Baltimore - How Strict is Baltimore Security

[CarolRoy]

Does anyone know what we can bring through the security scanners in Baltimore.  Thinking about bring water and soda.  I know we can bring wine.  A few years ago when we went through Baltimore, the port security was very picky on this stuff. We are sailing on the Grandeur OTS. 

[pacruise804]

I'm pretty sure Royal Caribbean doesn't allow bottled water, but I think they do allow soft drink.  I would print the cruise line policy, follow it, and present the print out  if there are any issues.

 

I do know Carnival doesn't allow bottled water (but does allow canned or boxed drinks) and I think the security is the same for both Grandeur and Pride.

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, CarolRoy said:

Does anyone know what we can bring through the security scanners in Baltimore.  Thinking about bring water and soda.  I know we can bring wine.  A few years ago when we went through Baltimore, the port security was very picky on this stuff. We are sailing on the Grandeur OTS. 

 

54 minutes ago, pacruise804 said:

I'm pretty sure Royal Caribbean doesn't allow bottled water, but I think they do allow soft drink.  I would print the cruise line policy, follow it, and present the print out  if there are any issues.

 

I do know Carnival doesn't allow bottled water (but does allow canned or boxed drinks) and I think the security is the same for both Grandeur and Pride.

All the port security agents are supposed to do is follow the cruise line's prohibitions. They don't make up their own rules. Once in a while someone may get confused and try to apply the rules for the wrong cruise line or somehow apply a combination of rules. 

 

As already stated, bring a copy of your cruise line's rules if you're concerned...or insist on speaking to a supervisor if a security agent is not following your cruise line's rules.

[Tony O]

16 hours ago, njhorseman said:

 

All the port security agents are supposed to do is follow the cruise line's prohibitions. They don't make up their own rules. Once in a while someone may get confused and try to apply the rules for the wrong cruise line or somehow apply a combination of rules. 

 

As already stated, bring a copy of your cruise line's rules if you're concerned...or insist on speaking to a supervisor if a security agent is not following your cruise line's rules.

You must also be aware that the Maryland Transportation Police may add additional layers of security and screening  under the direction  of the U.S. Coast Guard who is responsible for port security under the different MARSAC  levels which the screeners must enforce.

[njhorseman]

34 minutes ago, Tony O said:

You must also be aware that the Maryland Transportation Police may add additional layers of security and screening  under the direction  of the U.S. Coast Guard who is responsible for port security under the different MARSAC  levels which the screeners must enforce.

This thread is about screening for bringing water, soda or wine on board based on cruise line rules, not MARSEC  .

 

Edited March 1, 2020 by njhorseman

[Tony O]

9 hours ago, njhorseman said:

This thread is about screening for bringing water, soda or wine on board based on cruise line rules, not MARSEC  .

 

Marsec levels controls the security screen at all ports in the US. The cruise line rules can be over ridden anytime by the Coast Guard who is responsible for port security o a national level.  I have seen random changes in screening and vehicle inspections in my 48 years at the port. 

[njhorseman]

2 hours ago, Tony O said:

Marsec levels controls the security screen at all ports in the US. The cruise line rules can be over ridden anytime by the Coast Guard who is responsible for port security o a national level.  I have seen random changes in screening and vehicle inspections in my 48 years at the port. 

And how many times have those changes affected whether a cruise ship passenger can bring a bottle of wine or a six pack of soda on board? I'd guess zero. The fact is that different cruise lines using the same port under the same MARSEC level allow different items on board. 

 

Yes, the Coast Guard can institute new security measures under their MARSEC authority. The point I'm trying to get across is that it's not up to the security screeners to determine what's permissible or not. The security agents don't set the rules .

 

Go back to the original post. The sentence I'm reacting to is "A few years ago when we went through Baltimore, the port security was very picky on this stuff." No...it wasn't the port security that was being picky. They were following the rules given them.

[Tony O]

10 hours ago, njhorseman said:

And how many times have those changes affected whether a cruise ship passenger can bring a bottle of wine or a six pack of soda on board? I'd guess zero. The fact is that different cruise lines using the same port under the same MARSEC level allow different items on board. 

 

Yes, the Coast Guard can institute new security measures under their MARSEC authority. The point I'm trying to get across is that it's not up to the security screeners to determine what's permissible or not. The security agents don't set the rules .

 

Go back to the original post. The sentence I'm reacting to is "A few years ago when we went through Baltimore, the port security was very picky on this stuff." No...it wasn't the port security that was being picky. They were following the rules 

And my point is they are enforcing the rules set by the governing authorities  at the port not what the cruise line said you can bring.

[chengkp75]

13 hours ago, Tony O said:

Marsec levels controls the security screen at all ports in the US. The cruise line rules can be over ridden anytime by the Coast Guard who is responsible for port security o a national level.  I have seen random changes in screening and vehicle inspections in my 48 years at the port. 

Well, "random" changes may have occurred prior to 2004, since MARSEC and ISPS was not in force until 2004.  After that date, changes would not have been "random", but would have been either changes to the port's ISPS plan, which would have been permanent, or temporary changes due to changes to the MARSEC level set by the USCG.  In the 16 years since MARSEC was initiated, I can't recall ever being in port when the MARSEC level had changed from level 1.

 

Further, most port's and ship's ISPS plans call for screening of packages, luggage, backpacks and the like at the 100% level, only at MARSEC 3, while the port is almost always at MARSEC 1, yet cruise passenger baggage is always screened at 100%.  Since the Port of Baltimore's ISPS plan is a restricted document, I of course don't know the details, but I would be hard pressed to believe that it would include a ban on liquids of any sort, except possibly at MARSEC 3, and no port in the US has ever been at MARSEC 3.

[njhorseman]

20 minutes ago, Tony O said:

And my point is they are enforcing the rules set by the governing authorities  at the port not what the cruise line said you can bring.

Which flies in the face of the fact that each cruise line has its own rules governing what consumable liquids may be brought on board. Carnival rules are different than Royal Caribbean rules, NCL rules, Oceania rules, Cunard rules, etc.

[navybankerteacher]

1 hour ago, Tony O said:

And my point is they are enforcing the rules set by the governing authorities  at the port not what the cruise line said you can bring.

This thread is about what you are able to bring through the scanners along the lines of soda, wine and water..  There are no “governing authorities” rules covering such matters at a cruise port — those items are the concern of the cruise lines.

 

The “governing authorities” will control such things as explosives, weapons, etc. not what items the cruise lines wish to control.

[mets123]

On 2/29/2020 at 1:51 PM, pacruise804 said:

I'm pretty sure Royal Caribbean doesn't allow bottled water, but I think they do allow soft drink.  I would print the cruise line policy, follow it, and present the print out  if there are any issues.

 

I do know Carnival doesn't allow bottled water (but does allow canned or boxed drinks) and I think the security is the same for both Grandeur and Pride.

Royal does allow soda but it must be in your carry on bag.

Edited March 2, 2020 by mets123
Spelling

[pacruise804]

On 2/29/2020 at 1:51 PM, pacruise804 said:

I'm pretty sure Royal Caribbean doesn't allow bottled water, but I think they do allow soft drink.  I would print the cruise line policy, follow it, and present the print out  if there are any issues.

 

I do know Carnival doesn't allow bottled water (but does allow canned or boxed drinks) and I think the security is the same for both Grandeur and Pride.

I realize my post may have been confusing.  To clarify: I think the security personnel is the same and are not employees of the cruise line.

 

As mets123 pointed out for Royal, Carnival also requires drinks to be in carry-on.

[boscobeans]

CAN YOU CAN BRING WATER YES YES YES YES.

 

This is and has been the policy for quite a while:

 

While we have many drink offerings onboard, you are welcomed to bring select beverages onboard.

On boarding day, each stateroom may bring up to two 750 ml bottles of wine or champagne, as long as one guest is of legal drinking age. Corkscrews will be provided for guests to enjoy their drinks in their stateroom. If guests wish to enjoy their wine or champagne in our dining or bar venues, there will be a corkage fee applied.

Guests may also bring non-alcoholic beverages as carry-on items on boarding day. Non-alcoholic beverages may not exceed 12 standard (17 oz.) cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom. Milk and distilled water brought on for infant, medical, or dietary use are permitted. 

 

NON-ALCOHOLIC  beverages include WATER..  Just bring it on board when you get on the ship, not in your checked bags.

 

[CarolRoy]

We were just on RC Enchantment out of Baltimore.  We were allowed to bring water, soda, etc. in bottles.  In May we are cruising out of Baltimore on Carnival Legend.  Carnival states that only soda, water can only be in cans.  No bottles at all.

 

My question is how strict are they at the port if one line allows bottles and the other line does not. We really would like to bring bottles onboard Carnival.

[njhorseman]

Just now, CarolRoy said:

We were just on RC Enchantment out of Baltimore.  We were allowed to bring water, soda, etc. in bottles.  In May we are cruising out of Baltimore on Carnival Legend.  Carnival states that only soda, water can only be in cans.  No bottles at all.

 

My question is how strict are they at the port if one line allows bottles and the other line does not. We really would like to bring bottles onboard Carnival.

In theory they should be enforcing whatever the cruise line's rules are. If  Carnival only allows cans that's what they should be enforcing . What any one security guard does on any particular day is anyone's guess.

 

[MILLERVILE]

On 2/29/2020 at 1:51 PM, pacruise804 said:

I'm pretty sure Royal Caribbean doesn't allow bottled water, but I think they do allow soft drink.  I would print the cruise line policy, follow it, and present the print out  if there are any issues.

 

I do know Carnival doesn't allow bottled water (but does allow canned or boxed drinks) and I think the security is the same for both Grandeur and Pride.

RC you can that 2 12 packs of water per cabin it's on there website.  carnival is also aloud water and soda the water on is affordable we order it on line and its deliver to the cabin.