So bummed - no drones allowed on Alaska cruise

[JoeSchu]

A few months ago, my entire extended family booked an adventure cruise in Alaska through National Geographic/Linblad Travel. In some of the promotional details for the trip they included great drone footage, and it inspired me (along with the Costco DJI Mini 2 deal) to start learning to pilot and take effective drone footage. In my mind, I had a year to practice my piloting and photography skills with my new photography platform.

These Linblad trips have an adventure photography director on each boat and our cruise will be led by a National Geographic photographer, which is great. He had a link to a previous preparation webinar posted in his profile, so I decided to check it out. I was incredibly excited about the different photography equipment and options being discussed for these cruises. Right until he put up a slide in the webinar with a DIJ drone and a huge red 'X' over the image and said drones were strictly prohibited on the cruise itself or any shore excursions.

I understand that an inexperienced pilot could be both unsafe and annoying to others on these trips, but **** I'm kicking myself for not doing better research first. I'm loving learning to pilot and consider this a new hobby, but it sucks to be going to one of the more scenic places I'll ever be and not be able to take the shots I'd been dreaming of.

 

[Jagerbomb52]

Most cruise lines don't allow drones. Some allow you to have it but you need to store it in lock up till you get off the ship for day excursions. Simple search of their allowed list that every cruise has will show no drones allowed.

 

[BigAl07]

Most cruise lines don't allow them ON (Carnival required them to be checked in/out ) the cruise itself but you can use them in ports that allow them.

It's a lot of hassle to travel with them so I have found I just leave them home and enjoy the cruise even more.

 

[Bryan L]

We happen to know an agent who used to be affiliated with the Nat Geo/Lindblad cruises and went on many of them. At the conclusion of the trip the ship's photographer makes up a video that includes drone footage and the ones we've seen are very professional. So you'll have that at least. So far as not being able to use your own drone, yeah, sux. But I have to say I see their point. How can they possibly vet everyone's skills who wants to take a drone along, much less accept the liability for allowing everyone to fly one whenever they want? There also might be permit issues in some of the places they fly? The flying they do is pretty well confined to getting the shot and nothing else so as to minimize the impact on everyone who paid pretty good money to visit those special places.

 

[FASTFJR]

You should have known where the cruise ships go in Alaska is one big National Park. I've taken my drone on 5 cruises, never had an issue. Crew has always been cool when I come back from a day of shooting an X-ray my backpack. They usually say "Nice Camera" wink wink

Two cruises on NCL I was required to check them in and out. No big deal, they could careless what you do with in on land. They just don't want to idiot flying from the ship. I asked and got permission to fly above the ship in the video below

 

[Drone_Pilot]

You should have known where the cruise ships go in Alaska is one big National Park. I've taken my drone on 5 cruises, never had an issue. Crew has always been cool when I come back from a day of shooting an X-ray my backpack. They usually say "Nice Camera" wink wink

Two cruises on NCL I was required to check them in and out. No big deal, they could careless what you do with in on land. They just don't want to idiot flying from the ship. I asked and got permission to fly above the ship in the video below

I hope you took out the SD card before passing it through the X-ray machine?

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I hope you took out the SD card before passing it through the X-ray machine?

..
???
I've never done this going through airports, maybe 50 times or more.
Never an issue with info on microSD or other storage devices (phone, laptop, memory sticks etc).

Can you elaborate on the issue you warn about ?

 

[FASTFJR]

I hope you took out the SD card before passing it through the X-ray machine?

Airport X-ray machines and the like have Zero effect on SD cards. I've been thru dozens around the world with all kinds of camera equipment, never had a problem

 

[Drone_Pilot]

Airport X-ray machines and the like have Zero effect on SD cards. I've been thru dozens around the world with all kinds of camera equipment, never had a problem

I know for sure for film it will definitely affect it. Glad to hear that

 

[BigAl07]

I know for sure for film it will definitely affect it. Glad to hear that

Film could get ruined but keep in mind that and SD card is merely 0's and 1's. Film is literally "Light Sensitive Media" and xray "could" ruin it. Night and day difference between the two.

 

[vindibona1]

A few months ago, my entire extended family booked an adventure cruise in Alaska through National Geographic/Linblad Travel. In some of the promotional details for the trip they included great drone footage, and it inspired me (along with the Costco DJI Mini 2 deal) to start learning to pilot and take effective drone footage. In my mind, I had a year to practice my piloting and photography skills with my new photography platform.

These Linblad trips have an adventure photography director on each boat and our cruise will be led by a National Geographic photographer, which is great. He had a link to a previous preparation webinar posted in his profile, so I decided to check it out. I was incredibly excited about the different photography equipment and options being discussed for these cruises. Right until he put up a slide in the webinar with a DIJ drone and a huge red 'X' over the image and said drones were strictly prohibited on the cruise itself or any shore excursions.

I understand that an inexperienced pilot could be both unsafe and annoying to others on these trips, but **** I'm kicking myself for not doing better research first. I'm loving learning to pilot and consider this a new hobby, but it sucks to be going to one of the more scenic places I'll ever be and not be able to take the shots I'd been dreaming of.

Perhaps you might try calling the director and having a conversation with him. I found it almost shocking how many venues I've gotten permission to fly over when drones were *strictly* prohibited with just an email or phone call.

 

[RoarRoar]

You should have known where the cruise ships go in Alaska is one big National Park. I've taken my drone on 5 cruises, never had an issue. Crew has always been cool when I come back from a day of shooting an X-ray my backpack. They usually say "Nice Camera" wink wink

Two cruises on NCL I was required to check them in and out. No big deal, they could careless what you do with in on land. They just don't want to idiot flying from the ship. I asked and got permission to fly above the ship in the video below

Took the same Bermuda cruise twice and brought drones on both trips with great results. Norwegian even gave me a few perks for being able to use one of my photos.

 

[icecoldgin]

Hmmm, what if I have a mount and say I am using my drone like an ordinary camera like the one below

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

Hmmm, what if I have a mount and say I am using my drone like an ordinary camera like the one below

View attachment 134968

..
"This thing ?? Just my camcorder !!"

 

[AZDave]

I hope you took out the SD card before passing it through the X-ray machine?

Because an X-ray machine is going to zap a drone Micro-SD card but not the same storage technology that's in the millions of cellphones and laptops that successfully pass through those machines every day?

 

[eEridani]

Read up on ADIZ ... it's likely one of the reasons cruise lines prohibit drones.

 

[GrayHornet]

A few months ago, my entire extended family booked an adventure cruise in Alaska through National Geographic/Linblad Travel. In some of the promotional details for the trip they included great drone footage, and it inspired me (along with the Costco DJI Mini 2 deal) to start learning to pilot and take effective drone footage. In my mind, I had a year to practice my piloting and photography skills with my new photography platform.

These Linblad trips have an adventure photography director on each boat and our cruise will be led by a National Geographic photographer, which is great. He had a link to a previous preparation webinar posted in his profile, so I decided to check it out. I was incredibly excited about the different photography equipment and options being discussed for these cruises. Right until he put up a slide in the webinar with a DIJ drone and a huge red 'X' over the image and said drones were strictly prohibited on the cruise itself or any shore excursions.

I understand that an inexperienced pilot could be both unsafe and annoying to others on these trips, but **** I'm kicking myself for not doing better research first. I'm loving learning to pilot and consider this a new hobby, but it sucks to be going to one of the more scenic places I'll ever be and not be able to take the shots I'd been dreaming of.

I did the same thing....booked an Alaska cruise to find out later drones prohibited on the ship and on excursions. Rats.

 

[FASTFJR]

I know for sure for film it will definitely affect it. Glad to hear that

Xray machines will not damage consumer electronics. Period. Your SD cards are safe. If you insist on it, have the cards in hand at the time of the security check, voice your concern, and request the cards be inspected by hand. But it's absolutely unnecessary and a waste of everyone's time. It's like being worried that the fluorescent lights in the airport will erase them or something.

 

[charlesmanpr]

I've passed my drone on several x-rays on airports and no damage to my drone or SD cards.

 

[vindibona1]

Read up on ADIZ ... it's likely one of the reasons cruise lines prohibit drones.

Yes... But they are prohibited on the excursions as well as when cruising. The only other legitimate (non-chicken-little) thing I can think of for banning drones on excursions is the fear that it will disturb wildlife. The only personal reference/experience I have is when I visited the Galapagos a number of years ago. They are adamant about making sure that the animals are not disturbed and that we leave the islands as we found them.