Luggage

[Nuurbrend]

As a first time cruiser this may seem a stupid question!

Is it ok to lock your cases and why do they mention luggage straps,do you have to have them on.

[CruiserBruce]

Are you talking flying, or getting on the ship?

 

Straps are not banned in either case, as far as I know. Certainly not required- we have never used one in 18 cruises.

 

Locking is up to you. If you lock for flight, it should be a TSA approved lock, or they will cut off your lock if an inspection is warranted. For ships, you may lock without a TSA lock. If they see something they need to investigate, you will be notified to to present yourself and open your bag.

Edited October 7, 2016 by CruiserBruce

[First Aider]

Welcome to Cruise Critic! We have never locked our luggage. And we do not use luggage straps. I never pack anything important to me in our luggage. Noone wants what I have there. I put all my valuables in my carry-on bag.

[Sequim88]

If it is the kind of pull or shoulder straps we've been told at airport check-in to put them inside the bag so they don't catch on conveyor belts or rollers. If they are security straps tight to the item (for holding closed) they are OK for airport or ship.

[cb at sea]

Any bags that are NOT in your hand should be locked...always!!! And, you never, EVER put valuables in checked bags, locked or not!

[agnesd]

We always use the strap just in case the zipper fails for some reason. Has never happened but the thought that when you pack to go home and your zipper breaks!!, also pack a large plastic bag for the same reason. At least nothing will spill out if it's just held by a strap. Simple precautions.

 

 

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[LHT28]

I always lock my bags coming & going on the ship

[NMLady]

As a first time cruiser this may seem a stupid question!

Is it ok to lock your cases and why do they mention luggage straps,do you have to have them on.

 

We fly to all ports. We have never locked our checked bags because anything valuable is in our carryons.

 

We use luggage straps so we can easily identify our suitcases and so they do not inadvertently come open.

[NLH Arizona]

We always use the strap just in case the zipper fails for some reason. Has never happened but the thought that when you pack to go home and your zipper breaks!!, also pack a large plastic bag for the same reason. At least nothing will spill out if it's just held by a strap. Simple precautions.

 

 

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I do that as well. I started doing it after a group of us ladies flew in for a meeting and on the luggage belt around came someone's underwear...it happened to belonged to one of the ladies in our party and she was quite embarrassed. I also lock my luggage with a TSA approved lock.

[nealstuber]

Any bags that are NOT in your hand should be locked...always!!! ...!

 

 

I don't understand this mindset. If someone wants to steal your stuff, and you advertise that there is something valuable there by locking it, can't they just take the bag?

 

Here are some luggage tips that will help mitigate more common problems.

 

Don't do his and her bags, each put half in each bag in case one gets lost.

 

Differentiate your bag with ribbons, straps or something so it's not taken by mistake.

 

If your traveling with a lot of bags, know do a count of them every time you move them.

 

Don't over-stuff a suitcase. If you have to sit on it to zip it, it's much more likely to burst open in transit.

 

Don't buy the $60 for a five piece set at Kmart unless your planning to throw it out after one trip. And if you do use flimsy luggage, put everything in a trash bag inside the bag.

 

Two ID tags per bag with email and cellphone, no address to advertise what house you are not at.

 

American Airlines now lets you track your bags from their app (you can see when you bag is loaded and unloaded from each plane) I'm sure other airlines have something similar.

 

If you're flying, yet another good reason to travel the day before the cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Ashland]

I don't understand this mindset. If someone wants to steal your stuff, and you advertise that there is something valuable there by locking it, can't they just take the bag?

 

Here are some luggage tips that will help mitigate more common problems.

 

Don't do his and her bags, each put half in each bag in case one gets lost.

 

Differentiate your bag with ribbons, straps or something so it's not taken by mistake.

 

If your traveling with a lot of bags, know do a count of them every time you move them.

 

Don't over-stuff a suitcase. If you have to sit on it to zip it, it's much more likely to burst open in transit.

 

Don't buy the $60 for a five piece set at Kmart unless your planning to throw it out after one trip. And if you do use flimsy luggage, put everything in a trash bag inside the bag.

 

Two ID tags per bag with email and cellphone, no address to advertise what house you are not at.

 

American Airlines now lets you track your bags from their app (you can see when you bag is loaded and unloaded from each plane) I'm sure other airlines have something similar.

 

If you're flying, yet another good reason to travel the day before the cruise.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Locking your luggage isn't advertising that you have something valuable inside....it's just common sense that many traveler's opt to use....

 

I would think that if my locked bag was sitting next to an unlocked bag it would be the unlocked bag that might get pawed thru by a dishonest person...so why make it easier :rolleyes:

[Underwatr]

It's trivially easy to get into a suitcase with locked zippers. All it takes is a ballpoint pen. Afterward it can be closed back up and you'd never know how they did it.

[nealstuber]

Locking your luggage isn't advertising that you have something valuable inside....it's just common sense that many traveler's opt to use....

 

 

 

I would think that if my locked bag was sitting next to an unlocked bag it would be the unlocked bag that might get pawed thru by a dishonest person...so why make it easier :rolleyes:

 

 

Would it be common sense to think a dining ring laying unattended on a counter would be more secure if it had a padlock through it. Just cause a lot of people do it doesn't mean it makes sense.

 

 

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[Keith1010]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

We do lock our luggage. Does that prevent someone from breaking the lock? No but we believe they will be more likely to go after one that is not locked.

 

We lock them when we fly and also the day we board the ship and the night before we depart the ship we lock each piece prior to putting it outside our room to be collected.

 

Keith

[Ashland]

Would it be common sense to think a dining ring laying unattended on a counter would be more secure if it had a padlock through it. Just cause a lot of people do it doesn't mean it makes sense.

 

 

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I don't think anyone would be interested in taking a "dining" ring whatever that is ;)

 

[ducklite]

We use zip ties. A thief will get in regardless of the type of lock you use. Zip ties prevent zippers from opening, which is my biggest concern. That said, we seldom check bags.

[SPacificbound]

I do lock luggage, always.

[WupperAV]

Now we got 2 threads on the same thing. Lock your own! Leave others to do as they wish. It ain't your luggage MOMMY!

[bakersdozen12]

I never put valuables in my checked luggage, but I still lock it with a TSA approved lock. Better to be safe than sorry!

 

 

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[OCruisers]

As a first time cruiser this may seem a stupid question!

Is it ok to lock your cases and why do they mention luggage straps,do you have to have them on.

 

You don't have to use luggage straps unless you wish to do so.

We've never locked our luggage and don't intend to do so in the future.

Look forward to having a great cruise! :)

[sloopsailor]

.....I would think that if my locked bag was sitting next to an unlocked bag it would be the unlocked bag that might get pawed thru by a dishonest person...so why make it easier :rolleyes:

 

The locked bag would be the thief's target. It is more likely to appear to have something of value in it - which is why most people would lock their luggage in the first place. If I were a thief and there were two bags, one unlocked and one locked, no way would I expect the unlocked one to have something worth stealing in it. The one the owner is trying to keep me out of? Now that one would be tempting.

 

I have been traveling for over 50 years, and have never locked my luggage. Never lost a thing in all that time, and never found something I didn't pack inside either. I do use zip ties to keep the zippers from opening. But no locks.

 

Locking is a false sense of security. Any thief can gain access to the typical suitcase in less than 10 seconds, even if locked. Watch this video for proof:

 

And, if a thief really wanted to get inside a locked suitcase, they could simply pick it up and walk away with it and open it up in privacy. Plus, the TSA master keys are readily available on eBay. Most serious luggage thieves would have one, so that TSA lock you are counting on is actually quite worthless.

 

I call your :rolleyes: and raise you :rolleyes::rolleyes:

 

:D;)

Edited October 10, 2016 by sloopsailor

[WupperAV]

Gosh! Raised hand here! I have, I have. @ X I found TSA search notes in mine. BWAHAHA! My wife and I afe both pilots and I'm on TSAs list? Get real. Guess we were suspicious because we traveled too much.

[Bizmark'sMom]

I have never locked my luggage, and don't intend to. Any half way smart thief would simply take the whole bag. Honestly, if they want my beat up 15 year old duffel bag full of non descript clothes, they can have it.

(I keep waiting for that wheeled duffel to die so I can justify new luggage. But, it keeps on going.)