TSA Locks taken off luggage

[poison7fl]

I am sure this has been discussed ad nauseam, but just wanted to ask;

 

After 16 cruises I decided to lock our luggage two weeks ago on the Conquest, and bought some really really nice TSA lock$$$.

 

I am Platinum and the luggage arrived shortly after boarding just after we ate lunch, got it and pulled it into the room and noticed that the locks were both missing, OK... I opened up the luggage and no locks, no letter and nothing appeared to have been moved or messed around with.. We don't drink so there was no alcohol, and no weapons or contraband.

 

I went up to guest services and asked who may have done this and she was perplexed bexause they are supposed the leave the locks and a letter or call you down to security, if Carnival cut them off. She said she would get back to me.

 

Heard nothing and blew it off, until 10pm the next evening when she called and said they didn't know anything, but bought me new locks and would deliver them... It was nice, but I didn't want them to buy me locks if they didn't do it, but she insisted.

 

Carnival took care of me, and I was happy (either way it wasn't going to ruin my vacation), But is this the normal thing for locking luggage?

Edited December 24, 2015 by poison7fl

[happy cruzin]

I always lock ours - have found the letter that it's been opened - but they've never taken the locks. [emoji15]

[cruiseonthebrain]

I also have had TSA remove locks and rummage through my dirty stinky clothes. But TSA had always left a note and the TSA approved locks. I have also secured zippers with zip ties. Got the TSA letter and mess but they did not put the broken zip ties back in my luggage. Which, obviously, was fine with me.

[flatlander321]

What does Carnival do if you use non-TSA locks on your luggage?

 

I normally do that with checked luggage for airlines. I don't care if they cut the small $2 lock, but I want to know immediately if someone was in my bag(s).

[GlendaleCruiser]

I've gotten the letter from TSA several times but they have always put the locks back on. I'd be disappointed if they didn't, as I paid about $15 for the nice Lewis and Clark locks.

[lahlah57]

Mine disappeared as picked up from airline carousel. Tsa lock gone and a clean rip of the zipper stitching. About 2 feet of zipper ripped from suitcase. My husband's was locked and fine. Luckily I carry a sewing kit and spent a morning stitching it back together in my cruise cabin. Weird and looked intentional than accidental. Not cruiseline caused but airline caused.

[Gallivanting Souls]

I'm not trying to be a smart - here. Can you please explain TSA locks? Does TSA have keys, combos?

What's the point? Can dishonest persons not buy locks or a list of combos?

I normally use colored zip ties. Just don't want my un-mentionables falling out on the conveyer belt!

[YubaSutter]

I'm not trying to be a smart - here. Can you please explain TSA locks? Does TSA have keys, combos?

What's the point? Can dishonest persons not buy locks or a list of combos?

I normally use colored zip ties. Just don't want my un-mentionables falling out on the conveyer belt!

 

TSA approved locks have a special key that can open them. The key isn't supposed to be available to the public. Earlier in the year, a blueprint of the keys was leaked and can be copied.

[luvincruising]

I'm not trying to be a smart - here. Can you please explain TSA locks? Does TSA have keys, combos?

What's the point? Can dishonest persons not buy locks or a list of combos?

I normally use colored zip ties. Just don't want my un-mentionables falling out on the conveyer belt!

 

TSA approved locks have a separate key slot that only TSA has keys for - whether it is a combination lock or a key lock. There is a code next to the TSA slot indicating which TSA key will open it. The point is that with this type of lock: TSA can open your luggage, as needed, check for contraband and relock your luggage without cutting off your luggage locks.

:)

[broberts]

I'm not trying to be a smart - here. Can you please explain TSA locks? Does TSA have keys, combos?

What's the point? Can dishonest persons not buy locks or a list of combos?

I normally use colored zip ties. Just don't want my un-mentionables falling out on the conveyer belt!

 

See TSA Recognized Locks at the bottom of https://www.tsa.gov/travel/travel-tips.

[Pyrate13]

We use zip ties as well. I figure, why bother buying TSA locks when the agents have the ability to open them anyway and over 400 agents have been arrested for theft. It's not like the luggage is anymore secure with the locks.:rolleyes:

[elliair]

We have found that every time we locked the suitcase, the locks were removed and our suitcase rummaged through. This past cruise we did not lock the suitcases (never do now), and there was a security check tape on DH's luggage. Don't know what they were looking for because they didn't confiscate it.:p

[evandbob]

The TSA locks are so simple that some can be opened with a small thin screwdriver.

 

I've had an airline issue where someone opened the top outside pocket of my locked luggage and used a box cutter knife (or similar) to rip open the lining and maybe search around. I have new luggage now and a tear in my Tilley Hat as a momento.

 

Good thing I only pack clothes in my luggage, and keep anything valuable or important in my shoulder bag. I usually do carry on, but on that occasion I had an 8 oz bottle of Listerine that wouldn't get through security.

[Gallivanting Souls]

Thank you for clarification on the locks. It seems that almost every time our bags are picked to get checked. This last time going through TSA, my DH was chosen to for a more thorough check. He sometimes can get an attitude, :eek: so I am glad that he was very polite and kept his (sometimes redneck) mouth shut. It looked like they were picking about every 5th person or so for this special check. This was at LAX I believe.

 

We also don't put anything of value in our cases. If I remember, I do close them with zip ties.

[crzndeb]

I am a bit confused. Everybody is talking about airport TSA a and I think the OP was just talking about security check at the cruise terminal. I wasn't aware that there was TSA personnel at the cruise ports. Of course, this could have changed recently.

 

I always lock my luggage with regular locks when boarding a ship, and have never had them cut. However, I have been called to check something (my clutch purse).

[lahlah57]

We were recently on our Crystal cruise in carribean/south america and suit cases were being loaded on in south america and at the port the suitcases were lined up beside the ship as to be prepared for loading. 2 officers each had a dog on the leash and those dogs were so excited and lunging forward to get busy working on those suitcases. It was a lab and a hefty german shepherd. If anyone or anything was going to detect anything it was going to be them and nothing could deter them:eek:

I felt so bad for those dogs as they were done and turned up not one scrap of contraband.

They walked away with their handlers with their tails dragging on the ground and I could have just cried...they were so disappointed:(

[lahlah57]

Moral of the story: yes tsa will check at airport and the ports......possibly trains too but those do not leave or return from outside of the country:rolleyes:

[Cruzin2paradise09]

TSA as you know from the airports is not at the ports; however they are the agency in charge of security. They have a right to check your baggage and if your lock doesn't open with their master key, they can and will cut it. You could also think you had a TSA lock and maybe you didn't.

 

I always bring extra lock just in case. This, unfortunately, is the world in which we live in now.

Edited December 25, 2015 by Cruzin2paradise09

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Got letters that my bag(s) was searched but never lock them. AND never put anything that valuable in them either.

[Sweet Dutch Girl]

Locks are like an invitation for "someone" to get in your luggage. Valuable enough to lock, valuable enough to steal. Not saying that happens but....

 

Besides, we all know that all luggage is scanned and if someone even 'THINKS' that something looks fishy they have the right, per your ticket, to search your bag whatever the means.

[riclop]

I am sure this has been discussed ad nauseam, but just wanted to ask;

 

After 16 cruises I decided to lock our luggage two weeks ago on the Conquest, and bought some really really nice TSA lock$$$.

 

I am Platinum and the luggage arrived shortly after boarding just after we ate lunch, got it and pulled it into the room and noticed that the locks were both missing, OK... I opened up the luggage and no locks, no letter and nothing appeared to have been moved or messed around with.. We don't drink so there was no alcohol, and no weapons or contraband.

 

I went up to guest services and asked who may have done this and she was perplexed bexause they are supposed the leave the locks and a letter or call you down to security, if Carnival cut them off. She said she would get back to me.

 

Heard nothing and blew it off, until 10pm the next evening when she called and said they didn't know anything, but bought me new locks and would deliver them... It was nice, but I didn't want them to buy me locks if they didn't do it, but she insisted.

 

Carnival took care of me, and I was happy (either way it wasn't going to ruin my vacation), But is this the normal thing for locking luggage?

We have never had that happen to us .

[Gig103]

Locks are like an invitation for "someone" to get in your luggage. Valuable enough to lock, valuable enough to steal. Not saying that happens but....

 

Besides, we all know that all luggage is scanned and if someone even 'THINKS' that something looks fishy they have the right, per your ticket, to search your bag whatever the means.

 

I don't trust the baggage handlers or Thieving Security Agency with anything valuable enough to lock; that's what carry-ons are for. I always have that fear that the airline will make me gate-check a bag though, but if it ever comes to that I'm prepared to unpack valuables standing in the aisle.

[Supercrossfox21]

TSA approved locks have a separate key slot that only TSA has keys for - whether it is a combination lock or a key lock. There is a code next to the TSA slot indicating which TSA key will open it. The point is that with this type of lock: TSA can open your luggage, as needed, check for contraband and relock your luggage without cutting off your luggage locks.

:)

 

If they would only lock the luggage back up or at least put the locks back in the suitcase unharmed, that would be great. We had tsa approved locks on our luggage and the cut them off and returned them to me with a note. When i got home i contacted the airline asking for replacements since the were clearly maked tsa and were still cut off... And expensive. I sent multiple pictures of the lock, luggage tags, etc and was basically told to bad. So we dont lock our luggage anymore. Never thought of zip ties since they r cheap and can be easily replaced at any point during trip. Just need to make sure to carry nail cutters in case I need to get in them at airport, car etc.

[kerryincork]

I worry about people putting stuff in my case, I've read that this is a common smuggling method between countries. Besides I know all the luggage handlers have the keys. I know to many people who gave things stolen out of the cases. It's best to add coloured tie - wraps or wool around the zippers not because this prevents anyone getting in your case but because it takes extra time to get in your case open, you want to make the risk too great for them to bother with your case if there are easier cases to break in to. I know I won't ever collect my case if I have seen someone has tampered with my case.

[RaiderFaninNM]

Well our luggage, the zipper pulls get placed into a TSA lock, they are part of the lock ON the luggage plus we use luggage covers. Never had issues before.....