When I went to Lisbon the first time, we took a cab who offered the three of us a tour for $70 for all three of us. We spent the entire day seeing Lisbon sights, he would stop, tell us to go down this street and he would pick us up at the end of the street in 45 min to an hour, he took us to an excellent and inexpensive local restaurant, and we had a great day. It was an excellent tour! His charge, $70. We tipped him well, but it was one of the best experiences ever!

@loannealford1113

11 ай бұрын

Wow, what a great experience. You are lucky that he didn’t rip you off.

@cherifurr3935

11 ай бұрын

I had one in Barcelona who told me his credit card machine AFTER he got to our destination. I should have told him I had no Euros…driver who took me back charged me half the price.

@ReyOfLight

11 ай бұрын

In Funchal, Madeira you can or at least used to be able to charter a taxi for a day at a set price and essentially have a local tour guide taking you around. My parents chartered a taxi for a day once together with a couple they met on their vacation, and they all had a great time! As far as I know, Madeira is very safe, at least it was when I was there in 1999, 2000 and 2002, basically the only scam you needed to watch out for was Timeshare sellers. I didn’t go to Madeira via cruise ship though, I went there by plane, but I’m guessing being a visitor there is about the same for cruise passengers as it is for people flying in and staying in a hotel there

@Sithiskool51

11 ай бұрын

9😅😢

@Nathan-qc4gz

11 ай бұрын

My parents did the same thing in Jamaica back in like 2006. They had a great time and the cab driver even gave them tips on how to barter and stop pushy vendors from harassing them

In many countries taxi drivers are the worst scammers. But not in Istanbul, I overpaid a taxi driver who then went all his way to find me at a private reception to return the money. I gave him a large tip and thanked him profusely. A honest man

@davpen6139

Ай бұрын

I complained to a legit English cabbie about all the ripoff attempts and he refused to take a tip as a result!

@travelwithdebandnick

28 күн бұрын

oh wow thats beautiful

@sophiegallinger8004

26 күн бұрын

Honest cabbies do exist! In England I once hired a taxi to take me and my family to St. Pancras station. There was a pretty awful traffic jam near the station, bad enough that we were in danger of missing our train. The taxi driver apologized profusely, helped us get our bags out, and refused to take full payment for a journey he hadn't completed (through no fault of his own). He was a very friendly man from the former Soviet block, I forget which country.

@mattiemathis9549

14 күн бұрын

That’s cool. I live in the USA and every taxi I have taken does this scammy stuff. It was eye opening coming from Germany.

I got news for ya sparky: If you bought a $250 shirt on vacation, you were scammed already.

I have never fallen for a scam on any holiday and i have perfected the fck off and leave me alone face so i rarely get any hassle. Just remember 99% of the crap you buy on holiday will just end up stuck somewhere in a cupboard. Enjoy the experience you don't need to shop 24/7

My friend always wears a plastic Casio watch. She says Pick pocket will see you are both cheap and careful.

@midwestkatie4

7 ай бұрын

Yes! I wear a $15 knockoff when cruising and never take my good jewelry.

Just to put things in perspective: I recently got home from a 4-week trip around Egypt, most of it solo. I didn’t get scammed or have any trouble at all, as I know the ropes there pretty well. Four entire weeks - not a single problem. So I fly home, and have to spend a night in the big city as I have missed the last train home to my small town a couple of hours away. Exhausted (I hadn’t had any sleep for about two days), I dropped my bag in the hotel room, grabbed just my wallet, and headed across the street for a quick meal before I collapsed. Within one minute of leaving my hotel, my wallet was lifted out of my pocket - right outside the second-largest police station in the country. Luckily, my travel wallet never holds more than one credit card and a small amount of Egyptian currency. I cancelled the card instantly, so no financial loss, but lesson learned: your own home base can be just as risky as the big wide world. Or, to put it differently - the big wide world isn’t necessarily more dangerous than your own home base.

@bob456fk6

10 ай бұрын

I'm from Dallas. I had a taxi driver in Boston try to charge me 2X the fare.

@mikeg3439

9 ай бұрын

I've travelled all over. I have found, on average, the opposite to be the case. USA I've been safe all my life. All the theft and scam attempts I've experienced have been outside the US or outside Western European countries. Inconvenient fact, but fact nonetheless. Or to be fair: anecdotal fact.

@chrism3784

9 ай бұрын

assuming big city you mean New York? Sounds about right

@lap8329

9 ай бұрын

@@chrism3784 Not even close. Melbourne, Australia. I’ve been to to New York a number of times - never had any trouble there, either.

@chriswilliams6568

8 ай бұрын

Yes there are scammers everywhere, but in Europe one is not likely to get shot.

I’ve watched so many travel scam videos, and I’m going to keep doing it! I always think I’ve got them down, I know what to do and not do, then some brand new scam pops up! I saw Ilana’s video about the purse scam in Turkey. I NEVER would have been watching for that. Thanks to all of you cruise KZreadrs for looking out for us, and making us aware!

This is one reason why I always take the ship’s excursions and in over 25 cruises, never had a problem.

@HarvestHome2000

3 ай бұрын

They're the biggest racket of all!

@gstlb

2 ай бұрын

@@HarvestHome2000well they are more expensive often, but probably more reliable with regard to scammers. You’re both right.

@user-yl3mp7um6k

Ай бұрын

Wakeeup, you have been scammed 25 times by the cruise line, whoop whoop.

@kathybrem880

19 күн бұрын

Me too

Watch for spa scams on the ship too! I booked a birthday massage when I was on QM2 and the massage was great, but after, the therapist said she wanted to give me something, and put a few products she used in a bag. I thought it was a gift or possibly included with the massage considering the cost. Got to the front desk and she’s handing me receipt after receipt, for the massage, for the service tip, and then a $300 charge for those products! I cam back about an hour later and returned them. The spa didn’t see, happy but I was not going to pay for overpriced spa products!

We had a taxi driver in Bali who was amazing. A fabulous island tour for 4 of us in a modern air conditioned van. $50 US total for the whole day . He stopped at sights to allow for photos. Took us to a great local restaurant for a delicious lunch with incredible views.

@suzannehall5200

21 күн бұрын

I have never had a bad taxi driver in South East Asia either. Some have been so helpful that I felt rather guilty at the small amounts they asked for and gave them a large tip. Gary has made me very nervous about going to the Caribbean. I think I will give the whole area a miss.

@dallasstephens8287

10 күн бұрын

Same. I’ve had fabulous taxi drivers in Bali.

There are so many nationalities represented on a cruise ship. I always recommend asking someone on the cruise staff if they're local to the port you're visiting. Our Jamaican head waiter hooked us up with his cousin for an island tour. She also met us at the end of Dunns River Falls and escorted us through the very aggressive market, telling people to leave us alone. :-) As two young single women, we never felt safer. The locals may not worry about scamming you, but I trust the cruise staff.

@gingersutton8240

10 ай бұрын

Don’t be naive. There are always a few bad eggs in ever group.

@yt_energy

8 ай бұрын

his cousin, huh? :)

@GiGi52020

Ай бұрын

You can't trust some of them either. They could be setting you up.

While on a trip to Europe, we stopped in Cologne, Germany. I spotted a woman holding what appeared to be a sick and weak child. She was begging for money to get help for her child. I gave her a Euro and went on the excursion. When we got back on the bus our guide told us not to give money to the 'gypsies' because they drug their children to make them look sick and weak in order to get more money. I wish our guide had told us about this before we left the bus.

@travelwithdebandnick

28 күн бұрын

omg thats beyond shocking, this makes me so sick and angry, totally disgusting, these poor children. what is wrong with some people, they are monsters

I was on a crowded bus in Dublin and felt a woman bumping against me. I realized her hand was in my pocket. I yelled “Get your hand out of my pocket” and made her empty her pockets in front of me. She gave me back what she had taken and got off at the next stop. The Dubliners around me on the bus thought that was pretty funny of me! My little kids were impressed!

@golferpro1241

10 ай бұрын

Dublin is now dumpy

We went to Cozumel, and my husband took a photo with someone who was in costume but told him we had no cash. The guy told him it's ok and asked if we could just buy him a water so we got him a big bottle. I kept telling my husband they work for donations, but he didn't listen, so we were lucky he was kind.

Great tips! I discovered an anti-pickpocket tip by accident. I was going on an excursion that included swimming so I wore my swimsuit under my shorts. As I was getting ready to leave my room and put my key card, some cash, meds, and my ID in my shorts, I realized that my swimsuit also had pockets so I put everything in the swimsuit pockets instead of my shorts. Not only that but they were pockets with velcro flaps that folded over. I would have to practically be molested for anyone to find it!

@elouise5593

10 ай бұрын

Just make sure those shorts and your other stuff are placed in a secure locker, or with a trusted family membe or friend, while you are swimming. A friend of mine had her passport stolen, while on the beach in Cozumel.

@larry4111

10 ай бұрын

@@elouise5593 Oh, absolutely. I either have someone hold it who I trust, put it in one of those waterproof cases around my waist or neck, or I lock it in a portable lock box/safe that I bought and put it around a tree or other object as close to where I am as possible that cannot be moved and I keep my eye on it. I never ever just leave anything sitting on the beach unless I am okay with it being stolen. Or a locker if they have one on the premises.

@MrGohunter

8 ай бұрын

I have shorts that have zips on the pockets. A right pain sometimes when I am trying to get my wallet out, but it sure foils any pickpockets!

@redhatbear1135

28 күн бұрын

If the zippers have eyes, a safety pin can make them even less interesting!

@laureljaneg

8 күн бұрын

One of those waterproof

I had a guy in Italy try and rob me. He may still be in the hospital. This was years ago.

Even here in the states I take pictures of a rental car before I take it and when I drop it off.

Good advice... I spotted another kind of scam last week. I was at a big concert with a friend and we needed to buy tickets for public transit from the ticket machines. Many of the machines were labelled as out of service and the two that worked had a long line, but we knew that type of machine often had issues so we thought nothing of it. It appeared that the line was slow because neither machine managed to read cards. People were trying multiple cards but eventually they had to give up and pay with cash. An older gentleman was staying near the machines and helping people through the process of paying by clicking through the procedure on the screen, he said he was local and happy to help, because the machines often had issues. In exchange for his help he was asking for coins and small bills, which many other travellers were giving, because they were honestly confused by the ticket machine and unable to complete the purchase on their own. When we and my friend got near the head of the line, we noticed that the gentleman was actually pressing a button to cancel the payment before the machine had read the card. He hid this by talking a lot and pointing elsewhere, like asking to check if it was asking for the card's PIN code, and he was tapping on the screen multiple times under the guise of 'sometimes it gets stuck'. When it came to our turn, I physically put my body sideways to block him from touching the screen as he was trying to do even though I told him we didn't need help. Sure enough without his assistance, the machine worked and we were able to pay with a card in no time. I told the people after us that 'the machines are fine now' and I think they understood what had been going on. I thought it was just a trick to ask for a few coins, but the place was crowded and it could have been a way for an accomplice to check how much cash people were carrying and where we kept it.

@christinebeames712

9 ай бұрын

In Morocco they offered to help us put the right coins in the phone box , what they were doing was getting a handful given , then palming some giv8ng the illusion all the coins had been fed to the machine,

@travelwithdebandnick

28 күн бұрын

wow

Great tips, Gary! I appreciate you keeping us in the loop. Unfortunately scammers are everywhere. NYC is full of them as well. Last week I saw a person who was pretending to be a Buddhist Monk in Timesquare. He was putting small cards with golden Buddhas in peoples hands and saying its for good luck. Then asking for donations to rebuild his temple and getting quite aggresive if someone refused. I was filming Broll for a project I am working on and I saw him (2 hours later) walk down 2 blocks, take off the robe and get into an 80,000 dollar tesla to drive away. I didn't know Buddhist Monks drove electric!

@tipsfortravellers

11 ай бұрын

Good to know that Buddhists are electric .... !?!! There are also in London similar in tourist season which clearly make all lot of money as also been exposed having fancy cars etc. Thanks for watching. I am still trying these early release for members and overall people seem to like getting them early, even if maybe isn't a massive added perk

@tomsunday

11 ай бұрын

@@tipsfortravellers I love the early access videos. Small perk but it makes me feel like I am part of your inner circle. This also means I can have a bit more interaction with you because the whole crowd isn't here yet. I am sure it's a lot of work and extra planning to get these videos done early. I appreciate your effort, Gary. To be honest, I would support even if you did't make them. You are my favorite cruise-tuber and an inspiration. I'm glad I can contribute in a small way.

@JoeHarkinsHimself

11 ай бұрын

I used to work in near the E-train subway station at 53rd and 5th. It's a deep station, may 4 or 5 stories down. There's a pair of escalators, one in each direction, plus a set of stairs between them. At times, walking along 5th, I would see a horribly crippled young man struggling to walk with a pair of crutches that were too long for him. He staggered crablike with the crutches out an an angle and they would often slip. His legs were bent. His face in pain. A pitiful sight. Oh, and he had a coffee cup that he would reach out while groaning at the effort. I was working late one evening. I was the only person on the escalator. I could hear the sound of a train arriving below. The wait at that later hour can be s long so I tried to walk down faster. As I did, that same young man, apparently anxious to catch that same train, came running down the center steps - I mean jumping two and three steps at a time - with the crutches held in one hand above his head, and using his free hand to grab the handrail for each jump. He caught the train. I did not. But did see him again other days, with his coffee cup, working the 5th Ave crowd.

@Lightice1

11 ай бұрын

Technically nothing prevents a Buddhist monk from being wealthy, some Buddhist monasteries are absolutely filthy rich from all the donations they've accumulated over the years and all the properties that they own. Of course nothing also prevents someone from simultaneously being a real Buddhist monk and a complete scam artist at the same time. Buddhists are no less likely to scam money off of believers than Christians and they have their own counterparts to televangelists, megachurches and financially abusive cults.

@melissawentlandmoreno4559

10 ай бұрын

Where did you see the Tesla monk exactly? I wan go find him!!

When we go to and from the hotels and airports in foreign countries we always use a limousine service which is set up by our travel agent. It even includes the tip which is built into the price. It is only about 20% more then taxis and no hassle.

@sylviachacon4152

11 ай бұрын

👍 👌 👍

I’m Argentine and live in Buenos Aires I’m so sorry to hear you got scammed. We have different types of dollars. Blue, tourist, official and you get different values. If you come to the city be aware don’t use your telephones on the street and don’t use gold or Rolex.

I have ripped a $20 bill in half to secure a taxi return trip promised during an oversees vacation that I had and promised the other half upon return. Drivers don't seem to mind. American dollars tapped back together have worked well for me.

@Insufficient202

Ай бұрын

This is a genius idea 😂💪

My husband and I just got back from an Alaskan cruise and we were on the hunt for some native Alaskan artwork. At a store in Juneau, they had tons of native looking artwork, like statues and carvings and whatnot. We almost purchased one when I happened to flip the statue over and see a "Made in Bali" sticker next to the price tag. Needless to say we walked out immediately and noticed the store didn't explicitly say it was native made artwork, but it was "native arts." Definitely something to look out for when wanting to support local stores and not the giant chains.

@kimherben7866

22 күн бұрын

We went on a family trip to Alaska, and in Anchorage, there is a street market every weekend. We went the first weekend and we caught it 2 weeks later before we departed. I had seen some Native Artwork that I liked and waited to see if I could get it for a better price on our trip. That better price was at the street market, and made by tribal citizens.

I had an attempted pickpocket in Italy on a crowded train, and had my pocket picked on a crowded bus in Italy. Beware of people pressing against you in a crowded place.

@josephgribbin2444

3 ай бұрын

I try to always be aware of my surroundings. We were near/in St. Peter's Square when I noticed the same two people (man & woman) always seemed to be near us no matter what shop we were visiting. I was sure they weren't in our tour group, so I asked them if they WERE with our group. They acted like they didn't understand what I was asking, then disappeared.

Brilliant idea from a KZreadr in this thread. Never travel with an expensive watch. When I travel, I do the same thing. I'm a watch addict and have many luxury watches. But when traveling, I only bring my cheap Casio W800H-1BV reverse LCD, all-black digital watch that I bought at Walmart for $21.97. It's water resistant to 100m too. It's a great watch in its own right, but will never target you.

Great video, presentation and production. When paying with a card in foreign countries, I only use a debit card. I have two debit cards. When the price is confirmed, I Zelle the exact amount to the debit card with a zero balance. So if the price is $75, that's what I transfer. If they attempt to bang the card for more, it's declined.

I would also advise people to not take any free drinks from vendors or merchants in ports of call. On my first cruise the Liner made an announcement cautioning travelers to avoid drinking anything free, and only consuming from local restaurants. It was because of this announcement that I saw why this is so important. People at the port of call were trying to drug people with free drinks laced with something so they could steal their stuff or keep them hostage.

@user-bq6tv9zp3m

8 ай бұрын

I mean don't cruise ships have every drink in the world anyway. Maybe another reason to consider the drink package?

@Synamint87

8 ай бұрын

@@user-bq6tv9zp3m I wasn't refering to the cruise ship regarding the free drinks. I was talking about people in ports of call in the carribean that try to drug travelers with free tequila or what not.

I and my wife were in Barcelona when we were approached by a man who spoke colloquial north country English. He was carrying a suitcase and stated he had overspent his money and had to get to the airport to catch a flight. He wanted money for a taxi. The way he carried the suitcase seemed to indicate nothing inside. I suggested he go to the British Consulate and ask them as I too was flat broke.

Thank you for this video. The "free stuff" scam happened to me when I was in China as I was about to get back on a tour bus. I was ignoring the sellers when one pushed something "free" in my hand as I was walking. Then, they started yelling at me to pay for it. The tour director came off the bus and yelled at them in Chinese and they walked away.

When receiving rental car have THAT DAY'S newspaper. Take close up of date, then further photo including front page. That pics of vehicle with page in each photo. Repeat with fresh dated newspaper / photos upon return. Same set up when renting a room etc. Prove before n after situations

@rafaelcarneiro8957

6 ай бұрын

Not only that, but as a super budget traveller: - Bus / Flixbus / Train / Metro when you need to travel between cities. - Bus / Metro when you need to travel inside the city. - Uber / Bolt, you can pay first so you know the price. More - Aparthotels instead of hotels. Bigger + less expensive + a small kitchen + closer to public transport and if you brought a car there's a higher chance there's free parking nearby. - Check fast food chain prices (i.e. Big Mac menu = €10), the average price of an average restaurant meal must not me 3x more expensive (i.e. Appetizers + Main dish + Dessert + Coffee + 1 Drink = €30) in tourist cities. Otherwise they're over charging. Also - Any store that is 2 roads closer to the beach / centre / old town / maybe the port / whatever, is overpriced and not authentic ( - If it's free then you already paid for it / they're retaining the costumer / they will make you pay somehow.

In Naples a few years ago, we had the opposite experience with a Taxi driver. We agreed a price for 4 people (ourselves and 2 Canadian women.) He took us to Sorrento, Positano and Pompei stopping at some photo locations along the way and giving us time to wander around each town and location by ourselves. Thoroughly nice man and would not hesitate to use him again (if we could ever find him.)

I know Egypt quite well, and have travelled there as an older solo woman traveller a number of times. I have found that whether I’m hiring a casual taxi to take me around, or using a hired guide, a five minute chat ahead of time pays off: no perfume, alabaster, papyrus, jewellery, etc. I feel for these people - the bit extra they make for taking you to these places is an important part of their income, so you can’t blame them for trying. I guarantee them an extra-generous tip at the end of the trip if they steer clear of these places. Also, when it comes to taxis, negotiate the price before you even get into the car. Make sure you clarify the currency - ie Egyptian pounds, not Pounds Sterling for instance, the number of passengers, whether one-way or round trip, baggage charge, etc. Drive the price down a bit, he expects that, but at the end of the trip give a generous tip. Keep in mind, a tip the equivalent to a cup of coffee at home will make a difference to his day.

@Bertie22222

9 ай бұрын

Bless em' for trying to rip you off eh.

Very useful information! My son recently went on.a Caribbean cruise. His fiancé was getting her hair braided by a street vendor, and a woman insisted on doing hie hair as well. He didn't ask the price and was in shock when they asked for $160 US. He paid them without trying to haggle and said he removed all the beads they'd put in his hair.about 15 minutes later. After that, he ignore all other street vendors. Lesson learned!

@cherifurr3935

11 ай бұрын

Just say NO before they start!

@stephendacey8761

11 ай бұрын

Jamaica has the worst scams. People are too pushy, especially selling weed. You can't bring back weed on a cruise. I knew a lady that bought a fake gold bracelet for $1,200, and another lady bought the exact same bracelet from the same guy for $20, after some negotiating.

@carolbanack6224

9 ай бұрын

Getting your hair done on the street? Be sure to notice if they have some solution to clean their combs. You could get 'free lice' too.

It really makes me want to stop cruising to hear these things. I've never fallen victim to these scams, but it's a lot of work to stay vigilant and keep yourself safe.

@reececollison5101

11 ай бұрын

Honestly if you’re savvy you’ll never have a problem. Obviously they’re important to be aware of but actually easy to avoid if you know what you’re doing. And if you look like you know what you’re doing, you’re probably less likely to be scammed as these scumbags just tend to go after people who look like they don’t know what day it is or drunk etc, much easier to get away with!

@elainekirkham8215

11 ай бұрын

Any tourist is at risk not just cruisers

@dianej1714

11 ай бұрын

@elainekirkham8215 Of course, any tourist is at risk. This is about cruising. I cruise the Caribbean often, and have been to the places Gary described. It does take some planning to make the best choices.

@nadiachuback95

11 ай бұрын

Don't stop cruising, just stay vigilant, and take the tips and tricks from experienced travelers. Only good memories 😊

@user-bq6tv9zp3m

8 ай бұрын

I just got scammed on a bait and switch with a lease that had nothing to do with cruising. Scammers are everywhere.

As you mentioned, I advise my travel companions to never accept anything someone hands to you! Once you have possession of the item, they will not take it back and expect you to buy it.

@shelleylarose

11 ай бұрын

I throw it at them

@kyle6426

2 ай бұрын

Then walk away its free, don't let people push you around.

II've been on more than ship-sponsored "shore excursion" that was pretty much a tour of tourist traps and shabby markets, eg. "Best of Nassau" - every.single.stop was an "opportunity" to buy stuff. In contrast, we sped by the National Art Gallery at Warp 9!

I have not had anything happen but I was just talking to friends that were pickpocketed in Rome. What’s crazy is they took the money and credit cards from the wallet and replaced the wallet without him knowing! So sad that this happens!

@travelwithdebandnick

28 күн бұрын

wow

We travelled to Vanuatu and stayed in Port Vila for one week. The prices in the shops were quite reasonable and we bought a few things. The day before a cruise ship was going to dock locals told us to buy what we wanted that day because all the prices would be doubled over night. We saw shop owners changing the price tickets. The next day we looked in the shops and it was as they said. Prices more than doubled in some cases.

We booked a Viatour in Athens. It was a city tour including the Parthenon. For some reason, it got late and the woman said we wouldn’t have time for the Parthenon because we were going shopping…….. We told her no, we didn’t care about shopping, we wanted to see the Parthenon. So ridiculous and she did do what we asked but that was strange.

I’m from Australia and often see couples taking photos of each other and always ask them if they would like me to take their picture. It’s sad to think they may look upon me as a scammer when I have best intentions of creating beautiful memories for them 😀🇦🇺😀🇦🇺

@travelwithdebandnick

28 күн бұрын

hi im the same, im an Australian too and often offer to take a photo for [eople, id be shattered if they thought i was a scammer. i do admit im a little wary when people offer to do it for us and always thank them and joke with them and say , please dont steal my ph, i cant run to chase you. but people are usually just being kind and genuinely want to do something nice for you :)

I take the grandkid and she loves getting the free bracelets. My wife loves buying jewelry so I keep her out of the jewelry shops when I can. She also gets GREAT cruise deals because of it that actually can add up to more than the jewelry after a few cruises. I also carry little cash and keep a decoy wallet in my pocket with credit card (singular) and cash in another pick pocket proof place. Oh, the big discounts for my wife on the cruise lines is a result only from buying jewelry on the ship, NOT on shore. We rarely buy onshore but you can get some great deals and haggle for a lower price. We actually get more credit on some cruises than what our cruise costs. He gave great tips.

Unlike what was said here, I'm ALWAYS on my guard. I trust NOBODY! The only time anybody is trustworthy is when it's in their motivated self-interest. When that isn't in effect I don't trust anyone, even family.

I've been to Purto Vallarta 11 years and I never had any issue with taxi drivers, using them up to 10 rides on each stay.

I remember going to Casablanca in late 90's. A street vendor was selling "leather" belts which looked very nice for £10. I wasn't interested in a belt so he knocked the price down to £5 and then down to £2. I bought one at £2. Back on the ship, lots of passengers had these belts, some as cheap as two for £1. Anyway, they didn't last long, they were actually made of laminated paper.

For car rentals, we always take several pictures of the car and signal any damage that is actually there to the rental car company representative before driving it.

@tedmeeuwsen712

2 ай бұрын

And take pictures when you drop the car off, you might get a bill three months later for cleaning or damage.

A taxi scam that I find anywhere, not just with tourists is the ‘are you from here?’ If you say you’re only visiting you’ll often get taken the long way around because you don’t know any difference. Always say you know the area well.

@kvom01

11 ай бұрын

Now you can plot the drive on Google Maps as a check

Thanks! A lot of people don’t want to admit they were victims, it makes more sense to hear exactly how it happened and that even a seasoned traveler fell for it. It’s amazing how stupid some of their scams are, and how elaborate some are…either way, they’re trying to get all of us.

I refuse to buy high end items while on vacation/holiday. I go for the cheap stuff so people think I am on a very tight budget. Also, I don’t allow strangers to take pictures for me on my phone. It’s selfie style or nothing.

A lot of taxi drivers are master scammers but I did meet a decent one in Taipei who was my driver for the entire day for less than 100$ and bought me lunch…depends who you meet

Excellent advice, as always Gary. Hiring motorbikes, or cars, can now be a very expensive mistake whilst abroad. Be very careful where you buy bottles of water as in many countries people collect empty bottles from rubbish bins, or recycling points, and fill them with ordinary tap water. To make it feel like the cap has never been undone they carefully heat the plastic lid with a lighter. Only buy bottles of water from a reputable shop, not a street vendor 🫢🚱🤮

@user-bq6tv9zp3m

8 ай бұрын

Cruise ships aren't allowing plastic bottles only refillable containers this is just another reason that's a good idea.

I had a taxi driver try to scam me at the cruise port in Fort Lauderdale. It was also scary because I was a woman alone and he was angry.

Re car hire. I always freeze my credit card as soon as I return the car (can be done on my banking app) then I use another credit card for the rest of my holiday

My husband and I got in a taxi in Puerto Vallarta and said we wanted to go downtown. We didn't do our homework first, so we didn't have a specific location name to give to him. He took advantage of this fact and drove us up into the mountains to an overlook, completely outside of town. Don't get me wrong, it was a nice view, but we didn't ask to be taken so far. My husband was starting to think that we might be getting kidnapped or something. By the time he took us back to where we actually said originally we wanted to go to, he shook us down for $40 American. We just paid it because we didn't want any problems with this guy or any friends he might have who could have potentially gotten violent with us. The lesson we learned is to always know exactly where you are going in these places and do your research so you know how far it is.

Try to use Uber or other rideshare, if it's available. I went to Puerto Vallarta just this past December on the Koningsdam, and taking Uber was great. We knew what we were paying up front, and we went all the way down to the Zona Romantica and back for less than US$30/MX$600 in total.

I love the currency exchange app idea!! I recently came off a cruise and fell for a taxi scam. A man pulling a piece of luggage, implying he was a fellow cruise tourist, asked what airport we were going to and said he had a car. In the moment we (my party and another couple) thought he was indeed a fellow passenger and would be reasonable. As we got closer to his vehicle several blocks away we started asking the price. He wanted $90 per couple!! That would be even more than taking an uber! We got their safely, but now I'll raise my eyebrows a bit more and be more skeptical of the people in front of the port, even in the US.

I vacationed in Mexico several times & our hotel doorman would ALWAYS confirm our taxi fare BEFORE we even got in the taxi. He explained that the fare was determined by what “zone” you were traveling. So when venturing out on our own, we always get the price from the driver before getting in the car.

@t.thompson8985

10 ай бұрын

Yes. I had the same experience in Cozumel. We negotiated the price before getting inside the car. We had zero issues.

@Michael-sz7lp

9 ай бұрын

Yep, the decent places will offer that service for you. Our taxi driver even waited at the mall and brought us home when we were done. I bought him a Cuban as a tip.

I went to a ladies pamper session in a spa on a cruise ship. We were told that we would get lots of free products. In fact the free products were a smear of a substance on the back of our hands and were just a hard sell for hundreds of pounds worth of consultations with their resident skin doctor.

Grabbed taxi in Cozumel to Paradise Beach. Driver told us it was at capacity but he knew a better place. Thanks to videos like this I knew it was a Sam and insisted he take us to our original destination. He did, had a great day. No problem getting in.

It baffles me why people would waste valuable time and money on a cruise doing shopping and auctions

@gstlb

2 ай бұрын

Maybe that’s what they like to do? 😂

@patrickpascal1225

2 ай бұрын

@@gstlbI know right, not for me but some love it. Like some love getting black out drink everyday at a cruise and that sounds like a nightmare to me

Yep the tricksters are getting even more creative. Some interesting twists on some old favourites here. We normally take photos of rental cars but your idea of videoing it is a really good idea that we will adopt. Great video thanks Gary.

@markeaston7353

11 ай бұрын

​@@Tolpuddle581 very tenacious - well done. I wonder if it is a con specific to the UK? We too take out full insurance but the post trip follow up can be a real pain.

@chrism3784

9 ай бұрын

after I turn in every car rental, I always immediately deactivate my credit card on my phone from allowing any charges for over a week. Never had a rental company come after me saying I damaged their car and they couldn't collect from my credit card

@markeaston7353

9 ай бұрын

That's a great idea!

Great video and great tips! I'll also add, be very careful if you have expensive cameras, etc. with you. On a South American cruise, my stepdad had his expensive camera out and a bicycle thief rode close by and snatched it right out of his hands. Not only did they get the camera, but all the cruise memories stored on it.

@lap8329

11 ай бұрын

Best leave expensive things at home - but of course, a serious photographer has to have their camera. There are secure neck straps and wrist leashes - before you travel, try a few out and find an option that lets you conveniently use your camera while keeping it attached to you. Also, when you aren’t actually using it, keep it stashed in a secure shoulder bag or similar. Avoid bags that look upmarket or expensive - you want an innocuous-looking thing that looks like there’s probably nothing inside more valuable than your lunch.

@christianebirwin8463

11 ай бұрын

I download my photos from my camera chip each day onto my laptop (and back that up with a USB, mobile drive, etc), so if anything happened to my camera I would only lose that day's photos -

I have only purchased from two vendors wandering a Mexican beach selling their original art. Both were in costa Maya as we ate lunch on the beach. Two different trips. They took a palm leaf and created a flower as I watched. They asked for tips and I gave each of the $10 as they were polite and adorable and it is my favorite Mexican port.

As a solo traveller, I often take selfies which aren't very good, but I'm always suspicious when a stranger offers to take my photo in a tourist hotspot. This happened to me yesterday in Cherbourg, even though the offer turned out to be totally genuine!

@chaleej5571

11 ай бұрын

Ha! I offered to do this for someone in BVI (and I thought it was pretty clear from my clothes that I was also a cruise passenger) but I think they were still suspicious...

@IntriguedLioness

11 ай бұрын

Long before the selfie was the norm I enjoyed offering to take traveler's photos. At that time I would say 9 out of 10 accepted with great thanks! I didn't even have to speak their language I would just do the camera pantomime and then we would thank each other and wave goodbye. Try to fairly gauge the person who's offering to take a photo for you. You'll be surprised at the number of people that just want to give you the gift of a properly composed shot!

@jamesg9840

11 ай бұрын

I believe now on some phones you can access the camera without unlocking it. I know on my iPhone 14 you can do this. Another thing that can work if you are traveling solo is to buy a disposable camera. Yes you will have to wait for the film to be developed and processed, but this way you are not handing your phone to a stranger. I am thinking of doing this on an a planned overseas trip.

@AmyC531

11 ай бұрын

@@jamesg9840 You've been able to do this on iPhones for as long as I can remember. Just swipe left on the lock screen.

@AmyC531

11 ай бұрын

Taking pictures for others is genuinely one of my favorite things to do on vacation. Most people accept my offer - it helps that I'm a young-ish woman with my own DSLR camera usually hanging around my neck - but I understand those who don't.

Summary: Never get off the ship while carrying anything you value. More realistic summary: Keep your ID, emergency cash, and anything else you MUST carry in skin-tight storage right next to your body. ('Anything else' must include your travel agent's contact info, your cruise line's contact info, your embassy's contact info, and a credit card with enough money to get you home. That's your 'oh shit' kit.)

These are all great Crime Prevention Tips for anywhere...even at home! Thank you very much!

Watch out for the currency note switch operating in many countries. Say you are in a taxi and you pay with a big note. The driver will take the note and then claim he has no change and gives it back to you. In fact he does not give you your note but switched it with a fake note.

Wow! The taxi scam was exactly what happened in Ketchikan. Quoted $420 x6 passengers for 4 hours. Saw basically nothing! After driving around I asked to go back to the ship. Paid in cash $70 and she said, oh no, you owe me $150 each!!! Told her to take the $70 and left. No idea what the other 5 paid.

I haven’t fallen for any because I’m cheap lol. And when I’m traveling solo which I do most of the time, I have my RBF in full effect. Someone tried to get me to buy a “leather”purse in Jamaica at a ridiculous price and I said nope and quickly walked away. If I’m cruising then I always book the excursions through the cruise line.

@HRHolm-bi6zu

Күн бұрын

'RBF'.....not familiar with that acronym/term.

I always take a small, inexpensive camera with me to take photos in crowded tourist areas. It's less likely to attract thieves, and in the event it is lost, damaged or stolen, it would not be as hard to deal with as losing my phone. The quality of these cameras is much better than it used to be. I print out any information I might need ahead of time so that I don't have to pull out my phone.

@lovesfall2168

11 ай бұрын

Which brand /type have you found that you like. I want to get some of them for my upcoming trip. Thank you in advance.

@aylinedelpino7885

11 ай бұрын

​@@lovesfall2168I have a vintage digital camera, a canon one, as long as you take photos with natural light, the quality is great and actually end up with beautiful pictures. Mine cost like 30 dolars second hand

I was watching a gemologist on KZread who said that the fire opals being sold in tourist shops were plastic. Many who commented on the post spoke of similar experiences.

I always tell people to carry a special wallet with a limited amount of money in it. So I don’t lose too much if it is stolen. And it keeps attention away from the real wallet. Thank you for the video.

I love those inside-the-waistband wallets, and even use them in the safest countries, from petty crime, that I travel. Because they're great for not forgetting or misplacing anything, and having a ritual for putting things away properly.

On my last cruise, they offered the charm bracelet, where you could get one or more charms at different locations on ship, as well as jewelry stores at the Port. I had no problems getting the charm without buying anything else.

@schwan44

10 ай бұрын

Yeah, we actually got a kind of locket the first day and then were able to collect a little free item each day to put inside. It’s easy to find out what the deal is. If the charm is only free as an add-on to a bracelet you have to buy (which happened to us on a different cruise), just say no thanks and leave.

I was scammed in Ketchikan Alaska at one of the jewelry stores they have in most of their ports. I purchased 4 Pandora charms, they were about the same price as normal jewelry stores but they were of Alaska. I asked if they were authentic Pandora charms and was told several times yes. To find out they were not, how I found out was so embarrassing. The gift shop on the ship was giving away free charms with a purchase and they were the exact same ones. So I have learned if it is a brand name item to check official websites of the item. 1st make sure they actually sell that item(the ones I purchased were not) and then I check the price. My gut told me not to go into those jewelry stores but I didn't listen. Lesson learned

A lot of those tourist shopping places will haggle with you as well. You don't necessarily need to pay their asking price if you like something, you can probably talk them down a bit.

while in the navy, we got warnered.about watching out for people with animals in S/E Asia and them dropping them on us and snapping a quick photo and demanding money for the photo we didn't want taken., charging 200 USD. we were also encoraged to haggle at some places and not others. established big name stores sticker price small shops and stalls were haggle spots. biggest thing to learn was to be willing to walk away.

I live in Vienna and sometimes see folks in the more touristy areas stopping to watch some street performer. I always shudder thinking that - likely - at least one person crowded around is being pickpocketed by the performer's accomplice(s) while they're distracted. Perhaps they really are just street performers looking for a Euro, but the big city kid in me can't help but see scams around every corner. As my grandfather always said, "watch your back!"

Dude was sketching on the Brooklyn Bridge and selling skyline drawings. Once I got home figured out it was a print. Honestly got it for decent price and love it.

We were in the Bahamas and I bought a very pretty big seashell. Well, the gentleman gave it to a girl to pack it up around the corner. I left my husband talking to the man and I followed the girl. I listened to Ilana also..

Same thing happened with me in Cairo. The tour guides in Cairo certainly took you to their friends to shop….

A relative of mine and her husband were sort of scammed in a funny way when they were in Paris. They were staying at a certain hotel but were invited for dinner by some other friends. They were told where the Restaurant was but when they came outside it was dark and they felt that they had better get a taxi to the place though they had planned to walk. The taxi was told the destination and off they went. 20 mins later they pulled up outside the restaurant after having driven miles through the city. It cost a small fortune and they couldn’t understand why their friends would choose such an out of the way place. When they queried the fact the friends were at a loss as to what they meant. After some back and forth it was in fact revealed that they were about 5 mins walk from the Hotel, which had in fact been chosen for that reason. Obviously they had stood out as tourists, not just for the look and sound of them which would have screamed it; but because if they had been locals or maybe not so naive, they would not have needed the taxi. A quick check of a street map would have helped them avoid his. Admittedly this was about 40 yrs ago before tourists were warned about scams. But in truth some people never listen to advice. Hence so many get caught even now..

@HarvestHome2000

3 ай бұрын

What else did you expect from the French?

Never dress like a tourist... stick with what the locals are wearing ... be the grey man... dont stick out and try to blend in ... ive been to a lot of the major cities and my usual attire of a cheap polo shirt, jeans and boots tends to make scammers stay away... i either look like a local or i look too poor to mug or scam 😅

@NanetteG.-ii4xy

8 ай бұрын

Yes !! No fancy jewelry. Clothes, no purses. !! Hidden $$. Wallets. 🎉❤simple😊

I'm going to be in transit mode, if I'm talking a cruise, only reason to go ashore would to be buying postcards and stamps otherwise I'll stay onboard.

My buddy said she bought a fancy ring, took hers off. The vendor said. I can take it and wrap yours. While returning to the ship opened the wrapped box and you know the rest. The box was empty. And her ring was a family heirloom.

Great advice…I want to add that travellers, beware of fake money when receiving cash change. A taxi driver in Istanbul pulled this one on me when I had just arrived and wasn’t familiar with their cash bills and coins. The banks wouldn’t do anything about it. Apparently it’s too common a scam.

The best taxi and car service experiences I have ever had anywhere was in Mexico City, Mexico. As for the scams, many of these are as old as time and they target tourists in general, not just those who cruise.

A travel agent I knew sewed thin strips of velcro to close his pockets so he did not worry about losing anything. I have all my vital stuff on individual lanyards clipped to my purse - wallet, keys, passport pouch, eyeglass case, phone. It is not elegant but I don't have to worry about stuff falling out.

Thanks to videos like this one, when I was in port, all I bought were a couple of handmade ornaments and a beach bag for $15 total. And our excursion was booked through the cruise line. I detest scams!

A few years ago my husband and I took a taxi from Athens to the airport. I gave the driver a 50 Euro note. He swapped it for a 5 Euro note and insisted that I had made a mistake. I'm sure on hearing our English voices, he thought that we were not used to the currency. However we live in Austria and I was certain of what I had given him. There were a couple of police officers close by, so I suggested that we call them over. He immediately apologized and said he had made a mistake. Now when I give someone a larger note of any currency, I say "THIS IS A ..........".

Ah! Photo scam! Yes, same thing happened to us in the Chichen Itza complex. One of the dressed up men actually threw their prop weapon. Quite the scene.

I was a victim of the damage scam in Mexico City. I returned my rental car and they said there was damage on the tire. Total baloney. It was fine. The “fee” was about the amount of a new tire. I demanded they send it to me since they made me pay for it. It never arrived of course lol. Now I always record my rentals in 4k before renting!

@fluffytail6355

11 ай бұрын

Car rental in Jamaica pulled this on us in April. Luckily, we took photos and video before we took the vehicle but upon return, the owner was outside as as soon as we pulled up, he claimed to see damage on the vehicle. There wasn’t any new damage and it was just a way for him to try and scam us out of extra money. He got REALLY angry and was yelling at us and insulting us. We thought he would pull a gun on us. I’m so glad to report that we ended up getting away from him unharmed and that he hadn’t charged extra funds to the credit card.

This is all great information, thank you! When we were on a cruise to the Mexican Riviera we talked with a passenger, who did not want to go on one of the cruise tours, but rather went off on their own. They grabbed a taxi and told them what they wanted to see. This guy drove them all over, going many miles out of the way and charged them accordingly. They were almost late getting back to the ship, and THAT would have been a disaster.

Much like the story about Cuban cigars, while visiting the Caribbean my girlfriend paid $100 at a duty free shop for a bottle of premium single malt Scotch. When I opened the bottle at home it became clear (well, not literally) she’d been scammed with the substitution of standard old swill.

I was in a casino in Laughlin Nevada once when someone dropped their cup of coins. I told my mom to watch out, might be a pickpocket scam and we quickly left the area.

On a cruise to the Canary Islands we used taxi tours with friends at most ports. We had some great experiences. In Tenerife my friend left her phone in the taxi and we’d sailed before she realised. The taxi driver had returned the phone to the ship…..so honest and kind. So it’s a shame a few bad apples spoil it for those hard working, honest people just out to make a living.

Another Taxi scam we feel for is we got into a cab in Cozumel with a beach club in mind. After we were on our way, he told us it was closed but he knew of another similar place. It wasn't actually closed and the place he took us to clearly knew him and gave him a kick back. Luckily, that place wasn't bad at all and we really enjoyed our day

I stitched a tiny wallet just the size for some credit cards and a little cash that I keep under my shirt when I travel. If a pick pocket is able to get their hand inside my shirt, inside my bra without my noticing, they've earned whatever they manage to steal, but no one has even attempted it yet. 🤣

@NanetteG.-ii4xy

8 ай бұрын

Smart !! &&&& Ladies. NEVER place purses in shopping 🛒. Will simple b stolen😮😢. It weighs too much?? Toss it!

Great tips whether you're in a cruise port, at home, or traveling anywhere else. I had a great taxi tour in Moldova and a terrible taxi scam in Sweden. Whenever I plan a taxi tour now, I have specific destinations on a list and we follow that. We were almost victims of pickpockets in Italy and a guy standing right next to us in Spain had his backpack stolen while we were all watching a thunderstorm just outside the hotel entry. As for car rentals, I once turned in a car in Duluth, Minnesota via a key drop box in the early morning and they charged me $500 for an $80 rental because they said I had turned in the car in Michigan. Fortunately their own records showed they had rented the same car out of Duluth shortly after I turned it in. It was still a pain in the neck to get the credit issued to my credit card. Since then I take pix and/or videos each time I turn a car in. Traveler be smart, be alert, and beware!

@schwan44

10 ай бұрын

Italy seems to be especially bad with pickpockets (see my story below).

@elizabethwalker3272

10 ай бұрын

Yes! I always take pictures! I trust no one!

@chrism3784

9 ай бұрын

after I turned in my car in Hawaii I immediately deactivated my credit card from allowing any charges for a little over a week. Didn't need it. After a week activated back on my phone. Watched for weeks after, no charges or anything from the car rental place. Don't know if they tried or not. Should do the same anytime you rent a car, make them have to go through hoops to get money from you after you rent a car for damages they claim you did

@hill77276

7 ай бұрын

I live an hour north of Duluth on the "Iron Range". Appalled that "local" car rental tried to to you off!

My husband has bought several pair of boots in Cozumel, and is always very satisfied with his purchase. On one occasion, he wanted something a little different. The shop owner showed him a pair of really nice boots, he said were elephant hide. My husband said he wasn't aware that Mexico had elephants. When we got home he was telling the guys who work for him about the boots. They all started laughing at my husband, one said in his broken English, 'Mr. Hugh, Mexico no have elephant, they lie to you.' As it turns out, the boots are tortuga skin and super comfortable, so he doesn't feel cheated, but he still gets laughed at by the guys. lol

Thanks for the reminder to photograph the hire car BEFORE getting in and BEFORE walking away at drop off. Three hire cars ahead of us in North America, appreciate the reminder. Great videos Gary. So many insightful tips for us travellers.

@Katrinagaming-en1os

9 ай бұрын

Yep, I do this too and I talk the whole time on the video and will point and zoom in to the smallest scratch, dent or scuff before I exit. After I video the vehicle, I also pan around the car park to prove my location and if I am with someone I will get them to show me their phone to prove the date and time of return. I’ve never had to prove my innocence but I am settled knowing I have protected myself.