Onboarding process - bag search?

[newbiecruiser2022]

I'm about to depart on my first Norwegian cruise and only the 2nd cruise of my lifetime....I recall the last one I went on (a Royal Caribbean charter), they pretty aggressively searched people's bags primarily hunting for alcohol I think.

 

Are they going to be opening up my suitcase and rifling through everything?  I'm bringing a LOT of stuff, like protein bars, protein powders, supplements, pills, etc., all just health nut kind of stuff because I don't trust my ability to find perfectly healthy clean-protein food at all times and especially for when I'm off on an excursion.  But I'm worried if they are going to confiscate anything.   I saw something on the NCL site that said "sealed" food items only, except my protein powder comes in an enormous jug which is just not practical to carry with me so I was planning to divvy up the servings in ziplock bags with my shaker bottle which is how I always travel.

 

I also will have a ton of pills of all shapes colors and sizes and it's also not practical to bring each in its own fullsize unopened original bottle - I consolidate into a 7 day pill sorter with daily compartments.

 

Please advise if I should anticipate any problems?  Thanks all.

[shof515]

the only time they do a deep through search is if they see something on the bag xray machine

[ChiefMateJRK]

5 minutes ago, shof515 said:

the only time they do a deep through search is if they see something on the bag xray machine

Yep.  As long as you don't have something that looks like alcohol or firearms, you should be good to go. Even then, I've heard that they don't open your bag but call you down to the naughty room to open it for them.  I don't know from personal experience.

[ATXBecky]

When my husband was still scuba diving he packed his dive knife. Yes, they kept the bag and had him go to security to open it for them then gave him the bag. They gave the knife back at disembarkation. They did not go through the bag.

[1025cruise]

Can you get your protein powder in a smaller jug? I'd be willing to bet that security will have an issue with powder in ziploc bags.

[YVRteacher]

Your bags will go through an X-ray machine before you board, just like going through airport security screening.

 

One tip for protein powder is to go to Whole Foods and buy the individual serving size packages.  That’s what I do for travel and have never had an issue.

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, newbiecruiser2022 said:

I'm about to depart on my first Norwegian cruise and only the 2nd cruise of my lifetime....I recall the last one I went on (a Royal Caribbean charter), they pretty aggressively searched people's bags primarily hunting for alcohol I think.

 

Are they going to be opening up my suitcase and rifling through everything?  I'm bringing a LOT of stuff, like protein bars, protein powders, supplements, pills, etc., all just health nut kind of stuff because I don't trust my ability to find perfectly healthy clean-protein food at all times and especially for when I'm off on an excursion.  But I'm worried if they are going to confiscate anything.   I saw something on the NCL site that said "sealed" food items only, except my protein powder comes in an enormous jug which is just not practical to carry with me so I was planning to divvy up the servings in ziplock bags with my shaker bottle which is how I always travel.

 

I also will have a ton of pills of all shapes colors and sizes and it's also not practical to bring each in its own fullsize unopened original bottle - I consolidate into a 7 day pill sorter with daily compartments.

 

Please advise if I should anticipate any problems?  Thanks all.

In general, there is no problem bringing food, pills, supplements on the ship.

 

Specific to your question, port and ship security will not open a bag. At most, the entire bag is confiscated and you will be required to go to the "naughty room" and open the bag for security. 

 

However, the ship policy clearly states that no foods may be removed from the ship for shore excursions or disembarkation to abide by local laws. You can probably sneak foods off. But in some ports, the foreign governments will have sniffer dogs looking for food. 

Edited July 5, 2022 by BirdTravels

[joelheather]

although the huge jug of protein powder may get a bag check

[Dcoy]

At least you’re not attempting to bring a grill like someone wants to to on another post. 😱

[tetleytea]

5 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Even then, I've heard that they don't open your bag but call you down to the naughty room to open it for them.  I don't know from personal experience.

 

Since I do have personal experience with the TSA, I wouldn't call it the "naughty" room.  I kept getting flagged for explosives.   TSA did a full patdown with the front of their hands.  In the end, a supervisor just let me through.  Getting on the cruise ship was a breeze thereafter.

 

Meanwhile, on another trip I had a creme brûlée torch in my carry-on (I forgot it was there).  Went right through, no issues.  It even had propane.

[GeezerCouple]

6 minutes ago, tetleytea said:

 

Since I do have personal experience with the TSA, I wouldn't call it the "naughty" room.  I kept getting flagged for explosives.   TSA did a full patdown with the front of their hands.  In the end, a supervisor just let me through.  Getting on the cruise ship was a breeze thereafter.

 

Meanwhile, on another trip I had a creme brûlée torch in my carry-on (I forgot it was there).  Went right through, no issues.  It even had propane.

 

 

The TSA screening at airports is quite different from the screening when boarding NCL (or most other cruise ships).

 

GC

[tetleytea]

But if you can get through TSA, you will probably get through cruise security.   Anyway the point is that I wouldn't call it the "naughty" room.  They can take you back for multiple reasons, and not all of them--probably not even most of them--involve you being naughty.

[jskinsd]

If you have nothing to hide, all it will cost you is a little extra time repacking .  And how much time are we really talking about.  5 minutes.✌️

[chengkp75]

11 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Specific to your question, port and ship security will not open a bag.

This is not quite correct.  While they typically don't open a bag during embarkation, the ticket contract gives them the right to search your cabin and baggage without your presence or knowledge.

[graphicguy]

I’m thinking the baggies filled with powders and/or pills might set cause a bag check.

 

Maybe want to forego those this cruise as I’ve found the cruise security personnel to be ill-humored and not very communicative when trying to explain things like “non-prescriptions” that had the look of maybe, perhaps, something illegal.

Edited July 5, 2022 by graphicguy

[LGW59]

11 hours ago, tetleytea said:

 

Since I do have personal experience with the TSA, I wouldn't call it the "naughty" room.  I kept getting flagged for explosives.   TSA did a full patdown with the front of their hands.  In the end, a supervisor just let me through.  Getting on the cruise ship was a breeze thereafter.

 

Meanwhile, on another trip I had a creme brûlée torch in my carry-on (I forgot it was there).  Went right through, no issues.  It even had propane.

OK so I must ask.  You really travel with a creme brulee torch??

[The Shrike]

27 minutes ago, LGW59 said:

OK so I must ask.  You really travel with a creme brulee torch??

They make awesome cigar lighters, especially in windy conditions.

[tetleytea]

3 minutes ago, The Shrike said:

They make awesome cigar lighters, especially in windy conditions.

OK so I must ask.  You really travel with a creme brulee torch??

 

 

It was a mistake.   I had not fully unpacked my carry-on bag before I packed it to fly.   I could see myself making the same mistake with a concealed handgun, since I conceal it so tightly.  It's easy to forget.   Only thing stopping me from forgetting is that it's such a big no-no--like leaving your wallet or wedding ring behind--only worse.

Edited July 5, 2022 by tetleytea

[ChiefMateJRK]

12 hours ago, tetleytea said:

Since I do have personal experience with the TSA, I wouldn't call it the "naughty" room.

We were talking about checked luggage.

[tetleytea]

6 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

We were talking about checked luggage.

 

I don't see the difference?   I don't mean to make this a bigger deal than it really is, but I just don't like people looking on us as going back to the "naughty room" when it's just secondary screening.  I feel judgmental eyes on the back of my head, whether real or imagined.  I also got called to secondary screening at the U.S. border twice--once because I was applying for immigration, and once simply because I was slow to drive up to the window and sat at the red light for too long.  I think I also answered the border agent wrong when he asked when was the last time I had been to the United States.  

 

[latebloomer56]

We carry our meds and vitamins in the daily dose pack as well but not in our checked bags but carry on backpack. For your protein powder somebody suggested Whole Foods for sealed serving packs, would look at that as well. Never had an issue with meds, though they do say in original containers. Naughty room once but I opened my bag it turned out to be my bath salts for sore legs with a lot of walking in ports was in small bottle from the dollar store.

[schmoopie17]

16 hours ago, Dcoy said:

At least you’re not attempting to bring a grill like someone wants to to on another post. 😱

I read this too fast and though it said girl. (Probably also not allowed in baggage). I need to slow down.

Oh wait, I'm retired. Can't get much slower than I already am.

[tetleytea]

If I can bring a creme brulee torch through TSA, then i would think one could bring a grill through Norwegian.

[jkrelph]

16 hours ago, Dcoy said:

At least you’re not attempting to bring a grill like someone wants to to on another post. 😱

LOL, I saw that, it had to be a joke...

[mjkacmom]

You can buy the powder in a smaller package (I used to buy them for my son but it really is cheaper in the giant jug on my kitchen floor).