Initial Security Check?

[1stTimer02/2011]

Newbie here... when you go through the initial security check, before boarding the ship for the first time, do you go through an x-ray / metal detector or do you have the option to be patted down?

 

Although the option of being patted down would surely make the wait time to get on a little longer...but just wondering if you have an option?

 

Heading out on the Spirit in Feb for a first time cruise...

[Chipster2]

Different ports might be different but from what I remember, you do go through a metal detector and if you fail that they use hand held scanner.

[roger001]

Additionally, at each port stop, if you leave the ship, reentering you must go through a portable scanner again. The last time it caught camera AA batteries in my pocket that I had forgotten.

[cb at sea]

If you can't go thru the scanner, they will pat you down.....hubby has a pacemaker and can't go thru anything with a magnet, so he has to get the pat down. Either way, it doesn't take too long....it's not quite like the airport!

[garycarla]

NOTHING like the airport.

 

The metal detectors are way less sensitive in the first place. Sometimes if you set it off you can just show them what you forgot to put through the scanner/xray. Other times they will do a hand scan. Pat downs are rare.

 

Just go through the metal detector. It is not like those x-ray things that some airports have.

 

P.S. the reason it is less sensitive and the pat downs are less intrusive are for two reasons. First off, there is not a fear that somebody will take over the ship and fly it into a building. Second, the TSA has not gotten their big brother hands into this part of our life, yet.