Lock luggage?

[Cruise a holic]

2 minutes ago, marci22 said:

Royal Caribbean security broke my TSA lock off at the request of another passenger who thought the luggage was hers. I thought the point of TSA locks was that security could open them for inspection. Next time I'm using zip ties.

That is a very rare occurrence.  Twist ties aren't a good idea.

[marci22]

2 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

That is a very rare occurrence.  Twist ties aren't a good idea.

I don't put anything good in there.

[BensonFan711]

I never lock my luggage.  Then again, I never check/hand off to a porter anything I'm not prepared to lose.  My bag generally has clothes and toiletries in it, and nothing else.  Everything of value is in a bag I carry on myself.

[springfire]

We only use locks on our backpacks to prevent pickpocketing when walking around in metro areas.   We never lock our luggage when we fly.   Twist ties are perfectly good to use on your luggage, they work just as good as any TSA lock.   Most people would be surprised how easy it is to get into your luggage with just a pen, just keep your valuables with you so they are safe.

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, marci22 said:

 I thought the point of TSA locks was that security could open them for inspection.

The security folks on the ship are NOT TSA and very likely don't have a key to open those locks. Also, it is very rare that they open the luggage without you there.

[madmedic]

9 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

The security folks on the ship are NOT TSA and very likely don't have a key to open those locks. Also, it is very rare that they open the luggage without you there.

Our luggage was lost at Venice port at the end of our cruise . We had to fly home without it. When it eventually was returned home to us the samsonite cases with combination locks had been opened and our on board perfume purchases and my wifes spare inhalers were missing. Very strange?

[marci22]

18 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

The security folks on the ship are NOT TSA and very likely don't have a key to open those locks. Also, it is very rare that they open the luggage without you there.

Honestly those locks looks so meager I thought they would have tried using a paper clip or something to open it first. 

[Biker19]

8 minutes ago, madmedic said:

Very strange?

No, and not sure you can tell where the items went missing - can't assume it was on the ship.

[Biker19]

2 minutes ago, marci22 said:

Honestly those locks looks so meager I thought they would have tried using a paper clip or something to open it first. 

Time for everyone on the ship is very precious - they don't have time to fiddle with stuff, they need to get the luggage sorted and get on with their other duties. 

[marci22]

Just now, Biker19 said:

Time for everyone on the ship is very precious - they don't have time to fiddle with stuff, they need to get the luggage sorted and get on with their other duties. 

They should have taken a little more time since it was not her luggage, it had my cabin tag on it! 

[Lionesss]

We started  locking our suitcases a few cruises back after a missing item.

 

We used Luggage Valet on the Oasis.

Put our suitcases out the night before

Delivered strait to Cleveland minus the MK sandals, now mind you do not know who would want worn sandals, but still.

 

So, somewhere along the travel chain, someone had the opportunity to open and search and take the sandals from the time the bags were placed  outside the cabin, to turnstile in Cleveland.

 

But, nothing else was taken.

 

Yup

 

 Wall mart has the locks.

 

Safe travels.

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, marci22 said:

They should have taken a little more time since it was not her luggage, it had my cabin tag on it! 

Ship happens.

[dadraftsman]

20 hours ago, Heymarco said:

If the suitcase has a zipper, you can get in and out if it in a matter of seconds using a ballpoint pen. The bag can be rezipped so there would be no evidence of tampering.The strongest lock or zip tie in the world would not prevent this.

 

Posting URL to demonstrate.

 

Well on the plus side of this....one time I left the keys for the luggage locks at home and didnt realize until we were on the ship. (needless to say DW was not too happy). I quickly started Googling and came across a video similar to this and I was able to get in our bags.

 

So if you ever forget the keys, this is something useful to know 😂

[jagsfan]

2 hours ago, marci22 said:

Royal Caribbean security broke my TSA lock off at the request of another passenger who thought the luggage was hers. I thought the point of TSA locks was that security could open them for inspection. Next time I'm using zip ties.

The point of TSA locks is that TSA employees can open them. 

There are no TSA employees at ports. 

Therefore no keys with which to open TSA locks. 

The security people must have been dunderheads not to match the lady’s name with the name on the luggage tag. 

 

 

[SRF]

On 8/4/2019 at 12:26 PM, grapau27 said:

We lock ours with strong metal combination locks.

 

 

If you fly like that, they are likely to break your luggage to get in.

[SRF]

38 minutes ago, Lionesss said:

We started  locking our suitcases a few cruises back after a missing item.

 

We used Luggage Valet on the Oasis.

Put our suitcases out the night before

Delivered strait to Cleveland minus the MK sandals, now mind you do not know who would want worn sandals, but still.

 

So, somewhere along the travel chain, someone had the opportunity to open and search and take the sandals from the time the bags were placed  outside the cabin, to turnstile in Cleveland.

 

But, nothing else was taken.

 

Yup

 

 Wall mart has the locks.

 

Safe travels.

 

May have been TSA, they have keys for TSA locks.

 

You can report it, and they will check the video tapes to see if a TSA employee removed them.

 

If you don't use TSA locks, they can and will damage your luggage if they want to look inside.

[SRF]

13 hours ago, Cyn874 said:

I don't see the point of locking luggage. Who are all these random people you think have access to your bags? The only people who are handling them are either airport employees or porters, and if they wanted to steal from luggage, they could just steal the entire bag and it would just be chalked up as 'lost'. Or they can open the TSA lock anyway. I find it extremely unlikely. 

 

There's a far bigger chance of someone walking off with your bag at the airport baggage carousel where you have mobs of people standing around hundreds of suitcases going by on the carousel, and I haven't seen security checking bag tickets before people exit the airport in years. It's grab and go. I'm far more concerned with someone walking off with my entire suitcase than I am worried about some luggage handler stealing my socks and undies.

 

Not in the US, but in other countries, this is not that uncommon.

[SRF]

What I really laugh at, is those who carefully lock soft sided luggage.

 

REALLY.

 

 

[island lady]

5 hours ago, Cruise a holic said:

That is a very rare occurrence.  Twist ties aren't a good idea.

 

twist ties?

[broberts]

Sadly zip ties, twist ties, TSA locks, and other solutions do not prevent TSA or other security people from cutting a zipper clasp.

[davekathy]

What I really laugh at, is those who carefully lock hard sided luggage. 🙄

 

 

[Esmerelda]

We have hardsided Delsey luggage, no zippers...built in combination type lock.  Best purchase ever.  I had some items stolen out of my suitcase about 5 years ago right after our cruise ended.  (regular suitcase with zippers).  I was not a happy camper. 😡. 

Edited August 5, 2019 by Esmerelda

[Wine-O]

2 hours ago, Esmerelda said:

We have hardsided Delsey luggage, no zippers...built in combination type lock.  Best purchase ever.  I had some items stolen out of my suitcase about 5 years ago right after our cruise ended.  (regular suitcase with zippers).  I was not a happy camper. 😡. 

Me too, but made by Samsonite.  No zipper to manipulate.  Waterproof if sitting on a rainy tarmac.   Lost lots of stuff in Milan airport.  🍷

[Sizzlechest]

All TSA keyed luggage locks are garbage.

 

 

You HAVE to use a TSA lock when flying, but if it's not required for cruising, then maybe a non-TSA lock is prudent. OTOH, It really doesn't matter, because...

 

 

Edited August 6, 2019 by Sizzlechest

[davekathy]

No, you do not have to use only TSA approved locks on your luggage when flying.