Request for a Cruise Meal Box for Excursions

[EDVM96]

- Paying 3000+ pounds for a cruise.

- Not enough money left to buy food ashore.

- Priceless.

 

[ldubs]

1 minute ago, Coral said:

Just a quick search:

 

There are restrictions on bringing meat, dairy, fish and animal products and fruit, vegetables, nuts and seeds into Great Britain from abroad.

 

Best to follow ship rules.

 

And, there are food types that are allowed.  Point being an all encompassing statement that food is banned or restricted is inaccurate without specifying the food type.   

[ldubs]

4 minutes ago, EDVM96 said:

- Paying 3000+ pounds for a cruise.

- Not enough money left to buy food ashore.

- Priceless.

 

 

I hear taxi drivers would rather be tipped in scones.  😀

[DallasGuy75219]

42 minutes ago, ldubs said:

 

I hear taxi drivers would rather be tipped in scones.  😀

Or pre-packaged biscuits from the buffet.

[Potstech]

Take any food or item off the ship you want. But be ready to suffer any consequences that may happen if you do violate local restrictions. After all it will be your cruise and you can do whatever you want. And if stopped be sure to tell them who you are and what rights you think you have.

[SCX22]

1 hour ago, EDVM96 said:

- Paying 3000+ pounds for a cruise.

- Not enough money left to buy food ashore.

 

This actually applies to some cruisers.  There are some cruisers who are on a strict budget and want to milk every penny out of their cruise fare.  They have a big breakfast, go on an an all day excursion, and don't eat again until they return to the ship.  I've been accompanied by some of these types on Princess excursions. 

 

IMO, it's worth it to treat yourself and spend money while ashore to get some local eats.

[vjmatty]

6 hours ago, EDVM96 said:

Australia:

 

https://www.abf.gov.au/entering-and-leaving-australia/can-you-bring-it-in/categories/food

 

 

New Zealand:

 

https://www.mpi.govt.nz/bring-send-to-nz/bringing-and-posting-items-to-nz/how-to-declare-items-when-arriving-in-nz/

How is it possible to not being shoes you’ve worn outdoors?

[milolii]

1 hour ago, vjmatty said:

How is it possible to not being shoes you’ve worn outdoors?

We just returned from a land trip to Australia & New Zealand. I don’t remember specifically about the shoe examination at Sydney, ( I think it did occur) but this definitely happened  when we landed at Queenstown, New Zealand.  The focus is on shoes exposed to soil, such as on a farm, or other outdoor activities and hiking.  
 

You step onto a marker and your shoes are examined.   Additionally,  we had to open our luggage so they could examine our boots.  We had cleaned them throughly before the trip, so she was satisfied.  They are very serious about this as their ego system is fragile.  Not sure what happens from a cruise ship.  

 

I think immigration is primary looking  for microorganisms picked up in soil from activities like hiking, working on a farm, etc.  They are very serious about this. 

 

My suggestion is just make sure your shoes, particular the bottom, are clean.  If you’ve used shoes / boots on a farm or for hiking, tell them. When in doubt, just declare it. 
 

As I said, I’m not sure of the exact process when coming off a cruise ship. 

[MsSoCalCruiser]

5 hours ago, EDVM96 said:

- Paying 3000+ pounds for a cruise.

- Not enough money left to buy food ashore.

- Priceless.

 

It’s not always about the money. Some people have food allergies.

[vjmatty]

5 hours ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

It’s not always about the money. Some people have food allergies.

Thank you for bringing that up. I get tired of being called cheap because I like to bring on particular wines based on personal taste and preference rather than cost. A food allergy is an even better reason that people don’t think about when making their snarky assumptions. 

[cruzsnooze]

I usually take a croissant or muffin which is not fresh fruit or meat and have never had an issue 

[Derbie]

20 hours ago, Coral said:

Just because you did, doesn't make it right or legal.

Agreed, but I researched this very question thoroughly on the British Isle board, before we ever took a crumb off the ship.  If there had been a notice on any gang plank on any port we visited, I would have immediately thrown the food in the trash. 

[555]

20 hours ago, SCX22 said:

 

This actually applies to some cruisers.  There are some cruisers who are on a strict budget and want to milk every penny out of their cruise fare.  They have a big breakfast, go on an an all day excursion, and don't eat again until they return to the ship.  I've been accompanied by some of these types on Princess excursions. 

 

IMO, it's worth it to treat yourself and spend money while ashore to get some local eats.

It's actually not a bad idea to skip lunch every now and then on a cruise considering the amount of calories people consume in one day. That's not even taking the drinks into account. 

[Senga]

5 minutes ago, 555 said:

It's actually not a bad idea to skip lunch every now and then on a cruise considering the amount of calories people consume in one day. That's not even taking the drinks into account. 

Unless you are diabetic.

22 hours ago, EDVM96 said:

- Paying 3000+ pounds for a cruise.

- Not enough money left to buy food ashore.

- Priceless.

 

They recommend bringing a lunch from the ship on an upcoming Iceland cruise because "there will be no set time/stop for lunch".

[memoak]

36 minutes ago, 555 said:

It's actually not a bad idea to skip lunch every now and then on a cruise considering the amount of calories people consume in one day. That's not even taking the drinks into account. 

Not all of us eat 5 courses a meal. Even in specialty restaurants. 3 courses only at any dinner

Edited April 1 by memoak

[EDVM96]

51 minutes ago, Senga said:

They recommend bringing a lunch from the ship on an upcoming Iceland cruise because "there will be no set time/stop for lunch".

Who is "they"?

 

"Passengers travelling to Iceland from EEA countries are allowed to bring food products of animal origin for personal consumption".

 

But - the United Kingdom left the EEA when it left the EU in January 2020.

 

So if the ship is coming from Southampton you need to follow this:

 

 

 

 

 

[EDVM96]

1 hour ago, Senga said:

"there will be no set time/stop for lunch".

Is that a Princess ShorEx or independent?

I would like to know what tour that might be. Is it the Golden Circle? It's long, yes.

Edited April 1 by EDVM96

[Senga]

7 minutes ago, EDVM96 said:

Is that a Princess ShorEx or independent?

I would like to know what tour that might be. Is it the Golden Circle? It's long, yes.

Independent, Golden Circle.

[nycruiser80]

This post brought back memories. When I first started cruising in the late 80s as a kid, I remember Chandris Lines (the founder of Celebrity Cruises) offered such a service. They provided a boxed lunch for when going ashore. I remember sailing on them from NY to Bermuda in the summer and they would offer this. I remember eating fried chicken on the beach out the red striped box they provided us. Of course, it was a different time then. Cruising was different as was the laws found in many destinations. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Coral]

24 minutes ago, nycruiser80 said:

This post brought back memories. When I first started cruising in the late 80s as a kid, I remember Chandris Lines (the founder of Celebrity Cruises) offered such a service. They provided a boxed lunch for when going ashore. I remember sailing on them from NY to Bermuda in the summer and they would offer this. I remember eating fried chicken on the beach out the red striped box they provided us. Of course, it was a different time then. Cruising was different as was the laws found in many destinations. 

 

 

The only time I have been provided a boxed lunch from the cruise line was on a Mexican excursion with Celebrity way back when. That literally was the only time!

 

@Senga If a vendor wants you to pack you a lunch, suggest that you have them pick up a lunch for you and offer to pay for it. This was really common on itineraries that went to St. Petersburg years ago - they expected people to bring food off of the ship.

[milolii]

1 hour ago, Senga said:

Independent, Golden Circle.

Hi, not sure which company you are booked with.  We did an independent excursion with Iceland Everywhere last year.  We stopped after about an hour.  There was a bakery/ deli where we all purchased all kinds of food.  We had lunch about 1pm at the visitors center for the Great Geyser.  Many options there. Tour operators mix things up to avoid the large crowds. 

Edited April 1 by milolii

[Senga]

45 minutes ago, nycruiser80 said:

This post brought back memories. When I first started cruising in the late 80s as a kid, I remember Chandris Lines (the founder of Celebrity Cruises) offered such a service.

Memories.  Was this the Meridian?

[azbirdmom]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

The only time I have been provided a boxed lunch from the cruise line was on a Mexican excursion with Celebrity way back when.

 

Yes, back in the 80's I was cruising on a Carnival ship and had an excursion from Cozumel to Tulum.  They gave us a boxed lunch and when the ferry docked at Playa del Carmen (which was nothing like it is now) a bunch of hungry kids were begging for food.  They knew exactly what was in those boxes and some just asked for the apple etc.  I looked at my traveling companion and knowing that there was so much food on the ship we both handed over our lunch boxes to the kids.  MANY years later we did the same excursion on a Princess ship and I recounted that story to our tour guide.  He said that he may have been the kid we gave our boxes to as that was a common thing for the kids to do when he was growing up.  But that was the last time that I have received a lunch box from a ship.

[Coral]

13 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

Yes, back in the 80's I was cruising on a Carnival ship and had an excursion from Cozumel to Tulum.  They gave us a boxed lunch and when the ferry docked at Playa del Carmen (which was nothing like it is now) a bunch of hungry kids were begging for food.  They knew exactly what was in those boxes and some just asked for the apple etc.  I looked at my traveling companion and knowing that there was so much food on the ship we both handed over our lunch boxes to the kids.  MANY years later we did the same excursion on a Princess ship and I recounted that story to our tour guide.  He said that he may have been the kid we gave our boxes to as that was a common thing for the kids to do when he was growing up.  But that was the last time that I have received a lunch box from a ship.

Actually - my box lunch was when we went to Tulum! I think we docked in Playa De Carmen. We were supposed to dock somewhere else and there was a military ship there so we had to change docking locations.

Edited April 2 by Coral

[cshepard1965]

Hey Cruisers:

 

Funny story on this very subject...

 

We sailed on two MSC cruises in Europe and usually brought "lunch" off the ship, especially on independent excursions. We saw others doing it, NOT abusing it, and it seemed like no big deal.

 

THEN in October '23 in advance of a 32 cruise to Australia and New Zealand, I posted our experiences in Europe on the subject and I literally received the wrath of the cruise board gods.  

 

Seems that the current passengers on that ship at the time, had just transited in Auckland and received the equivalent of a cruise colonoscopy. 1st, Cruise passengers were warned numerous times on the ship in advance; 2nd, contraband sniffing canines greeted them when they got off.

 

So being the good cruiser I feel I want to be, I found and posted Australia and New Zealand’s strict protocols.

 

Here is the link to that post:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2901208-grand-princess-october-26-2023-18-day-queensland/?do=findComment&comment=66278400

 

As expected, before each port the reminder from the captain was given. Also, fruit was cut in half or prepeeled to reduce the temptation.

 

In April we are sailing from Singapore to Dubai on the Serenade of the Seas.  I hope to update my experiences on this subject when that sail ends in May.

 

Happy and Healthy Sailing!!!!

 

Edited April 2 by cshepard1965