locking your luggage

[caribbebound]

We have always locked our luggage on a cruise. Recently on a flight, my dd had to take the locks off of her suitecase at check in. I was just wondering if this is now the way the curise lines do it, or is it still okay to lock? We are not flying.

 

Thank you

[mzloolue]

On our cruise last year, we put those plastic fasteners that have to be cut off on our luggage.

The luggage can be opened, but it is obvious that it has been.

[KenMo]

I use the zip ties for flights and then change to locks when boarding the ship.

[BlueJacketsFan1]

You are aloud to lock you luggage on the cruise ship. We have locked our on both of your cruises. They even suggest that you lock it. The air lines require that you do not lock your luggage, unless you are using TSA approved locks. These are lock which they have a master key to open. There are both TSA approved locks and locking straps the fit around your suitcase and though the handle to secure it.

[gmc1]

We locked ours last week in Miami boarding the Valor and everything went fine. I bought locks from TravelSmith that can be opened by security with a special tool and they also indicate when they have been opened and ours was not opened.

[Cotton]

If you read the "Welcome Aboard" booklet Carnival sends out with your documents, it says to LOCK your luggage before handing it over to the porters at the pier. (These guys are not Carnival employees, but employed by the Port Authority.) Airlines have had the no-lock rule (except TSA locks) in place for some time now.

[janetz]

Also, we use luggage straps as the luggage gets thrown into bins, etc...:)

[mac4cruise]

I never used locks I flew all over the US without a problem except my bags did get lost a few times always got back the next day

[workn2cruise]

thanks to this site, we use zip ties for flying and when we hand our luggage over to the porters

[Cracker Ken]

We have been using zip ties (also known as wire ties) for a few years now. I buy them at Home Depot in a large package containing several bright colors. Every zipper on the outside of our luggage has them, not just the main compartment. These are removable, and the airlines allow them. Only rarely has TSA removed one, and when they did, they replaced it with one of theirs (a blue colored tie). Not only does this discourage theft of items, it keeps folks (baggage handlers) from using your luggage to secrete items going on and off the ship/plane. Another thing I've done with wire ties, is to flag mu luggage. I picked a combination of 3 colors and put them on the handle bracket, leaving them about 3 inches long. It's easy to spot my luggage on the belt at the airport. Despite those 3 brightly colored ties, I've still had people look at the luggage to see if it's theirs, and when they pick up their luggage I will note that there we no ties on theirs at all. Go figure...:rolleyes:

 

Oh, by the way, when you do this, be sure to take a little pair of wire cutters with you to take them off. I have a small pair of wire cutters about 4 inches long that I bought at Radio Shack, and they are kept in one luggage side pocket that I don't lock.

 

Ken

[pppiglet]

Yep...zip ties work the best! We got lucky and found a very large box of them at a garage sale for $20. We have a lifetime supply! Now we just have to be able to afford the trips to use them!

[BND]

This has been addresssed in other threads. It's not just a security issue, but an issue of unlocked bags can come upzipped or pop open easily. It's not the porter's job to repack your bag when your stuff goes flying as a bag is tossed (yes, tossed) around. So, whether it's locked or cable tied shut it's secured.