BRINGING PDA or IPOD with on shore

[grabbit97]

Has anyone carried a PDA or IPOD with them onshore in the BALTIC CRUISES... did you go into museums, in any of the ports with them? Were you searched.. (bags etc) and were they confiscated?

 

I want to bring my IPOD with, to listen to books on tape ( have trouble walking and may need to sit while the rest of tour finishes.. and want something to do)

 

Thanks

Nat

[JeannyCT]

Vasa Museum (Stockholm): the bags weren't searched

Library (Helsinki): bags had to go into lockers in the lobby

St. Petersburg: one place had lockers (I think it was either St. Catherine's Palace or Peterhof), I don't remember if the bags were searched anywhere but nothing was confiscated

 

In most places you can sit outside watching people and listening to your audio books (weather permitting, of course).

[swdke]

Has anyone carried a PDA or IPOD with them onshore in the BALTIC CRUISES... did you go into museums, in any of the ports with them? Were you searched.. (bags etc) and were they confiscated?

 

I want to bring my IPOD with, to listen to books on tape ( have trouble walking and may need to sit while the rest of tour finishes.. and want something to do)

 

Thanks

Nat

 

 

Although museums and such often wanted bags to be placed in lockers, my guess is that it's so you don't get forgetful of your bags, and accidently knock something over, or if if you're dishonest, borrow one of the museum pieces. As for a personal IPOD, I can't imagine that being a problem. That's smaller than carrying a camera or camcorder. Something as small as that which can fit in your shirt pocket should be just fine. I did take my IPOD off shore, but I kept it in the bag which I stored in some of the museums. But, if I wanted to take it along, there were never restriction signs or such devices. Also, bags were never searched, but you might have to place them in a locker.

[grabbit97]

Vasa Museum (Stockholm): the bags weren't searched

Library (Helsinki): bags had to go into lockers in the lobby

St. Petersburg: one place had lockers (I think it was either St. Catherine's Palace or Peterhof), I don't remember if the bags were searched anywhere but nothing was confiscated

 

In most places you can sit outside watching people and listening to your audio books (weather permitting, of course).

 

 

I am talking about my PURSE, if I have the iPOD or the PDA in my PURSE, are they going to make me check my purse???? I am not talking about a BACKPACK, we will not be carrying one of those.

Nat

[JeannyCT]

I am talking about my PURSE, if I have the iPOD or the PDA in my PURSE, are they going to make me check my purse???? I am not talking about a BACKPACK, we will not be carrying one of those.

Well, you wrote BAG, not PURSE; I also wrote BAG, not BACKPACK - so I think I was talking about the same thing you did :)

It doesn't matter if it's a backpack, a purse, a plastic bag or any other bag: some museums are very strict and you have to check everything (like the library in Helsinki), others couldn’t care less (museums that mainly have statues that don't fit in a backpack/purse/bag of any kind).

[B-HQC]

were they confiscated?

 

I don't know why people are so concerned about their property being confiscated. The only people who can confiscate your property are law enforcement officers, and then only when they have a court order or are placing you under arrest and taking your property as evidence.

 

Private parties cannot confiscate your property.

 

Example:

 

-a museum doesn't allow cameras

-I bring one in and start taking pictures

-museum employee asks to confiscate my film and/or camera

 

I would ignore them. If they keep pestering me, I would call the police. They have no right to harrass me.

 

Of course they can ask me to leave. But that is the only thing they can do.

[JeannyCT]

I don't know why people are so concerned about their property being confiscated. The only people who can confiscate your property are law enforcement officers, and then only when they have a court order or are placing you under arrest and taking your property as evidence.

Confiscate is the definitely the wrong word, it's too strong, and you're right, only police officers etc. can do that. On the other hand, a museum has a right to ask you to put your bag in a locker or deny you to enter. So, if you want to see the museum and the exhibits on display you have to play by their rules.

 

Example:

-a museum doesn't allow cameras

-I bring one in and start taking pictures

-museum employee asks to confiscate my film and/or camera

I would ignore them. If they keep pestering me, I would call the police. They have no right to harrass me.

Yes, they do have a right to harrass you because you didn’t follow their rules (although not to confiscate the camera, maybe the film, they may be allowed to take the camera from you and give it back when you leave).

 

If you go on a Baltic cruise you visit five to ten different countries with different laws. What you wrote may be true where you live but not neccessarily in any or all of the countries visited.

 

You're supposed to buy merchandise (postcards, books etc.) in the museum shop, so it's an economic reason for not allowing pictures. One can agree or disagree with that.

Depending on what museum you visit they may have old paintings that react badly to flash photography, the colours will faint much faster. In case to preserve these exhibits for the future and other visitors no photography is allowed, which I think makes a lot of sense. Otherwise many paintings would've been damaged by now and you wouldn't be able to see them.

 

Anyway, bringing an iPod is most likely no problem at all. You can always carry it in your hand.

 

One other reason why museums may want to look into your bag or ask you to put it in a locker: Some idiots bring paint or acid to destroy paintings, they want to make sure you're not one of them.

[grabbit97]

Confiscate is the definitely the wrong word, it's too strong, and you're right, only police officers etc. can do that. On the other hand, a museum has a right to ask you to put your bag in a locker or deny you to enter. So, if you want to see the museum and the exhibits on display you have to play by their rules.

 

 

Yes, they do have a right to harrass you because you didn’t follow their rules (although not to confiscate the camera, maybe the film, they may be allowed to take the camera from you and give it back when you leave).

 

If you go on a Baltic cruise you visit five to ten different countries with different laws. What you wrote may be true where you live but not neccessarily in any or all of the countries visited.

 

You're supposed to buy merchandise (postcards, books etc.) in the museum shop, so it's an economic reason for not allowing pictures. One can agree or disagree with that.

Depending on what museum you visit they may have old paintings that react badly to flash photography, the colours will faint much faster. In case to preserve these exhibits for the future and other visitors no photography is allowed, which I think makes a lot of sense. Otherwise many paintings would've been damaged by now and you wouldn't be able to see them.

 

Anyway, bringing an iPod is most likely no problem at all. You can always carry it in your hand.

 

One other reason why museums may want to look into your bag or ask you to put it in a locker: Some idiots bring paint or acid to destroy paintings, they want to make sure you're not one of them.

 

OK, thanks for the repsonse. I carry my PDA everywhere, and was hoping to be able to take it with me offshore... off the ship.. as well as the IPOD.

I use it to make notes (pda) as we go along.. so you all think that it would be OK, and they won't make me check a small purse. We are going to the Hermitage.. any problems there?