Christmas crackers

[katlew]

We’re leaving on a Christmas cruise next week & wanted to bring crackers for Christmas dinner. I’m worried they won’t be allowed because of the cap in them. Has anyone ever brought crackers on board?

[Serendiptydesign]

I was just reading on prohibited list christmas crackers were one of the prohibited items, not sure if it was in carry on luggage or cargo luggage. See you in a few days. 

Edited December 17, 2022 by Serendiptydesign

[katlew]

4 minutes ago, Serendiptydesign said:

I was just reading on prohibited list christmas crackers were one of the prohibited items, not sure if it was in carry on luggage or cargo luggage. See you in a few days. 

For the boat or plane? Weather is stunning in Auckland today!

[miami mama]

I am very curious about this as I don't know about Christmas crackers. What would make them a prohibited item?

[Serendiptydesign]

1 hour ago, katlew said:

For the boat or plane? Weather is stunning in Auckland today!

Plane is what I was reading, I am sure it is okay for the boat we I think it would be

[CILCIANRQTS]

37 minutes ago, miami mama said:

I am very curious about this as I don't know about Christmas crackers. What would make them a prohibited item?

They have a very small amount of gunpowder in them ( think the caps for a gap gun) that fires when they are pulled apart.

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_cracker

[miami mama]

Thanks for the explanation Cilcianrqts. Have never heard of them and could not imagine why a cracker would be prohibited. Makes sense now. 

[katlew]

They aren’t listed on the prohibited items list, but I guess could be considered firearms. We bought cheap ones & will see. I guess we could take the cap out. https://docs.vikingcruises.com/pdf/20190826-Prohibited-Item-List.pdf

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, katlew said:

We’re leaving on a Christmas cruise next week & wanted to bring crackers for Christmas dinner. I’m worried they won’t be allowed because of the cap in them. Has anyone ever brought crackers on board?

 

If they contain an explosive (which gunpowder is), they are prohibited on the ship:

 

Flammable liquids & all explosives
(lighter fluid, fireworks, flares, etc.)

 

See Viking's complete list of prohibited items here: https://docs.vikingcruises.com/pdf/20190826-Prohibited-Item-List.pdf

 

Don't guess. If you have any further questions, your safest bet is to let Viking speak for themselves.

 

Don't forget that you also have issues with the airports and airplanes. Gunpowder is a problem. Taking out the caps may not be a viable option; the gunpowder residue may linger and attract the attention of the sniffer dogs at the airport (they don't know it is just a cap and neither do their handlers).  It would be a lousy start to a much anticipated trip.

 

Maybe you can find some sort of Christmas cracker that is gunpowder free.

[katlew]

43 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

If they contain an explosive (which gunpowder is), they are prohibited on the ship:

 

Flammable liquids & all explosives
(lighter fluid, fireworks, flares, etc.)

 

See Viking's complete list of prohibited items here: https://docs.vikingcruises.com/pdf/20190826-Prohibited-Item-List.pdf

 

Don't guess. If you have any further questions, your safest bet is to let Viking speak for themselves.

 

Don't forget that you also have issues with the airports and airplanes. Gunpowder is a problem. Taking out the caps may not be a viable option; the gunpowder residue may linger and attract the attention of the sniffer dogs at the airport (they don't know it is just a cap and neither do their handlers).  It would be a lousy start to a much anticipated trip.

 

Maybe you can find some sort of Christmas cracker that is gunpowder free.

We are already in NZ & bought them here, so planes aren’t an issue. If Viking says no, not a big deal.

[Haqdeluxe]

8 hours ago, katlew said:

We are already in NZ & bought them here, so planes aren’t an issue. If Viking says no, not a big deal.

At every port we have embarked from, the host country's Border Enforcement handles all the screening. I suspect this will be the same in New Zealand. You're likely not going to be dealing with Viking until you get past NZ Border Security.

Cheers 

[KBs mum]

Take the gunpowder bit of card out, so you can take them, then yell 'bang' at the appropriate moment.😊

There arn't caps in there, the noise comes from a tiny bit of gunpowder glued between two ends of card, the other ends being in the handle bits. Friction when the cracker is pulled ignite the gunpowder to make the noise   😊

Edited December 18, 2022 by KBs mum

[katlew]

3 hours ago, Haqdeluxe said:

At every port we have embarked from, the host country's Border Enforcement handles all the screening. I suspect this will be the same in New Zealand. You're likely not going to be dealing with Viking until you get past NZ Border Security.

Cheers 

Ah good point!

[Peregrina651]

9 hours ago, KBs mum said:

Take the gunpowder bit of card out, so you can take them, then yell 'bang' at the appropriate moment.😊

There arn't caps in there, the noise comes from a tiny bit of gunpowder glued between two ends of card, the other ends being in the handle bits. Friction when the cracker is pulled ignite the gunpowder to make the noise   😊

 

I'd still be wary of anything that contains or contained any amount of gunpowder because who knows what the threshold is for detection and who knows what the legal threshold is that would get you into trouble.

 

 

Edited December 19, 2022 by Peregrina651

[molymoo]

Certainly wouldn't be worth the risk for me.  There are enough headaches associated with travel nowadays ... why risk another? 

[CDNPolar]

To me as one that grew up with Christmas Crackers, I get the desire to have these, but I also think that depending on your tradition, the WOW part for us was all pulling at the same time and the POPs that happened together.

 

Why not do this... get small decorated bags and to each one put a small hat and then "prizes" or treats inside.  Make everyone different.  Kind of like kids party grab bags.  Put one of these at each table place setting and still have the tradition, but slightly altered for travel.  Who knows, you might start a whole new tradition.

 

As much as this is a tradition for me, I always feel that the small bit of joy in the minute for the cheap prize and hat does not justify the cost of good crackers today.  All that waste gets scooped up - prizes, hats and all - and into the garbage.

[katlew]

I think we will do our crackers tonight in port instead of worrying about taking them onboard. Thanks all

[PasadenaDave]

You can ask a WNBA player if cannabis residue is detected in luggage..it is, and I suspect gun powder as well.  But I do recall a roommate of mine in the mid-80's brought some bottle rockets on a plane from North Carolina to Newark.  He made it through

[formernuke]

Mid-80's was before 9/11...

[PasadenaDave]

21 minutes ago, formernuke said:

Mid-80's was before 9/11...

correct but explosive devices were not allowed by the FAA.  You could take a backpacking stove with white gas which I did many times

[formernuke]

Correct, but TSA searches were not as sophisticated, so relatively easy to get through without being picked out for explosives residue.