[amsat-bb] Ham Radio are permitter on Carnival Cruises

Fri Jan 15 21:40:23 UTC 2016

These experiences are from Royal Caribbean cruises, not Carnival. Carnival
is ham friendly!

73,

Paul, N8HM

On Fri, Jan 15, 2016 at 4:34 PM, John Toscano <tosca005 at umn.edu> wrote:

> I find these recent experiences puzzling in view of the fact that this
> whole subject was provoked by an earlier thread that stated that Carnival
> explicitly listed Amateur Radio gear as ALLOWED on board, NOT SUBJECT to
> CONFISCATION. The last few replies to this thread talk about risk of
> equipment confiscation. When I saw the earlier post about non-confiscation,
> I realized that such a policy MIGHT mean only that you could carry such
> equipment on board the ship, but not a guarantee you could actually use it
> during the cruise. It seemed particularly odd that the cruise line would
> publicly state that our 2-way radio equipment is allowed on board and would
> not be confiscated, because I always assumed that at least that much could
> be taken for granted. Why? For one, because you can carry ham radio gear
> aboard a commercial airline even though it is clearly prohibited to
> actually USE the gear during a commercial flight, and for two, the last
> time I took a cruise, I saw tons of folks carrying hand-held 2-way radios
> on board, even though FRS radios (or other "license-free" radios) are not
> licensed for use outside of the United States. In most cases, I did not see
> them in use aboard the ship, but instead I saw them being carried to/from a
> shore excursion (still illegal to use them off-ship unless the port was in
> US territory). Well, I guess nowadays, you should take nothing for granted.
> The more written documentation you can provide, the happier the outcome is
> likelier to be.
>
> On Thu, Jan 14, 2016 at 1:31 PM, John via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org>
> wrote:
>
> > I too just went on a RCCL cruise in December.  Was stated as not allowed
> > on their list and I asked on board and was told no and if found would be
> > confiscated.
> >
> > Sent from my iPad
> >
> > > On Jan 14, 2016, at 1:28 PM, w4upd <updwrb at bristor-assoc.com> wrote:
> > >
> > > I checked with Royal Caribbean and they were very firm that Ham radio
> > was not allowed on any of their ships regardless what the Captain or comm
> > officer would say. RCCL has it documented in black and white in their
> > brochures and web site of what was not allowed and Ham Radio/Amateur
> radio
> > was specifically mentioned as not being allowed. I then asked via an
> email
> > and got the same answer. Via email they tried to stipulate interference
> > with the on-board equipment, but unlike a plane there should have been no
> > problem. However, not wanting my equipment confiscated (and TSA was
> > checking at the security checkpoints) I chose not to push my luck.
> Anyways,
> > I was more interested in the cruise than operation from sea.
> > >
> > > Reid, W4UPD
> > >
> > >
> > >> On 1/14/2016 1:40 PM, Bryan KL7CN wrote:
> > >> That aligns with my experience -- in my case with a Royal Caribbean
> > (Bahamian) ship, the cruise line was very reluctant -- but the Captain
> and
> > Communications Officer were fine with it.
> > >> I carried extra printed copies of all such correspondence and other
> > documentation with me in a binder -- and it came in quite handy when the
> > cruise coordinator for our group panicked and demanded I justify myself
> > before they would let me off the boat. All was well when I produced that
> > copy of the approval e-mail from the Comms Officer.
> > >> -- bag
> > >> Bryan KL7CN/W6
> > >> On Jan 14, 2016, at 10:32, Lee Ernstrom <lee.ernstrom at rcwilley.com>
> > wrote:
> > >> I wanted to operate the sats on the Norwegian Jewel, also of Bahama
> > registry, so I called Norwegian and asked if it was okay to do so.  I was
> > told emphatically NO! So I left my radio gear home last September when we
> > took our Alaskan cruise.  However, while on board and talking to the
> first
> > officer, I was told that since the cruise line abides by international
> law
> > the captain would have no problem with allowing the use of my portable
> > satellite station.
> > >> Therefore, I concluded that it is better to ask forgiveness than to
> ask
> > permission.  The worst thing that could have happened is that my radio
> > equipment was confiscated which I could have recovered at the end of the
> > cruise.  I really wanted to be able to activate some of those rare CO
> grids!
> > >> Lee (Doc) Ernstrom, WA7HQD, C6AQD
> > >> Sent from my iPad
> > >>> On Jan 14, 2016, at 9:45 AM, Jerry Buxton <n0jy at amsat.org> wrote:> >
> > It's not Bahamian registry guys, I would recommend that you let Clayton>
> > and the organizers get the specific information out before you jump. >
> > There are 10 months to the cruise, right now.  Don't want to miss the>
> > opportunity to hear you on the Foxes!     :-)> > Jerry Buxton, NØJY> >>
> On
> > 1/14/2016 10:11, John Toscano wrote:>> Plus a $10 application fee, and
> both
> > fees cover only one year at a time (in>> case you plan to take more than
> > one cruise over more than one year's time).>> You need a General Class
> > license or better to apply. And you need to start>> making these
> > arrangements a few months ahead of time, mot at the last>> minute. All
> very
> > reasonable requirements, but just sayin' that this is not>> something you
> > can decide to do o a whim without serious planning.Oh, and>> you are only
> > covered while on board the ship in international waters or in>> the
> > territorial waters of the Bahamas. Again, very reasonable but worthy
> of>> a
> > little pre-planning.>> >> Enjoy your cruise. I have enjouyed several
> > (radioless, alas).>> 73 de W0JT/5>> >> On Thu, Jan 14, 2016 at 9:09 AM,
> > Glen Zook via AMSAT-BB <amsat-bb at amsat.org>>> wrote:>> >>> Except the
> > fact that all the Carnival ships are of Bahamian registry and>>> that,
> > under international regulations, one must have a Bahamas reciprocal>>>
> > license to operate aboard the ship.  Such a license is available but
> > does>>> cost $25.00.>>> >>> >>>
> > http://www.waterwayradio.net/intl_operating.htm>>> >>> >>> >>> Glen,
> > K9STH>>> AMSAT 239 / LM 463>>> Website: http://k9sth.net>>> >>> >>>
> >  From: Douglas Phelps <dphelps1 at ameritech.net>>>> To: AMSAT BB <
> > amsat-bb at amsat.org>>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2016 8:59 PM>>>
> > Subject: [amsat-bb] Ham Radio are permitter on Carnival Cruises>>> >>> I
> > just read the complete list of prohibited and confiscated items.
> Under>>>
> > EXCEPTIONS I found the following:>>> >>> - Ham Radios/Amateur Radio
> > Equipment: Permitted to be used on board.>>> Looks like we do not even
> need
> > to ask permission.  Terrific!!!!!>>> >>> >>>
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