Lock or Unlock????

[caribbeanqueenie]

Hello,

We are sailing out of Norfolk Va on Friday 3/3, and need to know do we lock or luggage or not??? I thought I read where you should lock your luggage for the ship. PS - We are driving not flying.

Thanks

[Copper10-8]

Hello,

We are sailing out of Norfolk Va on Friday 3/3, and need to know do we lock or luggage or not??? I thought I read where you should lock your luggage for the ship. PS - We are driving not flying.

Thanks

 

Totally up to you - we lock ours. There is no requirement at the ports to keep them unlocked as there is at the airports! Have a great cruise!:)

[caribbeanqueenie]

Thank you. There is some confussion in my household. Last year while flying no locking luggage. Last year New York City Port another cruise line. Was told - Do not lock luggage they will break into your luggage maybe even damage it. So at least now we know that Holland we can lock if we want to.

Thanks,

Stephanie

[boards]

We used the TSA approved locks the last time we flew in Nov. of 2005 and had no problem regarding them. They were still on the luggage when they arrived in our cabin.

[user8]

Most of the time, we secure our luggage with cable ties that you can buy at places like Lowes or Home Depot. They can not be removed without cutting them so it is no big deal for air port security. Just be sure you pack a small pair of scissors or a nail clipper in an outside pocket of your checked luggage so you can open your suit case.

 

There are also TSA approved locks you can use which air port security people have special keys for you can use. These may be purchased from places like Magellan's on line.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have been using the TSA locks for a couple of years now.

 

Have never had a problem with them anywhere - planes - ships - all okay.

 

And I do agree that you should lock your luggage.

[Pincus]

Lock your luggage, and save yourself the worry by purchasing some of the TSA approved locks. It's the easiest way to go.

 

Pincus

[jhannah]

We also have used the TSA-approved locks for a couple of years. Never any problem. Brookstone also has them available.

[AAAAmerican]

Doing does help in case some damage does occur like in motor vehicles if they are not locked then it is not covered....

 

Safety comes first in MHO.:)

[DesertDiva]

I agree with the cable ties suggestion. You can even buy them at Wal*Mart. Some even come in various neon colors to help identify your luggage.

 

Most of the time, we secure our luggage with cable ties that you can buy at places like Lowes or Home Depot. They can not be removed without cutting them so it is no big deal for airport security. Just be sure you pack a small pair of scissors or a nail clipper in an outside pocket of your checked luggage so you can open your suit case.

[HeatherInFlorida]

We use the TSA approved locks as well. They're wonderful and you can use them for your checked bags on the airlines also.

[Just Cruisen']

What exactly are TSA approved locks?:confused:

[Copper10-8]

What exactly are TSA approved locks?:confused:

 

They're small pad-locks' date=' lime green in color, that you can use to secure your luggage with. They are the only exception to the "thou shall not lock your checked luggage at airports" rule because TSA agents stationed at airports have keys themselves that fit the locks and thus can unlock them. They therefore are still able to inspect the contents of your bags if they choose to. They are pretty handy! [/color']

[HeatherInFlorida]

Just Cruisen' ... they are no particular color. They come in blue, red, black. I tried to post a pic. I'll try again. You can get them thru a number of websites. Just do a search for "TSA approved luggage locks".

 

Sorry, can't paste the pic.

[jhannah]

Here 'ya go.

 

 

The red diamond logo is what marks them as TSA-approved.

[HeatherInFlorida]

Even though Jim managed it, I'm determined!:) One more try.

[Copper10-8]

Justcruisin' it's almost March; the green ones are for St. Patty's day;)

[Just Cruisen']

Thanks ya all!! I'm definitely going to get some!!

[svgirl1]

Hi Everyone,

 

Can someone tell me where you can get those Tsa locks?.. I know Jim mentioned one place, but living here in NC, I've never heard ofthe place he mentioned. We leave on the 25th for our cruise, I'd really love to get those, thanks for any help.

[HeatherInFlorida]

svgirl, you can get them online several places. If you do a Google search several will come up. The ones I show above (with the combination instead of a key which I think is easier) are sold at L.L.Bean. We can't show links or advertise here, but they have a website:) .

[boards]

We got ours here in Canada at would you believe - Walmart - in the luggage department.

[HALOnlyCruiser]

The TSA locks are great. Now they have ones that show red or green in a window so you can tell if they have been opened. I know you'll be shocked, but TSA doesn't always put the note inside the bag to tell you they've opened it. Also, I wonder about them anyway. When we checked our bags at Logan after last summer's Maasdam cruise, the United ticket agent was going to make me take them off. She said she'd never seen them before. And there was a Brookstone store right next to the ticket counter with a big display of them in the window. Hello?

On our last Alaskan cruise my luggage didn't make the ship. My daughter's did. I blame TSA in Denver. But HAL was extremely nice...loaned me clothes for the formal night, and did my laundry for free. Travel Guard paid me back for the stuff I bought on board to get me by. Got the luggage on Day 3 in Ketchikan. (Thankfully before the kayaking trip.) Another reason to buy the insurance. You just never know. For the locks, try TravelSmith or Magellans. Locally, even Target has them.

[hammerinfrank]

At embarkation, would HAL ever open a TSA approved lock (or any type of lock) on a piece of luggage to inspect its contents? If not, do they have electronic screening? OK, what I am really getting at is, how would they know if you were bringing booze on board if they were unable to physically check the contents of a locked piece of luggage?

[HALOnlyCruiser]

Your bags go through x-ray just like at the airport. Do bottles show up? I just read a thread about some folks who had bottles in their luggage and were made to open it at the embarkation. Can't remeber which thread it was. Sorry.:o I don't think HAL personnel have the TSA keys, but don't know for sure.

[SDHALFAN]

I would be very uncomfortable with unlocked luggage and I have to agree with most of my fellow posters - I have used the TSA approved locks for my checked luggage the past couple of years and have never had a problem. As far as I know my checked luggage has never been opened. The locks shown by jhannah and HeatherinFlorida are the ones I use - TSA approved - and I have had never had any problem whatsoever.

 

A couple of times I have been asked to open my carry-on bag and as soon as the security officer realises that I have no problem doing that and I do actually know the combination for the lock and am willing to open my bag then I'm just waved through security, after a cursory check. I have nothing to hide and I do actually appreciate the security checks - hey, they make me feel better about my own security.:D

 

As far as hammerinfrank and HALOnlyCruiser's posts go: First of all, once your luggage is checked in at the Pier and is about to "board" a HAL ship then it is the FBI, or ATF, or some such government agency that X-Rays your luggage. HAL, at this point, could not care less if you are trying to smuggle booze aboard - they just want everyone to be onboard on time, their luggage having been checked by some aforementioned government agency, so the ship can leave on schedule. If you are thinking about maybe bringing a little "comfort" aboard with you then just be sure that your stash is in a leakproof container.;)