Allure - Our room was raided and tossed!

[Trickie Dickie]

20 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

Well, THIS has been a VERY interesting thread!!!!!!

Indeed 

[Trickie Dickie]

36 minutes ago, BND said:

I'd say this has everything to do with the Atlantis cruise.  This is not the norm and I have trouble believing the steward said this happens weekly.  We've been on 26 cruises and have done one b2b.  We've never seen any room raided, ever.  It happens, but not that often.

 

Also, OP said something about their current clearances and their "former career".  The two don't go together.  Clearances go away when you're no longer working in that field.  But, that doesn't really matter, they can and will search whoever they need to.  Wouldn't "scare" me in the least to have my cabin searched as they would never find anything.  As for the poster whose afraid to come here, then don't.  You really need to do some real research.  There are many countries that I'd be much more afraid of than the US.  And, quit believing the "news" source you're watching.  Aquahound is correct.

 

We have a friend who worked CPB and believe me, they find a lot more than they don't.  They have good instincts and are very professional for the most part.  They do use interrogation tactics.  They have to.  People lie to them all the time.

I guess you’re the security clearance expert. 😄   

[BND]

Just now, Trickie Dickie said:

I guess you’re the security clearance expert. 😄   

I know how it works. I'll leave it at that.

[Trickie Dickie]

3 hours ago, A&L_Ont said:

 

For some reason Mike I think you hit the nail with this comment. B2B cruisers were most likely looked at more carefully for this factor, perhaps after last year’s death on Harmony. I think I also read about others caught in the past trying to get “the goods” on board the ship on embarkation day. 

 

We have done 2 back to backs and have not had this type of treatment.  That being said, someone of nefarious actions might think that they are slipping something past the law. Perhaps this type of individual might have brought drugs on board when they originally boarded or picked up them up in a port of call, to sell the following week. 

 

Trickie Dickie, we were on the same sailing as you for your week one. Lisa and I would have gladly tipped one back with you in the pub. We had a few good laughs watching Matt Yee a few nights preparing for week two, in the Schooner Bar. Sorry you had to go through all that. 

 

I remember back in the day when you did cruise reviews. Fully enjoyed them. Side note, I drove through the Peg many a time on my way to Western Canada or back to Ontario. I could always spot the landfill on the by-pass, the highest spot in town. 😉

 

 

 

Matt’s room was raided as well. 

[Trickie Dickie]

1 minute ago, BND said:

I know how it works. I'll leave it at that.

Uh huh 😄

[A&L_Ont]

1 minute ago, Trickie Dickie said:

Matt’s room was raided as well. 

 

Damn.  I guess his show props would have provided some comedic humour. 

[BND]

4 minutes ago, Trickie Dickie said:

Uh huh 😄

Ok. Whatever.  If you really did, you'd know not to talk about it.  Just sayin...

 

 

Edited March 31, 2019 by BND

[Trickie Dickie]

2 minutes ago, BND said:

Ok. Whatever.  If you really did, you'd know not to talk about it.  Just sayin...

I said nothing. But my clearances were not a secret. What they protect is the secret. Just saying. 😄 I’m done wth this deviation from the original subject now. Cheers. 

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, emdia43 said:

I would probably feel the same way in Copenhagen...

 

Copenhagen is a lovely city. Headed over in 4 weeks

[DfDinLA]

Perhaps you are unaware that former US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was once physically patted down by the TSA at Chicago O'Hare in July 2011.  Surely when TSA inspected his ID they knew who he was.  The fact that you are a trusted traveller and have had security clearances is irrelevant to law enforcement agencies.

 

This is law enforcement doing their job.  Your belongings were searched and you answered a few questions.  You were not detained for a significant period of time.  I see no reason for you to feel embarrassed.  Law enforcement does not have to explain to you what prompted the search.  

 

This episode seems like no big deal to me.  If you travel long enough and often enough these things happen.  If this is the worst incident that happens during your travels I think you are doing well.

[tinkr2]

13 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

Since I have NEVER heard of this happening to anyone else, ever, and I have been on a $hitload of cruises, I can hardly believe your cabin steward, "This happens every week."

 

Or maybe it only happens on the Allure.  I haven't been on the Allure in a few years.

 

I am confused why so many are saying you have never heard of this. I cruise far less than most of this crowd and have heard of it on many cruises. I have seen it on 2 ships.

 

11 hours ago, Cruisin4beaches said:

The cruise this poster was on (2/03/19) was a charter cruise from a company that does all gay charters. These cruises have been in the news before because of excessive drug use including O.D's. If you do a search "Allure of the Seas drug bust" you can read about the men that were arrested and the drugs they had on this cruise.

So don't act shocked that this happened. I've seen this happen in cabins near mine on 2 Carnival cruises, 1 Princess cruise and 1 Royal cruise.

 I agree not to be shocked about the searches. I am however shocked about what seems to be me to be a pretty nasty post...almost homophobic.

 

7 hours ago, nelblu said:

 

 

Don't let the fake news get to you.  We do not have a Police State and believe me, in the present environment a non-citizen has more rights and benefits than a US Citizen.

 

This is not fake news . This is news  brought to internationals from all over the world. ICE agents sat on 528 profiling and checking workers truck, checking for green cards. Not fake news, real workers who stopped going to work bc they were so frightened, even those with green cards. About half this thread is Florida and Part Canaveral area, were you aware? No I am guessing. 

 

1 hour ago, Trickie Dickie said:

I guess you’re the security clearance expert. 😄   

Uh-huh. Experts everywhere. I am so sorry this happened to you and so sorry you were profiled bc of the cruise you planned. I hope you had a terriffic time on your charter and prior. And you are correct , Royal has zero control over Customs.

[SakeDad]

1 hour ago, Trickie Dickie said:

Matt’s room was raided as well. 

WOW!!! And he would have been registered as Guest Entertainer/Contractor even though he was in a guest cabin. Ok....NOW I truly believe this was a random search NOT coordinated with the cruise line but they were somehow looking for "something" in a B2B cabin they may have been tipped off about. But even that is very weird.

Curious - did Mike mention the raids in his act on Atlantis or was it totally left out. (I ask having worked in entertainment on ships)

 

[SakeDad]

6 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Every bag leaving or boarding the ship has the potential to be searched. If you stay onboard, that does not happen.  It's really not that hard to understand 

Can you at least TRY to stay on topic? This post had NOTHING to do with everyone disembarking or embarking and all the bags of almost 10,000 passengers coming and going through security on the dock!! This is about guests being in their CABINS and armed guards and dogs opening all your belongings, ripping out everything you had neatly packed to move cabins and being humiliated as you were forced to stand in a hallway in a bathrobe and barefoot as guests and crew pass by not knowing if you deserved the treatment or not!! Clearly for YOU it really is that hard to understand. 

Edited March 31, 2019 by SakeDad

[SakeDad]

24 minutes ago, tinkr2 said:

 

  12 hours ago, Cruisin4beaches said:

The cruise this poster was on (2/03/19) was a charter cruise from a company that does all gay charters. These cruises have been in the news before because of excessive drug use including O.D's. If you do a search "Allure of the Seas drug bust" you can read about the men that were arrested and the drugs they had on this cruise.

So don't act shocked that this happened. I've seen this happen in cabins near mine on 2 Carnival cruises, 1 Princess cruise and 1 Royal cruise.

 

 I agree not to be shocked about the searches. I am however shocked about what seems to be me to be a pretty nasty post...almost homophobic.

 

Tinkr2 I am gay, a cruiser and a former crew member. I fail to see anything "nasty or homophobic" about Cruisin4beaches post. They merely posted what has been all over the news and these boards about OD's and deaths by drugs on some of the gay charters at sea lately. If the same happened on "normal" cruises and they commented on it would they be heterophobic? If the charters are known to have a high rate of smuggled illegal drugs onboard in the past it's reasonable the cruise lines and security want to do everything in their power to stop it before the cruise.

[Trickie Dickie]

1 hour ago, DfDinLA said:

Perhaps you are unaware that former US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was once physically patted down by the TSA at Chicago O'Hare in July 2011.  Surely when TSA inspected his ID they knew who he was.  The fact that you are a trusted traveller and have had security clearances is irrelevant to law enforcement agencies.

 

This is law enforcement doing their job.  Your belongings were searched and you answered a few questions.  You were not detained for a significant period of time.  I see no reason for you to feel embarrassed.  Law enforcement does not have to explain to you what prompted the search.  

 

This episode seems like no big deal to me.  If you travel long enough and often enough these things happen.  If this is the worst incident that happens during your travels I think you are doing well.

Wow 😮 

 

I actually was pulled out of of the shower and stood in a bathrobe on full public display. You think I wasn’t embarrassed? Your post is heartless to say the least. 

 

Cruise Critic can be exhausting. Yikes!

[tinkr2]

3 minutes ago, SakeDad said:

Tinkr2 I am gay, a cruiser and a former crew member. I fail to see anything "nasty or homophobic" about Cruisin4beaches post. They merely posted what has been all over the news and these boards about OD's and deaths by drugs on some of the gay charters at sea lately. If the same happened on "normal" cruises and they commented on it would they be heterophobic? If the charters are known to have a high rate of smuggled illegal drugs onboard in the past it's reasonable the cruise lines and security want to do everything in their power to stop it before the cruise.

 Perhaps I have misjudged.  I  have seen nothing on the news regarding specific gay charter cruises. it certainly seems like profiling to me. And to jump to ,well you were on a notorious gay charter....seems at the very least , presumptive.  I have seen coverage of quite a few drug busts in general on cruise ships. 

[Trickie Dickie]

18 minutes ago, SakeDad said:

Can you at least TRY to stay on topic? This post had NOTHING to do with everyone disembarking or embarking and all the bags of almost 10,000 passengers coming and going through security on the dock!! This is about guests being in their CABINS and armed guards and dogs opening all your belongings, ripping out everything you had neatly packed to move cabins and being humiliated as you were forced to stand in a hallway in a bathrobe and barefoot as guests and crew pass by not knowing if you deserved the treatment or not!! Clearly for YOU it really is that hard to understand. 

Thanks for your understanding. You seem to get the point of the post. I’m getting exhausted defending everything. People tend to knit pick things. I hesitated to post this and I’m starting to regret it. Sigh. 

[Charles4515]

 
This is law enforcement doing their job.  Your belongings were searched and you answered a few questions.  You were not detained for a significant period of time.  I see no reason for you to feel embarrassed.  Law enforcement does not have to explain to you what prompted the search.  
 

So you are one of those who think “law enforcement” should have carte blanche and citizens don’t have rights? The search that was described was unreasonable and never should have happened. “Law Enforcement” should be held accountable.

[bonsai3s]

4 hours ago, Big_G said:

 

Those dogs are probably all retired by now. Spent a few years working narcotics and some of those dogs and their handlers we're a little nutty. Now (probably as a result of damage claims) the dogs and their handlers are trained to calmly indicate the presence of drugs. As for another previous post, drug dogs are not trained using dog treats.

 

Big G...thanks...showing my age...retired FLEO...just stirring the pot.

[Charles4515]

 Perhaps I have misjudged.  I  have seen nothing on the news regarding specific gay charter cruises. it certainly seems like profiling to me. And to jump to ,well you were on a notorious gay charter....seems at the very least , presumptive.  I have seen coverage of quite a few drug busts in general on cruise ships. 

It seems obvious now that the back to back cruisers were profiled by homophonic law enforcement.

[SakeDad]

10 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

 

It seems obvious now that the back to back cruisers were profiled by homophonic law enforcement.

 

As  a gay man even I can't say the law enforcement was homophobic here. What I CAN say is the gay charters have a recent history of increased drug OD's and deaths and the cruise lines receive very negative PR as a result of them and are doing anything they can to preempt these incidents. If these were happening on any other type of charter or cruise they would be subject to the same security procedures. Even the OP recognized this. Also, understand the charters charge MUCH MORE $$$ for their cruises than regular passengers so the cruiselines have a vested interest in keeping them safe and successful to continue future bookings. 

[SakeDad]

40 minutes ago, Trickie Dickie said:

Thanks for your understanding. You seem to get the point of the post. I’m getting exhausted defending everything. People tend to knit pick things. I hesitated to post this and I’m starting to regret it. Sigh. 

Thanks....I understand your frustration both in the search and reactions to it here. I have developed an attitude lately here on CC of just saying to myself "Oh, you're one of THOSE...." and moving along and not even bothering to educate them as they clearly have no desire to learn.

I thank you for sharing, keep doing it, and don't let the turkeys get you down! Hope to cruise with you one day!

[123funcruiser]

4 hours ago, BND said:

 

We have a friend who worked CPB and believe me, they find a lot more than they don't.  

 

How do they know how much they did not find to determine it´s less than what they found?

[pspercy]

8 hours ago, RDC1 said:

I would just make the comment that I travel internationally quite a bit.  Out of over 200 trips going through customs in various country the only time I have ever been delayed, put into a separate room and held for over an hour was when entering Canada on a flight from DC to Ottowa.  The funny thing is that the purpose of the trip was a meeting with the HPB,  Health Canada.  So it can happen anywhere.

 

Yup, travelled internationally often in my career, the worst customs and immigration experiences were Canada and Australia.

 

[123funcruiser]

3 hours ago, DfDinLA said:

Perhaps you are unaware that former US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld was once physically patted down by the TSA at Chicago O'Hare in July 2011.  Surely when TSA inspected his ID they knew who he was.  The fact that you are a trusted traveller and have had security clearances is irrelevant to law enforcement agencies.

 

This is law enforcement doing their job.  Your belongings were searched and you answered a few questions.  You were not detained for a significant period of time.  I see no reason for you to feel embarrassed.  Law enforcement does not have to explain to you what prompted the search.  

 

This episode seems like no big deal to me.  If you travel long enough and often enough these things happen.  If this is the worst incident that happens during your travels I think you are doing well.

 

Wow !!! 

While this might have been law enforcement doing their Job, but there´s Always different ways to perform a Job. If you wouldn´t feel embarrassed being pulled from the shower buck naked and dripping wet, only allowed to put on a robe and to wait in a public place, that´s certainly a Point of view you are allowed to have, but don´t expect many others to share that view. 

 

I think this whole Episode could have been handled way better By law enforcement.