Smuggling Booze No More?

[David-n-Rita]

[quote name='sailor44']Plastic flasks of course - otherwise you'll set off the metal detector.[/quote]

We work in a prison which means we walk through metal detectors all the time. We are familiar with what makes them go off - everything, including underwire bras of the well endowed. We have been on many cruises and I walked through accidentally once with my waterproof container around my neck filled with bills and a bunch of coins. The alarm never went off. Since then I have walked through with keys, change etc and never set the thing off. This has happened on many ships getting back on from excursions.

They are always looking for the liquor and that is their focus. I bet a sword in a bag would go through if they didn't suspect it was hollowed out and filled with duty free liquor.

[David-n-Rita]

[quote name='kwbound']Has anyone else seen one of these "sweeps", or just G'ma?[/quote]

Never seen or heard of this on ANY cruise we have been on. We have however seen customs walking the halls with the dogs sniffing luggage before everyone gets off at the end of the cruise. This is especially done on cruises that go to Jamaica and other islands where drugs are openly attempted to be sold to passengers. If you cruise out of Puerto Rico there is a big customs sweep with the dogs for drugs. It amazes us that someone would try to smuggle drugs past a dog. A person - maybe, machine - maybe, but a dog, they never miss! Twice we were on cruises where someone on the deck we were on, had luggage that the dog hit on. They blocked the hallway and isolated the cabin etc. It was not about contraband or liquor it was street drugs. Never saw this getting on the cruise ship but always at the end, and it was customs that search NOT anyone from Carnival. Their security was no where to be seen, everyone involved was customs.

[Deckhawk]

[quote name='Tbay-eh']I smuggle with the best of you, however, I think by the tone of this thread it has really gotten out of hand. It is almost like reading a thread by a bunch of teenages and how they got booze by their parents, teachers, bouncers at school dances etc. I always thought I was pretty smart in getting it on board - they knew but just let us get away with it. I think from now on I will also save towards SS card just as I do tipping. I am 56 years old and feel like such a juvenile doing what I do. Will I stop - not until I really have to - will I admit what I do to my children - not bloody likely.[/QUOTE]

True - I think Carnival treats people like children with it's alcohol policy - but you get what you pay for. Pay a little more and you get on Princess which let's you bring on one bottle per stop....pay a little more than that and you get no restrictions. Carnival is the bottom of the barrel in price so you get the most restrictions.

[caladvoc8]

[quote name='Notags'] 2 bags for me, 2 for the wife, each had a coke box or a bottle of champagne. All of it was checked baggage. We carried nothing aboard.[/quote]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Conveniently, the policy requires only [U]wine[/U] to be brought on board in carry-ons. No such requirement for the "small amount of non-alcoholic beverages."

Another note: this policy not only appears under FAQ on website. The identical language also appears in section 8(f) of the binding Ticket Contract.
[/FONT][/SIZE]

[caladvoc8]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz'] the stewards know who butters their bread. Their tips are far greater than the insult of a salary that Carnival pays.
[/quote]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Hmmm. Curious logic. Without a job, how they gonna earn either their meager salary or manage to garner your generous tips[/FONT][/SIZE]?

[lovesublime]

I honestly do not believe that any cruise line would risk alienating and upsetting their guests by doing random 'sweeps' of cabins and personal belongings without provocation. To me, it seems a guaranteed way to make sure guests will never return-I know I wouldn't.

[Sargent_Schultz]

[quote name='caladvoc8'][SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Hmmm. Curious logic. Without a job, how they gonna earn either their meager salary or manage to garner your generous tips[/FONT][/SIZE]?[/quote]

Turnover is high enough and rising. I doubt the Captain is going to work overtime cleaning staterooms. :p

[GuitarPlayer]

[quote=G'ma;22816718]Don't ever pay attention to any "voice of experience" on CC, no matter what.[/quote]

You mean, like, right now? :rolleyes:

GP

[lccruiser]

Does anyone have the phone number for the Bon Voyage department. I did not know you could order alcohol and have it sent to your room.

[Larlabear]

[quote name='AngelKappie']My husband and I just got off the Carnival Inspiration on Thursday, we were able to bring on a box of wine, and 3 18 packs of beer, had no problem. QUOTE]

Good to hear. How did you pack the beer?

[butterflychick]

Do they consider Boones, Arbor Mist, and the like to be wine? Or does it have to be "real" wine?

[caladvoc8]

[quote name='Sargent_Schultz']Turnover is high enough and rising. I doubt the Captain is going to work overtime cleaning staterooms. :p[/quote]
[SIZE=3][FONT=Comic Sans MS]Brilliant retort. And all the more appealing and convincing with the adorable little "Smiley." But, now I get it, Sarge. The stewards will insubordinately ignore any imposed duty to participate in contraband detection or removal at risk of losing the very jobs that provide the opportunity to augment their meager salaries with the tips so generously bestowed upon them. (Akin to saying that a waitress is going to thumb her nose at restaurant policies because her customers are going to make up for her deficient salary with handsome tips, gratuities she will forfeit if she loses her job for ignoring or violating those policies.) Meanwhile, somehow germane to this already specious "logic" is the [I]non sequitur[/I], even if true standing alone, that the Captain is not likely going to take up the slack by performing the scut work that the lowliest of his staff willingly took on to start with? Curiouser and curiouser. [/FONT][/SIZE]

[drosphot]

[quote name='John&John']Why would they make changes if they weren't planning on checking the checked luggage more than they do.[/quote]

Because it is cheaper to change the wording of rules with the assumption that some percentage of the population does play by the rules and will abide the published rules. If a small increase in sales results, great; if not, very little investment is lost.
Sure people will still smuggle, so what? Given the current economy it would take a major lawsuit, or change in some related laws or regulations, for them to invest heavily in security screening for contraband alcohol in all ports they call on.

[cathyz]

[quote name='lccruiser']Does anyone have the phone number for the Bon Voyage department. I did not know you could order alcohol and have it sent to your room.[/QUOTE]
It's 800-522-7648.

[yakdaddy42]

[QUOTE=G'ma;22811154]Have you ever been around during a Security sweep?

I have, many times......

During a sweep, a security [U]team[/U] and the cabin steward enters the cabin, takes a look around and, if there is any contraband, the security team tells the cabin steward what to confiscate.

I'm not talking about a steward "ratting" you out. I'm talking about an organized security sweep which happens on almost every cruise ship, every sailing.

In the days before megaships, these sweeps covered all cabins - passenger and crew quarters - galley and storage. Today, it might only be a deck or two.

I've also seen sweeps led by the Captain, with a security officer ordered to remove contraband.

Don't kid yourself. Security and the Captain have the right to enter your cabin anytime for any reason and search anything they darned well feel the need to search.

It's their pervue, not yours.[/QUOTE]

I have seen this exact post on a different thread sounds very wacky to me, I think there are some med's to solve the problem.

[yakdaddy42]

[quote name='conchead']On board the Triumph sailing. I am now an official
smuggler. It made it on.
See yall when we get back. :)[/QUOTE]

Glad you made, just look out for the gestapo room sweeps with the El Capitan and Security looking for you booze and nail clippers.

[mebecindi]

[quote name='butterflychick']Do they consider Boones, Arbor Mist, and the like to be wine? Or does it have to be "real" wine?[/quote]

Ditto...does anyone know?

[Deckhawk]

[quote name='mebecindi']Ditto...does anyone know?[/QUOTE]

Doesn't matter - as long as it looks like a wine bottle....it's considered wine.

[nancyfancy40]

[quote name='lovesublime']I've never seen it happen and it sounds like something they do at the supermax facilities. But I guess in this case, instead of looking for shanks and illegal drugs, the 'team' would be looking to confiscate 'contraband' like grannie's two ounces of airplane rum.[/quote]


On my very first cruise, they did do a look thru of a group of rooms, with very rowdy young people. I remember asking asking our room stewart jokingly, "What taking their booze away?". He replied, no their had been some trouble and they were looking for more stuff than booze. It was pretty intense looking. So, although they did search some rooms, I don't think the booze was the worry.

Nancy

[agmakar]

[quote name='caladvoc8'][size=3][font=comic sans ms]brilliant retort. And all the more appealing and convincing with the adorable little "smiley." but, now i get it, sarge. The stewards will insubordinately ignore any imposed duty to participate in contraband detection or removal at risk of losing the very jobs that provide the opportunity to augment their meager salaries with the tips so generously bestowed upon them. (akin to saying that a waitress is going to thumb her nose at restaurant policies because her customers are going to make up for her deficient salary with handsome tips, gratuities she will forfeit if she loses her job for ignoring or violating those policies.) meanwhile, somehow germane to this already specious "logic" is the [i]non sequitur[/i], even if true standing alone, that the captain is not likely going to take up the slack by performing the scut work that the lowliest of his staff willingly took on to start with? Curiouser and curiouser. [/font][/size][/quote]


whaaaa????

[zstell]

I wasn't going to post, but I just couldn't help myself. I have NEVER seen a "security sweep". I am sure that security would search a cabin if they had a VERY good reason, but not just some random search. Everyone knows that smuggling alcohol is a risk, some make it and some don't. I can't imagine getting upset with someone else if I got caught breaking the rules. I would be upset if people were going through my things every cruise for no reason at all, and I am pretty laid back. CCL isn't going to intentionally offend their guests without just cause. Our last cruise (Dream, 12/2009) had over 90% past guests and 600+ platinum - this would not be the case if they practiced security sweeps each cruise. This, of course, is only my opinion.;)

[Karboleda86]

I just got back and successfully smuggled rum, smirnoff, and some other stuff....thank god for rum runners

[dan40]

[quote name='butterflychick']Do they consider Boones, Arbor Mist, and the like to be wine? [/quote]


Does anybody???:D

[OakRod]

Ok so I am trying to figure out this smuggling thing here!! What are rum runners???

[KruznKel]

[quote name='OakRod']Ok so I am trying to figure out this smuggling thing here!! What are rum runners???[/quote]


Google is your friend;)