Security

[mystte]

Now after all those dreadful things happening last week in the UK, does anyone think that security might be lifted regarding passengers boarding.

I see that the same situation could happen. (I wish I didn't!)

Luci

[Heads !!!!]

Cruise ships are quite a soft target, especially since the security is nowhere near as tight as with airports. Then again a bomb at sea is certainly nowhere near as serious as a bomb at 40,000 feet. Yes, some people may get hurt or killed but it is highly unlikely to sink the ship whereas in a plane things would tun out very differently. Security is a big issue with cruise companies though. Take a look at the x-ray scanner when you come on board. Quite often there is a little device either on top of it or somewhere nearby. This continually sniffs the air and will alert security if anything undesirable is being brought on board. It can detect both drugs and explosives although the latter is by far the biggest concern right now. Every bag coming on board is scanned and every entrance on to the ship is guarded. The entire crew has to undergo security training from bomb search drills to screening deliveries etc. It was quite funny to see one of the US coastguard test security on Oceana by running up the gangway trying to get past security the way a suicide bomber might try to do. Those Gurkhas are only small blokes but you really want them on your side in a fight. The poor coast guard really had seven shades of whatever beaten out of him although he came up all smiles and told the security team they were first rate. The ship also has several devices on board for security purposes such as the sonic weapon used on the Seabourn Spirit last year to fend off an attack by pirates (I used to work for Seabourn and know a lot of the people involved in that incident).

 

All in all you are pretty safe on a cruise ship and have very little to worry about.

[Bedruthen]

We were on Aurora last year, and security works only when procedure is followed but... after spending a day ashore we returned to the ship and there was a considerable queue of elderly passengers waiting to re-board. So the staff waved some of us through up the gangway used for disembarkation, where there was no scanner and no security staff. We wer back onboard without any checks of our purchases etc.

[mystte]

Good AND bad, but what about P&O here in Australia? Are the same guidelines followed here.

Luci

[Heads !!!!]

We were on Aurora last year, and security works only when procedure is followed but... after spending a day ashore we returned to the ship and there was a considerable queue of elderly passengers waiting to re-board. So the staff waved some of us through up the gangway used for disembarkation, where there was no scanner and no security staff. We wer back onboard without any checks of our purchases etc.

 

That is worrying. If the security officer on board found out that was happening then somebody would be for the high jump, especially in today's climate. Remember though there is a marsec rating at any time (similar to the terrorist alert scale they have at airports) and last summer it would more than likely have been at the lowest level. After recent events I very much doubt that would happen now.