Box/sack lunches???

[maggie0729]

My daughter and I plan to spend most of our time in port touring the various island destinations. Does the ship provide box lunches upon request if a guest is going to be gone all day?

[rjack22]

No. In most ports it is against the law to take food off of the ship. The exception is pre-packaged foods such as peanut butter crackers, bag of chips...anything factory sealed is okay.

[Ehpride]

Try go picnic boxes. They are shelf stable, pre-packaged and great for things like planes.

 

 

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[paul929207]

In many ports the fines are stiff for bringing things like fresh fruit & veggies, meat, etc foo the ship. Some inspect hand bags. Others have dogs sniffing for offending food.

[YubaSutter]

One of the joys of cruising is eating the local food while in port.

[ducklite]

No. In most ports it is against the law to take food off of the ship. The exception is pre-packaged foods such as peanut butter crackers, bag of chips...anything factory sealed is okay.

 

FYI--This is not the case in all ports. Certain expressly prohibit ALL food products, factory sealed, processed, or not, it doesn't matter how benign, it is not allowed, with significant penalties for violators. Each port should be researched separately to learn that countries laws.

[ducklite]

One of the joys of cruising is eating the local food while in port.

 

I couldn't agree more. Particularly in Europe! In parts of the Caribbean, Asia, and South America, use caution when eating local food.

[dsrdsrdsr]

No. In most ports it is against the law to take food off of the ship.

Not true, actually. This may apply to most ports within the 7-day cruise range of Florida, but not worldwide.

[kitty9]

Just returned home from a Western Caribbean cruise and there were agricultural inspectors on the pier in Puerto Limon, Cartegena and Cozumel. They were inspecting the bags of people leaving the ship. There was a large garbage bin where they were throwing out food being brought off the ship.

[Shmoo here]

Not true, actually. This may apply to most ports within the 7-day cruise range of Florida, but not worldwide.

 

We've seen food police in many ports during our Mediterranean cruises as well as our Panama Canal cruises.

 

Just returned from a cruise that had a stop in Ensenada, and I stood and watched when the food-sniffing dog alerted on a woman's bag. The police/security guard took her bag and proceeded to empty it on the ground. And pulled out 1, 2, 3 bananas. Put the rest of her stuff back in and sent her on her way.

 

Ensenada is more than 7 days from Florida, BTW. As is Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Guatemala. Also saw food amnesty bins as we left the ship there.

[cb at sea]

Eat a big breakfast...or buy lunch where you are. You can not only get fined for bringing foods ashore....they could arrest you! Probably won't, but they could, if they wanted to...it's against the law, in almost every country!

[OCruisers]

Maggie .... Since you said "Island Locations" , assume you will be in the Caribbean. Most in the Caribbean allow only sealed and packaged by the manufacturer things like crackers to be taken with you.

Absolutely, you can NOT get any sort of boxed lunch to take with you from the ship.

While it's normally easy to get some lunch in port, eat a big breakfast to be on the safe side.

 

Look forward to having a great time on your cruise!

 

LuLu

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[mr green]

Years ago we were supplied with a 'Box Lunch', for a 3 hour bus ride in Mexico. However since there were restrictions on what could be taken ashore, the most edible item IMO may well have been the box itself.:eek:

 

john

[celle]

Not true, actually. This may apply to most ports within the 7-day cruise range of Florida, but not worldwide.

 

Many ports in South America have severe restrictions about taking food off the ship.

 

Australia and New Zealand similarly restrict food importation, in order to protect their agriculture industries - and there are heavy fines if you are caught.

 

IMHO, it's always safest to assume that you can not take food off the ship.

[OCruisers]

Years ago we were supplied with a 'Box Lunch', for a 3 hour bus ride in Mexico. However since there were restrictions on what could be taken ashore, the most edible item IMO may well have been the box itself.:eek:john

 

When given a boxed lunch on an excursion, they were provided by the tour operator (even when booked on a ship's excursion) in that country so were from that country ... not the ship.

 

LuLu

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[Lerin]

Depends.

Windstar packed us sandwiches and sides at most every port.

It was a nice added perk.

[ducklite]

Depends.

Windstar packed us sandwiches and sides at most every port.

It was a nice added perk.

 

Was that in Europe or the Caribbean? They didn't offer boxed lunches when we were on them for two weeks in Europe. But then again, we looked forward to sampling local cuisine in each port rather than sandwiches.

[OCruisers]

Depends.

Windstar packed us sandwiches and sides at most every port.

It was a nice added perk.

 

Please tell us more. You said MOST ports. On which ports did they and on which they did not pack you sandwiches.

Windstar ships are small enough to be able to make port stops in ports in places most mass market cruise lines can not.

 

We had a cruise booked on Windstar but was cancelled because it was chartered by a group. Still remain interested in Windstar so your reply would be appreciated.

 

LuLu

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[Donray]

My daughter and I plan to spend most of our time in port touring the various island destinations. Does the ship provide box lunches upon request if a guest is going to be gone all day?

 

You do know that all the ports have good places to eat. You should be not be adverse and try different meals on each island.

[FedoraDi]

Interesting info. While I am not adverse to trying some foods, personally I have to be careful on what I eat due to diabetes & starting to get IBS.

 

Caribbean cruising next feb, would I be allowed to take factory sealed hard candies/crackers offship? Or will I have to depend on those lousy tasting glucose tablets? Since it sounds like even taking factory sealed tube frosting would not be allowed.

[Kartgv]

We always take along a couple of boxes of the individual granola/nut bars (Nature Valley, Quaker, etc.). They're fine to take just about anywhere off or on the ship, and offer some protein and will hold us over until we find something else to eat.

 

To the OP, in case you're talking about the Hawaiian Islands and not the Caribbean, Hawaii has some of the strictest rules about any food or plants coming into the state. We were on an airplane once where they confiscated a newly-wed couple's chocolate covered strawberries (actually they did let them eat them, but they all had to be gone before landing). They do use highly trained dogs in airports and piers on occasion.

[LHT28]

 

Caribbean cruising next feb, would I be allowed to take factory sealed hard candies/crackers offship?

You probably will not have a problem

 

I am sure you could find something onshore in most Carbbean islands

[dsrdsrdsr]

... We've seen food police in many ports during our Mediterranean cruises ...

Can you remember which ports? It'd be as well to bear it in mind, just to be safe. We nearly always take a bread roll, just as a precaution for a tender tummy, and (apart from Iceland) I can't remember anywhere in Europe or Africa that wouldn't let us.

[ducklite]

There were definitely dogs when we got off in Athens. I can't say they were looking for food vs. Drugs vs. Bombs, but they were there as we came through the doors.

[EdmPair]

Being the animal saps we are, it is so tempting to pet the 'puppies'. We also know it BEST to not even reach for the dogs. I am guessing the handlers would not even tell you what the dog was sniffing for should you ask. The three ideas posted just ahead of me are the big ones and getting off a ship, I bet drugs are the prime search.

 

I just hope I am not too close if a big take down happens. Hit the floor and roll if you can out of walkways and under/beside furniture and walls. All you can do.