Money Belts or not

[rian90]

We recently received our Pacsafe bags and I love them! My husband bought a 25 liter backpack and it has all sorts of pockets inside. It looks nice too, not like a hiking backpack. I bought the smaller 15 liter backpack with the foldover top. The fabric is very nice..soft and dressy looking, again, not like a rugged pack you might take on a camping trip. I also bought a small handbag to carry when I didn't want to take a lot of 'stuff' and a small camera bag for our digital camera with a steel strap and a belt loop. All are of very good quality and did not cost anymore than a decent bag or purse we could get elsewhere. I did search for good deals and when I saw the items, I can honestly say they were worth more than we paid. The zippers are quality and the bags are lined with a substantial feel to the fabric. Even without the safety features I think I would have bought these!

 

My husband has used his pack for his business trip twice now and he loves it. The only complaint is that it feels warm on his back but then its in the upper 90's these days so not surprising.

 

I am going to buy a couple of small locks to use on the backpacks if we are in crowded trains since that seems to be a common place for thefts but not sure they are needed. The zippers are secured in a way that would require some tugging and pulling to open and you would probably feel it..and it would take a bit more time to open than other bags. You could probably do the same with any bag that has two closing zippers..just pull them together and lock them..or use a ziptie, one of those bread bag ties, or even a safety pin.

 

Oh, thanks to the reminder about the belt! We will probably put on the money holders after going through security but they could easily be pinned to the inside of one's pants. That is what I will do since I never wear a belt.

[artistcleveland]

Don't you need your passport when entering a new country? I'd prefer to leave it in ship safe but thought it might be necessary to bring.

[BigGuy25]

Don't you need your passport when entering a new country? I'd prefer to leave it in ship safe but thought it might be necessary to bring.

 

Some countries require you to have your passport, but many just require a photo ID and your cruise card. That said, even when the passports are in the safe, we carry a photocopy of them with us.

[michaeleds]

We just got back from our great trip... thanks for all the suggestions... we purchased PacSafe backpack, two fanny packs... one smaller one and one larger one and one camera cable for my neck and one camera case which my wife used for money... I love the pacsafe products and we felt very safe... great products. They actually have a safe and or you can use several of their products like safes... what a great idea they have... thanks to all for advice

[GeorgiaPeach51]

How nice to see things went well! So many times a thread goes and goes and in the end you never find out if they booked a particular ship, chose a particular itinerary, etc. So glad you enjoyed your trip!

[lil nemo]

we spent much time worrying about pick pockets and such before we left on our Italy/Med. cruise. Our tour guides let us know each time and place where we could run into problems with pick pockets, we were just VERY alert to the surrounding presence of people and the security of our belongs. At the Acroplis in Athens we witness a nab and grab theft. They were fast! But someone had left there guard down and it was prime for the picking!

If you are really in tune to your surroundings u will e fine. They are tricky. so u really have to be thinking aboit it all the time.

[Taxguy77]

I have noticed the same thing in Rome -- when I go in November or December, the pickpockets are pretty scarce (as are the tourists)! I always figured they left for the winter to go somewhere warm (like Santorini) with all their ill-gotten gains. ;)

 

They've made enough to take a vacation. :p

My grandson had his pocket picked last weekend in NYC, so start your vigilence at your first airport!

DW and I carry 2 different credit cards, one each. The numbers of each are safely kept in another location, to cancel if one is stolen.

[Taxguy77]

My 80 year old absent minded dad decided to wander Barcelona Las Ramblas with wallet, passport, everything getting lost from us for an hour +. He came back with everything. My two boys wandered the same busy tourist area with DSLR hanging around their necks looking very much the American tourist. All came back with was some nice pictures too. Does that mean I'd take a multi thousand dollar camera and lens to some distant town in South America, NO. But Rome, Barcelona, or Athens, you bet. But that is my personal comfort level and everyone needs to choose what is comfortable for them. Perhaps not leaving their home town might be the safest and least worrisome activity ;)

Safe travels!

 

Years ago in Athens, I was watching the car while my friends were doing something else, when a man came up whom I didn't trust at all. After talking awhile, he said he was robbed the night before! I think he learned English as a POW in WWII.

I have stayed at a small hotel in the edge of the jungle in Peru, where there were no locks on the doors. I felt much safer there than inside a car in public in daylight in Naples.

[Taxguy77]

Boy, I would NEVER, EVER take my passport ashore unless I absolutely had to. It is so much safer in your safe! I do take color photocopies, but that is it. I have been told that passports are the #1 pickpocket target. I have spent months in Europe and never once been asked to 'show my papers'. However, won't be traveling to Arizona any time soon. . .

 

You'll be OK there if you don't get into other trouble with the cops. Besides, a lot of criminals are leaving there to come to YOUR area (wherever you live.).

[CathyCruises]

You'll be OK there if you don't get into other trouble with the cops. Besides, a lot of criminals are leaving there to come to YOUR area (wherever you live.).

 

Yeah, they should blend right in in our town of 242!:rolleyes:

[Faircliff]

A few of my friends who frequently travel Europe suggested I buy several (smaller) memory cards for my camera. After a couple of days, switch to a new one and then again in a few days another one. Leave the earlier ones on ship and if your camera is stolen... you won't lose ALL your memories! They're so inexpensive now, it's a tip I'll follow.

[labeachcomber]

I've got one of those wear-around-your-waist flat money belts. Just returned from Rome, where I would attempt to use it. I've always found them to be super super hot. With 100 degree temps in Rome, wearing this belt made it feel like 120 degrees. It was like I was walking around with a hot water bottle. Plus, the rectangular sweat stain on my t-shirt made it quite obvious that I was carrying a belt underneath my clothes.

 

Ended up just putting our money, copy of passports, and cameras into a small camera bag, which I would hold on to at all times.

 

But I do agree about the locals - they seem rather casual about the way they carry their bags or wallets in their pockets - even on the busy Metro. Maybe it's the occasional stories that we hear or read about that makes us Americans more paranoid?

[euro cruiser]

But I do agree about the locals - they seem rather casual about the way they carry their bags or wallets in their pockets - even on the busy Metro. Maybe it's the occasional stories that we hear or read about that makes us Americans more paranoid?

Maybe it's just that we're expecting to see it every time, in every situation?

 

There is a lot of petty crime in the major European cities, including Rome, and pubic transportation is a common place for it because the crowding and jostling that is natural and expected in the situation covers up a multitude of sins, at least in the moment. Pickpocketing happens, perhaps statistically more so to visitors than locals, because we look somewhat unsure of our surroundings, or are distracted trying to find our way, or are expected to be carrying more cash than locals.

 

I see the same lack of vigilance, and am guilty of it myself, on the subways and buses in New York. It's usually pretty easy to spot a tourist vs. a local, their behavior is just different. I know where I am and where I'm going, and I do it regularly, so it's hard to stay at the same level of alertness on a daily basis.

[swalm22]

Or seal your pocket with a safety pin.

[CruisingGoddess]

I went on a Med cruise in November and wrote out 3 paragraphs on what we did to prevent pickpocketing in my review:

 

http://moonprincess.com/travel/royal-caribbean-mediterranean-cruise-2009/

 

I hope you find it helpful!

[swalm22]

I went on a Med cruise in November and wrote out 3 paragraphs on what we did to prevent pickpocketing in my review:

 

http://moonprincess.com/travel/royal-caribbean-mediterranean-cruise-2009/

 

I hope you find it helpful!

 

Good article, thanks

[maryann ns]

We found money belts could be hot. Money pockets that are worn inside pants or shorts with a loop over your belt and a pin securing it to a pocket are much more comfortable and much less obvious.

[labeachcomber]

We found money belts could be hot. Money pockets that are worn inside pants or shorts with a loop over your belt and a pin securing it to a pocket are much more comfortable and much less obvious.

 

Totally agree! Next time we travel I'll look into some of these small pouches. Not only were they hot, but it made getting out your money or credit cards really difficult without being completely obvious. Wanted my wife to wear the belt one day because it was so incredibly hot for me (she doesn't sweat), but as she was wearing a dress, it wasn't even feasible for her to do so unless she was willing to flash all the local Romans each time we needed access to our money!

[euro cruiser]

Would your trip be ruined if you lost 20 Euro? I know it wouldn't make anyone happy, but it seems extreme to have to dig into all of this security every single time you need some cash.

 

I understand keeping the bulk of your cash and credit cards safely stashed away, but small amounts of spending money easily accessible can make your travels so much easier.

 

Ultimately, everyone needs to figure out what they need in order to feel comfortable. CruisingGoddess and her husband figured out what worked for them and they had a great trip. I'd rather stay home than feel like I had to go through everything they did, but that's me.

[CruisingGoddess]

Would your trip be ruined if you lost 20 Euro? I know it wouldn't make anyone happy, but it seems extreme to have to dig into all of this security every single time you need some cash.

 

I understand keeping the bulk of your cash and credit cards safely stashed away, but small amounts of spending money easily accessible can make your travels so much easier.

 

Ultimately, everyone needs to figure out what they need in order to feel comfortable. CruisingGoddess and her husband figured out what worked for them and they had a great trip. I'd rather stay home than feel like I had to go through everything they did, but that's me.

 

I agree with the first part of your post. We put spending cash in our wallets and kept the bulk of our cash in the belt loop wallet. But your last post confuses me. While losing 20 euros wouldn't ruin our trip, losing several hundred euros would. Losing a passport would also ruin it. I don't feel like we went through a lot to protect ourselves and we had a great time! But to each their own, many people would rather stay home than not sail in a balcony room! :) I can't believe that people don't get off the ship when it's in a port, even if they have been there before! It's up to each of us to know what's right for our own vacation.

[maryann ns]

Along with the money pockets, we wear Tilley pants. They have a secret velcro or zipped pockets which are easy to access yet hard for a pickpocket to find. I keep one card and a bit of cash there.

[labeachcomber]

Would your trip be ruined if you lost 20 Euro? I know it wouldn't make anyone happy, but it seems extreme to have to dig into all of this security every single time you need some cash.

 

I understand keeping the bulk of your cash and credit cards safely stashed away, but small amounts of spending money easily accessible can make your travels so much easier.

 

Ultimately, everyone needs to figure out what they need in order to feel comfortable. CruisingGoddess and her husband figured out what worked for them and they had a great trip. I'd rather stay home than feel like I had to go through everything they did, but that's me.

 

Sometimes you don't know when you're going to need large amounts of cash or a credit card. Yes, we carried small amounts of money in our pocket. But there were a few times where we needed our cards or a larger amount of Euros which were in our money belt. Maybe we should have anticipated it earlier and gone into a corner ahead of time to get it out, but often it just didn't occur to us until the transaction was going to occur.

 

I think being vigilant is key. I don't think Cruising Goddess went through a whole lot, but she was just being careful. I think having your partner be "the lookout" is a great idea that often would be missed by many. Some of it just comes naturally and doesn't need to be specifically done, but it can't hurt to have a specific system.

 

We thought we were being overly paranoid. But one night at dinner, a German next to us told us how his passport was stolen at the Colosseum by an elderly gentleman who was chatting him up and tapping his pockets. Not sure why he was carrying their passports, but it just goes to show that things do happen.

[euro cruiser]

I don't know, maybe I've seen too many (bad) movies ... I read about having one partner be the lookout and I immediately think of Inspector Clouseau and have that theme music stuck in my head. Maybe I just need to watch a different class of movies. :D

 

I wasn't knocking alertness, or what it takes for anyone else to feel comfortable. What I meant to suggest, and perhaps didn't do so very well, was to figure out ahead of time how much cash you can comfortably keep handy, in order to minimize the need to dig into (and potentially expose) your security methods.

[polySeraph]

. . . . But one night at dinner, a German next to us told us how his passport was stolen at the Colosseum by an elderly gentleman who was chatting him up and tapping his pockets. Not sure why he was carrying their passports, but it just goes to show that things do happen.

 

Several years back, DH and I were walking outside the Colosseum when we were approached by a band of 8-10 children. Two of the bigger ones held a large piece of cardboard against my husband's torso (effectively pinning his arms against his body) and two of the little ones put out their hands and started begging loudly. The rest began putting their hands in his pockets. It was very well orchestrated, actually. I stepped away from the mob and started yelling loudly for help in Spanish (I have no idea why I used Spanish - English is my 1st language and I don't speak much Italian. It seemed like a good idea at the time, though.) DH spun around swinging our gym bag and also yelling loudly. The kids immediately scattered.

 

Fortunately, everything important was zipped up in an inside pocket in his coat, and they only got away with a folded-up tour brochure and an old comb. Later DH felt bad about swinging his gym bag at the children. It wasn't heavy - just a couple of sweaters and our lunch, so he wouldn't have hurt them even if he had made contact.

[Barbie075]

We use money belts or I have a clip on that is clipped onto my slacks at the waist. We have never had a problem, and it is nice to not have to carry a purse with me. Just free hans and not worry. Also easier to protect if you feel someone is invading your space. I would definitely recommend that you not carry a wallet or a purse that can easily be grabbed. Go for the safety factor, and also the ease of travelling without a lot of extra baggage.