Attempted Smuggler Arrested

[LandlockedCruiser01]

OP, thank you for your service.

 

It seems like these incidents happen mostly in Port Canaveral. Probably because it's a Disney-influenced port, where it's mostly families and couples that pass through there. Stupid border patrol agents don't realize that people cruise solo too. I (male, 31) got the third degree when I cruising solo on Sensation last year, out of---guess where?---Port Canaveral. The agents really drilled me with questions about what I do for work, what city I'm from, what countries I traveled to in the past, etc. Mentioning Israel among them seems to have helped me a little; I even saw him break into a light smile. (I guess being Jewish makes me "safer" :confused:.) But what hurt me is who I worked for at that time; my employer had an obscure, Asian-sounding name. They really didn't like that. They must have thought I was a money launderer, on top of being a drug runner. The screening lasted at least 20 minutes. I don't know if I should be ticked off or maybe flattered.

 

My experience in Miami, when cruising on Imagination the year before, for my first cruise, was exponentially better. The agent was still surly, like they all are, but kept his questioning fairly brief: what I'm carrying, what I bought in ports, and what I do for a living (and my answer "information technology" was OK for him). I was on my way in under 5 minutes. Come to think of it, if I had that bad experience with customs on my first cruise, it'd probably turn me off cruising for quite a while.

 

Either way, perhaps this thread can serve as a cautionary tale for solos not to cruise out of Port Canaveral. I know I won't. Not that I plan to break any laws, it's just annoying as hell to be treated like a criminal just for cruising solo. And if NCL reads this site, for them to not station Epic, Breakaway, and Getaway in there, either.

[realjd]

OP, thank you for your service.

 

It seems like these incidents happen mostly in Port Canaveral. Probably because it's a Disney-influenced port, where it's mostly families and couples that pass through there. Stupid border patrol agents don't realize that people cruise solo too. I (male, 31) got the third degree when I cruising solo on Sensation last year, out of---guess where?---Port Canaveral. The agents really drilled me with questions about what I do for work, what city I'm from, what countries I traveled to in the past, etc. Mentioning Israel among them seems to have helped me a little; I even saw him break into a light smile. (I guess being Jewish makes me "safer" :confused:.) But what hurt me is who I worked for at that time; my employer had an obscure, Asian-sounding name. They really didn't like that. They must have thought I was a money launderer, on top of being a drug runner. The screening lasted at least 20 minutes. I don't know if I should be ticked off or maybe flattered.

 

My experience in Miami, when cruising on Imagination the year before, for my first cruise, was exponentially better. The agent was still surly, like they all are, but kept his questioning fairly brief: what I'm carrying, what I bought in ports, and what I do for a living (and my answer "information technology" was OK for him). I was on my way in under 5 minutes. Come to think of it, if I had that bad experience with customs on my first cruise, it'd probably turn me off cruising for quite a while.

 

Either way, perhaps this thread can serve as a cautionary tale for solos not to cruise out of Port Canaveral. I know I won't. Not that I plan to break any laws, it's just annoying as hell to be treated like a criminal just for cruising solo. And if NCL reads this site, for them to not station Epic, Breakaway, and Getaway in there, either.

 

Most likely random. Even with no red flags, sometimes you get unlucky and get pulled aside for additional questioning. It happens at airports, land borders, and cruise terminals.

[LandlockedCruiser01]

Most likely random. Even with no red flags, sometimes you get unlucky and get pulled aside for additional questioning. It happens at airports, land borders, and cruise terminals.

No, it wasn't random. I'm 100% sure of it. They didn't pull me aside and take me into another room until I told them I was traveling alone. Once they heard I was in a cabin by myself, they got that predatory look in their eyes, like they were about to handcuff me.

 

Random or not, I don't care. No more Port Canaveral for me unless I find someone to cruise with. It's kind of a shame; I really liked staying in Cocoa Beach and sailing out of that port. But there are so many other ports to sail from, that it's not that big of a deal. Most cruises from Port Canaveral go to Bahamas, and those that don't are near-duplicates of itineraries from other ports.

 

NCL needs to keep their ships out of there for sure. I can see it all now: holding pens full of Studio cabin passengers.

Edited July 4, 2014 by LandlockedCruiser01

[riclop]

Leave him in jail and throw away the key.

[arizdback]

I witnessed someone being arrested in Ochoa Rio before re-boarding the ship. He was arrested by Jamaican authorities. My partner was searched an extra time in Costa Rica. He had lots of bags of Costa Rican coffee. There is a thorough check by security on the gangway right before you board the plane. I have found the security in San Juan to be quite extensive when debarking. There are always several drug dogs and officers.

 

Also have an Ocho story. We were diverted there last year on Liberty when storm came up around Roatan. Anyway, our family (all adults) hired a well known guide (we had hired him many times before) to take us around. We had his son who was awesome. We visited the falls and then the beach. At the beach the son talked to us about our tattoos (we own a shop) and told us he had a friend who had a shop in town. He offered to take us by to see a Jamaican tattoo shop and we instantly agreed. This place was way way off the tourist route. Very, very seedy but the people were friendly.

 

Anyway, when we walked back in to the tent to board we made it to the screeners (not the ship one but the ones manned by the Jamaicans.) We then heard a lady on the other side of the tent yell at the guy back at the door we came in through "They are over there! How did you not see them?"

 

Two Jamaican police came up to us and took us over to the lady. She took us behind a desk and went through all of our stuff. Looking in shoes, towels, wet clothes, socks, camera bags ... everything. When they found nothing they patted us down and brought a dog over to give us the once over. During this whole time they said nothing.

 

20 minutes later, the lady was obviously angry she found nothing and just yelled "go back on your ship!" It was pretty unnerving. It's obvious that they knew we had gone somewhere off the beaten path and they were waiting for us when we returned. How they knew is beyond us.

 

Oddly enough it was the best time we've had in Jamaica so far. Just a slightly scary end. :D

Edited July 4, 2014 by arizdback

[sparks1093]

Entirely possible that his source flipped him under the bus to claim a reward on top of the money received for the product.