With no formal announcement Carnival has changed their policy for locking luggage. The cruise line now says luggage dropped off with the porters on embarkation "must be unlocked". You can read it HERE

Yes, they sneaked that one in. The first I heard of it was about a week or so ago when someone told me they were sent an email regarding it. I think they also added the language that the one bottle of wine per person allowance must be brought on board in carry on luggage.

I'm still going to lock mine. If they have a problem with anything, I'll be glad to unlock it for them.

Dwayne

Same here Dwayne...i am NOT trying to hide anything in my luggage...I am only trying to keep someone from getting IN my luggage. Not that they would really want any of my clothes, but you never know what some luggage handlers think. I want to trust people, but hey...you can't trust everyone in these days.

I don't put anything of value in my checked luggage so I don't worry about locking it.

I saw several videos on you tube showing a guy with a pen easily opening a zippered luggage, having it fully8 opened and then using the zippers to close it back up again all with a lock firmly in place on the bag. You would never know he was in bag. So if it is as easy as it appeared, there is no point what so ever of locking or zip-tying a zippered bag. No if we are talking about hard shelled luggage that's different, but most people use the canvas zip luggage now anyway.

On the other board, there are a couple people in an uproar about how this is a violation of their rights.. blah blah blah... whatever... But in my mind Carnival always declared the right to search your bags, so nothing is really new, and if the possibility of a search keeps someone from bringing something dangerous on board.. then I am all for it.

I have mixed feelings about this. I dont want anything of mine even if it worthless stolen, it is still mine, so I want to lock my luggage. On the other hand, SOME people in the world are not as nice as other people, so for the safety of the cruise passengers, I dont mind it so much.

We had a camera stolen once, we believe by a dock hand. Our fault to some extent by leaving it in the bag and the outline of a camera against the fabric. So now only clothes and tolitries a nick nack perhaps but nothing highly desirable and easily philferable. Even though my Formal kilt is worth about $600 no one would steal it, to hard tgo carry away and fence. So I guess we are OK with a unlocked bag, I'd rather the Carnival TSA equivelants could open a TSA lock, that keeps the dock workers out of it anyway.

That would be the best solution.. Use the TSA locks. But I don't put much faith in a lock that has a "master key" that is widely distributed. What are the odds of a crook not getting his hands on the key.... and once he does, even TSA lock on the planet gives him easy access. I trust the Carnival folks, its the port workers that are not employed by the cruise line that make me nervous.

Sailing 28 Feb and received an email from Carnival regarding all luggage at the Port to be left unlocked and they would be scanning all luggage. And they specifically mentioned any liquids found would be removed. Hmmm what do you think they meant??? Gee not my wine??

Yes, that is similar to the email I mentioned previously. I guess we'll be taking our one bottle of wine per person allowance in our carry on luggage now. I always just packed mine securely in the checked luggage before so my back pack wouldn't be so heavy. Oh well.

Dwayne

So we can still bring one bottle of wine in our carry on?

Sorry just read the above attachment from Dave and yes we can bring one bottle of wine in our carry on.

Lss96- Did the email say "any liquids" or any "alcoholic beverages"? Because if it said liquids, there are going to be a lot of upset people complaining that Carnival is going to take their toiletries that they can't pack in their carry-on's due to air safety rules

Here is a link to the email that was sent. It says "Unsealed liquids that are prohibited" will be discarded. The Ticket Contract language is much stronger about attempting to bring prohibited items on board.

Dwayne

What I found more interesting is the fact that says the
"All luggage must be unlocked before turning over to the porters in order to avoid any inconvenience to you or delay in delivering the luggage to your stateroom."

I dont't rememeber if this is new or is an old policy...

Cas - that particular wording is new.

I wonder who will be responsible for making sure the bags are unlocked? Are the porters (which are not cruise line employees) going to be policing which bags have locks and which don't?

It will be interesting to hear from people sailing in the upcoming months about what their experience was like.

My objection to this policy is that we just returned from a lovely week on the Victory, but they left everyones luggage outside their doors, I was under the impression that they would leave it in my room.

grannieannie-

They have never left the luggage in the room.
The luggage handlers drop it off outside your cabin. Sometimes you may have a steward that is really working and they will put it inside your cabin but that is standard practice on cruise lines.

This is the only issue I have with living things unlocked. I trust the crew, but I don't have the same trust for the other passengers. Having a bunch of unlocked, unattended bags in the hallway like that, anyone could open one up or take one. That is another good reason not to put anything of value in the checked bags.

I stopped using locks on my luggage some time ago...since I place everything valuable in my carry on it matters very little if someone looks inside. Interestingly enough I've never lost anything since I started doing that!
In the mid 80's, when I traveled with locked hard shelled bags, I've had them opened and things taken...particularly in Las Vegas!!

BillyBuzzy

For years, we've used twist ties. Technically, they're not locked, but will take some time to get into, which will make someone more likely to skip our bags and go onto the next. I was more concerned with someone putting someting into our bags than taking it out. As for our next Carnival cruise, we're bringing the twist ties. If the X-ray shows a possible suspicious item, they can either untwist the ties or call me.

quote:

Originally posted by LisaP:
For years, we've used twist ties. Technically, they're not locked, but will take some time to get into, which will make someone more likely to skip our bags and go onto the next. I was more concerned with someone putting someting into our bags than taking it out. As for our next Carnival cruise, we're bringing the twist ties. If the X-ray shows a possible suspicious item, they can either untwist the ties or call me.

What a great idea. My wife did not like the idea of unlocked lugagge due to the theft we had. We are bring twist ties for sure.