Can I check a Swiss Army knife onto the ship?

[RuthlessBoss]

I have been cruising since the early 60's and I always carried a small derringer pistol with me. Things have changed but I always take military grade oc5 spray and a stun gun. Never had a problem. My safety is of upmost importance. You should be fine with a Swiss Army knife.

My safety is important too, so you can jump in front of me and be first on a tender boat. No stun gun for me.:eek:

[lazygal]

My safety is important too, so you can jump in front of me and be first on a tender boat. No stun gun for me.:eek:

 

Quote of the week - thanks! that made my day. Diamond Daddy, I have no idea how you are getting away with packing those items and please don't tell us.

[latitude918]

I pack a small Coleman multi-tool in my carry-on thru pier security here in NYC and not a problem over the years. The folding knife blade is only 1.5" and well below the published limits or guidelines.

 

Waiting for SAK and others to make & sell a TSA/traveler's friendly version of their tools - without a knife blade, perhaps.

 

Leatherman makes one

 

http://www.rei.com/product/840641/leatherman-style-ps-multitool

[diamonddaddy]

Quote of the week - thanks! that made my day. Diamond Daddy, I have no idea how you are getting away with packing those items and please don't tell us.

 

 

I should clarify. Back some 45 years ago ports of call were much more dangerous to foreign tourists. Many passengers carried firearms for protection in foreign ports. And I carry personal protection to this day when traveling for the same reason. I never meant for protection on the ship. However I might have to take care of a chair hog or two.

[coasters]

Taking our first cruise and wondering if a swiss army knife will be confiscated if I send it onboard with my checked bags.

 

The corkscrew may come in handy for a bottle of vino.

 

Just off Celebrity Solstice (December 2014)

In my checked baggage:

Security confiscated my SAK and held it until the end of the cruise, claiming it was "multi blade".

They also held boomerangs, extension cords, multi tap electrical strips and pen knives. One that I saw had no more than a single 1" blade.

First time in 40 or so years of cruising that my Swiss Army knife was stopped by security.

Last month, on RCCL, with the same knife - I had no problem.

Jerry

[CTCruisers]

I guess it is left up to the local personnel to determine what clears versus what gets confiscated.

 

We sailed out of San Juan and after boarding, I was called back off the ship to open our luggage so that they could confiscate a tiny screwdriver I would use for my eyeglasses. (less than 3 inches long)

 

They stated that no tools of any kind could be brought on board.

 

You did not have the choice of claiming it at the end of the cruise. They just tossed it into a trashcan.

Edited December 14, 2014 by CTCruisers

[halterk]

My son had his PLASTIC TOY sword confiscated when getting on the boat in the Bahamas.

 

And it in NO way could have hurt anybody.

 

We made jokes about it for the rest of the cruise. Everytime we sat down at dinner we would joke about how we could have metal knives, but not a plastic sword.

[andy.capitan]

I have been cruising since the early 60's and I always carried a small derringer pistol with me. Things have changed but I always take military grade oc5 spray and a stun gun. Never had a problem. My safety is of upmost importance. You should be fine with a Swiss Army knife.

 

The early 60's? Not on Carnival.

 

They do seem to be tougher on anything that could be considered a tool - e.g. a Leatherman.

[travler27]

I used to carry my pistol in my pocket on commercial airlines with no problem. Times change but you never heard of random shootings back in the "old days" like you do now.

[travler27]

My son had his PLASTIC TOY sword confiscated when getting on the boat in the Bahamas.

 

And it in NO way could have hurt anybody.

 

We made jokes about it for the rest of the cruise. Everytime we sat down at dinner we would joke about how we could have metal knives, but not a plastic sword.

 

Toy weapons are specifically prohibited by Carnival.

 

Although toy weapons may not pose a direct threat, if they appear real then security folks may react as if the weapon is real. Kids have been shot while brandishing toy guns and other toy weapons. It's actually a very serious concern and parents should be more aware.

Edited December 15, 2014 by travler27

[carol louise]

Apparently it certainly does depend on many variables. I always carry a Swiss Army Knife in my handbag. TSA has never noticed it. Ship personnel never noticed it. But I finally decided to stop taking chances and have been flying and boarding ship with it in my checked bag for several years now. A couple years ago, on a Celebrity cruise repositioning from San Juan to Bayonne NJ, when we arrived for a port stop in Bermuda, local police boarded the ship and made a drug arrest before we could disembark. When I returned from an excursion the following day (it was an overnight port stop), the ship's personnel confiscated my knife when it showed up in the Xray machine in my handbag. Apparently after the drug bust, ship's personnel must have become super-vigilant, because they had not noticed it when I returned from excursions at previous ports during the same cruise. I was directed to pick it up in a special office in Bayonne after clearing customs. The man holding confiscated items there complimented me on my fine knife. But it was embarrassing at disembarkation to have a buzzer go off when I put my card through the machine for the last time and be told in front of others to remember to pick up my confiscated item!

[YubaSutter]

Under Prohibited Items..

 

Knives with blades longer than four (4) inches ( Recreational dive knives are allowed but must be held in the custody of the Guest Services Manager or Chief Security Officer and must be checked out/in by the owner for dive excursions during the cruise

 

Seems odd to take away a knife at boarding. They are going to give you one at dinner to cut the steak.

[travler27]

The things security takes away and the things they don't take away has always been a great mystery with no basis in anything published on the Carnival web site. I've had fan's confiscated because they are a "hazard" when the Carnival site specifically says fan's are allowed. I always take a new fan to avoid the "in good condition" argument (same with extension cords). Some consistency one way or the other would be nice.

Edited December 15, 2014 by travler27

[Flatland]

You, mum2bradley, and I were all scammed by PR port security. They took my leathermans tool as well! I was pi$$ed! Took that thing close to 300,000 miles with me including to Iraq - twice. Bottom line is I am still proud of my service and some crooked Peurto Rican security guard has to live with his reflection in the mirror every day!

 

I lost my tiny multi-tool in San J also. It made my trip very difficult since it was for assistance with my medicine bottles. It even had a label on it from my prescription manufacturer. Said I couldn't get it back either. They were bantering back and forth as I walked away as to which one of them gets to keep it. :mad:

Kev

[virginiab]

Many years ago I was waiting to go through security to get into a courthouse in Chicago when I realized that I had my swiss army knife in my nylon fanny pack. I had quite a bit of change in my wallet, so I emptied all those quarters that I was carrying for the parking meters into the bottom of my bag, where the knife was. On the scanner, it showed up as a big blob of metal with coin shapes protruding from the edges and I had no problem.

 

Newer scanners may be more discerning....

[PaperSniper4]

......however i might have to take care of a chair hog or two.

 

ha!:d

Edited December 20, 2014 by PaperSniper4

[PAPERBKWRITER]

Take it. I've had a SAK aboard many cruises with no problem. Heck you can carry it in your pocket, no need to check it. BUT it would need to be in a checked bag if flying (but everyone already knows that!).

 

I would be careful about taking any knife on shore. Not knowing the laws could get you arrested and we all know the nightmare that would bring in a foreign country.