General Discussions Cruise ships and smuggling drugs This topic has been archived due to inactivity and closed to further replies. Get FREE email communications from Fodor's Travel, covering must-see travel destinations, expert trip planning advice, and travel inspiration to fuel your passion. A subsequent search of her cabin found pipes and other paraphernalia and cannabis oil. I want emails from Fodor's Travel with travel information and promotions. The U.S. Consulate is required to be notified of your international arrest and/or your conviction. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. Enjoy yourselves, but remember to take breaks to eat, sleep, and of course hydrate! document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Cruise ship accidents, injuries, crimes, disappearances, fires, and collisionson the high seas involve issues of maritime law. 04-16-2013, 03:33 PM goldengrain . Ports in Mexico, the United States, Australia, the Bahamas and Bermuda are most likely to have drug dogs present. Many lines are targeting midsummer to resume cruising in US waters, provided they can meet CDC requirements. The Chesapeake Today newspaper reports that the men were planning to cruise aboard Royal Caribbeans Allure of the Seas which had been chartered to Atlantis Events for its annual gay cruise to the Caribbean. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. All matters are handled in the same ethical manner as in a land-based hospital. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. All Rights Reserved. Thanks for contacting us. These are among the first places in the nation approved to cater to locals and tourists. Other major news media have been reluctant to identify the Allure of the Seas as the cruise ship where the men intended to sell the drugs. Have a comment? Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. Such . At the beginning of this week, MSC kicked off its expanded service into Central Africa with the arrival of MSC Virgo (157,000 dwt) at the Port of Pointe-Noire in the Republic of Congo. Discovery Company. cruise have posted advice on social media forums about the best ways to smuggle banned substances onto the ship, including. Archive - A word to the wise.. As 1,800 fans boarded the Bahamas-bound ship at its port She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 20 cruises. Advertising - How can you call it random when half the back to back cruisers were raided? CC Help Jenn Prior to this year's cruises, organizers posted an advisory warning aboutthe strict security measures in force at the terminal. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. When you board a cruise ship, your bags will be x-rayed to check for alcohol and weapons. Get caught smuggling drugs, weapons or other illegal items onto the ship, and your glamorous cruise vacation could turn into a drawn-out stay at a local police station -- and let's just say. The ultimate guide to booking cruises to Alaska, The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship, The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship, A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines, 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly, 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. LauraS The Maritime Executive. ). Mitsui O.S.K. Some shops have added loaded gelato. The majority of the suspects received misdemeanor possession and drug paraphernalia charges. Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. :eek . In an open letter to the head of Royal Caribbean after Joel Taylor's suspected overdose, he wrote: "If three people had died from drug overdoses at a nightclub on land, that club would be shut. :rolleyes: (not really). That said, the security teams main priority isnt to look for drugs, as they have other things to be concerned with. Elderly British couple who claim they were tricked into smuggling cocaine on cruise ship spent 18,000 on travel in two years . Discussion in 'Planes, Trains & Automobiles' started by Jack69123, Dec 31, 2017. Two men reportedly trying to board the Allure of the Seasat PortMiami on Sunday were arrested by federal agents for possessionof a large quantity of drugs which they were intending to sell on the cruise ship. Alaska law bans consuming marijuana in public view, including while walking down the street or in city parks if you get caught you may be fined. Wow, I have never heard of this happening. Did you hang out with them on the cruise? Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. Try some good blotter paper. As Pogo once said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." At least I have a great story to tell now! Published Elderly women smuggle drugs as "mules" on cruise ship. Practical Travel Safety and Security Issues - Idiot stoners' how-to-smuggle posts lead to cruise bust - OK, so this happened back in January but I haven't seen it posted here -- but I have seen posts here asking how-do-I-smuggle-contraband. At the Cannabis Corner in the fishing town of Ketchikan, a small lounge is outfitted with couches, a fireplace and activities such as adult coloring books. I could of been smuggling pounds of drugs but she had absolutely no interest in me. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. There were reportedly a half-dozen drug overdoses during the cruise. Fri, 06/11/2021 - 12:00. Did they actually accuse you of hiding something, or did they say they wanted to ask further questions--i.e., suspect there might be something hidden because the dog alerted? Cruise authorities notified CBP investigators deployed to Port Everglades ahead of the . Article content Recommended from Editorial . Not all cruise ports have drug dogs present. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. I like this site because people ask questions that are cruise-related but not always specific to just one ship. Whoever it was, was covering the peep hole so we couldnt see. A three-masted training ship interdicted a drug-laden high-speed smuggling vessel off the coast of Colombia on Friday, the Ecuadorian Navy announced. But they do have walk-through metal detectors to detect any hidden weapons. She will NEVER admit to being elderly. As in much of life, the very few ruin things for the majority. Smoking of marijuana is a big flag on ships. A crew from US Coast Guard cutter Dependable intercept a drug-smuggling boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean, April 8, 2017. . :). She is the author of several cruise and travel books, including 100 Things To Do In Alaska Before You Die." As long as the business is as lucrative as it is, it will continue. I also have many security clearances because of my former career. If you want to bring prescription drugs on a cruise, thats usually fine. They knew who we were and where we were from. Our state room attendant was a wonderful woman with a long career with Royal Caribbean. "Forget about your right to privacy, you are passing through a port where all local and federal laws apply and are strictly enforced," the organizer's site cautioned. If the metal detector beeps, you may either be scanned again with a hand-held metal detector or patted down by hand. The on-site consumption rules are that you may buy raw or edible (containing up to 10 mg THC) cannabis products for on-site use in a lounge, located behind a secured door or in a separate building. */A reader of this blog contacted me last week and pointed out that Atlantis Events changed it policies apparently based on last years death on the Harmony of the Seas. You may remember the arrest of 29-year-old Isabelle Lagace and 24-year-old Melina Roberge. Cruise ship passengers arent routinely patted down when boarding a cruise ship, although you will be asked to walk through a metal detector. jupiterimages A cruise passenger was arrested in St. Thomas last week after federal agents found a load of party drugs he was allegedly dealing from his cabin on a gay charter cruise on the 5,400-passenger Allure of the Seas A cruise passenger was arrested in St. Thomas last week after federal agents found a load of party drugs he was allegedly In the 2011 incident, Customs and Border Protection agents searched Krumholzs cabin and reportedly found more than 142 ecstasy pills, nearly 3 grams of methamphetamine, a small quantity of ketamine and about $51,000 in cash. Cruise ships visit some states where private use of cannabis is legal including Alaska, California, Washington, Maine, Massachusetts and New York. For those sailing from Los Angeles, the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica has a cannabis concierge as part of an arrangement with Eaze, a leading California cannabis delivery service. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Mar 3, 2023 8:13 PM by My son has been searched coming back into the US from Canada. For instance, despite efforts by Femke Halsema, mayor of Amsterdam, to ban tourists from the citys famous coffee shops, you may still legally light up in these cafe-like establishments. This story has been shared 159,956 times. 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. All Rights Reserved, admitted she tried to smuggle about $30 million worth of cocaine into Australia, She was sentenced in November to 7 years in prison. You do now have quite a story about your cruise adventures! By Does that mean that when I am silver haired and walking with a cane that I can be gainfully employed??? When I hear the word "elderly," women -- or men -- in their sixties do NOT come to mind. 2 Canadian Women Accused of Smuggling $22 Million in Cocaine into Australia on Cruise Ship Over 200 pounds were seized by Australian Border Protection. ;). Recently, cruise lines have begun testing the use of sniffer dogs that are trained to detect passengers with COVID-19. The senior citizens posed as tourists taking cruise holidays around South America to pick up packages of the drug to bring back to Spain. I have nothing to hide so I was cool as a cucumber. Please leave one below or join the discussion on our Facebook page. Most importantly, cruise ships operate under federal jurisdiction. Bottom line is not whether we enjoy it or not, just how much jail time he will serve if caught. Cruise ship employees are drug tested before they begin working on a cruise ship and they are also subject to random drug testing. The agents are aware that dozens of people have occupied each cabin recently. A Warner Bros. Its new vacation guide states that it will have medically-related personnel at its cruise party. Yes, indeed. The new Virgin Voyages cruise line, for instance, specifies that "all illegal drugs, non-prescribed controlled substances, medically prescribed marijuana or synthetic marijuana and CBD products are prohibited." You'll find something similar on every other cruise line website. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Her service was impeccable. because I have nothing but my prescriptions. Look out for our newsletters with travel tips and special offers. Taking a cruise next month and preparing..I get so paranoid about this. The people who sell on those port calls are the narcs. But the product was limited to use in private, leaving cruisers out of the picture. And I pointed out the bag they were in. It doesnt matter that medical marijuana is allowed in Florida, nor that you have a marijuana medical card. Thats when the fun ends. I was in my room on the ship. An elderly British couple have been sentenced to eight years in prison for smuggling cocaine worth 1m on a luxury cruise ship. Its also illegal to light up in any U.S. national park and for much of your cruise in the Inside Passage in Southeast Alaska you are in national parkland. Published Agree, the US drug habit ruins far more than our own country and the amount of money generated is a blank check for corruption at all levels. MacAbre (vulture). Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. In Florida we were waiting in baggage claim for a bag that did not arrive when a cute little beagle with his tail wagging ran up to me. And if the drug sniffers find anything, the unaware passengers are the ones who are going to get the heat. The third accomplice in the infamous "Cocaine Babe" cruise ship drug smuggling ring has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for his part in trafficking 207 pounds of cocaine aboard a . As alaw-abiding citizens andworld traveler , I just didnt feel the freedom. Police said that the drug bust, worth more than three . We are both trusted travelers. That way, if there are any questions asked about the drugs, you can prove they you are legally allowed to take them. I heard 80 is the new 60. Then fill it with alcohol and dye the liquid with green or blue food coloring. Started June 21, 2021, By May 16, 2016 at 6:13 pm. Take a night off once and a while and explore the myriad of options we have planned for you! Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. The smugglers were arrested while disembarking the ship at the port of Valencia last Sunday, following a Transatlantic cruise from Brazil. I'm heading out on a carnival ship on the 20th of this month and have been back and forth about trying to bring 2 dab pens on with me thrown in my makeup bag. Convienient for the CBP. Absolutely correct - as of this June, "elderly" means 87. The other woman was also older, very large, and was wearing a dress which revealed swollen feet and legs. They were removed at the next port and turned over to authorities. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Good to have others who remember Walt Kelly and the Pogo gang fondly. CBP officers secured the bricks of. Check here before booking an award fare. Did you encounter any technical issues? For those who have yet to make their acquaintance hit a used book store and pick up a volume. This has given me much relief and is exactly what I have been searching for for MONTHS. Smuggling drugs on cruise ships is big business. We plan on doing it all while on the cruise so we will not be bringing it back. Sorry this happened to you. LauraS You cant bring pot or edibles onto a cruise ship. Hope the cruise itself was wonderful and that you had a fun time! Pentagon contractor busted when boarding cruise with his bag of drugs to sell; used government computer for planning peddling pills. Powered by Invision Community. Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. Be the first to rate this post. drugs, why do they use drugs? The Silverbow Inn in downtown Juneau, for instance, promotes on its website that guests may visit the nearby Rainforest Farms Cafe and then unwind and get an amazing night of rest during your stay at the property. From there you may face fines and possible jail time. The security woman pushed me to the side and went after my husband. The Maritime Executive. Unnamed (but picture looks like Melody, MSC Cruises) The Telegraph reports Spanish police have smashed a drug trafficking ring that used pensioners to smuggle cocaine into Europe on luxury trans-Atlantic cruise ships. 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.". Thing is, some are not harmless. Just so you know they showed us no paperwork what so ever. Police found 27 kilos (59 lbs) of pure cocaine hidden in their cabin. Cruise Line Policies About Smuggling Alcohol It's not unusual that passengers will sneak alcohol aboard a cruise. SwissMyst, May 13, 2010 in Holland America Line, Here is a trippy little website that reports all the bad events for different cruise ships, HAL ships included plus an "anonymous" report about South American drug lords paying "elderly women" to act as drug mules transferring drugs to Europe on cruise ships .. since they are less likely to arouse suspicion with customs authorities. Could you please tell me how I can improve it? Reports are that the eight people disembarked the . Title is the question. Don't forget Howland Owl, Little Grundoon (woodchuck), Seminole Sam (fox), and Sarcophagus J. Nine officers dressed in black with bullet proof vests, a ship security guard and a dog. Two women in their sixties, who were chosen as "drug mules" because they were less likely to arouse the suspicion of authorities, were arrested as they prepared to disembark from a cruise ship when it docked in the port of Cadiz, south-western Spain. We all know people smuggle drugs all the time, by air, sea and land. If the cruise line suspects drug use, they will arrange additional drug tests. Melina Roberge, 24, of Quebec, who pleaded guilty in Sydney court Friday, could face life in the slammer for the offense, the Toronto Star reported. The Brevard County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol and Port Canaveral conducted inspections prior to boarding, using drug-sniffing dogs, luggage searches and other methods to detect illicit substances, resulting in multiple arrests. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. CBP says it seized about 3,677 pounds of drugs in a typical day in 2020. Learn more. I read once how a drug agent was able to target certain persons for more thorough checks upon arrival. Wow! They could turn You in, bring You own and have a good time, leave the locals alone . A Canadian woman who documented her round-the-world cruise on Instagram admitted she tried to smuggle about $30 million worth of cocaine into Australia with the help of her porn star friend and. A random check is a random check and they conduct them routinely both on ships and at the land border. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either.