Food off ship

[PATRIOTSRULE]

Looking for ideas on what food people take off the ship while in port. Are there prepackaged items on the ship that you can take off the ship with you?

[cb at sea]

We've never taken any food off the ship....we're only there for a few hours! If we get hungry, wherever we are will have food....after all, folks LIVE there! They eat, too!

[PennyAgain]

I travel with some sort of food bar (granola etc) and keep a couple in my purse all the time. Have only had an issue with doing so in Australia where that is absolutely not allowed.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Often there are rules against taking food off the ships. Some countries and even US ports have definite laws about bringing in fruits, nuts and some other foods. Often purses, backpacks, waistbacks, etc., are searched as you are getting off the ship.

 

Prepackaged foods are usually allowed as they are sealed and can't harm the environment. I pack Power Bars, Zone Bars and that type of thing to put in my purse before leaving a ship just in case it's a while before we can stop at a local food stand or restaurant.

[MissRissa]

Actually, you are not suppose to take food off the ship when in port. They usually have this stated in the cruise daily paper, mention it at the cruise talks and post a sign when getting off the ship.

That being said, little boxes of cereal work well.

[stowaway2k]

Many cruise lines discourage the practice and publish a notice reminding passengers that it is not to be done, as a cruise ship port is the same as an airport; it is a port-of-entry into a country and the same laws about bringing food into a country off a plane almost always apply at the cruise terminal although not as always strictly enforced.

 

Anyway, personally speaking, part of the joy of travelling is, for me, the opportunity to try the local offerings.

 

 

 

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[wrp96]

Usually the only prepackaged food the cruiselines provide is those little boxes of cereal in the buffet. If you want snacks to take ashore with you, then you should bring prepackaged items from home. I usually bring granola bars and peanut butter crackers and throw them in my bag for shore excursions.

[alcpa1]

Fruits and vegetables are definite no no's. Packaged dry items like crackers and dry cereal are sometimes permitted. Do not take food such as sandwiches from the ship's restaurants.

[crookedhalo]

I always take granola bars and the like with us on cruises, cause DH dives and sometimes he's starving while on the way back from the dive site:D He can scarf down 2 or 3 bars in no time flat after a two tank dive:eek: The thing is they have to be factory sealed - not wrapped in a napkin or a ziploc type bag;)

[paul929207]

In nearly all countries it is illegal to take fresh foods like fruits, veggies, meat, etc into the country. There are fines for violations. Several times I have seen a dog sniffing for violations in the terminal.

 

Pre-packaged foods are okay. Some ships sell them in the shops.

[alicam]

In nearly all countries it is illegal to take fresh foods like fruits, veggies, meat, etc into the country. There are fines for violations. Several times I have seen a dog sniffing for violations in the terminal.

 

 

And yet there are always people out there who believe that this does not apply to them :confused:

[paul929207]

And yet there are always people out there who believe that this does not apply to them :confused:

Unfortunately, that is very true

[PennyAgain]

On Cruise Critic you will see people post that they order room serice sandwiches and/or take buffet items off the ship for on shore meals.

 

Many times when I've stepped off a ship in port I've seen huge garbage bins where people have been forced to dump that food. What a nasty waste of good food.

 

I was given a warning in Australia and escaped a huge fine. If I'd had any fresh fruit, I would have had to pay the fine.

[aohkay]

Nevermind the legalities of taking food off the ship...it's a very, very TACKY thing to do.

[Haoie]

How about taking some food off as a snack before your flight or whatever, after disembarking at the home port?

[PennyAgain]

No can do, (other than the completely packaged (commerically packaged) items.

 

I've seen people loading up their own Zip-Loc bags to take off the ship for onward travel but it is against the laws of many countries including the US to do so.

[kitty9]

How about taking some food off as a snack before your flight or whatever, after disembarking at the home port?

 

No. When you look at your Customs forms, it will specifically state that you are not allowed to bring any kind of food into the US, either on a flight into the US or on a cruise. You'll have to purchase your food at the airport.

[Underwatr]

you are not allowed to bring any kind of food into the US, either on a flight into the US or on a cruise.

That statement isn't accurate.

 

According to US Customs you can bring

Condiments such as oil, vinegar, mustard, catsup, pickles, syrup, honey without honey combs, jelly and jam

Foodstuffs such as bakery items, candy, and chocolate

Solid cheese (hard and soft), butter, butter oil, and cultured milk products such as yogurt and sour cream are not restricted. Cheese in liquid (such as cottage cheese or ricotta cheese) and cheese that pours like heavy cream are not admissible from countries affected by Foot & Mouth Disease. Cheese containing meat is not admissible depending on the country of origin.

Canned goods and goods in vacuum packed jars (other than those containing meat or poultry products) for your personal use

Fish or fish products for your personal use

Powder drinks sealed in original containers with ingredients listed in English. However, admissibility is still under the discretion of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Agricultural Specialist.

Bakery items, candy, chocolate, and dry mixes containing dairy and egg ingredients [such as baking mixes, cocoa mixes, drink mixes, instant cake mixes, instant pudding mixes, liquid drink mixes containing reconstituted dry milk or dry milk products (including those that contain sugar), potato flakes, and infant formula] commercially labeled and presented in final finished packaging are generally admissible.

Fruits and vegetables grown in Canada are generally admissible, if they have labels identifying them as products of Canada. Fruits and vegetables merely purchased in Canada are not necessarily admissible, i.e.: citrus or tropical fruits such as mangos, which clearly were not grown in Canada because it does not have a climate that supports those crops. (Potatoes from western regions of Canada are currently restricted because of a disease outbreak. While commercial imports are permitted under stringent guidelines, travelers from Canada should avoid bringing raw potatoes with them into the US).

Food products from Canada, including pet food and fresh (frozen or chilled), cooked, canned or otherwise processed products containing beef, veal, bison, and cervid (e.g. deer, elk, moose, caribou etc.) are now permitted from Canada in passenger baggage. Products containing sheep, lamb, or goat will not be allowed entry.

The passenger must provide proof of the origin of beef, pork, poultry, cervid meat, and pet food in order to bring them into the United States. Examples of proof of origin include the grocery store receipt where the product was purchased or the label on the product indicating the province in which it was packaged.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/82/~/travelers-bringing-food-into-the-u.s.-for-personal-use

[Cruisin' Chick]

In many states, your car is checked at the border. The agriculture industry in California is even more important than tourism and any tiny bug that has hijacked a ride on a piece of fruit could be disastrous.

 

As I said, you can pack prepackaged and sealed food to take onboard. Usually you can take a sealed granola or protein bar off the ship -- which is handy if you have someone who needs to keep their blood sugar up or a kid who needs to have something in their stomach. I was regretting not putting one of my Power bars in my purse before an all day excursion on our last cruise. The guide had purchased sandwiches and took them out of the cooler at lunchtime, but I couldn't eat any of them as they had the condiments already on them. We weren't near any restaurants or other places selling food the entire time so I was pretty starving by the time we returned to the ship. You do need to read the ship's newsletter for that port to make sure you don't break any rules.

[romnan]

The cruiselines are quite restrictive about taking food off the ship especially fruit:mad:

[beachchick]

The cruiselines are quite restrictive about taking food off the ship especially fruit:mad:

 

It's not the cruise lines; it's the laws of the countries where the ships embark, disembark, and visit. The laws are usually quite restrictive for very good reasons. There's no reason to be angry about it.

 

beachchick

[mlmdaisy]

I don't remember ever having scrutiny regarding what's brought off the ship; the concern is for when you are reboarding. Most of the comments on this thread deal with US policies. What's permitted when you dock in a port is dependent upon the laws of that government. The laws in the Caribbean are probably much different that those of Australia, for example. I have only visited US and Caribbean ports myself. Aside from fresh fruits and vegetables, I suspect that it's usually OK to bring other foods with you from the ship.

[BruceMuzz]

After eating 4 or 5 meals every day of your cruise - with frequent snack breaks in between those meals - is it really necessary to take even more food ashore with you?

 

Humans have been known to survive several hours without eating.........

[GRAMMYTAN]

That statement isn't accurate.

 

According to US Customs you can bringhttps://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/82/~/travelers-bringing-food-into-the-u.s.-for-personal-use

 

When we flew from Rome Italy last year to NOLA, our first flight was into Philly PA. We had to clear customs, pick up our luggage, drop it off again and then go through a boarding line with our carry-on luggage to board the final flight to NOLA.

The poor lady in line ahead of me had bought several jars of Italian olives, garlic, etc in Italy and, bless her heart, put them in her carry-on bag to avoid breakage. Well, of course they took them away from her. I felt so sorry for her...I know she had probably spent a good bit of money on those items and they cleared boarding in Rome in her carry-on. Even though the site you referenced says she could do this, she should have put them in her checked luggage.

[greatam]

That statement isn't accurate.

 

According to US Customs you can bringhttps://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/82/~/travelers-bringing-food-into-the-u.s.-for-personal-use

 

PLEASE do NOT try to bring a lot of those items into the USA, particularly fish. I am in the international food shipping business. The rules are MUCH more complicated that what is posted on the Customs website. For the average person, Kitty9's advice should be heeded.

 

I am in the business, KNOW the rules and my gouda and edam cheese from the Netherlands was still taken away from me at JFK. I HAD the USDA cert, I HAD the Netherlands' agriculture cert (neither of which the average person would even know was needed) and Customs still would not let my 10 pounds of cheese into the USA. Some BS about cow diseases-pick one, they were trying to use them all.

 

For everyone's safety, take prepackaged granola bars, cheese and crackers or other similar foods. You are not going to starve.