Luggage Search!!! Has this happened to you??

[rubrrick]

My DW and I just returned from a B2B on the Monarch of the Seas. We boarded last Friday (Sept 1st) with 3 checked bags and one carry on. Two of the three made it to the door of our cabin, within 30 minutes of boarding........but the last one seemed to be missing. After muster drill, the Assistant housekeeper took me down to an area where bags were being held, and mine was one of them. Security said that there was an unusual item in my bag that they could not identify, and could I open the bag for inspection. We do use TSA locks, and I don't think that the shipping company has access to the special key to unlock the bags.

 

I opened the case (it was our garment bag), and security checked the contents, and I was allowed to close the bag. What were they looking for? Apparently passengers are bringing aboard electric irons, and that's a real safety issue. There were at least a dozen other bags waiting for their owners to go thru the same search.

 

Has this happened to anyone else?

 

Rick

[CaptData]

Yes, I had a medical device in one checked bag. They thought it might have been an iron or a heat lamp of some sort. both are not allowed on ship. when they were about to go through my things I told them what it was and they lifted it out and checked it over. They contacted medical and they oked it. The machine which has electros in it is to stimulate a muscle. When fold down to its smallest size looks like an iron. It is like a tens machine but smaller.

[wolfcathorse]

Rick, we all know what they were looking for and we all know you do it!

[bajsf]

In Sept. o4, we were going on the Enchantment and our DD was coming with us. It was the beginning of her Senior year at college, her suitcase was full of books and it was searched, a note was attached to the outside of her suitcase...it did weigh a ton.

[TEXASMUNK]

One of our group the last time.....

It was lots of booze..which the ship "kindly" held for them until the night before getting off the ship.

 

They also have those really cute little beagles that sniff you bags when you are getting on and when it is all lined up on shore when you get off.

 

No, they are not "exercising" their family pets, they are looking for mind altering substances.

[TheEngineer]

One of our tablemates had to go down to collect their luggage as well. They claimed that what security saw was a pair of scissors.

[MGoBlue2]

Some people we were sailing with were called down because of a corkscrew in their checked luggage. Security thought it was a knife.

[triciafromnj]

Irons are not allowed anymore? Thge last cruise I was on was VOS back in 2001 and I brought an iron. Are there irons in the cabins?

[TheEngineer]

No irons on our last cruise, but the cost of getting an article pressed was very low. With prices like that, I don't see the point in bringing an iron.

[pmshirl]

Years ago (like 1979) while Flying to Bermuda, our luggage was searched DH and mine. I assume because we were very young (early 20's) that gave the custom officers a reason to search all our belongings! I wasn't happy at all with the procedure. Our luggage was emptied out completely on a conveiror belt, along with every carton of cigarettes opened and each individual pack of cigs opened! We were also seperately taken into a dressing room, where we had to take all clothes off down to our under garments. Nothing was found on us and we were left to pack up all items that were thrown about by ourselves. I was very upset(being this was going there) throughout the rest of our week vacation in Bermuda. It has never happened to me while doing a cruise vacation,but my luggage already had a tag on it that it was searched by so and so for inspection,and also I do know of incidents where people were searched when the dogs were brought on to the ship. It happened right across the hall from my cabin. I don't know the outcomeof it but the Pax where still seen on the ship for the remaining of the cruise!

[trixie54]

So can we bring corkscrews, nail scissors, etc. onboard? I haven't heard that we can't.:confused:

[Sheffie]

So can we bring corkscrews, nail scissors, etc. onboard? I haven't heard that we can't.:confused:

 

Yes, you can take these on the ships.

[Sheffie]

Irons are not allowed anymore? Thge last cruise I was on was VOS back in 2001 and I brought an iron. Are there irons in the cabins?

 

There are no irons in any cabins.

[wraithe]

Irons are not allowed anymore? Thge last cruise I was on was VOS back in 2001 and I brought an iron. Are there irons in the cabins?

 

Nope, they're not provided and since the RCL website says they're a fire hazard, you'd suspect they aren't allowed either, although like everything on these boards there are people who will argue that point.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/onboardExtrasFaq.do;jsessionid=0000t6LfNDDsbGqlIna9U9s-jof:10ktmeta1, look at the bottom of the dry cleaning price list, you'll find the following statement: PRESS ONLY - 50% of cleaning prices Please note: We do not provide irons in the staterooms as they constitute a fire hazard.

[mohavemommy]

Security said that there was an unusual item in my bag that they could not identify, and could I open the bag for inspection.... I opened the case (it was our garment bag), and security checked the contents, and I was allowed to close the bag. What were they looking for? Apparently passengers are bringing aboard electric irons, and that's a real safety issue.

 

So what was the item that they thought was the suspicious one? I bring along a heating pad for my back, but I have never had this happen to me.

[cb at sea]

I've brought an iron (small travel) and a heating pad! We've never had our stuff opened! The only thing I can thing of that they would check bags for would be drugs. Corkscrews, razor blades, even pocket knives are allowed, so why would they go to all that trouble opening bags if that's what they think they see? I would bet that sniffer dogs gave some kind of alert and they needed to check it out.

[KillaFee]

uh oh I've brought an iron on the past 4 or 5 cruises. I guess I should stop now, huh? Oh speaking of fire hazards I had a scare while on the Grandeur this past winter....Here I was blow drying my hair, totally not dressed because I just got out of the shower, and all of a sudden the smoke alarm starts going off!!! It scared the living daylights out of me and I just stood there shocked out of my mind envisioning the captain and fire crew knocking down my door any minute.....My boyfriend was up at the windjammer getting me a coffee and I had no idea what to do...get dressed? Call the Pursers desk? Whack the smoke alarm with a broom and pretend like I didn't hear anything? It finally went off and I ended up pretending like nothing happened. I used the little hairdryer in the drawer from then on because I'm not gonna lie...I was a little afraid of mine from then on!

LaUrA

[rubrrick]

Rick, we all know what they were looking for and we all know you do it!

 

Wolf...........if that's what they were looking for........they got the wrong bag!!

 

What my DW packed was a pair of scissors.............that looked like a flat iron. Go figure!!

 

Rick

[wolfcathorse]

hehe...I figured that's why you probably complied with their request with a big smile on your face and a civil attitude!

[wrp96]

So what was the item that they thought was the suspicious one? I bring along a heating pad for my back, but I have never had this happen to me.

 

Heating pads aren't supposed to be brought either.

[rubrrick]

hehe...I figured that's why you probably complied with their request with a big smile on your face and a civil attitude!

 

Wolf..........you have a one track mind today!! I'm always civil. I did have a couple of bottles of special wine in that other bag. There was no smuggling of booze on my part!! I would not think of that!!:D :D

 

Rick

[gagirl7143]

The smoke alarm will go off if you come out of the hot shower and leave the door open. We were told that on a bridge tour on the Brillance.

[NanciRDH]

They also have those really cute little beagles that sniff you bags when you are getting on and when it is all lined up on shore when you get off.

 

No, they are not "exercising" their family pets, they are looking for mind altering substances.

 

We also got 'sniffed' ourselves coming off a cruise in Miami once. The dog had a particular interest in Dh's shoes, but only because we have 3 dogs at home. The agent just laughed, and said he smelled interesting to the dog, though not in a bad way. We did get a few funny looks from fellow passengers!

[mydogs]

"Sir Richard,"

We still will cruise with you even though you have contraband in your luggage. Wonder what it could be. Hmm !

The "Baroness" :cool: :cool: :cool:

[zantedeschia]

uh Here I was blow drying my hair, totally not dressed because I just got out of the shower, and all of a sudden the smoke alarm starts going off!!! It scared the living daylights out of me and I just stood there shocked out of my mind envisioning the captain and fire crew knocking down my door any minute.....My boyfriend was up at the windjammer getting me a coffee and I had no idea what to do...get dressed?

One thing that makes smoke detectors go off is dust. The way to turn them off is to grab a magazine and vigorously fan them - that will flush out whatever's in the sampling chamber that's causing it to alarm.