Kids and food aboard the Pearl

[Sciencechick74]

Hi there! We're heading to Alaska on the Pearl soon and I just had a couple of food questions.

I'm wondering if all the dining options are available for kids - will my 5 year old be able to go to the Irish pub for example or is it only for those of drinking age?

 

 

And is it easy to pack your own snacks from the food provided or should I aim to take granola bars for use on excursions?

 

 

Thanks so much!!

[triptolemus]

All ages are welcome in O'Sheehan's (the Irish pub) -- its a restaurant with a bar. There are kids menus at all the restaurants, including O'Sheehan's.

 

You are not permitted to take food off the ship. People will tell you to do it anyway, because, hey.

 

You can bring packaged non-perishable foods (like granola bars) on with you and take those ashore. There are also plenty of options for eating shoreside... it most cases, right on the docks.

[Sauer-kraut]

The only place on board where children aren't allowed will be the Casino and the Spa/Gym. Children can even go into the bars without an adult to get soda.

[cuterlmt]

Do they have packaged cereal on the ship? Like packages of corn flakes and such? can you take those off the ship?

[sanger727]

Do they have packaged cereal on the ship? Like packages of corn flakes and such? can you take those off the ship?

 

 

 

Yep, they will have those on the buffet at breakfast. Anything individually packaged and sealed should be ok to take off the ship.

 

 

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[ClevelandCruisin]

I was on the Pearl in April, have a great review on it.

 

As to your child in the pub... yes, It's very kid friendly. Get them the nachos... I loved them!

 

You can take anything pre packaged in your suitcase on board the ship... like granola bars or etc.... And as long as they are sealed you can take them with you. Don't take any fruits off the ship or anything from the buffet.

[BirdTravels]

Appreciate what people think can/cannot be removed from the ship. Let's go to the Freestyle Daily for Alaskan ports that state: "Due to public health regulations, fruit, nuts, plants, vegetables, or food of any kind (hot, raw, unpacked, or packed) are not allowed to be taken off the ship at any time."

[sfulton2000]

Don't sweat it. Even though my daughter is 16, she's a fairly picky eater :(. We were just on the Pearl in May and the food was great, with plenty of options for the kids. There will be plenty of places to get snacks on shore as well if you don't take any. I admit, since it was US ports and I thought it was just fruits, veggies & unpackaged snacks that weren't allowed, we took some Clif Bars with us into Skagway since we went straight to a hike near the port. You will be fine, and the kids will eat well. :)

 

 

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[Sciencechick74]

Thanks everyone!

I have no doubt we're going to eat well on board :) it's just that with excursions that run until past when we usually eat dinner the youngest is going to need something, and while I'm happy to buy snacks in ports there isn't so much of an option while you're on a boat whale watching :)

 

The quote about taking food of any kind off the boat not being allowed is helpful, thank you. Very interesting given that if you are crossing the border into the US, some foods are allowed for personal use but I'm sure they don't want people taking all kinds of things with them.

 

I think we're set!!

[KeithJenner]

while I'm happy to buy snacks in ports there isn't so much of an option while you're on a boat whale watching :)

 

 

 

When we went whale watching in Alaska, I'm pretty sure you could buy some snacks (crisps etc) on the boat.

 

Obviously, not every company offers the same thing, but it's certainly a possibility.

[hoopics]

Sailed Pearl with a wretchedly picky five year old at the June; she loved breakfast, and the ability to get a hot dog at every other meal in every other restaurant. One word of warning: a number of the kid's menu choices are prepared in the main kitchen on deck 6, and not in the various specialty restaurants. The further you get from the main kitchen, and the closer you eat to peak mealtime, the longer it'll take to get the kids' meal delivered to wherever you are eating (and the colder it will be). We waited almost 30 minutes for chicken strips (for our son) to come to the pub. That taught us to always ask how long they thought the wait would be on kids food in that restaurant at that time.

 

On taking food off the ship, I'm certain they've adopted a blanket rule of no food anywhere ever period to avoid having to selectively enforce what foods can / can't come on board in various ports of call. As has been noted there are some foods that Ag. / customs rules do permit to cross the border. But they can be hard o interpret even for CBP agents. Now all that said, we may or may not have had boxes of Cheerios and other cereals from the buffet in our state room on every day of the voyage, as well as in our shore bag for every excursion. Some may or may not have also come back onto the ship, uneaten. I can say we were never asked once about anything in our bags, leaving or coming back.

[sanger727]

On taking food off the ship, I'm certain they've adopted a blanket rule of no food anywhere ever period to avoid having to selectively enforce what foods can / can't come on board in various ports of call. As has been noted there are some foods that Ag. / customs rules do permit to cross the border. But they can be hard o interpret even for CBP agents.

 

 

I suppose that's possible. I've not specifically looked at what the cruise ship says you can take off. Cause it isn't up to them. It's up to customs in port on what they will let in. I've gone through customs all over the world, including into several places in the US and they have no issues with prepackaged food. I'd be surprised if Alaska has different rules, though I suppose it's possible.

 

But seeing as how I general bring protein/granola bars onto the ship that I purchased in the US, and to my knowledge there's no customs declaration to fly from my home city to Alaska. Hence I could fly in with those items with no issue, I'll go ahead and take my chances in port. Will certainly declare them if anyone asks.

 

 

 

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