Take food ashore from a Princess ship in Norway

[Maple30]

We're on a Princess ship and have booked an independent shore excursion to the Troll Road in Alesund in October. The tour company says that there won't be any restaurants open in the Troll area since it's not high season, but said to bring our own lunch pack. Are we able to bring some food from the breakfast buffet ashore? (bread and fruit etc).

 I know some countries are very strict with their regulations, but other countries don't seem to worry.

Any advice in regards to Norway very much appreciated.

[Coral]

I did the 14 night cruise to Norway last year and just brought up a patter and it says:

 

Important Quarantine Notice

"No meat, poultry (including meat and poultry sandwiches), fruit, foodstuff, or any other agriculture items maybe taken away from this vessel in Norway".

 

I brought some granola bars with me from the US. There was no one checking once you got off the ship that I recall but I would not chance it.

 

Alesund is large enough, I wonder if they can stop some where before your tour starts. It is a beautiful city.

Edited June 7, 2019 by Coral

[Colo Cruiser]

12 minutes ago, Maple30 said:

We're on a Princess ship and have booked an independent shore excursion to the Troll Road in Alesund in October. The tour company says that there won't be any restaurants open in the Troll area since it's not high season, but said to bring our own lunch pack. Are we able to bring some food from the breakfast buffet ashore? (bread and fruit etc).

 I know some countries are very strict with their regulations, but other countries don't seem to worry.

Any advice in regards to Norway very much appreciated.

I agree with Coral.

That would be a big negative!

[Maple30]

4 hours ago, Coral said:

I did the 14 night cruise to Norway last year and just brought up a patter and it says:

 

Important Quarantine Notice

"No meat, poultry (including meat and poultry sandwiches), fruit, foodstuff, or any other agriculture items maybe taken away from this vessel in Norway".

 

I brought some granola bars with me from the US. There was no one checking once you got off the ship that I recall but I would not chance it.

 

Alesund is large enough, I wonder if they can stop some where before your tour starts. It is a beautiful city.

Thanks for the advice Coral. We'll just ask the tour operator to stop somewhere before we leave the city and pick up something for our lunch

[MissP22]

13 hours ago, Coral said:

I did the 14 night cruise to Norway last year and just brought up a patter and it says:

 

Important Quarantine Notice

"No meat, poultry (including meat and poultry sandwiches), fruit, foodstuff, or any other agriculture items maybe taken away from this vessel in Norway".

 

I brought some granola bars with me from the US. There was no one checking once you got off the ship that I recall but I would not chance it.

 

Alesund is large enough, I wonder if they can stop some where before your tour starts. It is a beautiful city.

Did they check all bags similar to Mexico? 

[Coral]

2 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

Did they check all bags similar to Mexico? 

No they did not. At least not on my cruise. We hit 3 ports which had a population of around 250 people.

 

I still would not chance it. I would only bring pre-packaged cookies or granola bars off (or cereal boxes). The last thing I want to do on vacation is to have to deal with agricultural issues/fines/jail and miss my port.

Edited June 7, 2019 by Coral

[donswife]

Clif bars travel well.

[waltd]

I don't think I would want to be the one that holds up the tour to ask the tour guide to find a place to purchase something to eat and I know I wouldn't be happy having to stop.  The tours are short enough as it is. 

[Haboob]

23 hours ago, Coral said:

I did the 14 night cruise to Norway last year and just brought up a patter and it says:

 

Important Quarantine Notice

"No meat, poultry (including meat and poultry sandwiches), fruit, foodstuff, or any other agriculture items maybe taken away from this vessel in Norway".

⋮

 

Assuming the Patter did say that (no offense, Coral) and is still accurate...

 

Either the tour operator did not know of the quarantine, or chose not to tell

their customer about it.  That gives real food for thought about using them.

[Coral]

8 minutes ago, Haboob said:

 

Assuming the Patter did say that (no offense, Coral) and is still accurate...

 

Either the tour operator did not know of the quarantine, or chose not to tell

their customer about it.  That gives real food for thought about using them.

 

This info is less than a year old (date posted). I doubt locals are up on agricultural laws and bringing food from vessels off the ship. They probably don't cruise to Norway often.

 

 

Edited June 7, 2019 by Coral

[Maple30]

1 hour ago, waltd said:

I don't think I would want to be the one that holds up the tour to ask the tour guide to find a place to purchase something to eat and I know I wouldn't be happy having to stop.  The tours are short enough as it is. 

Ours is a full day independent tour, picking us all up from the cruise ship at 8am and getting back at 4pm. Everyone will be in the same situation, so it won't be just me asking to stop to buy some lunch. I'm sure they'll take that into account.

[Maple30]

55 minutes ago, Coral said:

 

This info is less than a year old (date posted). I doubt locals are up on agricultural laws and bringing food from vessels off the ship. They probably don't cruise to Norway often.

 

 

Thanks, Habood, Just the information I was after 🙂

[Haboob]

2 hours ago, Coral said:

 

This info is less than a year old (date posted). I doubt locals are up on agricultural laws and bringing food from vessels off the ship. They probably don't cruise to Norway often.

⋮

 

 

Thanks, Coral.  I didn't doubt you, but wasn't going to cast aspersions on a tour operator without stronger

proof, which you've posted -- in Spades.

 

As for the tour operator?  If your clientele is cruise pax, and you are handing out advice you ought to be

cognizant of the trouble you can get them in, no?   Worse if you know and don't care.  What else don't

they know or care about?

[waltd]

2 hours ago, Maple30 said:

Ours is a full day independent tour, picking us all up from the cruise ship at 8am and getting back at 4pm. Everyone will be in the same situation, so it won't be just me asking to stop to buy some lunch. I'm sure they'll take that into account.

Yes you are right.      That long a tour they should take that into account. 

[Coral]

11 hours ago, Haboob said:

 

Thanks, Coral.  I didn't doubt you, but wasn't going to cast aspersions on a tour operator without stronger

proof, which you've posted -- in Spades.

 

As for the tour operator?  If your clientele is cruise pax, and you are handing out advice you ought to be

cognizant of the trouble you can get them in, no?   Worse if you know and don't care.  What else don't

they know or care about?

Tour operators in many ports suggest you take food from the ship. I hear about it all the time in Russia boards (Northern European). Every country has agricultural laws that are pretty similar. In reality - they would probably not be caught but if they were, it may not be pretty. Princess did not post that message every day but they did several days. It is the same through out the world - it shouldn't need to be posted every day.

 

They can take pre-packaged items off the ship. I always bring them with me when I travel. Granola bars, crackers, etc....

 

Heck - the tour guide should offer to pick things up in town before they pick up the tour. For what tours cost in Norway - they should even swallow the cost. Most of my all day tours in Norway were in the $200- $250 range.

 

 

 

Edited June 8, 2019 by Coral

[Maple30]

 Below is the email I received from the tour operator this morning.

 

The “lunch excluded” goes for everyone on the tour.

As far as we know, it should not be a problem at all to take something from the ship on the tour.

The other way around (buying food/drinks outside the ship and take it on board) that can be a big issue.

 

The challenge is that mostly every restaurant along the way will be closed in October.

We will do our very best to find a place where a snack can be purchased.

 

 Kind regards,
Anita

 

[Steelers36]

FWIW, I am on a Regal Baltic cruise right now and have not seen a quarantine notice in the Patter as yet.  That said, Oslo is our final port and that Patter won't be issued until two nights from now.  We were fed and watered on the two St Petersburg days with SPB Tours (great lunches BTW).  Otherwise, no inspections, signs nor dumping stations noticed in other ports.  Packaged snacks no issue and a couple of times I took an apple with me. 

 

[Coral]

4 minutes ago, steelers36 said:

FWIW, I am on a Regal Baltic cruise right now and have not seen a quarantine notice in the Patter as yet.  That said, Oslo is our final port and that Patter won't be issued until two nights from now.  We were fed and watered on the two St Petersburg days with SPB Tours (great lunches BTW).  Otherwise, no inspections, signs nor dumping stations noticed in other ports.  Packaged snacks no issue and a couple of times I took an apple with me. 

 

I am in the camp that just because it is not posted in the Patter, doesn't mean it is allowed. It wasn't posted every day on our Norway trip. Most experienced cruisers know this is not allowed.

 

If you do it - will you get away with it. Probably. I did not see any inspections either at any port.

[CaribbeanIsland]

Not to sound stupid but you are not allowed to take food off of cruise ships, in any country. There are agricultural laws. This is true on every cruise. Just because it is not posted every day in the Princess Patter doesn't mean it is not illegal. There are reasons for this.

[toeloop]

If you go to the end of the pier and turn right, their is a coffee shop.  It is a only a 2 or 3 minute walk.  They open early and sell pastries and I believe some sandwiches (could be wrong on that).  We met our tour guide there on our sailing in April.

[Maple30]

Thanks toeloop, for that advise:)

[pinkpanther52]

8 hours ago, CaribbeanIsland said:

Not to sound stupid but you are not allowed to take food off of cruise ships, in any country. There are agricultural laws. This is true on every cruise. Just because it is not posted every day in the Princess Patter doesn't mean it is not illegal. There are reasons for this.

 

Completly untrue I have on several occasions been provided with a packed lunch by the cruise line to take on an excursion. 

 

Maybe be the difference was the ship provisioned in the UK so both within the European zone.

[Kate P.C]

You should not have any trouble with packaged snacks. There are shops on board that sell different type of snacks. As long as they are packed you are good to go. Same applies for taking food back on board. If it is packaged and sealed, (never opened) you can bring them on board.

[Coral]

4 hours ago, pinkpanther52 said:

 

Completly untrue I have on several occasions been provided with a packed lunch by the cruise line to take on an excursion. 

 

Maybe be the difference was the ship provisioned in the UK so both within the European zone.

Same in this situation but the opposite - the ship was loaded in Southhampton and ship was in Norway - we still got the notice.

 

I haven't had a ship provide a packed lunch for awhile.

 

Packaged food items are fine.

Edited June 9, 2019 by Coral

[majortom10]

I have been cruising for over 20yrs and never known a cruise line to provide packaged lunches on excursion. We did do one excursion in Madeira which provided a packed lunch but this was provided by the local tour company who did the excursion and not provided by the cruise line.