Security Screening and Prohibited Items Policy

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Before you get ready to have the most fun you ever thought possible on your upcoming cruise, we must share some important security information with you.

In order to maintain a safe and secure environment, Carnival prohibits certain items onboard, i.e., weapons, candles, irons, alcohol, or other dangerous goods. According to our policy, Carnival conducts security scanning of all luggage and if prohibited items are found, they will be removed and stored for safekeeping until the end of the voyage. The retained item(s) will be delivered to your stateroom on the last night of the cruise. Unsealed liquids that are prohibited will be discarded, as well as any unclaimed items left after the voyage, and no compensation will be given in either case. For additional information, please refer to the terms and conditions of your cruise ticket contract.

IMPORTANT - All luggage must be unlocked before turning over to the porters in order to avoid any inconvenience to you or delay in delivering the luggage to your stateroom.

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation. We can't wait to see you on board!

Sincerely,

Vicky Rey, CTC

Vice President, Guest Services

It goes hand in hand with the other policy change where any wines or champagnes must be in your "carry-on" bag.

They are fixing to start cracking down on booze smuggling. Basically they are saying no bottles in your checked luggage. If found, they are going to be taken and given back to you on the last seaday.

Dave

Dumb idea. Give unlocked bags to porters, Carnival has no liabilty for your bags. Someone needs to get hold of their ears and pull head out of ___.

I really don't want to unlock luggage given to the porter.

There is no way in H*** I am giving my luggage unlocked to a porter or crew member. CCL has no liability and try to sue the Longshoreman's Union. Fat chance. Vicky can say what she wants, but its locked luggage for me.

I've gotta tell you that I share y'all's concerns completely.

I've been talking with John Heald about this. It was something that he was unaware of but it's apparently rooted in security concerns but even the TSA suggests you lock your bags.

He'll have more for me later today on this but I can't help but think that there's a revolt brewing over this one...

:(

Me too, locked luggage is going to stay locked luggage! I have friends just this Saturday back from the Triumph and they had no issues with luggage, locked, unlocked or otherwise.......I am going to continue as always:)

We've used cable ties for years, and will continue to use them! They're better than nothing...no way am I going to give 'unlocked' luggage to anyone.

Mach, Please do get an answer quick. I love home port cruising with Carnival but these policy changes look like they don't love us back.

Thanks.

John asked me to forward some of the perceived negatives to him and I've added several from this thread.

If folks have additional concerns please feel free to add them here. I'll be glad to send along any new concerns.

Mach, Please do get an answer quick. I love home port cruising with Carnival but these policy changes look like they don't love us back.

 

Thanks.

There's little that I can do other than forward our concerns and I'm doing that.

I just can't help but believe that this was poorly thought out or simply given little thought at all.

Mach, my concerns are as follows:

I resent the fact that while I am spending thousands of dollars on a cruise, instead of being treated as a "guest" I am being treated like some criminal suspect.

I can see a potential for smuggling between a porter (or someone dressed as a porter) and someone onboard the ship. Drugs, guns and/or explosives could be placed in may bags. If the items get through, they are successful. If the items are found, what happens to me, am I arrested, denied boarding?

If Carnival insists on this, then Carnival should be willing to be liable for any claims of theft.

On one hand, I see this as a tempest in a teapot. Anything worth stealing shouldn't be in your checked luggage anyway, locks or no locks. Those locks can come off just as easily as a cheap prom dress. And if not the lock then the bag itself can be damaged to get at what's in there.

On the other hand, I completely get it. If Carnival was handling the bags themselves, without a middle man involved to give them deniability, I can't say I'd feel a little bit better, but I can say I'd know who to look for in regards to recourse.

As for "resent(ing) ... being treated like a criminal suspect" ... need I remind everyone that we live in a post 9-11 world? My bag gets searched at least once a month by the NYPD for the subway. This is a small price to pay to make sure no one's got a block of C4 in their bag.

Mach, my concerns are as follows:

 

I resent the fact that while I am spending thousands of dollars on a cruise, instead of being treated as a "guest" I am being treated like some criminal suspect.

 

I can see a potential for smuggling between a porter (or someone dressed as a porter) and someone onboard the ship. Drugs, guns and/or explosives could be placed in may bags. If the items get through, they are successful. If the items are found, what happens to me, am I arrested, denied boarding?

 

If Carnival insists on this, then Carnival should be willing to be liable for any claims of theft.

Well said!! I will continue to use TSA locks.

BTW I disagree with Alton Brown

John asked me to forward some of the perceived negatives to him and I've added several from this thread.

 

If folks have additional concerns please feel free to add them here. I'll be glad to send along any new concerns.

 

Ok, Mach - you asked for it... :p:D

• Porters do not work for the cruise line and Carnival limits baggage responsibility. I am supposed to just hand over unlocked luggage and HOPE that everyone is honest? Even the TSA lets you lock bags as long as the TSA approved locks are used. This allows the TSA in for security checks but helps keep out other roving hands from porters, baggage handlers, ticket agents, etc.
  
• Locks help keep zippers from accidentally coming open
  
• Most thefts are crimes of opportunity with the thief going for an easy target such as an unlocked bag. While I never carry valuables in a checked bag, I would still rather not give a thief that opportunity. It's peace of mind for me.
  
• Requiring the bag to be unlocked allows anyone who feels like it to easily open my bag without my permission. I do realize that I agree in the cruise contract to allow search of my bags but I expect this to be with just cause by the proper authorities - not just anyone who feels like opening my bag because it's unlocked.
  

Mach, my concerns are as follows:

 

I resent the fact that while I am spending thousands of dollars on a cruise, instead of being treated as a "guest" I am being treated like some criminal suspect.

 

I can see a potential for smuggling between a porter (or someone dressed as a porter) and someone onboard the ship. Drugs, guns and/or explosives could be placed in may bags. If the items get through, they are successful. If the items are found, what happens to me, am I arrested, denied boarding?

 

If Carnival insists on this, then Carnival should be willing to be liable for any claims of theft.

Unless you lock every zipper and nook and cranny......there will always be potential for someone to put something in your luggage.........even at the airport even with TSA locks.......

Folks, PLEASE! A thief can open any piece of locked luggage in under 2 seconds, and will surely damage the luggage in the process. You carry your valuables in your carry-on, NOT in checked bags.

50 cruises and around 2000,or more, flights all over the world. Every cruise and every flight I check luggage. NEVER LOCKED! I have TSA locks on all my zippers[luggage zippers:p], I use them for pull handles. Have no idea where the keys have gone to. Total losses in 50 years of travel? $0.00.

Ok, Mach - you asked for it... :p:D

 

• Porters do not work for the cruise line and Carnival limits baggage responsibility. I am supposed to just hand over unlocked luggage and HOPE that everyone is honest? Even the TSA lets you lock bags as long as the TSA approved locks are used. This allows the TSA in for security checks but helps keep out other roving hands from porters, baggage handlers, ticket agents, etc.
  
• Locks help keep zippers from accidentally coming open
  
• Most thefts are crimes of opportunity with the thief going for an easy target such as an unlocked bag. While I never carry valuables in a checked bag, I would still rather not give a thief that opportunity. It's peace of mind for me.
  
• Requiring the bag to be unlocked allows anyone who feels like it to easily open my bag without my permission. I do realize that I agree in the cruise contract to allow search of my bags but I expect this to be with just cause by the proper authorities - not just anyone who feels like opening my bag because it's unlocked.
  

HEAR, HEAR! I will NOT have some third-world grunt pawing through my wife and my luggage. Not without a warrant. (yes, I understand this is a USA thing) What happened to Civil Liberties? Are Carnival ships registered out of Cuba?

It's seeming more and more that Carnival will take any and all liberties they are allowed.

How long before you will have to surrender your wallet when boarding?

Folks, PLEASE! A thief can open any piece of locked luggage in under 2 seconds, and will surely damage the luggage in the process. You carry your valuables in your carry-on, NOT in checked bags.

50 cruises and around 2000,or more, flights all over the world. Every cruise and every flight I check luggage. NEVER LOCKED! I have TSA locks on all my zippers[luggage zippers:p], I use them for pull handles. Have no idea where the keys have gone to. Total losses in 50 years of travel? $0.00.

We never lock either.....never had a problem.........nothing of value goes in my check luggage either.......

I have no problem with them searching luggage in an effort to keep us safe...but that's not what happens.

The longshoreman porters (non Carnival employees) take our luggage (unsupervised) and walk around with it. It gets thrown around several times until it goes onto the ship, where it may or may not be inspected. They have scanning equipment that checks for metal and or chemical composites of questionable origin. If they find something and need to open it, they summon you - which is the way it should be....if not, they send to your cabin.

I realize that puny lock represents little security, but it may keep someone honest. But more importantly, it keeps my bag locked and from opening up and may prevent my entire blongings from being spilled all over the ship. On 10 cruises, twice I've had my locked bags delivered with damage and lost clothes. I would hate to think what would happen if they weren't locked.

Folks, PLEASE! A thief can open any piece of locked luggage in under 2 seconds, and will surely damage the luggage in the process. You carry your valuables in your carry-on, NOT in checked bags.

50 cruises and around 2000,or more, flights all over the world. Every cruise and every flight I check luggage. NEVER LOCKED! I have TSA locks on all my zippers[luggage zippers:p], I use them for pull handles. Have no idea where the keys have gone to. Total losses in 50 years of travel? $0.00.

Keys? You need combo locks. They do make great zipper pulls. The diff here is Carnival wants no liability. Anyway, those with the Gold make all the Rules!

Dumb idea. Give unlocked bags to porters, Carnival has no liabilty for your bags. Someone needs to get hold of their ears and pull head out of ___.

I don't know why they just don't let people have a choice - just like (I think) I remember) TSA did years ago.

If you lock your luggage and they need to open to inspect it they cut your lock.

I'm sure Carnival can afford a few bolt cutters!

You carry your valuables in your carry-on, NOT in checked bags.

.

I gather YOU don't trust the porters either, then. :-)

I see this as a "control" thing. Soon they'll have cattle-prods.

HEAR, HEAR! I will NOT have some third-world grunt pawing through my wife and my luggage.

I'm not sure who you are referring to as a "third world grunt". The porters perhaps? Who are all US citizens, fully screened by Homeland Security, and union members? Or Carnival's employees, who you trust to clean your room during your cruise?

Not without a warrant. (yes, I understand this is a USA thing) What happened to Civil Liberties? Are Carnival ships registered out of Cuba?

Why do you assume you have civil liberties? Carnival ships are private property and you abide by their rules while inside their confines when in international waters. You also surrender certain rights when you hand over your luggage. Why you think you have a reasonable expectation of privacy when it comes to any means of transportation in a post Patriot Act/9-11 world is beyond me. Have you not been paying attention to the world for the past ten years?

It's seeming more and more that Carnival will take any and all liberties they are allowed.

So stay home. Don't get on their ships. :rolleyes:

How long before you will have to surrender your wallet when boarding?

You do that already. It's called a Sign & Sail account.

Just my $.02...

If this is truly a security concern then Carnival should be fine with TSA locks and should provide evidence to guests that it would be TSA agents examining any bag opened.

Should a bag be opened and examined a Notice of Inspection should be placed inside the bag by a TSA agent as is required on the airlines.