5 Tourist Scams We Witnessed First Hand on Our Last Cruise
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- čas přidán 15. 07. 2024
- Cruisers are easy targets for many cruise port scams, pickpockets & other tourist scams. Unfortunately, we witnessed (and experienced) these tourist scams & rif offs on our recent Mediterranean cruise!
Travelers to Europe & other cruise destinations need to be careful & take precautions to not get caught by a scammer. In this video I share 5 different scams that we saw on our European cruise in Rome and Barcelena. I also share cruise tips & recommendations that can be helpful if you're going on a Mediterranean cruise.
We cruised on Enchanted Princess (Princess Cruises). However, these cruise scams & tourist watch-outs can happen when going on a cruise with any other cruise line. This cruise travel advice applies to Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Norwegian Cruise Line & more.
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ABOUT ME
Hi! I'm Ilana! I live in Montreal, Canada with my husband Frank. We can often be found dreaming about and planning future cruises, ideally to hot and sunny destinations! I believe in having fun, being kind and that you are never too old, or too young, to live the life of your dreams!
Please note that I do not sell cruises on Life Well Cruised. This and all other videos are for entertainment purposes only. I share my own opinions, personal experiences and information with other cruise travellers, which I hope can be helpful. Please contact your travel agent or the cruise line directly for advice and any information specific to your booking.
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Have you ever cruised to Jerusalem? (Ashdod is the port)
We are cruising there next month. I am contemplating taking the bus from the port to Jerusalem. Wondering if you or anyone else has advice.
Not a holiday scam but an elderly family friend was watching the horse racing on the BBC the camera slowly scanned through the crowd and she saw a man pick pocketing another man’s back pocket with his wallet in it. She quickly rang the BBC sports told them they told the police covering the race and the man was caught wallet returned.. how amazing is that!
No place is safe, where someone gets pickpocketed.
Did you dream this up
@@wookieeMan06 why would you say that? of course I didn’t make it up don’t expect other people to be as un honest as yourself.
@@user-ny7rt6rt2e seems far fetch
If you leave your wallet or anything valuable in your back pocket, then you derserve to be pick pocketed
When walking in Jamaica a thief came up behind my wife, and yanked the wristwatch from her arm cutting her wrist. He ran fast, but not fast enough. By the way dreadlocks make a good grab handle.
@58dorsett 🤣😂😁🤣
Oh no
Well done! He committed assault & robbery. Nice catch!
Just trying to inspire, and educate my fellow man. BTW he gave me the watch back.@@oceanside88
Awesome
Great advice. I've been unsuccessfully targeted by a team of them in Rome as well. I guy came up and wanted to chat, asked me where I'm from. I was up on his game so I told him to leave me alone. He immediately accused me of racial discrimination, so I shouted loudly (to alert the people around" "No sir, I'm not discriminating against you. I don't want to talk cause I know you have a friend robbing people around here as you distract them".
That guy sprinted off like he was Usain Bolt.
Love it!!!!
Italy has a major problem with Africans, mostly illegal immigrants. They're youngish men who go there basically to take whatever they can get - no intentions of becoming productive citizens or anything like that. Beware.
Nice
Good for you
great stuff! I was on a train in Paris and a gentleman loudly said MADAM GET YOUR HAND OUT OF MY POCKET! Of course everyone was suddenly aware.
A very similar attempt happened to me eating outdoors in Barcelona. Like the first man you mentioned, I had placed my bag on the chair next to me. Suddenly a group of three approached me, one on the left where my bag was with one hanging behind, and the third carrying a baby and approaching for what I thought was a handout. My attention on the woman with the baby, my NYC instincts kicked in and I turned towards the woman on the left who threw a newspaper down over my bag. I grabbed her hand and yelled a few choice epithets in English but making a scene scared them off. They got nothing. Sobering to hear that my story was not unusual.
were they Spanish or gipsoes from eastern Europe
@@fidjih I was too busy cursing them out to notice.
Don’t buy bottled water from anyone selling them on the street. They pick used bottles out of the trash and rinse and refill them at the fountains and then sell them. Yuck! We saw a guy doing this near the Colosseum who was spotted and chased by police.
Gross!!!! Thanks for sharing
We talked to someone who saw this in Cancun.
I saw this in Vegas too. A good tip someone gave me was, if you want to buy bottled water from someone on the street, make sure they don’t “open” it for you. If it is still sealed when they hand it to you, it should be ok. I still won’t buy it, but thought that was a good tip.
I know a case from another geographical area (Asia). American child got very sick from a drink (in a bottle) bought from somebody on a street.
Wow!
Don't make it easy for anyone to steal from you. I live in Los Angeles, CA. My street smarts and sense of danger are highly evolved. Don't look rich, don't wear flashy jewelry, keep a low profile. Wear sensible shoes, sturdy clothing with inside pockets. Carry important items hidden, only have small amount of cash and 1 credit card accessible. Hide the rest. Better to be in a group, but don't get distracted. Don't put anything down. Have a pocket or bag or way to wear everything you have with you, even a sweater. Wear it in front.Or if you must carry something, or have several bags, connect them together and to yourself. If they grab one, it won't be easy. Good luck, stay safe and enjoy your travels.
After visiting La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, we joined some fellow cruisers at a nearby cafe. My husband put his camera on the table (there were 6 of us sitting there, after all), when the owner came over and asked him to remove it. He said ten minutes earlier someone had literally run through the tables and pulled things off as they went. Lesson learned!
Good story In Rome we had a guy in an empty bar (my guard was down) come over to us and ask for a light and when he bent over to table to get the light, he took my hand bag. After he walked out, we asked each other " why did he come over and ask us and not the bartender?" We quickly figured it out. like you said "Lesson learned"
In Duomo Milan little children pushed selling a newspaper in my friend's face. He tried to push the newspaper away and in the process another little boy was pulling his wallet out of his pants.....I saw it and screamed "wallet" and he grabbed it (half way out of his pants). Close call.....but the children worked in teams. Beware!
Saw the "buy your wife a flower" pickpocket scam a few years ago on the Plaka in Athens. One person approached a married couple in our group, asked if they wanted to buy the wife a flower. Fortunately, the husband was former military and knew the scam. He turned around to see another person slinking off. They reported it to a local shop owner who sniffed and said, "they're not Greeks, they're Gypsies."
I have seen that scam in Paris, Rome, Florence, Venice and even Dublin. Not sure if it was a distraction scam or just a guilt trip scam. In Venice I had to shove one of those guys to the ground because he would not take no for an answer to this little Asian girl, In Dublin this girl accepted the flower unaware it was a scam and tried to give it back to the little gypsy woman, she was reaching for her wallet when I firmly told her
do not give her any money it’s a scam If the touches you I will knock her and any accomplice to the ground
I always carry a Travelon bag. Best travel bags ever. Slash proof strap, locking zippers, mesh in fabric.
Never leave home without one.
I’m making my husband take one to Italy with him next year. Someone tried to pick his pocket on the underground in Rome. Turns out it was a distraction from a woman in front of me who was holding a metal ink pen in her hand. (I even asked her if she had enough room to stand because it was crowded) She was busy slashing my bag while my husband was making a scene about someone sticking their hands in his pocket. The woman got nothing. My cash was in a back pocket of the bag closest to my body. Gypsies. We were also being eyed by a group in London. We were waiting for the subway train to pick us up. I told my husband, “Move down here…). I told him they were sizing us up. Always BE AWARE of your surroundings.
@@IrishAnnie My husband carries one when he travels.
Just bought one. Glad I made a good choice.
Where do you buy them?
@@kathybrem880 Amazon has a great selection of them.
I was in the Air Force for 20 years and in many different countries. I ALWAYS make sure that wallet was in my FRONT pocket. I wear pants or shorts with VERY deep tight pockets. It makes it difficult to get my wallet out but almost IMPOSSIBLE to pick pocket me!
Since I was a teenager I’ve always put my wallet/billfold in my front pants pocket not for security purposes, but because I never found it comfortable in my back pocket, sitting on it. Fortunately I’ve never been pickpocketed during my travels, plus no spinal/hip or nerve damage after all these decades later due to tucking my billfold/wallet into my front pocket. 👍 😀
@@larrystevens5786 That’s smart. The chiropractor told my husband that he should never keep his wallet in a back pocket for the reasons you mentioned. The spine doesn’t like it.
Get a cheap fabric wallet, put some play money in it and put it in your back pocket. They'll go for the bait wallet they can see.
good idea@@blackpowder4016
I’d put a mouse trap or two in my pockets. 😈
My wife and I were in Barcelona a few years ago and were being scoped out by some pick pockets on Las Ramblas. Instead of letting them set up the pinch, I stared at one of them and told him (in Spanish) that it wasn't going to work. They left immediately. A few simple phrases can help a lot.
I was in the Caribbean and was touring a church. There were some vendors outside the church and I put my camera down to purchase something and it was gone. I told the bus driver and informed the police. I got back on the cruise ship and was informed by customer relations that my camera was brought back to the ship. When I developed the film there was a photo of the pickpocket group in front of the police station. We were amazed that I got my camera returned and that there was a photo of the people that took it. 😁
My favorite story. Love that they took the last picture.
Never set your valuables down in a strange place unless you want them taken. I'm a NY'ER, and it's common sense. I'm glad you got it back. Thar was surprising.
@@ldennis64 Agree...people have no common sense let alone street sense
That's too cute. The police were funny.
Very kind that they didn't make you come get it! Very cool that they gave you a picture to boot!
At the Trevi fountain, there were guys that would come up and tie a bracelet on your arm, and then demand money for it… There is no way to take it off because they tied it on and then wanted money! I asked my husband for his pocket knife and cut it off and let it drop to the ground. They were furious, but left us alone after that!
How did they get hold of your arm long enough, hmmmm?
We visited Barcelona about 20 years ago and went to see the Sagrada Familia first thing in the morning. There was a stairway up, which my husband and son took, but I took the elevator and told them I'd meet them up top, thinking there would be some kind of space to meet. No luck finding them so I went down the spiraling staircase, a few people in front of me, and a few people behind me. When I got to the ground floor I went outside to find a place to sit and wait. I pulled my backpack to the front and realized that EVERY SINGLE ZIPPER had been opened! The backpack had been empty anyway and all money/passports/etc were hidden on my person so nothing was lost.
Wow!!
My uncle had a women come up and grab his “goods” he was so upset at this that it took him 30 minutes to realize his wallet was gone.
I have often considered putting a loaded mousetrap in my backpack. OUCH !
Wow!
@@mars4697Wow!
In St Lucia, we were on a tour that stopped at a scenic overview. A man was there with animals he had woven from palm leaves. As two very young children got off the bus, he handed each of them a small fish. Then as the bus was loading he stood between the family and the bus door demanding payment. It got very tense with the father handing his kids to others the bus through windows, while the vendor berated him Finally to get rid of him the father wadded up some money and threw it away from the bus and jumped on. It was very scary for all involved.
BUT the thieves got the money so they will do it again… I would!
I got snagged by that one in St. Lucia in 1999. I did give the guy some coins, and I enjoyed my palm leaf fish for many years. But, I have learned not to accept ANYTHING from someone on the street - beads or hats or cards or anything.
Wow. This is very embarrassing for the government and people of St. Lucia. Please write their Board of Tourism. Please report this.
what a lousy tour guide. The guide or bus driver should have intervened!
In that case, have some Hollywood stage money! Imagine when they try to spend it! They could get into big trouble for trying to pass counterfeit money!
passport goes around my neck under my shirt and STAYS there till I get home..
We were there last year and used "The Roman Guy" tours and I can't recommend them enough! We met our guide at 8am and it included "front of the line passes" to the Vatican, and the Coliseum...we walked a LOT. But we saw all the big spots and she was amazing! The cost was around $85 each and we finished at the Coliseum at 3pm.
Thanks for sharing the recommendation
I am curious about your meeting spot. Can one meet them at cruise port?
Three ladies with a baby distracted our friend years ago. One was in front of her holding the baby and the others were on the left and right side of her. The baby was a distraction. They stole her credit card out of her purse. She was the easiest target in our group. They were good. We learned our lesson. Now we do not let anyone approach us like that.
In general, no matter where you go, WATCH YOUR BACK!! especially very crowded places!
Visited Rome on a national holiday. All the tourist places were closed. We were starving, so we asked around the odd person who was there. The streets we're empty. A friendly local point of us to an alley where we walked down into a basement sat down on some raw wood giant picnic tables. And no one spoke any English we managed to get across we wanted Pasta and bread, they brought it out to us. It was 7 euros each, which was very cheap. And it was the best Pasta and bread I've had.
I signed up for a tour of a local flea market in Rome and it ended up being just myself and the guide. She made sure before we started, that I had everything of value well protected. I was already prepared, but it is scary that it is that big a thing.
Watch out for groups of young kids. I've seen them in Italy go around and pickpocket people that weren't paying attention.
True it’s not necessarily obvious who may be pick pocketing
They are doing this alot now in New York.
That's an old scam in Italy. Their parents are usually peeking out from around the corner.
How sad
My Uncle got his passport stolen from his inner sport jacket pocket on the subway in Prague by a bunch of teens crowding him.
Great advice. We also saw the white faced women in front of the Cathedral in Barcelona asking people to take their pictures. We avoided them like the plague. Our group wore our cross body bags in front to keep an eye on them. As an added precaution against pick pocketers, some of us used a Nite Ize Biner Carabiners to lock the zippers together so they couldn't easily be unzipped. They were easy to use and unlock when we needed to take something out of the bag.
We also used those carabiners and they are good. 2 of us had Travelon bags and our 2 teens had regular crossbody sling bags in front where we used the biners for the main compartment. By the end of the trip our kids were able to open their bags without muttering under their breath!!😂🤣
I used the climbing carabiners with the spin lock bolt! You can’t get into them very quickly, but worth it for the extra security. HIGHLY recommend!
I use the niteize clips as well! They can be fiddly but I’m ok with that
My daughter and I visited Rome in the spring. Before our trip we each bought anti-theft purses from Travelon. We had heard about the potential for pickpockets so planning ahead was very helpful. Neither of us had any issues. We were very happy with those bags. I will use mine anytime I travel.
My mom bought the same purses she bought one for me and one for her and one for her sister too our travel purses we only used for traveling when cruise boats or on bus tours comment on them and we tell a lot of people about the purses and they go buy them
Exactly the same for me and my daughter this past spring! No issues with that bag, and just being careful and observant is all that’s needed. :)
That is the only bag I carry. I started 6 years ago when we went to Amsterdam. The locks are great, the strap is secure. I had a cheap bag slashed in the underground in Rome. They got nothing, but anti slash Travelon is absolutely the best. It’s amazing how much stuff I can carry in my small cross body bag.
They see the locks and are put off.
I don't know if my Travelon bag has saved me from anything - but I carry it all the time and keep the zippers locked when I'm in a tourist area.
Stealing anything is really disgusting behaviour.
You must not be a Democrat. 😂
For the thieves you as tourists are rich people, they are POOR and needy - is it so hard to understand?
Just keep your senses together, be aware, carry your things close to your body or UNDER your garments.
( A German saying: "Opportunity makes thieves" - so it is up to you, not to provide an opportunity!)
No reason not to travel or be afraid. If you do not want to be robbed or the like, travel to a rich countries like Switzerland - very unlikely to get robbed there, they are just too afluent 😆
It still amazes me that tourists will keep their wallets in their back pockets. I recall my town librarian talking about her cruise with her husband. One of her anecdotes was about how he kept getting warned about keeping his billfold in his rear pocket, and he kept ignoring the warnings. He got a lesson when one of the female cruise directors did a lift on him - during a discussion on protecting valuables, of all times. The woman had waited, keeping his wallet in the pocket of her sport coat, until he noted it missing. She returned it to him while tying in the fact that anyone can get your wallet, along with some playful teasing of course. The librarian finished the story by joking that she'd rip out the back pockets of all of his clothes if he ever carried his things that precariously again! 😂
I ended up losing $100 cash from my backpack at our hotel. We got to Barcelona at 9am so checked our luggage in at the hotel. I had stashed $100 in my backpack so I didn't have all my cash in one place. When we picked up our luggage for check in , I noticed it was missing. I thought it was me & probably stashed somewhere else. It was gone & a lesson learned. Don't leave cash in your bags & then leave them at the hotel, even though the door was "locked" where the checked in bags were kept.
This happened to my daughter in a fiji resort. As she had no proof the money was actually in her case there was nothing done.
Yeah, I knew it was a lost cause. @@debfincher1741
Photo scams like this happen in NYC, too. Characters like Elmo and Mario line the street for pics, and when you take a pic with them, they demand money. And they are not nice!
It happened to me and my daughter in NY on the 4th of July yrs ago 🎉in Times Square with Elmo!
Las Vegas too!
One approached my older daughter and I in Times Square and we screamed at them at the same times" Get lost you scammer!" The personed jumped back in fear 😂😂😂😂
I visited the Vatican thru a princess debark tour. It was great. Sometimes it's best to let the cruiseline handle the excursion
You can get hit by pickpockets on a cruise ship excursion, too
@@AnnaBanana-rq9vh Right, but I found the good tour guides give you ample warning.
Sad state of affairs in this world full of thieves and scammers. The best way to avoid them is stay home.
Dominion Republic...
Booked a shore excurtion. Made sure to print the receipt and bring it with me. The cab took us to the river, we boarded the boat. Our tour guide went to each passenger asking them to pay. (Again) but I had our receipt, so he couldn't logically insist we didn't pay.
When I got back from Seattle, WA cruise I noticed on my CC statement waitress took it upon herself to increase her tip 50% of the bill. CC removed both tips as a result.
WOW & good for you
Good to hear. Good service. Which credit card do you have?
Most of them.
We were a market on a Caribbean island. I woman made a purchase and as she fumbled with her wallet to put her change away someone was reaching into her purse. When I make a purchase in an open area I get my package and change (if there is any) and walk away. I can straighten out my money somewhere private.
We flew to London and picked up Trafalgar tours and that’s how we did Europe, it was a fantastic trip and a year later we flew to London and did our own trip, but by this time me and my friends (that were travelling with us) had gotten lots of experience, now that we are reaching our 70ies I don’t want the stress of driving or having to catch buses in a foreign city, It’s cruises or tours for us from here on in.
We were in a big department store in Spain and roaming around looking for souvenirs. I split up from my wife and two small sons but kept them in my sight. I noticed a man was following them around and was gradually getting closer. I stood several aisles away and just stared at him. He eventually looked around and noticed I was staring directly at him. He immediately turned around and walked out of the store. He was obviously looking for an opportunity and my wife was the target because she was distracted with our two boys.
The historical sites we visited in Spain required a passport to enter. We had a group who were not allowed to enter Alhambra because they had left their passports on the ship. Check before leaving the ship if you may it.
The guide we hired through Viator asked for our passports. I had a picture on my cell phone. We were able to get in with that. So happy because it was an expensive private tour. It was great. I highly recommend Viator. I haven't ever been disappointed.
While on a cruise, I was in a port in the careibean and stopped at what I thought was a reputable jewelry store. I wanted to buy a pendant. I selected a pendant that had semiprecious stones, costing over $100. The man took it in the back to “wrap it up” and I went on my merry way. Only after I returned to the boat, I realized he had swapped it for a similar, but cheaply made, pendant. I was out $100
That scam has been pulled a lot in Fiji.
Yes while in Barcelona my husband was using an ATM outside of our hotel. I was people watching behind him when I noticed a man with a long range lens on his camera focusing in on the ATM... I had am umbrella with me so I pushed the open button an stepped back against my husband to block the cameraman view. Got in trouble with my husband for pushing in to close, but I fouled the cameraman shot. This was on Las Romblas.
Please be very watchful so you will enjoy your trip to such a beautiful city with really nice people... I love that city...
😮 never heard of that one before! Thanks!
We were in Barcelona in June where we spent 5 days prior to our cruise...we saw so many with handbags hanging under their arm or almost on their back and thats a huge target. Our travel rules are carry only what you need and only carry in a crossbody bag/fanny pack worn only on the front of your body....the only time we broke this rule was our arrival day we couldn't check into our Airbnb immediately so we walked the 3 minutes to Las Ramblas and sat at a outdoor restaurant on the strip and had a late lunch early supper....all our luggage items were with us so ( for 4 of us) 4 large suitcases 4 back packs, two purses two crossbodybags......we moved the tables with permission of staff to pull all our luggage in beside us and secured our backpacks on them with cariabiners (which we always carry with us) onto the large luggage, purses on our laps straps over our necks etc.....we do dress down so as not to attract attention and do not wear jewelery when traveling....we do not look like a good target or easy mark for the thieves of the world lol...Viv
Dressing down screams "TOURIST!" Most Europeans, especially in Italy, France and Spain are well dressed even during the day. I dress like an Italian when I'm there. Even my bad feet get the most Italian shoes they can manage because nothing screams tourist like athletic shoes worn with normal clothing. Don't wear baggy trousers of any sort, tee shirts or sweats. do not wear ball caps or bucket hats. Don't use fanny packs. I carry a normal handbag that has a cross body strap and short handles. If I'm in an iffy area like Termini Rome, I have the bag cross body and my arm thru the short loops. I make sure the zip where my important stuff is, points to the front of my body so that it can't be open from behind. Try to blend in as much as possible.
It’s a crying shame that it’s like no matter where we or all of us go for an excursion you have to keep a watchful eye on your personal stuff. It’s a shame we pay for our way, and sometimes it takes a while to pay for all this , and you turn around, and these crazies don’t care, and do anything they can to rob us. It’s so frustrating and unfair to us. Maybe we need to use gorilla glue to keep everything on us, what if we put fake money in our pockets.
I actually like the fake money idea! I'm going on a cruise in May to Bahamas and sounds like a good time to try this 😀.
Scams and pick pockets are EVERYWHERE now! I always carry a locked PAC SAFE bag (crossbody, sling bag or a backpack). Never take off your bag while eating, using the washroom etc. Have some change in your pocket for washroom fees, etc. I was in Dubrovnik waiting for the cruise ship shuttle and a woman tried to steal my bag, not realizing it was a sling bag. Her hand was in my ear - literally. I turned, yelled and pushed her. Good to keep your hands free. You don't even know when this type of thing can happen. Also, in Dubrovnik- some restaurants know you are a tourist - the price doubles. When you refuse to pay they call the police. (The police are in on the scam.) Our tour guide warned us about this. I also saw lots of "gangs" of pick pockets in Italy. They would be using large zoom lenses on cameras pretending to take scenery pictures, but were scoping out people to rob, or had left their belongings unattended. We even heard them on the phone talking to each other, as they walked back and forth planning a grab. We recently ate outside at a cafe in a tourist area, and although it wasn't busy, we kept our backpacks on.
In continental Europe, if a restaurant advertises “Menus in English”, keep walking. A sure sign of a tourist trap eatery.
Good Afternoon, We really appreciate your patience and concern regarding people who travel. You’re videos are always appreciated and helpful. Thanks so much.
My husband and I travelled to Italy before Covid friends of ours told us NEVER order food without a menu and check prices because they had been scammed. We as tourists let our guard down. After our visit to the Vatican my husband choose a mama and papa restaurant .. no menus excellent service 😂 horrible food. 55euros it doesn't sound like much but the food was microwaved. I ended up not eating.. after we left we laughed so hard we were robbed without them stealing our wallet 😂😂
Interesting! We lived in Italy for a couple of years because my husband was in the Navy there. Back then, early 90's, the restaurants all had their menus posted in the windows. You knew what they had and the cost before walking in the door. That also made ordering quick and easy. Our worst meal was a pepperoni pizza! In Italy, pepperoni is little red peppers! Surprise!
Very good advice. We fell for a restaurant scam in Venice near the Rialto Bridge. It was our last night so we wanted a special dinner. We ordered the seafood platter special but then realized it was market priced. So we asked the waiter and he said it would not be very expensive, big mistake to trust the waiter. The mystery fish they brought was huge and awful, plus some of the mussel shells were not open so dead when cooked. The price based upon weight and it was very high. We argued with the owner and got the price reduced a bit but it was still a rip-off. Lesson learned, never order the special based upon market pricing or weight. And as you said stay away from restaurants in the high tourist areas.
This happened to us with the surf and turf “special” in FL. My husband is notoriously cheap and it still rubs him when reminded. Lol
I find when suspicious of someone's activity, GET REAL LOUD! Crooks don't like attention. I would do that to photo scammers, too.
Absolutely. It's good to learn some choice words in the local language but just getting mean and making a very loud fuss will do.
I'm country with loads of children. Loud is our family motto. Lol
Such good advice. There isn't much you can do about strong-arm theft other than to travel in a group and avoid certain areas, but there are definitely things that can be done to prevent surreptitious thefts. Be careful with open top tote bags. Even if they are close to the body, thieves will use spotters to catch the exact moment when you are distracted and looking the other way. Also, watch your bags when a waiter moves you to another table. I do not know if the waiters are in on the theft, but the pickpockets use those moments of transition to pick and go. Also, avoid anybody in these areas offering you anything. The photo scam is everywhere now.
On my first trip in Europe in 2005 (not cruise related), I was sitting on a bench checking the setting of my camera and I had a small backpack beside me. Someone tap me on the shoulder and point at something. I don't see anything, he do it again insisting that I look and I still see noting. A few minutes later I realize that my backpack is not beside me anymore. It was my second day in Brussel so I didn't knew if I could trust the B&B I was in so I had my passport, 400 Euros and my plane ticket (at that time, plane tickets where still printed) in my backpack. I also lost my guide book where I had noted all the places I wanted to visit. It was a lot of trouble and time to get a new passport and the other papers that I lost. Since then, I'm more on my guard, I'm not paranoid, but I stay alert. I have caught pickpocket in the act twice since (once in Prague and once in Lisboa), but lost noting. As a tourist, we have a big target on our back for pickpockets, try to blend in and stay alert. There are pickpockets everywhere, the only other time that I had something stolen was in my own town.
Oh no! Thanks for sharing this
Funny with a word of caution
We tried to “support locals” and did a glass bottom boat
They were neatly dressed standing in front of a very nice boat
After we paid they took us and said the price was one way
Ah too bad 😢
Wow! That’s awful!
where was this ?
that happened to us in St. Thomas. Our driver took us up to the top of the mountain to shop and wanted to collect her fee when we got out of the van, only the fee was double what she had stated. She then told us it was the same amount to take us back down the mountain and the amount she quoted was only for one way. We argued with her and told her she was scamming us and that was very unfair, that we would call someone else to take us back down, and that even if we had to pay someone to get back we weren't going to be giving her any more of our money, including her tip. She tried to claim there were no more vans or cabs for the rest of the day, so we told her that was fine, we'd walk back. We then walked away and began to browse and shop. She found me about 20 min. later and said she would take us back down for "free." 🙄
I told her she shouldn't be scamming people, that we work hard for our money too and save all year for our vacation. Told her that just because they think all Americans are rich, doesn't mean we are!
She was much nicer after that.
@danae1326 I wouldn't have paid her for trip up for trying to scam and I would have just walked down not giving her anymore attention.
Wonderful information and we (all travellers) Have heard most of it before, but I’m glad I listened to this and watched this video, it is a good reminder and I feel really pleased when you mention some special place you visited that I have already been to, it’s like a nice walk down memory lane. Thank you.
I was born & raised on the south side of Chicago so I was raised from the time I was four to be aware of my surroundings & all of the scams that occur especially in tourist areas of the city.
When I joined the Navy I went to basic at Great Lakes, just north of Chicago, and I was laid over a couple of weeks after basic & before my A school started. One weekend a bunch of us who were in the same situation had liberty so we all went into Chicago. When we got back that evening one guy was talking about this great deal he got on some designer sunglasses but I didn’t have the heart to tell him they were fake. I’ve also seen other friends when I was in college go on trips to Chicago & have no idea that they shouldn’t stand near the doors of the EL & had to advise them if they wanted to keep that purse they would move away from the door.
Even when I was stationed in Germany people new to the country had to go through a briefing on the dos & don’ts of traveling in parts of Europe & it was basically the exact same thing as what I was taught starting at four years old.
I don’t blame people for not being aware if they didn’t grow up like I did and honestly as an adult that had been living that suburban life for almost 30 years I’ve found myself slipping a few times. However people can take a few simple steps to mitigate something happening or lesson the damage such as never carry cash in your wallet & never had them in the same place. Also, always place any type of bag under the table or chair between your legs & in a crowd have your wallet in a front pocket & keep your hand on it.
Yes, same here, you learn a lot from the city you grew up in
I shave my head and have LOTS of Tattoos.Every country I go to,scammers leave me alone for some reason.I also wear a truckers wallet with a chain.Never had my wallet stolen.
Lol, I bet you nobody will mess with you 😁
@@listen-learn-speak2465 I have more problems in my own country “U.S.” then in any of the other places I’ve visited.
They think you are a big time gangster.
@@heythave No I don’t think so.
We were just in Barcelona at restaurant sitting at an outside patio, someone came and sat beside us and grabbed my husband’s backpack and thankfully my husband noticed and was able to grab it. Close call. The waiter had just told us to watch our bags, apparently they saw the guy and tried to warn us. The waiters were so nice.
What area in Barcelona were you in?
I’m thinking not to carry anything but one credit card in it money belt .
Thanks for the heads up .
@@lisatamre608 it was a patio restaurant between the beach and the Gothic Quarter, they are everywhere. I carried the money and valuables in my cross body purse, so there was no concern with that, just don’t take it off while you eat. The problem is when you set your bag down beside your chair. Thankfully we only had towels and wet bathing suits in the back pack, the thief would have been disappointed.
Thank you for recommending restaurants as well as the scam warnings!
The scene that I would make with those photo scams 😂😂😂😂 ATENZIONE PICKPOCKET!!
Haha I’ve seen those videos! Love it
Another thing that I’ve seen in Lisbon, is that there’s a area where there’s a lot of tourists and many restaurants are not that good. How to spot them? When the waiters are practically shoving their menu right in our face. That screams low quality restaurant. Beware of that.
Yes so true
You really need to do a video on the most over rated, over priced, too crowded, scam filled tourist cities in Europe. You just mentioned all of them in this video.
Sheesh... There are so many tourists out there. I've gone to Paris and London within the past several months and I just recently went to Zurich. It was so refreshing being in Zurich. Walking around the lake and landmarks, I noticed I was the only person taking photos. Such a stark difference that I wasn't as conscious of until now.
Thank you for this video. Sometimes while on vacation we tend to get caught up in the sights and excitement of being in a new place and forget to take precautions or do research on crime statistics of the area. Great reminder!!
The photo Scam, on my case, was kinda different. It was in the Caribbean (St. Th) , I was asked for money because I took a picture of a baby goat on the road. This man came out and asked for cash... 😮
I would have picked up the goat and said ok paid.
He was the goat's agent?
@@Heymoe666 😅🤣🤣🤣🤣 apparently, a very rude one. 🙃
I will be going on my second cruise ever, the first one was years ago. I do not actually plan to do much in the ports because I don’t want to put up with foolishness. I have scheduled things for myself onboard and made plans otherwise.
Try booking ship excursions. They have a vetted guide,transportation, and sometimes lunch..well worth the money. you will stay busy all day
We try to go on free walking tours (especially Guru) when in a city- these guides give great practical advice on all things -
Hubby had his wallet taken on the metro in Barcelona by a gang- going to the police station was an eye opener- so many tourists had stuff stolen -
Wow! That’s awful
May I ask, was the wallet pick pocketed, or was it a strong-arm robbery?
Canadian locals will offer to take a group shot for tourists with the tourists own camera or phone so everyone can get in photo. We don't really even think about it either way. Good tips. Great vidi. 😎☕💋
we have to realize the World really has changed! there are scammers & unscrupulous people all over the World!😳
World ❤️ Really Not Changed,Scum Bags, Buzzards, Vicious Scam Perk Artists, Preying Vulnerable Tourists.
When we went to Rome about 10 years ago we met somebody in an elevator who wasn't able to go to their tour under Saint Peter's Basilica. She told us to go to the left of the church and talk to a Swiss Guard. He took us right to the location and we were able to buy tickets that day. I thougt it was a scam until we were going under the church on a special tour.
I appreciate the sharing of your experience and will be aware while traveling, thank you.
Morning Ilana, it's unfortunate these incidents happen. As old as time. I experienced a pick pocket in 1994 near the Colleseum.
True!! Oh no
We were on a tour in Paris (walking) and the guide took us down steps into the subway. He told us ahead of time if we saw a group of people fighting and arguing to ignore them because it was a distraction. Sure enough a bunch of young people crowded onto the subway with us. When we got out they surrounded my daughter on the steps and I started screaming "Get away from her". I kind of flipped out!! I was ready to push them down the steps. I had heard that Barcelona was the pickpocket capital of the world, so we wore fanny packs under our clothes and carried nothing. We didn't have any issues, but someone else in our group was getting out of a taxi in front of their hotel and someone tried to grab her purse.
Thank you so much for sharing the good and the bad one.❤️
We bought our Vatican tickets from trip advisor and did have a meeting place. All went well and we had a great visit. I’m so pleased you were able to finally go and see it.
*llana,* I love your *humility.* You demonstrated its ok to admit when one makes a boo boo... I have some friends who love going on cruise ships, I will recommend your channel to them.... LM
Thank you so much
@@LifeWellCruised You're welcome... Just sent your link to my first friend.... 🛳
We ALWAYS use Viator for any off ship excursions. We have been very successful with them. We also do a lot of Resort vacations and also use Viator. I can book up to 3 or 4 months ahead and dont have to pay up until 48 hours prior our chosen date. Also as were Canadian, all our tours are payable in Canadian funds. Recommendation out of 10 , so far is 10.
Great discussions. I’m going to Rome next year and had heard some of these types of stories, but this just cements my thoughts of how careful to be
Wonderful video. Thanks so much for the reminder. Very needed.
We were sitting on a beach in a little town near Venice one night and I had my bag extremely close to me beside my chair in the sand. Someone must have come up from behind me and taken the bag, I never heard a thing. We heard later that children often are given the task of doing this. The police later told us that they are often from other countries. Quite a bit of money was taken but all credit cards and id were bound with a rubber band and put in a mail box, Yes, they took the wallet and bag. We eventually got the cash back believe it or not because we had insurance and were able to prove that we had just withdrawn the money that day. This was some years ago now so I'm sure we would not have been able to get the money back today, We learned a lifelong lesson and are so very careful now as we travel quite a bit.
Yes, a lot are Rom people and they learn to speak Italian quite well.
If you are going to leave your passport in the stateroom safe, you had better make darn sure you make it back to the ship and don’t get left behind. 😊
Yeah, keep the passport with you but put it on your body.
Thank you Illana, i received some very good info from this video…took notes LOL on the restaurants, much appreciated. 🚢😊
Thank you for the heads-up because I am heading to Barcelona and Rome tomorrow.
We were pickpocketed in the subway on our way to the colosseum. I don’t have to tell you how upset we were since we had to run around for a few days trying to replace credit cards, i.d. Cash ……. I also found people to be sooo rude in Italy i will never go back .
The thing is, the common denominator of your bad experience is Rome - the actual worst. The people are rude and it's full of jerks trying to rip you off.
Hello Ilana. We came back from Holland America Koningsdam Alaska cruise. We had a fantastic time and sailed through any potential issues thanks to your videos. They should be mandatory viewing for anyone with a passport. Your service is invaluable. Thank you!
So glad you enjoyed!
I just found your video and want to thank you so much for giving us valuable information! 💕🙋♀️💕
I really enjoy your videos. Thank you for the fantastic information.
Paris, France...getting on the Metro, our friend was pick pocketed...his passport was taken. A young group of teenage girls, shoved us forward (it was crowded), and at that time grabbed our friend's passport. An elderly lady tried to warn us, but we were oblivious. All ended Ok. Our friend just missed out on a morning in Paris.
Thanks for your reviews. I thoroughly enjoy them!
Oh no!
The more I watch these cruising vlogs the more I learn that I would rather stay at home with stomach flu than cruise. Thanks for the headsup.
Lots of these destinations are impoverished ghettos heck I can go anywhere here in Ca and see that for free.
Invaluable information! Thankyou!
Thanks for all these tips! I am leaving Wednesday for Rome, and appreciate all these things to look out for.
I am ALWAYS suspicious of people who are too friendly… too fast. Once in France some scammer tried to physically tie a string bracelet on my wrist and I literally ripped my arm from him. Just recently Salzburg Austria a woman walked up to me and asked for directions. And I immediately sized them to see if they trying to scam me… but turns out they were from Tennessee and were a little lost and were excited I was American. My iPhone actually works in Europe so I was able to help them out. Also, my wife and I use a travel wallet that clips to your pants waist line and nobody knows it’s even there. Great video
I hope you clip that wallet on the inside such that its against your body. Not all thieves are that dumb. Also, that string bracelet can also be used as a way to signal someone else to kidnap you for human traf... Those types will even mark a car. However, the mark - even a piece of paper on the windshield or a ziptie on the door handle could mean 'rob car'. :P I also like to know exactly where I'm going, and walk as if I know exactly where I'm going. I've even done google maps street view to just get used to what the area I'm going to looks like so I'm not confused when I get there. I found that I look more like I belong. I also like to get clothes that make me blend in with the natives, as opposed to the tourists.
Thief & pickpockets are all over Europe. Our Europe trip was 7 years ago. We were heading to the Louvre Museum crossing the street to get to the entrance when we encounter a group of women & children. They were also crossing the street toward us and tried to distract us with the children running all around us. Because we were aware of what's been happening before the trip, we kept our eyes open. One of the women tried to open my brothers back pack & was successful in opening it part way. When I notice it, I shout out saying watch for the pickpockets. Immediately, the woman backed off. Luckily, it was stop in time so nothing was missing from the back pack. When we finish touring the museum around 5 hours later, the same group of women were still there near the entrance.
Thanks for sharing!
Morning, great info to know... thanks for the tips...
Wow!! 😮Cool to hear that the restaurant had that guy’s back!!😊
Yes! I’m not sure if the security/police was there by coincidence. Amazing
The photo thing is very common in Las Vegas Freemont Street and also Hollywood (especially near the Chinese Theater).
I really love your reviews!
Also, love the Old Bridge Gelato recommendation. I found them with no suggestion at all on my way to Christimas Eve mass at the Vatican in 2017 and I have been advising friends of it since.
We had a day in Rome before departing on a Norwegian cruise a few weeks ago. I booked a "Rome in a Day" guided tour through Viator. The tour was actually done by the Roman Guy, but I booked through Viator because the refund policy was better (go figure). Our guide gave us a lunch break at the Trevi fountain and pointed out a restaurant that we should not go to. It was the most visible restaurant from the fountain. We ended up going around the corner to Pizza in Trevi and had a good experience.
Awesome!! Thanks for sharing
@@LifeWellCruisedthis is why I would wear a fanny pack
I love Viator. I always book with them. Sometimes you can see who the local operator is but I stay with Viator. My hope is if something happens Viator will help.
I live in Barcelona as an expat from the U.S. and have learned all kinds of scams by thieves. You touched on a couple ways but those thieves have infinite ways to take whatever they want from you. Most tourists are focused on all the interesting things they observe but those thieves are always focused on what they can steal from them and they have all kinds of clever ways to get the job done.
Thanks for sharing this useful information 😊
Thanks so much for the info!!