Can you bring sea shells back on board?

[Sunflower&Scientist]

I love collecting shells and other wonderful things and I'm wondering if there is any reason that I cannot bring my great finds back on board ship after visiting a port. I know you cannot bring food off and on the ship, but don't know about other types of things.

[bman598]

Our friends child attempted to bring 2-3 shells back from Labadee last week. Security found them after his bag went thru the x-ray machines. I was shocked they actually confiscated them.

[kle18]

I'd imagine it shouldn't be a big deal if you keep them in your pocket instead if your bag.

 

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[Merion_Mom]

They tell you not to. First of all, they aren't clean. Second of all, the critter whose shell it is may still be in there! Dead, it stinks. Alive, you are killing it.

[Sunflower&Scientist]

Wow...sorry the kid lost his shells! I brought back a few things I found on a guided nature hike (the guide had no problem with me picking them up) on my last cruise, but I brought them back in my pockets. I thought not to put them in my backpack and I guess that was a wise idea.

[steveru621]

No rocks or shells can be brought back on-board. Keep them in your pocket, so they don't go through the x-ray machine.

[Lionesss]

We too got busted bringing back sea shells from our Disney cruise when our daughter was 12.

 

And it was posted when you left the ship to not bring any shells, plants or anything back on the ship (Cast away Cay) .

 

Without our knowing she emptied her sand pail full of shell into one of the beach bags.

 

Upon returning to the ship I put the bag on the conveyer belt to go thru the scanner it tipped over more, and about 50 sea shells fell out jammed the belt............oooooops:eek:

 

So now security is looking to see whose bag it was and I did the only thing I could think of.............

 

I pointed to my husband:D

 

They took the broken shells, fixed the belt and we were on our merry way shell-less.

 

Sea Ya

[AmyWrites]

I found a huge, gorgeous one in St. Kitts. Much too big for a pocket. Had to go in the backpack. Confiscated.

 

Little ones that I kept in my pocket.... I have them at home with me right now ;)

[Sparky74]

Just don't bring back a starfish! ;)

 

 

 

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[knittinggirl]

What if you buy a seashell and have the receipt?

[nednrom]

I love collecting shells and other wonderful things and I'm wondering if there is any reason that I cannot bring my great finds back on board ship after visiting a port. I know you cannot bring food off and on the ship, but don't know about other types of things.

 

We were not aware of the rules but found out when our shells got confiscated about 4-5 years ago. No shells allowed onboard.

[Merion_Mom]

What if you buy a seashell and have the receipt?

 

That is specifically permitted. :)

[knittinggirl]

That is specifically permitted. :)

I really wondered about that, because on the Sapphire Princess, I saw a lot of people with shell leis.

 

DH hates beaches. Growing up, beach combing was important on my side of the family. Growing up in California, walking down the beach hunting for shells was what we did. None of us just wanted to lay on the beach & get burned. This gives me less reason to rent a cabana.

 

Why walk down the beach if we can't bring back any shells?

Edited January 26, 2014 by knittinggirl

[nobody_knows_me]

Mine we're confiscate at security on Cozumel last week.

[Ladysilver]

Our daughter has brought back a little zip-lock baggie with a few shells in our backpack on every cruise we've ever been on with no problem. I guess we've been lucky. ;)

[iiramos]

My sister and I brought back conch shells from the Bahamas. Claimed them on the customs form and did not have a problem. This was back in 2011

 

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[NorbertsNiece]

Just don't bring back a starfish! ;)

 

 

 

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Damn.... someone stole my line... ;)

[ladytravlr2]

Oop! I guess I have been doing something I shouldn't have! I have brought back a few tiny shells each cruise I have been on, I am talking about maybe one small one from each beach, in a plastic zip loc. Never had a problem, didn't think I would. Last summer, I brought back some pink sand, small amount, from Bermuda...same thing, didn't think about it and it was in my suitcase. I know it says, no soil, no live animals, etc. I didn't consider sand washed thousands of times by the sea, to be soil. I guess, I just read the rules wrong. I am apologizing here to you all....LOL I won't do it again. :(

[frenchrci]

Mine was confiscate... :(:(:(

[mudders]

Last year my family was in Grand Turk, in total was brought back approx 9 conch shells. They were in a bag and went thru the scanner., however we were on a Carnival Cruise.

[Desertbelle]

When we went on our first cruise for our 20th anniversary we missed our kids terribly, as it was the first time we had ever left them. So I collected little things to bring back to them.

 

We found a lot of shells, not just on the cruise but at the hotel we stayed at a few days after the cruise on Tortola, BVI. We packed all the shells into a towel, stuffed it into a plastic bag and put it in our suitcase. No problem getting it home.

 

When we get home we bring out the bag of shells to show the kids....the bag moves!! Sure enough we had a crab in one of the shell! Fortunately we had a couple of salt water fish tanks at the time and we put him in one of them and he lived for several years!! Our little bit of Tortola to remember our first cruise!

[molly5673]

I brought back a huge conch shell from the Bahamas. I wrapped it up in all the towels and clothes we brought and nothing was said. Lol.

 

 

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[LovesCruising]

Our daughter has brought back a little zip-lock baggie with a few shells in our backpack on every cruise we've ever been on with no problem. I guess we've been lucky. ;)

 

us too:)

[Motorman23]

What if you buy a seashell and have the receipt?

 

We were in Cozumel last week on oasis and they (Mexican security people at port) took a nice shell away from a man who said he purchased it but was unable to produce a receipt.

 

Mike

 

 

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Edited January 27, 2014 by Motorman23

[jp30338]

I have taken large sized rocks for my saltwater aquarium at home from every port I visited. Never had a problem yet, they were in the 1-3lb range and that is alot more illegal than taking shells! :p

Edited January 27, 2014 by jp30338