No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

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Jeana

Guest
We just returned from our Alaska cruise aboard the Carnival Spirit from Whittier to Vancouver.

WORD OF WARNING: CARNIVAL WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO BRING ULUS ON BOARD CHECKED IN OUR LUGGAGE!

We purchased two small ulus in Anchorage and put them in our checked luggage. After we boarded the ship we received a call in our cabin from the ship's security to return to baggage (off the ship). We were told to remove the ulus from our checked luggage and they would be thrown away! However, there was never any mention of ulus not being allowed on board prior to boarding or at the pier. We had no idea!

Fortunately, the longshoremen on the dock told my husband (and others there with the same problem) they would mail the ulus to our home address AT NO CHARGE. This is something Carnival should have offered to do since they failed to tell us of this new policy. They didn't however.

So, PLEASE BE AWARE - DO NOT TRY TO BRING AN ULU ON BOARD A CARNIVAL SHIP IN ALASKA!

As the week wore on, passengers were advised if they were purchasing ulus on shore to have them mailed home. But that did not make up for the fact that our ulus were confiscated from us by Carnival and now I am only hoping they will show up in our mailbox sometime in the near future.
 
M

Mbandy

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

Hmmmm... I didn't know what a ULU was so I had to google it. Looks like they could definately be used as a weapon, not that anybody would but it doesn't surprise me that they would not allow them. I would bet that the same thing goes for all cruise lines. Glad you were able to make alternate arrangements. Nice of you to give everybody else a heads up :thumb
 
J

Jeana

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

You know, I'd think if you really wanted to do some harm on a cruise ship, you could find a suitable "weapon" in the kitchen! Just seemed a bit ridiculous to me since ulus are probably the No. 1 tourist purchase in Alaska! Also, the shops in ports have no mention of ulus not being allowed back on board. We did try to tell a few of the personnel in the shops and they kind of looked at us wierd, but I felt sorry for people who were buying them thinking they COULD bring them back. I would hope that in the future the shops will catch on to this new "policy" (yet just one more in a long list of restrictions to travel these days!) and offer either free shipping or shipping at a nominal charge. If they don't, the purchase of ulus are going to be almost nonexistent.
 
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Mbandy

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

Oh yeah, I agree. Lots of things on board could be used to do harm to someone. Do you know if it was a Carnival restriction or the TSA?
 
J

Jeana

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

Does TSA control what goes on board a cruise ship???? If so, I wasn't aware of that.

I thought it was a Carnival policy. Wonder what the other ships are doing?

Once one ship starts something, the others usually follow suit - sort of like Airlines... By the way, someone at the airport gate yesterday in Vancouver mentioned something they heard on the radio about airlines may be weighing passengers soon (?) Anyone over 200 lbs. would be surcharged... anyone hear of this?!
 
M

Mbandy

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

Its actually a lot of different agencies.

The cruise industry works closely with federal, state, and local agencies. CLIA (Cruise Line International Assn.) has a security committee that is comprised of corporate security officers from each cruise line, many of which have military or law enforcement backgrounds. The committee meets every 60 days with law enforcement, government and intelligence agencies to discuss port and ship security, law enforcement and criminal information as well as federal intelligence assessments. These agencies include the U.S. Coast Guard, the Department of Transportation, Customs and Border Protection, Office of Naval Intelligence, the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, among others.

Airlines charging extra for someone over 200 pounds??? I think it would be the most stupendous act of stupidity.
 
J

John

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

The policy most likely states "No Weapons" and when the baggages is being x-rayed or scanned otherwise the scanners will detect weapons like an ULU. You may recall the airlines don't allow nail clippers, scissors onboard either. The cruise lines/port are no different. I imagine its a join agreement on the acceptable policy and the DHS most likely also plays a role these days. It may just be a fancy chopper, but the public as well as the cruise line and port would be liable if allowed onboard and used on you or someone else. Just like I'm sure the knives in the ships kitchen are inventoried and locked up when not in use.

The cruise line and port authority would have to answer for this if it was found that someone was allowed to bring a known weapon onboard. Here are some questions to ask yourself. Out of well over 2K passengers and crewmembers, How many people on that ship are currently taking medication for some form of mental health issue? How many are convicted felons? How many have been involved in prior violent incidents?

Kinda scary once you look beyond the basic "Why did this happen to me?". The good news to always remember. Since you bought this in a US port you can most likely have this easily shipped to you via USPS if you have to make another purchase from the same store. Most stores have a website or a phone number where you can have items shipped to you at home. Since its a US port, its much easier than if it were a foreign country.

I hope my post didn't seem harsh, I just wanted to share a different angle on things. We all know this world has become so law suit happy.
 
L

LHP

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

We sailed on Carnival in July 2005 and we were told by our PVP that Ulus were not allowed.
We flew in a week before our cruise, rented a car and did the interior on our own.

So we were told by Carnival....even though he did not have to. I read the contract and it said no knives.
I had enough sense to know that "no knives" means "no knives".

It ain't rocket science.
 
J

Jeana

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

Well guess I'm just dumb!
 
M

Mbandy

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

No Jena, you're not dumb. Remember, I didn't even know what one was until you posted this =huh
 
M

Mbandy

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

:thumb

Now if I had just spelled your name correctly :lol
 
6

6packEd

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

Jeana

We were on the same cruise as you were.

Did you receive your stuff?

We bought 4 Ulus and a fossilized walrus jaw cribbage board carving in Skagway and had it all shipped together. We also did that to save weight in our luggage. We got our stuff on Friday June 6. I live in Michigan. After using one I ordered 8 more to give away as gifts. I have also received them.

I asked Chris the Cruise Director and he said that it is a policy of Carnival and it was also a problem of passengers trying to carry them on the planes in their carry on bags. The store clerks said that Carnival is the only one with that policy.

After going thru the customs in Vancouver I am glad that we did have the stuff shipped as the walrus jaw may have been a issue going into Canada.
 
J

jtutak

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

[quote John]The policy most likely states "No Weapons" and when the baggages is being x-rayed or scanned otherwise the scanners will detect weapons like an ULU. You may recall the airlines don't allow nail clippers, scissors onboard either. The cruise lines/port are no different. I imagine its a join agreement on the acceptable policy and the DHS most likely also plays a role these days. It may just be a fancy chopper, but the public as well as the cruise line and port would be liable if allowed onboard and used on you or someone else. Just like I'm sure the knives in the ships kitchen are inventoried and locked up when not in use.

The cruise line and port authority would have to answer for this if it was found that someone was allowed to bring a known weapon onboard. Here are some questions to ask yourself. Out of well over 2K passengers and crewmembers, How many people on that ship are currently taking medication for some form of mental health issue? How many are convicted felons? How many have been involved in prior violent incidents?

Kinda scary once you look beyond the basic "Why did this happen to me?". The good news to always remember. Since you bought this in a US port you can most likely have this easily shipped to you via USPS if you have to make another purchase from the same store. Most stores have a website or a phone number where you can have items shipped to you at home. Since its a US port, its much easier than if it were a foreign country.

I hope my post didn't seem harsh, I just wanted to share a different angle on things. We all know this world has become so law suit happy.[/quote]
John Check your InfomationTSA Allowed/Prohibited nail clippers and Scissors - metal with pointed tips and blades shorter than four inches in length are allowed. Also the steak knives in the dinning room are much more of a weapon then a ULU. The fact is that no one has any common sense anymore.
 
M

Mbandy

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

Thanks Ed, for answering my original question. I had a feeling it was a Carnival policy. A good one IMHO.
 
J

Jeana

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

If someone wanted to injure someone on a cruise ship, I'm sure they could find a "weapon" of some kind or fashion one. They could even possibly bring some kind of materials on board that would seem benign when screened and then make them into some destructive force.

6PackEd - no I didn't get the ulus (yet?)...
 
C

Cruizer

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

[quote Jeana]If someone wanted to injure someone on a cruise ship, I'm sure they could find a "weapon" of some kind or fashion one. They could even possibly bring some kind of materials on board that would seem benign when screened and then make them into some destructive force.

6PackEd - no I didn't get the ulus (yet?)...[/quote]

Why? If you need a knife, just go to the restaurant and "borrow" one.
 
J

Jeana

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

6PackEd

JUST RECEIVED MY ULUS TODAY MAILED BY THE LONGSHOREMAN JUST AS THEY SAID THEY WOULD!
 
D

duskbat

Guest
Re: No Ulus aboard Carnival Cruise ships in Alaska

very dangerous. you can brutally attack a salmon with one of these things! Salmon salad :)
 
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