A booked passenger on a Royal Caribbean cruise has taken to social media to ask for advice after being denied boarding due to being in possession of a gun.
The passenger took to Facebook pleading for help on how to join their Wonder of the Seas cruise, sharing the story of how they had been refused permission to board by the ship’s Head of Security.
The guest explained how they had rushed to the port and into security, and placed their fanny pack onto the scanner tray.
It was only as the fanny pack made its way through the scanner that the guest then remembered they had been carrying their licensed concealed weapon.
According to the guest, the security officer simply said “Too late” while smirking, and then escorted the guest to a room for an interview with a sheriff deputy.
They ran a background check and verified that the guest was the owner of the firearm and had a concealed carry license, at which point the sheriff deputy advised the guest to return to their car and lock the gun away.
However, the ship’s Head of Security then stepped in and told the guest they wouldn’t be allowed to board the ship, which according to the guest left both themself and the sheriff deputy “shocked”.
The guest complained that this was a family cruise with a travelling party of 16 that had been planned for over a year. But they were told they would not be joining their family onboard.
Hoping to find a solution, the guest took to a Royal Caribbean Facebook group to ask for advice on the possibility of flying out to join the cruise at the first port of call.
A Clumsy Error, or Irresponsible Gun Ownership?
Understandably, most cruisers weren’t in a position to offer the advice that the gun owner was looking for. Only the cruise line would’ve been able to advise on the possibility of joining the cruise later – an outcome that was extremely unlikely.
Responses to the post were generally quite negative, despite the request from the poster for no negativity.
Several questioned how they weren’t aware of their gun in their fanny pack, considering the weight of a weapon.
And others made the point that responsible gun ownership meant always being aware of where your concealed weapon is – forgetting they were carrying it was a serious issue.
Unsurprisingly, it seems like the post was taken down from the group relatively quickly, although not before being screenshotted and shared across other groups.
Strict Rules for Passenger Safety
Royal Caribbean has strict policies regarding what guests are allowed to bring onboard, and firearms are strictly prohibited under any circumstances, regardless of licensing.
The cruise line’s list of banned items includes all forms of weapons, including firearms, ammunition, imitation weapons, and even certain types of knives and scissors.
Other prohibited items include drones, flammable liquids, hoverboards, and any appliances with open flames, such as candles or hot plates. Irons, extension cords without surge protection, and baby monitors are also not permitted.
The line has these restrictions in place to ensure the safety and security of all passengers and crew.
Items that are confiscated during the security screening process are typically held until the end of the cruise – or in more serious cases, such as with firearms, local authorities may become involved.
Guests are advised to review Royal Caribbean’s full list of prohibited items before travelling, as failing to comply can result in denied boarding, without any compensation.
For this particular passenger, the consequences of a simple oversight proved significant, with their cruise holiday ending before it had even begun.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
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