Safety in ports

[Wecruise8]

I'm wondering, with news of robberies at ports, how people handle their jewelry. Do you leave valuable rings (even if they are your wedding rings) in the safe in your cabin and/or wear minimal jewelry while in ports?

[Toto2Kansas]

We have always practiced 'safety first' in ports, for as far back as I can remember. We never wear expensive jewelry while in port (or anything that isn't expensive but might look expensive), wedding rings (as long as they aren't a huge rock) is about all we have ever worn. The more you dress and act like a tourist, the better chance of having problems.

Also, safey is usually (notice the usually word there) best in numbers, so traveling with a small group is (again) usually your best bet.

 

Stay where you can't be targeted in areas where there are numerous others around, don't go wandering down alleys or back streets, where you could run into problems.

 

It is just common sense to watch yourself in any foreign port. Pretend you are walking down the streets of a big city after dark.........you would never think of wearing expensive jewelry or going alone I don't think. No different when you visit any other port in the world.

[karatemom2]

We travel to Mexico often and I am probably the most careful there. I wear my wedding ring, but no other jewelry. We leave our expensive camera behind on the ship and just take on of our less expensive digital cameras that our kids use for photos. We carry one backpack which DH holds onto for any items we want to take with us (sunscreen, towels, etc.) but I leave my purse behind and DH takes all of our ID and cruise cards to keep in his wallet which he keeps close to him at all times. Not trying to be alarmist, just cautious. We have never had any problem and the people we meet there are wonderfully friendly and helpful, but I always keep my guard up and pay close attention to our surroundings and stick to places where there are plenty of other tourists.

[paul929207]

My wife leaves most jewelry at home in the safety deposit box at the bank. What she brings, never goes a shore. It is in the safe in our cabin when we are off the boat.

[cruisinalong001]

If I am doing any type of land tour with a cruise, I have gotten so I only bring costume jewelry. It is just too much of a hassle to take care of when not every hotel has a room safe. In port, we have used neck pouches and or money belts, carry just cash for the day, and have used the old fake wallet trick when abroad.We sometimes carry one CC and one debit card in the pouches in case we may need more cash or buy something we hadn't planned on or have some kind of real emergency. I try not to charge things in foreign shops...Would rather go to a bank ATM and get $. A lot of how we handle things depends on the port.

 

We try to be aware of our surroundings, but it is really hard when you are touring not to get distracted.

[gertz]

If your walking around NY, LA, FLL, Miami or anyplace do you not take precautions?

With what is going on in Mexico you had better take extra precautions. Just common since will keep you out of a lot of trouble.:eek:

[rajones007]

Between my GF and myself, when we go ashore we only plan on taking $80US or $100US between the two of us. She'll probably carry a couple 20's and I'll carry two 20's and some smaller bills. We don't drink (much) so it's mostly just souvenir money and/or tip money for a tour guide. And perhaps I'll bring 1 credit card in my wallet just in case we see something extraordinary that we'd like to purchase.

 

She has a really nice DSLR camera, but we're just leaving it at home. Neither one of us wants to lug that thing around for a week. So it's the cheap old reliable point&shoot HP camera I bought her during our first Christmas together about 7 years ago. If it we lose it, or it gets stolen...oh well. That thing doesn't owe us a dime. (still takes fantastic photos though)

 

The rest of our cash/travellers cheques/credit cards will remain in the safe in our cabin.

 

(Does anybody know if there is any preference as to which credit card is more widely accepted in the Caribbean? MC or Visa? Or are they like the rest of North America and they're pretty much equal? What about Amex?)

 

My GF doesn't plan on wearing any jewellery beyond her engagement ring. I'll be angry if she loses that though. Do you know how many boxes of Cracker Jacks I had to eat to find that ring? Ugh. I feel sick just thinking about it.

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

As I like to try and see of beat places, I will go out of my way not to look like a tourist, do not wear new stuff, blend in, do what the locals do, have seen things I would not have wanted to see, people being attacked , robbed etc, even stayed in a hostel were a bloke was stabbed in the same room I was sleeping in. As to being a victim only ever lost by luggage in Miami because I felt safe and trusted others.

 

As to main stream tourist places being in a group is as safe as anything and take advise from local guides, drivers etc.

 

For some strange reason people do things on holiday that they would never do in their home town.

 

 

yours Shogun

[Wecruise8]

Thanks everyone. Mainly I was just concerned with my wedding/engagement rings since they were designed for me and made from my grandmother's ring and I'd be heartbroken if anything happened to it. I'll have to decide if I should leave them in the room safe. We're going eastern carib. and I'm not really worried but some things are just not replacable. Thanks again for your advice.

[cruiserus]

We carry all credit cards, cash, ID etc. in our money belts. All that I put in a purse is a bottle of water, sunscreen, tissue, in other words, nothing of value. All jewelry is left in the safe on the ship. Most of my special jewelry is left in the safe deposit box at home. I usually keep my engagement ring and wedding ring on, but on our last cruise to West Africa, I left even those in the safe onboard, as we were cautioned to do. I have seen too many fellow travelers lose wallets etc. from day packs, fanny packs, etc. DH does carry a small day pack, but nothing of value goes in it...again, mainly for souvenirs we buy, water, etc. If we put anything like a camera inside it, we use a lock or safety pin so the zipper can't be opened easily. In congested areas, he carries it in front of him, so he can see it at all times.

[MichTraveler]

We leave most of our valuables at home. We taken only what we need on-shore. I do usually wear my wedding ring, but not if we have any beach activities planned. This same goes for any vacations, land or sea.

[tamsocal]

We leave most of our valuables at home. We taken only what we need on-shore. I do usually wear my wedding ring, but not if we have any beach activities planned. This same goes for any vacations, land or sea.

 

Same with us- we leave our valuables at home.

I bring jewelry on board the ship but nothing of significant value. Didn't even bring wedding rings last cruise

[FLACRUISER99]

Hi All

 

As I like to try and see of beat places, I will go out of my way not to look like a tourist, do not wear new stuff, blend in, do what the locals do, have seen things I would not have wanted to see, people being attacked , robbed etc, even stayed in a hostel were a bloke was stabbed in the same room I was sleeping in. As to being a victim only ever lost by luggage in Miami because I felt safe and trusted others.

 

As to main stream tourist places being in a group is as safe as anything and take advise from local guides, drivers etc.

 

For some strange reason people do things on holiday that they would never do in their home town.

 

 

yours Shogun

Boy I could never look like a local in Cozumel!

[Nebr.cruiser]

I don't wear really valuable jewelry in most ports or on land tours, especially to very poor countries. Not only is it a risk, but I would feel bad flashing a big diamond around someone who lives in a cardboard shack.

 

On cruises I do wear my 'nice' engagement ring and wedding band on board but they stay in the safe otherwise. When we toured in Africa I didn't even take them along.

[Times Prince]

Thanks everyone. Mainly I was just concerned with my wedding/engagement rings since they were designed for me and made from my grandmother's ring and I'd be heartbroken if anything happened to it. I'll have to decide if I should leave them in the room safe. We're going eastern carib. and I'm not really worried but some things are just not replacable. Thanks again for your advice.

Leave them in the safe in your cabin. They mean too much to you to chance losing them.

 

We bought an "inexpensive" ring for my wife to wear when ashore in any port after our first cruises where we found that we became the target of every salesman in every store (typically the lead salesman). We finally figured out they check the lady's left hand to see how "rich" a customer people might be - and we, too had a custom designed ring with both my wife's engagement diamonds plus my Mom's. it looks fantastic, and has irreplaceable sentimental value, and NEVER goes ashore anymore. We've been considering just leaving it home, protected by our dogs !

 

When we go snorkeling we leave all jewelery in the cabin safe.

[BballinQT24]

The only expensive jewelry I usually bring is my wedding ring, and when we are in port I lock it up in the safe. I would be devastated if something ever happened to it, so it's just not worth chancing. We also bring cheap watches for my husband, and he only wears his nice one onboard.

[njdevil08]

quote=Wecruise8;26923140]Thanks everyone. Mainly I was just concerned with my wedding/engagement rings since they were designed for me and made from my grandmother's ring and I'd be heartbroken if anything happened to it. I'll have to decide if I should leave them in the room safe. We're going eastern carib. and I'm not really worried but some things are just not replacable. Thanks again for your advice.

I agree. In fact, if something means so much to you, I'd consider leaving it at a bank at home in a safe deposit box. There are just so many variables, if something meant much to me (I'm a guy so jewelry isn't as prevalent), I wouldn't risk it anywhere.

 

With that being said, I'll echo what others have said about safety in port. Practice common sense - it goes a long way. I was born/raised in some of the run-down areas of Brooklyn so maybe it's just natural instinct, but don't go crazy careful/paranoid, it'll ruin your vacation. Stick to the commercial areas or go with a tour, don't wander around by yourself...!

 

Unfortunately, there are shootings in cities everywhere, a sad fact of life. Don't let a few horrible stories ruin your cruise.

[STARFISH*4]

i use to wear just inexpensive minimal jewelry in port, but now have decided none at all but a cheap watch thats it--will save my jewelry for wearing on the ship...the recent robbery of the X Mercury passengers on the ship sponsored excursion definitely got me to thinking how we go into port...thats for sure.

[room010]

Don't worry, you will remain married even if you leave a precious wedding ring in the cabin safe.

[kitty9]

Thanks everyone. Mainly I was just concerned with my wedding/engagement rings since they were designed for me and made from my grandmother's ring and I'd be heartbroken if anything happened to it. I'll have to decide if I should leave them in the room safe. We're going eastern carib. and I'm not really worried but some things are just not replacable. Thanks again for your advice.

 

The ships also have safety deposit boxes at the purser's desk if you're not comfortable with keeping the rings in your cabin safe. I cruised with a woman on Crystal's world cruise and she purchased an $80,000 diamond and emerald necklace in Dubai, and she kept it in the ship's safe.

[MichTraveler]

I have never had a problem using the in-room safe. But I must admit that once on a land vacation in Hawaii, the safe failed because the battery died. Maintenance was called and got the safe open in less that 3 minutes. For the rest of that vacation, we kept looking at the safe as "safe from who"? I do still use the in-cabin safe, but would not if I had something VERY valueable.

[LHT28]

If it is valuable , sentimental or non replaceable leave it home.

They have some really nice costume jewellry these days (that look real) for a few $.

 

I would not worry about losing a $20. ring but I would if I lost my good stuff.

[BIG_Steve]

I'm wondering, with news of robberies at ports, how people handle their jewelry. Do you leave valuable rings (even if they are your wedding rings) in the safe in your cabin and/or wear minimal jewelry while in ports?

 

Leave them in the safe on the ship. If we were going to a really nice restaurant (or something) I would have my wife hide the "good stuff" in our pockets or her purse until we got there.