Caribbean Princess Waiter Dies

According to today's South Florida Sun-Sentinel, a 30-year-old waiter from Portugal died of a heroine overdose. They found 2 packages of heroine hidden in his cabin, so they think he was using and smuggling.:(

That anyone can walk on board with drugs?

Now that is scary to me:eek:

Lets hope what you heard is not true.

The newspaper says the FBI is investigating.

Here's the article. I can't say I am totally surprised as drug uses is everywhere and certainly would be an issue in an atmosphere like a shipboard community.

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/broward/sfl-cdeadcrew04feb04,0,3280586.story

Does anyone know if the cruise lines have drug tests for their crews?

My husband has been in baseball for many years. That was in the days when they were not testing for drugs.

Since his playing years, he has taken up coaching and scouting. The ball club tested everyone (most of the tests were a surprise for the players and coaches), but not at the same time.

BTW my DH was tested many times, and was always clean.

I wonder if the "cruise community" does that. IMO, I would think everyone of the crew should be tested at various times. I would not like a druggy preparing my food, drinks, etc.

Any comments?

For employees and passengers with regards to drugs?

It is scary,not only for employees to be on drugs,but also ones fellow passengers....either under the influence of drugs can have an uncontrolled attack and lash out at anyone.

Returning from on shore excursions ones bags are are scanned, and before that metal detectors are used....but what if someone had drugs on ones person???????? Scary stuff:eek:

I would not like a druggy preparing my food, drinks, etc.

 

Any comments?

Then you should probably stop eating out altogether. The food industry, like many others, has a high ratio of drug use. Especially the kitchen help as this is a very stressful line of work. I know several people who have children in this industry and many of them have drug problems. It is unavoidable, the drug problems touch everyone. It doesn’t matter where you live or how privileged you are, you're going to know someone who has a drug problem or someone in their family that has one. The scanning that is done when you board the ship would not identify drugs. How often have you had prescriptions in your carry-on and were never questioned about them? Those scanners can not tell a vitamin from an illegal drug.

On a side note, a 38 year old Captain on the Monarch of the Seas died of "natural causes" this week. He was the youngest Captain on RCCL.

Then you should probably stop eating out altogether. The food industry, like many others, has a high ratio of drug use. Especially the kitchen help as this is a very stressful line of work. I know several people who have children in this industry and many of them have drug problems. It is unavoidable, the drug problems touch everyone. It doesn’t matter where you live or how privileged you are, you're going to know someone who has a drug problem or someone in their family that has one. The scanning that is done when you board the ship would not identify drugs. How often have you had prescriptions in your carry-on and were never questioned about them? Those scanners can not tell a vitamin from an illegal drug.

So you are making the statement that because it happens on land ...that we should accept this at sea ?

Lets have some more points of view from everybody

So you are making the statement that because it happens on land ...that we should accept this at sea ?

Lets have some more points of view from everybody

As Cactusrose pointed out, drug use is EVERYWHERE. And with a lot of the crew being from areas where drug use is rampant and the drugs are either grown or manufactured (Thailand, Phillipines, "the golden triangle" for heroin, etc.), WHY would you think there was NOT drug use on a cruise ship? Heck, passengers get booted all the time for either personal use or smuggling.

Sure, the cruise lines probably do an initial drug screening. And maybe even random screenings after employment. But 4-5 days of not doing drugs and you will test clean for everything EXCEPT pot. So you get your job and start using drugs again. If you get caught using drugs through a random, you get booted off the ship. If you are an addict, it would be no big deal.

My point of view, first my prayers are for the persons friends and family. Any death is sad for the living left behind. Drugs are everywhere, and probably one of the saddest things to witness in a family.

I personally would not hold a cruise line up to higher standards than any general employer. Want to pay for daily drug tests? The lines I understand do test, but as in every walk of life, this happens.

To me this is a sad end to a troubled life, and the story does not influence me in cruising at all.

What? :confused: :confused:

I would like to suggest that you never eat or drink another thing in any public venue. Perhaps preparation outside your home is not for you.

I would not like a druggy preparing my food, drinks, etc. Any comments?

Crews on ships are held to certain rules regarding drug use (and that includes alcohol, which is an addictive drug). Drug and alcohol testing can and does occur without warning. There is also incident of drug sniffing dogs coming on board without warning when a ship comes into its disembarkation port (Ft. Lauderdale and Los Angeles primarily). These precautions are effective. I’m not sure what harm someone being buzzed would have on food – how many of us have a glass of wine or two while making dinner? I would assume those in charge of maneuvering the ship would be under stricter controls regarding drug and alcohol use.

I don’t think any one should sensationalize this incident or panic. How many people are tested for drug use before they drive beside you on the freeway? One incident doesn’t mean everyone who is part of a ship’s staff is under the influence. What we should be focusing on is that the poor fellow is dead.

Crews on ships are held to certain rules regarding drug use (and that includes alcohol, which is an addictive drug). Drug and alcohol testing can and does occur without warning. There is also incident of drug sniffing dogs coming on board without warning when a ship comes into its disembarkation port (Ft. Lauderdale and Los Angeles primarily). These precautions are effective. I’m not sure what harm someone being buzzed would have on food – how many of us have a glass of wine or two while making dinner? I would assume those in charge of maneuvering the ship would be under stricter controls regarding drug and alcohol use.

 

I don’t think any one should sensationalize this incident or panic. How many people are tested for drug use before they drive beside you on the freeway? One incident doesn’t mean everyone who is part of a ship’s staff is under the influence. What we should be focusing on is that the poor fellow is dead.

Well stated.

So you are making the statement that because it happens on land ...that we should accept this at sea ?

Lets have some more points of view from everybody

I don't think the poster was stating we should accept it. I think the poster's point was that drug use is everywhere and it isn't something that can be 100% controlled. There are doctors operating who use drugs. Cooks in your local resteraunts who are using drugs. Police officers who are using drugs. Military officers who are using drugs. And so on. It would be naive to believe that the cruise ships could make themselves 100% clean.

We've all been through screening while reboarding the ships. Does anyone think it would be at all difficult to carry a packet of (insert any drug here) back onboard the ship? Could be passengers or crew.

That any person you are dealing with in today's society, whether on land, in the air or at sea, is on drugs is just a risk we all take on every day of our lives (unless of course we don't leave our own homes).

I don't condone it. I won't make excuses for anyone/any organization. But it's out there. Ships aren't any different than any other organization in our society. To me, the danger of a hopped up crew member isn't how he's preparing your food or martini. It's a safety issue. That's the part that would concern me. Boatswains on a tender, officers standing watch, deck hands handling life boats, engineers in the engine room, any crew member in the event of real onboard emergency, etc.

There is also incident of drug sniffing dogs coming on board without warning when a ship comes into its disembarkation port (Ft. Lauderdale and Los Angeles primarily). These precautions are effective.

Evidently not!

I am a retired customs officer and I can tell you you could walk on board with 10Kgs of heroin and they would not notice. The xray machines they are using are looking for a) Weapons or b) booze. The operatives have way too little training and expertise to detect drugs. We used them and I know that even trained customs officers looking at x rays for minutes at a time at what appear empty bags miss concealments and at their rate of scanning they have no chance.

They are like the security staff at airports on departures....and its not their job to find drugs. Obviously they might "fall over " a concealment but drug detection is not part of their remit.:mad: :mad:

Sorry but there it is !

Ships crew are randomly tested for drugs & their cabins are inspected every week during the Captains Crew Rounds.

Unfortunately drugs are a fact of life these days & if someone is an addict they will find all manner of ways to disguise the fact from their employers & that applies to land & sea positions.

Saw one on the Island Princess in September upon embarkation in Vancouver

Evidently not!

I am a retired customs officer and I can tell you you could walk on board with 10Kgs of heroin and they would not notice. The xray machines they are using are looking for a) Weapons or b) booze. The operatives have way too little training and expertise to detect drugs. We used them and I know that even trained customs officers looking at x rays for minutes at a time at what appear empty bags miss concealments and at their rate of scanning they have no chance.

 

They are like the security staff at airports on departures....and its not their job to find drugs. Obviously they might "fall over " a concealment but drug detection is not part of their remit.:mad: :mad:

 

Sorry but there it is !

First of all, I am also sorry for the family and friends who lost their loved one.

When I read the posts, and noticed it was in regards to drugs, I thought I'd get a consensus.

I am writting a paper regarding drugs in the mainstream (for a class), so

I guess I'm playing the Devil's Advocate.

As I was reading the thread, it came to me. I never thought of adding Cruise Ships as another venue.

Thank you all for the comments.

BTW, I am an avid CC'er who loves to cruise!!

Dogs found drugs while we were waiting to disembark in San Francisco two years ago.

I don’t think any one should sensationalize this incident or panic. How many people are tested for drug use before they drive beside you on the freeway? One incident doesn’t mean everyone who is part of a ship’s staff is under the influence. What we should be focusing on is that the poor fellow is dead.

Again I will have to agree. They do random drug testing of CDL drivers but not ordinary car drivers who have just a much power to kill as anyone else on the road.

Sorry, but you mis-read my post. My post referred to dogs – not xray machines or operatives. I know for a fact that the dogs have found drugs on board ships in the past. My embarkation on Sun Princess was delayed for two hours in Ft. Lauderdale due to a find by dogs and Pacific Princess 1 was laid up in a foreign port because dogs found heroin hidden in bulkhead coverings. They might not get 100% of it every time, but I believe the dogs are effective.

Dogs are effective-we were on Carnival (sorry B) several years ago when the dogs found drugs in luggage. This also happened on a Disney cruise and they took the passenger off in handcuffs (horror and shock). I'm sure many of you have gone by a cabin and smelled pot.

I wouldn't worry so much about where the crew is from concering their possible drug use. To say they are more apt to use drugs because they are from a country that produces the product is ludicrous. I would worry more about the amount of drugs and drug users in the south Florida area. I'd also like to see some facts to back up a previous statement about so many people in the food industry being on drugs because of the job stress. Can you imagine how many airline pilots or police officers must be on drugs if it is related to stress on the job.

Jim

I have learned something today...Thank you all.