Author Topic: What to do with my carry while on a Alaskan cruise (Read 1551 times)

poppie · « **on:** May 26, 2009, 01:07:52 PM »

We fly out to see the son in Montana from Florida and never have any issues flying American by declaring the handgun in our checked bag's but would like to take a cruise to Alaska while in the west,the problem is, #1, the ship leave's from Canada and # 2, I don't think hand gun's would be allowed on board in the 1'st place,#3,what to do with my carry while in canada on board the ship,we rent a car and could leave the gun locked in the car,not happy about doing that,but crossing into Canada with my carry is also out of the question and I want to have the gun while we travel in the western state's,anyone have any idea's???,thank's ahead of time,John

Graybeard · « **Reply #1 on:** May 26, 2009, 05:19:33 PM »

Do NOT set foot on Canadian soil with a handgun if you want to return home in the next 10-15 years.

Chilachuck · « **Reply #2 on:** May 26, 2009, 05:29:04 PM »

See if you can find a dealer or a gun club to stash it for you? Be aware they might have to treat it as a firearms transfer, and you cannot "purchase" a hand gun out of state.

Moving companies will sometimes store freight for shippers, stick it in a box with some souvenirs.

poppie · « **Reply #3 on:** May 28, 2009, 01:26:38 PM »

I wonder if a person can rent a lock box at the airport of our destination, street side of security, US side of the border, or is that just in old movies?

??.

Doug B. · « **Reply #4 on:** May 29, 2009, 12:59:44 AM »

If it were me, I'd keep it simple.

Leave it home.

Tooooooo many hassles!

Chilachuck · « **Reply #5 on:** May 29, 2009, 02:37:50 AM »

Quote from: poppie on May 28, 2009, 01:26:38 PM

I wonder if a person can rent a lock box at the airport of our destination, street side of security, US side of the border, or is that just in old movies???.

Old movies. Too many punks putting dead fish in the lockers, too many druggies using lockers for stashes, and a couple of bombs in lockers back in the 60's.

Besides, the money slot has to be fed once a day.

dukkillr · « **Reply #6 on:** May 29, 2009, 04:42:34 AM »

Quote from: Doug B. on May 29, 2009, 12:59:44 AM

If it were me, I'd keep it simple.

Leave it home.

Tooooooo many hassles!

Isn't this the obvious answer?

thxmrgarand · « **Reply #7 on:** June 11, 2009, 11:38:07 AM »

Due to the recession there are Alaska cruises going for as little as $400 for a 7-day cruise. I was just downtown and 3 ships were in, and the streets were crowded with people buying tee-shirts (the chief aim of tourists so far as I can learn).

King salmon can be caught right off the beach in town, and within a few weeks other species of salmon will be showing up. I recommend you buy a fishing license if you fish in town. Nonresident sport fishing licenses for as few as 3 days can be purchased if I remember correctly.

An alternative is to catch the Alaska Marine Highway (the state owned and subsidized ferry system) in Bellingham, WA. It goes through Canada of course but you need not disembark in Canada.

You can look on line at the cost of taking the state ferry. You can pitch a tent on the deck to avoid the cost of a cabin. The showers are free as I recall. As a walk-on you can get off the ferry in each town and get back on whenever you like. Within reason people can pretty much camp where they want in Alaska. However, the cruise is likely still less expensive since the cruise cost includes food. The state ferry allows you to bring your vehicle but that is quite expensive.

As you may have heard, Alaska has a very gun-friendly governor and legislature. Anyone who can legally carry a gun in the US can carry one in Alaska, concealed or otherwise.

JonnyC · « **Reply #8 on:** June 14, 2009, 07:59:24 AM »

GRAYBEARD IS CORRECT. I travel alot into Canada- Possesion of a handgun WILL make you a resident of Canada for double digit years into a place that is easy to check into- but hard to check out.

Graybeard · « **Reply #9 on:** June 14, 2009, 10:04:49 AM »

Quote from: thxmrgarand on June 11, 2009, 11:38:07 AM

An alternative is to catch the Alaska Marine Highway (the state owned and subsidized ferry system) in Bellingham, WA. It goes through Canada of course but you need not disembark in Canada.

I think that advice is a bit dangerous if it is intended to say it's OK to have the handguns on the boat in Canadian waters. If you enter Canada regardless of mode of travel and have a handgun you are gonna be in deep doo doo if caught with it.

Chilachuck · « **Reply #10 on:** June 14, 2009, 07:54:09 PM »

Quote from: Graybeard on June 14, 2009, 10:04:49 AM

I think that advice is a bit dangerous if it is intended to say it's OK to have the handguns on the boat in Canadian waters. If you enter Canada regardless of mode of travel and have a handgun you are gonna be in deep doo doo if caught with it.

There is no issue so long as the ferry is running from Bellingham to Alaska. They /could/ stop the ferry and search it for contraband, but the repercussions would be a real problem, like hundreds of thousands of dollars in business lost by the Alaska Marine Highway removing it's terminal from Prince Rupert and relocating it to Washington State.

Just don't plan on catching the ferry in Prince Rupert with a handgun.

BBF · « **Reply #11 on:** June 15, 2009, 12:34:56 AM »

There was or is an issue with US fishing boats from WA/Oregon traveling through Canadian waters to Alaska with firearms aboard. I don't recall how or if it was ever setled.

JonnyC · « **Reply #12 on:** June 15, 2009, 01:11:52 AM »

I'm POSITIVE you will not be allowed on board the cruise ship with a weapon. Leave it home and take pepper spray if you are the paranoid that someone will get you. I leave my handgun home when I travel out of my state. There is plenty of security aroung cruise ships that you won't be in harms way. My wife and I just wear a life vest at all times incase someone gets the idea of throwing us overboard.Watch out for Samili [sp.]pirates. LOL

poppie · « **Reply #13 on:** June 15, 2009, 12:32:14 PM »

Quote from: JonnyC on June 15, 2009, 01:11:52 AM

I'm POSITIVE you will not be allowed on board the cruise ship with a weapon. Leave it home and take pepper spray if you are the paranoid that someone will get you. I leave my handgun home when I travel out of my state. There is plenty of security aroung cruise ships that you won't be in harms way. My wife and I just wear a life vest at all times incase someone gets the idea of throwing us overboard.Watch out for Samili [sp.]pirates. LOL

------------------------,Everyone is missing my point/need of a firearm,it's "NOT" for the trip on the ship, we've been on 8 cruise's and find "NO" need of a firearm on one, it's for the trip around the state's of washington,Oregon,idaho and to see my son and family in
montana "AFTER" we disembark the ship, walking around in the wilderness unarmed is "NOT" wise, and the same reason's apply while traveling in urban area's on vacation as apply at home, I was trying to do both trip's on one airline flight,why would we fly all that distance and not see the family and the NATIONAL PARK'S in that area,we've been to all the park's in the west the last couple year's except for the one's in the northwest,montana's Glacier is the exception,two year's ago the road's were washed out,last year the road's were snowed in the 1'st half of June and after 5 week's we were ready to go home to Florida and not wait for them to clear the road's later,BTW,i've alway's carryed in national park's/wilderness area's before they passed the law allowing such and will continue to carry if they take that law away,JUST TO BE SAFE.

spruce · « **Reply #14 on:** June 15, 2009, 02:50:52 PM »

Can you still rent a safety deposit box at banks? Those were always discreet, as only you know what you put in it. Just be careful not to violate any laws carrying it into the bank! Just a thought.

poppie · « **Reply #15 on:** June 15, 2009, 04:14:04 PM »

Quote from: spruce on June 15, 2009, 02:50:52 PM

Can you still rent a safety deposit box at banks? Those were always discreet, as only you know what you put in it. Just be careful not to violate any laws carrying it into the bank! Just a thought.

----------------Thank's,i never thought of that idea,we have a small family business in a small town in Florida and i go to the bank,post office and even the police station carrying,BUT,they all know me here on a 1'st name base's !!!!!,small town's are like that,Florida is "vary"pro CCWP,gun crime's here are limited mainly the the large city's where drug dealer's kill each other over turf or deal's going bad, JERK'S!!!!!.

Chilachuck · « **Reply #16 on:** June 15, 2009, 04:56:41 PM »

Quote from: spruce on June 15, 2009, 02:50:52 PM

Can you still rent a safety deposit box at banks? Those were always discreet, as only you know what you put in it. Just be careful not to violate any laws carrying it into the bank! Just a thought.

I think some banks don't allow guns in their boxes.

However, there are rental storage units around. Good places to stash extra luggage and souvenirs.

thxmrgarand · « **Reply #17 on:** June 17, 2009, 01:19:51 PM »

I just traveled on the Alaska Marine Hwy (the state ferry), getting back yesterday. I had a rifle in my travel bag, a handgun in my pocket and another handgun in my daypack. I had lots of ammo with me. I put the travel bag on the baggage cart and it rode there. There was also a "gun barrel" in which I could have put the long gun for the trip. I put the daypack in a 50 cent locking compartment so I didn't have to drag it around with me.

There is no problem having a gun on the ferry (and no one checks) through Canada so long as the traveller doesn't disembark.

In Alaska there is no law against having a gun in a bank and I often do.

I continue to recommend the Alaska ferry system (over cruise ships and over visiting Canada). The food is exceptional and a great value. People are friendly and interesting.

We took the ferry to a village of about 200 people. The wife and I caught salmon, halibut, rock fish and grey cod, and we were incredibly successful with crab pots. We saw brown bear from the skiff we used, and from the house that was lent to us we saw killer whales, humpback whales, sea lions, seals, and maybe one sea otter. We bathed in the hot springs for which the town is named. Yes, I recommend the state ferry. The fare was $35 each way.

Chilachuck · « **Reply #18 on:** June 18, 2009, 08:21:46 PM »

$35? For where to where? Nothing to do with Seattle, that's for sure.

thxmrgarand · « **Reply #19 on:** June 19, 2009, 05:40:29 AM »

The Alaska Marine Highway schedule, including fare amounts, is on line through the State of Alaska website. As a walk-on I find the fares to be extremely inexpensive - almost from an earlier era. Bringing a vehicle is another story in my opinion.

Chilachuck · « **Reply #20 on:** June 20, 2009, 04:38:56 AM »

I had to go to Seattle a couple of weeks ago. Believe it or not, flying is actually cheaper, if your book at least two weeks in advance. I was thinking of that.

Yeah, AMHS between SE AK towns is the cheapest way to travel.

Travis Morgan · « **Reply #21 on:** July 06, 2009, 03:39:23 AM »

Quote from: JonnyC on June 15, 2009, 01:11:52 AM

I'm POSITIVE you will not be allowed on board the cruise ship with a weapon. Leave it home and take pepper spray if you are the paranoid that someone will get you. I leave my handgun home when I travel out of my state. There is plenty of security aroung cruise ships that you won't be in harms way. My wife and I just wear a life vest at all times incase someone gets the idea of throwing us overboard.Watch out for Samili [sp.]pirates. LOL

That's not a cruise ship, it's a ferry. They don't search your bags and vehicle, they just ship it.

Chilachuck · « **Reply #22 on:** July 06, 2009, 07:05:59 PM »

A couple of years ago they started searching a certain percentage of vehicles. I don't know if that got dropped.

thxmrgarand · « **Reply #23 on:** July 10, 2009, 05:07:09 AM »

I believe there may have been a short time during which the TSA required some dance at the Marine Hwy terminals. There also was a time when the Coast Guard had 2 high speed skiffs with mounted machine guns continually crisscrossing the bay out in front of the Alaska city where I live. It looked like great fun for the Coasties but was also nonsense. Believe it or not, the TSA is the largest employer in a few Alaska towns, and is the largest but for the school system in a few others. And I have never seen a camel in Alaska.