Maybe Hotel Safes aren’t so Safe

Doesn’t seem like they had insurance either.

I've never actually checked my credit card insurance, or home owners insurance for that matter (which does have a rider for credit card theft) to see how specific it is for loss in a situation like this. I wonder now about the wording in any policy and if it would be specific enough to cover the trip if your passport was stolen. Homework for tonight.

I do feel better now about my decision a few years ago to carry a money belt. I always have passports, cash and credit cards with me. I don't find it a big deal to carry it around.

There is no way they were going to be allowed on the ship without a full replacement passport. And that's just not going to happen on a weekend. And RCI was only following their own policy about no refunds. If they had travel insurance, there's a chance that some of their losses and expenses would have been covered. It's an awful thing to have happen, but that's the first time I've heard of safes being ripped out of a wall.

Out of curiosity I just went through my RBC MasterCard policy. Travel insurance does not cover a situation like this to get reimbursed for denial of boarding. And hotel theft insurance is a maximum of $2500 and does not include lost cash. AND, there has to be visible evidence that the room was broken into, i.e, damage to the room door due to forced entry. It doesn't specifically say visible evidence of the safe being broken into is cause for coverage to kick in. That lack of specifics beyond proof of forced entry into the room is troubling.

Another reason we always carry our own passports on our person ( in money belt)
While traveling abroad it is your most valuable possession

Always check the safe to see how it’s bolted in place. I get a kick out of hotels that have a room safe, but it isn’t bolted to anything. Unless we’ll be in the same place for a number of days, we generally don’t use them. When we do, it’s only for phone cords, headphones, etc.; nothing valuable per se, but things that might disappear if left out in the open.

now everybody is even more paranoid;
your physical well being is the most valuable thing.

Also keep in mind that every hotel safe has a way for staff (usually managers) to get into it.

That’s interesting @Allan. I’ll have to go through my policy. I can see cash not being covered, but I would have thought loss of trip due to loss of passport would be, especially if the safe is ripped out.

That's a shame, but why on earth did they have 1500 euros in cash? This is a good warning to keep your credit card and passports safely on your own person.

why on earth did they have 1500 euros in cash?

They were about to get on a cruise. They may have needed cash if they were doing private excursions.

I saw that story mentioned on the news today but just glanced at the details. The experiences related in this story are one reason I always keep my Passport with me, and why I don't use hotel safes. While many people use hotel safes without any problems, one incident like this will ruin a holiday and cause a lot of grief.

The impact of the theft would have been less severe had they each carried their Passports in a Money Belt and split the $2200 among the six family members, with that also stored in the Money Belts.

I have to wonder if they're readers of Rick Steves?

Well......we keep our passports on us as required by Italian Law and what little cash we bring in a money belt.

But I think this event is more the exception than the rule.

Insurance was mentioned, and as a previous poster pointed out, certain conditions must occur to make a claim. Coverage provided by credit cards aside, if you do go to the effort and expense to take out travel insurance, know before you go what the policy actually does and does not cover, and what you will need for a claim. Might be a Police report, statement from the hotel, evidence of forced entry as was mentioned, maybe a time limit between event and reporting.

Too many people pay for protection, only to not have what is needed to make the claim.

....But I think this event is more the exception than the rule...... But that is the point, you prepare for the exception and not the routine. Most people tend to make assumptions about what is included in insurance without bothering to read the fine print. And then ---- "What ?? !!! That's not covered!"

But I have posted many, many times is that most individuals are very poor at risk assessment. That is the one skill that probably needs to be enhanced more than anything else.

Would love to know more specifics about the neighborhood, the hotel, was the family profiled? How was the room accessed?

I remember meeting a woman who had been in Kenya the time the airport had a massive fire. They had to spend several extra days then gain new tickets and expenses to return to Canada via South Africa. She insisted the airline provide a letter to state why the flight was cancelled. She submitted it with an insurance claim and was rejected as 'fire' wasn't covered. Her travel mate read the T&Cs and submitted a claim (without an airline letter) stating that access to airport was denied by police and received the claim expenses. So the same incident but worded differently can make or break a successful claim.

But that is the point, you prepare for the exception and not the routine

I understand. The point I was trying to make is that for the most part, in room safes are safe but I still bring my cash and passport with me when I leave the room

Maybe CJean and others can answer— if they got their temporary documents/passports from the Embassy on Monday, couldn’t they have caught up with the ship wherever it was and boarded Monday or Tuesday? Many times people catch up with ships at their own expense when they’ve been delayed by weather.

Wouldn’t the temporary passports have worked, or are they stamped “good only for return to Canada?”

Bets,

This may answer your questions - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/canadian-passports/travel-documents-non-canadians/temporary-passport.html .

You make a good point - they might have been able to connect with their ship at the first port-of-call. Perhaps the loss of the cash and credit cards was too much of a problem?

Maybe CJean and others can answer— if they got their temporary
documents/passports from the Embassy on Monday, couldn’t they have
caught up with the ship wherever it was and boarded Monday or Tuesday?

As long as the cruise line accepted a temporary passport, they could have done that. But knowing Canadian bureauocrats, and having had a bit of experience with overseas embassies, getting that by Mon or Tues would have been a minor miracle. Then they have to get to the next available port ( likely the 2nd or even 3rd port on the itinerary) before actually boarding. They may have felt the remaining time left on the cruise didn't warrant the expense. I don't know if this was a closed loop (returning to Civitaacecchia) cruise or not.

I understand ships cancel your reservation if you don't embark.

That is not true. If they are aware of the hold up the room is good at the next port. And it is not like they have a line of standbys waiting to board if you don't show. They could have boarded at the next port if their paper work was in order.

Sure they don't give up the room, but they have to change the manifest, paperwork, accounts are closed not an easy process for either side. I would have hoped when the contacted the ship the ship gave them options. Flights for 5 may have been more than whatever lodgings they may have found and not worth it, particularly if no certainty when they could get the new temp passports.