Lunch to go on port days?

[1 HappyCruiser]

In Russia they enforce it with armed soldiers and dogs.

 

They seriously enforce it in Australia.

 

In some countries they look into every purse and other bag as you get off off the ship on a port call.

 

I'll add Russia & Columbia to my list in case I ever go there. ;)

[IECalCruiser]

I'll add Russia & Columbia to my list in case I ever go there. ;)

As Bowie MeMe posted, ad Chile to you list also. We saw the dogs when we disembarked there. You apparently can get in trouble there with Burt's Bees products.

[cellyml12]

My mother went on a 3 day cruise more than 40 years ago that went to the Bahamas from Miami Florida. The family lore and story is that she stood next to the garbage can and ate her papaya because she refused to throw it away to enter the US port.:p so for anyone wondering if the rule is a rule YES and it is enforced.

 

Maybe you don't see all the checks and security with your own eyes but it is there. The law is also there and they can arrest you and they can fine you and they can DELAY you. Is it worth it to have a "free" sandwich?

 

In Chili last February, our bus and a bus filled with crew members was in the arrival hall at the same time. Perhaps 100 people in line all mixed together for maybe 15 minutes. We passed by at least 4 different men and women who were inspecting and 15 signs with big pictures showing what could NOT come in. One young crew member with a hard earned day off and in civies (dressed to the hilt in baggy pants etc.) was singled out by the dog. One out of 100. He had a single orange in his pocket. He offered it to the inspector but she could not "forgive" it because he was over the line where you can surrender with no penalty. I asked one of the other crew members what would happen. He sadly told me that at the least his friend would not get his day on shore, his supervisor from the ship would have to come sign for him to be allowed back to the ship and he could well lose his job immediately for not following the rules.

 

The Department of Agriculture in every country is VERY serious about protecting their country from introduced elements that can cause problems. The best way to protect is to prevent the bug, food, plant, dirt in the first place. I have seen the checks for myself and I know they are a great possiblity!

Not to get TOTALLY get off topic, but OMG! You live where my soon to be DH grew up!! I just think it's odd because you don't see Bowie very often & I never heard of the place until we met! Small world! :D

[Cruiserkenn]

This appeared in every Patter for port days and was mentioned in the the announcement over the PA at every port:

 

Agricultural Notice: The U.S. and Canadian Agricultural Departments remind you that heavy fines can be imposed for bringing any fruit, vegetables, flowers, plants, meats or diary products into our ports of call.

 

I didn't see anyone being searched but you certainly couldn't plead ignorance if you were...

 

Following these rules, I once brought a variety of breads with me, for a long (2 excursions) day in Victoria (BC). Canadian customs searched my backpack, and I quoted these rules. Once I quoted the rules, the Canadian customs officer passed me on thru with a smile. (A very nice lady!)

 

PS - please remember that this was in Canada. I would not care to quote any rules to the officers in St. Petersburg, Russia. No smiles from the officers, there, male or female...

[Loonbeam]

They missed one point. Bread is considered a plant product because it can carry plant insects and pathogens. She could have denied you on those grounds...

 

Following these rules' date=' I once brought a variety of breads with me, for a long (2 excursions) day in Victoria (BC). Canadian customs searched my backpack, and I quoted these rules. Once I quoted the rules, the Canadian customs officer passed me on thru with a smile. (A very nice lady!)

 

PS - please remember that this was in Canada. I would not care to quote any rules to the officers in St. Petersburg, Russia. No smiles from the officers, there, male or female...[/quote']

[Cruiserkenn]

They missed one point. Bread is considered a plant product because it can carry plant insects and pathogens. She could have denied you on those grounds...

 

Yes, but the actual notice says "plants" and thus

the Canadian customs officer, on the scene, happily passed me thru with a smile :)

 

Smile and enjoy :)

 

As I said, I wouldn't do this in St. Petersburg...

[Hokiepackcruiser]

Yes' date=' but the actual notice says "plants" and thus

the Canadian customs officer, on the scene, happily passed me thru with a smile :)

 

Smile and enjoy :)

 

As I said, I wouldn't do this in St. Petersburg...[/quote']

 

On my 1st trip into Moscow (in 1992) I learned my 1st Russian word when the border guard looked at my visa and said "problema" and they hauled me "upstairs" to meet their bosses. Tense, but nothing a little green couldn't resolve. However, I agree with you - I wouldn't talk back to those serious folks.

[1 HappyCruiser]

As Bowie MeMe posted, ad Chile to you list also. We saw the dogs when we disembarked there. You apparently can get in trouble there with Burt's Bees products.

 

Added. Thanks

[improvman]

Just disembarked today. Horizon had some cold sandwiches wrapped up, so I guess I could have taken some from the prior lunch and refrigerate them until the port day. But with agriculture laws, it's probably beat I didn't do that anyway. $6 Safeway sandwiches hit the spot during some beautiful whale watching!

[caribill]

Bread is considered a plant product...

 

A newspaper and a book are plant products also.

[Bowie MeMe]

Not to get TOTALLY get off topic, but OMG! You live where my soon to be DH grew up!! I just think it's odd because you don't see Bowie very often & I never heard of the place until we met! Small world! :D

 

Yep the land of Bowie. We are up to about 60,000 now. Ask DH which section? All sections in Bowie have roads/schools/parks etc starting with the same letter. Can tell when that section started by the letter. Always finding someone who has been through Bowie for awhile --- military and politics keep the churn going. Bowie is also very old (one of early plantations --first land transaction was in 1651). Nice place to hang around between cruises and there are 3 air ports within an hour!

 

Another reason for talking about the rules for agriculture -- many of those rules come from Dept. of Agriculture labs and offices in and around Bowie. Many of our folks work for Agriculture including my daughter who worked in the transient "bug" department in high school.

[Bowie MeMe]

Added. Thanks

 

I certainly saw the dogs (beagle and then a German Shepherd checked the Beagle) and there were at least 3 men in full military uniform including a small but very serious automatic rifle and a handgun and knife on his belt.

Versions of this security were also at the airport and I did see some people being escorted from the area with the gun pointed and the cuffs on!!

 

Just for your information at Santiago airport they do an additional bag check (out on the table to empty the bags!) before stepping on the airplane. The folks getting on the plane handled the situation as though this was the norm so don't think it was special security. All water bottles including those fancy ones from the hiking store were trashed if they held liquid. That was probably not Agriculture as much as security.

 

Ecuador for the Galapagos Islands makes you clean your shoes and rinse your swimming equipment (snorkel fins etc) when going from one island to another and the guides work for and are authorized by the National Park not the ships that they guide for. That is of course in addition to NO FOOD, Liquids or Smokes etc allowed off the ship. Real Real serious folks about not introducing anything to environment. Spending millions to remove the things (goats,pigs and plants) introduced by shipwrecked early settlers.

[cellyml12]

Yep the land of Bowie. We are up to about 60,000 now. Ask DH which section? All sections in Bowie have roads/schools/parks etc starting with the same letter. Can tell when that section started by the letter. Always finding someone who has been through Bowie for awhile --- military and politics keep the churn going. Bowie is also very old (one of early plantations --first land transaction was in 1651). Nice place to hang around between cruises and there are 3 air ports within an hour!

 

Another reason for talking about the rules for agriculture -- many of those rules come from Dept. of Agriculture labs and offices in and around Bowie. Many of our folks work for Agriculture including my daughter who worked in the transient "bug" department in high school.

 

I just saw this & he's already at work for the day. I know he graduated from Bowie High School, but I'll ask him the other question later.

[Bowie MeMe]

Still only one public HS in Bowie, then add DeMatha Catholic, and Eleanor Roosevelt HS (arch rivals) competitive science tech school. Go Bulldogs (not the security kind!)

[paddingtonbear]

I'll add Russia & Columbia to my list in case I ever go there. ;)

 

You wouldn't need a list if you just followed the rules. :(

[Loonbeam]

I had some time during a boring webinar, so I decided to go to the source and called some contacts at the USDA and ICE. In short, as a general rule it is forbidden to bring ANY unpackaged goods off of a cruise ship into the US. This is due to the fact they inspectors are unable to determine where the item was sourced, and the potential for cross contamination,

 

With that said, it was admitted that enforcement was more lax in Alaska because of the limited risk of problems, since other than Vancouver there are no non-US ports on the itinerary. It's assumed anyone flying in was checked at the airport, so only spot checks are performed.

 

Interesting tidbit. In general, if you are asked and you declare any agricultural products, if they are not allowed you will be usually allowed to discard them. If you do not declare when asked and then are caught, its a hefty fine.

 

The lesson, its probably better to be safe then sorry and use packaged goods, but if you do take food off the ship and are queried, fess up,

[1 HappyCruiser]

You wouldn't need a list if you just followed the rules. :(

 

My list is quite small since most of the places mentioned that do check with any great effort, I don't travel to.

[sherryf]

I had some time during a boring webinar, so I decided to go to the source and called some contacts at the USDA and ICE. In short, as a general rule it is forbidden to bring ANY unpackaged goods off of a cruise ship into the US. This is due to the fact they inspectors are unable to determine where the item was sourced, and the potential for cross contamination,

 

With that said, it was admitted that enforcement was more lax in Alaska because of the limited risk of problems, since other than Vancouver there are no non-US ports on the itinerary. It's assumed anyone flying in was checked at the airport, so only spot checks are performed.

 

FWIW, I did look back at my Patters from last week (Golden Alaska RT Seattle) and carefully looked through ever page on every port day, and not once did it mention these restrictions. I never heard any announcements on the ship either. I know about the rules because I spend so much time here at Cruise Critic, but a first-time cruiser would probably have no idea that there were any restrictions. I can imagine that a lot of people think those plastic wrapped sandwiches in the HC are convenient snacks to take ashore. Princess should make sure that these rules are clearly explained in the Patters.

[cellyml12]

Yep the land of Bowie. We are up to about 60,000 now. Ask DH which section? All sections in Bowie have roads/schools/parks etc starting with the same letter. Can tell when that section started by the letter. Always finding someone who has been through Bowie for awhile --- military and politics keep the churn going. Bowie is also very old (one of early plantations --first land transaction was in 1651). Nice place to hang around between cruises and there are 3 air ports within an hour!

 

Another reason for talking about the rules for agriculture -- many of those rules come from Dept. of Agriculture labs and offices in and around Bowie. Many of our folks work for Agriculture including my daughter who worked in the transient "bug" department in high school.

 

He said it's the Heather Hills section.