10 Worst Tourist Scams (EXPOSED) Ripping Off Cruisers Right Now
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 4. 07. 2024
- Cruise travelers are unfortunately often easy targets for tourist scams. Scammers prey on cruise passengers when in cruise ports of call & big cities. These days there are new tourism scams, including online travel scams, that authorities are warning people about.
If you're going on a Caribbean cruise or a cruise to Europe, these are scams you want to be aware of. Part 2 of my first CZcams video about tourist scams & rip-offs in cruise ports of call, this new video goes beyond pickpockets and the common bracelet tourist scam, & shares new information & cruise advice. These cruise tips & tricks are must-know for anyone going on a cruise vacation.
First time cruisers and avid cruise travellers will find these cruise tips helpful. Good for all cruise lines including Carnival cruise line, Princess Cruises, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, Celebrity Cruises, Disney Cruises, MSC Cruises & more.
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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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I have a story for you!
In Cozimel we were to take the âAmericas Cupâ sailboat tour. I chose to âman the sailsâ (have some experience with sail boats) & hubby was just going to enjoy the trip.
I dressed in some really loud bright multi colored leggings, and a bright top. The idea was if I went overboard they would find međ€·ââïž
The weather had been rough and as I suspected when we got to the checkin booth our trip was cancelled.
On that dock to the left (leaving the ship) is a glitz & glitter 9.25 Silver store. Hubby loves silver so we went in.
Iâm half Hispanic, lived in Spain as well, BUT I look like my Irish father. Iâm 5â6â about 180 at the time.
Our salesman was nice, and speaking English. But off in a corner was another salesman & security guard, talking SMACK about me and my loud pants. I was a âfat Americanâ and my pants âwere horribleâ etc etc etc. Our salesman kept shooting them dirty looks..
Then our salesman even took a moment to go tell the guys to knock it off! When he did I told my husband what the jerks were saying, also told him we were leaving though he had a piece he wanted to buy.
I talked the salesman, apologized for leaving and we started walking outâŠ. BUT.. then I turned to the jerks in Spanish and told them off reminding them that even âdumb Americansâ can speak Spanish!
Oh and I wasnât doneđ
Hubby took our towels and backpack to the shipâŠ.
I sat OUTSIDE the store for about 90 minutes or more warning off fellow cruisers from going into the store that doesnât respect Americans.
Every person I spoke to never went in, said they would tell their friends and any other ship person they saw to not go there!đ€©
My husband just laughed and said â I should have warned those guys to not mess with my wifeâđ
đđ
I was in Paris last year, in a park waiting while my husband was videoing. A lady came to me with a clipboard and asked if I spoke English and wanted me to sign the clipboard for some kind of petition for children. I shook my head no and held on to my purse. I knew the minute my hands would be on the clipboard and pen that someone else would be in my purse. Do not fall for this scam.
My friend was in Cozumel and was told the ring she was buying was white gold and diamonds. Of course, the markings on the ring were too small to read and she didn't ask for a magnifying glass. Well, of course, she got home and the ring was silver and the diamonds were fake. She paid $900 for this ring. I felt so bad for her. I was back in Cozumel last week and went by that store and they were trying to sell jewelry to an elderly lady. I walked into the store, told the man that sold my friend her fake ring in December that what he did was not cool, and I told the lady who was shopping what had happened also. I probably shouldn't have done that, if not for my safety alone, but I did. The man was so shocked, he was speechless and the lady who was shopping thanked me and walked out.
Only buy jewelry from the stores recommended by the cruise line. They would lose their support if they tried to rip off cruisers.
You absolutely did the right thing! Thank you
Um. Is she stupid? You canât believe anything in those places. She should know better than to trust most things in Mexico.
Brave but stupid decision on you and your friends part. MX is not Chicago or LA better safe than sorry
Cozumel has become so bad for ripoffs. I refuse to get off the ship there anymore and I also don't go on cruises that go to Mexico. If it's just one stop in Mexico I will go but I do not get off the ship anymore. We had a really really bad experience in Cozumel and ask the person commented above it is not the US and you do not have the same rights. I suggest everyone should complain to their Cruise Line
Wow, the public charging stations one is new to me. Thank you for that! Another scam is when someone walks up to you frantic and panicking and asks to use your phone because theirs was just stolen, or their child was reportedly kidnapped, or some other type of emergency, etc. NEVER give up your phone to a stranger! My family and I were on a long road trip one time and stopped to stretch our legs and get something to eat. A woman ran up to me frantic and crying about how she had just been robbed and asked to borrow my phone. Fortunately, I had left it in my vehicle and said, "no, sorry. But, go into the restaurant... I'm sure they'll let you use their landline phone." She then gave me a nasty look and walked away... funny how fast she calmed down when I suggested that...
Don't go on holland america
Keep your head on a swivel when walking anywhere. Do not look down, away from where you are going. Put your phone in your front pocket and refrain from looking at it while walking. Leave ALL jewelry in the safe on the ship, including wedding bands. If you must wear a watch, keep a cheap one for traveling. Walk in a confident manner. We cruise frequently and are in our 70âs. If you are aware of your surroundings, the âbad peopleâ will not waste their time and target less suspecting marks. Like it or not, there are evil people out there who want what you have. Donât make it easy for them.
and scream, yell, yell help, point to cameras on stores and lights . . . .last thing scammers want is a 'scene."
In 2007 my husband and I went to Italy. I had a backpack purse, but I had nothing of value in there thank goodness! We had a neck wallet with all of our money and credit cards etc. In my purse I just had things that I wanted to carry with me throughout the day, including Pepto-Bismol. Well lo and behold the Pepto leaked all over my purse. So I went into a bathroom and I cleaned out the purse as best as I could, and moved most items to other pockets. Then I wrapped the bottle in toilet paper and put it back inside of my damp main pocket and zipped it shut.
A while later we went to dinner. As we sat down I took my purse off and saw that my zipper was open. Instant panic! I started to reach in (as if I would be able to tell what was stolen, lol) but very quickly recoiled and pulled my hand out. That bottle wrapped in toilet paper was completely cold and damp and just disgusting! So THAT is what that poor pickpocket would have felt as well! Lol.
Nothing was gone.đ
Yeah 6â4â 255 African American. Scammers donât target it me. Guess itâs to risky. đđ. I wouldnât scam me
Hereâs a particularly gross one. In Rome on a coach tour of Italy our bus driver told us never to buy bottled water from the street vendors. They take used water bottles out of the trash and recycling and fill them back up with tap water and re-sell them to tourists. Gross!
Wow! I never heard this one đŹ
I knew all of Ilanaâs list but this water one is new to me and as a germophobe, the Worst one. đ€źThanks for heads up
They do that in Vegas too.
I had the same thing happen. Bought a bottle of water from a street hawker, but later when I went to open it, i noticed that the cap was not sealed to the neck ring. A moment of wisdom. I think it was in Greece.
Ewwww đ€ą
You didn't mention the biggest scam.... the so-called 'art' sales on the ships !!!
I love the art! To each their own I suppose!
I booked airline tickets through Expedia. I like aisle seats because Iâm tired of being squashed by other passengers. Had to pay an extra $9 to pick my seat. When the time came the airline switched out airplanes and I was forced into a middle seat. Expedia refused to refund the $9 saying to get it from the airline. The airline said I hadnât booked with them and I would have to deal with Expedia. Never got my money back and now I refuse to deal with third parties because it just enables finger pointing at the other party and no one takes responsibility.
So true never book thru third party sources it's Horrible if something happens
This is literally your fault though đ
â@JaneDoe-0 when yoi find a good price on Expedia or wherever... just go look up that flight on the airlines site and book direct. I only use third party to search. Never to buy.
That happened to a family member with their hotel room. We all arrived for our vacation destination but their room was never booked so they had to pay again to the hotel directly.
I still use those third party sites for information only and then book with the hotel directly.
Not exactly a scam, but the same thing happened to me. We paid an extra $70 for two aisle seats. Of course we never got them and any complaints to the flight. Crew were unheeded. So were calls to the airline afterwards.
I was on a bus tour around Cairo when a hawker came to the bus door selling little carved bone statues. Several people bought them, including me. He took the money and proceeded to wrap the statues for the buyers. I told him that I would wrap my own, and he got rather upset. I held it tightly. Back at the hotel that night, we unwrapped our statues and discovered that everyone had a statue of MUCH lower quality than they had purchased, except me.
Yep, similar in Turkey. Got a plate, wrapped in a back room, and then later find out it was slightly different than the one we picked out.
@@Eaglejake Yeah. I was suspicious, so I held on tight and stayed on the bus. Why are people in some countries such crooks? Do the police not care? Are they in on it?
I think that kind of thing does not take place in the USA and Canada.
@Cruise Crazy scams happen e verywhere..stay alert, say no and cross the street or go inside
@@cruisecrazy7066 Let's face it, it happens in the United States just as much as other countries.
@@Orsucci82 I disagree. I think that the "First World" mentality causes the authorities to try to reduce this type of petty fraud.
Thank you so much for these tips! When I was in Roatan, Honduras, a little vendor lady sold me a colorful beaded bird and told me it was handmade. On my next cruise I was in St. Kitts and saw that same beaded bird everywhere. Thankfully I didnât pay too much for it. Oh and hereâs one that almost worked on me: while still in St. Kitts, me and my friends did a little shopping in port. Walking a little further we discovered some local booths and were looking at their things too. One of the ladies said to me after I declined to buy anything, âSo you bought everything at the shops and left the locals hanging!â I started to get upset and thought about buying something and then I just left. That kind of manipulation is just wrong.
They do make hand beaded hummingbirds, parrots and other animals in Guatemala. I found some in North Carolina.
In Mexico, I've had a shop owner or two grab my wrist and try to encourage/drag me inside their store. I said to them "No me molestes" which means "Do not bother me".
In Rome, my friend was walking around the Coliseum when a little kid approached him and asked where he was from, in perfect English. My friend, being 6' tall, stocky like a linebacker, replied in German "Ich verstehe nicht, was du sagst" which is "I don't understand what you are saying" The child tried again in English, but more persistent. My friend repeatedly responded in German. The little boy looked back at his mom, waiting with 4 other children about 200 feet away, shook his head and walked back to her. Kids will swarm around tourists and pick the pocket just as quickly as an adult.
The most problematic tourist scam that has hit me a few times is the switcheroo at the tchotchke stands. The biggest one was an expensive sculpted fish that we purchased in Puerto Vallarta with brass accents. Once we got back to our cruise cabin and unwrapped it, they gave us a completely broken one. We didnât even have the piece to glue back on and it was not the one we chose. I have had T-shirts swapped out for stained ones and incorrect jewelry. We hardly buy anything anymore at any cruise stop. I find that they are rarely even ran by locals but usually immigrants from other countries and I think most of the items are made in China so we save her money, and usually go on a quality tour or hit the beach, which is why we went in the first place.
So far in all our travels Italy has been the worst with pickpockets. Every morning when we left the hotel for the day, it was like we were preparing for battle...in how we dressed, how we planned to react to people, etc. On another trip in Barcelona, there were a bunch of us standing there watching a downpour. Suddenly the guy next to me said, "Did you see that guy? He just took my backpack!" He went running after him but to no avail. His backpack unfortunately had all his money, passport, credit cards, etc. He had saved for a long time to bring his family to Barcelona and he was beside himself. Justifiably so. We were all distracted by the storm and the thieves prey on that distraction.
The cruise ships can also present problems for passengers. Sailed on NCL Jewel out of San Diego to Mexico two weeks ago. Our first time on NCL and thought trip was great until day before we got off. I had seen a coaster in the gift shop at beginning of cruise for $3.99. Was cute so I went in to buy it day before we left ship. It was still marked $3.99 so went up to register to buy it. At register, the sales clerk said it was $6.99. I showed her the price marked on item and also no different price was posted on stand for this item. Her answer was $6.99 is price in the computer system and she had no way to change it. I went ahead and bought it but went to guest services to request they correct price on our account. Their attitude was "not our problem" and told me to talk to the gift shop. It may only be $3.00 but it is now what I remember about NCL. Not the best way for NCL to get me to book with them again.
BAD PUBLICITY WORKS. Suggest you call your local news stations and mention NCL.
What does NCL stand for?
@@karenday9109 Norwegian cruise lineâ€ïž
its possible someone mislabeled the item, considering it was in the system as more expensive but at least it wasn't like 10000 dollars more or something.
Having been warned beforehand by our tour guide in Rios, Jamaica an unscrupulous gift shop employee ask your name in casual conversation then picks up a cheap wooden trinket and carves your initials in it then tries to make you buy it at a higher price and says that you have to buy it because of your initials (thank you tour guide we didnât fall for it)
Good warning
This happened to us. She handed it to me and was like look itâs beautiful $35 dollars! No maâam hereâs $5 and I walked away! You are not scamming me
This happened to us in Jamaica! I knew better but my husband didn't. A guy comes up and says something to the effect of "I give a gift to your beautiful daughter, what's her name." He hears gift and says OK and tells her name. I arrive and tell him we're going now, but now we've got this guy following us, carving her name in this item and I'm like come on stop talking to this guy, knowing we're about to be scammed and my husband keeps talking to the guy and he even gets out another item from his pocket for our son (whom I was carrying). We get back to our tour bus and now these so called "gifts" have this guy hounding us for $40! We had been warned not to carry valuables or a lot of cash or cards on this tour (meals and snacks were included) so I showed the guy that all we had was $12, take it and scram. I was pretty upset with hubs afterwards for falling for the bait.
This happened to me in Labadee!
Been there! But we liked it and did buy⊠still enjoy it.
The bracelet scam was attempted on us in Florence. A very nice, personable guy came up to us and started asking where we are from and then giving us a story about his cousin who lives in Chicago. As the area is very crowded, it is difficult to walk fast so he was walking alongside of us and eventually said he would like to offer us a free bracelet and assured us we did not have to do anything for it. We politely declined and he continued to persist until we felt like the only way we could get rid of him was to take it. Again, assuring us he did not expect us to buy the bracelet, we walked off and he continued to follow us and finally he said, "I give you something, you give me something" so we "gave him" the bracelet back and firmly told him to leave us alone. Sad that people force you into being rude and it unfortunately made me be rude to a gentleman in Rome who was legitimately trying to help, but I already had my guard up by then.
YUP make a scene; yell, scream, yell "help" . . . point out camera recording streets, stores, . . . . .
Not on a cruise, but a long time ago, my parents took my sister and I to London for a week. While boarding the Underground, I noticed someone pushing a little too close to us when the other doors onto the train were empty. I looked down and noticed this guy's hand in my dad's back pocket at which point I grabbed his hand and yelled at him (I was 16).
So my "word of advice" would be to avoid traveling alone and keep an eye on each other.
We had that in New Orleans once. Walking down Bourbon, I got very nervous about a guy I kept seeing. I told my husband to follow me and we turned the corner, heading for a well-lit bar I also told him to hand me his wallet. I saw the guy come behind us. He started to touch my husband to pick his pocket and...no wallet. He stopped us to ask for directions and I told him directions to the police station as our hotel. He left because we were going into the bar and we didn't come out for awhile. Oh, and where did i put the wallet? In my cleavage. In my bra between my breasts. Because he was going to have to manhandle me if he wanted it and my husband has some training in martial arts and the guy may not have liked the outcome. :) Double team the bad guys, have signals you can say that don't tell the guy what you're doing but your partner knows what those signals mean. Saying I love it when you sing to me can be "someone's following, give me your stuff." Prepared is better than getting mugged or your money taken.
Same thing happened to me is Paris!! A kid maybe 12 years old was digging in my backpack when we were on the bus. An Italian person saw it happening and yelled at the kid and the kid jumped off the bus onto the bus behind us to find another victim. Be careful and always be on the lookout!!
Very good advice!
â@@charlaynedqqqaaz
@@charlayned no one should walk with a wallet or phone Ect in third back pocket. My parents came back from a long trip and they were on a shuttle My dad asked my mom how much cash she had and she gave the cash that she had to him put his wallet, put in his back pocket and when destination. His wallet was gone before they get to their destination
A number of years ago before our first trip to Paris, a friend warned us about the gold ring and petition scams. On our first day in Paris, we got hit with both. We were standing at a corner waiting for the traffic signal to change, and a lady held out a ring and asked if it was mine. We were so stunned that it happened so fast, my husband and I looked at each other and just started laughing and walked away. Later that same day, many young ladies hanging out by the Eiffel Tower were out in groups of three holding clipboards with surveys/petitions, and I learned really quick to give a loud, firm "NO" and keep walking. They usually start by asking if you speak English. "NO." Espanol? "NO." Just walk away.
Same with me in Paris. I was with four children and they asked us to sign a petition. I was wearing a waist-bag and the woman came straight for it. Lucky me I have strong and rapid reflexes and could hold it before she pulled.
I was scammed at a cafĂ© right across the street from the Vatican. I ordered a pastry they rang it up as 3 euros. I took out a five then they change the price to five. I said I saw what you did it was three euro of course there were no prices anywhere on the menu board. He said no the other one is 5 euro.I tried to hand it back to him and he said no. My first thought went to Amanda Knox and I was thinking no Iâm not getting arrested here. So I just ate the five euro and through the stale pastry in the trash. I later looked at the reviews on Google and they were terrible. So many people scammed at this place. Itâs called CafĂ© Vaticano.
They got me for âŹ40 for a sandwich and two drinks at that place
We were short changed by a waiter at a cafe in Belgium. When my husband brought it to the attention of the person at the cash register, the correct change was given to him with no apology. I had the impression they tried it on foreigners who might not know the currency and just didnât get away with it that time.
Yes, we were scammed in Labadie when my husband bumped a silly plastic frog and it fell. They wanted probably three times the value but we argued and gave them very little. It would be probably worth a quarter in Canada. We also got bumped and the pick pocket person tried to get my husbandâs wallet. His pants were too tight! He now Carrieâs a pouch.
Having just got off a cruise a couple of days ago, you don't even need to leave the ship. I am the original cruise meanie. We only eat and drink what is included in the price, we never use the spa or casino or get a drink at the bar, we never use the internet, I take only essential excursions and we never have our photos taken. I did once go to a talk in a spa saying we would all get a free treatment. My treatment was a smear of cream on my hand - the actual treatment ran into hundreds. Everywhere we went on the ship it was buy this or eat or drink that at an inflated price. I did run into the bracelet scam on a holiday at Lake Maggiore last year but luckily due to these videos I knew about it so I told him to get lost.
I was in Costa Maya and was buying an anklet. I picked out what I wanted and haggled over price with the shop keeper. We agreed on a price and then when I got to the register it wasnât the same anklet. I told them I didnât want it and left. They tried to follow me and I just ignored them and went back to the ship.
Many years ago, my parents were eating in a restaurant in Italy. My father was presented with the bill. A minute later, he called over the waiter and reprimanded him, saying, "See here, you do not add in the date!"
We fell for the bracelet scam in Florence đĄ We are more vigilant now. I have a crossbody Travelon purse and keep my hand on it. I also wear a money belt that I tuck into the front of my pants.
It's sad that it has to be that way, it takes some of the joy of traveling away.
Important in those crowded cities
Do you use a travel agent? If so, please share. Is your book in your store? I donât see it.
@@Peggy-mc6ff not sure if your question is for me or Ilana but I do use a travel agent. She's my cousin Julie from Voyages Aquaterra in Quebec. Any good travel agent is a necessity as far as I'm concerned. You don't pay more for using one. Last year, we caught covid and had to delay our flight back home. My agent took care of everything so I didn't panic. đ
@@manonsinclairladyofblairad9675 leaving in Qc and was looking for a travel agency. Had a look at Aquaterra after your post and cannot see Julie in the team. Do you know if she still works there? Thank you!
@@sophiepoulin8237 oui, Ă l'agence de Laval. Dis lui que c'est moi qui t'envoie.
This is all why I just stay onboard at ports when on a cruise
Once you've seen one island or you've seen them all.
That's why I don't go to the Caribbean anymore. It's not enjoyable to me with all the aggressive vendors and scams. I've seen lots of beaches. I prefer to go to Hawaii. Much safer
I cannot stress enough how much I despise all this changing over to electronic checking in to hotels, to cruises etc. I do not want to bring my phone. Period. I have enough to contend with without some jerk stealing my phone or tablet or whatever. I don't want to pull out my phone, period, when I travel. I've actually argued the point with a couple of places. It's dangerous, it's ludicrous. It doesn't make it easier if your phone is suddenly gone. Then everything is gone.
As for traveling with a purse. Unless you absolutely, positively need your purse don't use one on your travels. I use a waist pouch with a stretchy band that I wrap around a couple of my belt loops and hide under a long shirt. I wrap it like that in case some thief decides to attempt to cut it off of my waist.
I don't like people "coming at" me no matter where I am. I screamed at some scammer once. Another time I asked a woman if she thought I was an idiot because of something she was doing. Cussed at that one too actually. She huffed off. Yeah, keep going lady.
Thing is I used to travel mostly on my own. And I started to learn how to hold my own long before I ever started traveling.
agreed. I use a fanny pack (they call it a belt bag now, lol) and a coin purse that I slip under my clothes. Leave your tablet or phone home if possible. Give it a rest.
I hate that too and I made a scene like in st. Kitts and saw someone approaching with a monkey. I started screaming and said I'm allergic to monkeys get it away from me. It was effective đ
As always, you give us such important information relating to travel. My son-in-law who is in law enforcement just shared with me the FBI warning about the usb/charging port scam. Use your blocks and charge thru electric sockets. You are SO up to date!!đâ€ïž
I owned a travel company & warned clients all the time. I was in Xian, China and had my small camera in my coat pocket zipped up and they still got it. I was more angry about loosing the USB card with all my Great Wall pictures on it. Ten years later, I was escorting my 2 granddaughters on a 2 week Italy trip when I got pickpocketed in Rome.
I miss traveller's checks
The ring scam happened to me in Paris. The man says he picked it up and was it MINE? I kept my hands closed and refused to try it on. He got angry and walked away. Phew!
Stop buying crap at cruise ports and put your phone away !
Money belt ! Only item in my backpack is a water bottel and cheep rain poncho if needed.
The best price of vanilla in Mexico is in Walmart across the street from the pier in PV. They take$ and credit cards ( except Discover)
Nice to know!
Thanks for all informations you gave us here. When we were on cruise ship, one person in my group almost lost her purse. One person tried to steal her purse. But disadvantages to theft was there were so many of us in group witness it and caught her doing it. She told officers it was hers. And we had officers look in purse and it showed proof it was belong to person in my group. Yep, we need to be on guard with these scams and protecting your identity, money, and items and your surroundings.
The bird poop thing happened to my dad in Brazil by a kid, he wasn't trying to pick pocket but he wanted a tip for cleaning "poo" off of my dad's shoes which the kid actually put there. Athough entirely aware this was a scam my dad thought it was hilarious and laughed about it often.
In Buenos Aires it was mustard, not bird poo. I had heard about it before, so when the nice team came to âhelpâ me, I smiled and dodged. Alas, one of my favorite sweaters was ruined, but they didnât get my camera (which Iâm sure was the target).
Beware tuk tuks! Youâre on a motorised vehicle so you feel safe, you relax your grip on your bag, and then a motorcyclist drives by, reaches in and grabs it! This happened to me in Cambodia and my passport was in the bag đ©đ©
Oh no! Thanks for the warning
These are great tips. I once fell victim to the Switcheroo at an electronics store in St. Thomas at one of the Cruise Line recommended shops. I looked at one camera, purchased it and did find it odd that the store clerk walked all the way around to the opposite side of the store to complete the deal. Somewhere along his route, he switched the camera to a cheaper one in the same box. I quickly learned a lesson of caveat emptor and became quite cynical of any duty free shopping in commercialized ports.
Oh no! Thanks for sharing
I hope you reported that to the cruise line as they recommended the store. They need to know about these scams and also any problems you might have on a excursion you bought through the cruise line.
@@laureljaneg This was many years ago, 1990 something. I did report the incident to the cruise line and have returned to St. Thomas many times since on various cruise lines. It is still on the list of recommended stores. The cruise line was very indifferent to my dilemma. I have learned to shop with caution and unfortunately, suspicion when travelling.
@@davidlodato9276 its possible it was just THAT particular guy
A very frustrating thing happened to my wife and I on an Alaska cruise. Our vacation was land and sea, the land part being first. He had purchased some souvenirs in Alaska before getting on the ship. When we stopped in Juneau, we thought we would go to the UPS store to ship our purchases home. Mind you, we had not stopped in any Canadian ports between boarding the ship in Whitter, Alaska and Juneau. We were required to go through Customs in Juneau before shipping things home. We objected, but they said it was because we had sailed through International waters, it didn't matter that we had not stopped or been approached by any other ships. I'm thinking that people fly over International waters when traveling to and from Hawaii, but are not required to go through Customs. This experience only costed us wasted time in Juneau, but it was still irritating.
Was on A Beach Tour at St Martin and these ladies asked me if I would like my hair braided. Lol I have hair down to my waist,I don't braid my hair it gives me headaches. So I told them no thank you. One of the women on our tour said yes! Well they took all the whole 3 hours of her time at the beach before we headed back to the boat. She started crying,they charged her $2 a braid and they did tiny braids she needed $165.00 to pay them she did not have enough and was begging for someone to help her and she would pay them back on the boat. They took her time at the beach And her money!
Phone grabbing is very common in Colombia. Not a good idea walking around with a cell phone not paying attention.
Youâre right. Thanks for mentioning
We were in London last July, and while waiting to cross the street, there was a man standing on the curb opposite also waiting to cross the street. He was looking through his phone,and someone came by on a scooter, grabbed his phone and took off. I heard him shout and he took off running after the scooter. Before going, I bought a phone case with a strap and always had the strap around my wrist when I had my phone out.
Oh my!! Awful
There are stories out there about people being pulled to the ground and dragged with their phones around the wrist /not sure about wearing one around the neck.(Mexico)
@@hairdresser1300 yes, I thought about that, too. I made sure I was very careful when I had my phone out and my traveling companions were also always alert. I tried not to have my phone out because I was traveling, seeing new place and wonderful things. I didnât need to be looking down at my phone all the time!
When you travel why not just buy a cheap burner phone, or use an old phone that you still own, that has no personal information, only has maps, and can be your camera. If itâs stolen, so what!
â@@JerseyRV Great idea!
The cell phone situation makes A LOT of sense!! I never thought about it being unlocked if it was stolen while I was looking at it.
As commented, when I was in Cozumel in 22', we went to several souvenir shops where they had shot glasses precariously close to the edge of shelves and the aisles were quite narrow. I warned my spouse to be careful as turning around with a purse could easily knock them down, and low and behold, a lady came with a big purse and as soon as she turned around to talk to her friend, her purse knocked these cheap shot glasses and shattered on the floor. The lady had to pay the store $20.
We were on a cruise and we stopped off in Russia. While shopping with my younger daughter. I usually look at the souvenir to see where it was made. The shop owner swears that it was made locally by family members. When I turn over one of the item the item had a sticker âmade in China â. I smiled and ask if his family has a home in China. When I left the shop I could hear the owner screaming at his clerk about not taking the labels off It was one of the nested figurines. Most of the Russian souvenirs are NOT made in Russia
Another one I heard of was to Becareful Shopping in Bahamas especially on Bay Street. Make sure you double check your receipt, especially if paying with a credit card, to make sure they did not add extra zeros.
Good warning & tip
Thank you! We are traveling there soon so this tip is very helpful. Although I dare so there will not be much shopping as we are not shoppers and Iâm a bit cynical about purchasing tourists trinkets based on the industry I worked in before. They are all made in China. Canât really convince me to purchase them lol
In Turkey, we were given an out of print bill which was no longer being used. When we got home, we could not change it back into dollars.
Took a Cruise to Bahamas with husband in February and booked our tour âSea lion encounter.â A commissioned photographer took our puctures for purchase. When I went to retrieve our photo package, I paid using my DB card. First maxhine used to processed indicated that it didnt read or faiked to transmit. I was asked to swipe again on the second machine and it went through. After a couple of hours returning back to the ship, I was notified of an unauthorized charges from Nordstrom whuch I denied payment. Then after an hour small charges of an increments of $60 50 100 small orders went through. As soon as I disembark I advise my bank of a potential fraud which they investigated and credited back ny money. Just be very aware and stay vigilant while enjoying your vacation.
Never use debit card
My phone doesn't come out unless I'm wearing the safety strap on the phone. I, luckily, don't walk and scan.
Thanks for the tips! These are really good tips for travelers.
Ladies! Also, make sure your purse has a steel cable in the handle/strap. If not, it can be cut and grabbed before you even have time to react. Really. Not kidding. My travel purse is by Travelon (no, I have no affiliation with them, I just love them) it is a crossbody and it has a steel cable in the strap, body is slash resistant and rfid resistant. Very reasonably priced.
Switcheroo!!!! Yes!!! If you want an item, be sure they put THE item in your bag. The "display" is usually well-made! I had to request a specific clay butterfly & poncho - they rolled their eyes but I know what I want!!!
You can use and charging point safely by turning off your phone before you plug in and don't turn it on before you unplug it. I carry a rechargeable battery I plug in and charge my phone from that.
I carry my phone in a case that has a sturdy cross body shoulder strap, also one with a wrist strap, and always use one or the other. Either could presumably be wrenched off, but so far, thieves seem to prefer softer targets. I also use a theft resistant handbag (Pacsafe or Travelon) and have never lost anything with those. (The only time Iâve been robbed was when I got home from a month-long trip, punchy from no sleep for two days. Had to stay in the city overnight as last train to my small town had gone. Dumped bag in hotel, popped wallet in pocket, and crossed road for a bite to eat. Wallet neatly extracted from my pocket directly outside the second-largest police station in the country. Thought I was home and safe in my own country, and let my guard down. Fortunately, my travel wallet never holds more than small amount cash and one credit card. Card cancelled in a flash, and wad of foreign currency just about enough to buy a cup of coffee here, so no big deal.)
Two months ago I was on a Mexico cruise and my appendix ruptured. After i was released from the hospital in Cabo San Lucas my wife and I went down the block to a local coffee shop. We purchased two cups of coffee for 105 pesos well she ran my card and assured me it was in Mexico Peso's but upon further inspection it was $105 USD. Had I not caught that it sure would have been some expensive cups of coffee. Watch out wherever you go!!
My Big Mexico Travel lesson is pay in pesos with pesos.
I wish someone had warned us about the maritime no phone coverage. We have a âworld planâ but apparently it doesnât cover at sea. $1700 bill! We hardly used the phones at all and I bought the ship chat feature. Just a word of caution!
Oh wow. Can you tell us more about this? I am so afraid of something like this happening. Can you just not use your phone at sea but can on land or?
@@sublimesamoyed we couldnât get a signal mostly at sea but at ports we usually could. I bought some chat thing you could buy on the boat but it wasnât great. Then we got a huge bill from the phone company we use. Best thing would be to call your phone company. I thought because we have a âworld planâ weâd be just fine. Apparently it doesnât cover at sea. Whoâd know that? Lol. Thatâs why we didnât buy the extremely expensive internet on the boat. Yet if youâre on an airplane flying over the sea thatâs okđ. We got them down to $700 but I still canât find anything about maritime calls in our phone contract. Just warning you all! Maybe itâs just my phone company does that? Check though. Have fun!
@@angiepanjie wow that is insane. How the heck did they even know they were at sea if the phone only worked at ports, not on the boat? That is just ludicrous on itâs face. I will DEF call Verizon before our Mediterranean cruise this November! Sorry you had to experience, and at the same time thank you for sharing so we can avoid the huge bill!
@@sublimesamoyed glad to spare someone else the painđ
Sometimes when youâre off the ship and use your phone, if you are still too close to the ship, the ship will still pick up the charges. So make sure you are away from the ship, before making your call.
My friend and I were in Tijuana very early in the day shops just opening up. We walked into one shop before I knew it. This guy had put a bracelet on my friends wrist probably not the real deal. I was thinking she was going to buy it even though she didnât want it.I took the bracelet off and handed it back to the guy said thank you and walked out of the store
Taking the normal precautions one would use in any big city applies to cityâs internationally as well. Donât make yourself look like an easy mark, such as carrying a backpack on your back or a tote bag that wide open at the top. Making it slightly more difficult for the pick pocket will have him moving on to someone easier.
Saw some new back packs that have the opening on the âbackâ of the bag, which means the zippers and pockets rest against your back and what is exposed behind you has no openings. I thought it was rather clever.
My hubby carries his wallet in his front pocket. A very simple solution. He is 6' 3". People dont tend to try and reach in his front pockets while he is looking them in the eyes, lol
I have an apple watch. I really don't like it but got it for travel. This was my way to keep my phone in a secure pocket. This was again a great video. Thank you
5:00 just bought a new Apple 12 (yes, I know they are up to 14 but 12's are $500 cheaper) and my Apple 12 reverts to home screen (requiring face ID/code) within seconds!! I put my phone down to pick up a pen and must log in again!!! was a pain in the beginning but now I know how valuable it is !!!
Here is what I do to protect myself from pickpockets when visiting Europe. I buy a cheap burner smart phone or camera. Really all I need is pictures and the current time. My phone, laptop, etc is locked in hotel or cruise cabin safe. Also I carry a decoy wallet hanging out of my pocket. It may or may not be booby trapped.
While most modern smartphones usually require your permission to request data there still could be an unknown security vulnerability. Best way to protect against âjuice jackingâ is to bring your own phone charger or at least a power only USB cable.
may or may not be booby trapped? i will always be hopeful everyone's is booby trapped!! shame on thieves
Geez after watching this I donât wanna go anywhere! People suck!
In Florence or Venice, we bought tickets to the opera at one of the Kiosks/booths at the train station. It wasnât cheap. We arrived at the performance hall, which looked like a junior high school auditorium, and waited for the show to start with the other tourists. And waited and waited. After 40 minutes past the designated start time, I went to the front desk and demanded our money back. Never again!
Oh no!
I had the switcheroo on me on a cruise some years ago. I purchased some candles in a store in Dominican Republic. When I got back to the ship the candles were actually used and not new. My husband also got pickpocketed in U. S. Virgin Islands. We still love to travel lessons learned to be extra careful.
Wow! Thanks for sharing
Can you bring candles on a cruise ship? I thought it was forbidden.
Bought a diamond necklace and earrings from Diamonds International in St Thomas. After haggling and other salespeople coming over to distract us with a bunch of stuff we didnât want and them taking forever to write up the sales slip it ended up for being more than what we agreed. Our bad for not drilling through the numbers and not seeing the end amount was more than the price of the items added together. Took to a jeweler at home who said the diamonds were basically crap and so low in quality they were worthless.
I bought a beautiful canon camera in Beijing, the sales person was pleasant gave me all the info on the camera and a good price, gave it to me in a box, on the way to the hotel I wanted to take pictures but all of instructions and camera icons were in Chinese went back to the shop to returned the item that I purchased less than an hour but was informed that they could not refund the full amount and that a $50.00 Dlls charge will be deducted for re-stocking the item
My purchases at DI have appraised at what I paid or more
@@karenpluger6565 I always thought my necklace and earrings never sparkled as much as in the store. Now Iâm wondering if they were switched out for lesser quality ones in the back when they were packaging them up. Glad you didnât get ripped off like I did.
@@elizabethlangheim7214 it's the lighting in the store. Who among us has halogen lights focused on a jewelry case
@@karenpluger6565 Good point.
Great information, thank you!
We have travel vests that have pockets for everything from our own toilet seat covers; tissues, whatever as there are several pockets. I will not carry a purse, but a purse/wallet thing around my neck that has a mobile phone holder and wallet areas. There is a small zip area for change; lip gloss; whatever. I appreciate the hearing about the new cell phone scam both the one when you have it open looking at it and the one about the public charging ports.
Very informative and helpful! Thank you!
Thank you Iliana! Great info as usual!
I stopped and got the eye treatment in port (The cream that comes in a syringe type tube to tighten the under eye)
Spent quite a bit of money on it and when done trying it, they said we will give you a brand new one to take with you. I got into the shop and later went to use this, only to find I was given an empty tube! Luckily, I did take the girls business card and the store info. I called her back specifically and she said they will remedy it. I am pleased to say that they did and mailed the new product to my home. From this point on, I will now check the product (making sure there is product)!
The USB Charging scam is more of a world-wide issue, as this issue can appear in public places locally (like malls & airports). As noted in the video, the public USB ports have "extras" (malware, data copying stuff, ect.) hiding on the data lines within the USB connectors.
The best course of action to protect yourself is to use a "USB Condom" (otherwise known as a USB Data Blocker), which is a USB device that sits between the USB port & the cable to your mobile device (phone, tablet, ect.) that only has the power lines connected. This will allow you to recharge without any data risks with a "poisoned" USB hub. I know it may be a small hassle to connect it first before your charging cable, but the protection it provides outweighs the unknown.
If you don't want to pick up an extra device, you may want to look for USB cables that are specifically noted as "Charging Only" cables as they perform the exact same function (only connects to power lines & NOT to any data lines). HOWEVER, these are fairly rare to find in retail stores (as even the generic house brands support power & data)... so you may need to look for a reputable online dealer to secure such a cable.
The best alternative would be to use your own battery bank you purchased from a reputable dealer & charge it up yourself... or utilize a service like FuelRod (which allows you to buy full charged & exchange depleted "rods" from their kiosks) to keep your devices charged on the go. Since battery banks are power only devices, you can be safe that nothing nefarious is happening while your devices are charging from the bank (& when charging the bank itself).
I have my original power block that my phone came with, and it's compatible with the longer aftermarket USB-C charging cord I purchased. I find it's a lot more versatile than the USB charging stations (as in, you're more likely to find a plug in the wall than a USB dock), it's much faster, AND it's safer. It doesn't take up a lot of room, either.
Thank you! I had not heard of this one
I just bought two data blockers off Amazon a few weeks ago. $10 for both.
Iâve created travel luggage set that includes USB ports for charging on the go!
Came down to the comments to say this, but you said it first. Well-explained, good on ya. đ
Thank you for mentioning foreign exchange - worked in it a long time. Never change a lot of money at once into physical currency. For Europe- have small Euros or local currency. Use your CC as much as possible because you will get the official bank rate. Hard currency at small kiosks is never in bank rate. And if you have small bills and change at the end, dump it at the airport- buy gum, candy, a drink, etc. You will not be able to change that small money back at home. Or, at a decent rate
Great tips! Thank you for sharing
Thanks for sharing this. We are about to go to France and this is very helpful indeed.
I obtain foreign currency at a place in Las Vegas that specializes in it. They won't take coins, so I try to get rid of them at the end. On my last trip, I bought two giant Toblerone bars with the last of my Danish currency at the airport.
I am a retired banker, this is not true. There are many reputable currency exchange businesses that will guarantee you the same rate for any left over money that you return (you cannot exchange coin). And you should NEVER use bank machines because if they malfunction it can and does take months to get your money back if you get it back at all. I have had clients who have lost money in foreign bank machines because of malfunction, I have also had clients had machines been tampered with steal their information and steal their money from their accounts at home while they were on vacation.
If you have foreign currency left at the end of your trip buy a gift card from Starbucks at the airport ...something you can use at home.
Great tips and adviseâŠthanks!!
Such great information!!! Thank you!
Thank you so much! We've got to be be careful everywhere!
Thank you for the great info.
Several years ago we encountered the gold ring scam and a âsign this petition â scam in Paris. We did not fall for them, but they were everywhere. We got used to ignoring Or saying no.
Great content as always!
Thanks for the warnings
I find I get scammed or attempted to be scammed more when I visit the U.S. than other countries. The last was when I went to the state of Louisiana and in New Orléans a shoe shine scam took place. The guy came over to me and admired my tennis shoes, asking where I bought them. Very friendly. Then attempts to clean the top of it with a rag as it was raining. I kept saying no thank you but he insisted I pay him. My wife was very afraid as he and his friends started yelling at us, we were actually afraid of being shot or something there and ran.
Great tips. Love this one.
Thank you llana, great tips!!đ
I hadnât heard of a lot of these. Thanks for the info.
My mother had a vendor at the port in Tallinn Estonia switch out a jacket that she wanted to purchase for one that had been cut in half. The vendor told her she had one already packaged up in the same size, and my mom fell for it. She didn't realize until she unpacked it in her ship room that night.
How awful
Thanks for keeping us safe!! Great video!!
Thank you for your insights đâ€
Great info! Thanks
it may seem annoying to add a security key for your bank acct, apple/google pay, and emails on your phone/tablet, HOWEVER; having a security check before entering those apps will help your situation while traveling, or even in your hometown. I only buy fingerprint access phones for this reason, (face recognition doesn't work for me, as i wear makeup and my face looks very different bare verses caked up) and have set up all my sensitive apps to require a biometric entrance. this way, even if someone steals your phone, they won't have access to the important info. make sure you lock your notepad as well, as many of you keep your sensitive info on the notepad, and make sure you lock the photos that have your IDs on them too! Some phones will automatically shut themselves down, once they're a certain distance from you as well, so look into that.
In addition, one should set up browsers to delete all cookies (and pw/histories) as soon as you close the browser. This might be very beneficial while traveling because past browsers can bring up all sensitive info, including your travel documents like ID and Passport. AND.. don't forget to turn OFF your bluetooth/mobile hotspot when not using it. This will ensure people can only connect to your phone with a password as randoms can actually search your phone whilst in proximity to you, including while driving on the highway in a car next to you
being safe is better than being sorry, even if nothing happens to you! :)
Wow and thanks.
Just got scammed in Florence Italy by a person selling art on the street. To be fair I realized what he was doing: striking up a conversation, learning I live in Ecuador. Suddenly his grandmother was from Ecuador! What a coincidence! He gave it away when he didnât know where she was from. Now we are âfriendsâ and he wants to give me a painting, which I could tell were prints. He let me pick one out for free then asked me to give him some money for his family. I had wondered how the scam would play out, so I gave him the painting back and thanked him for his time!
Thank you soo much this is very important information đđ
Hello, my wife and I recently on a NCL cruise opted for a few hours in Florence on an excursion. An African man tried the wrist bracelet scam. He was very distracting and then got hands on. I being prior law enforcement was able to get him away, yes by force and squared off with him as he became very aggressive. Luckily Italian Police saw everything and took care of the situation. Several others on this excursion also reported similar incidents. After the incident many men walking around with the bracelets and we decided to go back to the bus early. Have good situational awareness and have fun in your travels!
Small older ladies would be scared to death in Florence.
Thank you for doing this video. Heads up to everyone planning to travel in those places. Great content!
You have saved us when we take our first family cruise in October. This video as the many others was so informative and essential. Thank you!
Excellent tips. Thanks so much!
very informative!!đ great content for all and especially for newbs like us
Hi Ilana. I really enjoy your videos. They are very helpful and informative. Thank you for all the wonderful tips â€â€
Scams happen around the world. Be careful everywhere even at home.
This is very helpful!
This was an excellent video. Thank you.