Prohibited on Carnival Cruise Ships

[ingarcia]

I've read in various articles about how drug use is prohibited on all cruise ships.  However, when I cruised with Carnival out of Miami, not only were there several passengers smoking marijuana in the smoking section by the pool, there were also drug sales in plain sight. The worst part....there were staff members walking around that didn't do anything or even report it....the reporting part is an assumption because I stayed in the area for a while and never saw any senior staff/officers/security come to the area to address the matter. Makes me wonder if it was to avoid confrontation.  This is not the first time I've seen this either.  I noticed it always seems to happen on cruises out of Miami.  This really should really be addressed.....

[LukeJ]

That's not nice to hear. You don't really think about drug use and things aboard a cruise. As for the staff turning the other cheek, it seems to be commonplace at the moment that these illegal things get overlooked because people don't want to confront and get into a potential difficult situation.

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@ingarcia I think the laws and regulations around drug use can be pretty vague, particularly with marijuana and tobacco. I'm pretty sure that the cruise crew is likely instructed to avoid confrontation for this matter and allow the security team to address it on their end. To ensure the safety of the crew members, I would say confrontation about safety measures should be directed to the security team that is trained in handling any sort of rule-breaking or potentially unsafe behaviors. Were you able to address this concern with any of the crew members? I wonder if you drawing attention to the illicit drug use would have given a more sincere response. Miami is known to attract a wild crowd at times. Hopefully, this was just a fluke incident that doesn't reoccur on your next cruise experience! 

[FJB]

This is the Celebrity Cruises sub-forum. You said you saw the illicit activity on a Carnival ship. Maybe post this in the Carnival sub-forum. 

[Cruising Caribbean]

@FJB That's a great thought. It would reach a better audience if moved over to the Carnival Cruise Line forum. 

[Kendall James-Vargas]

@FJB I was able to move this topic into the correct, Carnival Cruise Line forum. Hopefully, it gains some visibility from those who are actively cruising with CCL! Thanks for the recommendation. 

Edited April 1, 2023 by Kendall James-Vargas

[RoadTravelled]

Carnival has recently addressed this issue among others with updated security measures as noted in this article.  They seem to be getting really serious, but of course, the key will always be how it is enforced.  I agree with the prior comments, I think when you see this activity, it's best to report it to security (or have someone call security).  They are the staff trained to deal with this and have the authority to enforce it.  Housekeeping, cabin attendants, waiters, etc. are trained in keeping the passengers happy and having fun.  So, it's really unlikely they are going to jump in and cause a confrontation.  It's also, as mentioned, a function of the port and length of cruise.  The shorter cruises, out of some ports, seem to attract the heavy party people who will try to push this boundary in my experience.

[3Sisters]

@RoadTravelled I'm glad Carnival Cruise Line is staying on top of this issue with updated security measures. I think some guests are always going to try and break the rules. It's most important that the cruise line is on top of the issues and continues to enforce safety and security measures to ensure the integrity of each sailing. I agree, that there is a reason why the, usually unseen, security team exists, constantly monitoring and aware of any potential rulebreaking/hazards that occur onboard. I also agree that the time of year, price point, and duration of the cruise itinerary attract different crowds. To avoid a more rowdy guest experience, I recommend taking longer sailings that aren't over a holiday break. 

The cost of cruising is going up anyhow. Carnival Cruise Line released information that it is initiating a second gratuity increase in less than a year that just began on April 1. 

[LukeJ]

I find it baffling that drugs can be taken on board. Surely security can identify and stop things like this. If we go through security in airports and they can stop things, some may go through I grant you, but in general it is stopped.

[FJB]

3 hours ago, LukeJ said:

I find it baffling that drugs can be taken on board. Surely security can identify and stop things like this. If we go through security in airports and they can stop things, some may go through I grant you, but in general it is stopped.

How do you propose this being done outside of a full pat down and strip search? 

[Cruising Caribbean]

@FJB I'm pretty curious how that would be monitored. Everything is already screened coming into the cruise terminal before getting on the cruise ship. I guess most guests carry it on them or somehow sneak it into their bags. It's just like sneaking alcohol onboard in the form of mouthwash I guess. Guests that want to breach any cruise line's code of conduct will go through great measures to sneak it onboard. Another thing to consider is which area you are coming from. Where I live, it's legal and it's everywhere. If you legally purchase and use marijuana, then I'm pretty sure it's legal and normal to bring it along on your cruise journey. I personally don't use recreational marijuana, but it's more commonly used than alcohol in my domain. I bet it's the next big thing onboard some cruise ships, especially those cruise lines that like to stay on trend.

[LukeJ]

@FJB yeah search people. X ray machines like in airports and sniffer dogs. Scanners may not pick up drugs but it will make people think twice about bringing them on if they know security is looking out for things like drugs, and any illegal contrebands.

[3Sisters]

@LukeJ I think security dogs would be a really smart idea to help intimidate guests and filter out any of the banned items from making it onboard the cruise ship. Celebrity Cruises just updated some of its passenger terms and conditions to affect the legal jurisdiction over the passenger's county of residence and where the booking was made. This terms and conditions update will affect cruise ticket contracts to be governed by the guest's country of residence at the time of booking. These sorts of fine details are constantly being updated, so keep an eye out to see if Carnival Cruise Line begins shifting around some of its rules and regulations to better enhance its cruising experience. 

Recently, Carnival Cruise Line extended a health and safety partnership, allowing the line to continue to advance in the cruise market. Remaining up to date with the cruise line's recent news will allow you to be the most informed on critical updates! Hopefully, CCL chooses to crack down on this issue.

[Actorguy]

On 3/30/2023 at 6:06 PM, FJB said:

This is the Celebrity Cruises sub-forum. You said you saw the illicit activity on a Carnival ship. Maybe post this in the Carnival sub-forum. 

I am afraid you are mistaken as this is the Carnival forum as labeled at the top of the page: 

Home - Cruising - Carnival Cruise Line - Prohibited on Carnival Cruise Ships

[kefthecruiser]

@Actorguy I am afraid you are mistaken as this was in the Celebrity forum. If only you read two more messages down (from @Kendall James-Vargas), you would see the error of your ways.

Hey, welcome to the forums and thanks. Perhaps read the whole thread before you comment?

[3Sisters]

@Actorguy This post was initially misplaced but the error has since been corrected and is now properly placed in the Carnival Cruise Line forum! Were you intrigued by something in this post, other than seeking to spot this error? Have you experienced or been affected by any sort of illicit substance abuse on a CCL ship in the past? 

[FJB46]

Carnival has drug dogs in the terminal now, they make you drop your bags for the dogs to sniff.

[Cruising Caribbean]

@FJB46 Which terminal did you have your bags sniffed at? I'm glad it's happening now. Drug-searching dogs are pretty effective. Their hound-like scent is pretty accurate and also intimidating for future cruisers considering bringing any sort of drug aboard. I wonder where cruise lines draw the line with marijuana use. Now with the legalization of medical marijuana use in many states, it's pretty hard to decipher the consequences of bringing it onboard. 

[FJB]

12 hours ago, FJB46 said:

Carnival has drug dogs in the terminal now, they make you drop your bags for the dogs to sniff.

Better than dropping your drawers for CBP to sniff...

[euroguy]

@Cruising Caribbean cruisehip positions regarding Marijuana.  Cruise ships are regulated by federal laws not states. They 100% prohibit Marijuana regardless of the particular states laws as the federal government has not adopted the legalization of Marijuana. Simple and to the point, non negotiable. Thus the drug sniffing canines. 

[Cruising Caribbean]

@euroguy This is good to know. Thanks for providing an answer to my questions. I wonder if this would change over time. I think it would, as more and more states begin to permit Marijuana use. Do you agree? I feel as though it's difficult to regulate Marijuana usage onboard. That could be a risk to permitting it.

[euroguy]

@Cruising Caribbean i do not believe the position for CCL will change due to state laws. In fact CCL is doubling down and bringing in more canines, security and even posting large signs that its not allowed, all of which i saw during my last cruise in April from Long Beach CA. Fyi California has legalized Marijuana.  Additionally a recent statement from CCL re enforced this position.

[Cruising Caribbean]

@euroguy This is impressive to me, especially since California has legalized Marijuana! This has to be a regulation that may deter the locals from cruising with the line. I wonder if any cruise lines permit Marijuana use onboard. Are you aware of the penalty if found? It seems Carnival Cruise Line would be more lenient with guests sneaking on alcohol than Marijuana. Surely, these sniff dogs are going to be an integral component of keeping guests in line. 

[SpaceCowboy9]

Taken two cruises out of Charleston recently.  I think I saw one drug dog, they were not checking that closely.  We smelled weed while on our balcony & notified security.  Carnival acted quickly.  Though I would have rather it got caught during embarkation.

[3Sisters]

@SpaceCowboy9 It sounds like the one drug dog you noticed in Charleston isn't really doing the job. I'm glad that the Carnival Cruise Line crew at least acted quickly about the matter. Based on what I have heard this is not an uncommon occurrence onboard CCL ships. I'm sure the line has some pretty swift protocols in place to act on effectively. It must be so delicate to have to search a room and attempt to find evidence onboard. Do you think that CCL would have drug dogs onboard? Do you think they would be more effective than the security team searching alone?