Found Sea Shells?

[Ocean_Waves]

Question: If you find sea shells on the beach, can you bring them back onto the ship to take home?

 

Also, I have a family member who likes to collect a small ziploc bag of sand from the beaches he visits, can he do that and bring it back on the ship to take home?

 

Maybe these are dumb questions, I don't know. I would also like to point out, I am not talking about any sea shell that has ANY living creature inside of it, as I know and believe it is wrong to do that. So not talking about starfish, conch with living creatures etc...just plain old scallop type sea shells :)

[Ocean_Waves]

Ooooo! That was my 100th post!! :D

[rummenroman]

And now you are at 101!

 

Technically no. They could carry a non-native pest to it's destination. Many people will say the do it all the time, but that is up to you if you want to do it.

[edjny]

Right, you are not allowed to carry anything like sand/shells or local fruit/veggies from a port onto the ship. But, realistically, if you really wanted to do that, just put it into a small zip bag and stick it in your pocket. If it stays in your pocket, nobody will know. If you carry it in your hand, they will likely take it from you. Some of the tourist shops in the ports sell little bottles/bags of sand or shells. They are OK because they have been treated to kill any little 'nasties' that might be in/on the stuff.

Edited March 18, 2014 by edjny

[panoramaofthepast]

I have had shells confiscated from my bag - the Xray picked them up.

[edjny]

I have had shells confiscated from my bag - the Xray picked them up.

 

Which is why you put them in your pocket.... The metal detector you walk through will not pick them up.

[travelplus]

I have one of these coming my way(:

 

[JYD Hawkeye]

Last year we went on Stingray tour in Cayman Islands and while out on the boat, the tour guide got a dozen conch off the sea floor and prepared some of the meat for us to try raw. Was great. Anyway, we carried 2 of the conch shells back on the boat in a plastic bag that went thru the xray machine. Once in our cabin, our steward brought us a bucket of bleach water to put them into and set them on the balcony. No one ever blinked and they were seen coming in thru security.

[NorbertsNiece]

Someone has to say it..... how about starfish? :p

/runs and hides

[jmrothermel]

I did have sea glass attempt to be confiscated, although my mother in law had no idea what sea glass was and she had our bag (and went back early). When they asked about the glass she said, "No", which was truthfully to the best of her knowledge (she didn't know my brother had collected some). They let her go through. But apparently the XRay machine picks these things up!

 

 

~Jacqui~ Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[sweetpea1714]

A LIVE starfish?

[FunCruiser56]

We have never had seashells, sand dollars or sea biscuts taken away when we got back to the ship.

I will say that if you do find any of these make sure you double bag them in ziploc bags or your luggage will stink:eek: I soak them in bleach water when I get home.

 

Bev

[Havingfun2010]

One of the first posters said that many will answer saying they did it and got away with it......but the answer is that it is most likely not allowed because it is a shell of once a living thing, and sometimes, still living....and is restricted from importing/exporting.

 

Sand on the other hand is carried on by everyone.....in your shoes, towels, clothes etc.

[PuterMonkey]

Funny, on our last cruise I bought a huge decorative conch shell and brought it home in my suitcase...no one even batted an eye. Would've been a hard thing to miss.

[micmacmissy]

Are you ALLOWED to do it? No.

 

Is it POSSIBLE to do it? Yes.

 

Just keep in mind that you can be bringing back bacteria/organisms that can potentially be environmentally harmful.

 

Seriously...just don't.

[micmacmissy]

Funny, on our last cruise I bought a huge decorative conch shell and brought it home in my suitcase...no one even batted an eye. Would've been a hard thing to miss.

 

If you bought it at a gift shop, chances are it was either not real, or it was real but processed, sanitized, and shellacked.

 

You'd be surprised at how many of those are manufactured in China!

[Rala]

Someone has to say it..... how about starfish? :p

/runs and hides

 

That was the funniest thread. I assume it got poofed...yes?? I would love to read it again as I only got in at the very end before it disappeared. :D

 

To answer the OP's question...DH found a conch shell on the beach and we brought it back onboard with no questions asked. It was very clean and dried out with no odor, so maybe they thought we bought it. We were not trying to sneak it aboard as we didn't know shells, etc. were verboten!!

Edited March 18, 2014 by Rala

[BeachChik]

I bought some shells in Mexico. They are so pretty. Glued together and carved to look like a bunch of flowers. Because I am the type that can't lie, I filled out the form they give you and claimed it as a purchase. It flagged us and we were pulled aside by security when we were getting off the ship and they had us open all our bags and searched everything. And made me open the packaging that the shells were in and inspected them. But they didn't confiscate them. They wrapped them back up and sent us on our way.

 

I can see why they do take some stuff and refuse to allow it to be brought back into the country. We bought a bird carving, just a small one, in Jamaica. It was sitting on a table in my living room. When I dusted I noticed something that looked like a powder around it. I didn't think anything of it because I thought maybe my hubby had put something there and didn't clean it. But it was there the next time I dusted. So I pick up the carving and there were teeny tiny bugs, unless you were looking for them you couldn't see them. And they were eating the wood thus causing the powder around it. I ended up throwing it away as I didn't know what kind of bugs they were. They weren't termites and I didn't want them in my house.

[NorbertsNiece]

That was the funniest thread. I assume it got poofed...yes?? I would love to read it again as I only got in at the very end before it disappeared. :D

 

To answer the OP's question...DH found a conch shell on the beach and we brought it back onboard with no questions asked. It was very clean and dried out with no odor, so maybe they thought we bought it. We were not trying to sneak it aboard as we didn't know shells, etc. were verboten!!

 

I know a whilst back someone said they had a copy of it.... I too would love to see it again.... like a warm blanket.... was one of those moments on CC that should be required reading for those who are depressed.... :D

 

Introducing bugs that aren't native to a country can upset the local eco-system.... ask the Australian / New Zealand authorities who take the import of such things extremely seriously....

[FOXTROT]

Actually beach sand is allowable. Sea shells are not allowed through customs. That being said have only once had problems bringing anything back, Canary Islands.

[UCF_Knight]

Take only pictures. Leave only footprints.

[comxkid]

Take only pictures. Leave only footprints.

 

I agree with this. But here is the official policy:

 

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

[rstout]

We have had shells taken from us that were stored in our bag (went through x-ray) while getting onto the ship.

[LetsGetWet!]

I agree with this. But here is the official policy:

 

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

Thanks for that! Nice to get the official word that yes, seashells are permitted - after so many had stated authoritatively that they aren't. I know I've brought large conch shells back before - and never been questioned.

 

And yes, make sure you soak them in bleach water or pack them in well-sealed bags if you don't want your luggage and contents to stink! :)

[comxkid]

We have had shells taken from us that were stored in our bag (went through x-ray) while getting onto the ship.

 

This is my theory on this....RCCL is probably aware of the official U.S. Customs rules, but has chosen not to inspect everyone's shells to make sure that they are not from an endangered species and/or alive. Can you imagine how slow the line would move if they chose to do this?

 

So their policy is probably going to include the confiscation of all shells to make it simple. And much like other RCCL rules and guidelines, enforcement will be spotty.