NEWS: Carnival Bans Bottled Water and Soda

Anything that prevents passengers trying to smuggle booze on board has got to be a good move. It is tantamount to stealing from the cruise line

Pursuant to what we have discussed on another thread here, once the new TSPs get established and new regulation implemented this will all probably be moot since what one is allowed to bring on board a ship, hand carry or check in, will be exactly what a person is allowed to bring on board an aircraft in hand carry luggage, since they will be in possession of it after getting on board the ship. The Coast Guard is a service organization under the Department of Homeland Security, they are in effect a sister agency of the Transportation Security Administration. Here are limitations for aircraft today. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/prohibited-items

"While the aviation industry has implemented strict security screening regulations, cruise ship security screening remains relatively soft in comparison. This is expected to change as the United States Coast Guard looks to increase screening requirements for passengers and their baggage in 2015.

The US Coast Guard recently announced plans to standardize passenger security screening procedures at cruise ship terminals throughout the United States with the creation of the Terminal Screening Program (TSP). Based on US Coast Guard figures there are currently 137 regulated cruise ship terminals, operated by 23 cruise line companies in the United States. IHS found that the proposed regulations are not mandatory, resulting in projected slow uptake over the short-term of new explosives, weapons and contraband (EWC) detection equipment in the cruise ship industry.

In IHS’ recently published report on the explosives, weapons and contraband detection equipment market the seaports market is forecast to grow by a CAGR of 6.7% to $241.6 million in 2018. Currently many cruise ship terminals use a combination of X-Ray, people screening, explosives detection systems (EDS), canine teams, and manual inspections. Larger cruise ship terminals are expected to prefer the efficiency and greater throughput that newer X-Ray and EDS equipment offers, while smaller cruise ship terminals will be slower to adopt new EWC equipment, preferring instead to use a combination of canine teams, manual inspections, and EWC detection equipment.

The TSP is expected to increase security at cruise ship terminals by:

I don't think they have a problem with the empty ones, just the full ones that *may* contain alcohol.

Recently sailed with this new rule -- with the low price they charge for pre-ordered water, it actually made for a nicer embarkation (and didn't have to lug the water around for hours).

As I read this again, I don't believe that Carnival is forbidding plastic bottles themselves, just bottled beverages. We don't bring out own anyway, we order a case when we get on board. I usually stash one with a lid in my baggage. I also bring herbal tea bags and agave packets. Each day I make my own herbal iced tea for sipping. Never had a problem doing this.

I know when I was first researching how to prepare for a cruise about a year ago I saw video on YouTube where the guy went into great detail about what to bring and one of his suggestions was carefully removing water bottles from the shrink wrap, filling them with alcohol and then putting them back into the shrink wrap. A few months later when I heard about Carnival's new rules, that video was the first thing I thought of.

We will see how this works out for Carnival

As naïve as this may be, I actually believe what CCL is putting out -- it is about passenger safety and not money.

The price they are charging for pre-ordered water (2.99/12 pack) is close to what you can get it for outside. Additionally, you are not having to cart it around all day waiting for your room to be ready -- it is waiting for you in your room.

Carnival (may) have an alcohol smuggling problem due to their target clientele - college age types that tend to binge. When the ship controls the alcohol intake, then the chances of violence/injury/death is greatly reduced. If left uncontrolled, then problems are more likely to occur.

I agree that this is targeted against a minority of the cruisers on the line, however we all know that it only takes one to spoil it for all of us.

My friends also smuggle alcohol onboard using water bottles. At $2.99 for a 12 pack and if you want reuse those bottles. I think the new price is great, now I can bring all my soda as a carry on in cans and have water waiting for me in my room.

Yes Jan, My friend had done that. He got a 4 pack of water that was shrink wrapped, got the bottles out, filled them with vodka and got them back into the shrink wrap. He got it on the ship no problem.

So people can actually re-seal the bottles?