Security Screening and Prohibited Items Policy

[MargaritaPlease]

This email new??

IMPORTANT UPDATE:
Security Screening and Prohibited Items PolicyDear Guest,

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

[jetskier]

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

[pnjkeith]

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 ___.

[crusinpsychRN]

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

[Nanatravel]

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.

[*Mach*]

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...

[SoonerOne]

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

[grey's girl]

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.

[happy cruzer]

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.

[*Mach*]

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*]

Originally Posted by happy cruzer

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.

[tutak]

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.

[LemurCat]

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.

[pnjkeith]

Originally Posted by tutak

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

[vacruizer]

Originally Posted by Host Mach

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...

• 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.

[Kurbanfan]

Originally Posted by tutak

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.......

[dan40]

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], I use them for pull handles. Have no idea where the keys have gone to. Total losses in 50 years of travel? $0.00.

[ib4cruzn]

Originally Posted by vacruizer

Ok, Mach - you asked for it...

• 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?

[Kurbanfan]

Originally Posted by dan40

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], 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.......

[Beave8920]

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.