Can you bring sea shells back on board?

[Monker2001]

A few years ago on a W. Caribbean itin. I happened to glance past the partition of our balcony and our neighbor had a live conch in a bucket sitting out there. They had young children with them. I always wondered how they got it of the ship once back in Galveston.

[artist47]

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. :(

 

For shame! Someone get out the flogging equipment and tie this woman to the mainmast!

 

Seriously, I don't think your little souvenirs are anything to apologize for. Although with the tough crowd here at CC, you can get flogged for just about anything. I'm not sure I will ever recover from the beating I took for telling an elderly man how to smuggle his tiny, little vodka bottle onto the ship. All he wanted was a little nip in the afternoon, before his nap. Hardly a case of maritime piracy.

 

In any case, I too have done this, and I have a lovely "miniature sea shell collection" from all over the world, "treasures" from all my cruises....I even used the sand bits I brought back to help display the shells ...they are mounted onto a painting I did, of a generic beach scene at sunset.

 

I think your collection is fine, and no foul on anyone. Shame on anybody who demands an apology from you...enjoy your treasures...they are beautiful memories.

Edited January 27, 2014 by artist47

[artist47]

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!

 

That is a fantastic story!!! LOL!!! Poor little guy...you crab-napped him! He was taken, against his will, to a land far, far away.....seriously, have you thought of turning this into a book for children??? It would make a lovely children's book....thanks for sharing it!

[Desertbelle]

That is a fantastic story!!! LOL!!! Poor little guy...you crab-napped him! He was taken, against his will, to a land far, far away.....seriously, have you thought of turning this into a book for children??? It would make a lovely children's book....thanks for sharing it!

Thanks, but never thought of a book, but maybe I should. :D We may have crab-napped him but I bet we added years to his life.

[artist47]

Thanks, but never thought of a book, but maybe I should. :D We may have crab-napped him but I bet we added years to his life.

 

 

Yes, that's what I was thinking of when I thought you should make it a children's book...you saved him from a very unpleasant death. I think it's a great story for children! That things aren't always what they seem, and things always work out for the best.... Happy cruising!

[Desertbelle]

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Yes, that's what I was thinking of when I thought you should make it a children's book...you saved him from a very unpleasant death. I think it's a great story for children! That things aren't always what they seem, and things always work out for the best.... Happy cruising!

Thanks....happy cruising to you too!

[lazeyey]

No, you can't. When I was on the allure, I had bought a seashell magnet in st Thomas and they stopped me going back on the ship to search me. At first I didn't know what was going on and freaked out, but then they told me that the X-ray showed I had seashells and they weren't allowed on the ship. When I showed them the magnet they were okay with it. I had no idea at the time that shells weren't allowed.

[crookedhalo]

To the poster who takes a bit of sand when she leaves...just think if every visitor did that...it's not about how much each takes, it's how many take! I know that in Bermuda there are signs all over the place about taking sand from beaches - but they are more than willing to have you buy the little bottle they are selling;).

[hellsop]

Note that US Customs ALSO forbid entry of found seashells. Commercially cleaned ones are okay. Applies to in-transit passengers as well.

 

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1226/~/seashells,-sand,-pebbles,-driftwood-for-personal-use