How will I ever be able to defend myself on a cruise ship?

[bbbass]

So let me get this straight.

You want to pay someone who you don't know thousands of dollars to take you on a boat ride where they control your every move? Also, you will not be allowed to have the tools needed to defend yourself if need be?

Sounds a lot like prison that you pay to get into.

No thanks.

You may be confusing it with a Disneyland ride. Only place they ever controlled my movement was inside the Port of Seattle before we got onboard.

 

[Flopsweat]

https://www.amazon.com/Zebra-F-701-...ocphy=9033616&hvtargid=pla-310412018118&psc=1

Seriously, this. Good, heavy-duty ink stick. Stainless steel body, with a nice, sharp point. A pen is a great thing to always have on your person. A pen and can double up as an impromptu stabby-stab-stab? Even better.

Keep one clipped where you'd normally keep a folding knife clipped, and it's there if you need it.

I can tell you that they will do a number on a block of ice and still write.

 

[SparksFly]

Yes, Navy "cruise" ships have lots of armor:
Iowa-class battleship - Wikipedia

But civilian cruise ships appear to only have 30 mm steel hull plating (1.18").
How Cruise Ships Are Built

They are required to have a double bottom, and I read that some have double hulls:
Double bottom - Wikipedia

More on strength of ships:
Strength of ships - Wikipedia

Me? I'll stay on land.

 

[SparksFly]

https://www.amazon.com/Zebra-F-701-...ocphy=9033616&hvtargid=pla-310412018118&psc=1

Seriously, this. Good, heavy-duty ink stick. Stainless steel body, with a nice, sharp point. A pen is a great thing to always have on your person. A pen and can double up as an impromptu stabby-stab-stab? Even better.

Keep one clipped where you'd normally keep a folding knife clipped, and it's there if you need it.

My brother got me one of these for Christmas a couple of years ago. I bring it to school almost every day. It writes well and has a good heft to it.

 

[P7M13]

22 Rifle from The Day of the Jackal
The Jackal got it past French Security forces using it as a pair of crutches.

 

[billstaf]

Went to Alaska last year on a Princess cruise for a week. The only thing I had was my tiny NRA folder. (about a 2" blade). They took it away and gave it back upon return. Not a big deal, but it does seem unlikely that a senior citizen like me could hijack an entire cruise ship with a 2" folder. The steak knives we got at dinnertime were way more lethal than my little sticker.

 

[albin25]

 

[DLS]

Went to Alaska last year on a Princess cruise for a week. The only think I had was my tiny NRA folder. (about a 2" blade). They took it away and gave it back upon return. Not a big deal, but it does seem unlikely that a senior citizen like me could hijack an entire cruise ship with a 2" folder. The steak knives we got at dinnertime were way more lethal than my little sticker.

It's a liability thing. While the odds are astronomical that a knife like that would ever be used maliciously on a cruise, it's those one in a million cases that cost companies insane amounts of money from the impending lawsuits.

 

[Brane Frees]

As has been mentioned, a stout cane. Or an Unbreakable Umbrella.

Either one trumps a 4" or less knife blade.

 

[Rickenbacher39]

Man overboard!!!.............

 

[JMS300WM]

Tactical pens [not the concealed blade kind] make it through OK. The most dangerous thing on a cruise ship is the flu.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Prohibited on the cruise ship

PROHIBITED ITEMS LIST


The safety and security of our guests and crew is our number one priority. The following items are prohibited on-board vessels. These items will be confiscated and not transported aboard. When an item is determined to be illegal the appropriate authorities will be informed.

• 1. All illegal narcotics/drugs. (Including Marijuana prescribed for medical purposes and other items used as drug paraphernalia. This includes Hookah Pipes).
• 2. All firearms including replicas, imitations, non-firing weapons, starting pistols and their components
• 3. Air, BB or pellet pistols or rifles
• 4. Any other projectile-weapon or item that resembles or can be mistaken as a firearm (e.g., paint ball guns)
• 5. All ammunition or replica ammunition for listed line items 2, 3 & 4
• 6. All explosives, component parts (i.e. detonators) including imitation explosives and devices
• 7. Fireworks, flares, and pyrotechnics
• 8. Martial Arts Weapons (i.e. throwing stars, flails)
• 9. Knives with a blade longer than 4 inches/10.16 cm
• 10. Open razors
• 11. Swords, Skean Dhus, or Kirpans
• 12. Spears or spear guns
• 13. Crossbows, crossbow bolts, and long bow arrows
• 14. Blunt weapons including knuckle dusters, brass knuckles, clubs, telescopic batons, batons, flails or nunchaku
• 15. Items containing incapacitating substances (e.g. gas guns, tear gas sprays, mace, phosphorus, acid and other dangerous chemicals that could be used to maim or disable
• 16. Restraining Devices (i.e. handcuffs, leg, and head restraining straps)
• 17. Flammable substances and hazardous chemicals. (e.g., petrol, methylated spirits, paint thinners, lighter fuel, etc.)
• 18. Any other item made, adapted or intended for use as an offensive weapon
• 19. Stun devices (i.e. Tazers and Stun Guns)
• 20. Large batteries
• 21. Items brought on board the vessel and not supplied by the Company containing any kind of heating element, such as but not limited to: immersion heaters, heating blankets, clothing irons, water heaters, coffee machines with heating/hot plates, etc.
• 22. Any remotely controlled or autonomously flying devices, toys or drones
• 23. Self-balancing hover boards, air wheels, scooters, or Segway's
• 24. Compressed gas tanks, bottles, cylinders including dive tanks, propane tanks and large aerosol cans
• 25. Emergency Position Indicating Radio Beacons (EPIRB), ham radios, satellite phones, transformers, lasers and laser pointers
• 26. Any form of radio/ telephone signal jamming equipment
• 27. Samsung Note 7
• 28. Candles

They would throw me off for sure. I don't need all that chit to defend myself or my family...

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Do they check your bag?

I think a lot of guys don't have a pair anymore. Or they would know how to defend themselves without all the other fluff...

 

[Geardo]

I think a lot of guys don't have a pair anymore. Or they would know how to defend themselves without all the other fluff...

Heh. I am not going to monkey dance with some a-hole who wants a chance with my wife or thinks I cut him off in traffic to preserve my ego or bragging rights.

If You think an A-social predetory type attack will be a fair fight I would go so far as to call you naive.

 

[deadseed]

I think a lot of guys don't have a pair anymore. Or they would know how to defend themselves without all the other fluff...

please explain to me, what is .... " fluff " ?

 

[SmokeEater]

Having been on a half-dozen cruises or more, I have to agree with "their ship - their rules". You have to remember that once you walk up that ramp, YOU ARE NO LONGER IN THE UNITED STATES. You have given up all of your rights as a citizen and might as well be in North Korea. The Captain of that ship is the Master, no ifs, ands or buts.
If your pair of itty-bitty 4" Browning skinning knives are declared forfeit, you are going to turn them in. Period. Ask me how I know. I was just happy to get them back at cruise' end. Don't try to wear shorts to dinner, if they say no shorts. You will be escorted back to your cabin to change.
Never going on another cruise. My wife was the reason I went, and she's gone to the big ship in the sky now.

 

[soberups]

Hmmmm, as for construction differences, let's try and remember the old ships were typically "ocean liners" meant for TransAtlantic voyages. The new magaships are "Cruise ships" intended for relatively close in use. Different use = different construction. Huge improvements in design of watertight compartmentalization and design balance of heavy materials/items in the lower sections with lightweight materials used in upper areas (aluminum and fiber based) ensure that the tall megaships are well balanced even in rough seas. However, should the worst happen, the engineering crew has the ability to pump water to balance the ship... just don't run it up on the rocks or shoreline!!

Plus the new ships have radar, long range radios and sat phones. The Titanic had a guy looking for icebergs in the dark with binoculars and another guy tapping Morse code out on a spark-gap transmitter...

 

[soberups]

So do they pat you down and run you thru a metal detector?

 

[Lazyfaire]

So do they pat you down and run you thru a metal detector?

Not that I remember but if they catch you with a weapon they can toss you and your party off at the next port.

 

[soberups]

Not that I remember but if they catch you with a weapon they can toss you and your party off at the next port.

Concealed means concealed...