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Electronics Ban from Europe?


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I'm getting ready for my next Regent cruise and trying to decide if I should leave my laptop at home, I would really miss it but I am very uncomfortable with putting it in my checked luggage on my return flight, if the ban is extended to Europe.

I am wondering if it is better to have it sent home (via UPS/DHL/Fedex). I wonder if the onboard concierge could arrange it. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

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I worry that a requirement to put valuable electronics in checked luggage would ring the dinner bell for luggage thieves. I also have been thinking about using FedEx to get laptop and camera home from Europe.

 

If a ban is instituted I imagine The concierge would have a lot of incentive to learn how to help passengers.

 

 

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This "almost ban" is so new that I doubt if any cruise lines are prepared to rent cameras (but it is a great idea). It would likely take a few months to implement - if they decide to do it.

 

Another thing that cruise lines may need to think about is having more computers available for their guests. As those of us that have sailed on the Explorer know, the trend is to almost do away with desktop computers. I would likely leave my laptop at home but can't survive without my Kindle. This could cause bookstores (those that are not yet out of business) to see a resurgence -- selling books for people to read on the plane.

 

This link take you to an very interesting article (with many photos) of how the person's belongings were handled in Dubai https://techcrunch.com/2017/05/12/heres-how-the-laptop-ban-works-on-flights-to-the-us/

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On Emirates, they have a laptop/tablet/etc. check-in at the gate. They have security agents who bubble wrap your devices, put them in individual boxes, and give you a claim check to retrieve them when you land. It's better than having to put them in your checked luggage, but I'd be surprised if the U.S. airlines did the same (unfortunately).

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On Emirates, they have a laptop/tablet/etc. check-in at the gate. They have security agents who bubble wrap your devices, put them in individual boxes, and give you a claim check to retrieve them when you land. It's better than having to put them in your checked luggage, but I'd be surprised if the U.S. airlines did the same (unfortunately).

 

IMO, it is better to fly a non-U.S. airline if possible. We are fortunate to live near the Canadian border and fly out of Canada every time we go overseas. It is certainly possible that the ban will extend to other countries. Time will tell.

 

Regent used to loan iPads to guests in PH suites and above. I'm wondering if they still do that?

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I can see a lot of people deciding to fly back home through Canada. I can't imagine flying back from anywhere far away without my Kindle to read.

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I can see a lot of people deciding to fly back home through Canada. I can't imagine flying back from anywhere far away without my Kindle to read.

I would never get in a plane without my Kindle and my IPad.my phone is my only clock fir any flight.

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I cannot imagine packing my new camera and iPad in my check in. I have a trip planned in August and this is very disturbing. I'm about to decide after this trip to say goodbye to international travel.

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For anyone interested here is a link to the forum discussed in the last post http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2498873 . I personally would rather discuss it on the Regent board.

 

When the liquids "ban" (which turned into a liquids limitation) went into effect we were abroad. It took about 3 hours for people at the airport in Stockholm to box up our liquids and give us receipts to pick up the boxes when we arrived in the U.S. It was such a nightmare that we decided that we'd rather let the airline keep our liquids. Obviously, this is different when we are talking about laptops, tablets, Kindles, cameras, etc.

 

I want to share a story of what transpired a week ago yesterday while flying out of Bellingham, WA airport to Burbank, CA. I took my 13" cheapo Lenovo laptop out of my carry-on and placed it in a separate container to go through x-ray. It was set aside and tested (with the wiping tabs) and it failed. Note: I only took this laptop on Regent once and there was no problem. There were some type of chemicals that could possibly be used to make explosives inside the laptop. Although I had gone through the x-ray machine (the spaceship looking device) due to my knee, I had to return for a more intensive search. A TSA agent wiped down every area of my clothing with her gloved hands -- it was extremely thorough and thankfully, it didn't phase me..... I'm willing to do what is necessary for safety. The gloves were tested and I was declared "clean". My laptop and I continued on to our flight.

 

At this point, nothing will stop us from flying - even if I have to read a "real" book (although that is something I hoped never to have to do again, I suppose it is better than doing nothing on the airplane). My Kindle serves not only as a book but as a camera, tablet something to play games on and, as of this week, I can text internationally from it I am now planning on borrowing an iPad when we are onboard Regent. If I must put my Kindle in checked luggage, I will take my $70 Kindle instead of the $300 one. Amazon has some amazing prices on some of their Kindles - sometimes in the $50 range.

 

I have a no doubt that new ways will be discovered to make the process easier. Perhaps those of us with Global Entry will be exempt at some point. Or, in the case of flying into and out of Canada, the Nexus pass allows us to bypass some of the security (not x-ray but we go into a shorter line) and could eventually make people exempt if the ban begins in Canada.

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