Weird question - Taking food packed for excursions..

[mnsweeps]

In my party of 5, 3 are vegetarians and 1 is diabetic. I was thinking I should pack some food from the restaurants(breakfast) in the morning when we go out for excursions...Just some fruits, snack or a sandwich. Is taking food to go from the restaurants a taboo?

[Karlou]

As I understand it, you are not able to take food off the ship and into a port.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[falkcor]

taking food 'to go' from the restaurants, back to your room is not taboo per se...

 

however, taking any food off the ship into ports is. they are particularly not receptive to taking fruit off the ship...

 

you can bring commercially prepared, sealed, foods off, such as say boxes of cereal from the lido, but nothing else.

[KenMo]

No food is to be taken off the ship unless it's prepackaged...like the little boxes of cereal.

 

Or you can bring prepackaged snacks from home to take on excursions.

 

Fruit is a big no-no.

[crusinpsychRN]

You will see bins and trash cans to put any fruit into you thought you'd carry off the ship in the debark area. Prevents contamination of port.

[Ehpride]

Pre-packaged snacks are fine. Fruits, meats, etc are not. I usually throw a box of cereal in my bag if I have an excursion over lunchtime

[nlktx49]

Just back from a cruise. One excursion we were taking we weren't sure if we'd have a chance to buy any food. We packed granola bars, packages of nuts, trail mix, dried fruit, some candy, and bottles of water. This came in handy on the excursion, as well as when our embarkation was delayed until after 3:30 because of fog in Galveston! Snacking tided us over until we could get on board and head to Guy's Burgers! Eat a big breakfast, and pack things like I mentioned.

[walty]

In my party of 5, 3 are vegetarians and 1 is diabetic. I was thinking I should pack some food from the restaurants(breakfast) in the morning when we go out for excursions...Just some fruits, snack or a sandwich. Is taking food to go from the restaurants a taboo?

 

They don't want you to do it, but many do. It's real easy to take a piece of fruit, but anything else takes preparation by bringing baggies or plastic containers.

[eliterror]

For beach days I take those individual packets of peanut butter, dried fruit, cookies for dunking in the butter, protein type bar. And a bag of chunky granola.

[LKYGSR]

We take along zip lock baggies, order up some sandwiches from room service that morning and carry them along on our beach days at port. It's nice to have that ham and cheese along with us once we get hungry.

 

I've never had a back pack searched coming off the ship...

 

Also, if you are snorkeling....a roll from dinner last night, cracked open in the water will bring in some new finned friends!

Edited February 16, 2014 by LKYGSR

[TheCalicoCat]

In my party of 5, 3 are vegetarians and 1 is diabetic. I was thinking I should pack some food from the restaurants(breakfast) in the morning when we go out for excursions...Just some fruits, snack or a sandwich. Is taking food to go from the restaurants a taboo?

 

You can only take packaged foods off the ship. I bring granola bars from home. You can bring a box of cereal off - that it about it from the ship.

[lostdart1]

We take along zip lock baggies, order up some sandwiches from room service that morning and carry them along on our beach days at port. It's nice to have that ham and cheese along with us once we get hungry.

 

I've never had a back pack searched coming off the ship...

 

Also, if you are snorkeling....a roll from dinner last night, cracked open in the water will bring in some new finned friends!

 

I know people have been doing it forever....but DON'T feed the fish. :mad:

[Mysticks1]

I am also diabetic and carry pre-packaged snacks from home with me to take on excursions and to carry when walking around in port. I carry candy like Skittles and Starburst with me since they won't melt. I also take peanut butter crackers and packages of peanuts.

[LKYGSR]

I know people have been doing it forever....but DON'T feed the fish. :mad:

 

I know people have been doing it forever but DON'T eat the fish ! :mad:

Edited February 16, 2014 by LKYGSR

[vacruizer]

Please, please, please don't take unpackaged items like meats, cheeses, and fruits off the ship!!!! It doesn't matter if you get "caught" - those rules are in place to keep pests out of local ecosystems - pests than could devastate a small islands agriculture if they got onto the island.

 

Anyone remember the Mediterranean fruit fly? Or the recent Asian Stinkbug outbreak on the east coast? Those were all introduced pests brought in. Don't do this to the places you are visiting. All it takes is one piece of fruit that is infested, brought ashore, and tossed in a trashcan to start it. Cozumel is trying to avoid a palm mite that could wipe out their palm trees, which then gives the birds no place to nest and feed on local insects they keep at bay. It's all intertwined.

 

The whole sandwich thing has me shaking my head from a food safety standpoint as well..... unless you are also toting a cooler and ice, you are asking for food poisoning with ham sandwiches at the beach in the hot sun all day.

 

Take some prepackaged cereal, or energy bars, or nuts with you or sample the local cuisine.

[LKYGSR]

Go ahead, hammer away people. Guess I'm the fool for thinking the food I get on board is not contaminated and have no common sense related to food safety. How I managed to live 50 years is beyond me :rolleyes:

[mousey]

Go ahead, hammer away people. Guess I'm the fool for thinking the food I get on board is not contaminated and have no common sense related to food safety. How I managed to live 50 years is beyond me :rolleyes:

 

I don't think people are calling you or insinuating that you are a fool. I think they're just trying to explain the reasoning for not doing it. It's not that your food aboard ship is contaminated per se. But most ports you visit don't want to take a change that their ecosystem will be hurt in the case there might be a fruit fly or whatever in any produce you bring off the ship. It's a matter of respect for other country's rules. We are visitors there after all and should respect their wishes.

 

There are plenty of treats that come prepackaged that one can either bring from home or purchase on the ship. I always bring my own prepackaged, nuts, chips, gum, candy, crackers, etc. from home. They take up no room at all in a suitcase, tote bag, backpack, or carry on.

 

I know people have done it forever and I've been known to do it in the past also...but not anymore. I just "got it" one day when my DS got upset that I was going to take a sandwich for him off the ship. He was 9 at the time and said that it really wasn't a nice thing to do, he wouldn't eat it, and why would I break the rule. So, proving that you're never too old to "get it"...I won't be doing it anymore.:D

Edited February 17, 2014 by mousey

[cccer]

Go ahead, hammer away people. Guess I'm the fool for thinking the food I get on board is not contaminated and have no common sense related to food safety. How I managed to live 50 years is beyond me :rolleyes:

 

I think you are trying to make a point, I just don't know what it is.:confused:

[LKYGSR]

I don't think people are calling you or insinuating that you are a fool. I think they're just trying to explain the reasoning for not doing it. It's not that your food aboard ship is contaminated per se. But most ports you visit don't want to take a change that their ecosystem will be hurt in the case there might be a fruit fly or whatever in any produce you bring off the ship. It's a matter of respect for other country's rules. We are visitors there after all and should respect their wishes.

 

There are plenty of treats that come prepackaged that one can either bring from home or purchase on the ship. I always bring my own prepackaged, nuts, chips, gum, candy, crackers, etc. from home. They take up no room at all in a suitcase, tote bag, backpack, or carry on.

 

I know people have done it forever and I've been known to do it in the past also...but not anymore. I just "got it" one day when my DS got upset that I was going to take a sandwich for him off the ship. He was 9 at the time and said that it really wasn't a nice thing to do, he wouldn't eat it, and why would I break the rule. So, proving that you're never too old to "get it"...I won't be doing it anymore.:D

 

What a nice change to hear a respectful response on CC. I will stop and think it over; your approach is appreciated.

[LKYGSR]

I think you are trying to make a point, I just don't know what it is.:confused:

 

Point was, I think....I sail from a US port, any food coming on that ship has to meet US standards to begin with, some of the most stringent standards in the world today. The possibility of contamination? Well, that's where personal opinion comes in....Mousey brings a nice approach to the conversation; it's not what you say, it's how you say it.

 

I've always tried to be a respectful traveler, not an arrogant tourist, my mind stays open....

[belkin]

Funny story...we were getting off the ship in Cozumel. We were walking along the pier next to a couple that had a baby in a stroller. All of a sudden a "cop" with a dog went up to them and the dog was going crazy. All I could think of was oh no!! How could they be smuggling drugs with that baby. Lol... it was a banana...

[vacruizer]

I don't think people are calling you or insinuating that you are a fool. I think they're just trying to explain the reasoning for not doing it. It's not that your food aboard ship is contaminated per se. But most ports you visit don't want to take a change that their ecosystem will be hurt in the case there might be a fruit fly or whatever in any produce you bring off the ship. It's a matter of respect for other country's rules. We are visitors there after all and should respect their wishes.

 

There are plenty of treats that come prepackaged that one can either bring from home or purchase on the ship. I always bring my own prepackaged, nuts, chips, gum, candy, crackers, etc. from home. They take up no room at all in a suitcase, tote bag, backpack, or carry on.

 

I know people have done it forever and I've been known to do it in the past also...but not anymore. I just "got it" one day when my DS got upset that I was going to take a sandwich for him off the ship. He was 9 at the time and said that it really wasn't a nice thing to do, he wouldn't eat it, and why would I break the rule. So, proving that you're never too old to "get it"...I won't be doing it anymore.:D

 

Thank you for phrasing that way better than I could. :) I tend to get a bit passionate about the issue as my DH is a horticulturist and sees daily some of these pests that have been introduced to the U.S. because the rules here weren't followed.

[awhcruiser]

So you do smuggle food off the ship?

Go ahead, hammer away people. Guess I'm the fool for thinking the food I get on board is not contaminated and have no common sense related to food safety. How I managed to live 50 years is beyond me :rolleyes:

[LKYGSR]

So you do smuggle food off the ship?

Search rum runners if you want to talk smuggling :D

[Love2travel4]

I always pack snacks: nuts, granola bars, PB crackers etc....but have also taken snacks from the buffet in the least: PB on a bagel, muffin etc. this is when I am on a long bus ride, or beach where food isn't available. I don't mind spending $$$ on local food if it's available. I for one do not like to eat big meals at once, especially before I go out on all day excursion. Just my thoughts.