Room Security question?

[dasher1616]

I am a professional photographer for a living, I'm going on my first cruise in about a week, and I'm going to bring lots of camera gear and a brand new mac laptop.

 

I'm curious if I should worry about theft regarding the captain steward and the general security of the room because I doubt the safe is big enough to house all of my gear.

 

I'm going on princess cruises if that makes a difference.

[maureencruiser]

Hi Maybe ask over on the Princess board and tell them exactly what ship-they can probably give you more info. In the olden days of cruising, you could leave things in a safety box at the pursers desk, but, those were only about shoebox sized as well. You might have to cut down, but, don't take my word for it...Maureen

[ldubs]

On several Princess cruises I have left my laptop and digital SLR in the room and never had any worries or problems. My camera is not a professional model to be sure.

 

I think I would be more worried about another passenger than the cabin crew. I wouldn't leave anything out in the open where someone walking by might see it. The room doors may be open from time to time while the room is being cleaned.

 

I do not know if they have a ship's safe, but you might want to check with the purser's desk to see if they can lock up your camera gear. You might even be able to find out ahead of the cruise date by calling Princess.

 

I hope you get plenty of great photo opportunities on your cruise.

[trophy_23]

My experience has been with HAL and I am by no means a pro, but I pack alot of photo gear. I left about 5grand worth of gear in my gear bag and sometimes even just a body with telephoto mounted sitting on the counter in the room and never once had an issue. I wouldn't be concerned. I think the crew know its their job on the line should something disappear! Its just not worth it to them. I would be more worried about other passengers then I would about crew.

[PennyAgain]

Your cabin steward can't afford to loose his job. Hei's not going to risk it with theft.

 

Other passengers are a different story.

 

Don't leave things in plain sight and certainly don't put anything of value in your baggage that you put out for collection on the final night of the cruise.

[BroncosFan2010]

You might bring a lock for your suitcase, and leave your gear locked in the suitcase and stick the suitcase in the back of the closet.

The room safes are very small, so that is no help. The purser's desk can sometimes provide a bigger storage locker for you to lock up your equipment.

[chipmaster]

Safe will not have room, you should be concerned and act rationally and smart. You'll need to store it in a drawer, under the bed or in what they call the closet.

 

Everyone will have a different level of comfort. Like any hotel the room steward as well as others will have access to a key to your room. Thru out the day / evening the steward is almost always working his set of cabin; making the bed, cleaning the room, roll down the beds. He will be working on rooms from morning till late at night, sometimes propped open while he works, getting linens etc.

 

My experience on all my cruises is cash and small stuff that are valuable go in the safe. Big stuff like my laptop, random electronic gizmos left on the table/desk never had a problem here or in Hotels across the globe, YMMV. My camera gear sometimes out if I'm coming and going and using that day. If not I store it in my travel pack usually then put inside a empty luggage in my closet or under the bed. The ship employees as another said are busy and value their job. Its not exactly easy to hide/accumilate valuable large stuff and then fence in port without discovery. The larger worry is a passing petty opportunistic passenger, for those hiding out of sight is pretty good practice. I'm bringing two bodies 17-35 2.8, 28-70 2.8 and 70-200 2.8, flash, two bodies and couple TCEs. Between my kids and I we'll also likely have 3 windows laptops ;) will store them all in our cabin for what its worth.

 

I am a professional photographer for a living, I'm going on my first cruise in about a week, and I'm going to bring lots of camera gear and a brand new mac laptop.

 

I'm curious if I should worry about theft regarding the captain steward and the general security of the room because I doubt the safe is big enough to house all of my gear.

 

I'm going on princess cruises if that makes a difference.

[SW Dave]

You might bring a lock for your suitcase, and leave your gear locked in the suitcase and stick the suitcase in the back of the closet.

 

This is what myself and my wife did. We used those TSA locks when we were on Princess and didn't worry about it at all...

[RLBlack]

I am not "expert"- been on 4 Princess cruises- The cabin stewards often have the cabin doors open as they clean. When we leave the room, we are sure that everything is put away- our laptop, cameras, or anything I do not want "misplaced" in the cabin- go in either my bag under the bed- or in a drawer, under other items. Never had a thing walk out of the room.

[AZVoodoo]

I have brought over $5,000 in camera equipment on my last 3 cruises without any problems. When I wasn't using it, it was all in my equipment backpack sitting in a corner for the whole cruise. It was not Princess but Carnival but it should be the same. I also had my 17"WS DELL Inspiron laptop for off-loading my pictures every night. I kept a complete inventory list so if anything did end up missing I had all the information.

[travlnblueberries]

All I'm saying is I had a cell phone say bye-bye. It was only DH and I in the cabin. We had a mechanic in the room,too, so who knows who helped themselves. I wouldn't take a chance, it's not worth it.

[kitty9]

Your cabin (not captain) steward will be the first person they look at in case of a theft, and since they don't want to lose their jobs, it's usually not them. The biggest problem is the fact that they tend to leave cabin doors wide open, sometimes for long periods, while they are cleaning cabins. I have seen a lot of doors open, without a steward in sight, so anyone can pop into a cabin and grab. I would suggest locking your valuables in your luggage and store it under the bed. Don't leave anything out within eye shot.

[CALMOM]

I have always left out my lap top, cameras, lens, binoculars and never had a problem. However, on our last cruise, 2 cabins down from us, had jewelery and 2 cameras taken. Of course, the Cabin Steward is the first one questioned. After reviewing the hallway video and outside of ship, they found out the their neighbor had climbed over the balcony and they had left the balcony door propped open. Lesson learned, make sure you secure all doors when you leave your cabin. It is not impossible but very doubtful that your cabin steward would steal anything, as where would they hide it, the ship is not that big and there are video cameras everywhere.

 

Just use common sense and your valuables should be fine.

[happyaussies]

WORRY about the other passengers and not the CABIN steward!

[maureencruiser]

Does cruise insurance cover theft?.....Maureen

[notentirelynormal]

lI never hide my electronic stuff. I have two expensive Canons - one film, one digital with 6 lenses between them (wide angle and zooms). I have an underwater camera. We usually bring 1-2 laptops and a DVD player. My cameras are in their bags when not in use but there is NO doubt what they are. The bags and electronics are put on the shelves under the TVs and that's about it. In all my cruises I have never worried about nor had anything taken. A person casually walking by could not see my equipment but the room steward could.

[EGG]

When DH brings a laptop, we hide it in the suitcase that we keep under the bed. Then it is not obvious it is locked, which would signal that there is something of value inside.

 

We did once have a small amount of money stolen from our safe when DH did not close the safe correctly and left it open. We never reported it because it was 100 euros of about 500 euros. That is a smart theft, because it was impossible to prove. Lesson learned. Better to be safe than sorry.

[Aplmac]

Your cabin steward can't afford to loose his job.

He's not going to risk it with theft.

 

Other passengers are a different story. ===> That includes "friends" and visitors to your cabin.

Put your more expensive/exotic lenses in the cabin safe, if you're worried.

Anything else, stick it in a drawer.

 

The cabin steward knows full well that if anything goes missing

and a complaint is made -that he's automatically Suspect Numero Uno.

 

They're very very honest guys and girls: they have to be ;)

 

 

Give the guy a $20 tip up front and make a friend for life

not to mention a guarantee of a full ice-bucket constantly, and other cool perks.

.

[uppitycats]

We've nver worried about the honesty of the crew. We HAVE worried about the fact that doors do get left open while they're cleaning the cabins. While generally they're in the cabin, or near the door, it's really easy for someone walking by to "snatch and grab". So we're careful not to leave anything out in plain sight -- in a drawer, or under the bed, or in the closet (with the door closed), is usually our plan. And of course make sure the balconey door is closed and locked, if you're in a balconey cabin.

[highflyingrealtor]

I've never been concerned about larger items like the OP mentions. Most folks aren't going to notice the difference between consumer and pro equipment and it seems like everyone has dlsr's these days. Common sense says put them away out of site when you're out. Just make sure you can identify them if need be and have a comment embedded in the camera file. If I felt I had to "hide" them or "lock them up" I probably wouldn't have brought them in the first place. Now passports & credit cards are a different story, they go in the safe.

[UlvaZell]

I am a professional photographer for a living, I'm going on my first cruise in about a week, and I'm going to bring lots of camera gear and a brand new mac laptop.

 

I'm curious if I should worry about theft regarding the captain steward and the general security of the room because I doubt the safe is big enough to house all of my gear.

 

I'm going on princess cruises if that makes a difference.

 

The room safe is about the size of a small microwave oven. Generally big enough for our needs, but we don't bring lots of gear. A MacBook Air might fit in one, but it would be close.

 

We can usually load our cell phones, wallet/purse, iPod, cameras and jewelry into it without any problem...

[Snoofer]

If you have concerns, take precautions as mentioned here. We have never had a problem, but locking things up in your suitcase isn't a bad idea. If I were you, I'd fully document, with serial #'s, your equipment - even take photos of what valuable equipment you are taking with you and keep the photos separately - maybe in your safe - in case you have something stolen. Should I also assume that the equipment is insured??? If not, maybe it should be.

 

Try not to worry about it - as I'm sure it will all be safe.

 

Enjoy your trip.;)

[room010]

Just use some common sense and take the usual precautions (and make sure you are fully insured!). Don't leave valuables laying around the cabin, especially if they can be seen by anyone walking past as while they might not be tempted there an then, they will know where to look later.... Cabin stewards aren't the problem, it's the other passengers :(

[fayruz]

I am a professional photographer for a living, I'm going on my first cruise in about a week, and I'm going to bring lots of camera gear and a brand new mac laptop.

 

I'm curious if I should worry about theft regarding the captain steward and the general security of the room because I doubt the safe is big enough to house all of my gear.

 

I'm going on princess cruises if that makes a difference.

 

 

things that do not fit in the safe when you are elsewhere, should be left under the bed in the -locked- biggest suitcase you have brought with you.

Be sure to tell room steward (along with a tip) never to leave the room unattended when he cleans.

The danger is when they do room cleaning : passing passengers help themselves to things easily stolen, like a pareo on the hook or a book on the table.

Unbelievable, isnt'it?

[SeattleCruiselover]

I am a professional photographer for a living, I'm going on my first cruise in about a week, and I'm going to bring lots of camera gear and a brand new mac laptop.

 

I'm curious if I should worry about theft regarding the captain steward and the general security of the room because I doubt the safe is big enough to house all of my gear.

 

I'm going on princess cruises if that makes a difference.

 

I generally bring in the neighborhood of $10K worth of gear, laptops and editing equipment with me (since I try to edit each days shooting the same day), and I have never had an issue. I DO put things into my suitcases under the beds when off the ship if I am not carrying them with me, but have even left things sitting out on the desk while at meals or gone briefly and they are always still there when we return.