A post of frustration-open letter to the offender

[3redheads]

I'm quite sure that the person to whom this post is directed is not a member here, but I have to vent.

 

We were on the Mariner this last week and had a wonderful time. On Saturday afternoon, I stopped by the internet area to check in with our airline to avoid long lines on Sunday.

 

It appears I left my camera there. I realized it 15 minutes after I went back to my stateroom. I rushed back to the internet area and it was gone. I checked with guest services numerous times, to no avail. I will follow up with RCCL in Florida on the slim chance that it was turned in.

 

For those who have lost your memories as I did, I feel your pain. To those who may find someones camera, please return it.

 

You see, I don't care about the camera, I care about the memories.

 

The person who has my camera has probably erased all of my pictures and video. The videos of my daughter dancing with my husband, the pictures of my birthday celebration at Chops. Our wonderful catamaran excursion in St. Thomas-gone. My camera is 2 years old and is not worth what I paid. Are you going to try and sell in on eBay? You may get a few dollars.

 

What does this say about your character? Didn't you feel some guilt as you viewed our pictures? Are you without remorse?

 

I know the person who has or had my camera isn't a member here, but to those who may be tempted to keep a lost item, please think about how it affects the owner. At the very least, turn in the memory card.

 

Ok, I'm done venting. Other than the loss, the cruise was FABULOUS! We had cabin 1388. Two years ago, we had 1688. I prefer these cabins to even the Grand Suite mid ship. I'm getting a little burned out with the Caribbean. Maybe the Mediterranean next?

 

Thanks for listening!

[gowensricks]

First, let me state that I am so sorry that you lost your memories. I too was on that cruise (wonderful) and I went to BINGO the last day. Well, a woman came on stage and had them announce that she too had lost her camera, and no one had turned it in. She had her little girl with her (looked to be about two), and she said she just wanted the memory card and that they could keep the camera (lots of pictures of her little girl at the beach). I believe she stated that she lost her camera on Tuesday (and this was Saturday). I can not understand why someone would not turn it in. It's just not right... Well, I hope that it all works out for you.

[nlcentralchmps03]

I am really sorry to hear about your camera. It is a shame we live in a time where people are so untrustworthy and selfish.

I really hope by some miracle it gets returned to you and you can re live all those memories again.

 

But if it doesn't, I am a firm believer in karma. Hopefully it will wind up biting those people in the butt.

 

On a happier note, I am glad to hear you enjoyed your cruise! :)

[vana]

Hello,

 

We were on the Zenith (X) last October and my husband came back from the casino. "Where's your camera?" I asked. He blushed, than turned white and said: I left it at the casino! He rushed back there and it was gone. It was brand new. We had bought it for that trip. We went to the front desk and no one had returned it. The next day, in the afternoon, we received a card from the front desk stating "in regards of ... Lost camera". We ran out of our cabin and rushed there. There it was. Someone had turned it in. Yes ladies and gentlemen, there is some honest people left. We wanted to know whom returned it so we could reward him but they said that the company has a policy for the staff to bring back stuff that the clients leave behind. So we will never know. But to that day, we are gratefull to whom ever brought it back.

[FLCruiseGirl]

You haven't lost your memories. You will ALWAYS have them and nobody can take those from you - ever. But, I am sorry that you lost your camera.

[MakinGold]

Yeah. That's really awful that someone swiped your camera, but I honestly think that more people than not would turn something like that in. I know how bad I would feel to lose all my vacation pics, and I wouldn't do that to someone else.

[RareBird]

terrible :(

 

I never lost our camera, but i'm always afaid I will one day. I lock it up in a safe every chance I get, and it never leaves my wrist.

[luvscruising2007]

Vana, I am so glad you posted your story. It gives hope to all of us that 3redheads' story can still end well. I work retail and I know there are alot of dishonest people. It is nice to know that there are honest people as well.

[Emi's Mom]

I too feel your pain. You were so eloquent in your statements that I'm sure that I'm not the only one that feels the hurt that you express. The way that you handled this says a lot about your character just as the thiefs actions says a lot about theirs. Thank you for sharing and I know that this will help others of us to be diligent about turning in found items. Sorry about your lost memories :(

[BopRN]

I left my camera at the Solarium on the AOS in March. I got a call from a pool worker asking me if I lost my camera...I looked in the cabin and couldn't find it so told him "yes, I did". He said he would be right there with my camera. When he arrived at our cabin, I asked him how he knew it was mine...he said he scrolled through my pictures (200+) and saw where I had taken a picture of our cabin #!! Who would have thought taking that picture would be that valuable to us?? I gave him a nice tip and a nice write-up on the evaluation. I realize how very lucky I am to have encountered an honest pool worker!!

[ROWSE]

I am so sorry you lost your camera. I have kept a diary since I was 12 years old and I am now 46. I have not missed a day. Sometimes

I read them and it all comes back to me. Little things that I have forgotten are all there for me to enjoy again. I suggest you write it all down every little detail you can remember from your cruise. Especially your B-day party at Chops and your daughter dancing with

your husband. Even without pictures, sometimes having it written down can bring pictures of the event back to your mind. Can you check with the cruise ship again to see if anything was turned in on

the departure day? Good luck!!!

[gator582]

I hope by some miracle your camera shows up. What a creep the thief is. What goes around comes around.:mad:

[Host Jacquelyn]

We had our camera stolen at a wedding... we left it on the table while we danced, and came back to find it gone. Our fault for being so trusting, but come on, who would steal a camera at a wedding???

[Shanafan]

We went with some friends on a Carnival cruise several years back. He left his college class ring (he was about 40 at the time) in the safe........and realized it once they dis-embarked......needless to say....he never did get it back.

 

Who the heck wants someone elses college class ring????? It had more sentimental value than monetary value I would guess.

 

I hope someone does the right thing and looks you up and returns your camera. Otherwise........karma......I'm a true believer in that!

[texancruzer]

What goes around comes around.:mad:

 

Thats what my Momma taught me....and I taught my two kids the same.

 

Here's a good one too. While leaving Rhapsody (to tender into Grand Cayman) I took my hat off as they requested me to so they could see my face and compare it to the pic showing in the seapass machine.... Well I had slide my sunglasses up there since it was dark in the passage way. They fell to the ground - unbeknownst to me - at least for about 20 seconds until I saw the glaring sun outside.... well I turned around and asked everyone who was coming in the other way (return tender) and a few of them said " I saw a lady pick them up and put them on" :eek: so I ran back but there was a crowd and the tender would not wait for me.... they were brand new really good ones and I can't help myself but say I hope they poked her in the eye more than once while wearing them !

 

It's a shame they couldnt have at least turned in the card with the pics....

 

I have a very small camera (the new Olympus underwater 720 SW) and I love it..... smaller than a pack of cigarettes and I keep it on a lanyard around me neck along with my seapass...... it takes amazing pics both above and under water as well as videos.... and the lanyard keeps it close (and safe underwater) for the next "great shot".

[3redheads]

Thank you all for understanding. I guess I just wanted to let people know that there is more to a camera than the monetary value. Most of us know that, but maybe someone will remember my story if they are ever tempted.

 

You are so right about the memories! Prior to losing the camera, we only purchased one RCCL photo. Needless to say, I went back and purchased more so that we had some photo memories.

 

I am a very trusting person and will continue to be!

 

gowenricks-I was at that bingo too. It broke my heart! I wonder if she ever got her camera back. That was quite a bingo pot wasn't it? Glad you enjoyed your trip. We were very lucky. Seems there's some tropical disturbances brewing now.

 

I've purchased another camera and will be a lot more careful.

 

Thanks again. You all are wonderful!

[PhoenixCruiser]

But if it doesn't, I am a firm believer in karma. Hopefully it will wind up biting those people in the butt.

 

 

We too are firm believers in Karma!!

 

A few years ago my nephew and I found a VERY thick wallet. We didn't look in the wallet - just turned it in at the front desk (I hope they were as honest as we were).

 

To make a long story short, we had a new digital camera while on the Jewel last October and I left it on a chair in the Solarium. One of our fellow cruisers found it, caught up with us and returned the camera. If they weren't that honest I would have had to realize that I made a huge mistake.

 

3redheads, I really hope you get your camera back!!

 

###

[kircaldy007]

Very sorry for your loss. We were on the Rhapsody which left 7-22 from Galveston. Thursday while we were on our excursion our room was being "worked" on for a broken door lock and 2 cell phones and an Ipod were removed from our room. Didn't realize until we were packing Saturday night

because we really weren't using the items. And my laptop wasn't touched!:mad:

[mommykim]

While I cannot help with the lost camera I can add a story about people doing the right thing. I can even crow a bit as a Mom as it was my son that did it. We were on the Carnival Pride and sat to eat at the buffet upstairs. Well, my son found a pretty expensive looking camera on the seat next to him. He showed it to me and we asked the staff nearby if they'd noticed who was sitting there before us. They did not. We waited at the table a bit after we finished to see if someone would come to get it but no one did. We then took it to the purser's desk and he patiently waited a good 20 minutes in line with me to return it. I was very proud of the fact that he never once thought about keeping it and had no trouble going out of his way to try to get it back to the owner.

[RevSmith]

It never ceases to amaze me how low a person can stoop for personal gain...our society has gotten way too wrapped up into things...:(

[3redheads]

Very sorry for your loss. We were on the Rhapsody which left 7-22 from Galveston. Thursday while we were on our excursion our room was being "worked" on for a broken door lock and 2 cell phones and an Ipod were removed from our room. Didn't realize until we were packing Saturday night

because we really weren't using the items. And my laptop wasn't touched!:mad:

 

I am SO sorry! That's horrible. What does RCCl say about it?

 

 

mommykim-You raised your son well!!

[Captain Canuck]

we did a Rome to copenhagen cruise...in rome we toured the forum. we spent a few hours there and when we were ready to leave my wife decided to use their facilities. these were a couple of porta potties. my wife gave me her camera to hold while she went in. while she was in there I decided to follow one of my rules of travel .. go to the bathroom whenever you can as you never know when you will find one again. I put my wifes camera in my coat pocket and went in the other port a pottie. I did my business in the side urinal and as I was turning to leave I heard a splash...yup you guessed it her camera had fallen into the toilet....by that time my wife was waiting for me outside and she heard the splash....she insisted that I recover the camera...luckily it was raining that day and it was early so the pottie had not seen much use... I found a 2 foot length of hose in the gutter and used this to fish out the camera....I had a plastic bag from a purchase which I dropped the camera into without touching it. back on the ship I retrieved the film which was all we were concerned about. I threw the camera away. NOW FOR THE FUNNY BIT. Our room steward must have thought the camera had fallen into the waste basket in error. we found it sitting on the desk in the room. at that point I was glad that I had cleaned the camera up before getting the film out or else she would have been handling things she would not have liked to. this ritual was followed for the next 2 days. she must have thought we were the clumsiest people on earth...I finally tossed the camera into a waste bin in a public room on the ship.

[derftegel]

Last Nov on the Granduer I found a silver ladies necklace on the steps. The price tag was still attached and showed it was purchased on board for close to $500. I went to the ship jewelry store to see if they could find the purchaser by the info on the tag, but the clerk seemed uninterested in attempting to find the buyer. I turned it in to the purser's desk, but upon checking at cruise end no one had claimed it. I guess the purser or desk help had a nice necklace. But, I felt better by having tried to find the owner. I would hope the purser's desk would employ honest people.

[wvufan]

Sorry to hear about the camera-we had one stolen in NYC with all sorts of pix on it. One of the posters is right, though-they only took the pictures, not the memories.

 

Just to let you know that sometimes the right people find things: a few years ago we were on a cruise and walking around by the tables near the pool on the first day. A wonderful lady spotted a large diamond ring under one of the tables. It was obviously old and expensive. Well, this lady never thought about any other option but turning it in to guest services. We later learned that the frantic owner was overjoyed and recovering her treasure. But I had the real treasure-the wonderful woman who found her ring was my wife:).

 

OOOEEE:D :D Bob and Phyl

[CVU]

We put address stickers on our camera and cell phones.

At least if we lose them they have our name, address and phone numbers on them.

Maybe the finder will feel they have some direction then on returning them.

 

Sorry about your camera, I feel the same, that good actions have good things come their way. What goes around comes around.