Bags to lock or unlock?

[Waryman]

Are we allowed to lock our suitcases or must they be unlocked for possible inspection?

[cb at sea]

Keep your bags LOCKED whenever they are not in your possession! NO ONE needs to inspect anything--either on the plane or the ship!!!!! If, for some reason the airlines want to get into your bags, they will, but there's no use leaving them open for anyone to rifle through! Lock the bags! They don't have to be the TSA locks--it's not a law! Use a keyed or combination lock!

[eandj]

There are TSA allowed locks you can get if you are flying. Is that where you want them locked? Lots of people lock their bags when they put them out on the last night of the cruise too, as they just sit in the hallways until picked up.

[thinfool]

Are we allowed to lock our suitcases or must they be unlocked for possible inspection?

 

If you read a lot of posts from people who travel a lot, and I don't mean folks who cruise one or more times a year, the vast majority either use zip ties (tyraps, electrician ties, etc) to discourage tampering or they do not lock their bags at all. (buy em at Home Depot, Lowes, a hardware store, etc)

 

Locks are like putting flashing lights and bells on your bag that there is something of great value inside, even if there isn't. There is a youtube video of someone using a ball point pen to get into a standard, soft-sided, LOCKED bag within 45 seconds. (by going right thru the middle of the zipper)

 

Not to mention what a determined thief could do with a utility knife (razor knife).

 

Save your money, use zip ties, take a pair of fingernail clips with you to cut them off when you arrive at your destination. :D

[Keith1010]

I travel a lot and we use the TSA locks. Yes, it' s a great idea to lock your bags before you drop them off at the ship on embarkation day and also the evening you place your luggage outside the stateroom. Can someone break the lock? Sure. But it is more likely that someone would open up the luggage if it didn't have a lock rather than if it did.

 

I highly recommend the TSA locks. You can find them not only at luggage stores, department stores and on the web but also at places such as Target and Home Depot.

 

Keith

[ThePatientOne]

Unlocked on the flights, locked for getting on and off the ship..

And you can backup the locks with a colored zip tie so you will know for sure if anyone has been in your luggage.

(and I too have seen that video of the ball point pen and the soft side..)

Just my humble opinion is all...

[travelntreats]

In all my travels around the world, I have yet to place a lock on my luggage..... never had a problem, and if the TSA needs to get into my luggage, let them do it. I just never would put anything of signifcant value in checked luggage. Too much worry about this whole locked luggage issue in my eyes !