Question about smuggling alcohol and Carnival Contract

[frayedend]

I wouldn't think someone would admit to being that much of a chucklehead [emoji23]

 

I think they would. So many of us talk about smuggling and many many posts on here about the naughty room. If I got booted for it I'd certainly be here warning people. Just because someone was called to the naughty room and subsequently escorted off ship doesn't mean it was booze. Could be a weapon, drugs, a warrant, or even they just go crazy and fight over the booze. I doubt it was just because booze was found.

[mikldom]

I am going to guess they found a gun in checked baggage. Zero tolerance there. Drugs would have likely had a police officer or marshall come on board and arrest and you'd see them leaving in handcuffs. Since owning a gun isn't illegal (but not allowed on board), my money's they found a gun in checked baggage.

 

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[FruitStandaficionado]

Yuuup, and we saw it happen a few cruises ago out of JaxPort.

 

 

 

I call BS! You are making an assumption about something that you couldn't possibly be privy to.

 

 

NCL Sunward 1974

NCL Starward 1978

Costa Daphne 1982

Carnival Triumph 2001

Carnival Conquests 2005

Carnival Magic 2014

[poz222]

Now TECHNICALLY speaking from a legal standpoint, the cruise line cannot REALLY kick you off in a foreign country for doing something that is not by legal definition, illegal. Bringing your own alcohol is against company policy but Alcohol itself is not an illegial substance, therefore disembarking someone for smuggling it is not a valid reason for disembacation in a foreign port.

 

You see, CCL and cruises have negotiated for passengers to be covered under a "blanket transit visa" which limits the number of hours a guest can be in country without going through customs/immigration in that country (which is how you can still cruise with just a birth certificate). If the ship disembarks someone, there are valid reasons (sickness, illegial drugs, assault, guest requested emergency etc) but a ship cannot just say to a foreign country, "hey, this person is cheating our revenue and violating our contract so we are dropping him in your country". Anyone who has had to disembark in an island mid-cruise knows that they have to clear that country immigration and customs prior to disembarking ... now for giving alcohol to minors, disorderly behavior etc... yes, but for merely smuggling NO.

 

Now CCL can, if it chose to, sue for lost revenue for violation of the contract, impose a fine (if added to contepract), deny charging privileges, confiscate alcohol, or ban you from cruising with CCL etc... but dumping you off in a port for smuggling alone would be iffy legal territory...

[Micahs Grandad]

I just do not believe you or that CCL would kick someone off the ship for alcohol. What do you mean you saw it happen? The contract obviously has been amended to "confiscate" not such a drastic decision.

 

I do not believe that either. They would confiscate and happily collect money from the passengers for drinks and other things.

[tonit964]

We were still docked, obviously. Evidently the pax were called down to the Naughty Room, and I would guess that they had to have been repeat offenders. We saw them being escorted off the Deck 0 gangway shortly before we were called to muster.

 

I'm 100% positive it was for something other than booze. Carnival will not kick you off the ship for trying to bring booze on board, there's no way.

 

Last year my adult daughter and her boyfriend got their rum runners confiscated. They both bought the Cheers package.

No way Carnival will lose out on that money just for violating a policy.

[Domino D]

Now TECHNICALLY speaking from a legal standpoint, the cruise line cannot REALLY kick you off in a foreign country for doing something that is not by legal definition, illegal. Bringing your own alcohol is against company policy but Alcohol itself is not an illegial substance, therefore disembarking someone for smuggling it is not a valid reason for disembacation in a foreign port.

 

You see, CCL and cruises have negotiated for passengers to be covered under a "blanket transit visa" which limits the number of hours a guest can be in country without going through customs/immigration in that country (which is how you can still cruise with just a birth certificate).

 

If this is true how do explain "pier runners" being left behind because they are late getting back to the ship? Your explanation sounds valid, but your conclusion seems off. I don't know why the foreign government would care why you are getting off, so long as you follow their process.

 

I do not think that the cruise line would put you off for smuggling, but I do not think it is because they can't. I have seen many people caught trying to sneak booze on, none were disembarked.

[BallFour4]

Now TECHNICALLY speaking from a legal standpoint, the cruise line cannot REALLY kick you off in a foreign country for doing something that is not by legal definition, illegal.

 

Read your cruise contract closely. You might be surprised.

[coevan]

What do pier runners have to do with this thread? They are usually too drunk to tell time, once the ship unties the lines, it's bye,bye

[Domino D]

What do pier runners have to do with this thread? They are usually too drunk to tell time, once the ship unties the lines, it's bye,bye

 

The person I quoted was saying that the cruise line could not simply put you off the ship for any reason, because it caused a legal problem for the country where they left you. I was simply asking, if that is true, how do they leave people in foreign countries for just being late.

[poz222]

The person I quoted was saying that the cruise line could not simply put you off the ship for any reason, because it caused a legal problem for the country where they left you. I was simply asking, if that is true, how do they leave people in foreign countries for just being late.

These people who are left behind their information is left with the immigration and customs officials... once the ship pulls away, they are processed by the host country, the ships agent is called and arranges for transport, hotel etc... at the cost of the passengers left behind. I don't care what in the "contract" that doesn't mean jack to another country... just what is in international laws and treaties... as I said, they will confiscate your booze, they can ban you from the cruise line etc... but their hands are tied by international laws as to physically removing you from the ship if you have not done anything that is technically a "crime" ... the cruise line will not risk any international ruffling of feathers for some smuggled booze ...

[FruitStandaficionado]

You must give your information to the airlines and cruise lines because homeland security runs a check. If they find any warrants for arrest, they wait until you check in to get you. Perhaps the person who was called to guest services had this issue, or got a call about a family member emergency and left.

 

 

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[poz222]

Oh yes, definitely do not even think of getting on a cruise if you have warrants...

[Domino D]

Let's start with this, I don't think for one minute you would be forced off the ship for smuggling, but this is not a legal matter. Smuggling examples mostly takes place at embarkation, so it would not be a foreign land, and you would technically be denied boarding.

 

I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt, mainly because I really don't know anything about blanket travel visas, but this makes less sense the more you explain it. US Citizens don't need a Visa (of any kind) to visit most cruise ports, unless you stay more than 90 days. If a visa is required, you have to secure it yourself, and show it when you embark the cruise.

 

... now for giving alcohol to minors, disorderly behavior etc... yes, but for merely smuggling NO ...

 

You evidently believe that Carnival can and will put you off in a foreign port for buying alcohol for a minor. There is no international law for drinking age. In fact, in the majority of ports of call the legal drinking age is 18. On NCL you can sign a letter allowing an 18 year old to buy beer or wine on board the ship. Carnival's definition of Drinking Age as 21 is their policy, not a law. If they can put you off for this, they can put you off for breaking a policy, not a law. If they can do this, evidently the ports of call "will take people" that violate Carnival Policy.

 

Guest acknowledges that the minimum age permitted for the purchase, possession or consumption of alcoholic beverages aboard Carnival’s vessels is twenty-one (21). Guest agrees to supervise all persons under age twenty-one (21) under Guest’s charge to insure that they do not violate this, or any other, shipboard regulation. Guests who attempt to purchase alcohol by using false identification or the Sail & Sign card of a Guest who is twenty-one or older will be deemed in violation of this policy. Any Guest twenty-one or older who attempts to or purchases alcohol for any Guest under twenty-one will also be deemed in violation of this policy. Guest agrees that Carnival has the right to disembark any Guest who violates this policy and as well as any adults traveling with minors who violate this policy or any other shipboard regulation.

 

These people who are left behind their information is left with the immigration and customs officials... once the ship pulls away, they are processed by the host country, the ships agent is called and arranges for transport, hotel etc... at the cost of the passengers left behind.

 

People put off for any reason, would also have their information left with customs. It's not like a curbside eviction. They would turn the people over to the port agent the same as people who miss the ship. No difference. If a foreign port accepts one, why wouldn't they accept the other, as neither has broken a law.

 

I don't care what in the "contract" that doesn't mean jack to another country... just what is in international laws and treaties...

 

Your understanding of treaties and international law is just not right. There is no international law for drinking age, assault, etc. There are laws governing things in each country, but that is not international law. In fact laws governing personal conduct can vary greatly from nation to nation. Carnival does not have a treaty with countries. You have been granted the right to enter the country, if you are left for any reason the process for handling you is the same, regardless of why you were left. Unless you are physically placed under arrest. You say the country doesn't care about Carnival's contract, they don't care you are sick either (legally).

 

"Generally, international laws are broken into two basic categories: public and private. Public international laws deal with relationships between nations and/or organizations or people from different countries. Private international laws, on the other hand, deal with disputes between citizens or businesses from different countries, often when there is a question of which country's laws apply or which nation may conduct a trial or tribunal of the matter."

 

Again, we agree they are not putting people off the ship for smuggling, but it is not because the ports of call won't let them, or it is illegal. It would simply be bad business.

[NJporkroll]

Duh!!!

 

 

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[CdrescherRBL152]

If every smuggler were kicked off they would lose some serious money.

No Jimmy in the long run they would make money. How many do you think they would have to put off the ships be before word got out. At that point many less would smuggling. Which means on board sells would go up.

 

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[skywalkr2]

No Jimmy in the long run they would make money. How many do you think they would have to put off the ships be before word got out. At that point many less would smuggling. Which means on board sells would go up.

 

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Carnival would never do this, so the entire discussion is moot. Carnival hardly ever enforces a policy if it negatively impacts a customer. They will just toss the alcohol and give them directions to the nearest pay bar.

[123linz123]

Not really. Fare forfeited... win for Carnival. Non-revenue producing passenger off the ship... a wash for Carnival. No consumption of fixed passenger costs... win for Carnival.

 

The only loss would possibly be losing the smuggler as a returning guest. And that's not really a loss.

 

I don't understand why this policy isn't more widely enforced. Seems like an easy way to make money to me.

 

 

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Edited June 11, 2018 by 123linz123
added info

[Chief93]

I wish to stir this pot.

 

I took my son in his first cruise when he was 9. I asked he be given a wine glass to enjoy a small amount the wine we were enjoying with dinner. Waiter never blinked. Did the same every year. Sometime around 2007...when he was 14, I got pushback from the waiter for the first time. Not wanting the waiter to get in trouble I asked to speak to the Maitre D, who gladly granted my request. Probably because he was Portuguese and understood the joy of wine and was from a culture that understands the difference between those who enjoy a bit of wine and those that cant have fun unless they're blind drunk. Once he was 18ish the waiter always happily supplied the glass.

[Towel Critter]

This post was a boo boo. :-)