Prohibited Items - enforcement policy

[arlowood]

Booked on SOD for the Scandinavian Gems cruise leaving on 4th August.

 

Just received our final travel documentation and luggage labels. On reading through the information provided, I note that under "Embarkation Information" they stipulate a number of items that are prohibited from being taken on board including "penknives".

 

My question is, does anyone have any experience of how rigidly these rules are enforced?

I have a favourite Swiss Army penknife that I have taken on holiday with me every year for a number of years. This includes over 14 cruises with P&O and 4 with Viking. There were never any issues with these cruise lines other than latterly, with P&O, where I was advised to carry the penknife in my hand luggage to make sure it could be examined by security for maximum blade length. When it was inspected , it was found to come within their cut off for blade length.

 

For context, I did also carry it on our first Saga cruise in 2022 (circumnavigation of Iceland on SOD). However that was a bit atypical since it was the cruise where SOD was delayed leaving Vigo (I think) and had to disembark in Portsmouth rather than Dover. The process overall was a bit chaotic and in the end we were herded on board fairly quickly so that we could depart in a timely manner. I'm not even sure if we were screened properly by security on that occasion.

 

Any experience of those who have successfully boarded with their trusty penknives?

 

I could leave mine at home to avoid any issues but I have found it to be so useful on many occasions and would be loathe to be without it.

[JoJo1947]

[Balaena]

18 hours ago, arlowood said:

Booked on SOD for the Scandinavian Gems cruise leaving on 4th August.

 

Just received our final travel documentation and luggage labels. On reading through the information provided, I note that under "Embarkation Information" they stipulate a number of items that are prohibited from being taken on board including "penknives".

 

My question is, does anyone have any experience of how rigidly these rules are enforced?

I have a favourite Swiss Army penknife that I have taken on holiday with me every year for a number of years. This includes over 14 cruises with P&O and 4 with Viking. There were never any issues with these cruise lines other than latterly, with P&O, where I was advised to carry the penknife in my hand luggage to make sure it could be examined by security for maximum blade length. When it was inspected , it was found to come within their cut off for blade length.

 

For context, I did also carry it on our first Saga cruise in 2022 (circumnavigation of Iceland on SOD). However that was a bit atypical since it was the cruise where SOD was delayed leaving Vigo (I think) and had to disembark in Portsmouth rather than Dover. The process overall was a bit chaotic and in the end we were herded on board fairly quickly so that we could depart in a timely manner. I'm not even sure if we were screened properly by security on that occasion.

 

Any experience of those who have successfully boarded with their trusty penknives?

 

I could leave mine at home to avoid any issues but I have found it to be so useful on many occasions and would be loathe to be without it.

Oh you poor thing, need your penknife do you. For goodness sake leave it at home.

[JMMKUK]

We had our scissors checked at Dover. They were just OK then so I haven't taken them since.

I agree a penknife is very useful.

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, Balaena said:

Oh you poor thing, need your penknife do you. For goodness sake leave it at home.

 

It's a screwdriver , scissors,  tweezers, lots of tools 

[david05]

24 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

It's a screwdriver , scissors,  tweezers, lots of tools 

Yes very useful, my wife used to pack the very small (about an inch long) swiss knife and we used the scissors and tweezers a lot. However, it disappeared and she had no idea what had happened to it until our last Saga cruise when she discovered it in a pocket of her luggage - it must have gone through the baggage check on a number of cruises without causing any alarm.

[Spence55]

It’s quite simple. Ship’s rules are ship’s rules. Accept them or stay ashore. 

[JoJo1947]

On 7/7/2024 at 10:16 AM, JMMKUK said:

We had our scissors checked at Dover. They were just OK then so I haven't taken them since.

I agree a penknife is very useful.

I pack appropriate scissors in my checked in luggage never hand 

[Windsurfboy]

We had to get them to measure our Swiss army knife blade just made 4cm now go in case.

 

However first night had a steak , given a nasty looking steak knife with 5 inch blade,  far more deadly. But rules is rules. 

Edited Monday at 03:38 PM by Windsurfboy