Cruise ship passengers have been warned against bringing a certain item on board, as it could result in them being banned.
Travel blogger Gary Bembridge has advised those planning to take a cruise that drugs are not allowed on ships. And while many may think this should seem like simple advice, Gary says a woman was recently banned for life for simple taking on CBD gummies.
Cannabidiol, or cannabis oil, is often used as a natural remedy for pain relief and relaxation. It’s a non-intoxicating extract from the hemp plant, lacking the THC component found in marijuana.
CBD gummies can be bought from health shops across the UK. However, a cruiser recently found herself barred after failing to disclose she had the gummies to the ship’s crew.
On his Tips for Travellers YouTube channel, Gary stressed the importance of not bringing any form of drugs on a ship. He shared: “Recently a Texas woman called Melinda van Veldhuizen was banned for life by Carnival Cruise Lines for trying to take CBD gummies on board to help her sleep.”
“She was going through check-in security at PortMiami when a security guard spotted a bag of CBD gummies in her backpack. She had bought them legally online as they are allowed in the state that she lives in, so she assumed she could bring them on the cruise.”
“Cruise lines however have a no tolerance for drugs policy, which includes any cannabis-related products. So, if you use cannabis-related items or in fact any other drugs that are considered illegal, unless for medical reasons, you must let the cruise line know in advance and get medical clearance.”
Ms Van Veldhuizen expressed her distress at being “treated like a criminal” when she was removed from the cruise liner in 2023. Initially, she thought her gummies would be confiscated and she’d be allowed to continue her journey, but instead, she received a letter stating she was now banned.
The letter stated she would “not be permitted to sail onboard any Carnival Cruise Lines vessel”. Signed by ship captain Rocco Lubrano, it added: “This decision was based on your actions on the current cruise, which were a violation of the ship rules, interfered with the safety and/or enjoyment of other guests on the ship or caused harm to Carnival.”
A spokesperson for Carnival Cruise Lines informed local news station WPLG that there are warnings about marijuana and related prohibited items pre-cruise and on its website.
It lists CBD as against the rules and states it’s banned at multiple ports they depart from. Meanwhile, Gary advises travellers to inform cruise liners if they are pregnant, have disabilities, or are ill when they join the ship.
He also warns against trying to conceal banned items as they often get detected by baggage scanners.
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