WARNING! dangerous experience on Radiance Cruise!

[NavigatorBride]

Firstly I do feel sorry for your In-Laws, not because of the theft but to have you in their family...

 

What has this got to do with RCI ? They upgraded there cabin to a grand suite... they are not the Police nor Port Authorities... They did more than you did...

 

The poor elderly couple make that stressful flight to join the ship only to find your out on some excursion..how nice... must have been a good day for you...

 

Blaming others for not being aware of dangers or for that matter laws.. is pathetic. When you do come to write you review tell us why you abandoned such an elerdly couple to cope on their own.

 

Seems a shame you sat back and said nothing even though you clearly stated the 'Spanish' woman looked suspicious, your vigilance does not match you account of the theft. Are you perhaps trying to justify some other failings in your handling of the entire matter.

 

I would love to hear from others in your group, may be a different version of events we would enjoy reading.

 

No Sympathy for you at all.

 

Ed

:D

 

This is exactly what I was referring to. It's posts like this that have made me a posting coward. After reading so many threads where OP's get flamed and raked over the coals I rarely post my own personal opinions for fear of getting the same treatment.

 

Thanks again OP for the valuable information.

[originalbb]

For you experience I do feel for you. Travel with kids and seniors is like working with animals...some bite, some poop...but ya gotta love em when it's over. I do agree that your problems really are not with RCI but what you experienced with the rest of your trip. DO NOT take a lot of the NASTY comments seriously, you don't have to really believe to know that KHARMA will come back to humble them all in time. Remember all travel is an adventure and keep those dancing feet sailing. And I do mean with RCI.

[originalbb]

NB you are so right. I think all the flamers should be hosed. Hope you enjoy the Liberty she is Great.

[NavigatorBride]

NB you are so right. I think all the flamers should be hosed. Hope you enjoy the Liberty she is Great.

 

Thanks. We can't believe our wait is almost over! I now see your post on the last page....was it directed towards me? I think that our insurance is only available in Canada.

[CruisenLexie]

Apple, well obviously, we are going to be a lot more careful in future....a tough lesson but now learnt! I would still have thought it was clear though that this was a mistake.....do people really try and smuggle one apple in with 2 bites taken out of it? If we had had a bag of apples i could have understood it more.

 

You made it very clear and you also were not looking for any sympathy. I personally cannot imagine reading the whole post only to be glad you received a fine for the apple.

 

Thank you for posting this experience because there are many who will learn from it. I give you credit for being able to move on from it and enjoy your cruise. Again, thanks for sharing. Hope your in-laws don;t get scared away from future adventures.

[constantcruiser]

Yes, there's certainly crime everywhere...so thanks for the reminder to be particularly careful when traveling. We stayed in Barcelona for a few days following a cruise, and there were signs everywhere warning tourists to beware of pickpockets. We attended a service in one of the beautiful cathedrals, and were quite shocked to see a sign posted on the wall warning women not to leave their purses in the pews while taking communion because thieves were rampant--even in church! Nonetheless, it's a beautiful city and we would certainly go back...carefully!

[Gonzo70]

This is exactly what I was referring to. It's posts like this that have made me a posting coward. After reading so many threads where OP's get flamed and raked over the coals I rarely post my own personal opinions for fear of getting the same treatment.

 

Thanks again OP for the valuable information.

 

Awww, don't let a few bad apples scare you away from posting. The percentage of people making rude posts are fortunately small, but sometimes their posts are so shocking that they appear more rampant. If someone flames you just consider the source and take it with a grain of salt; I am sure the vast majority of people on Cruise Critic would love to hear your about opinions and experiences.

 

Have a great time on your upcoming cruise. :)

[kaylorcc]

Man, some of you people are RUTHLESS! The OP could've left some info. out in order to look 'innocent', but chose to be honest and up front, and what happens? They get SLAMMED! Yea, they made a mistake, but at least they were up front and gave us all a fair warning and heads up! Like some of you have NEVER EVER made a mistake! SHEESH! And like one of you said, karma....? I can't wait to hear how YOUR next cruise goes!

 

 

Completely agree. Some of these replies are ridiculous. A fairly revered person once said something about casting the first stone.. some of you would be wise to consider that thought before blessing us with your oh-so-enlightened opinion. Cowards hiding behind keyboards.

 

To the OP, thanks for posting your experience. I was surprised to learn that the penalty for removing an apple onboard would be $300, and it certainly motivates me to triple check and make sure we're not taking anything prohibited off of the ship. I always try to take as little as possible off of the ship because of theft and whatnot, but it can really be a hassle trying to decide what's necessary and what isn't. Props for staying positive in what sounds like a nightmare. :)

[Catnip]

Wow, that is a rather rude and inapporpriate post.

 

I think so, too.

[danceman]

...

[danceman]

Firstly I do feel sorry for your In-Laws, not because of the theft but to have you in their family...

 

What has this got to do with RCI ? They upgraded there cabin to a grand suite... they are not the Police nor Port Authorities... They did more than you did...

 

The poor elderly couple make that stressful flight to join the ship only to find your out on some excursion..how nice... must have been a good day for you...

 

Blaming others for not being aware of dangers or for that matter laws.. is pathetic. When you do come to write you review tell us why you abandoned such an elerdly couple to cope on their own.

 

Seems a shame you sat back and said nothing even though you clearly stated the 'Spanish' woman looked suspicious, your vigilance does not match you account of the theft. Are you perhaps trying to justify some other failings in your handling of the entire matter.

 

I would love to hear from others in your group, may be a different version of events we would enjoy reading.

 

No Sympathy for you at all.

 

Ed

:D

 

 

Jeez!...i never realised there were so many nutters on here!

Well, i can take it...feel free to put your biased slant on it - far too many people have a big chip on thier shoulders and think they are perfect - im not perfect however but simply did my best.

...but just to recap....

I'm not blaming RCI...it was not their fault these events happened.

 

I titled the post as i did to get attention to what i considered would be important for people to read...had i titled it Warning....danger in Santiago then probably it would have been people only visiting Santiago who read it whereas this way a lot more people have read it....and will hopefully make some more wary of having their valuables stolen. - it was not an attack on RCI....i thought that would have been obvious!

 

I've already made a post saying that i had a group of 33 with me and was contracted to work and look after them....there was no way i could stay behind with my in laws. My group were very sorry for the theft but would not have been happy if i had stayed behind to look after my inlaws after they had travelled all of those thousands of miles to be with me and my wife. We are fairly famous dancers and the group had booked to be with us. Had their been some kind of serious injury then that would have been a different matter and i think they would have been more understanding.

 

I was also contracted for their excursions... to go on the excursion with my group....i had arranged it for them and had to be there to handle any problems....they expected me to be there. I could not have cancelled and said 'sorry, i have to meet my inlaws off the plane.

 

My in laws have been extremely greatfull for my efforts - i did everything i could for them from the ship...spoke to them constantly each day and arranged all of their meetings and taxis. They know how much i did to help.....you dont as you werent there!

 

Im not after any sympathy....and im sure i havnt intimated that i was. The post was to warn people of the dangers and if it makes a few people safer then it was well worth your stupid comments.

[Coralc]

It's kind of like watching a game of "telephone" isn't it? :D Where the story gets all twisted as it goes on... :)

 

I sincerely appreciate the warning and the reminder of diligence. We are traveling to cities with known pickpockets and thieves next year, so I am avidly reading this sort of information....so we will remember to take our own precautions. Thanks. :)

[Ms Belvedere]

It's good to read that you made lemonade out of lemons, what a horrible start to your holiday/vacation! Thank you for posting your experience and good luck to you in future travels.

Ms B

[mex25]

Dance i really feel for your siutation as loosing passports as well as being robbed can be very stressful to say the least. Looks like its not only Mexico that gets the bad rap-glad you kept a stiff upper lip and still had a good time on the cruise.

[betsyl]

I hope when my DH and I are 70 and still cruising that if we get robbed or otherwise lose our passports that we will be like the OP's inlaws and insist that our kids or grandkids or co-cruisers continue with their vacation -- I can't imagine any scenario where I would want for someone to sacrifice their vacation because of some non-life-threatening inconvenience to me.:)

[Gonzo70]

I hope when my DH and I are 70 and still cruising that if we get robbed or otherwise lose our passports that we will be like the OP's inlaws and insist that our kids or grandkids or co-cruisers continue with their vacation -- I can't imagine any scenario where I would want for someone to sacrifice their vacation because of some non-life-threatening inconvenience to me.:)

 

Well said. :)

[TahoeBob]

No, none of it was RCI 's fault.....but by putting that as a heading it made you all read it which was the idea as i knew the 'defenders' would leap to read someones post that might dare be negative about RCI!!

I actually like RCI as one of my favourite cruise lines and the point of the whole post was to make people more diligent when travelling abroad and for them to learn from our experiences.

 

But if you would take the time and read the OP's post you would come to realize that the OP lied about where the problem was.

 

stolen pass port, bad choices by the OP. Just for the record I am not a RCI defender, I am a person who will point out when someone is so misleading. The Op mislead us on who is to blame for the problems, and that is wrong!

 

If you would go back and read every post I have posted you would see that there have been many times RCI has been criticized and i have agreed with the criticisms.

 

Please next you respond to one of my posts know what you are talking about first.

[TahoeBob]

Yes, there's certainly crime everywhere...so thanks for the reminder to be particularly careful when traveling. We stayed in Barcelona for a few days following a cruise, and there were signs

 

To be honest anyone who needs a reminder to be careful when traveling is well let me put this gently, they are looking to be a victim.

[TahoeBob]

Firstly I do feel sorry for your In-Laws, not because of the theft but to have you in their family...

 

What has this got to do with RCI ? They upgraded there cabin to a grand suite... they are not the Police nor Port Authorities... They did more than you did...

 

The poor elderly couple make that stressful flight to join the ship only to find your out on some excursion..how nice... must have been a good day for you...

 

Blaming others for not being aware of dangers or for that matter laws.. is pathetic. When you do come to write you review tell us why you abandoned such an elerdly couple to cope on their own.

 

Seems a shame you sat back and said nothing even though you clearly stated the 'Spanish' woman looked suspicious, your vigilance does not match you account of the theft. Are you perhaps trying to justify some other failings in your handling of the entire matter.

 

I would love to hear from others in your group, may be a different version of events we would enjoy reading.

 

No Sympathy for you at all.

 

Ed

:D

 

ED I agree with every word you said. I guess some people are just offended by the truth

[mk-ultra]

Since I sorta harped on personal responsibility and the need to access risks on your own, here are a few links to sites I use to research specific countries and cities I visit ahead of time:

 

http://wikitravel.org

 

(for most well-traveled cities, Wikitravel usually has a "safety" section -- often with very specific information)

 

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis_pa_tw_1168.html

 

(U.S. State Department International Travel Information, including travel alerts)

 

and, as always, Google is your friend. I always do a few searches like:

 

"travel advisories +mexico", or

"travel advisories +phuket" (etc)

 

before I head out.

 

Here's what I found by spending 30 seconds to Google "travel advisories +santiago" at:

 

http://www.professionaltravelguide.com/Destinations/Santiago/Safety

 

Santiago Safety Guide

Santiago is generally a safe city, especially in most areas frequented by tourists, though some Santiaguinos believe violent crime has risen in the past decade. But compared with other countries in the region, violent crime is minimal. Nevertheless, visitors should take commonsense precautions. These include carrying money close to the body (and hidden, if possible), not wearing conspicuously valuable jewelry, not walking alone at night and avoiding poorly lit side streets at night. Taxis are a good option. The majority of crimes committed against tourists are pickpocketing and simple assault.

 

The riskiest neighborhoods are usually the ones that empty out once the sun goes down; otherwise, areas with dense pedestrian traffic such as the downtown pedestrian malls and main downtown streets such as Alameda Ahumada, Huerfanos and Augustinas, are attractive to pickpockets. Be aware of your surroundings, and try to act as if you know where you're going. Thieves sometimes also target the train and bus stations because of the volume of tourists who pass through, so keep a close watch on your bags at all times. Providencia, Las Condes and Vitacura are safer at night, but there have been occasional robberies late at night in the vicinity of bars and restaurants. Steer clear of the poblaciones on the outskirts of the city, especially Pudahuel and Conchali, although neither attracts visitors anyway.

 

Chilean drivers can be reckless but generally (except for bus drivers) defer to pedestrians. The Alameda, however, can be dangerous.

 

For the latest information, contact your country's travel-advisory agency.

Dos & Don'ts

Don't use the word mozo to call a waiter—in neighboring Argentina it's innocuous, but in Chile it's insulting. Instead use garzon or mesero.

 

Do consider carrying home a bottle of pisco, instead of or in addition to Chilean wines (quality pisco is much harder to find overseas).

 

Don't even think about bribing the carabineros, Chile's uniformed police, at a traffic stop. Unlike many Latin American police forces, they have a world-famous (and justly deserved) reputation for professionalism, and you might find your car impounded and yourself in jail. On the other hand, don't hesitate to ask carabineros for information or directions. Although they may act formal, they are also exceptionally polite and helpful.

 

Don't make a right turn on a red light unless a traffic sign specifically permits it.

 

Do use public transportation, especially the metro, to get around town. Though crowded in the morning and afternoon rush hours, the metro is fast, clean, cheap and goes almost everywhere (at least until 10:30 pm, when it closes). It is also quite safe at all hours.

 

Don't eat pizza, French fries or sandwiches with your hands; Chileans use forks and knives.

 

Not trying to armchair quarterback the OP too much here -- but if you want to travel safely, it's a good idea to invest some time doing your own research. I'm not a pessimist -- just a realist. I just sort of assume the only person that's going to really look out for my own neck is me.

[ChipLondon]

BS what about the contract you have simply by being a member of a family, you clearly made your choice, clients over relations. If as you state the you were contracted to the group, then I am sure that you would have had insurance to cover any reason for your non ability to supply, all good insurance covers incidents to the ploicy holder or close relatives, maybe you are just not close to yours. Just face it no matter how many excuses you come up with, those of us that think your actions were poor, will not change our minds, you are just digging a deeper hole, please climb into it.

[MAZANDSTEVE]

Wow, that is a rather rude and inapporpriate post. I think the OP made it clear they did help their in-laws (i.e. providing them with all the cash the OP had). They also explained that they had obligations (they were running a group program for a group of 33 people on the cruise who had all paid a premium to participate in said program) and the OP had three children with them as well which would have made staying behind extremely expensive and impractical. Before you insult and render harsh judgment on people who have just experienced a hardship and are trying to help others avoid such a scenario, you might want to get your facts straight. You definitely owe the OP an apology (as well as the myriad of people reading this thread you have no doubt offended).

 

 

I agree with you, very harsh, some people are very rude on CC.

It seems no matter what you post it always ends up in someone being argumentative or rude to the OP.

[lisiamc]

Im not after any sympathy....and im sure i havnt intimated that i was. The post was to warn people of the dangers and if it makes a few people safer then it was well worth your stupid comments.

 

Thank you for taking the time to post about your experiences. I am not always as alert as I should be when travelling - it's easy to get distracted sometimes, so I appreciate the warning.

 

Although you're not after sympathy, I'll give you some anyway. And kudos to you and your family for making the best of a very stressful start to your holiday!

 

Lisa

[CruisenLexie]

It says alot about these boards when you have to start out a post with this...

 

Firstly, before you all lynch me...

 

I read the post to my mother to drive home the need to be extra careful when traveling. You are in unfamiliar territory and a target and sometime it slips ones mind that we have to be on the watch. It is easy to get carried away enjoying yourself and your guard comes down.

 

Again thanks for sharing and for putting up with the perfect judgemental people on these boards. There is a difference between a question or a suggestion that might help on a future trip and the mean spirited posts that go on here.

[celle]

It says alot about these boards when you have to start out a post with this...

 

I read the post to my mother to drive home the need to be extra careful when traveling. You are in unfamiliar territory and a target and sometime it slips ones mind that we have to be on the watch. It is easy to get carried away enjoying yourself and your guard comes down.

 

Again thanks for sharing and for putting up with the perfect judgemental people on these boards. There is a difference between a question or a suggestion that might help on a future trip and the mean spirited posts that go on here.

 

I have read the entire thread and, while I would not have acted the same as the OP in some respects, I commend his intention of warning others.

 

It strikes me that, all too often, people travel overseas as "innocents abroad", which description (I believe) fits the OP and his tour group at that time. No doubt all have learned from their experience and will be more prepared on future travels.

 

It does make sense to do some (as much as possible) research about your destination before you leave home, and not to go out in strange places wearing expensive jewellery or carrying heaps of cash and valuables.

 

We have travelled extensively and DH calls me paranoid about my possessions and valuables. I always use a money belt or hidden pocket, and only have a minimal amount of cash readily available for pickpockets and thieves.

 

While the OP and his family had their unpleasant experience in Santiago, thieves operate everywhere in the world. I once lost my credit card inside a reputable bank's ATM machine in Barcelona (Spain). We discovered that, within an hour, someone had recovered it (must have had some surveillance equipment to record my PIN number) and had racked up over $5,000 of expenses on it, across the border in France. The credit card company stood by us and we did not have to pay the fraudulent amount.

 

DH once grabbed someone's arm on the Paris (France) metro - subway - as the thief's hand was in in DH's pocket. He didn't lose anything.

 

DH (again!) had a bag stolen from between his feet as he stood taking photos in Westminster Bridge in London (England). And DH (yet again!) had a video camera stolen from the back of his chair in Starbuck's, also in London, but on a different occasion.

 

In China, DH was more vigilant and foiled an attempt to rob him of his video camera. The thief slashed through the camera strap but, fortunately, DH had his camera securely in his hand. He chased the thief - he was bigger than the Chinese guy - bailed him up against the wall and yelled at him. The thief ran away.

 

It's a fact of life that people in poorer circumstances than we lucky travellers are will often try to take advantage of our inattention, and we should be prepared for that. Without being overly suspicious and mistrusting (most people in other countries are honest and helpful) it does make sense to protect ourselves and our possessions.