Boxed Lunches?

[sds1arm2]

This may sound cheap, but...can you have room service "box up" your order so it can be taken with you off the ship? That way we would have some snacks with us on the excursions and not have to spend so much on food off the boat. If anyone has done this, let me know how it works.

 

Thanks!

[Doug R.]

Prepackaged snacks are allowed in nearly every port. Fresh and cooked food and especially fruits and veggies are banned for agricultural safety reasons. The fines can be severe for those caught smuggling food off the ship.

 

People will post saying they have done this without a problem so the final consideration is:

 

Are you feeling lucky and willing to risk a fine to save a few dollars?

[paul929207]

Most countries prohibit carrying fresh fruit and vegatables into their country. Some go farthr and ban meat products. So, No, the ship will not make up to go boxes.

[sds1arm2]

Well, it's a good thing I asked. I definitely do not want to be fined. It was just a thought that came to mind. Thanks for the info.

[pms4104]

Well, it's a good thing I asked. I definitely do not want to be fined. It was just a thought that came to mind. Thanks for the info.

Take along some factory-sealed granola bars or crackers for a light snack ashore. Those should be okay in nearly every port.

[Treven]

You will find, at most every port, a large trash can on the dock where the tenders or the ship docks. This is for all those things people try to take off the ship:o. If you have something (that you shouldn't) and you pass the trash can, and then you happened to get searched & they find some contraband, woe on you!!:eek:

[cb at sea]

Just buy something in port, if you forget to eat a big breakfast!

[bar_20]

There are no box lunches available. One cruise line I was on had a sign that said no cruiseline food was to be taken off the ship. The ports like cruise ships because the passengers spend money on shore. The cruise lines expect you to purchase your meals off the ship. That being said I guess you could make your own. Bring a collapsible lunch bag with you and put it in a beach bag. I don't think they x-ray your stuff on the way out. You could probably find enough at the breakfast buffet to fill your bag. Some would call you a cheapskate others a thrifty cruiser!

[sail7seas]

We enjoy eating local. We're careful where and what we choose to eat but for us tasting local foods is part of the travel experience. You don't have to spend a lot but for many of us it enhances our familiarization with the places we are visiting.

 

It was good advice to be told to not take any fruit, veggies, luncheon meatsl or most food off the ship in any port. The only thing that is safe for the local agriculture is factory packaged crackers or something like that.

[CowPrincess]

There are no box lunches available. One cruise line I was on had a sign that said no cruiseline food was to be taken off the ship. The ports like cruise ships because the passengers spend money on shore. The cruise lines expect you to purchase your meals off the ship. That being said I guess you could make your own. Bring a collapsible lunch bag with you and put it in a beach bag. I don't think they x-ray your stuff on the way out. You could probably find enough at the breakfast buffet to fill your bag. Some would call you a cheapskate others a thrifty cruiser!

 

Wow, this is so wrong on so many levels. It has nothing to do with cruise lines expecting you to eat off the ship -- it has to do with protecting the agricultural industry and ecology of the places you visit. I wouldn't call someone doing this a "cheapskate" or "thrifty". I'd call someone who did what this poster suggests doing "self-absorbed, selfish, unthinking, poorly raised, and an unwelcome guest".

 

OP -- glad you got the info you needed :)

[erinmarie424]

We usually eat BIG breakfasts in the MDR on port days, and get a light lunch or snack someplace local. BUT I also throw a couple of energy bars in the backpack just in case....

[Aunty Pat]

They don’t x-ray the bags you take off, but the custom inspectors have food sniffing dogs that will get you.

Aunty Pat

 

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[Langley Cruisers]

You could probably find enough at the breakfast buffet to fill your bag.

 

That's a lot of those little cereal boxes, then. That would be the ONLY thing from the buffet that would be allowed off the ship.

 

Please do not encourage people to smuggle fresh food off the ship. It is wrong, it is immoral, it is dangerous, it is probably illegal, and it is disrespectful to the countries you will be visiting. I think that should be enough reasons for anyone with scruples.

[kitty9]

There are no box lunches available. One cruise line I was on had a sign that said no cruiseline food was to be taken off the ship. The ports like cruise ships because the passengers spend money on shore. The cruise lines expect you to purchase your meals off the ship. That being said I guess you could make your own. Bring a collapsible lunch bag with you and put it in a beach bag. I don't think they x-ray your stuff on the way out. You could probably find enough at the breakfast buffet to fill your bag. Some would call you a cheapskate others a thrifty cruiser!

 

 

Cruise lines do NOT expect you to eat your meals off the ship. The reason why they have the no food off the ship rule is the same reason why you cannot bring food items, flowers or plants off the ship when you return to the US. Local agricultural laws do not want anyone to bring any potential pests onto their island and cause an ecological disaster.

[BruceMuzz]

You are going to have to attempt to survive on the 7 meals a day you are eating on the ship.

[bar_20]

Wow, this is so wrong on so many levels. It has nothing to do with cruise lines expecting you to eat off the ship -- it has to do with protecting the agricultural industry and ecology of the places you visit. I wouldn't call someone doing this a "cheapskate" or "thrifty". I'd call someone who did what this poster suggests doing "self-absorbed, selfish, unthinking, poorly raised, and an unwelcome guest".

 

OP -- glad you got the info you needed :)

 

Ya right and I have some ocean front property for sale in Nevada I would like to sell you. It's all about the bottom line to the cruiseline. Food cost them money. Guests just don't buy food in the ports, and I am guessing that's a small portion of the money spent at that port by passengers. I don't think docking in San Franciso or Miami or New York is going to ruin the things you mentioned in those ports. At every port I have been to that docked, the ship has purchased local foodstuff. I have never taken food off the ship at a port and do spend my dollars at the local restaurants or cafe's. I am not advocating that the OP take food off the ship, but they could be on a very tight budget and were wondering if it was possible. I think the majority of posters gave them the advice they were seeking.

[cruz chic]

You are going to have to attempt to survive on the 7 meals a day you are eating on the ship.

This is just snarky. Who does that?

[njhorseman]

Ya right and I have some ocean front property for sale in Nevada I would like to sell you. It's all about the bottom line to the cruiseline. Food cost them money. Guests just don't buy food in the ports, and I am guessing that's a small portion of the money spent at that port by passengers. I don't think docking in San Franciso or Miami or New York is going to ruin the things you mentioned in those ports. At every port I have been to that docked, the ship has purchased local foodstuff. I have never taken food off the ship at a port and do spend my dollars at the local restaurants or cafe's. I am not advocating that the OP take food off the ship, but they could be on a very tight budget and were wondering if it was possible. I think the majority of posters gave them the advice they were seeking.

 

It's not the cruise line that is preventing you from taking food off the ship, it is the laws of the countries you are visiting.

 

Your first post displays a total disrespect for those laws.

[bar_20]

Cruise lines do NOT expect you to eat your meals off the ship. The reason why they have the no food off the ship rule is the same reason why you cannot bring food items, flowers or plants off the ship when you return to the US. Local agricultural laws do not want anyone to bring any potential pests onto their island and cause an ecological disaster.

 

I have never seen an agriculture inspection station at the bottom of the gang plank at a third world port! But I guess it's ok for 2000 passengers to spread whatever sickness they brought with them to the local citizens. How does a ham sandwich and a bag of chips cause an ecological disaster?

[sail7seas]

You are going to have to attempt to survive on the 7 meals a day you are eating on the ship.

 

 

:rolleyes:

[kitty9]

I have never seen an agriculture inspection station at the bottom of the gang plank at a third world port! But I guess it's ok for 2000 passengers to spread whatever sickness they brought with them to the local citizens. How does a ham sandwich and a bag of chips cause an ecological disaster?

 

 

How many cruises have you been on? I've been on plenty and there is written notice in the daily that says no food off the ship in ports of call. They also announce it before the ship is cleared. One one cruise the cruise director came over the loudspeaker every five minutes to announce that no food is allowed to be taken off the ship. And I, along with many others on these boards, have seen the local Customs people and their dogs at the bottom of the gangway, with garbage cans, taking away any food they found. Two weeks ago on Celebrity, we stopped in Tortola and I saw people being stopped and their bags checked. As a matter of fact, one woman was stopped and they made her throw away the oranges she had in her bag. So yes, like the rules we have here in the US about bringing food, plants and flowers back, most foreign ports have the same laws. Have you ever been to Hawaii? If not, let me enlighten you. Not even in Hawaii, a US state, can you take food off a cruise ship, or airplane. Hawaiians are strict about they ecosystem and they don't want any kind of foreign vermin ruining their agriculture.

 

In another of your posts, you mention that you've seen that the cruise ship purchase local food in the ports. Are you certain about that? The reason I'm asking is that cruise lines re-provision the ships in ports, but it's not from local vendors. The cruise line has provisions shipped to the ports, from their providers in the US, and that's how they provision the ships. To be honest, cruise lines have to be very careful about things they bring on board as far as food is concerned, and they are not going to take a risk of bringing on food that's not been cleared as safe for their passengers. And, most ships are provisioned for at least 4 days longer than the cruise, so they won't have to take the risk of purchasing food that may not have been through the inspection processes that we have in the US.

[BIG_Steve]

I don't know this first hand, and I don't intend to argue it. But I've read a few times where a cruiser has been able to arrange for the SHIP to prepare them some type of box lunch that is okay to take off the ship. I have no doubt it does not include a fresh sandwich and fruit of course.

 

It may be possible, but you might have to pay, so that won't help since you're looking to save a little money.

[JudeeJim]

Taking food off the ship is one thing but what about bringing food on board from a foreign country. I have some favorite Guatemala foods I love and would like to bring some back to the ship. Is this permissable?

 

Judee

[CalGal777]

I have never seen an agriculture inspection station at the bottom of the gang plank at a third world port! But I guess it's ok for 2000 passengers to spread whatever sickness they brought with them to the local citizens. How does a ham sandwich and a bag of chips cause an ecological disaster?

Who cares? It's their country and their rules. What's so hard about obeying them?

[DukeFamily]

Your first post displays a total disrespect for those laws.

 

I don't think so. OP's first post and follow-up response indicated to ME that she had no knowledge of agricultural laws and once made aware, has no intention of breaking those laws. "Total disrespect for" and "lack of knowledge of" are two totally different things.