"To Go" lunch box for excursions

[AE_Collector]

Quite discouraging to see the garbage can by the gangway overflowing with uneaten fruit and other food deposited by passengers disregarding the warnings until they heard about dogs and fines ahead as they headed for shore. We really niticed this in many South American ports a few months ago.

 

Terry

[shredie]

Is it possible to order a lunch on board to take with me off the ship on excursion days? We will be on the Emerald, 5-day.

 

Some excursions will provide lunch. If you are taking a tour, you need to check on that. If not, you can always buy a few things at one of the stores in the town. Often there will be shops near the docks.

[Colo Cruiser]

Some excursions will provide lunch. If you are taking a tour, you need to check on that. If not, you can always buy a few things at one of the stores in the town. Often there will be shops near the docks.

 

 

 

Yeah! ;)

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes. Huatulco, Mexico:

 

 

A picture is worth a thousand words. :D

[caribill]

I've never seen a backpack checked for food items as one debarks for a shore excursion.....have you?

 

Yes, several times.

 

Edited June 30, 2015 by caribill

[Aus Traveller]

I've never seen a backpack checked for food items as one debarks for a shore excursion.....have you?

Yes - in two separate ports.

 

In Darwin very often all passengers have to stand in a line and put their bags on the concrete floor. A dog will run along and quickly sniff the bags. I haven't seen anyone caught with food.

 

On a cruise in the Caribbean area we were told over the PA that no food was to be taken ashore. We docked at around 1.30 and had only the afternoon ashore. On the wharf, the passengers had to file pass Quarantine staff who checked every bag. I estimate about one out of three passengers had fruit in their bag. They must have thought they were going to starve in the few hours they were off the ship.:D

[cruiseryyc]

I've never seen a backpack checked for food items as one debarks for a shore excursion.....have you?

 

Yes I have.

[Putterdude]

I've never seen a backpack checked for food items as one debarks for a shore excursion.....have you?

 

Has this become a poll....is there a prize for the correct answer?

 

Yes, on many occasions and I have seen the barrel full of confiscated fruit and other foods. While I have never seen anyone fined, in many countries including the US there is a fine for bring fruit and some other foodstuffs into the country.

[Tarpeian Rock]

OK, having read both this and the linked thread: at the risk of seeming silly, where do bottled water and breath mints fit in all this? Or as a slight variation, a personal reusable water bottle filled from the ship's taps? Paranoia reigns......

[Putterdude]

OK, having read both this and the linked thread: at the risk of seeming silly, where do bottled water and breath mints fit in all this? Or as a slight variation, a personal reusable water bottle filled from the ship's taps? Paranoia reigns......

 

No problem, however either maybe checked for booze when you reboard the ship.

[Colo Cruiser]

OK, having read both this and the linked thread: at the risk of seeming silly, where do bottled water and breath mints fit in all this? Or as a slight variation, a personal reusable water bottle filled from the ship's taps? Paranoia reigns......

 

 

 

No problem.

[dtb55]

I've never seen a backpack checked for food items as one debarks for a shore excursion.....have you?

 

 

Yes, in Mexico.

[caribill]

If you are going on an excursion that would spill into a dining time or is over a certain amount of hours' date=' I would imagine you can email the operator and inquire about food breaks. [/quote']

 

Good luck on learning the e-mail address of the operator of a Princess excursion.

 

However, once onboard check with the shore excursion desk and ask them to inquire on your behalf.

[IECalCruiser]

We saw dogs sniffing each departing passenger for contraband food in Ensenada earlier this year and several people were pulled aside. There were also dogs sniffing departing passengers in Valparaiso in 2010 and we were told they might not be lenient with offenders. People were told not to leave with Burt's Bees products because the dogs would sniff them out. We saw several people pulled aside there also. As we cleared customs in Newark? or Dulles? on a flight from Copenhagen in 2013 a dog found a half eaten sandwich a passenger had forgotten to throw away and they were pulled aside for a inspection.

[cruzsnooze]

you can bring NON AGRICULTURE products. Grab a box of Cheerios at breakfast or something packaged. The dogs sniff for agriculture, I've brought a muffin or cookie ashore and the dogs don't react but make sure no agriculture in the muffin or cookie like raisins or the doggie will smell it. We have watched the watched at work in Mexico and it's interesting. I have never heard of a fine in Mexico yet but you didn't state where your cruise was heading to.

Bottled water and sealed beverages are also ok.

Edited July 1, 2015 by cruzsnooze

[Loonbeam]

Note that just because the dogs may not react, items like cookies and other unpackaged baked goods are still not permitted. Boxed goods like cereal are a good options.

 

you can bring NON AGRICULTURE products. Grab a box of Cheerios at breakfast or something packaged. The dogs sniff for agriculture, I've brought a muffin or cookie ashore and the dogs don't react but make sure no agriculture in the muffin or cookie like raisins or the doggie will smell it. We have watched the watched at work in Mexico and it's interesting. I have never heard of a fine in Mexico yet but you didn't state where your cruise was heading to.

Bottled water and sealed beverages are also ok.

[cruzsnooze]

Note that just because the dogs may not react, items like cookies and other unpackaged baked goods are still not permitted. Boxed goods like cereal are a good options.

 

Baked goods which are baked obviously are not considered agriculture and non agriculture is allowed. Next time just ask and you'll be told by the doggie handler, we did.

[shredie]

Baked goods which are baked obviously are not considered agriculture and non agriculture is allowed. Next time just ask and you'll be told by the doggie handler, we did.

 

Depends on the country you are visiting. It's not a good idea to try to take a doughnut off the ship. They had big guns in Chile and big dogs looking for anything foodstuff.

[Shelly97060]

I've never seen a backpack checked for food items as one debarks for a shore excursion.....have you?

 

 

Yes, once we were getting off and there was a dog and an officer at the end of the gangway. There were two guys ahead of us and the dog got very excited - they were asked to open the backpacks and they each had an orange in their packs. The oranges were taken and they were sent on their way.

[cruzsnooze]

Depends on the country you are visiting. It's not a good idea to try to take a doughnut off the ship. They had big guns in Chile and big dogs looking for anything foodstuff.

If it's a jelly donut then that fruit smell will trigger a reaction that's why I clearly stated to make sure nothing like raisins which are agriculture. A croissant didn't didn't trigger a reaction either. My experience was in Mexican ports. I won't eat in Mexico so I always bring something from the ship. In countries where the food quality isn't questionable I enjoy trying local things.

[mmckm]

If it's a jelly donut then that fruit smell will trigger a reaction that's why I clearly stated to make sure nothing like raisins which are agriculture. A croissant didn't didn't trigger a reaction either. My experience was in Mexican ports. I won't eat in Mexico so I always bring something from the ship. In countries where the food quality isn't questionable I enjoy trying local things.

 

They say no food items to be taken off the ship that are not prepackage. I guess your muffins are prepackage. Some people just don't care about laws and rules. Your visiting a foreign country and should respect their laws. I know someone that lost there NEXUS privileges for trying to take 2 limes into the USA, and they could have been fined also $500 for not declaring them. Now every time they go to the USA they go to secondary search, because there flagged in the computer.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Good luck on learning the e-mail address of the operator of a Princess excursion.

 

However, once onboard check with the shore excursion desk and ask them to inquire on your behalf.

 

I was referring to independent excursions. I don't book them, but I would hope if someone does, they would have contact info.

 

On the Princess site, it usually says if there's a lunch or snack provided during the tour.

[Colo Cruiser]

Depends on the country you are visiting. It's not a good idea to try to take a doughnut off the ship. They had big guns in Chile and big dogs looking for anything foodstuff.

 

When you see them coming, chow down.

[shredie]

My experience was in Mexican ports.

 

Mexico and Chile are two different countries. Different countries have their own rules for things. That is why I said it depends on the country. :rolleyes: You cannot extrapolate your experience in one port to imagine it will be the same in every port. You go right ahead and try to take whatever your heart desires off any ship in any port. It makes no difference to me if your croissant gets confiscated or if you get arrested by a big guy with a big gun. "But they said it was okay on Cruise Critic" probably won't help much, either.

Edited July 1, 2015 by shredie

[oskidunker]

Years ago cruise ships would pack you a lunch.