Theft Alert Crown Princess Passengers

[debbieinct61]

My sister & I returned Friday from the Crown Princess. She had packed about $500 of costume jewelry in her luggage that was placed out overnite, & hand carried her good jewelry. When we started unpacking it was obvious our bags had been rifled through, and they even picked through the jewelry, taking the best costume. Why not, they had all nite. Please be careful fellow cruisers.

[AuntieBon]

Did you fly also? I would lay blame more at the feet of baggage handlers at the airport than the hard working folks at the cruiseline. The cruiseline employees have way too much to lose if they get caught where the baggage handlers might not have the same concerns/issues.

 

Sorry to hear about the loss in any event. What a shame :(

[Clutterlady]

debbie..wow..so very sorry this had to happen! Wasn't the luggage locked??

[chrysalis]

sorry that this happened to you...and that your first post at cruisecritic had to be a negative one. How was your cruise itself?

[jdm]

Sorry about your loss, however, why didn't you lock your suitcases with TSA approved locks?

[T&J]

Sorry about your loss, however, why didn't you lock your suitcases with TSA approved locks?

 

Ahh guys come on..let's show a little compassion here...that's like saying you didn't use a Club or a Sherlock on your car after locking it or you didn't have a monitoring system on your home alarm although it went off!

 

 

It not only the loss but the invasion of privacy as well that this person has suffered!

 

Tony

:cool: :eek: :cool:

[Tina G]

Sorry to hear about your sister's bad experience. :eek: I agree. It was probably airport thieves. I'm glad she hand carried her good jewelry! As for you folks who wanted her to lock her bags--ever hear about 9/11? Airports tell you NOT to lock any suitcases. They will actually cut the lock off or damage your bag if they want to inspect it. There are some locks that are supposed to be opened by some kind of inspection code, but half the time they are cut anyway because the airport personnel doesn't know how to use them. I hand carry anything special, and try not to take irreplaceables (except my DH, or course!). I hope you got travel insurance, so there should be some compensation.

[spongerob]

It could have been ANYBODY that went through those bags. We use TSA-approved locks and have had them since they first came out. No problems.

[bdjam]

Airports tell you NOT to lock any suitcases.

If flying, my suitcases are unlocked when at the airport and on the plane, but as soon as I retrieve them – or put them out for the night’s pickup at the end of the cruise – they are locked. It’s not so much that I’m worried about thieves, but I know how luggage has to be handled by crew on board the ships (and porters at the dock) and locking them is a safety measure.

[debbieinct61]

To answer your questions, my sister & I drove down, and the only time we were not in control of those belongings either in the safe or the car was during the pack-up. This is not my first cruise, and I don't even bring much jewelry to wear anymore, particularly since we were going to Ocho Rios, but I'm glad they didn't take the Xmas gifts I had purchased. I posted a review(this is my 6th cruise, but new to the board) if anyone would are to read. BTW, just want to say thanks for all the great tips I pick up here. I was in the hospitality business @ a 4 Star Hotel & Spa here in CT, so I know good service, but I'm not a snob about it since I was once on that end. Anyways, thanks to all posters. I was just bummed because it capped a pretty bad crusie, and Princess was the first line I had been on way back when (pre-Carnival) and I used it as my gold standard. Sorry this post is so long

[Husky Mike]

Not sure where the culprit lies, a number of years ago my friends and I went on a cruise on Royal Caribbean and the strangest thing happened, 2 sets of luggage had been opened and the half the items from inside had been switched also some things were missing. Funny thing was that the suitcases were locked with those cheap locks that come with the luggage and were opened and relocked.

She wrote to both the cruiseline and the airline with her complaint, only to get back apologetic letters from both.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Have always locked everything and also taken everything of value out of them and put that into hand luggage, As we fly into US we also put scurity tape on the bags so you can see if bag has been opened.

 

yours Shogun

[debbieinct61]

On a side note, they dropped someone luggage into the Hudson? River during loading and a couple a crew members got a big laugh out of that. I wonder what those poor folks wore for formal night?

[Clutterlady]

Sorry to hear about your sister's bad experience. :eek: I agree. It was probably airport thieves. I'm glad she hand carried her good jewelry! As for you folks who wanted her to lock her bags--ever hear about 9/11? Airports tell you NOT to lock any suitcases. They will actually cut the lock off or damage your bag if they want to inspect it. There are some locks that are supposed to be opened by some kind of inspection code, but half the time they are cut anyway because the airport personnel doesn't know how to use them. I hand carry anything special, and try not to take irreplaceables (except my DH, or course!). I hope you got travel insurance, so there should be some compensation.

 

Tina, that's at the airport, I never leave my bags unlocked in the hall of a cruise ship. Always use TSA locks and never had a problem.

[Catnip]

As for you folks who wanted her to lock her bags--ever hear about 9/11? Airports tell you NOT to lock any suitcases. They will actually cut the lock off or damage your bag if they want to inspect it. There are some locks that are supposed to be opened by some kind of inspection code, but half the time they are cut anyway because the airport personnel doesn't know how to use them.

 

That is correct. I think it depends on the airport & the employees. I asked at my local airport last year about using the TSA locks, and 3 different TSA agents gave me a blank stare. They had not heard about them. :cool:

[J&B in GA]

Debbie,

So sorry for your sister's loss. Hope your Princess cruise experience was a good one,

but what a terrible thing to come home too.

 

When we fly, we do not lock our luggage anymore, due to TSA inspections

and haven't wanted to buy those spcial TSA locks. But when we drive, or

before we put our luggage out for the night before disembarkation, we use

plastic zip ties to secure them. We then inspect those tags when we

claim our luggage in customs. BTW - Those zip ties are available in

different colors, if you're afraid the porters carry spares. :rolleyes:

 

If you zip tie them when you arrive, be sure to have some nail clippers

in your carry on (yes, they're allowed now), as they are difficult to cut

with your teeth ! OUCH ! :eek:

[schaca]

We are due to leave on Island Princess on Sunday 5/11/06 coming but flying on Sat from Heathrow. We have been told to use the recommended locks or Cable ties. Not to leave unlocked even though it it recommended to leave unlocked.

[Host CJSKIDS]

I went and got a few TSA approved locks and wouldn't you they cut them somewhere at JFK and we didn't have them when we returned to Fort Myers a few months ago. Not sure that I want to bother getting more since if someone at the airport wants to go through our bags they will.

 

I never lock them prior to putting them in the hallways when we cruise and I guess we've been lucky. I don't have anything but clothes and shoes in our suitcases so with the exception of that there's nothing else to take.

[Leafpeeper]

So sorry to hear about your loss of jewelry. I don't own anything expensive, so I never have to lock anything--car, house, suitcases. My son and his wife just flew in from LA and were shocked that we never lock anything. I spend all my money on fun--nothing to show for it but lots of memories. Can't remember any gifts I get, but always remember our vacations. Now that the kids are grown, they remember the vacations too. Now I am making memories with my two little grandsons.

[Toto2Kansas]

So sorry to hear you had a thief take your things, that is very sad.

 

One thing we do. We always leave our luggage without a lock for flying as where we fly out of, it is very difficult to lock them without having the airport have a hissy fit. BUT, once we arrive at the port, we put a special colored zip tie around each bags zippers. Also, the final night onboard, before putting our luggage out in the hallway, we again put on the zip ties. Then we cut them off with small sissors we keep in the side pocket before we check them in at the airport. Never had a problem with someone cutting them off as they would find it very hard to replace the ones we use.

 

Hopefully this is a rare thing, although I am sure it happens more than we realize.

Again, so sorry to hear about this. :(

[Ula]

Debbie,

I am going to give you an old school rule. If the item is of any value make sure you can carry it at all times. If not leave it at home. We call this keeping an honest person honest.

I call this a lesson learned. Well the thief's only got paste. But 500.00 in costume jewels, why? We do dress appropriate for cruises but that is more than our clothes cost.

Nothing of personal value that we have is left in the hall of a ship or placed under a plane. We are just to old to trust that stuff.

[jennew]

I am a little confused at the people who are second-guessing the OP and her sister. They were stolen from and that is OUTRAGOUS.

 

Baggage handlers are paid to perform a task. They have no right to steal from the bags. If they steal something, THEY are the ones who should be hung out to dry. I don't care of the OP packed the crown jewels in her bag, there is no excuse for theft.

 

To the OP, I hope you contacted Princess with your complaint. They need to be made aware of this problem.

[above sea level cruiser]

What exactly is a TSA lock? - sorry I just don't know.

[Clutterlady]

I am a little confused at the people who are second-guessing the OP and her sister. They were stolen from and that is OUTRAGOUS.

 

Baggage handlers are paid to perform a task. They have no right to steal from the bags. If they steal something, THEY are the ones who should be hung out to dry. I don't care of the OP packed the crown jewels in her bag, there is no excuse for theft.

 

To the OP, I hope you contacted Princess with your complaint. They need to be made aware of this problem.

 

jennew, the OP I believe is saying she thinks the jewelry was taken while the luggage was out in the hall. Could have been a passenger.

[Clutterlady]

My locks are a 3 dial combo travel security lock. You set your own combination and airport security is supposed to have a master key which will open the lock for inspection and then they can re-lock. We do a lot of land vacations and have used these the last 2 years without a problem.