Jewels at Sea

[Jane110]

QUESTION:

 

Do you ladies travel with your best jewels?

 

On a cruise, I usually bring one pair of gold earrings, engagement ring, one gold bracelet and my watch. I wear these items daily, on and off the ship.

 

Along with those, I bring some inexpensive pieces (jade or rose quartz necklace, silver pieces, etc) that I don't worry about and they go nicely with my non-formal evening clothes.

 

On this trip we'll be going into Russia and DH doesn't want me to take my good watch and engagement ring. He's also not too keen on me bringing some other gold pieces (earrings, necklaces) that go with some of my evening outfits. So I would be all dressed in my lovely gowns and have only plain gold jewelry <yawn>.

 

So, how do you all handle this?

 

Jane

[hstrybuf]

I take some good pieces with me, but most of the jewelry is what we call "traveling woman's" jewelry. It looks nice, is less expensive and can be easily replaced if lost or stolen. And no one can tell it from the expensive stuff. All of my jewelry is locked in the safe in my cabin unless I'm wearing it and I NEVER wear expensive jewelry ashore. I assume you'll be on a cruise since you're asking this question on a cruise board. If not, leave the good stuff at home!

 

 

Navigator OTS 10/04

Legend 04/04

Grand Princess 09/03

Dawn Princess 01/03

Enchantment OTS 10/02

Destiny 01/02

Sensation 08/99

[nosnobunny]

I have two very expensive pieces that I never take off for personal reasons - my engagement ring and a diamond pendant. I turn the stone on my ring around when on shore or flip the pendant part to the back so they don't show. My other jewellery is left in the cabin safe.

 

Beth

[Jane110]

Yes, sorry if I wasn't clear. We will be on a cruise. DH is owrried about me wearing the expensive things off the ship not onboard.

 

When you say "travelling women's jewelry" do you mean costume stuff that supposed to look like the real thing? Or fine (real) jewelry that's just not as heavy or elaborate as pricey pieces? I bring the latter. I don't wear costume stuff....but I do wear some inexpensive things like silver, jade or rosequartz....things that don't try to look real. They look like what they are. That's just my style.

 

Are the cruise ships responsible for things in the room safes? Anyone here ever hear of people who had their room safes broken into?

[nosnobunny]

I don't see how the cruise line can be held responsible for the content of the safes when they have no idea what's even in there. I've used them on all of our cruises and have never had a problem.

 

Beth

[Linda CruiseDiva]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Are the cruise ships responsible for things in the room safes? Anyone here ever hear of people who had their room safes broken into?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Cabin safes are pretty "safe"... but, NO, the cruise line disavows any responsibility for what you put in there (just like hotels).

 

I have no first-hand knowledge of anyone's cabin safe being robbed. However, think about this--there is always SOMEONE on the ship who is authorized to open the safes. It is generally a security officer. I once messed up while programming our safe and couldn't reopen it--the security officer is who showed up to help me open and reset it.

 

I never wear good jewelry ashore anywhere and when traveling internationally, I don't bring anything with me to the ship that I couldn't bear to lose. I often accessorize with a variety of David Yurman pieces and usually take those for evening as well as some simple plain gold earrings for daytime. I leave my real diamond wedding rings at home and wear a fabulous fake solitaire on board and a simple band ashore.

 

I think your planning sounds fine, Jane. I agree with your husband, though--don't wear good stuff off the ship in Russia. I've been there twice and recommend an inexpensive watch, inconspicuous earrings, perhaps a plain wedding band, and no other jewelry.

 

Linda

CruiseDiva

[lszu]

Most of the jewelry I have has more sentimental value than $ value. The only thing I wear off the ship is my wedding band, stud earrings and a plain/inexpensive watch.

 

I will wear some more elaborate jewelry on the ship, but still nothing that's not replaceable.

 

Never heard of any one having a problem with the ship's safes. I actually feel safer in a ship safe than a hotel safe - more controlled environment.

 

lszu

Sovereign 7/99

Monarch 7/00

Vision 9/01

Voyager 9/02

Adventure 9/03

[SissyG]

I always travel with my good stuff, otherwise I wouldn't get very many chances to wear most of it. I always carry it in my purse or carryon tote when I fly and when we are on the ship except for what I am wearing it is locked in the safe. I wear my wedding ring, another rt. hand diamond ring and usually diamond earrings everyday, so unless the port is one that is reputedly dangerous that is what I wear...if a port is considered risky, I will still wear my wedding ring and rt. hand ring, and different earrings, my everyday watch is a stainless steel Tag Huer and I wear that in all ports, diamond watch, gold watch they stay safely tucked away in the safe. I love to wear all my good jewelry and for the last 7 years since DH retired and we moved to OK from CA we have lived in a very rural, casual area so I only get a chance to wear it when we travel. Sissy

 

 

 

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[Jane110]

Hi all,

 

Thanks for your responses. We travel alot internationally - just not usually on cruises - so I'm used to leaving the very expensive stuff at home when I'll be in a place that might be a little "dicey", like Russia or South America. When I go to Paris or Australia, I have no hesitation about wearing my diamond ring or expensive watch.

 

Linda, good idea about the David Yurman things, though are you talking about his silver or gold line? His gold things get up in price too...But I like the way you think.

 

I do have another diamond ring that's smaller in size, so I think I'll bring that one and leave the big one in the bank vault.

 

Thank you all for your input.

 

Jane

[Andee]

I didn't feel any less safe wearing my jewelry in St. Petersburg, Russia than in any other city.

 

I ALWAYS wear my wedding and enagement ring, but will wear silver jewelry if I am at all concerned, as I did in Caracas. I figure that siler jewelry isn't all that attractive to thieves, and if I lose it, I'm not out much.

[Shaco]

Sissy, I'm with you. I don't get very many chances to wear my good jewelry. So I take lots of really nice things on cruises. I always keep jewelry in my purse when I travel, never in my carryon.

 

I always store my goodies in a ziplock baggie in the ship's safe, so nothing ever gets accidently left behind in a corner of the safe.

[hstrybuf]

Thanks for clearing that up, Jane!

 

I guess you would say that my "traveling woman's jewelry" is "nicer" and replaceable vs. expensive and hard/impossible to replace. I carry both kinds in a zippered jewelry case that fits in my Healthy Back Bag and then put it all in the safe once we're aboard the ship.

 

 

Navigator OTS 10/04

Legend 04/04

Grand Princess 09/03

Dawn Princess 01/03

Enchantment OTS 10/02

Destiny 01/02

Sensation 08/99

[Linda CruiseDiva]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Jane110: Linda, good idea about the David Yurman things, though are you talking about his silver or gold line? His gold things get up in price too... But I like the way you think.

 

I do have another diamond ring that's smaller in size, so I think I'll bring that one and leave the big one in the bank vault. Jane<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Jane, my Yurman pieces are all silver and gold combined. I'm not fond of the stones used in his jewelry (except onyx), but like the look of gold and silver together. I do have one all-silver necklace that I wear with silver & onyx pendants from Mexico. What I really like is being able to take a few things that I can mix-and-match for a wide variety of outfit styles. I wear Yurman with "formal" as well as "casual" and the pieces are always appropriate. None of David Yurman's jewelry is inexpensive, but a lot of people don't realize just how much it costs. Hopefully, a thief would just look upon it as silver "stuff" and pass me right on by hoping for a gold heist!

 

I think it would be a good idea to wear the smaller diamond or leave the larger one in your safe when you go ashore. There's no need to ask for trouble by appearing to be a Rich American! Since you've traveled a lot, you know what I mean.

 

Linda

CruiseDiva

[Jane110]

Linda,

 

What I mean is that I'll leave the larger diamond at home and bring the smaller one on the ship. When I go ashore in Russia, I'll leave it on the ship, in my room safe. I will wear it in places like Norway, Stockholm or Copenhagen.

 

Now I just need to decide what to do about my watch. Perhaps this is the best time to send it back to the manufacturer for a cleaning, polishing and not bring it aboard either. I'll just keep asking DH what time it is. LOL! Though this might be the perfect time to buy one of those dual time zone watches I've had my eye on.

Hermes has a nice one for ladies that's not too pricey. hmmm....

 

Jane

[Linda CruiseDiva]

The two-time-zone Hermes approach sounds right on to me!

 

I leave my Yurman watch in the safe (it was an anniversary present and has quite special sentimental value) and wear my everyday, bargain from St. Thomas, Seiko ashore.

 

Linda

CruiseDiva

[furkidsmom]

Jane,

You sound like you are going on the same cruise I am. What ship are you on? I am on Constellation June 5.

 

Constellation Baltic Cruise

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[Jane110]

Furkidsmom,

 

We'll be on the Grand Princess Baltic cruise, June 15th.

 

It'll be our first cruise on Princess. We tried for a Celebrity cruise, but it was already booked. We like Celebrity. We tried HAL once and didn't like it. We've not been on RCCL and Carnival but by reputation I know they wouldn't be our style. Oceania is our favorite.

 

Is Constellation a Celebrity ship?

 

Jane

[furkidsmom]

Good morning Jane,

Yes, Constellation is Celebrity. We almost missed this trip because we booked it and DH forgot to send the Deposit within the 1 week time frame. When I called back, almost all rooms were gone. We ended up with Concierge Class because we wanted the back of the ship with the large decks. I can't wait.

 

Constellation Baltic Cruise

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[LornaT]

Here's a little trick I learned on the Royal Viking Sea back in 1985. We were told that if you wanted to wear you're wedding sets and any other valuable rings in port (mostly older ladies who couldn't have gotten them off their fingures if they'd wanted toO the CD suggested just covering them with a band-aid.

My Mom did this and unless you looked really close you couldn't tell what was under it.

It saved her hours of soaping up her hands and trying to squeeze the rings off.

[Jane110]

Furkidsmom,

 

Well, we were *almost* on the same cruise. I was very disappointed that the Celebrity cruises to the Baltics were booked up for June when we decided to make plans. Glad you were able to get your deposit in on time and not lose your cruise!

I heard that Princess is also good, so we're giving them a try. We're booked in a mini-suite, which everyone who's had one seems to love. My TA tells me that our cruise is now booked up too.

 

In Feb. we're going on our second Oceania cruise. Brazil and Argentina. After that, I hope no more cruises for a couple of years. I prefer traveling by land on my own. I like cruises, but DH loves them.

 

Enjoy your cruise!

 

Jane

[natalunia]

I always wear mine whether I am at home or on vacation, even the really expensive pieces. I figure I can just as easily lose it or have it stolen here at home, so why not?

 

Case in point- I was in a severe car accident a little less than a year ago (the EMT's thought I was dead when they brought me in to the ER), and I was unconscious from the time of accident until about 30-45 minutes later. I had on a David Yurman necklace, earrings, and bracelet. Once I came to, my earrings had been taken off in the ER and were never seen again. The necklace and bracelet were still there. I don't know if the earrings were stolen or just lost in the shuffle. Nonetheless I lost a pair of $600 earrings here in my hometown.

 

Wear the stuff, enjoy it now, you never know when it'll be your last time to enjoy them (whether from theft, loss, or death).

 

Natalie

 

Superstar Leo to Alaska 5/22/04

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[jnc411]

I take a couple of my good pieces, but I also take vintage jewelery that I have gotten at shops , flea markets, antique stores, etc. They are fun to ware and always a conversation piece, never fails. Don't get me wrong they arn't gaudy, but in good taste. I have a couple of these pieces that I inherited and I won't take them as I can't replace them. I use the cabin safe and never had a problem.

Cori

[babylene]

It is interesting to me to read how others handle the "problem". So far, I have never taken any good jewellery on a trip...land or cruise. I have mixed feelings about our next cruise,however, because it will be our transportation to a wedding. I am sure that the safes are "safe". However, while I was talking to a lady at the pool, she suddenly realized that she had forgotten to close her safe. This is something that I am capable of doing,too!!!

[ElaineB2]

I really don't think I need to worry about it on our Alaska cruise anymore than I do here at home. But, one trick I do with my engagement ring if I'm in an uncomfortable area - I turn the diamond underneath my hand so all that you see on the top is gold. Don't know if that would work or not - I felt very uncomfortable in the Bahamas. Losing what I have (I don't have much but what I do have is very high quality) worries me less than having a gun held to my head to have it stolen. In either case, that's what insurance is for, however, I would be very heartbroken if I lost a few certain pieces, as long as I didn't lose my life over them. As for my DH, I could never get him to leave his Tag watch in the bank. He would say that is the reason he bought it, to wear it!

 

As for the safes, I don't really and truly trust them. Once, I wrapped my stuff in my dirty underwear in our laundry bag - I know sounds gross, BUT . . . who in their right mind would steal our dirty clothing bag This was at a hotel, not on the ship (don't think it makes any difference though, cause it was still a nice hotel).

 

So, some of the jewelry will come with me on the Alaskan cruise, which is only 8 days away

[Host Caroline]

I take a lot of my Joan Rivers jewelry on cruises... have nearly 100 mini Faberge eggs and they really dress up an outfit. IMHO her things are very classy. I do wear my good jewelry but never, never take anything that I couldn't live with losing

 

Host Caroline

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