Rice Cookers -- Not Allowed

[GrazieMommy]

We boarded the Equinox today and I'll put on my blog later all about our day BUT this is to good not to share right now.

 

All our luggage arrived except mine ... we got a call from Guest Relations telling us my bag was being held and we (meaning Charlie) had to go to Deck 2 (aka the Naughty Room) to claim it. Charlie quizzed (interrogated) me to see what contraband I could have brought on board. I replied, "I followed all the rules". I know he didn't believe me and I couldn't imagine what I could possibly have done wrong.

 

He arrived at the Naughty Room and told the crew he was there to pick his wife's bag up, claiming no responsibility. The crew politely told him his wife had brought a rice cooker aboard! He said he replied "what did you say? A rice cooker!" And started laughing. If you knew me you'd know I've never seen a rice cooker in my life, and wouldn't dream of bringing one on a cruise -- I'm a Minute Rice type of girl. He said other crew members were laughing and showed him a list with our cabin number with rice cooker next to it. While he stood there they opened my bag in search of a rice cooker ... alias none was found. He was able to retrieve my bag and bring it to our cabin.

 

When he returned he wouldn't tell me what happened until he poured himself a glass of wine -- from one of the two allowed bottles per cabin ... then he asked me if I had brought a rice cooker on board!

 

So everyone knows you can't bring alcohol, an extra bottle of wine, a charger or knife -- now I can report that you better leave your rice cooker at home.

 

 

 

 

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I can't thank you enough for giving me the best belly laugh I've had in weeks! It brought back memories from our 2016 sailing aboard the Summit to Bermuda. We too arrived to our SR to discover that my DH's bag was being held in the Naughty Room and I asked him what did he do, pack a knife?! When we arrived,it turned out that he had packed a powerstrip. Previous cruises he put it in his carry-on with no problem. Another couple had the same issue as she needed it for her CPAP machine. On the plus side, we were there to witness the Harbor Pilot disembark to his boat alongside the ship as we left NY Harbor.

[Hydrokitty]

Love this and Bo’s response - I’d pay!

 

This thread is becoming a fun one, kind of replacing the Panama C....anal thread!

 

Den

 

I was going to respond to that one.....but then the good/dull side of my brain took over the bad/fun side so I poured another glass of wine and watched tennis till 3 am. instead. :evilsmile:

[Luvcrusn]

Oh my goodness!!! I didn't bother reading this thread for days after seeing it, but curiosity got the best of me and now my mascara is running down my face from laughing! I can picture my DH doing just as Charlie did and teasing me endlessly about it! Thanks for sharing.:D

[MizDemeanor]

I’m going to try to bring this....

 

 

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[ATLgirl15]

The last 2 times I have flown my carryon luggage has been flagged for physical inspection because apparently 4 books stacked together look suspicious on their screen. The first time the TSA agent actually flipped through each book as if expecting to find a cutout with a secret compartment. I board Equinox next week and will most likely have the same amount of books. Maybe that’s my ticket into the naughty room!

[Hydrokitty]

The last 2 times I have flown my carryon luggage has been flagged for physical inspection because apparently 4 books stacked together look suspicious on their screen. The first time the TSA agent actually flipped through each book as if expecting to find a cutout with a secret compartment. I board Equinox next week and will most likely have the same amount of books. Maybe that’s my ticket into the naughty room!

 

Maybe...but one would hope the officers on board would recognize a book when they see one (apparently not all TSA agents do) !! :evilsmile:

[ATLgirl15]

So they don’t wait for you to inspect bags? And would just deliver to your room if it was cleared? I guess I’m too used to traveling with carryon. Darn.

[Luvcrusn]

The last 2 times I have flown my carryon luggage has been flagged for physical inspection because apparently 4 books stacked together look suspicious on their screen. The first time the TSA agent actually flipped through each book as if expecting to find a cutout with a secret compartment. I board Equinox next week and will most likely have the same amount of books. Maybe that’s my ticket into the naughty room!

May I recommend Kindle? Nook? E-reader? Lighter in weight and less scary to TSA or ship screeners!;)

[Cirdan]

May I recommend Kindle? Nook? E-reader? Lighter in weight and less scary to TSA or ship screeners!;)

 

It is not the same. A pile of books maintain you fitter and you get also more from books.

[Luvcrusn]

It is not the same. A pile of books maintain you fitter and you get also more from books.

To each their own. Other than the weight of carrying around a book contributing to your muscle strengthening fitness regime the rest is all the same. I used to prefer the feel of a book, but now that I've tried it, I read much more, and am not constantly visiting or making donations of used books to my library. I can take 50 books with me on a cruise and my suitcase weighs the same.

[Cirdan]

To each their own. Other than the weight of carrying around a book contributing to your muscle strengthening fitness regime the rest is all the same. I used to prefer the feel of a book, but now that I've tried it, I read much more, and am not constantly visiting or making donations of used books to my library. I can take 50 books with me on a cruise and my suitcase weighs the same.

 

I use both versions. Studies showed that reading from a real book helps you to remember better the sequence of the scenes (compared with people who read the same book from ebook). The theory is that one has the feed back of the pages.

 

I find reading a book more enjoyable because I can browse back quickly the book (my memory... I need to check past chapters again and again). With a ebook I become crazy. So for me it is not the same, but I anyway I find ebook handy especially for light reading ;p

[Hydrokitty]

I use both versions. Studies showed that reading from a real book helps you to remember better the sequence of the scenes (compared with people who read the same book from ebook). The theory is that one has the feed back of the pages.

 

I find reading a book more enjoyable because I can browse back quickly the book (my memory... I need to check past chapters again and again). With a ebook I become crazy. So for me it is not the same, but I anyway I find ebook handy especially for light reading ;p

 

I have the same problem....with an e-book I'm constantly flipping pages so I bring a few paperbacks in my suitcase and use my kindle to play games on the plane...or the balcony. I think a lot of the preference between e-reader and hardcover is age related. My generation grew up with books in our hands and while I love my kindle, it just doesn't feel the same as a "real book". :D

[legaljen1969]

On ‎9‎/‎4‎/‎2018 at 9:09 AM, myfuzzy said:

Oh my, this thread just gave me a jolt. I was reading about confiscated items....I came to mind my DH packing a wine corkscrew in HIS carry on through security at the airport last cruise. Of course they pull it aside and ask him about it, of course he looks at ME like I put in there. There were nice about it, asked if we had someone we could call and give it to them, but we just said to toss it....today I am packing for our cruise on Friday, and just remembered I hadn't packed it...SO, it's in MY CHECKED bag. I have never had a problem taking it on board...watch this time I just might.

I had forgotten about this until now, but on one of my first cruises I was still a consultant with Mary Kay.  I had brought several lipsticks for my mother, grandmothers and sister-in-law.   They were all packed in my carry-on because I didn't want them getting melted sitting out in sun.  
The machines identified these long round cylinders, made me pull them out and show that they weren't bullets/shells.  I kept wondering what in the world they thought I was going to use to shoot them as I had no gun in either a carry on OR checked luggage but....

[Hypo]

On 9/4/2018 at 8:27 AM, 39august said:

I've seem both a crock pot and a coffee pot in the naughty room. Once saw a recliner on the luggage cart at debarkation. Yes, a recliner.

We have observed, on cruises that leave and return to Puerto Rico, the locals will book the cruise and when in St Thomas will do their back to school shopping (I guess wider variety and cheaper prices).  They will come back onboard the ship with bags and bags of clothes, food, and just about anything that you can imagine.  I asked one of the staff why they did this.  They said it was cheaper to take a cruise than to fly to St. Thomas and that they cruise ship did not limit how much they could bring back onboard.  Plus, they got a nice cruise ship vacation thrown into the deal!

[Mynki]

42 minutes ago, legaljen1969 said:

I had forgotten about this until now, but on one of my first cruises I was still a consultant with Mary Kay.  I had brought several lipsticks for my mother, grandmothers and sister-in-law.   They were all packed in my carry-on because I didn't want them getting melted sitting out in sun.  
The machines identified these long round cylinders, made me pull them out and show that they weren't bullets/shells.  I kept wondering what in the world they thought I was going to use to shoot them as I had no gun in either a carry on OR checked luggage but....

A couple of years ago a friend and I were flying to South Africa travelling with sporting rifles. The procedure is you approach the check in desk tell them you're carrying firearms. They check you in and have security meet you, collect the weapons, have your rifle cases scanned whilst you visit customs with your firearms certificates and have the guns checked out of the UK polices central computer system. You then collect the firearms at the other end. 

My friend, decided he'd remove the  rifle bolt and take that with him in his hand luggage. This is something you'd do if travelling locally in the UK and needed to stop at a service station etc leaving the gun in the car. 

So we hand the rifle cases over, are told to go through security and meet the guards at Customs to do the paperwork. My friend Gordon has his bag stopped. At this point I've no idea what he's done and didn't expect problems as we've done this a few times before. A young girl tells him there's something in his bag that they don't know what it is. She goes through the contents, pulls out the .30.06 rifle bolt and says "oh it must be this.... what is it"? Gordon who's brain appeared to have stopped working that day says "it's part of my rifle". The girls jaw drops and she grabs her supervisor. After a lot of explaining to the airport security and the police, who showed almost no interest we managed to make our way to customs to check them out of the UK. One minute after we arrive a group of Japanese tourists arrive with a tour guide looking to process some tax refunds. The lady on duty had sent us to a room where securtiy are waiting with your now xrayed case, you open it, flash your license and they check it against serial numbers etc. 

The door to this room is open. The tour guide tells the customs lady they have a plane to catch and they need processing quickly. She snaps "I'm dealing with firearms, you will have to wait". Walks into the room to check our paperwork and half a dozen Jap tourists try and start snapping pictures of our now open rifle cases.... 

Never had any fun like that on a cruise ship..... i think I consimed more Scotch on that flight than any other because I wasn't sure we'd actually make it. :)

[bermadu22]

On 9/4/2018 at 7:40 AM, Z'Loth said:

 Why anyone would even bring a waffle iron or a rice cooker has me shaking my head.

Exactly, everyone knows a toaster oven would be the most useful. 

[julia]

Laughing here while remembering going through Copenhagen airport following our Baltic Capitols cruise.  While in SPB, we visited the Faberege Museum, and I purchased a beautiful egg.  Very jewel encrusted (and not cheap). It traveled home in a sturdy velvet lined box, secure in my carry-on bag. Well, this precious egg looks EXACTLY like a grenade in a scanner! The belt stopped immediately, people were hustled away, and security asked me to slowly open my bag.  I didn't realize the gravity of the situation until I saw their screen.  Once opened, two screeners were oooohing and aaawing over the egg. We still refer to it as our grenade....  😂

[CardRock]

We bought some fudge at a candy store in Ft Lauderdale...they had a little wooden "knife" packed in the box.  TSA spotted it on x-ray, opened the fudge box, saw the knife, and let it go through...

[packedandready]

And just how am I going to enjoy my balcony without a nice warm bowl of rice?? My vacation will be ruined 😅

[Anita Latte]

I’m so grateful that I clicked on this resurrected thread...

 

first...I’m very happy to have read about the books being flagged in checked luggage. My DS is headed off to London for college in September and we will likely be packing some books among other things and checking them when we fly out...nice to have some advance warning...and I finally have a place to share my story...

 

We were stopped by TSA after one of our cruises. The security was really freaked out opening our bag...I was annoyed because I couldn’t imagine what had caused the need for him to start very carefully unpacking our luggage...we were carry on only. He kept saying to us, and me in particular...step back please. The sigh of relief when he finally exposed our three X medals for winning trivia was audible. Apparently, when stacked together, they look like a bunch of throwing stars.

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, julia said:

Laughing here while remembering going through Copenhagen airport following our Baltic Capitols cruise.  While in SPB, we visited the Faberege Museum, and I purchased a beautiful egg.  Very jewel encrusted (and not cheap). It traveled home in a sturdy velvet lined box, secure in my carry-on bag. Well, this precious egg looks EXACTLY like a grenade in a scanner! The belt stopped immediately, people were hustled away, and security asked me to slowly open my bag.  I didn't realize the gravity of the situation until I saw their screen.  Once opened, two screeners were oooohing and aaawing over the egg. We still refer to it as our grenade....  😂

You are fortunate that you did not have to deal with an overzealous agent who might have "cracked the egg" to see what was inside.

 

Hank

[Blazerboy]

Oops.  Hate when I fall for the resurrected thread bit.

Edited July 11, 2019 by Blazerboy

[tarps14]

Many cruises ago got called to the naughty room.  It was my full size metal can of hair mousse that was causing problems.  The worst though did not happen on a ship but in the airport. It was just found out about when I went to unpack on the ship.  (Cannot believe I'm gonna share this.)  I got the dreaded "your bag has been searched" notice on the top when I opened the bag.  Unpacked and couldn't begin to see what had caused a problem.   Eventually I found a hand written note in a small zippered pouch.  It said "your bag was vibrating so we removed the battery for you".  And, yes, you guessed right.  *hangs head in shame*.  

[Iamcruzin]

On 9/4/2018 at 9:27 AM, 39august said:

I've seem both a crock pot and a coffee pot in the naughty room. Once saw a recliner on the luggage cart at debarkation. Yes, a recliner.

They most have been on the wrong cruise line because Princess is the one who removed the chair from the stateroom.

[julia]

5 hours ago, Hlitner said:

You are fortunate that you did not have to deal with an overzealous agent who might have "cracked the egg" to see what was inside.

 

Hank

 

Hank:

As you're probably aware... most Faberge eggs DO open (revealing a surprise for the Royals who commissioned them).  As does mine.  Inside mine are 6 tiny picture frames, linked together.

Security wasn't zealous enough to open! 🙂