Souvenirs allowed and not allowed back on the ship AOL S Caribbean?

[Trickytc]

Maybe a dumb question but I know you can't bring fruit and sand back in the ship (zip lock full of sand was confiscated in Cozomel) but what else are common things that people buy but then find out they can't bring them back on board? I am hoping to buy spice necklaces etc in Grenada but I have been reading there and a few other ports, the vendors will try and sell you souvenir type items, knowing full well that they won't be allowed back on the ship....like the big seashell horns... any experiences from anyone?

[Coralc]

No Starfish (Cruise Critic joke ;)) No Ulu knives...or probably any knives, spears or swords.

 

Spice necklaces should be okay. Most spices are allowed. But you never know, they come back buggy sometimes. Interesting question. We are stopping in Grenada next month, and I planned to pick up a few for office gifts.

 

And freezing will kill all life stages of insects. :)

 

I do know that the cruise line has sometimes been restrictive about bringing flower arrangements onboard from ports. That should be okay....you just can't ever take them off the ship. (nor should you)

Edited January 14, 2016 by Coralc

[JRudy33]

I have a funny story about bringing souvenirs back to the ship. Years ago when we were at Labadee, our friends bought a beautiful carved "mahogany" colored vase. When back on board, my friend decided to rinse it out in the sink. Roaches started crawling out of it up his arm and on the floor. He was stamping on as many as he could, but had to call guest services to tell them. Two men in suits that looked like they just stepped out of the Ghostbusters movie came into his room and had to spray it. Just beware of carved vases. Try to empty them out before going back to the ship.

[cb at sea]

Pretty much anything you buy in shops is allowed. Sand, shells, rocks, etc...are generally not allowed to be removed from the ports.

 

You can't take raw foodstuff ashore...or plants, animals, etc.... you CAN take pre-packaged foods ashore.

[hancogran]

I picked up a few candles in Cozumel to bring home but they were taken from me when we boarded the ship. Of course, I knew candles weren't allowed but just never thought of it since I had no intention of using them on the ship..just wanted to bring them home. We DID get them back the last day of the cruise. :)

[hancogran]

I have a funny story about bringing souvenirs back to the ship. Years ago when we were at Labadee, our friends bought a beautiful carved "mahogany" colored vase. When back on board, my friend decided to rinse it out in the sink. Roaches started crawling out of it up his arm and on the floor. He was stamping on as many as he could, but had to call guest services to tell them. Two men in suits that looked like they just stepped out of the Ghostbusters movie came into his room and had to spray it. Just beware of carved vases. Try to empty them out before going back to the ship.

 

:eek::eek: Eewwww... Thanks for the tip about emptying them before going back. I would totally freak out if that happened to me.

[Trickytc]

I have a funny story about bringing souvenirs back to the ship. Years ago when we were at Labadee, our friends bought a beautiful carved "mahogany" colored vase. When back on board, my friend decided to rinse it out in the sink. Roaches started crawling out of it up his arm and on the floor. He was stamping on as many as he could, but had to call guest services to tell them. Two men in suits that looked like they just stepped out of the Ghostbusters movie came into his room and had to spray it. Just beware of carved vases. Try to empty them out before going back to the ship.

That is funny...and creepy!!. The really funny thing is we actually bought a painted vase in Labadee too. Luckily no hitchhikers were inside! Yikes!!

[Paul65]

I have a funny story about bringing souvenirs back to the ship. Years ago when we were at Labadee, our friends bought a beautiful carved "mahogany" colored vase. When back on board, my friend decided to rinse it out in the sink. Roaches started crawling out of it up his arm and on the floor. He was stamping on as many as he could, but had to call guest services to tell them. Two men in suits that looked like they just stepped out of the Ghostbusters movie came into his room and had to spray it. Just beware of carved vases. Try to empty them out before going back to the ship.

 

I saw something similar to that once....but it was in a horror movie.

[looking4info]

No Ulu knives...or probably any knives, spears or swords.

 

Unless something has changed recently Ulu knives can be brought onto the ship. However, security will keep them until the end of the cruise and you pick them up when departing on the last day.

[WisconsinFan]

They sell Ulu knives on HAL ships, and we were allowed to keep it after we bought it in the gift shop. We bought it on board because it was the exact same price as we had seen in port. Now, with the expensive knife my son bought in Alaska (a folding scrimshaw buck knife) we had it shipped home mainly because we didn't want to check it for our flight home.

 

If you by booze they will take it and keep it for you until the end of your trip.

[cincicruisers]

I have a funny story about bringing souvenirs back to the ship. Years ago when we were at Labadee, our friends bought a beautiful carved "mahogany" colored vase. When back on board, my friend decided to rinse it out in the sink. Roaches started crawling out of it up his arm and on the floor. He was stamping on as many as he could, but had to call guest services to tell them. Two men in suits that looked like they just stepped out of the Ghostbusters movie came into his room and had to spray it. Just beware of carved vases. Try to empty them out before going back to the ship.

 

This made my skin crawl!

[dunaldo]

Several years ago on a Carribean cruise a few ladies bought straw hats but were not allowed to bring them on board because they were made from plants.

[ccryder]

Maybe a dumb question but I know you can't bring fruit and sand back in the ship (zip lock full of sand was confiscated in Cozomel) but what else are common things that people buy but then find out they can't bring them back on board? I am hoping to buy spice necklaces etc in Grenada but I have been reading there and a few other ports, the vendors will try and sell you souvenir type items, knowing full well that they won't be allowed back on the ship....like the big seashell horns... any experiences from anyone?

 

I have purchased conche shells from vendors and was allowed to bring them on the Jewel and Adventure. It sounded like the vendors have a process to clean them and then they are allowed.

[TBone2K]

So to summarize, sounds like you have these categories:

Things you aren't supposed to take away from the port (e.g. sand)

Things that you can't have in your room, but can get back at the end of the cruise (e.g. candles, alcohol)

Things you can't bring on or off the ship (e.g. fruit)

 

Speaking of fruit, DW and I were surprised in Cozumel given how many warnings we received that people were still getting stopped by Mexican sniffer dogs at the pier because they had fruit in their bags. Really slowed things down getting off the pier.

[BillOh]

No Starfish (Cruise Critic joke ;))

 

I knew that would come up quick! :D

[WVU-79]

I have heard that US Customs will not permit you to bring home carved wooden items unless they had been varnished, then confiscate them. . Otherwise there is a risk of insects coming out of the wood. We saw some big very fancy and pricey things being purchased in Labadee from the local vendors. Hope they were able to bring them home!

[MollyFlyer]

Oh, that's interesting -- I brought a rock back from the beach my last cruise (not anything fancy; I just thought it was neat) and wasn't stopped. Didn't realize it was a risk.