TSA issue boarding Magic - any ideas?

[groundloop]

As we were boarding Magic for our Christmas cruise my adult daughter was held up at the final checkpoint just before getting on the ship.  The agent took her boarding pass and passport to the supervisor and after about 15 minutes (during which time my daughter's blood pressure was going through the roof 😁 ) the agent came back and said "no problems" with no other explanation.  My daughter said the agent initially said something about a "boom box" - I know that she mis-heard what the agent said but I'm wondering if anybody has a clue what that was all about.

[BlerkOne]

Dunno, but TSA has nothing to do with cruise port security.

[groundloop]

4 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

Dunno, but TSA has nothing to do with cruise port security.

 

Homeland Security?  Or are those folks just employed by the port?

 

Edited January 1, 2023 by groundloop

[Elaine5715]

15 minutes ago, groundloop said:

As we were boarding Magic for our Christmas cruise my adult daughter was held up at the final checkpoint just before getting on the ship.  The agent took her boarding pass and passport to the supervisor and after about 15 minutes (during which time my daughter's blood pressure was going through the roof 😁 ) the agent came back and said "no problems" with no other explanation.  My daughter said the agent initially said something about a "boom box" - I know that she mis-heard what the agent said but I'm wondering if anybody has a clue what that was all about.

Terminal staff are neither TSA/Homeland/Customs.  Maybe @Ferry_Watcher?

[BlerkOne]

2 minutes ago, groundloop said:

 

Homeland Security?

 

Closer in that the Coast Guard is under Homeland Security and has to approve the port security plan.

 

Prior to embarkation I'm not sure what law enforcement agencies would do anything unless her name was similar/the same to some person of interest, or if the private luggage screeners thought there was something suspicious in her possessions.

[groundloop]

32 minutes ago, BlerkOne said:

"......or if the private luggage screeners thought there was something suspicious in her possessions.

 

So would they have kept her from boarding if someone thought there was contraband of some sort in her checked luggage?

If that's the case then maybe "boom box" was actually what she heard (although that would have been totally in error).  And I was under the impression that if something contrary to the rules was found in checked luggage that it was simply removed and a note indicating that fact was put in the luggage.

 

 

 

 

Edited January 1, 2023 by groundloop

[BlerkOne]

22 minutes ago, groundloop said:

 

So would they have kept her from boarding if someone thought there was contraband of some sort in her checked luggage?

If that's the case then maybe "boom box" was actually what she heard (although that would have been totally in error).  And I was under the impression that if something contrary to the rules was found in checked luggage that it was simply removed and a note indicating that fact was put in the luggage.

 

 

 

 

If something innocuous. If the screeners see something they think could be dangerous or illegal they aren't going to open the case, they would call in law enforcement to investigate.

[DallasGuy75219]

46 minutes ago, groundloop said:

So would they have kept her from boarding if someone thought there was contraband of some sort in her checked luggage?

No.  If they find a suspicious checked bag, assuming they don't think it's an incendiary device, they either (1) search the bag, remove the prohibited item, and leave a note saying they did so or (2) take the bag to the naughty room on the ship and search the bag with the passenger present.  (2) generally happens only if the bag is locked.  They don't try to match the bag with to a passenger in the the terminal who hasn't boarded yet. 

 

The fact that they took her boarding pass and passport indicates they likely had a question or potential issue regarding her identity, documentation, or citizenship.  What doesn't make sense though is why they'd let her get almost through the boarding process vs. addressing it at check-in.

[mz-s]

It would seem to me the best time to ask these questions would have been when you were in the situation? All we can do here is speculate.

[Ferry_Watcher]

I have seen security screeners second guess their decision to let something go thru, and then seconds later have the passenger who had been cleared  return to the screening area for further inspection - even pulling them out of the check-in line to return to the security area..  At that point the security supervisor is called over and either the item is allowed, or it's not.  It is better to err on the side of caution than risk a security problem on board.  

[Ferry_Watcher]

1 hour ago, DallasGuy75219 said:

No.  If they find a suspicious checked bag, assuming they don't think it's an incendiary device, they either (1) search the bag, remove the prohibited item, and leave a note saying they did so or (2) take the bag to the naughty room on the ship and search the bag with the passenger present.  (2) generally happens only if the bag is locked.  They don't try to match the bag with to a passenger in the the terminal who hasn't boarded yet. 

 

The fact that they took her boarding pass and passport indicates they likely had a question or potential issue regarding her identity, documentation, or citizenship.  What doesn't make sense though is why they'd let her get almost through the boarding process vs. addressing it at check-in.

 

Sometimes the check-in system is slow to 'communicate' with the various check-in devices.  There could be a lag in the embarkation process from the time a passenger is checked-in with either the handheld or at the counter, to the short time of walking towards the gangway and having the final boarding pass scanned by the 'sea entry' folks.  Usually it's a wifi connection problem between the ship and the terminal.  It's annoying, but usually short-lived.

 

Another possibility is something got missed during the check-in process and it needs to be fixed.  It happens.  :  )

Edited January 2, 2023 by Ferry_Watcher

[groundloop]

24 minutes ago, mz-s said:

It would seem to me the best time to ask these questions would have been when you were in the situation? All we can do here is speculate.

 

There's no way in hell I was going to start questioning a security agent and risk spoiling our vacation because of my big mouth.  It's really not a huge deal because we all finally got on the ship, but I'm just hoping to possibly learn something.

Edited January 2, 2023 by groundloop

[mz-s]

7 minutes ago, groundloop said:

 

There's no way in hell I was going to start questioning a security agent and risk spoiling our vacation because of my big mouth.  It's really not a huge deal because we all finally got on the ship, but I'm just hoping to possibly learn something.

 

I get your point and I could see how I'd probably think to behave that way too. But a 15 minute delay is deserving some sort of explanation I'd say.

[Essiesmom]

It would not have had anything to do with checked luggage, as it is not screened until on the ship and out of the metal carts.  EM

[Guest BasicSailor]

Nothing more than a (Newbie agent) making sure they do their job right. Zappy NEWS Years folks.

[BlerkOne]

1 hour ago, Essiesmom said:

It would not have had anything to do with checked luggage, as it is not screened until on the ship and out of the metal carts.  EM

Unless something has changed, it is xrayed before it ever makes it to the carts. Just like the passengers are screened before they get on the ship.

[sparks1093]

Passengers are screened by a private security firm and checked in by folks employed by the cruise line. At the end of the cruise CBP will be checking documents and may have dogs going up and down the disembarkation line and/or checking bags. TSA is not involved at any point in port security. 

 

I also doubt that I would have asked about this further at the point of encounter because most of the time they won't tell you what the issue was anyway and it would just cause further delay.

[shof515]

speaking of TSA, when doing online checkin why does carnival ask for the tsa precheck/know traveler number?

[2wheelin]

12 hours ago, groundloop said:

 

There's no way in hell I was going to start questioning a security agent and risk spoiling our vacation because of my big mouth.  It's really not a huge deal because we all finally got on the ship, but I'm just hoping to possibly learn something.

Why do people immediately think confrontation when there is a hiccup! Try a simple “excuse me, ma’am or sir, are you able to tell me what the question was? I don’t want to have a problem next time”. Then thank them for their response and walk on. No accusation, no disrespect, no big mouth, no delay. Granted, it’s hard to think in the heat of the moment when tension is high but we all need to learn to take a deep breath before speaking sometimes.

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, shof515 said:

speaking of TSA, when doing online checkin why does carnival ask for the tsa precheck/know traveler number?

One more piece of data that CBP can use to search another database while vetting the passengers.

[sparks1093]

22 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

One more piece of data that CBP can use to search another database while vetting the passengers.

Very likely. Although the database can be searched by name CBP probably doesn't want to search that database unless the passenger is actually in it since that takes time. If someone is in the pre-check database then CBP knows that they've been previously vetted and it might reduce the number of other databases they need to check for that passenger.

[CruisesCorgisAndCamping]

I think sometimes it is just random. It is running joke that I always get pulled aside for an "extra" check at the airport/cruiseport. I am 5ft tall, 38 year old white woman and am probably the least suspicious looking person in our party and it is always me. I just let them do whatever they need to do and go on my way after they clear me and my party laughs at me.