Beware....missing money on Belize Aggressor!

[Under the Sea]

A good week of diving and fellowship ended on a sour note when approximately $600 cash came up missing from 3 different guest cabins. One cabin had $300 missing, another had $200 and another $100. The boat had a ladies group of 15 divers and two couples aboard for the week...plus a crew of 6. The captain stated this had never before on his boat and backed his crew. The night before we departed another guest reported a missing jade bracelet.....so it was suggested we search each others bags. Nothing was found! The guests missing cash were given the option of contacting the police in Belize.....but the captain stated this might cause guest leaving the next morning to be delayed and possibly miss flights! It was decided not to call the police. I did not have anything missing, but found the whole situation to be very awkward and easily prevented. A small safe in each room would provide security for each guest...and be beneficial to the staff in what was a very awkward situation. I felt personally that the captain was very quick to back the crew and place the blame on one of the guest! This left a very sour taste in my mouth regarding the Aggressor.
i also found it very interesting that I had questioned another officer about putting my billfold and passport in the ship safe when I boarded and was met with the statement that things were safe on the ship. The company does state in the Know Before You Go document that a safe on the boat is available!
So, a few words of wisdom before you go on the Belize Aggressor or any other liveaboard.....make sure your valuables are in safe keeping and locked up!
I also pray that the person that took the cash needed it very bad and had no other option but to steal. Not only did you steal money, you cast a veil of sadness on our great week.:depressed:

 

[Doubler]

I have done 5 charters on the Belize Aggressor with the same crew and never had any issues. I had at least $1000 cash in my wallet and never worried about it. I would very seriously look at a guest and I would have had a real issue with the baggage search. That is BS.

Dependent on when it was stolen it could have been shore support help and not the crew or guest.

 

[tracydr]

I think, if money wasn't found in a search, that it is highly likely to be a crew member. I had a similar situation happen in the Galapegos on the Agressor 1. My dive watch came up missing on the second to last day of our trip. I had also traveled with nearly all of the divers on a previous trip, so I was fairly certain that it wasn't another diver. I was also nearly positive that i had attached my watch to my BC after the earlier dive of the day.The first search for the watch was unsuccessful. The second search, after a threat to withhold tips, was very quickly successful. The Captain claimed that they found the watch behind the showers, an extremely unlikely spot, considering I had not used the outdoor shower the entire trip,only the one in my room. I had left my watch on my BC, strapped to the front, as i had been for after every dive for the entire trip, to make sure i wouldn't forget to put it on,and when I went to dive again, the watch was missing.
It's very sad when you can't trust a crew with your belongings but it would certainly make things much more comfortable if boats would include a small safe box in each room.
Where,on a dive trip, do you put valuables? It's not like when you're in a hotel, where you almost always have some sort of safe available.

---------- Post added July 28th, 2013 at 08:33 PM ----------

I have done 5 charters on the Belize Aggressor with the same crew and never had any issues. I had at least $1000 cash in my wallet and never worried about it. I would very seriously look at a guest and I would have had a real issue with the baggage search. That is BS.

Dependent on when it was stolen it could have been shore support help and not the crew or guest.

You never know when they might hire a new guy, perhaps not somebody you've ever met.Maybe he's the culprit. Do they only have one crew, no turnover, ever? I highly doubt it.

 

[jmsenger]

It's very sad when you can't trust a crew with your belongings but it would certainly make things much more comfortable if boats would include a small safe box in each room.
Where,on a dive trip, do you put valuables? It's not like when you're in a hotel, where you almost always have some sort of safe available.

Some boats do have safes in each room. The Carpe Vita in the Maldives, for one. Just one more thoughtful design element on a great boat.

 

[Under the Sea]

The money came up missing while out on the water......so that pretty much limited who could have taken it.

 

[Under the Sea]

A good week of diving and fellowship ended on a sour note when approximately $600 cash came up missing from 3 different guest cabins. One cabin had $300 missing, another had $200 and another $100. The boat had a ladies group of 15 divers and two couples aboard for the week...plus a crew of 6. The captain stated this had never before on his boat and backed his crew. The night before we departed another guest reported a missing jade bracelet.....so it was suggested we search each others bags. Nothing was found! The guests missing cash were given the option of contacting the police in Belize.....but the captain stated this might cause guest leaving the next morning to be delayed and possibly miss flights! It was decided not to call the police. I did not have anything missing, but found the whole situation to be very awkward and easily prevented. A small safe in each room would provide security for each guest...and be beneficial to the staff in what was a very awkward situation. I felt personally that the captain was very quick to back the crew and place the blame on one of the guest! This left a very sour taste in my mouth regarding the Aggressor.
i also found it very interesting that I had questioned another officer about putting my billfold and passport in the ship safe when I boarded and was met with the statement that things were safe on the ship. The company does state in the Know Before You Go document that a safe on the boat is available!
So, a few words of wisdom before you go on the Belize Aggressor or any other liveaboard.....make sure your valuables are in safe keeping and locked up!
I also pray that the person that took the cash needed it very bad and had no other option but to steal. Not only did you steal money, you cast a veil of sadness on our great week.:depressed:

Anyone have a similar experience?

 

[toddthecat]

...and I would have had a real issue with the baggage search. That is BS.

+1 to that

 

[Superlyte27]

I actually wouldn't have had a problem with volunteering my cabin and gear to be searched. The captain should have found a way to make this right. Regardless of who took it, I think it was handled wrong. I probably wouldn't go on these boats after hearing this.

Anyone can stumble upon a thief, but I think the captain of the boat has the unique opportunity in finding the culprit in this particular situation.

 

[Bratface]

It's been a while since I was on a live aboard, but I lock my stuff in my suitcase any time I am in a hotel.

 

[Doubler]

The only person on that boat I don't know is Chris. Randy, Jody, Anna have been on board for years. It would be a real stupid act for the crew to steal. Their pay really depends on tips and stealing isn't conducive to good tips. Word going around that the crew steals would shut down their livelihood. While you are accusing your fellow boat mates of being thieves, because that is what a baggage search is, the real thief is standing next to you searching your bag with the money in his pocket. The captain really has his hands tied in a situation like this and from seeing how the company handled other boat related issues in the fleet I doubt you will get financial satisfaction in this case. Does travel insurance cover this?