A Texan woman had to cancel her cruise at security checkpoint – with far-reaching consequences: the woman was banned from cruising.
Miami – A piece of candy in her luggage caused a lot of trouble for a Texan woman. Because of this she was not allowed to go on her booked cruise. The 42-year-old nurse and chiropractor Melinda Van Veldhuizen from Dallas was faced with a nasty surprise during the security check that had far-reaching consequences. The reported about this Washington Post.
Cruise ban: CBD gummy bears caused trouble
Because when she boarded the cruise ship, the woman was stopped at security checkpoints. A nail clipper ensured a search of her luggage. But the problem was completely different. The security officers found a pack of CBD gummies in the nurse’s bag. According to her, these were only intended to help her with sleep problems. But she now had to wait for a few hours accompanied by security personnel and crew members and was ultimately not allowed to start the journey.
With that, the rest of the family also left the ship and broke off the journey. Nevertheless, the family had to cover the entire travel costs. This is how Van Veldhuizen’s lawyer, Daren Stabinski, explains it to the Washington Post. Accordingly, the costs amount to $5,586, and her credit card was charged a further $700.
Lifetime cruise ban: “Violation of the ship’s rules”
But that’s not all. In August, the 42-year-old apparently received a letter from the cruise company Carnival Cruise Line. In this, Van Veldhuizen was informed that she was now forbidden to travel with the shipping company. The company wrote: “This decision is based on your conduct on the current cruise that violated the ship’s rules, interfered with the safety and/or enjoyment of other guests on the ship, or caused harm to Carnival. Your attempt to book a future cruise will result in cancellation and loss of deposit paid. You will be responsible for all travel costs incurred and will receive an invoice for payment to your home address.”
The traveler legally purchased the gummy bears from a drugstore in Texas. And CBD is also legally available in Florida, where the ship departed from. However, it is illegal at the federal level and most cruise lines ban CBD, including Carnival Cruise Line.
What is CBD actually?
CBD or cannabidiol is a substance that occurs in the hemp plant but does not have an intoxicating effect. CBD is often enriched in a wide variety of foods. For example in cookies, soft drinks or chewing gum. However, the consumer advice center advises against consumption as side effects are sometimes possible. The dosage, safety and interactions are not yet fully understood.
(Source: Consumer advice center)
Shipping company defends itself: “Our job is to follow the federal guidelines”
Another letter said: Washington Post Van Veldhuizen promised that her travel price of $1,665 would be reimbursed. Nevertheless, she hopes to have the price reimbursed for the entire family and for the travel ban with the shipping company to be lifted. At the request of the Washington Post Company spokesman Matt Lupoli wrote in an email: “We are not here to determine where our guests want to purchase CBD or what they want to use it for on board. Our job is to follow federal guidelines and prevent prohibited items from being brought aboard our ships.”
Cruises are popular and are partly also affected by the strong price increases. But cruise ships are not welcome everywhere. For this reason A North Sea island has now imposed a ban on cruise ships. With consequences for the route of several ships.
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