Bringing home an ulu

[marym933]

Has anyone had a problem bringing an ulu knife, bought in port, onto the ship? How about an Alaskan pocketknife?

 

Would it be better just to have them shipped home?

[believer33323]

As stated on

http://apps.tsa.dhs.gov/mytsa/

 

 

Search Results For:

chef knife

 

Check in Only

 

In general, you are prohibited from traveling with sharp objects in your carry-on baggage; please pack these items in your checked baggage. Scissors smaller than 4 inches, small needles carried for special medical needs, and other sharp objects that do not contain a blade may be placed in carry-on baggage.

Any sharp objects placed in carry-on or checked baggage should be properly sheathed or securely wrapped to prevent injury to TSOs and baggage handlers.

Even if an item is generally permitted, it may be subject to additional screening or not allowed through the checkpoint if it triggers an alarm during the screening process, appears to have been tampered with, or poses other security concerns. The final decision rests with TSA on whether to allow any items on the plane.

[Rejeana]

We purchased an Ulu knife a few years ago, and yes it's great for chopping! When our purchases went through the ship scanner, we were told to put it in our checked baggage. Nothing was said about taking it away from us and returning it at the end of the cruise.

[new_cruiser_22]

We just got back from Alaska cruise this past weekend. Bought 3 ulu knives in Ketchekan and brought back to ship, no problems, no question asked. We put the knives in our checked luggage when flying back home.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I purchased an ulu knife and brought it on board with no problem. Well, that didn't surprise me since on one cruise we were in line waiting to get back on board and I had our beach towels in my arms. The head of security came over with a knife that had an 18-inch blade and asked me if I'd wrap it in the towels as a test for his security team. I did (told him he needed to stay within my sight at all times so he could rescue me when they found it!). Well, they didn't find it--they wanded me and didn't find it and I put it on the belt and it went right through the machine without raising an eyebrow. He was NOT happy when I handed him the knife on the other side.

[PennyAgain]

Not all cruise lines have the same policy about ulus. Check yours (information on board) before purchasing. Best bet is to have the store mai yours home.

[Balinca]

Last week we bought 3 Ulu knives, no problems on board (HAL)

or at the airport.(suitcase)for an internationel flight.

[Ba' Datz]

Had no problem with 4 ulus on the Norwegian Pearl or in checked baggage on the way home.

 

Almost everyone who stops in Ketchikan gets at least one. The stores practically give them away as loss leaders and come ons

[kGCAL]

we got one back on the ship without any problem. We didn't use much after coming back home though. It's a very good gift item

[Barbiegator]

We bought the knives online when we got home.

[CruisingGoddess]

We bought 2 ulus during our Alaska cruise on Princess last July. We had no problems bringing them onboard, even though they do x-ray all bags when you re-board the ship. On our flight home, we put them in our checked luggage and also had no problems! While I've never used mine, I think it's a wonderful souvenir and gift for friends!!

 

Read the detailed review with photos of my Alaska cruise, what to pack list, and shopping list:

http://moonprincess.com/travel/category/cruises/alaska-2010/

[LoriPhil]

We bought 3 ulu sets at the Tongas Trading Post in Ketchikan and asked them to be mailed home (used a coupon from the Alaska Coupon booklet you get upon embarkation), along with the rest of our purchases. No problem - everything arrived safely. On a previous trip we just brought them aboard the Coral and packed them in our checked luggage for our flight home. Great gifts and I love using mine! We bought the Alaska-made ones (ours were from the Ulu Factory) rather than cheeper imports - nicer gifts that way and great quality.

[believer33323]

You can purchase the same items on Amazon.com No Tax, free shipping if over $25.00.

[K8sMom]

No problem bringing Ulu knife back on board the ship (Princess). We bought ours at the Ulu Factory in Anchorage. You can watch them being made there. So we knew it was authentically Alaskan and not "made in China". It came with a nice wooden chopping block. Since this would add a bit of weight to our luggage, we went to the post office in Ketchikan - last stop on the way home - and mailed this home along with other purchases that we had made.

[RAM1961]

I purchased an ulu knife and brought it on board with no problem. Well, that didn't surprise me since on one cruise we were in line waiting to get back on board and I had our beach towels in my arms. The head of security came over with a knife that had an 18-inch blade and asked me if I'd wrap it in the towels as a test for his security team. I did (told him he needed to stay within my sight at all times so he could rescue me when they found it!). Well, they didn't find it--they wanded me and didn't find it and I put it on the belt and it went right through the machine without raising an eyebrow. He was NOT happy when I handed him the knife on the other side.

 

My wife - a former TSA officer commented on the security level/process on our recent cruise out of Seattle. In summary - it's a joke. Got both bottles of wine on board in Seattle - fully expecting to pay corkage - security never even mentioned it. I was wanded in Seattle while my wife watched - she laughed and said that was the poorest "wanding" she'd ever seen - said I could've "hidden" an M-4 under my jacket and they wouldn't have figured it out. We bought three Ulu's and had no problem bringing them back on the ship.

 

Maybe security is tighter in other ports, but as my wife summed it up - "other than the fact that there are many foreign visitors on board, a cruise ship would make a wonderful target for terrorists with a vendetta for Americans".

[Quilting_Cruiser]

My wife - a former TSA officer commented on the security level/process on our recent cruise out of Seattle. In summary - it's a joke. Got both bottles of wine on board in Seattle - fully expecting to pay corkage - security never even mentioned it. I was wanded in Seattle while my wife watched - she laughed and said that was the poorest "wanding" she'd ever seen - said I could've "hidden" an M-4 under my jacket and they wouldn't have figured it out. We bought three Ulu's and had no problem bringing them back on the ship.

 

Maybe security is tighter in other ports, but as my wife summed it up - "other than the fact that there are many foreign visitors on board, a cruise ship would make a wonderful target for terrorists with a vendetta for Americans".

 

 

As you can imagine, I'm not at all surprised by your DW's comments! LOL. Well funny and a little bit scary at the same time. :(

[CruisingGoddess]

I just wanted to point out that there are Made in Alaska ulus in the ports and you don't have to get them from the Ulu Factory in Anchorage if you aren't planning to go to Anchorage.

 

Here are the 2 ulus we got from Ketchikan and Skagway:

 

 

 

The first one cost around $30 or $35 and the second one was only $20 with a coupon from the Destination Alaska book. As you can see, they both have the offical Made in Alaska label.

 

More Alaska shopping tips on my review:

http://moonprincess.com/travel/category/cruises/alaska-2010/

[marym933]

Thanks! The pictures are great! I definitely will look for the made in Alaska seal.

[oldengine]

We bought a ulu in Anchorage and then on the way back home, with all the fuss about suitcase weight and all of us being right up to our limits, somehow while weighing and shuffling bags the damned ulu ended up in my granddaughter's carry-on. Needless to say, the Vancouver airline security took good care of it. :mad:

[wookie123]

had no trouble bringing my ulus on board. But, I did purchase a beautiful (and very sharp!) kitchen knife made by the same person who made the ulus and that was confiscated. We got a slip for it and it was returned to us when we left the ship. Then just made sure it (and the ulus) were in my checked baggage for the flight home. No problems.