Bring non alcoholic drinks/prepack snacks - How much is too much? Just for fun

[Virginoftheseas]

As not everyone drinks alcohol or likes exotic snacks I was wondering from reading many posts cruiselines seem to be more relaxed on the bringing non alcoholic beverages and pre packaged snacks onboard than with hard alcohol.

 

How much soda,water or any other type of non alcoholic beverage and prepack snacks do you think it would take for passengers to start bringing onboard before they enforce a real ban of such items like they do with hard alcohol???

 

I'd guess 3liters of beverage and 3-4 large boxes of snacks per person.

[Essiesmom]

Some cruise lines already have set limits. For instance, Royal Caribbean does not allow any beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, to be taken aboard their ships. Carnival limits the drinks to 12 drinks per person no larger than 20oz size. They do not care about the snacks. With all the food available almost any time, I don't see why you would need snacks, anyway. EM

[Langley Cruisers]

With all the food available almost any time, I don't see why you would need snacks, anyway.

 

Some people do bring their own items due to dietary restrictions. Myself, I am diabetic so I have brought nuts and high-fiber bars from home for excursions. I've read about others who are bringing their own gluten-free items. So, it's not always out of hunger or greed... it's often necessary. :)

[cb at sea]

Most of the time, a cruiseline won't give a fig if you bring snacks or non-alcoholic beverages...they really don't care! As long as you don't need a forklift to load them onto the ship, you're probably good to go.

Why you'd need to bring a bunch of stuff is a mystery, however...there's plenty to eat and drink on the ship...and guess what? You've PAID to eat and drink that stuff! For 1 week, you can probably do without some of the snack food you might eat daily at home...

[STARFISH*4]

we have pre-pakaged snaks when we fly and then pick up some more for our cruise (port days or those late night evenings when you just need a nibble and dont wont to venture out of your cabin)

[Dayenu]

I don't think food or non-alcohol drinks can be forbidden. What about people who need certain juice for medications? Small children? Allergies?

 

We bring enough snacks to last during the flight to the cruise, and for the flight home. If this is not allowed, I'm out of cruising.

[Krazy Kruizers]

For 40+ years I have always packed snack crackers for the plane and shore excursions.

 

As for the sodas, etc. -- never take any of those on board.

 

But I do agree that there are quite a few people out there who do have dietary problems and do take some of their own foods onto the ships -- and I have no problem with that.

 

I can't see people taking big boxes of food onto a ship when the ship already supplies soooooooo much food 24/7.

[jackjoy1]

Kit Kat Bars Yummmm!!!!!!

[KKB]

I need to eat 30 min. after taking a pill in the morning; and I always carry nuts for low blood sugar when traveling. Never had an issue w/ snacks.

We are Pepsi drinkers--and there are NO Coke alternatives to Mountain Dew. Princess had no issues w/ us bringing sodas on board, but they are a NO NO on RCCL.

I have brought gin & wine in rum runners on both lines in my checked bags w/o incidents. Funny, it didn't seem to improve our bar tab at all!!! (so did DH (beer drinker) drink more or did I??!!)

[Mom2B&Z]

I don't think food or non-alcohol drinks can be forbidden. What about people who need certain juice for medications? Small children? Allergies?

 

We bring enough snacks to last during the flight to the cruise, and for the flight home. If this is not allowed, I'm out of cruising.

ITA, for those of us with significant travel to and from port, snacks and drinks are necessary.

I do think that more cruise lines will start limiting non-alcoholic drinks, especially pop (err, soda) as it is sold on board and is theoretically reducing revenues.

However, the day they stop letting me bring granola bars and dried cereal on board for the flight home is the day we stop cruising.

[chatdad]

While there's a lot to eat, some of us need our comfort foods. For me, it's gummi bears and I bring enough to last the trip (a bag a day typically does it). We will also bring PB crackers if we're planning on full day excursions. If driving to port, we'll pack a case of diet cokes to enjoy. We use to pack bottled water but now just carry empty bottles and refill them once we get on board.

[Steviewonder1]

I was in line for boarding our last Alaska Cruise and the folks ahead of us had a fold-up roller cart and 5 cases of drinks going thru the x-ray machine. All were in factory clear wrap and there was no issue. They loaded them back up on the ship side and away they went with no questions asked.

[griffy116]

We bring a 12-pack carton of canned Diet Dr. Pepper onboard RCCL just to have. We also purchase, in advance, the soda card. They don't have Diet Dr. Pepper onboard and it's just a matter of convenience to be able to reach in the frig and grab a soft drink once in awhile. We've never had a problem. I also bring little individual packs of peanuts, also just because I might want/need them (especially if we are flying). They have a general store on RCCL cruise ships where I can get snacks and I will occasionally buy a candy bar too. I'm sure I could bring those too, but I don't want to have a melted candy bar. They are more expensive, but when I think of airfare, gasoline, cruise fare, $$ I lose in the casino, etc., a couple of extra bucks at the general store doesn't deter me...I'm on vacation. I have found that I generally have a few soft drinks left over, which I leave in the fridge..no biggie. I also usually have 99% of any snacks left too, but it's my own security blanket so on each cruise, I continue to bring them.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

We sailed with Carnival on a 7 day and brought a 12pk of Diet Ginger Ale. The ship does not sell this in diet so I wanted to have it available. We also brought a box of granola bars and a box of individually bagged mixed nuts. These were for our excursions. We had a very long Mayan Ruin tour planned and it did not include lunch or a snack, only a bottle of water. My fiance also brought a box of good chocolate truffles for us to enjoy on our balcony with Champagne. We became engaged on this cruise so the Truffles and Chanpagne were for this occasion, not sure it we would bring otherwise but it was quite a treat to have.

 

Just a note on taking snacks off of the ship; they have to be pre packaged and sealed so granola bars and bagged snacks are ok but sandwiches and fruit from the buffet is not so go prepared if you will be on a long excursion or do not choose to eat food from your ports of call. :)

 

As far as the snacks on the ship, the munchie type items were limited. A can of Pringles in the gift shop was $4.99 :eek: I saw a few candy bars and that was about it. You can get buffet food and pizza all day long but the snacky food is rather limited so if you have small children or just want something to snack on in your cabin, bring it with you. It's your cruise so don't worry what other people have to say about it. :)

 

For our upcoming cruise, I also plan to take a box of Herbal Peppermint tea bags. This helps to settle your stomach in rough seas and is also good to drink after a large or rich meal. Peppermint helps settle the stomach and also helps wtih digestion issues. You can order hot water from room service or get it in the Lido 24-hrs.

[Langley Cruisers]

As far as the snacks on the ship, the munchie type items were limited. A can of Pringles in the gift shop was $4.99 :eek: I saw a few candy bars and that was about it.

 

 

It's true, you're right. Some people give others such a hard time about bringing their own snacks because they say there is so much food available, but if you just want something small for the room you can certainly bring your own. We like those little Hershey Miniatures - can't get those in the gift shop. ;)

[MrsPete]

Some cruise lines already have set limits. For instance, Royal Caribbean does not allow any beverages, alcoholic or otherwise, to be taken aboard their ships. Carnival limits the drinks to 12 drinks per person no larger than 20oz size. They do not care about the snacks. With all the food available almost any time, I don't see why you would need snacks, anyway. EM

Keep in mind that there's the rule, and then there's what's actually done.

 

Although Royal Caribbean SAYS no sodas, I've brought them on every cruise and have never had a minute's trouble. My opinion: As long as you're bringing a reasonable amount, no one's going to question you. 2-3 20-oz screw-tops are plenty for me for the week. I bring them because I enjoy a Diet Coke with breakfast most mornings (and I rarely drink another one during the day), and often the bar in the Windjammer isn't open when we arrive. Yes, I could walk to another part of the ship to buy a Diet Coke, but in reality I'd go with a second-choice drink. It's easier just to bring a couple.

Some people do bring their own items due to dietary restrictions. Myself, I am diabetic so I have brought nuts and high-fiber bars from home for excursions. I've read about others who are bringing their own gluten-free items. So, it's not always out of hunger or greed... it's often necessary. :)

Yeah, we never used to bring snacks -- we're easy to please, and so much is available. But now that my husband's diabetic, he sometimes needs something "just right" right now. An 8-pack of peanut butter crackers is more than enough: just something in the cabin in case he needs something in the middle of the night and/or something to carry ashore. He prefers to pick up something from the Windjammer, but this is his "emergency stash".

 

FYI: Nuts aren't generally served onboard, but they do have a mostly-nuts trail mix in the British-themed pub.

[uppitycats]

While we bring snacks, they're mainly consumed in airports between flights, or sometimes on the plane when there is no food service. While I appreciate those people who have to have snacks with them at all times (like people with dietary issues, diabetics, etc.), we're not them. There's plenty of food and alternate drinks on board, and for us, half the fun of foreign travel is trying new stuff in the ports.