Carnival Cruise Lines-No Ham Radio Allowed
- Thread starter rfsparkz
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VFN05
Member
I took my VX-170 on Carnival Triumph in a carry on without even a second glance from security. As for on board comms I am using Nextel i335's in direct talk mode (similar to a DTR). I can pretty much get from one end of the ship to the other, even through multiple decks. Makes me wonder if the ship has built in BDAs since the coverage has virtually no dead spots inside the ship.
ecps92
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- Feb 21, 2003
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Theory
Well working for a major cell carrier I think I know why they ban radios, after seeing a couple 300 dollar cell phone bills ...
(cruise ship roaming incurs a typical charge of 2.99 / min plus)
They want you to use your cell phone to keep in touch with family and friends aboard the ship via your cell phone.
$$$$
Well working for a major cell carrier I think I know why they ban radios, after seeing a couple 300 dollar cell phone bills ...
(cruise ship roaming incurs a typical charge of 2.99 / min plus)
They want you to use your cell phone to keep in touch with family and friends aboard the ship via your cell phone.
$$$$
wizard_radio
Member
Carnival's Global Policy on Radio???
Mmm......interesting thread! I was looking to take my gear on the Queen Mary 2 and do some operating, I did not see any restrictions mentioned on the Cunard WEB site? Not sure IF I should just walk up the gangplank, see what happens and plead ignorance, IF I get busted!
Jack.
Australia
Mmm......interesting thread! I was looking to take my gear on the Queen Mary 2 and do some operating, I did not see any restrictions mentioned on the Cunard WEB site? Not sure IF I should just walk up the gangplank, see what happens and plead ignorance, IF I get busted!
Jack.
Australia
ecps92
Member
Depends on what you mean by GEAR?? VHF/HF?
I have never [RCCL] had any issues with my Scanners [Base/Port]
or a Portable two-way [Not HF]
PS the QM2 [confirmed] uses [Ch.01 thru Ch.08]
Ch.01 457.5250 R 79.7 Hz Ch.01 Bridge
Ch.02 457.5500 R 74.4 Hz Ch.02 Engineering
Ch.03 457.5750 R 69.3 Hz Ch.03 Shore Exc / Hotel Ops
467.8250 No PL Paging System
Netherland Reports
461.5750 Unk PL/DPL
464.6000 131.8 Hz
Other various [Non Confirmed]
467.5000 D-026
I have never [RCCL] had any issues with my Scanners [Base/Port]
or a Portable two-way [Not HF]
PS the QM2 [confirmed] uses [Ch.01 thru Ch.08]
Ch.01 457.5250 R 79.7 Hz Ch.01 Bridge
Ch.02 457.5500 R 74.4 Hz Ch.02 Engineering
Ch.03 457.5750 R 69.3 Hz Ch.03 Shore Exc / Hotel Ops
467.8250 No PL Paging System
Netherland Reports
461.5750 Unk PL/DPL
464.6000 131.8 Hz
Other various [Non Confirmed]
467.5000 D-026
wizard_radio
Member
Thanks Bill,
I was looking to take an HF/VHF/UHF FT-817 5 watt radio and accessories, I carefully looked at all the terms and conditions published by Cunard in their Brochure & on their WEB site, and can find nothing related to Amateur Radio or any other kind of radio. Does mention the usual things like no weapons etc etc, but that is all.
Jack
Australia
I was looking to take an HF/VHF/UHF FT-817 5 watt radio and accessories, I carefully looked at all the terms and conditions published by Cunard in their Brochure & on their WEB site, and can find nothing related to Amateur Radio or any other kind of radio. Does mention the usual things like no weapons etc etc, but that is all.
Jack
Australia
FT-60 Confiscated on Cruise last year
A ham freiend of mine was on a cruise listening to the marine frequencies and one of the cleaning people picked up on it. They sent security and made him hand it over... He did get it back after the cruise. He is on a cruise today 12/6 and this year he did not take any radios with him....
A ham freiend of mine was on a cruise listening to the marine frequencies and one of the cleaning people picked up on it. They sent security and made him hand it over... He did get it back after the cruise. He is on a cruise today 12/6 and this year he did not take any radios with him....
wizard_radio
Member
Got word back from Carnival Group, Cunard U.K. The Electrical Superintendent says a definite NO for Amateur Radio gear, aboard the Queen Mary 2.
Game over....
Jack
Australia
Game over....
Jack
Australia
Went on a cruise, packed my Yaesu FT-60 in with the GMRS/FRS radios and yes I have a GMRS License, with the batteries (Used AA's instead of Rechargables) did not get a second glance, Security is more concerned with High powered stuff than with Low Powered Handhelds.
Be cool, not a fool, use earphones and enjoy.
I was able to work Key West Repeaters with the family while there, Bahamas had some interesting scanning stuff and the ship provided some action while underway,
Enjoy, just throw the Handheld in with the other radios, they are looking for bigger things.
Be cool, not a fool, use earphones and enjoy.
I was able to work Key West Repeaters with the family while there, Bahamas had some interesting scanning stuff and the ship provided some action while underway,
Enjoy, just throw the Handheld in with the other radios, they are looking for bigger things.
I just got back from one and took a PSR500, BCD396T, IC92AD, VX7R and three FRS radios. They were all in the checked baggage and nobody cared.
n5ims
Member
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- Jul 25, 2004
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- 3,993
Just make sure you follow the rules in the country you're visiting while in their jurisdiction. While on a cruise to Mexico several years ago we took a field trip to visit some ruins and the bus had to pass through several checkpoints on the way there and back. At one of the checkpoints the Mexican authorities heard radio traffic on some FRS radios and got serious real quick. The radios were not ones rented by the cruise line so they only had US certifications, not Mexican ones.
After a long discussion with the bus driver, the Mexican authorities, and someone that drove up in an SUV that appeared to be with the cruise line, the radios were taken and given to the folks in the SUV with instructions that they would be given back once the ship was back in international waters. According to one of the folks from the cruise line that acted as our guides on the chartered buses, things were very tense, but since everyone was generally calm and cooperative, they were able to work out the deal to return the radios, but often that isn't the case.
After a long discussion with the bus driver, the Mexican authorities, and someone that drove up in an SUV that appeared to be with the cruise line, the radios were taken and given to the folks in the SUV with instructions that they would be given back once the ship was back in international waters. According to one of the folks from the cruise line that acted as our guides on the chartered buses, things were very tense, but since everyone was generally calm and cooperative, they were able to work out the deal to return the radios, but often that isn't the case.
Carnival Glory
Just got off the Carnival Glory 12-19-10. Took two of my handhelds on board with no problem. Listened to ship operations on 457.525. Everything went along smoothly until the morning we were disembarking to take the tender over to Grand Cayman. They give you a "group number" which is on a sticker that they have you put on your shirt. Then you go sit down in the theater on the ship until your group is called. I saw several of the staff using hand helds with slim antennas that I recognized as UHF. I whipped out one of my handhelds and started to search. Sure enough, there they were talking back from the tender on portside to the staff in the theater on 464.300. They paid no attention to me until one of them happened to walk by me with their portable just at the moment that someone said somthing on the radio. Uh-Oh. The staff member walked on by and immediantly went over to "Kiwi" as she calls herself on the ship, one of the cruise directors/hosts. She shot a glare over at me with my handheld still in my hand, and called another staff member over, I'm sure to discuss what to do with this "terrorist" that they just discovered in their midst. How dare anyone "tap" into their private conversations! She sent another staff member over to walk past me just to look at my radio, but by that time I had turned it off and put it away. The staff member walked past me and right over to "Kiwi" and three of them got in a close circle and with regular looks over their shoulder at me, was dicussing what to do. At that moment our number was called and I walked out of the theater with them watching me leave. Their paranoia almost made me laugh out loud. The funny thing is, nearly every family has GMRS/FRS cheapie little handhelds to talk to each other and the staff pays no attention to them. I guess since the staff doesn't hear themselves coming out of those speakers.
The real communications is now done with Cisco IP based handheld phones, so the really secure stuff you aren't going to hear anyway..
Just got off the Carnival Glory 12-19-10. Took two of my handhelds on board with no problem. Listened to ship operations on 457.525. Everything went along smoothly until the morning we were disembarking to take the tender over to Grand Cayman. They give you a "group number" which is on a sticker that they have you put on your shirt. Then you go sit down in the theater on the ship until your group is called. I saw several of the staff using hand helds with slim antennas that I recognized as UHF. I whipped out one of my handhelds and started to search. Sure enough, there they were talking back from the tender on portside to the staff in the theater on 464.300. They paid no attention to me until one of them happened to walk by me with their portable just at the moment that someone said somthing on the radio. Uh-Oh. The staff member walked on by and immediantly went over to "Kiwi" as she calls herself on the ship, one of the cruise directors/hosts. She shot a glare over at me with my handheld still in my hand, and called another staff member over, I'm sure to discuss what to do with this "terrorist" that they just discovered in their midst. How dare anyone "tap" into their private conversations! She sent another staff member over to walk past me just to look at my radio, but by that time I had turned it off and put it away. The staff member walked past me and right over to "Kiwi" and three of them got in a close circle and with regular looks over their shoulder at me, was dicussing what to do. At that moment our number was called and I walked out of the theater with them watching me leave. Their paranoia almost made me laugh out loud. The funny thing is, nearly every family has GMRS/FRS cheapie little handhelds to talk to each other and the staff pays no attention to them. I guess since the staff doesn't hear themselves coming out of those speakers.
The real communications is now done with Cisco IP based handheld phones, so the really secure stuff you aren't going to hear anyway..
Yeh, but they aren't smart enough to know the definition of "ham radio." It's the unknown they are afraid of, not the radio. Ignorance must truly be bliss.
rmanderson
Newbie
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- Feb 23, 2011
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- 1
Recent Carnival Cruise Scanner Trouble
Aviation (TSA) security not the least bit concerned about the scanner !
Sunday 13 February boarded the Carnival Victory in San Juan.
My Radio Shack Pro164 scanner was confiscated as well as my
Swiss Army Knife and Leatherman Tool. I could not take them aboard
or have the ship security hold them in a safe place to return to me at
the end of the voyage. Fortunately there was a souvenir kiosk outside
of the check-in zone that accepted these items for a small fee ($5.00)
and I did not lose my faithful companions.
Carnivals brief explanation - Scanners NO - walkie talkies yes BUT must
demonstrate they are used for family group control.
Re: Tools I have taken two previous Carnival Cruises and one Princess
with no problem with the small survial tools.
Go figure !
And oddly enough they were not the least bit interested in the extraordinary
amount of alcohol I packed in the checked baggage. So my spirits were at
least primed for a good time although I had to borrow a cork screw -absent the
swiss army knife to open the two bottles of wine.
So much for Carnival's 'Pirates of the Caribbean' cruise !
rma
Aviation (TSA) security not the least bit concerned about the scanner !
Sunday 13 February boarded the Carnival Victory in San Juan.
My Radio Shack Pro164 scanner was confiscated as well as my
Swiss Army Knife and Leatherman Tool. I could not take them aboard
or have the ship security hold them in a safe place to return to me at
the end of the voyage. Fortunately there was a souvenir kiosk outside
of the check-in zone that accepted these items for a small fee ($5.00)
and I did not lose my faithful companions.
Carnivals brief explanation - Scanners NO - walkie talkies yes BUT must
demonstrate they are used for family group control.
Re: Tools I have taken two previous Carnival Cruises and one Princess
with no problem with the small survial tools.
Go figure !
And oddly enough they were not the least bit interested in the extraordinary
amount of alcohol I packed in the checked baggage. So my spirits were at
least primed for a good time although I had to borrow a cork screw -absent the
swiss army knife to open the two bottles of wine.
So much for Carnival's 'Pirates of the Caribbean' cruise !
rma
Ham Cruise Update
N5DSR has arranged permission from Carnival Cruise Lines and the ships master to host an exclusive Ham Radio Group Cruise out of Galveston, Texas in October, 2011. Limited HF operation will be allowed but is available to her group only. Her website is Home - My Pin Money Travel, LLC for info.
N5DSR has arranged permission from Carnival Cruise Lines and the ships master to host an exclusive Ham Radio Group Cruise out of Galveston, Texas in October, 2011. Limited HF operation will be allowed but is available to her group only. Her website is Home - My Pin Money Travel, LLC for info.
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