UberCruiser

SOA was our second cruise ever, on the Mexican Riviera side. Looked huge back then! We still have the yellow t-shirts and Ship-Shape shades. Maybe I should take them on the next RCCL cruise just to see if anyone else remembers!

Thanks for the memories...

All I've ever seen is that the confiscated stuff goes in a garbage container, and the guests continue on to the boat. No criticism, no lectures. Maybe a smile or two between the staff and the guests.

Move along and have a wonderful cruise!

I've been on several cruises, but never tried to carry liquor through the screening area. I have however, sent several containers through the "checked" baggage process. From my experience, comments from other posts (this topic gets beat to death on the forums), and professional opinion, my belief is:

1) Most lines include some provision in the cruise contract that allows them to limit or seize alcohol brought on board.

2) Cruise lines search carry-on baggage to preserve the legal facade that they are controlling the consumption of liquor on board the ship. They can track individual purchases in ship bars through the "cruise card". If they allowed people to carry on unlimited amounts of booze, and someone got hurt due to an alcohol related accident, the line would have trouble with establishing a defense. By searching carry ons, the line can demonstrate a "custom and practice" of limiting the amount of uncontrolled consumption on the ship.

3) All the same, the lines do not want to alienate their passengers in any way. Therefore, they allow you the ability to smuggle liquor onto the ship in your checked baggage. It's a form of "don't ask - don't tell". If the passengers willingly evade the efforts of the cruise line to control consumption, the line can sidestep some of the liability.

4) Also, in most ports, the baggage handlers are local union hands, not employees of the line. Their contract probably does not require an exhaustive search (just looking for REALLY gross violations and dangerous situations), nor does it allow time for a heavy search. Those bags need to get on the boat at the same time as the passengers and all of the supplies for the coming week. The bags aren't really in the control of the cruise line until their set on the ship. Really, there's not time to do anything about it then.

Personally, I think #2 and #3 are the drivers in the process.

Hi Crazy -

The February weather was ok, certainly better that Oregon that time of year. The only rain we hit was on an early day stop on Catalina. Other than that, the ports were plenty warm to enjoy (70's) without being oppressive. On board, there was plenty of pool lounging going on, but not that many people actually in the water.

We are headed back there again this February, so I guess it wasn't too bad...:)

Patti -

Doesn't look like you got an answer to the Inside Passage question yet. If you look at the actual route that the ships run between either Vancouver BC or Seattle and the south end of Alaska, you will notice that much of the course is between the mainland and small islands - inside a captive channel. The ship does not run out in the open water of the Pacific. There is very little wave action and you're never out of sight of land. On some lines, the return trip south is out in the open water.

Done it twice already - very relaxing, beautiful cruise.

:cool: