Anybody care to fess up and walk the plank with me?

[diesteldorf]

Mods: I realize this thread may be against official Carnival policy, so if that's the case, please feel free to lock it......

 

During my last cruise, I was hitting room service pretty hard. I got many different sandwiches, cheese cake, fruit salad, and cookies over several nights.

 

I always managed to put the pretzels aside, since I planned to save them for later. I had some cookies in reserve as well.

 

Of course, on disembarkation day, I had a little dilemma. I hate wasting food, and would appreciate a snack on the way home. However, Carnival and U.S. customs prohibit removing food from the ship.

 

This makes sense. Organic produce may contain insects or disease that could spread to U.S. and damage the ecosystem.

 

However, I figured pretzels and cookies were low risk items and potential damage was minor.

 

I gave into temptation and loaded the contraband into my suitcase....

 

I know what I did was wrong and I may have subjected to a heavy fine, so it was probably a stupid thing to do.

 

Anybody care to comment or share a similar experience.

 

I have had times where I've thought about grabbing some fruit and taking it with me during port days and/or past disembarkations, but I've always resisted.

 

I'd like to think that customs will be kinder to someone smuggling apples and snack food instead of cuban cigars, liquor, and narcotics, but both are illegal and against Carnival policy.....

Edited February 17, 2015 by diesteldorf

[splash_in_the_water]

LOL

 

 

yeah, I'm guilty too. Our last cruise I actually managed to get 2 guys burgers off the ship....didn't really make that much of a mess in my suitcase. There was a little spillage I managed to wipe with cruise capers and some wadded up cocktail napkins from one of the comedy shows.

 

Our next cruise I totally plan on seeing if I can get discarded dancer's clothing, and maybe see how far I get with a DoD through customs...I know it's a risk, but sometimes you just have to go full gusto...

[Rosefloater]

 

This makes sense. Organic produce may contain insects or disease that could spread to U.S. and damage the ecosystem.

 

However, I figured pretzels and cookies were low risk items and potential damage was minor.

 

I gave into temptation and loaded the contraband into my suitcase....

 

I know what I did was wrong and I may have subjected to a heavy fine, so it was probably a stupid thing to do.

 

Anybody care to comment or share a similar experience.

 

I have had times where I've thought about grabbing some fruit and taking it with me during port days and/or past disembarkations, but I've always resisted.

 

I'd like to think that customs will be kinder to someone smuggling apples and snack food instead of cuban cigars, liquor, and narcotics, but both are illegal and against Carnival policy.....

 

As you stated, you can do damage to a foreign country just as well as the US by bringing fruit into port. All the ports on the West Coast have either an ag dog or officers checking bags for fruit. It's funny when we watch people happy to see the dog sit next to them, only to be surprised when they are ordered to open their bags and hand over the food.

[sfaaa]

Just load up at breakfast buffet and you won't be hungry for the rest of the day. Why anyone needs to sneak food off the ship is beyond me.

[falkcor]

again, i am not convinced that this is for real...

 

but... these rules are also in place, because the relevant authorities, nor i, believe in your capacity to control contagions that you may bring back in your bags.

 

if, for instance, your plate of pretzels is sitting on the desk in your balcony, and you leave your door propped open with a bungee cord (also against cruise line policy), and a insect larvae are deposited on said week's worth of pretzels while you galavant around the caribbean, only to return with them later....

 

if you don't obey by one rule, who knows what you do abide by.

 

rules like this are in place to 'idiot-proof' standards. which unfortunately we all are subject to.

 

stupid stuff like this just affirms why such rules are in place. i don't know why i'm even responding to this because it does strike me as 'stupid stuff', but seriously. this is exactly why those rules are in place.

[doneinne]

I had the dog in Mexico alert on me. I had just eaten a banana before getting off the ship.

[misterchatter]

I had the dog in Mexico alert on me. I had just eaten a banana before getting off the ship.

 

That happened to me once also. My problem was it was in the form of banana gas. :p I thought the dog was getting really friendly, or just doing his job. ;)

[Tapi]

I'd like to think that customs will be kinder to someone smuggling apples and snack food instead of cuban cigars, liquor.....

 

 

Ooooh no they are not. In fact they are more vicious. I go through US Customs at the airport pretty frequently because of my job, and they couldn't care less if I'm bringing Fidel Castro's personal cigar collection in my suitcase. But if I have any food item with me, their demeanor changes completely and I get drilled with questions until they know for sure that what I'm bringing isn't harmful. And the agents aren't any less forgiving because I'm in uniform.

 

That little form that you fill out for US Customs asks if you're bringing certain food items. Even if you think that what you're bringing is OK, ALWAYS, ALWAYS answer YES. Let the agent figure out if it's acceptable or not. By answering YES you won't be subject to fines if they end up confiscating the items. But if you answer NO and they find the item, you are then guilty of smuggling and you'll face some hefty fines, measured in the 10's of thousands of dollars.

 

Those will be the most expensive cookies of your life if you're caught!

[sjn911]

Just remembering a young 29 year old version of myself flying from Kauai to Oahu and then home..In Oahu I realized the Gardinia I had with me was not ok..it was not purchased at airport..I was not trying to do anything,,just dumb...and all things were sniffed and they were so nice just saying sorry you have to leave it and giving me tips where I could get a legal flower.

 

Fast forward to around 45 and more rules and all and the people in Maui were just as sweet helping me sort my less than perfect carrey on.

 

I don't go often enough and goofed again last April with a visit to dad in Tuscon...the Mt people here were toughest but helped me re situate..

 

Let us pray next time I am clear and good..after all my reading in the minutiae that is ok and not in that quart ziplock bag and just pay to check from now on one...

 

9/11 ruined our world as we know it..kindness and trying to be good outwieghs stupidity and lack of practice,,,and last minute packing fatigue..most people are trying on both ends of equation in most locals...they were even sweet to me in NYC recently... Now with this mosquitoe disease and everything else that gets spread to food..agriculture stuff is serious...not just a farmer problem...it is your skin and tummy and life....

Edited February 17, 2015 by sjn911

[fuddrules]

I go through US Customs at the airport pretty frequently because of my job, and they couldn't care less if I'm bringing Fidel Castro's personal cigar collection in my suitcase. But if I have any food item with me, their demeanor changes completely and I get drilled with questions until they know for sure that what I'm bringing isn't harmful. And the agents aren't any less forgiving because I'm in uniform.

 

I don't doubt this but find it strange. Cigars are made from...wait for it.... plants. While a piece of fruit hasn't had much processing, I can't imagine a Cuban cigar gets more processing done to it than a pretzel.

 

I took a rueben sandwich off with me once, I don't think the little buggies were as interested in old sauerkraut as I was :D

[Tapi]

I don't doubt this but find it strange. Cigars are made from...wait for it.... plants. While a piece of fruit hasn't had much processing, I can't imagine a Cuban cigar gets more processing done to it than a pretzel :D

 

You never know what they are going to hone on or for what reason. I had a sealed, microwaveable mac and cheese cup (that contains nothing more than dry macaroni and a pouch of powdered cheese) with me, and the agent pulled me aside, laid down the law and was basically yelling at me for bringing that through. The reason? It's a "milk" (or farm) product. He didn't like it when I said that it was probably mostly chemicals. So morale of the story, answer YES on the form, and don't talk back.

 

About the Cuban cigar ban, it's a political ban.

Edited February 17, 2015 by Tapi

[sjn911]

Really interesting....all who are going through big places all the time..

[diesteldorf]

I appreciate the feedback, and, in retrospect know it was wrong. I was leaving the port of New Orleans and taking Amtrak back to Chicago, so I looked at the pretzels and cookies as munchies for the ride home, though, you are right, they could have been contaminated.

 

Once I was taking the train from New York to Toronto and had been snacking on a jar of planter's nuts the entire trip. When customs boarded as we were preparing to cross into Canada, I presented my nuts to the agent and offered to throw them away.

 

He looked at me, smiled, and said,

 

"Those rules are for the benefit of paranoid Americans. We are much more laid back. Welcome to Canada."

 

Of course, I've heard American agents tend to be more strict, but I've also heard the opposite. It totally depends on who you happen to run into.

[Boozebabe]

All that fruit that they don't want us to take off the ship was loaded ON the ship in the US for most Caribbean cruises. So is our fruit not safe?

 

I took about a dozen cookies off a Princess ship once. We ate them while waiting for a flight at the airport. At the time I didn't know this was forbidden or I definitely would not have done that.

[sparks1093]

All that fruit that they don't want us to take off the ship was loaded ON the ship in the US for most Caribbean cruises. So is our fruit not safe?

 

I took about a dozen cookies off a Princess ship once. We ate them while waiting for a flight at the airport. At the time I didn't know this was forbidden or I definitely would not have done that.

 

Once it's on the ship how do you tell if it's one that was brought on in the US or one that was brought on at a port by a passenger?

[The Viking]

Baked goods is OK to bring in. Do it all the time and declare it as well. I marked food products and they always ask what I bring in.

 

This has on l y been when flying in from overseas.

Edited February 17, 2015 by The Viking

[MazziB]

again, i am not convinced that this is for real...

 

but... these rules are also in place, because the relevant authorities, nor i, believe in your capacity to control contagions that you may bring back in your bags.

 

if, for instance, your plate of pretzels is sitting on the desk in your balcony, and you leave your door propped open with a bungee cord (also against cruise line policy), and a insect larvae are deposited on said week's worth of pretzels while you galavant around the caribbean, only to return with them later....

 

if you don't obey by one rule, who knows what you do abide by.

 

rules like this are in place to 'idiot-proof' standards. which unfortunately we all are subject to.

 

stupid stuff like this just affirms why such rules are in place. i don't know why i'm even responding to this because it does strike me as 'stupid stuff', but seriously. this is exactly why those rules are in place.

 

Well said. Remember: it's the little things they will get you!!

[Cruisin' Chick]

As someone who lives pretty close to an agricultural area, I can certainly understand why the officials are being careful. We've had to endure medfly spraying in years past -- not fun for residents not growing anything (you have to cover everything from cars to backyard play equipment). It's not just at the ports and airports, but there's ag checkpoints at just about anywhere you can cross a state or Mexican border into California.

 

Fruit is a major no no to bring in.

 

If you feel you may need a snack on a port day or for the way home, most of the time unopened factory sealed food items such as granola bars are ok for many ports. But there are some such as in Australia and New Zealand that will not allow any foodstuff taken off the ship, even in factory-sealed.

[sail7seas]

Baked cookies are okay in most (but not all) ports.

 

Mark Yes and ask.

[Jacs]

As someone who lives pretty close to an agricultural area' date=' I can certainly understand why the officials are being careful. We've had to endure medfly spraying in years past -- not fun for residents not growing anything (you have to cover everything from cars to backyard play equipment). It's not just at the ports and airports, but there's ag checkpoints at just about anywhere you can cross a state or Mexican border into California.

 

Fruit is a major no no to bring in.

 

If you feel you may need a snack on a port day or for the way home, most of the time unopened factory sealed food items such as granola bars are ok for many ports. But there are some such as in Australia and New Zealand that will not allow any foodstuff taken off the ship, even in factory-sealed.[/quote']

 

Yeah we and NZ probably have the strictest quarantine rules in the world, we can't even transport fruit between states. Coming by plane most processed foods are ok, but I think they just blanket ban all food off the ship to make it easier for the quarantine people.

[6rugrats]

 

I'd like to think that customs will be kinder to someone smuggling apples and snack food instead of cuban cigars, liquor, and narcotics, but both are illegal and against Carnival policy.....

 

No one cares about packaged cookies and pretzels. But, if you are flying back to the US and are carrying any type of fruit, or uncanned meats, customs officers are not kind. If discovered, and those cute dogs sniffing people's bags by the carousels are pretty good, you can lose your Global Entry status, if you have it, and have to pay a very large fine on top of that.

[sfaaa]

No one cares about packaged cookies and pretzels. .

 

Cookies & pretzels may not be the issue. Lying on the declaration form or to a customs agent definitely is. Don't try it.

Edited February 18, 2015 by sfaaa

[Flatbush Flyer]

OP (and anyone who agrees with him/her): PLEASE stay out of California and Hawaii ports.

[YubaSutter]

No one cares about packaged cookies and pretzels. But, if you are flying back to the US and are carrying any type of fruit, or uncanned meats, customs officers are not kind. If discovered, and those cute dogs sniffing people's bags by the carousels are pretty good, you can lose your Global Entry status, if you have it, and have to pay a very large fine on top of that.

 

That is what I was thinking. I have a few friends that were denied Global Entry because they brought back a piece of fruit from Canada 15 years ago. Fortunately I have my GE card and won't risk losing it for a sandwich.

[6rugrats]

I should say, if you are arriving in the US, no one cares about packaged cookies and pretzels. I really don't think you must declare a package of oreos on your customs form.

Edited February 18, 2015 by 6rugrats