BACKGROUND Checks Before Cruising

[sparks1093]

Agreed. To date, it has not been typical for cruise lines to do criminal background checks on passengers and the last time I read someone making this same complaint, they were very vague. This sheds a little more light on the subject. I may have to look into this further to learn the legalities of Carnival providing Personally Identifiable Information (PII) to a third party, non-law enforcement, to conduct these checks.

 

 

 

I ask this sincerely...what do you think domestic violence statutes were meant for? Spousal abuse is the most common but the reason it's called domestic violence is it covers all physical violence between family members within the household.

 

The statute that I read that was in force at the time concerned violence perpetrated between spouses and domestic partners. The law has probably changed since then as it was a number of years ago. In any event he is still dealing with the consequences all these years later.

Edited November 4, 2015 by sparks1093

[chengkp75]

I have also heard that Canada and Mexico (as of 2013) won't allow RSO's into the country, so the line may just want to eliminate that problem completely, rather than having to cherry pick which cruises they allow RSO's on.

[Aquahound]

chengkp5: Don't know the privacy policies, but I would think that clauses (2) and (3) would relate to a background agency. Again, depending on the "published privacy policies", this clause may or may not stand up to a judicial challenge.

 

Yeah, that could cover it, but I can certainly see an argument both ways based on that wording. I'd be willing to bet that in the not too distant future, specific wording will be added to cover criminal background checks.

[TruckerDave]

I have also heard that Canada and Mexico (as of 2013) won't allow RSO's into the country, so the line may just want to eliminate that problem completely, rather than having to cherry pick which cruises they allow RSO's on.

 

Canada also is very strict on things such as a DUI. So a RSO ban would not surprise me one bit.

[Essiesmom]

It's interesting that both recent posts about post-cruising bans were on Carnival. Assuming that the ban includes all lines owned by Carnival Corp., I wounder what would happen if those involved tried to book a cruise on RCI or NCL, Disney, MSC...EM

[perditax]

It's interesting that both recent posts about post-cruising bans were on Carnival. Assuming that the ban includes all lines owned by Carnival Corp., I wounder what would happen if those involved tried to book a cruise on RCI or NCL, Disney, MSC...EM

 

 

Ditto. I spent a fair amount of time on the DIS boards and the topic of things like the DUI/Canada problem came up there, by which I mean to say that every class of cruisers has people who either made mistakes in the past or got caught crosswise of circumstances (I am slightly cynical about our justice system at times). So if other lines start doing it, we'll hear about it.

 

(I seem to recall one of the other posts like this used the word "assault". I wonder if they left off "sexual".)

[Aquahound]

It's interesting that both recent posts about post-cruising bans were on Carnival. Assuming that the ban includes all lines owned by Carnival Corp., I wounder what would happen if those involved tried to book a cruise on RCI or NCL, Disney, MSC...EM

 

The OP just booked a RCI cruise, so we'll find out sometime between now and the cruise.

[ger_77]

The OP just booked a RCI cruise, so we'll find out sometime between now and the cruise.

 

Let's hope all goes well for him.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[CruiserBruce]

Not to start a whole non-cruise discussion nor to invite an explanation of any misunderstood circumstances but, "attacking one's mother" would be considered by most folks as falling far short of "normal 13 year old behavior."

 

Amen!! Attacking anyone at any age is not "normal" behavior.

[nerak]

There was a response to this thread earlier and it seems to have been removed. I personally have cruised RCI ten times. My husband and I married and we cruised two times with RCI. On our third time, we were met at the port, had his passport taken from him (which we were later told by customs during a phone call was illegal since it is not customs agents working the port), and talked with by RCI cruise staff with armed security standing by ... in front of everyone else who was boarding the ship in Puerto Rico. Yes, my husband WAS on the SOR at the time of all cruises. Apparently RCI had only tried to contact us the day before to let us know he would not be allowed to cruise. Of course we were already in PR and had no clue. After talking with us, we realized the staff did not know why he was not being allowed to cruise, especially after having been onboard twice before, and actually told us that we seemed like decent people. And we are...my husband has been sober for 24 years and committed his crime while drinking 24 years ago. It was his first offense and only offense. Unfortunately the law regarding the SRO was new and he was put on it when he technically should not have been on it. He has since been removed.

 

Regarding the original OP and his situation, I am telling you this so you will be prepared. I don't know how it will go for you but I do wish you the best and hope for happy cruising. I'd rather cruise with you than many of the fellow cruisers who are so drunk they can't find their room, a crew member who will not leave my teenage daughter alone, or someone the cruise line does NOT know their past and is not watching. We are all entitled to our mistakes in life and have the opportunity to show who we truly are each day in the present.

 

Personally, we are now okay with the ruling by RCI...except for the fact that so many people in charge, making the decisions, are probably just as guilty of something in their past, they just were not caught or did not turn themselves in as my husband did, whether it was a sexual action, driving while intoxicated or stealing a company ink pen.

 

We now travel on land and love every bit of Athens, Santorini, Istanbul, etc. Thank you RCI ... original OP, consider land travel if this doesn't work...it's amazing and a great big world out there.

 

BTW, my husband still receives platinum offers from RCI on a regular basis. :)

Edited December 7, 2015 by nerak

[perditax]

Thanks for sharing your experience. Some info for people who rush to judgement on this topic:

 

http://www.marieclaire.com/culture/news/a6294/teen-sex-offender/

[gambit57]

I'm by no means an expert, but I do have some knowledge on the subject based on my education and experience in my various jobs in the legal field.

 

In the US anyways, the laws aren't perfect. Also, they aren't always applied fairly. Be it by the judge or the DA. So yes, some people can get on the list for things where the overwhelming majority of people will feel it's unfair that they're on the list. However, there are also people who manage to evade the list who the majority of people feel should be on it. It goes both ways.

 

And particularly if we're talking about a line like Carnival, you can go on several cruises (and hit their highest loyalty tier) before you even come sniffing near the amount of money it would cost for an attorney to go through the whole process and get your name cleared. I can totally get the frustration at being limited and shunned for so long, why wouldn't he want to go on a vacation to get some happiness out of life?

 

As for the cruise lines, legally, it's a CYA thing mainly. It's not their job to research the individual cases and come up with exceptions. There's no way they're doing that. If a person is on the list, they're banned. They can point the finger at the government and I totally wouldn't hold that against them. It really is something you need to take up with the legal system. And yes, that's impossible to do if you don't have the funds, but that's just how it is. Any anger the OP has should be directed at the legal system, not the cruise line.

Edited December 7, 2015 by codex57

[sailing canary]

................, just like parents that are idiots in leaving and allowing their children run ram pit or alone in stores or malls without keeping an eye on them. :(

 

What does this mean ram pit and alone????

[ger_77]

What does this mean ram pit and alone????

 

I believe the poster meant children running rampant or alone - unsupervised, creating havoc wherever they were without the benefit of parental supervision.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)