Pick pocketed before a cruise from Rome. Options?

[MrsPete]

After the fact -- so no help for this situation but maybe help in the future -- last time we went to Rome, I bought a ten- pack of sew-in/pin-in zippered pockets from hobotraveler.com. Pickpockets would have had to reach inside my waistband, unzipped the pocket, and fumbled around. We were glad we bought them. We sat down for a pre-cruise dinner with about 30 folks, and three couples had already had problems - missing phones, credit cards, and passports. The pockets gave us some peace of mind.

You can't be too careful with where you carry your valuables. The right answer is always, Somewhere /somehow on your body.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

We don't even know if insurance covers a lost or stolen passport.

[pcur]

Two thoughts:

 

2. I understand the victim in this situation hadn't yet boarded her cruise, so she had no options ... but this is why it's wise NOT to carry your passport ashore. Pickpockets are very, very good at "their job", as this unfortunate lady would testify, so it's wise to keep it safely in your stateroom safe. Once you have your ship ID, which is evidence that the ship has verified your identity, you're good to go as far as the ship is concerned ... and the reason you carry your passport (or other ID) is so you can re-enter the US at the end of your cruise.

 

I don't agree. I always carry my husband and my passports wherever we are. It's basically your only way to identify yourself in a foreign country, and without them, and in an emergency, you delay getting your problem solved by the time it takes (someone) to go and retrieve the passport(s).

 

I just got back from a 15 day European trip with my best friend. I got a great, very small, travel purse with lots of zipped inside pockets. When walking, I wore the strap cross body, and held it with my hand resting on the purse. We were in Barcelona for 2 days, two ports in France, all up and down the Italian coasts, including going to Florence and Rome, in Athens and Heraklion, 2 days in Venice, and 2 days in Rome. We never had anything stolen or any attempt at pick-pocketing. My passport was zipped inside my little purse at all times.

 

My friend wore one of those multi-zippered travel vests, which I thought screamed "tourist", but she never had a problem, either.

 

It was crowded, too, since the last part of the cruise and our post-cruise time was Easter week.

 

Kudos to the posters here for providing EXCELLENT information for emergency help in Rome!!

[stellarcam]

It was my girlfriend, we're actually in different parts of Italy and meeting up tomorrow. She lost her wallet, money, credit cards, and passport. She does have a work ID and a virtual passport, like an App thing. She called Royal and they said they won't board her. Cruise leaves sunday and US embassy is closed tomorrow, she thinks her only option is to go to embassy on monday and fly to Santorini to hopefully board there. She's staying in civitavecchia, tomorrow she'll go down the RCCL office there if it's staffed on saturday.

 

Surely there are other options, she can't be the first to be pick pocketed a day before a cruise. She does have a work ID, she's Diamond level so taken many cruises, and I can vouch for who she is. If we can get her on the ship, I'm thinking we can get an emergency passport in Athens later in the week.

 

What are the options here?

 

Do you have a photo copy of the passport or could one be faxed to you? With the setsail pass in hand and a copy of the passport, I was told boarding is a possibility.

I would definitely give it a try. Wishing you both the best. Praying for you both.

[nelblu]

I don't agree. I always carry my husband and my passports wherever we are. It's basically your only way to identify yourself in a foreign country, and without them, and in an emergency, you delay getting your problem solved by the time it takes (someone) to go and retrieve the passport(s).

 

I just got back from a 15 day European trip with my best friend. I got a great, very small, travel purse with lots of zipped inside pockets. When walking, I wore the strap cross body, and held it with my hand resting on the purse. We were in Barcelona for 2 days, two ports in France, all up and down the Italian coasts, including going to Florence and Rome, in Athens and Heraklion, 2 days in Venice, and 2 days in Rome. We never had anything stolen or any attempt at pick-pocketing. My passport was zipped inside my little purse at all times.

 

My friend wore one of those multi-zippered travel vests, which I thought screamed "tourist", but she never had a problem, either.

 

It was crowded, too, since the last part of the cruise and our post-cruise time was Easter week.

 

Kudos to the posters here for providing EXCELLENT information for emergency help in Rome!!

 

 

When we cruise, the passports stay in the safe. We do however, carry our driver's licenses. The only time that we were advised that we needed one was in Dubrovnik, Croatia right after their war ceased. Before leaving for town, armed soldiers came in our buses and gave us the once over. Their machine guns in hand was downright scary.

[Ned11]

Two thoughts:

 

1. As far as insurance goes, keep in mind that you don't have to get the ship's travel insurance ... or nothing. The ship only offers one type of policy: A full-coverage deal for a fairly hefty price. You can contact your own insurance company or an online company and can pick-and-choose the coverage you want. For example, we always get emergency evacuation coverage, but we do not pay for health insurance (because our regular insurance will reimburse us for medical costs), nor do we pay for lost luggage coverage (because we drive ourselves to the port). The point: You can pick just the coverage you want ... for a lower price.

 

2. I understand the victim in this situation hadn't yet boarded her cruise, so she had no options ... but this is why it's wise NOT to carry your passport ashore. Pickpockets are very, very good at "their job", as this unfortunate lady would testify, so it's wise to keep it safely in your stateroom safe. Once you have your ship ID, which is evidence that the ship has verified your identity, you're good to go as far as the ship is concerned ... and the reason you carry your passport (or other ID) is so you can re-enter the US at the end of your cruise.

 

 

 

I've just come back from being on the Epic in the Med and they tell you take your passports and sea pass with you. Though they never asked to see the passport to return to ship but didn't want to leave it in case I couldn't get back on.

 

 

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[pcur]

An internet search for "keeping passport safe while traveling" brings up multiple articles from various reliable sources, and I believe most (all???) say it's best to keep your passport hidden and with you. Hotel rooms and safes are target-rich places for thieves.

 

My son had his iphone slipped right out of his pocket across the street from the Louvre last year while he and I were looking at a restaurant menu posted on the window. After that, when I went on my trip this year with my friend, I got one of these for my cell phone:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/AMER-DETACHABLE-CELL-PHONE-NECK-LANYARD-CARRYING-CASE-/401346518307?var=&hash=item5d721ddd23:m:mE1-GBK9yI4BME04gHxD6Kw

 

I used my iphone map app for walking navigation, so I'd detach the phone, slip the ring around my finger, and had no worries. I even use it at home when I take my walks.

[emm126]

krisko, if one of your friend's credit cards is an American Express card, the office near the foot of the Spanish Steps can replace on the spot.

 

(and give cash)

 

FYI- Amex closed that office, actually I think they closed all their offices internationally,

[Langley Cruisers]

...If we can get her on the ship, I'm thinking we can get an emergency passport in Athens later in the week.

 

Not sure how this can be accomplished without a passport in the first place. "Vouching" for someone doesn't get them on board a ship.

 

All the replies about insurance aside, I hope OP comes back and reports on what happened. I feel awful for them. :(

 

.

[Mark_K]

I was on a T/A a few years ago where they took your passport at boarding and gave it back at the end. Made the decision about what to do with it moot.

 

 

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[grapau27]

I was on a T/A a few years ago where they took your passport at boarding and gave it back at the end. Made the decision about what to do with it moot.

 

 

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They​ do that in Dubai at check in and you get it back near end of cruise.

[rebeccalouiseagain]

It is a sad situation and I'm sure they will be disappointed if they miss the cruise on account of the lost passport. It is just one of those heart-breaking occurrences that makes you hate the city in which it happened. I was pickpocketed in Barcelona in 2005- robbed of my camera with 14 days worth of once in a lifetime photos. I cried myself to sleep. I hated Barcelona and Spain because of this. It really effects you. Of course you get over it- but their trip is really marred by this- whatever happens. She will feel violated. In 2013- I returned to Spain, visited Madrid and sailed out of Barcelona- you can believe I only carried my room key and few Euros- when I walked in the streets. Unbelievably my son was pickpocketed! An elderly lady walked by, stuck her hand in his jacket pocket and kept walking. Nothing was stolen. She must not have been interested in his gloves- which were the lump in his jacket pocket. My 12 year old son- pointed her out to me- but what could I do? Accost her? She hadn't stolen anything and I bet the policeman would take her side if he found me smacking her around or yelling at her. But believe me- I was tempted. They have been and are still are out there- beware.

[Kmangel]

I have never been stolen from, but I came close due to my own laziness. I had not secured my backpack when I left my hotel. It has theft resistant closures that I had not secured. A man got my attention in Paddington train station that my backpack was unzipped. I never felt a thing. Nothing was taken because my valuables were in my cross body purse and not the backpack. My paperback book, hand wipes and other assorted non valuables were still there. I was very fortunate I had taken a paperback book and not my IPAD as it would probably have been taken. Maybe had I put an IPAD in my backpack I would have secured my bag, but maybe not. I learned a lesson without actually losing anything.

 

You can not be too careful. I am looking into a travel vest for my husband to wear as I think the backpack is far too easy to steal from. His backpack has safety features, too, but concealed in a vest may be better.

[Ned11]

I have a bag that goes diagonally across my chest from a company called Pac Safe. The strap is slash proof, the zips have hooks to lock them and have an area that passports can't be scanned. Use it abroad all the time. They do all sorts of bags and gadgets.

 

 

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[conandrob240]

I don't agree. I always carry my husband and my passports wherever we are. It's basically your only way to identify yourself in a foreign country, and without them, and in an emergency, you delay getting your problem solved by the time it takes (someone) to go and retrieve the passport(s).

 

I just got back from a 15 day European trip with my best friend. I got a great, very small, travel purse with lots of zipped inside pockets. When walking, I wore the strap cross body, and held it with my hand resting on the purse. We were in Barcelona for 2 days, two ports in France, all up and down the Italian coasts, including going to Florence and Rome, in Athens and Heraklion, 2 days in Venice, and 2 days in Rome. We never had anything stolen or any attempt at pick-pocketing. My passport was zipped inside my little purse at all times.

 

My friend wore one of those multi-zippered travel vests, which I thought screamed "tourist", but she never had a problem, either.

 

It was crowded, too, since the last part of the cruise and our post-cruise time was Easter week.

 

Kudos to the posters here for providing EXCELLENT information for emergency help in Rome!!

 

No!!! Don't carry your passport. Take a photo of it or carry a copy on you, leave actual passport in the hotel safe at all times.

[hancogran]

I was on a T/A a few years ago where they took your passport at boarding and gave it back at the end. Made the decision about what to do with it moot.

 

 

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They did that on our Jewel T/A in April.. When we checked in and got our Set Sail pass, they kept our passports. We've had to hand the in on a few other T/A's too.

[Biker19]

The strap is slash proof, the zips have hooks to lock them and have an area that passports can't be scanned.

Most passports, including the US one, are immune from scanning when closed.;)

[mollyeilis]

Passeport is always in my money belt. Can't be too careful.

The only time it is in my purse, is on the way to airport or port.

 

 

Money belts are good!

 

US Embassy has after hours phone listed.

 

 

 

 

 

Your post had such good info. It's worth noting though that emergency numbers at embassies aren't always going to work for passports. A summertime post last year about passports left on the plane in Vancouver, when Canada had a holiday on Friday and the US had a holiday on Monday, and the US embassy was closed the entire weekend, brought that up. A careful look at their website showed that "emergency" didn't cover lost/stolen passports. It was more for "I've been arrested" scenarios. Not sure about the embassy in Italy, but it's worth noting.

 

She did file police report and canceled her cards. $1000 taken from her debit card but visa should get that back to her.

 

 

 

 

That's weird.

 

No pin is needed to buy goods and services. Only need pin to obtain cash at an atm.

 

Last time it happened to us the perp. bought $1500. worth of stuff at Disney World before anyone noticed the bogus charges.

 

 

In the US you can run it as credit, but from DH's world travels it's a very rare store in Europe that doesn't have a chip and PIN machine. Either she had the pin on the card or the thief picked their store carefully.

 

Why do you guys in America constantly travel without Insurance, I won't even travel to France without insurance and thats only 25 miles from our country.

 

 

There is something fundamentally wrong with us. I don't even like buying the insurance! Only reason we got the extra insurance on a rental car once is because DH insisted. I was willing to take the chance. In Ireland! Other side of the car and road, with the high speed limits on two lane, narrow, rock walls on either side, roads. Fundamentally wrong. :)

 

Is there a way to tag someone to make sure they see this thread? From time to time, I travel with someone who is always willing to help everyone he meets and I can see him putting his stuff down to take pictures, help with luggage and lots of other things.

 

 

She needs to read Rick Steves books/website. Even he, after all these years, actually was pickpocketed according to his Facebook page. I think he's in France not Italy but still.

 

Right, but this is exactly why OP doesn't have insurance. Scenario 1: slip and fall - a young and healthy person most likely won't need to be medically evacuated. Scenario 3: young and healthy people usually don't have strokes. Scenario 4: young and healthy people rarely need emergency medical procedures. Scenario 2 can happen to anyone but the question left is if the cost of all 4 insurance policies was more or less than the costs incurred in scenario 2?

 

I fall into the young and healthy category and don't insure my trips. The money I save doing that covers an emergency if one happens. Now the important point is my health insurance DOES cover me outside of the country and covers medical evacuation. And I do occasionally buy a medical/evacuation only policy when I'm in a higher risk situation and know I'll be far from medical care.

 

So the rest of insuring of the trip (and the main cost of trip insurance)is just related to cancellation or interruption. I had a very expensive safari planned in Africa. Trip insurance was going to run several hundred dollars. Was able to get medical/evac only for $30, so most of what you are paying for is cancellation/interruption.

 

The chance of me cancelling is very very low (secure job, contractually guaranteed vacation, young and healthy, and frankly wouldn't cancel unless I was hospitalized) and I'm willing to take on the costs of interruption with the thousands I've saved over the years by not insuring trips.

 

 

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Oh my.

My son is young and healthy, and fell and broke radius and ulna. They couldn't do a full cast but set it and put it into a hard splint. It jolted and hurt a lot for the time until we could get home from CA and then there were a couple more days before we got in to the orthopedist. He was at a dance convention and desperately didn't want to go home; if we were traveling abroad it would have really changed our experience. And paying up front for the care would have been expensive.

 

Hubby's young and healthy coworker ended up with appendicitis on a work trip to the States. He's from Europe. Thankfully work has travel insurance for them. Alas in the US we jump to surgery (in Ireland at least they start with heavy antibiotics because apparently that takes care of it much of the time) so he had to have surgery while here.

 

In this case it seems it would be better to get appendicitis in some parts of Europe, but I still don't want to pay for the ER, hospital room, doctors, and heavy duty antibiotics out of pocket.

 

And I say all this as someone who rarely gets the insurance. I might not get it but at least I know how stupid I'm being. :)

 

We don't even know if insurance covers a lost or stolen passport.

 

 

I'm sure it would. It should also cover the hotel and flight costs to get to the port where they would be let on.

[Biker19]

It's worth noting though that emergency numbers at embassies aren't always going to work for passports. A careful look at their website showed that "emergency" didn't cover lost/stolen passports. It was more for "I've been arrested" scenarios. Not sure about the embassy in Italy, but it's worth noting.

Every city that offers US passport services has an after hours line but that is typically staffed by someone to get and offer information, not an actual passport.For that you have to go in person to a location. Even in the arrested scenario you are unlikely to get any help until the next business day.

[Merion_Mom]

FYI- Amex closed that office, actually I think they closed all their offices internationally,

 

Oh, I am sorry to hear that. :( They really helped me out in Paris and in Rome.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I don't know if anyone really wants to hear a horror story, so if you don't, skip the rest of my post.

 

So many of you are writing about wearing cross body bags and holding on tightly.

 

Yes, we were given that advice, too. But like all situations, advice doesn't work out well 100% of the time.

 

I was living in Rome with a group of educators for the summer. One woman did just as described. Two men jerked on that "tightly held purse" and she held SO tightly that she was thrown backwards and cracked her skull on the paving stones.

 

:eek:

[Langley Cruisers]

No!!! Don't carry your passport. Take a photo of it or carry a copy on you, leave actual passport in the hotel safe at all times.

 

Not all hotels in Europe (or worldwide, actually) have a safe. Our beautiful suite at the Hotel Colon in Barcelona had no safe. I suppose if this is the case, one could leave valuables at the front desk? But just wanted to mention this.

[grapau27]

No!!! Don't carry your passport. Take a photo of it or carry a copy on you, leave actual passport in the hotel safe at all times.

I agree.

[grapau27]

Not all hotels in Europe (or worldwide, actually) have a safe. Our beautiful suite at the Hotel Colon in Barcelona had no safe. I suppose if this is the case, one could leave valuables at the front desk? But just wanted to mention this.

A lot of them will let you hire a safety deposit box.

[Kmangel]

 

I don't know if anyone really wants to hear a horror story, so if you don't, skip the rest of my post.

 

So many of you are writing about wearing cross body bags and holding on tightly.

 

Yes, we were given that advice, too. But like all situations, advice doesn't work out well 100% of the time.

 

I was living in Rome with a group of educators for the summer. One woman did just as described. Two men jerked on that "tightly held purse" and she held SO tightly that she was thrown backwards and cracked her skull on the paving stones.

 

:eek:

 

I think in most cases the thieves look for easy targets. This particular thief chose to pick someone who didn't give up her purse so easily. For the most part, the cross body purses are a better option than a backpack. Nothing is ever going to be full proof.

 

A friend of ours had his phone stolen at an outdoor cafe. I had just been reading how thieves will approach someone at their table, throw a piece of paper down onto the table as though they have an event to suggest to the unsuspecting person. When the thief removes the paper, the phone goes, too (or whatever the piece of paper had covered). When my husband told me our friend's phone had been stolen I asked if it was the "Let me suggest this show" technique and it was. Our friend is a seasoned traveler, but I think people often get too comfortable and take chances when they travel.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Oh, I am sorry to hear that. :( They really helped me out in Paris and in Rome.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

I don't know if anyone really wants to hear a horror story, so if you don't, skip the rest of my post.

 

So many of you are writing about wearing cross body bags and holding on tightly.

 

Yes, we were given that advice, too. But like all situations, advice doesn't work out well 100% of the time.

 

I was living in Rome with a group of educators for the summer. One woman did just as described. Two men jerked on that "tightly held purse" and she held SO tightly that she was thrown backwards and cracked her skull on the paving stones.

 

:eek:

That happens quite alot if the victims do not let go fast enough they get hurt or stabbed- wors thing is when they try to ripp off the handbag from a motorcycle and the victim gets dragged behind til it lets go! :eek: