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Allure - Our room was raided and tossed!


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4 hours ago, TravelinGert said:

 

Wow. You feeling guilty about something you need to get off your chest, Homosassa? That is a lot of accusation with absolutely no support. For all we know maybe they just forgot to feed the drug sniffing dog that morning so he hit on everything to get fed his treats. 

 

 

 

I don't know how you came up with I was guilty of something and was making accusations.  I was simply trying to figure out if someone else in the searched group was someone he was traveling with or had hung out with on the cruise.

 

In any case, I now laugh about my husband and I being held at the Dutch-German border crossing into Germany in 1982.  At the time, we fit the profiles of Red October terrorists and we were held until a check was made.

 

Like the OP, both my husband and I had security clearances from the US government so we were cleared after about twenty minutes and sent on our way.

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1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Not all the B2B were searched, so it was random. Every other passenger either leaving or boarding had to go through a potential drug search.  

 

So much drama

Where did the OP say anything about every other passenger DISEMBARKING was getting searched? He said about 50% of the B2B passengers staying for the next cruise (which 100% of them were joining the Atlantis charter which has a history of participants OD'ing and some deaths from drugs). I have not seen any reports of NEW passengers boarding having their cabins and luggage rip apart, only the B2B folks.

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19 minutes ago, SakeDad said:

Where did the OP say anything about every other passenger DISEMBARKING was getting searched? He said about 50% of the B2B passengers staying for the next cruise (which 100% of them were joining the Atlantis charter which has a history of participants OD'ing and some deaths from drugs). I have not seen any reports of NEW passengers boarding having their cabins and luggage rip apart, only the B2B folks.

 

Every bag leaving or boarding the ship has the potential to be searched. If you stay onboard, that does not happen.  It's really not that hard to understand 

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9 hours ago, Homosassa said:

This type of search can occur in any port during the cruise.

 

If I remember the explanation given by a poster on another forum (works for that cruise line in security), if there have been suspicions raised during the cruise of illegal drug use or contraband during any part of the cruise, the ship will notify the port authorities who will do the search and any arrests necessary.

 

Smoking of marijuana is a big flag on ships.

 

You say  half the group of back to back cruisers were also raided,. Was this a group traveling together?  Did you hang out with them on the cruise?

 

Something did trigger this activity.

 

 

Pot smells linger and even being close to someone who smoked will leave you with enough residue that a  trained dog could pick up the scent.  Actually that skunky smell is hard to miss.

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7 hours ago, Trickie Dickie said:

 I am from Winnipeg as well! 😄

 My surprise was that the land of the free didn’t feel so free to me 😄 as I was barefoot in a Royal Caribbean bathrobe in the hallway under guard. 

 The other passengers that were raided were from the USA and they were treated the same way as us.  I guess drug smuggling is a real issue in the states and they are willing to give up certain freedoms at the borders to catch these people.

I would just make the comment that I travel internationally quite a bit.  Out of over 200 trips going through customs in various country the only time I have ever been delayed, put into a separate room and held for over an hour was when entering Canada on a flight from DC to Ottowa.  The funny thing is that the purpose of the trip was a meeting with the HPB,  Health Canada.  So it can happen anywhere.

Edited by RDC1
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OP, sorry this happened to you....I would be more than mad if it happened to me.

Just thinking....

At the airport, when a dog hits on a bag/luggage...then they get a warrant and search it. (ok, let's forget about 4th Amendment rights for a moment...it may not apply on a cruise ship...or does it?)

Dogs are trained to sniff different things...bombs, drugs, plants, etc....and when they get a hit...they jump up and down and bark at the spot or item.

 

It sounds like they (people that searched your cabin) told you the dog hit "AFTER" they searched your cabin and when they were interviewing you and your partner...is this correct?

 

Did you ask exactly where the dog hit?  (It would be the first thing out of my mouth because if the dog hit on something in my cabin....I would like to know where.)

Did they find anything?  What explanation did they (ship security/guest relations/CBP) give to you as to why your cabin was searched?  Did you hear if anything was found from other passengers/cabins?

 

Can't even imagine having to spend the time having to re-pack and organize all your belongings to move to another cabin.  This event is just way over the top with the number of LEO's involved to search a small cabin, two passengers, and guessing no weapons.  Just like other posters said...we've never seen this and hope it never happens to us.

 

Last question: Did RCCL compensate you or the other passengers for all the trouble and embarrassment?

 

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9 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

OP, sorry this happened to you....I would be more than mad if it happened to me.

Just thinking....

At the airport, when a dog hits on a bag/luggage...then they get a warrant and search it. (ok, let's forget about 4th Amendment rights for a moment...it may not apply on a cruise ship...or does it?)

 

Really???  "at the airport....they get a warrant and search it"  Far from it.  They actually can search a bag for any reason.  The only way you would know if the put a letter in the baggage, or notice that the lock is missing and things seemed disheveled

Edited by gatour
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7 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

 

At the airport, when a dog hits on a bag/luggage...then they get a warrant and search it. (ok, let's forget about 4th Amendment rights for a moment...it may not apply on a cruise ship...or does it?)

 

Last question: Did RCCL compensate you or the other passengers for all the trouble and embarrassment?

 

Oh boy!

 

NO they don’t get a warrant to search your bags at the airport

 

NO you have no 4th amendment rights when you are on the “outside” of the border upon returning to the country. 

 

What in God’s name does RCCL have to compensate for?!?

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FWIW I was given a full body pat down and had my carry on luggage searched TWICE at Heathrow airport before a flight back to the States following a Baltics cruise. Told me it was because I got a last minute Biz class upgrade.  Didn't bother me at all as I had nothing to hide.  Safety first.

 

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6 hours ago, Mikew0805 said:

Right.. but you said you were on a B2B so this was between the non Atlantis cruise, and the Atlantis cruise, correct?

 

Maybe with the problems they have had in the past, they wanted to make sure the B2B people were not trying to avoid heightened security at the time of embarkation for the Atlantis cruise, by circumventing the normal boarding process? In other words, people could have brought on drugs the week before with less scrutiny. I don't know this is what happened... but seems plausible.

 

 

 

For some reason Mike I think you hit the nail with this comment. B2B cruisers were most likely looked at more carefully for this factor, perhaps after last year’s death on Harmony. I think I also read about others caught in the past trying to get “the goods” on board the ship on embarkation day. 

 

We have done 2 back to backs and have not had this type of treatment.  That being said, someone of nefarious actions might think that they are slipping something past the law. Perhaps this type of individual might have brought drugs on board when they originally boarded or picked up them up in a port of call, to sell the following week. 

 

Trickie Dickie, we were on the same sailing as you for your week one. Lisa and I would have gladly tipped one back with you in the pub. We had a few good laughs watching Matt Yee a few nights preparing for week two, in the Schooner Bar. Sorry you had to go through all that. 

 

I remember back in the day when you did cruise reviews. Fully enjoyed them. Side note, I drove through the Peg many a time on my way to Western Canada or back to Ontario. I could always spot the landfill on the by-pass, the highest spot in town. 😉

 

 

 

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45 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

 

Dogs are trained to sniff different things...bombs, drugs, plants, etc....and when they get a hit...they jump up and down and bark at the spot or item.

 

 

 

 

The ones I've seen just sit down when they get a hit.

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3 hours ago, ditmar2007 said:

Tell that to young, black guys.

 

I'm a foreigner. I'm a woman. I don't speak the language properly. I'm under-priviledged.

 

No thanks.

 

4 hours ago, ditmar2007 said:

I'm not afraid of being mugged. I'm afraid of the police and customs officials. As a Dane I would feel completely without rights. 

 

These are absolutely ridiculous comments.  You really need to change your news source if you think this crap is true.

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Being a solo traveler and planning my first B2B on the Allure, your experience has raised a fair amount of concern.  I surely do not want to be targeted because I decided I need two weeks to decompress.  As a solo woman, I will not feel safe and relaxed as this gentleman.  No standing in a robe.....please oh please.  I am really sorry you had this experience.

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54 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

 

Dogs are trained to sniff different things...bombs, drugs, plants, etc....and when they get a hit...they jump up and down and bark at the spot or item.

 

 

 

Those dogs are probably all retired by now. Spent a few years working narcotics and some of those dogs and their handlers we're a little nutty. Now (probably as a result of damage claims) the dogs and their handlers are trained to calmly indicate the presence of drugs. As for another previous post, drug dogs are not trained using dog treats.

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So lets say i wanted to sell party drugs on a cruise that is notorious for party drugs and where somebody died from a OD last year.

 

I wouldn't try to get them on board the week of the party cruise with what will certainly be increased security and screening. however if i went on the regular cruise the week before and then had the drugs already on the ship when the increased security started i would have a much better chance of clearing that hurdle.

 

in face the smartest play would be have somebody else take the cruise before, bring whatever you wanted on board at one of the port stops and then hide it somewhere either in the same cabin of possible or elsewhere on the ship.

 

Sorry it happened to you, but who knows what information they were acting on and at the end of the day they are trying save lives.

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2 hours ago, RDC1 said:

I would just make the comment that I travel internationally quite a bit.  Out of over 200 trips going through customs in various country the only time I have ever been delayed, put into a separate room and held for over an hour was when entering Canada on a flight from DC to Ottowa.  The funny thing is that the purpose of the trip was a meeting with the HPB,  Health Canada.  So it can happen anywhere.

 

Happily, you weren’t made to stand in a bathrobe in a public hallway for that hour.

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I'd say this has everything to do with the Atlantis cruise.  This is not the norm and I have trouble believing the steward said this happens weekly.  We've been on 26 cruises and have done one b2b.  We've never seen any room raided, ever.  It happens, but not that often.

 

Also, OP said something about their current clearances and their "former career".  The two don't go together.  Clearances go away when you're no longer working in that field.  But, that doesn't really matter, they can and will search whoever they need to.  Wouldn't "scare" me in the least to have my cabin searched as they would never find anything.  As for the poster whose afraid to come here, then don't.  You really need to do some real research.  There are many countries that I'd be much more afraid of than the US.  And, quit believing the "news" source you're watching.  Aquahound is correct.

 

We have a friend who worked CPB and believe me, they find a lot more than they don't.  They have good instincts and are very professional for the most part.  They do use interrogation tactics.  They have to.  People lie to them all the time.

Edited by BND
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6 hours ago, ditmar2007 said:

I'm not afraid of being mugged. I'm afraid of the police and customs officials. As a Dane I would feel completely without rights. 

I would probably feel the same way in Copenhagen...

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3 hours ago, bonsai3s said:

OP, sorry this happened to you....I would be more than mad if it happened to me.

Just thinking....

At the airport, when a dog hits on a bag/luggage...then they get a warrant and search it. (ok, let's forget about 4th Amendment rights for a moment...it may not apply on a cruise ship...or does it?)

Dogs are trained to sniff different things...bombs, drugs, plants, etc....and when they get a hit...they jump up and down and bark at the spot or item.

 

It sounds like they (people that searched your cabin) told you the dog hit "AFTER" they searched your cabin and when they were interviewing you and your partner...is this correct?

 

Did you ask exactly where the dog hit?  (It would be the first thing out of my mouth because if the dog hit on something in my cabin....I would like to know where.)

Did they find anything?  What explanation did they (ship security/guest relations/CBP) give to you as to why your cabin was searched?  Did you hear if anything was found from other passengers/cabins?

 

Can't even imagine having to spend the time having to re-pack and organize all your belongings to move to another cabin.  This event is just way over the top with the number of LEO's involved to search a small cabin, two passengers, and guessing no weapons.  Just like other posters said...we've never seen this and hope it never happens to us.

 

Last question: Did RCCL compensate you or the other passengers for all the trouble and embarrassment?

 

 I didn’t ask anything except what the dog hits on. I answered questions. Royal Caribbean doesn’t owe me any compensation as they didn’t do this. 

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