Cruise Advise Needed

[Geomantic]

My wife and I will be taking our first cruise in a couple of weeks. I'm planning to wear a kilt (w/Argyle jacket, Ghillie Brogues, fur sporran...) to the formal night. My question is whether a skean dubh will be accepted or trouble? I do have a bottle opener skean dubh but it's informal and would rather have the jewel of my formal piece peeking out. Anyone been there?

[1oldsarge]

There's a very good chance the ship may not allow it being worn. Might consider leaving it home to avoid the grief, unless there's no blade attached.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Both my wife and I lecture on cruises and we've seen lots of gentlemen in highland attire, all with sgians dubh, and it's never been a problem. Treat yourself to a nice one, wear it with pride and a little common sense, and enjoy your cruise.

As an aside, since it's your first cruise, be sure and wear a black bow tie on formal nights... It'll be fine with your Argyle jacket and make you look a lot more "seasoned" than the guy in the blue tux and ruffle front shirt, wearing the tartan bow tie and cummerbund set.

When we lecture part of our duties include "hosting our table" at dinner if one of the ship's officers isn't dining with us. As a result we are dressed (in accordance with our contract) pretty conservatively. In other words, NO KILT. On one cruise with Cunard I did manage to get away with trews and an Argyle jacket while in Scottish waters, but that was pushing the envelope just a bit. Generally I envy the guys who are kilted, but take solace in the fact that the silk lining of my dinner jacket is MacMillan hunting tartan. Just a flash of tartan when I sit down or stand up, but enough to show I'm a Scot (or not, depending on your definition of who/what a Scot is).

[Zardoz]

Well, we just went on a Carnival cruise to Cozumel, and I wore my sgian dubh with no notice at all. I think most people you meet will be too freaked out by the whole kilt idea to worry about what's in your sock!

[kypnkilt]

I went on a Caribbean cruise during the Xmas holidays and went to the formal dinner kilted. I chose not to wear my sgian dubh since it is an actual blade and the ships Guest services advised against it. I packed the wrong one and was suppose to bring the "dummy" sgian dubh. Oh well...but there is a good side to being kilted on the ship. After dinner I was invited by a few of the English gentlemen (a few Scots too) to the Pipe and Cigar lounge.

They kept me supplied with Johnny Walker all night.....sometimes it really pays to be kilted.

[Ugly Bear]

I've gone cruising kilted before. No one knows what that little handle sticking out of your sock is, and no one really cares.

But what if they do care?

First things first, if you're behaving like a gentleman, no one will give much thought to you carrying a sgian dubh. An "armed" gentlemen is only a threat to rascals, reprobates and ne'er-do-wells, who tend not to cruise.

Second, if you're cornered on it, you can demonstrate how you're not a threat. Chances are, your sgian dubh blade is really dull. You can demonstrate that by pulling the blade across your palm and saying, "Look, this is just a ceremonial ornament, which I use to identify with my culture and heritage, which I take very seriously." (Of course, demo this for yourself, in private, before the cruise.)

Have fun on your cruise.

[James MacMillan]

I went through the Panama Canal, a two week cruise, wore my Sgian Dubh the entire time, with the exception of going through customs, or on the airplane. There I packed them in my check baggage. I took two casual sgians and one formal one. I was kilted the entire time, with no problem with the blade.

I am a full time kilt wearer and I always wear a sgian dubh.

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

Looks like the opions are (1) woos out, or (2) man up. Choice is yours.

[Jimmy]

Recently I went on the QE2, the information given in the literature from Cunard regarding formal dress advised any kilt wearers ( and their are lots on Cunard Cruises) not to take the sgian dubh with you. When you look at the sgian dubh it really could be used as an offensive weapon so I always leave it behind. I seldom wear the sgian dbuh as it always attracts attention and people always want to handle it and I feel that sometimes it not appropriate to show it depending where you are.

[richardljohnson]

Not to plug an old post but...
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/k...light=cruising

What I was told by the head of Port Security was that the only thing the would be concerned about would be a dirk or sword. From experience they have steak knives longer than your average sgian dubh. You can carry it through with you (I did this because of the silver work on my dress sporran) and just let them know or you can pack it. They will go through x-ray and if there is a problem they will contact you.

Richard-