Taking food off the ship

[Solo Cruiser]

I've had some discussion about this on another board and thought I'd check in here with the food experts. ;) I know taking produce off the ship is a no-no, but are there items I can pack in my trusty zip lock bags from the buffet to take on shore excursions for snacks? Such as bread and cheese or cookies? :D Or should I pack my own granola bars or nuts from home for shore excursions?

[AuntieBon]

In Bermuda it was a no no to take any food off the ship. I think they said it was a $500 fine if caught. Of course, that didn't stop a lot of people as we saw people at the beach eating food that I'm sure was taken from the buffet. On my prior trips I don't recall this being an issue and had taken food off but if the rule is no food of any kind then I'll respect the law.

[Cotton]

Although I like to sample cuisine from different ports - last cruise an elderly friend was with me and was afraid of MX food, so I ordered her a sandwich and cookies around midnight the night before docking in Cozumel.

 

I put her food into the freezer (sturdier) ziplok bags, put them in the ice bucket - and took them ashore the next morning - in those bags, inside a larger ziplok bag filled w/ice. I enjoyed the MX food and she enjoyed her ship sandwich. (She had asked me to get fruit, but I knew that was a big no-no.)

[sharonkrn]

Order room service and put it in your ziplock and place in room fridge(if you have one).. We usually bring small softsided cooler and lunch box the fits flat in suitcase. Use ice room steward brings to you, put in ziplock to keep cold. I agree, stay away from fruit.

[House_Atreides]

I have to take food off the ship; does not matter to me what they say. I do NOT take fruit off; rather, order up room service, do the ziplock bag thing. As a diabetic I never know when/where food is going to be available and must have food with me in case. I just plop it in my backpack and waltz off the ship, never have had a problem.:D

[SharkieRools]

And we wonder why we are coined "Ugly Americans." Nevermind the laws of the nations we are visiting, if I want/need to take food off the ship, I'll do just that! [/sarcasm]

[Ine]

Last September many bags were checked for food and fruits upon arrival in Cabo San Lucas.

Just like bags of europeans are checked and/or questioned if any food is in it upon arrival in the USA.

 

Of course everywhere in the world there is decent food for sale.

But a simple chocolat bar or cookie seems no problem.

[happytogoing]

I've crossed the border many time from Canada to USA, and food is allowed, just not citrus, perhaps some other fruits....

 

Do most countries not allow food off the ship? I'm not a lawbreaker... and ordinarily I would not cart around food off the ship. It has nothing to do with the $$$, I'm cruising just a few weeks after chemotherapy, and I'm not sure about trusting local food safety... so I was planning to bring snacks from the ship and NOT eat any local food or water this time around!

 

Curious - does anyone know?

[MrsPete]

All laws allow you to bring PRE-PACKAGED foods anywhere: granola bars, packs of crackers, etc. Most countries don't care what you bring in for your own consumption during the day.

 

The thing NOT to do is to try to bring foods back into the US through US customs. The fines are very steep, and the chances that they'll catch you are pretty good.

[dot73]

Joanne - congratulations on completing your chemo!!!! I did an Alaskan cruise six weeks after completing a six-month course of chemo. I never enjoyed a vacation as much as that one. You are so right about not eating food outside the ship at this time. Your system will still be fairly delicate after all those chemicals. I usually just took a couple of muffins with me and my own bottled water. Rather than taking a meat sandwich, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich would also be good. I also made some mint or camomile tea, cooled it, and poured it into a bottle to take with me in case my stomach was bit quesy. Have a fabulous cruise. Since my illness, I have been on five cruises (booked on sixth in February) and I have never missed a sunset while on the ship. Whenever I have taken food on shore, if there were leftovers, I always took them back to the ship and disposed them there. I never take fruit or meat products off the ship. Have a fabulous cruise.

[House_Atreides]

And we wonder why we are coined "Ugly Americans." Nevermind the laws of the nations we are visiting, if I want/need to take food off the ship, I'll do just that! [/sarcasm]

I hear you---I'm very well traveled; have been all over the place since I was a kid. I have not however, been a diabetic all my life and after our first cruise I learned to take some food with me....I had a low and nothing around, not even an orange juice. I could have had a coma...luckily found a Coke and alleviated my low.

It's not that I don't CARE about other cultures. I respect and honor them. It's just that my health says I need to have food with me at all times; granola bar, sandwich, whatever...but I have to have something!

[dot73]

I agree wholeheartedly that respecting other cultures is very important and you should use common sense when taking food off the ship. Obviously, you should never take fruit or perishable items such as meats. However, some people do need to carry food with them and may be leery of eating local foods for health reasons. (I remember eating some plain pastry in Jamaica and spending the next 14 hours in the bathroom.) I would think the most important thing when taking food off the ship would be to bring back to the ship anything that you don't finish. This way it can be disposed off safely.

[happytogoing]

Thanks for your good wishes... We had a great time on the cruise. In the end, I played it safe. I took off muffins / danish and rolls, no meat or fruit. And I carried water. No problems. We didn't stay off the ship for long, so it wasn't a problem.

 

I had a wonderful time, a cruise is a wonderful way to celebrate the end of chemo, you can relax all the time if you need to!

 

Only problem is, now I'm hooked, and I want to go back!!;)

[laprofesora]

I agree wholeheartedly that respecting other cultures is very important and you should use common sense when taking food off the ship. Obviously, you should never take fruit or perishable items such as meats. However, some people do need to carry food with them and may be leery of eating local foods for health reasons. (I remember eating some plain pastry in Jamaica and spending the next 14 hours in the bathroom.) I would think the most important thing when taking food off the ship would be to bring back to the ship anything that you don't finish. This way it can be disposed off safely.

 

I bet there were peanuts in your pastry in Jamaica. I once ate some kind of jamaican cookie with peanuts in the United States and had the same reaction. Food also tends to be on the spicy side.

[Cotton]

What an old post. I don't think I've seen one this old (4 yrs.+) brought back from obscurity.

 

Cool.:cool: Happy cruisin'.

[peabody99]

while I like to eat local foods and support the locals in port, I sometimes am heading strait to a more remote place that may not have food available. I have ziplocked things like cold cuts, cheese and a roll in a soft sided cooler. Best move was packing a few chocolate pastries for a beach day in St. Barths

[auntdana]

whatever each person needs to do to take care of there own well being they need to do

 

people want to bring food off the ship due to many reasons

 

health issues

concerns about eatting local food

some are on budgets

others liek to have a snack

 

 

i feel there is nothing wrong in doing what you need to do

 

my only advise use good judgement and do not draw

 

attention to yourselves

 

enjoy your cruise

[sultan_sfo]

It is against the law in ports of many countries to bring food from the ship. There has been discussion on this -- use the search function. I admire your recommendation! Break the "law". I sincerely hope some of these pax get arrested!

 

...

 

i feel there is nothing wrong in doing what you need to do

 

my only advise use good judgement and do not draw

 

attention to yourselves

 

enjoy your cruise

[Cotton]

I totally agree. WE, as visitors to these beautiful islands, need to respect their laws. We don't want to be the cause of the ruination of their crops, etc., due to any type foreign bacteria, fungus, etc.

 

The only things legally allowed to be brought off the ship are pre-packaged food, from the manufacturer. Items like packaged crackers, energy bars, cookies, etc. are fine.

 

Definitely NOT things you pack yourself in ziplok bags.:(

[Bookish Angel]

If you absolutely must have something to eat, buy something pre-packaged at the ship's store.

 

Laws are not merely suggestions for appropriate behavior; they are mandates.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have been in many ports and watched as the officials -- as you get off the ship or the tenders -- checked all purses -- back-packs, etc.

I was surprised that even on one of our HAL cruises in Mexico -- the officials took away packaged cereal!!

We never take any kind off of a ship -- just follow the rules.

On HAL they are posted in the daily program -- and there is a note as you leave the ship.

[peabody99]

this must be a new policy. I have never heard of this rule on any ship I have sailed on (with exception in some cases-fruit/produce).

[Cotton]

Not a new policy. I really wasn't aware of it until several cruises ago, when I noticed it in the Capers (Carnival).

[Krazy Kruizers]

Not a new rule -- HAL has been warning passengers for at 2 - 3 years about this.

[papa_smoke]

Rules and Laws are for the WEAK! Foreign Countries! BAH! I laugh at Foreign Country Laws! Ha Ha . . . Ha Ha!

 

I am a U.S. Citizen and I do not need to hear about Foreign laws!

 

I will take a turkey dinner ashore, complete with all the trimmings, and if ANYONE says ANYTHING to me, I will simply give them my "EVIL EYE"!!

 

I will take a fruit basket ashore. I will eat fruit in front of foreign authorities! BAH! I will laugh at the weak law enforcement officers as they whine to me about their "laws". I will NOT offer any fruit to them!

 

If ANY foreigner comes to MY shore, do NOT bring your tainted food ashore! U.S. food and Cruiseline food is ALL good and does NOT contain any bad micro-organisms. YOUR food is . . .well . . . BAH!

 

I am not a Lemming! I am an Eagle! I do what I want. I go where I want. I take food ashore. I am coming to YOUR shore!!

 

BAH!!!

 

 

 

 

 

(OK. For those few folks who have the sense of humor of a box of rocks, this is a JOKE! It is NOT serious.)

 

Seriously. Do not take food ashore. If you have health concerns, contact your purser with the situation. You will not be the first and they WILL know what to do.