Yet another reason to avoid sailing on those ships painted battleship grey...

That is a very good question. Anybody know the answer? I'm wondering if they have restrictions similar to the airlines. <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

You could probably have some sharps, etc, in your main luggage, but every time you go on board, at least on our one cruise, you went thru a metal detector, and your carry on type stuff went thru a x-ray, just like getting onto a flight. 'Cept they don't make you take your shoes off.
I never saw them take a lighter away from anyone.

If you have a blade, or bought one ashore like we did, they take it away from you and give you a receipt. You can then pick it up the last night of the cruise (apparently they don't worry about you going postal with your blade the last night).

And, on our cruise at least, all of the security people were from Napal. They just smiled when I asked if they were former gurka...

I looked up the restrictions for the Carnival Cruise line.

Items not allowed on board:
Knives longer than 4in (dive knives can be stored with security officers)
Scissors longer than 4in
Fire Arms, spear guns
Tasers / Mace
Ham radio equipment (this one really amazed me!)

More info can be found here: http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/What_NOT_to_Pack.aspx

So, a bit less onerous than the airlines, but not by much. Thanks for the info.

I've never been on a "cruise." Where are the PFDs stored. In the individual rooms? Are there other PFDs handy in case I can't crawl back from the bar to my room when the fire starts?

A very good reason to grab warm clothing and blankets before boarding your life raft. The sinking of the General Belgrano is one of the reasons that prompted us to put 12 thermal protective aids (TPAs) in US Navy life rafts (25-person) vice the two required by USCG/SOLAS regulations.

Hypothermia is one of the greatest hazards to life raft survivors. Even in relatively warm waters

Regards,

Tom

I have one (well, 2 or 3...) point to add.
BOTTLED WATER! BOTTLED WATER! BOTTLED WATER!!
Water, water every where and nary a drop to drink.

A couple of cyalume sticks and an extra strobe light and signal mirror would not go amiss either.

In our room there were three of us, the room could handle four, and there were four PDF's in the room. Before leaving the dock on the first day they had a lifeboat drill, in which EVERYONE on board (passengers) had to put their PDF's on and go to the assigned lifeboat station for their room, get into proper formation there, then wait for the slowmo's to show up so the crew could get the head count. All of this took about 30 minutes, then it was all over, and we could head for the bar...

"...I'd follow it IMMEDIATELY!..."

Me too. I think the smile was the giveaway. Every gurka I have known (and that is only a couple), and every picture of one I have seen, always has that smile on his face, no matter what he is doing. Interesting guys...