The other side of the Freedom/tobacco story

[Arizona Laura]

I can’t even begin to remember what all has been posted on this thread.

 

Obviously his actions no matter what the intent looked suspicious and were highly unusual.

 

We don’t know if he had any past criminal record whether related to drugs or not. Could that have not been looked into by RCL/Captain as well and been part of the decision making process at that time? Could he have had any incidents related to his occupation as a gun dealer that were discovered that made the Captain uncomfortable? We really don’t know if anything was ever discovered on them previously on other cruises or they had any altercations previously on other ships.

All the Captain has to do is be concerned he MAY be a security risk to be able to prevent him from re-boarding the ship.

 

There are so many unanswered questions I fear we could go on for quite some time to discuss this matter and just go round in circles.

[SassySabby]

http://c3270052.r52.cf0.rackcdn.com/freedom-incident-report.jpg

 

Thank you for posting the link to the copy of the police report,which supports cruise critics article concerning this event.

[Edd]

Read the back of that ticket stub. The theatre is under no obligation to give the money back.

 

The cruise lines have passengers over a barrel when it comes to all the legal matters as well. When a passenger signs the cruise documents, he gives up most all of his rights to seek anything from the cruise line in almost any situation. This came to light when the captain of the Concordia tried showing off by doing a drive by. Legal experts got to digging in to what the rights were of the passengers to seek compensation - there wasnt much that the passengers could get. If it had not been such a public nightmare, most of the Concordia passengers could still be sitting on an Italian beach trying to find a way home. And it really wasnt until the highly visible lawsuits starting popping up that Costa Cruise Lines came off of some cash. They had a major imagine problem to smooth over...!! Costa's first offers to passengers were to get them home and give them 30% off their next cruise..!!

 

Maybe one morning, soon, Royal Caribbean's VP of HR will have a great cup of coffee and think - "I'm feeling unusually generous this morning - I'm gonna give the tobacco couple a break and refund them some money"....!!!

 

Otherwise, I'm pretty sure that Legally, RCI is under no obligation to give them a penny back. And I really dont think that even if every cruiser in the universe knows the story, Royal Caribbean is going to miss a beat. I've read where the "cruise critic experts" say that this is going to give Royal Caribbean a black eye -- WHATEVER...!!

 

You know what...?? It's big business, RCI is the most popular cruise line and people love it. The Oasis of the Seas has sailed 110 times and has yet to leave with an empty cabin..!! It's not gonna change...

 

Now, how did I get there when you were talking a teenagers at a movie..!??!!?

[sleepless]

Thank you for posting the link to the copy of the police report,which supports cruise critics article concerning this event.

 

 

Not a police report, it is an incident report. Two different things.

[hubofhockey]

I wouldn't be so sure that RCI's actions wouldn't be considered to be a breach of contract. If it's any kind of close call, it goes against the party that drafted it no matter how many cabins are consecutively sold out on the Oasis or how hard cruise line fanboys cheer for them.

[rogueangel]

I've come to the conclusion that not allowing them on board was probably the safest option given the information available at the time, however I still think they should be refunded in full as they didnt actually do anything illegal or against policy.

[Ocean Boy]

You have a pretty active imagination.

 

Under your train of thought, they should ban elderly people from the ship as well because there is far more likelihood of them having a heart attack or stroke during their cruise - maybe even greater than the passenger in this case who is smoking something that is legal.

 

No matter all of the "what ifs" or people trying to get into the minds of this passenger, nobody has found anything saying the passenger was in breach of his cruise contract. One party did breach the contract. That was RCI. Even if they did it for safety reasons, the passenger should be made whole. I like the passenger's fact pattern a whole lot more than I like the cruise line's in this case. If it ever went to trial though, he'd have to make sure that RCI fanboys weren't on the jury. :D

 

No, my imagination is not that active. That is probably why I am not as good at song writing as I'd like to be.:p I just deal with medical issues every day. Some of them are brought on by people having made stupid decisions. And to your point... If anyone, not just the elderly, have an unstable medical issue (and I did stipulate unstable) then it is probably not in his/her best interest to get onto a cruise ship. It is not in their own best interest and it is somewhat selfish besides.

[Ocean Boy]

Pretty sad that this is 2012 and their test kits are only testing for a substance from the '60's and '70's.

 

Obviously, the folks who invented these kits are in a state of arrested development. Some people just never outgrow their college days.

[Aquahound]

Pretty sad that this is 2012 and their test kits are only testing for a substance from the '60's and '70's.

 

I agree. However, the epidemic of synthetic marijuana is pretty new. They just have to isolate the common active ingredient, and I'm sure it wont be long before the new kits come out. Spice/K2 really just became ilegal in the past few months and some states still haven't signed it in to law.

[bigeagle12]

I agree. However, the epidemic of synthetic marijuana is pretty new. They just have to isolate the common active ingredient, and I'm sure it wont be long before the new kits come out. Spice/K2 really just became ilegal in the past few months and some states still haven't signed it in to law.

 

Maybe our friend was smart enough to know that if it was found that it would test negative :eek:

[aurelius180]

I agree. However, the epidemic of synthetic marijuana is pretty new. They just have to isolate the common active ingredient, and I'm sure it wont be long before the new kits come out. Spice/K2 really just became ilegal in the past few months and some states still haven't signed it in to law.

 

Thank you, Paul, for providing a wealth of information on this topic. It's been a very interesting read. :)

[DaveG99]

I agree. However, the epidemic of synthetic marijuana is pretty new. They just have to isolate the common active ingredient, and I'm sure it wont be long before the new kits come out. Spice/K2 really just became ilegal in the past few months and some states still haven't signed it in to law.

 

That synthetic stuff could be dangerous. The real stuff is harmless! But thats a whole other thread.

[Ocean Boy]

That synthetic stuff could be dangerous. The real stuff is harmless! But thats a whole other thread.

 

You read very different medical literature than I do.

[teajak]

I know Mrs E would go. Heck, she left me at home once to go with her sister and I got to babysit the cats.

 

If I was with her and screwed up the cruise it would be my ashes in the screw cap can.

 

We are home!!!:D:D:D

My kind of sister,keep the faith,blessings.:cool:

[teajak]

The cruise line did them a favor. If he was caught off ship in one of the ports with the substance in his dive bag, he would still be there. The ship would have sailed without him and more than likely her. No intervention on the part of the Captain would have prevented this. If caught on board later, he gets a security guard to sit outside the door of his cabin - under house arrest for the rest of the cruise. (or he has a heart attack from the substance, dies or has to be emergency evacuated from the ship - not a cheap scenario either).

 

It is convenient that the ship and the American police have test kits to check for controlled substances, but would Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, Belize, have these handy dandy kits? If it had happened off ship, even on the docks in those countries, the captain would have no say in the matter.

 

Also, everyone talks about how great it is to smuggle liquor on board and if that's all they catch from reboarding passengers in the ports - so no big deal. What about the people that aren't bringing that back at, but something else. A lot of people get tossed off/arrested on cruise ships for doing something stupid and are sitting in a foreign jail, paying a lot of money to prove something that the American Police were able to do in a matter of minutes.

 

He is lucky he got caught before the ship left. He might not see it that way and neither do a lot of people on this thread. But given time, I think his lawyer might be able to get him to understand how much better it was to get tossed now, rather than spending time in a foreign jail.

 

Does the cruise line owe him a refund - who knows - let the lawyers go through all the paperwork and decide. Frankly I don't care either way.

 

I am really concerned that people think this is no big deal. Change out those Port Canaveral police uniforms with Mexican police or Nassau police. And run the entire scenario again - without that handy little test kit.

Very interesting assesment. I certainly agree:eek:

[johneeo]

Plus we have a smattering of TAs, a doctor or two, a self proclaimed pot stirrer, a carni or two, and a partridge and a pear tree.:D

 

On the internet I am a doctor, psychiatrist, lawyer, judge, law enforcement officer and MENSA member.:rolleyes:

[ryano]

On the internet I am a doctor, psychiatrist, lawyer, judge, law enforcement officer and MENSA member.:rolleyes:

 

did you stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night? :p:D:o

 

Again, i appreciate the knowledge some bring to this thread and others but in heated debates around here, it never ceases to amaze me how some start throwing out their professions and degrees as if they are "experts" and we are just suppose to believe that and take everything they say as gospel.

 

I am NOT calling out anyone specifically. Just making a simple observation.

[richstowe]

http://c3270052.r52.cf0.rackcdn.com/freedom-incident-report.jpg

 

Is this public info? Is it even legal to post this? Just wondering.

On the internet I am a doctor, psychiatrist, lawyer, judge, law enforcement officer and MENSA member.:rolleyes:

Wow, what a coincidence. Me too. Also a dead ringer for George Clooney.:D

 

To restate my views (like everyone else here), just because somebody does something stupid

doesn't mean RCI gets to steal their money.

They do get to spoil their trip, not repay travel expenses and embarrass the hell out of them however:p.

[SassySabby]

Not a police report, it is an incident report. Two different things.

 

Where I am from an incident report and a police report are one in the same. What happens after that incident is where things changes. That brief report gets the details out quick to a waiting reporter under FOI. In cases of rape/murder that might be all a reporter gets initially in an active evolving case. In time the balance of the police report would be filed IF the case warrants investigation along with any supplemental reports supporting what was discovered during the process. When I typed that quick reply it was based on what I know typically happens ,and to thank that poster for providing something beyond their own personal opinion to this on going saga.

[aurelius180]

did you stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night? :p:D:o

 

Again, i appreciate the knowledge some bring to this thread and others but in heated debates around here, it never ceases to amaze me how some start throwing out their professions and degrees as if they are "experts" and we are just suppose to believe that and take everything they say as gospel.

 

I am NOT calling out anyone specifically. Just making a simple observation.

 

 

I would rather someone be civil and state their background and qualifications and then use my own judgement about their statements than read the other posters who simply resort to name calling to try and advance their argument.

 

I am also NOT calling out anyone specifically. Just making another simple observation. :)

[mjldvlks]

I have seen this happen in movie theatres. Under age kids at a rated R movies are kicked out and given their money back. They don't get their dignity back, however !

Let's try to make this a little closer to the case at hand. Let's say a woman goes to a movie with a large purse. The usher believes she has tried to sneak in snacks which is against the theater rules so she is escorted out. When the manager looks through her purse [with her permission], he finds no snacks, but he likewise refuses to let her back in. Should she get a refund?

[bigeagle12]

Let's try to make this a little closer to the case at hand. Let's say a woman goes to a movie with a large purse. The usher believes she has tried to sneak in snacks which is against the theater rules so she is escorted out. When the manager looks through her purse [with her permission], he finds no snacks, but he likewise refuses to let her back in. Should she get a refund?

 

How about they do find snacks .. but not in original container .. and can't prove where they came from .. then she admits to hiding them .. but says it is really fake popcorn .. only looks like popcorn .. and we have no test to test specifically for popcorn or not popcorn .. but we can prove it does not contain THC :D

[ryano]

I would rather someone be civil and state their background and qualifications and then use my own judgement about their statements than read the other posters who simply resort to name calling to try and advance their argument.

 

 

Me too, unfortunately that will never stop happening around here.

[Karma5]

The cruise line did them a favor. If he was caught off ship in one of the ports with the substance in his dive bag, he would still be there. The ship would have sailed without him and more than likely her. No intervention on the part of the Captain would have prevented this. If caught on board later, he gets a security guard to sit outside the door of his cabin - under house arrest for the rest of the cruise. (or he has a heart attack from the substance, dies or has to be emergency evacuated from the ship - not a cheap scenario either).

 

It is convenient that the ship and the American police have test kits to check for controlled substances, but would Costa Maya, Grand Cayman, Belize, have these handy dandy kits? If it had happened off ship, even on the docks in those countries, the captain would have no say in the matter.

 

Also, everyone talks about how great it is to smuggle liquor on board and if that's all they catch from reboarding passengers in the ports - so no big deal. What about the people that aren't bringing that back at, but something else. A lot of people get tossed off/arrested on cruise ships for doing something stupid and are sitting in a foreign jail, paying a lot of money to prove something that the American Police were able to do in a matter of minutes.

 

He is lucky he got caught before the ship left. He might not see it that way and neither do a lot of people on this thread. But given time, I think his lawyer might be able to get him to understand how much better it was to get tossed now, rather than spending time in a foreign jail.

 

Does the cruise line owe him a refund - who knows - let the lawyers go through all the paperwork and decide. Frankly I don't care either way.

 

I am really concerned that people think this is no big deal. Change out those Port Canaveral police uniforms with Mexican police or Nassau police. And run the entire scenario again - without that handy little test kit.

 

Excellent point. I agree ................it could have been a lot worse for the both of them.

[ryano]

Excellent point. I agree ................it could have been a lot worse for the both of them.

 

The only thing with that is, if you swap out Port Police with Mexican police or Nassau police like the OP says and run the entire scenario again, this whole fiasco is likely never even known here and is a non issue because Royal Caribbean played no part in it.

 

I mean really, who cares what happens to some total stranger on an island somewhere? I imagine that happens most every week and never makes "news" on this website.

 

This is ONLY an issue here because its involves Royal Caribbean.