Key Aspects:
- A 77-year-old man from Tennessee was detained for attempting to board a cruise ship with a gun in his backpack.
- The prohibited item, which the man claims to have forgotten about, was found during the security screening process at the Porto Corsini Cruise Terminal in Ravenna, Italy.
- Authorities seized the weapon and the man was deported without getting to set sail.
One cruise passenger made a very bad decision while traveling in Italy, and it unfortunately cost him his vacation.
The guest, who has only been identified as a 77-year-old American, was detained after personnel at the Porto Corsini Cruise Terminal in Ravenna, Italy, found a gun in his backpack.
Security team members spotted a 6.35mm Browning semi-automatic pistol when the man’s belongings went through the X-ray machine during the standard security screening at the cruise terminal.
The banned weapon had a full magazine and one round already chambered, which means it could have potentially fired.
The man, who originally flew into Italy from Tennessee with his son to embark on the cruise, said that he had a valid US gun licence and that he had “forgotten” the weapon was in his backpack.
Gun ownership in Italy is extremely strict, and firearm permits are typically not issued to tourists, even if they have the proper documents to carry at home.
Traveling to Italy with a firearm can be met with extreme consequences, including hefty fines and jail time.
In this case, Italian authorities seized the prohibited item, charged the man with illegal firearm possession, and had him deported.
The event is reminiscent of when a 73-year-old passenger from the US was arrested at Japan’s Kobe Cruise Terminal earlier this year after a handgun was found in his luggage.
A Bannable Offense
Not only did the man get kicked off the sailing, but there is also a good chance he would have received a lifetime ban from the cruise line as well.
The cruise lines forbid guests from bringing weapons onboard for obvious safety implications, and it wouldn’t be the first time someone was banned for this reason.
Last October, for example, two Carnival guests were banned for life after smuggling a handgun past security and posting about it on social media.
And earlier this year, another cruiser was arrested in Aruba while trying to board Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas with a firearm.
Cruise Terminal Security (Photo Credit: Joni Hanebutt / Shutterstock)
Even toy weapons, such as Nerf Blasters, are not allowed onboard because of the confusion and danger it can cause if someone confuses the replica with the real deal.
Assuming the guest was honest about bringing the item by accident, there is still no real way to confirm that it truly was a genuine mistake and he had no malicious intent.
The cruise lines have to be strict, because this is not an area where it is safe to take chances.
Read Also: Are Cruises Safe? What You Really Need to Know
It’s not clear which ship the men were supposed to be boarding, but reports show that the unnamed ship would sail through Croatia before disembarking in Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy.
Many cruise ships sail to Croatia so it’s difficult to narrow down the exact ship, but the most recent vessel to visit Ravenna – where the man was detained – was Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Constellation on October 20, 2025.
From the Italian port, the Millennium-class vessel embarked on an 11-night, one-way sailing to Croatia, Montenegro, and other Italian destinations that would eventually conclude in Rome – which would fit the bill.
Earlier in the month, Celebrity Eclipse also visited Ravenna on October 10 and TUI Cruises’ Mein Schiff 6 called at the port on October 11.
But while these vessels did also visit Croatia, cruise tracking data shows that they did not sail to Rome, which rules these ships out.
Ravenna won’t experience another ship call until Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Viva arrives on November 5, 2025, and hopefully this visit will be less eventful.
Appeared first on: Cruisehive.com
