carry food ONTO the cruise ship?

[annecolorgreen]

May seem like a crazy question, but I know there are restrictions in foreign countries. Are there restrictions for boarding an Alaskan cruise ship in Seattle? I know we'll be stopping in Canada so just wondered.

 

We are traveling on to Oregon after the cruise and have a few things from home that I wanted to bring with us.

[Nancyquilts]

I've never heard of a problem carrying either food or flowers onto the ship. You might not be able to take it off.

Edited August 8, 2015 by Nancyquilts

[martincath]

I'm guessing anything that's meant to survive a week or more on a ship, then travel time to Oregon, is likely a well-packaged/nonperishable item so probably safe anyway, but as long as you don't take whatever it is off the ship at your Canadian stop then it's not entering Canada so we won't have a beef with you (pardon the food pun...).

 

Do be aware though that unless the food is marked with its place of origin, the customs folks in Seattle may have a problem if it's something that you could have acquired in Canada that wouldn't be allowed in if it had been...

 

If it's sealed, packaged things we've always been waved on immediately - and even home-made stuff like sandwiches or cookies we've just had to show it. If it's any kind of fruit or veg, check this tool for the requirements (a lot of Canadian fruit is actually OK to bring in these days for example). If its anything else the general notes are here (scroll down for some Canada-specific rules).

[Cheryl H]

We usually board with a full loaf of bread and those Jif-to-go's (for our son). We haven't ever had a problem.

[Keith1010]

Yes you will be fine but if in doubt just check with your cruise line.

 

Keith

[lynncarol]

I always bring sealed bottles of cranberry juice on-board. Never had a problem with any cruise-line or at any port of embarkation.

[xlxo]

I know when arriving in Alaska, they were checking for fruits departing the ship.

 

Sometimes, it may be easier to FedEx to your destination to avoid seizure.

[Mary Ellen]

May seem like a crazy question, but I know there are restrictions in foreign countries. Are there restrictions for boarding an Alaskan cruise ship in Seattle? I know we'll be stopping in Canada so just wondered.

 

We are traveling on to Oregon after the cruise and have a few things from home that I wanted to bring with us.

 

If I'm understanding this correctly, you want to bring food on the ship to have for your post-cruise time in Oregon? Won't you also have take said food off the ship at the end of the cruise? You face the same restrictions as if you'd brought the food in on a trans-Pacific or any other cruise. It will NOT matter in the least that you brought the food on in a US port. If it is an allowable food, it is fine. If it is a prohibited food (such as fruit), it will be confiscated and you very well could be fined.

[martincath]

If I'm understanding this correctly, you want to bring food on the ship to have for your post-cruise time in Oregon? Won't you also have take said food off the ship at the end of the cruise? You face the same restrictions as if you'd brought the food in on a trans-Pacific or any other cruise. It will NOT matter in the least that you brought the food on in a US port. If it is an allowable food, it is fine. If it is a prohibited food (such as fruit), it will be confiscated and you very well could be fined.

Actually Mary Ellen the origin of the food is the single most relevant thing - which is why I linked to the CBP official tools to establish what's allowed and what isn't. Despite the common misconception there is no blanket ban on 'fruit' or any other broad category - at times where there is a particularly high risk (e.g. khapra beetle in rice at the moment) there may be region-specific bans or bans on non-commercial shipments of a particular thing.

 

The important thing is to declare it - if you do and it's a current no-no, or you can't prove origin, then you lose the food. If you don't declare, the fine starts at $300. I could bring almost any kind of fruit I like in from Canada for example if I can prove it came from here (e.g. BC apples have a specific looser ruling - they only need to have the little sticker you see in supermarkets saying they're from BC and you can carry them into Washington, and there are notices posted to that effect at the land borders and train station).

[annecolorgreen]

thank you! very helpful information! (now I want to bring flowers on!):)