Carnival Sensation: NO Bomb On Board

Common sense dictates that you don't yell fire in a crowded theater, nor do you argue about the speed of your vehicle when stopped by a traffic cop. You also want to avoid making jokes about bombs in front of TSA officials at airport security and, now, you don't want to similarly threaten a cruise ship with a hidden bomb.

Ibrahim Khalil Zarou, of Leesburg, Virginia., posted a $10,000 bond last Sunday after being charged with making a false report about planting a bomb aboard Carnival Sensation. It turned out to be a hoax, possibly fueled by excess alcohol consumption, but it did reveal that authorities have a plan to set in motion in case of such incidents.

After the threat was reported at about 4am on Sunday morning, the ship's crew conducted a search. When US Coast Guard, FBI agents, and other law enforcement officials arrived on the scene later, a second search turned up nothing. When it was deemed safe, the ship was allowed to dock in Port Canaveral, about five hours after its scheduled arrival time.

No doubt there were many among the 3,470 passengers on board who missed their flights home as a result. Perhaps instead of arresting the perp, the police should have turned him over to the angry passengers for punishment. In any event, we hope he's learned not to even joke about bombs under such circumstances. We'd also like to see him have to reimburse all the passengers for the fees they incurred due to the necessity of rebooking their flights.