Custom agents to our cabin on day of disembarkation?

[MaryAnnKacz]

Just off Imagination on September 24. At about 8:30 in the morning, I believe they were custom agents, knocked on our cabin door and asked to see my boyfriend's passport. They looked at his passport and and said that was it and were on their way. We were also traveling with our 6 year old daughter. We have been on 8 cruises, 7 Carnival and this has never happened before. We did self assist disembarkation and expected to be pulled aside, but were not. Is this a random thing they do?

[Pegs222]

Just off Imagination on September 24. At about 8:30 in the morning, I believe they were custom agents, knocked on our cabin door and asked to see my boyfriend's passport. They looked at his passport and and said that was it and were on their way. We were also traveling with our 6 year old daughter. We have been on 8 cruises, 7 Carnival and this has never happened before. We did self assist disembarkation and expected to be pulled aside, but were not. Is this a random thing they do?

 

What do you mean they said, "that was it"? Did you ask them why they wanted to see your BF Passport?

 

This is a prime reason to get that Passport.

[dforeigner]

Was the Passport number entered incorrectly? Does his name matches one that is listed on the lookout list?

[direfun2000]

Just off Imagination on September 24. At about 8:30 in the morning, I believe they were custom agents, knocked on our cabin door and asked to see my boyfriend's passport. They looked at his passport and and said that was it and were on their way. We were also traveling with our 6 year old daughter. We have been on 8 cruises, 7 Carnival and this has never happened before. We did self assist disembarkation and expected to be pulled aside, but were not. Is this a random thing they do?

 

 

 

Dunno. Did you buy drugs in port?:confused:

[big_duck]

Sounds like your boyfriend's name is on a watch list.

 

Not your boyfriend, necessarily, his name.

[MaryAnnKacz]

It was so quick, I really didn't get a chance to ask why? No, he did not buy drugs. I don't know why he would be on a watch list. He was born in the United States as I and our daughter. He is blonde and has a German last name. Nothing is wrong with his passport. We have been 7 of our cruises within the last 2 and 1/2 years. But I know there are other people who cruise more than that. It really upset me. The people across the hall looked at us like we were guilty of something. We have another cruise booked for December, hopefully that doesn't happen again. If they suspected him of something, I thought they would have pulled him aside and checked his luggage. I don't understand asking for his passport. We all showed our passports when getting on the ship. Also, I handed them all of our passports, they said they only needed to see his.

[big_duck]

I don't know why he would be on a watch list.

 

Which is why I took care to qualify - his name, not him.

 

If Joe Blow is on a watch list, they would check his ID to make sure he isn't the Joe Blow they are looking for.

[MaryAnnKacz]

Yes, I guess that is a possibility that someone with his last name is on a list. My first thought was "oh my god" they found out about the pint of whiskey he smuggled on board!

[cmsmuse]

Just off Imagination on September 24. At about 8:30 in the morning, I believe they were custom agents, knocked on our cabin door and asked to see my boyfriend's passport. They looked at his passport and and said that was it and were on their way. We were also traveling with our 6 year old daughter. We have been on 8 cruises, 7 Carnival and this has never happened before. We did self assist disembarkation and expected to be pulled aside, but were not. Is this a random thing they do?

 

They may not have been customs agents...ask Carnival if they now of this happening...

[jetskier]

I have the same problem in a sense. Whenever my passport is scanned at Customs, it does a quick check against the NCIC computer. It returns a flag for someone in New York wanted for Grand Larceny. I usually have to go to secondary search until they research it further. Luckily I am a different race and date of birth than the person who is wanted. It is still an aggravation though.

 

Dave

[keishashadow]

DH & DS have the same name, they always get pulled aside by TSA @ the airport for special screening...interestingly, the surname is German also.

 

No biggie, we always arrive early & expect it; just wish they'd direct their attention in a more worthwhile manner.

[PelicanBill]

I think it was in the Royal Caribbean board where sometime last year it was reported that customs or DHS agents were doing random checks of people in cabins early in the morning before disembarcation began.

 

I think you should be suspicious of sudden "officials" knocking at your door. Ask for ID and "what's this about?" That is treatment akin to being suspected of a crime and I find it a disturbing part of our developing police state.

 

At the very least, such random dragnets are frightening and the cruiselines should be warning us that they may occur and who will conduct them.

[trock]

I pretty paranoid and suspicious by nature...I think i would have called security to verify they were who they said they were.. There should at least be an announcement or notice in capers.. That there may be random checks..It just does not sound kosher to me...

[jetskier]

I pretty paranoid and suspicious by nature...I think i would have called security to verify they were who they said they were.. There should at least be an announcement or notice in capers.. That there may be random checks..It just does not sound kosher to me...

 

If they have a GUN on their hips, then you can be pretty sure they were either Customs or Local police. Dave

[Third Coast Sailor]

Maybe they heard that he was sharing his SODA card lol

[Cracker Ken]

Yeah, it's kind of hard to be imposter ICE officers, running around with uniforms, badges, guns, gun belts, hand cuffs, shoulder patches and such. They can't get on the ship without Carnival knowing it. Whatever the reason, you can be assured they weren't doing it for fun or a hobby. I think the name similarity thing is the best possibility for why it happened. Also, is there a chance that there was an announcement asking him to come by the front desk or customs and he didn't show up? It could be random too, who knows. ICE has the authority to do it, so all you can do is show the passport and go on with life. ICE has the authority to do a whole lot more than they do when we enter the country from visiting a foreign port, but they don't have the time and manpower. Comparitively speaking, this is very trivial. Many years ago, about 1978, in my past job, I went on a cargo ship with US Customs officers (before the name change) to assist in the search, and I was surprised at the authority they have when it comes to searching vessels at port. They can search anywhere, anything, and anyone thoroughly. These are the kind of officers that you don't want giving you special attention. I know it's kind of a surprise and maybe somewhat embarrassing, but what they are trying to achieve is more important.

 

Ken

[tootsiescurly]

If they have a GUN on their hips, then you can be pretty sure they were either Customs or Local police. Dave

 

You obviously do not read the paper. At least once a week there is an article talking about an incident involving someone impersonating a law enforcement officer. Legitmate law enforcement officers will not have a problem with showing legitmate identification. Anyone can buy a uniform and a gun as well as having what looks like legitimate badges.

[jetskier]

You obviously do not read the paper. At least once a week there is an article talking about an incident involving someone impersonating a law enforcement officer. Legitmate law enforcement officers will not have a problem with showing legitmate identification. Anyone can buy a uniform and a gun as well as having what looks like legitimate badges.

 

Yes, but they are not on the ship. The Customs officers have port identification in addition to their regular IDs. Dave

[MaryAnnKacz]

I am almost positive I saw the word Security on their jackets. I don't know if they were carrying guns. I don't think they were security that was already on the ship. Maybe security for the port. I guess we assumed they were customs because it was shortly after ship had docked. If it makes our travel safer I don't mind. But it did make me a little uneasy, even though we were not guilty of anything, except smuggling that pint of whiskey. And we had considered getting the soda card and sharing it!

[Cracker Ken]

It may have been the ships security officers. I think they have jackets like that. As the other poster says - ask for ID. Real police types will show your their ID. Ship security has ID's too. It's kinda weird that they showed up to check the ID of your boyfriend though.

 

Ken

[S.S.Oceanlover]

You obviously do not read the paper. At least once a week there is an article talking about an incident involving someone impersonating a law enforcement officer. Legitmate law enforcement officers will not have a problem with showing legitmate identification. Anyone can buy a uniform and a gun as well as having what looks like legitimate badges.

 

anythings possible in this day and age but I don't see how you could pull this off on a cruise ship. You'd have to book a cruise, buy a uniform, pack a gun and somehow get it through security just to wake people on a ship to scare them??

 

Bill

[jetskier]

I am almost positive I saw the word Security on their jackets. I don't know if they were carrying guns. I don't think they were security that was already on the ship. Maybe security for the port. I guess we assumed they were customs because it was shortly after ship had docked. If it makes our travel safer I don't mind. But it did make me a little uneasy, even though we were not guilty of anything, except smuggling that pint of whiskey. And we had considered getting the soda card and sharing it!

 

Security onboard Carnival has two uniforms. One is the white shirt/black trousers that you see most of them in. In the evenings, they switch to a white shirt/black trousers with a black dinner jacket or sometimes a red dinner jacket. The jacket has the words SECURITY on a patch on the left breast.

 

Usually the port security is not allowed on the ship. I have seen Custom's officers and local Law Enforcement.

 

Dave

[Wennfred]

The question is, do you really know your boyfriend :confused:

[Snorkel2Much]

The question is, do you really know your boyfriend :confused:

I was thinking it, but didn't know how to say it without coming across a little snide. ;) :D

[glrounds]

Yeah, it's kind of hard to be imposter ICE officers, running around with uniforms, badges, guns, gun belts, hand cuffs, shoulder patches and such. They can't get on the ship without Carnival knowing it. Whatever the reason, you can be assured they weren't doing it for fun or a hobby. I think the name similarity thing is the best possibility for why it happened. Also, is there a chance that there was an announcement asking him to come by the front desk or customs and he didn't show up? It could be random too, who knows. ICE has the authority to do it, so all you can do is show the passport and go on with life. ICE has the authority to do a whole lot more than they do when we enter the country from visiting a foreign port, but they don't have the time and manpower. Comparitively speaking, this is very trivial. Many years ago, about 1978, in my past job, I went on a cargo ship with US Customs officers (before the name change) to assist in the search, and I was surprised at the authority they have when it comes to searching vessels at port. They can search anywhere, anything, and anyone thoroughly. These are the kind of officers that you don't want giving you special attention. I know it's kind of a surprise and maybe somewhat embarrassing, but what they are trying to achieve is more important.

 

Ken

 

Couldn't have said it better myself. Excellent post. :)