of us who fly know the questions:

Did you pack this bag yourself?

Has it been under your supervision since?

 

I do not know if all cruise lines handle luggage off the ship the same, but I know some follow this pattern. "Pack your bags and set outside your room and the staff will pick it up and take off the ship for pickup or route thru to the airport."

 

I have only done one cruise with another planned, but this bothered me enough I carried my own luggage off. There are two problems. The fact is my luggage is unattended in the hall and anybody (staff or passenger) could either rummage thru for valuables or worse stash contraband hoping I would be the mule to take it off. I have thought of zip ties or locks. Neither provide me the assurance I want for this problem. With the luggage to go on the plane in hours, should I recheck it.

 

I keep wondering if the ship could run a counter where you take your bags and get a claim check. It takes the other passengers out of the equation, but are all the staff of the ship checked as much as airport staff? Who knows? Or am I being overly paranoid?

 

Why not just lock your bags?

 

:)

[EdmPair]

Lock solve some of the problem. True that.

[klauer]

I think overly paranoid, but I agree -- you could lock your bag and unlock it at the airport.

I don't think that the questions about packing your own bag, etc. are even asked anymore.

[donaldsc]

Overly paranoid is an understatement. However, it may just be that "they are out to get you".

 

DON

[fleckle]

Those of us who fly know the questions:

Did you pack this bag yourself?

Has it been under your supervision since?

It has been many years since we were last asked those questions or heard them asked of anyone else.

 

At what airport did you even encounter such questions recently?

 

Is there anything suspicious about you or your luggage to attract such unusual scrutiny?

Or have you even flown anywhere recently at all?

 

 

I do not know if all cruise lines handle luggage off the ship the same, but I know some follow this pattern. "Pack your bags and set outside your room and the staff will pick it up and take off the ship for pickup or route thru to the airport."

If you are feeling paranoid about putting your bags outside your room the night before disembarkation, it may be preferable if you just do self-disembarkation and take all your bags off by yourself with you the next day when you leave the ship.

That way you will have no such worries.

[uppitycats]

It has been many years since we were last asked those questions or heard them asked of anyone else.

 

At what airport did you even encounter such questions recently?

 

Is there anything suspicious about you or your luggage to attract such unusual scrutiny?

Or have you even flown anywhere recently at all?

 

I'm really surprised you WEREN'T asked those questions. We just got back from our cruise 2 weeks ago. Had to fly from our local rural airport to a hub, then from there to the port, and back. And we were asked these questions at each leg of the trip!

 

To the OP...just lock your luggage, or use the zip ties, if you're concerned. And of course don't put anything of real value (like cameras, laptops, ereaders, medications) into the packs you put into the hall.

[cb at sea]

If your bags are not in your possession, they should be LOCKED...always! Even at the airport! If they need to go thru your things they will call you to unlock, or cut the lock....but at least you'll know that someone has been in your things.

 

Locks do NOT have to be TSA....I use keyed Master locks....never a problem. and, you never, ever put anything of value into checked bags...ever.

[johneeo]

Those of us who fly know the questions:

Did you pack this bag yourself?

Has it been under your supervision since?

 

I do not know if all cruise lines handle luggage off the ship the same, but I know some follow this pattern. "Pack your bags and set outside your room and the staff will pick it up and take off the ship for pickup or route thru to the airport."

 

I have only done one cruise with another planned, but this bothered me enough I carried my own luggage off. There are two problems. The fact is my luggage is unattended in the hall and anybody (staff or passenger) could either rummage thru for valuables or worse stash contraband hoping I would be the mule to take it off. I have thought of zip ties or locks. Neither provide me the assurance I want for this problem. With the luggage to go on the plane in hours, should I recheck it.

 

I keep wondering if the ship could run a counter where you take your bags and get a claim check. It takes the other passengers out of the equation, but are all the staff of the ship checked as much as airport staff? Who knows? Or am I being overly paranoid?

 

I have more important things to be concerned with.

 

I have never given any thought whatsoever to this.

[CapeCodCruiser]

I think overly paranoid, but I agree -- you could lock your bag and unlock it at the airport.

I don't think that the questions about packing your own bag, etc. are even asked anymore.

 

We are still asked every time we fly!

 

Oh the freedom of packing in carry-on only! Scale it down and carry-on carry-off.

 

No more worries about theft/loss/late bags!

 

We will be traveling for over a month on our NCL TA - all from 1 carry-on bag & a back pack each.

 

OP - I am with you - I never liked the idea of leaving my bags in hall.

[RoofingPrincess]

I'm really surprised you WEREN'T asked those questions. We just got back from our cruise 2 weeks ago. Had to fly from our local rural airport to a hub, then from there to the port, and back. And we were asked these questions at each leg of the trip!

We are still asked every time we fly!

I fly several times a year and have not been asked this question in at least 5 years. Not even on my international flights (either end).

[boogs]

Why not just lock your bags?:)

 

Lock solve some of the problem. True that.

 

-- you could lock your bag and unlock it at the airport.

 

If your bags are not in your possession, they should be LOCKED...always! Even at the airport! If they need to go thru your things they will call you to unlock, or cut the lock....but at least you'll know that someone has been in your things.

 

Locks do NOT have to be TSA....I use keyed Master locks....never a problem. and, you never, ever put anything of value into checked bags...ever.

 

Locks won't help. Watch this video for the reason why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf-DGKUNffI

[compozer]

I also don't like the idea of leaving my luggage in the hall. HAven't the last five years.

[CapeCodCruiser]

Locks won't help. Watch this video for the reason why: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mf-DGKUNffI

 

WOW!

 

Once again - my luggage never my control!

[sail7seas]

We have not been asked those questions in years and we fly a number of times each year.

 

[DonnaK]

I also don't like the idea of leaving my luggage in the hall. HAven't the last five years.

 

 

We've been self-disembarking for quite a while too. While we still check luggage at the airport (cannot get everything into carryons), we've been cruising mostly from our homeport, and we never leave luggage out in the hallway anymore.

[YubaSutter]

I haven't been asked those security questions in over 10 years, and I fly a dozen times a year.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

That is a good point...

[I_heart_vaca]

I fly several times per month, domestic and international, and haven't been asked these questions in some time. They always struck me as foolish - if I had taken items from someone, or not been in sight of my bag I would lie anyway. The truth is the airport will screen luggage so no need to ask anymore.

 

I use zip ties which I clip down with nail clippers for all my luggage when out of my sight....I pack extras and the clippers in the small outside pocket of the suitcase so I can check my items at aiport to replace if needed. It works perfectly! I actually got the ziptie tip here and it is the best travel tip I have had...no TSA locks needed anymore!

 

Using colored zipties means I can tell instantly if the bag has been opened and ties replaced (TSA will replace if they open). So I know if I need to check the bag.

[sail7seas]

I use odd color zip ties in the hope that if someone were to cut and enter our bag, they would not likely have my odd shade of purple (or whatever) ziptie handy to replace the one they cut.

 

Like "I Heart Vaca", I leave nail clippers in the outside pocket of our suitcases for easy reach to cut the zips when we arrive.

 

[lady_cruiser]

We also carry off our luggage but only because we like to be with the first groups getting off the ship. This way we can be on our way for our four plus hour drive home and miss most of the traffic.

 

But when we were leaving our luggage in the hallway we not only had a colored zip-tie but used the luggage straps that had a combination lock.

 

We never felt insecure while using these two items. Especially the combination lock luggage straps. The only people who could have had access to open these (tiny key lock on the back side) was the TSA agents and since they are not on the ships loading our luggage we felt safe having the cruise ship's staff take our luggage to the bowels of the ship.

[CPT Trips]

I use odd color zip ties in the hope that if someone were to cut and enter our bag, they would not likely have my odd shade of purple (or whatever) ziptie handy to replace the one they cut.

 

Like "I Heart Vaca", I leave nail clippers in the outside pocket of our suitcases for easy reach to cut the zips when we arrive.

 

 

Isn't it absurd that the nail clippers might not get approval to fly in your pocket or carry-on from the smurfs?

[karinad]

I got asked it last yr. when I flew.

[EdmPair]

Had a laugh at some of the replies. I can not honestly say the exact questions I posted were asked of me last flight I took last year. Even as I wrote, they were meant as 'typical' since the idea is still in place. You are responsible for the contents of your bags. I can remember a PA announcement in Toronto Pearson Airport about not leaving your bags unattended at any time -- although that addresses a few other issues.

 

And I tossed out the hook, "Who knows? Or am I being overly paranoid?" knowing it would get bites too. I work in security and spend my days seeing problems and thinking of other possible problems. Frankly, big institutions learn from others so that same problem does not happen HERE. I hope travelers can learn from others so problems can be avoided. I also feel security needs be proportionate to the risk you are willing to assume. Hence the post.

 

However, I want that to be the risk you are willing to assume knowingly. Discussions like this may help a few think of a vulnerabilty they did not see. I had known of the pen attack on zippers before, but guess some did not. I also know most locks can be picked and the small TSA locks operate on small key sets.

 

I like people to think security but not worry about it. Live secure but not to live in fear.

[fortinweb]

I do not know if all cruise lines handle luggage off the ship the same, but I know some follow this pattern. "Pack your bags and set outside your room and the staff will pick it up and take off the ship for pickup or route thru to the airport."

 

I have only done one cruise with another planned, but this bothered me enough I carried my own luggage off. There are two problems. The fact is my luggage is unattended in the hall and anybody (staff or passenger) could either rummage thru for valuables or worse stash contraband hoping I would be the mule to take it off. I have thought of zip ties or locks. Neither provide me the assurance I want for this problem. With the luggage to go on the plane in hours, should I recheck it.

 

I keep wondering if the ship could run a counter where you take your bags and get a claim check. It takes the other passengers out of the equation, but are all the staff of the ship checked as much as airport staff? Who knows? Or am I being overly paranoid?

 

We've been self-disembarking for quite a while too. While we still check luggage at the airport (cannot get everything into carryons), we've been cruising mostly from our homeport, and we never leave luggage out in the hallway anymore.

 

If you are feeling paranoid about putting your bags outside your room the night before disembarkation, it may be preferable if you just do self-disembarkation and take all your bags off by yourself with you the next day when you leave the ship. That way you will have no such worries.

 

Considering the millions of people who cruise worldwide each year, and considering that I have rarely heard of anyone having had a problem with theft from their luggage while in the hallway on the last night, I'm not going to worry about what for all practical purposes is a non-issue. There is more of a chance that the contents will be stolen while it is out of your possession between check in and baggage retrieval at the airports.

 

I don't understand how some people function in life with all the needless worrying they do.