Will celebrity provide a packed lunch?

[Joliecat]

Hi all

 

first time cruising on celebrity in May. Going to Norwegian Fjords from Soton.

 

does anyone have any experience with asking for a packed lunch to take onshore during port days if you are staying in a sky suite?

 

we would like to do some hikes and would rather not waste time trying to find suitable food in the port before setting off on our hike

 

have checked out quarantine rules and it seems food is ok from eu countries. Oh wait, uk is no longer eu... hmm I guess that will be a no then?

 

thanks

 

Jinny

[omeinv]

Most ports prohibit the removal of unpackaged foods from the ship to shore, and the cruise lines err on the side of caution, by adhering to this even in cases where it is not required.  So the answer to your direct question is "no", the ship will not prepare food for you to take ashore. 

 

Beyond that, most countries have various concerns about specific foods.  For example in countries that rely on fruit agriculture, they will be particularly vigilant about importation of fruits. 

 

The prohibition on removal of foods from the ship ranges from a published notice in the daily newsletter to not do it, up to inspection of each passenger, often with trained dogs, to prevent the introduction of foods.  Should one be caught, fines can be steep, and the time spent dealing with the infraction would take away from your day in port.  I totally get that you don't want to spend time getting food on your day out, but that would be far more pleasant than dealing with customs officers, and completing paperwork, let alone paying a fine. 

 

None of this is unique to cruise travel, detection of undeclared foodstuffs is a major - if largely unknown - function of most countries customs agencies. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[emmas gran]

Hi from a fellow Devonian

 

The answer will be No on board, the ships do not allow food to be taken off it doesn’t 

matter if you are inside or a top suite. Maybe you could take some snack bars from home to see you through.

 

On the other hand you will see people in the buffet making their own sandwiches to take with them it seems a regular thing!! As pointed out we are not EU anymore so nobody knows how food issues will go. I suspect Norway will be very stringent. 

Liz

Edited February 4, 2020 by emmas gran
Addition

[PelicanLvr]

Suggest a hearty breakfast!!

 

Bringing food ashore it not a smart idea.  

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[WestLakeGirl]

If you need a snack for a medical condition, bring some commercially sealed products from home; the. cruise line will not provide

[Joliecat]

Ok thank you all for the prompt response! Will see what we can take with us 🙂

[4774Papa]

Take KInd  Bars

[chemmo]

34 minutes ago, Joliecat said:

Ok thank you all for the prompt response! Will see what we can take with us 🙂

 

We did this cruise a couple of years ago and really enjoyed!

 

A substantial breakfast and cereal bars are definitely the way to go...Remember you can order breakfast in your room if you have an early start.

 

Hope you have a fantastic cruise!

[phoenix_dream]

I agree that Celebrity will not provide.  Also, you are not supposed to bring off food except for wrapped packages like sports bars.  That said, no one at our ports in Norway were checking bags or anything so if you do grab a sandwich from the buffet no one will be the wiser.  Not recommending it - just providing facts.

[Denny01]

The note about making sandwiches at the buffet is Not a regular thing, and is Not even close to being a good idea. I have seen passengers stopped while at the port when a dog altered on them and they were arrested for trying to smuggle food in.

 

I did a quick check on the internet and what food could be brought into Norway. It stated no milk or meat products. It said you could bring in cookies and ‘food supplements packaged for the final consumer’ which means sealed foods, but not something you make at the buffet, and no cheese or meat in it or mixed in it.

 

I would think it would be tricky to figure out beyond packaged cookies/breakfast bars what to take in.

 

Go hiking and buy a few snacks in port and enjoy a country that is asking you not to bring in items that could damage them.

 

Den

Edited February 5, 2020 by Denny01

[GastroGnome]

In or out of the EU (which is barely relevant as the ship is American owned and registered in Malta...) taking unpackaged food into any county which not permitted is highly irresponsible.  I do know guests who regularly conceal food in a coffee to go cup etc but it is prohibited - usually for good reasons - and getting caught will ruin your day if not your cruise.  I know as UK citizens we have been used to the unlimited import / export of foodstuffs to and from the EU for personal use.  This will continue until Decemeber (on current plans) but may well change thereafter.  Don't forget the 2001 Food & Mouth epidemic in the UK was traced down to illegally imported infected meat fed without proper treatment.

[sandancer]

Plenty of easily portable snacks in the shops here and the OP probably doesn’t even need to worry about baggage weight as it’s a Southampton sailing. 

[emmas gran]

6 hours ago, Denny01 said:

The note about making sandwiches at the buffet is Not a regular thing, and is Not even close to being a good idea. I have seen passengers stopped while at the port when a dog altered on them and they were arrested for trying to smuggle food in.

 

I did a quick check on the internet and what food could be brought into Norway. It stated no milk or meat products. It said you could bring in cookies and ‘food supplements packaged for the final consumer’ which means sealed foods, but not something you make at the buffet, and no cheese or meat in it or mixed in it.

 

I would think it would be tricky to figure out beyond packaged cookies/breakfast bars what to take in.

 

Go hiking and buy a few snacks in port and enjoy a country that is asking you not to bring in items that could damage them.

 

Den

 

I wasn't suggesting the OP does this just stating it is done and has been for many years

[varoo]

We routinely take wrapped protein bars with us wherever we go as we occasionally miss meals, for one reason or another, and they serve as nutritious meal substitutes or supplements.  They come in a variety of different brands and flavors.

 

Have been doing this for years. 

Whenever asked if we have any food, we always declare them and have never had a problem with them anywhere.

 

[Denny01]

3 hours ago, emmas gran said:

 

I wasn't suggesting the OP does this just stating it is done and has been for many years

This isn’t like someone asking how much wine can you bring on and you post seeing lots sneaking wine on in the ther carry-on and checked luggage. This is about breaking international law and endangering a country’s agriculture so I suggest you keep your ‘I see people doing it’ to subjects such as wearing shorts in the MDR.  
 

people get arrested and fined fir what you describe as common. 
 

den

[emmas gran]

12 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

This isn’t like someone asking how much wine can you bring on and you post seeing lots sneaking wine on in the ther carry-on and checked luggage. This is about breaking international law and endangering a country’s agriculture so I suggest you keep your ‘I see people doing it’ to subjects such as wearing shorts in the MDR.  
 

people get arrested and fined fir what you describe as common. 
 

den

WOW 😯 

[Denny01]

3 minutes ago, emmas gran said:

WOW 😯 

I hope your ‘Wow’ was because you didn’t realize the consequences of sneaking food into ports and not because you thought my post was overwrought. 
 

I think the OP has sufficient info on the subject. 
 

den

[Joliecat]

 Thank you all for your thoughts. Didn’t realise my question would result in such passionate debating!

 

im happy to eat prepackaged protein bars, but we have young kids and so id rather they eat real food. Would feel irresponsible giving my 1yo a protein bar 🙂 although I’m sure he’d love it!

 

as far as I understand:

-the boat being registered in Malta doesn’t matter, it is rather where the boat is sailing from (uk) and what ports it stops at (Norway only)

- Norwegian rules say you can bring any food up to 10kg (except potatoes) from the eu

-the uk has an agreement with the eu to allow the current rules to continue until the end of the transition period

-but Norway is not eu, so thus agreement does not stand in norway

-I haven’t been able to find any up to date info on bringing food into Norway from the uk during the transition period

-i was not going to flout quarantine rules. Have actually worked for Australian quarantine myself, so have a good understanding of how these rules work and the consequences for disobeying them (both personally and nationally). Was just wondering if it was even a possibility to get the packed food (without having to pack it myself). Taking it onshore (quarantine laws) was the next question I was going to investigate if the answer was yes

 

Anyway I now have the answer to my question (no they will not pack food for me), so will consider whether I can be bothered packing my own, and whether it’s actually allowed into Norway. Will update if I find an answer to this!

 

thanks again 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Joliecat

[sanger727]

1 hour ago, Joliecat said:

 Thank you all for your thoughts. Didn’t realise my question would result in such passionate debating!

 

im happy to eat prepackaged protein bars, but we have young kids and so id rather they eat real food. Would feel irresponsible giving my 1yo a protein bar 🙂 although I’m sure he’d love it!

 

as far as I understand:

-the boat being registered in Malta doesn’t matter, it is rather where the boat is sailing from (uk) and what ports it stops at (Norway only)

- Norwegian rules say you can bring any food up to 10kg (except potatoes) from the eu

-the uk has an agreement with the eu to allow the current rules to continue until the end of the transition period

-but Norway is not eu, so thus agreement does not stand in norway

-I haven’t been able to find any up to date info on bringing food into Norway from the uk during the transition period

-i was not going to flout quarantine rules. Have actually worked for Australian quarantine myself, so have a good understanding of how these rules work and the consequences for disobeying them (both personally and nationally). Was just wondering if it was even a possibility to get the packed food (without having to pack it myself). Taking it onshore (quarantine laws) was the next question I was going to investigate if the answer was yes

 

Anyway I now have the answer to my question (no they will not pack food for me), so will consider whether I can be bothered packing my own, and whether it’s actually allowed into Norway. Will update if I find an answer to this!

 

thanks again 

 

 

I'm used to going on cruises that go to multiple countries and they are very specific and post in the dailies that you can't bring food in. The boat will not pack you a lunch. You can certainly check the daily the night before and see if they address whether or not you can bring food in and make a decision to pack something from the buffet based on that. I would certainly not suggest breaking the rules but if it's not breaking the rules; then I don't see a reason not to. I've certainly package a lunch from the buffet when I didn't realize it was against the rules. I don't do that now, but again, if it's not I don't see a problem with it. 

[omeinv]

I suppose it's worth stressing that the reason for these rules is not  just to make it inconvenient for those on a cruise. 

 

Food importation restrictions are a critical component for protecting a nations agriculture industry.  Literally one item of food with a pest or contamination can create an enormous problem.  It's analogous to one person deciding that they should not report they have been ill, when boarding a flight or cruise. 

 

The importance of the rules is also why many countries (the US included) levy substantial fines for failure to properly declare imported foods.   Probably the most common "inadvertent" violation in the US is a passenger in business class receiving fruit as part of their meal service, and removing it with them from the plane, then failing to declare the item on their customs form.  When they are detected (those cute beagles aren't for drugs, their for food), they become indignant.  $400.00 later (minimum) they remain indignant, but wiser.

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, Joliecat said:

 

Anyway I now have the answer to my question (no they will not pack food for me), so will consider whether I can be bothered packing my own, and whether it’s actually allowed into Norway. Will update if I find an answer to this!

We spent two weeks cruising Norway and its magnificent fjords last summer, and even the smallest port at the very tip of the longest fjords had one or more stores where you could quickly and easily find the necessary ingredients to cobble together a tasty and nutritious lunch. I know that you want to get going and not waste time, but they'll be just a few minutes well spent. 

[emmas gran]

Looking at the OP postings they have 2 very young children 3 and 1 year old, this must be a concern for them

[PTC DAWG]

The 3 year and the 1 year old will remember nothing...but that's another thread altogether.  

 

Good luck and enjoy the cruise.  

Edited February 5, 2020 by PTC DAWG

[Joliecat]

50 minutes ago, PTC DAWG said:

The 3 year and the 1 year old will remember nothing...but that's another thread altogether.  

 

Good luck and enjoy the cruise.  

Yes we certainly don’t expect them to remember it. But I do think it has some impact on their general ‘development’ to be exposed to different cultures, environments and activities. Whether that effect is good or neutral, doesn’t matter to me. I’m not aiming to create some sort of super genius/Nobel prize winning/CEO offspring. 

 

I don’t agree with not doing things because they won’t remember it. I buy my 1 year old blueberries because he loves to eat them. They’re expensive. Will he remember eating them? No. I don’t think that means I shouldn’t buy them for him. If it brings him some joy in that moment, I’m happy to get them as a treat sometimes. 

 

But mostly we are doing this cruise because my husband and I want to see the Norway and feel this is easier than going from hotel to hotel and arranging our own transport. We’ve been travelling around for the last half year and am starting to get a bit tired, so would like an ‘easier’ holiday. 

 

Anyway, yes, a whole different thread 

Edited February 5, 2020 by Joliecat

[Joliecat]

2 hours ago, Fouremco said:

We spent two weeks cruising Norway and its magnificent fjords last summer, and even the smallest port at the very tip of the longest fjords had one or more stores where you could quickly and easily find the necessary ingredients to cobble together a tasty and nutritious lunch. I know that you want to get going and not waste time, but they'll be just a few minutes well spent. 

Thank you that’s very useful information. We might have to rely on that as I can’t be bothered packing/bringing food +\- dealing with quarantine inspectors so they can inspect what we have