Whilst most guests sailing on a Disney Cruise stay safe whilst onboard and in port, there are rare examples of those who have fallen victim to crime. To avoid being one of these victims, we’ve put together some tips and advice to help you stay safe whilst cruising. Most of it is common sense, but it’s easy to let your guard down and forget these things while enjoying yourself on vacation.

Think twice about broadcasting your upcoming cruise trip on internet forums and social media sites. Any would-be burglars then know you’re away and how long for, and it’s not that difficult these days to find out someone’s address.

Onboard

Supervise young children at all times. If kids go off on their own, make sure you know exactly where they’re going, and they know where you’ll be. Just because you’re contained on a ship doesn’t mean they can’t get into trouble or difficulty.

Don’t let children of any age climb on guard rails or tables, they can easily fall off, especially if the ship hits a wave.

Don’t allow children onto the verandah unless supervised, and never let them climb or stand on the chairs or table there.

Always keep your stateroom door locked, and if anyone knocks,  look through the peep hole before opening.

If you decorate your stateroom door with anything, be aware that there’s always a risk it may be stolen.

Don’t leave valuables lying around in your stateroom when you’re not there, lock them away in the safe.

Don’t leave drinks unattended, and never accept a drink directly from a stranger.

Before you Leave the Ship

When planning what to do in port, it’s best to stick to official Disney excursions for a number of reasons. Transport will be provided and you can be assured that it’s bona-fide, and as safe as possible. If the excursion hits any delays and is late getting back to the ship, it won’t sail without you. If you go off on your own and are late back or anything happens, the ship won’t wait for you and won’t have any way of knowing where you are or what’s happened to you.

Make a note of the ship’s agent details, which are shown on that day’s Personal Navigator. If you run into difficulty whilst in port, or are going to be late back to the ship you can call them and let them know.

Leave your passport onboard, it won’t be needed onshore. You can carry a photocopy of your passport if you want to.

In Port

Avoid going ashore alone if at all possible, you’ll be a much easier target for criminals.

Once onshore get a map of the local area, or better still print one off before you leave home and plot out your route in advance. Know where you’re going and don’t stray off the main tourist paths, especially after dark.

Be careful when hailing taxis, and be sure to agree the fare up front or you may find yourself with a rather hefty bill at the end of your journey. Only take licensed cabs, watch out for fake ones.

Never socialize with locals or agree to go anywhere with them, no matter how friendly they seem.

Most crimes committed are opportunistic. Deny the criminals the opportunity to steal something from you!

• Don’t take large amounts of cash ashore.
• Take just one credit card each, and make a note of the credit card numbers back in your cabin then you can report if lost or stolen.
• Don’t flaunt cash or let anyone see money inside your open wallet or bag.
• Money and credit cards are best kept in an under clothing bag or money belt.
• Do not carry wallets or valuables in back pockets!
• Keep valuable such as cameras in a closed bag, or waist pack.
• Keep bags and personal belongings in sight at all times.
• Don’t leave valuables on the table while dining, keep them on your lap.
• Carry bags across your body rather than over one shoulder.
• Don’t wear expensive jewelry.
• If visiting a beach, don’t leave any valuables or personal belongings lying around.

Thieves tend to operate in crowded areas, especially transport hubs such as train stations.

Beware of street vendors, they can be extremely pushy and hard to refuse. Don’t make eye contact with them or speak to them, just walk away.

Be wary of being approached by time share salesmen offering free car rentals or other incentives to get you to attend a presentation.

In Mexican ports, don’t drink tap water or have ice in drinks, stick to bottled water.

Street crime and petty theft is more common in Mexican ports, Nassau, Barcelona, Palma, St Petersburg and Naples.

There have been incidents of violent street crime against tourists in Nassau, so be especially vigilent and careful when visiting here. In November 2009, a group on an organized excursion, some of whom were from Disney Cruise Line, were involved in an armed robbery, thankfully no one was hurt.