Posted on 06/07/2011 8:16:01 AM PDT by pastorbillrandles
Cruise passengers tell of seven-hour security 'revenge' nightmare Elderly passengers on board a luxury cruise have criticised US immigration officials after they endured a seven-hour security check.
Setting off from Southampton on April 12, the cruise has taken in stops in Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, crossing the Panama Canal to travel up the west coast of the United States to Alaska It was billed as a chance to taste the glitz and glamour of Hollywood or enjoy VIP treatment in some of the most exclusive shopping areas in the world. But when a group of 2,000 elderly British cruise ship passengers docked at Los Angeles for a short stop-off during a five-star cruise around America it was, in the words of one of them, more like arriving at Guantanamo Bay.
During their £10,000, two-and-a-half month Alaska Adventure tour from the Arctic to the Caribbean, the passengers on the luxury P&O liner Arcadia had become more than accustomed to passing US immigration with little formality. By the time they docked at Los Angeles on May 26, for a one-day visit it was their 10th stop on US soil. But when a handful of them questioned whether the lengthy security checks at the port were strictly necessary for a group of largely elderly travellers officials were not amused. Although they had already been given advance clearance for multiple entries to the country during their trip, all 2,000 passengers were made to go through full security checks in a process which took seven hours to complete. ...
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Another useless gov department.
Welcome to Obama’s America, if you are an elderly British tourist, you are going to pay bigtime, if you are a rabid Somali Muslim, Come on in! Read the whole article, it is appalling.
P&O is operated by Carnival UK.
I cruise a bit; and the security I go through both on leaving the US, as well as returning home is normally TRIVIAL. Airport type scanner going on-board at each and every stop. X-ray luggage.
Leaving the ship - the entire ship is off-loaded, complete with 2 weeks worth of luggage in a matter of 3-4 hours.
There is no excuse to treat our allies like this. But, under the Obama administration, if you are an ally; expect to be abused. However, if this were a cruise ship from a country that means us harm - I’d bet they would be through Security in a matter of seconds.
If I were running the cruise line I’d skip the USA entirely on future cruises.
It’s not worth it.
Tourists, spend your dollars in other countries instead of the USA ... it’s not like we need any tourist income.
Janet Napolitano must have a second job ghost writing for AP.
“Tourists, spend your dollars in other countries instead of the USA ... its not like we need any tourist income.”
Florida begs to differ.
Get used to it. These federal government bastards want TSA-style patdowns and x-rays at shopping malls, train stations, and practically any public place. It has nothing to do with security, and everything to do with making slaves of us all. Its not about terrorism or security, its about conditioning the masses to accept total control over their lives. We are the frog in the slowly boiling pot of water.
As a previous poster said, a white Briton is herded like cattle, while an Arab would pass through because “we dont want to offend the Muslims.” That alone is proof that this has nothing to do with fighting terror.
If Obama’s Kenya family members had been on the ship, this would not have happened.
You might be right, but. I have crossed the border many times, I have all the documents and a clean computer file on both sides of the border. You still don’t piss these guys off, they have enough power to hold you up for hours and some of them have no sense of humor at all.
Wow. Check out the comments over there. Telegraph UK sounds a lot like Free Republic on this one...
Sounds like the brits were waiting to do the standard cruise ship exit from the ship security check. A delay happened that happens every day to travelers. But they decided to turn into a bunch of loudmouths. They keep making references to getting ‘stroppy’ ,, and verbally expressing their concerns.
They turned british. Never a bright idea to go that route with customs officials anywhere on earth.
“We are holiday makers, here to try and enjoy ourselves—we are not potential inmates of Guantalamo Bay, and should not be treated as such.”
Oh my God! Off to the reeducation camp with this thought criminal!
Worry more about the border with Mexico and leave the old fogies on cruise ships alone.
Man, liberals are such idiots!
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