Taking food/drink off ship at port

[vinoblanco]

Blimey, I didn't realise it wasn't allowed and no one has ever stopped me. I usually take fruit to eat on the beach or on tours. Note to self... Stop doing that.

[Cruisin' Chick]

You're lucky. I got very good at wrapping up our swing set when they were spraying (crop dusting) malathion to kill fruit flies. On spraying nights we couldn't use the air conditioning, in Lis Angeles, in the summer.

 

Mexico is strict. The AG dog in San Diego alerted to my Lemonheads.

 

Plus you need to cover your cars to avoid damage to the paint. But one little pest that gets into an agricultural area (which is quite a bit of this state) can really mess up the economy.

 

 

I ALWAYS take bottled water and sealed home snacks. But have been known to take a sandwich or piece of pizza if we are on a full day trip or not sure of the good quality in the port. Some people even bring their own baggies...I don't go that far:rolleyes:

 

But don't try that in Australia...they are VERY serious about no food....

 

I'm surprised that someone who lives in So Cal doesn't know not to do this. I do bring unopened Power and Zone bars...that kind of thing for when leaving the ship in port. But if we're going to Australia or another port that is strict, we won't take anything.

[Working 2 Cruise]

One of these days, someone is going to: (a) find themselves in jail; or (2) get a $10,000 fine.

 

This could happen at any time

[Keith1010]

Some places you can take pre package foods and some you cannot.

 

The devil is in the details.

 

In other words this varies by port and country.

 

Keith

[Clarea]

Mainly because they are selfish and don't care about anyone or anything, but themselves.

Always a problem.

[caribill]

Just read your Patter, it will usually tell you what ports not to take stuff off.

 

The Patter will have the same wordage for every port, no matter what the restrictions may or may not be there.

 

We take off bottled water/sealed and unsealed. We also take pre- package snacks for port days with us.

 

Never have we taken off any ship food.

 

Usually ports don't want meat products,dairy,fruit,cheeses, etc. taken off the ship. This is the important part. No meat, fruit dairy or cheese.

 

I have never encountered a " food" police in any port asking or sniffing if we had food in our bags when we disembark in any given port,but I guess it can happen randomly. We have been in a number of ports where they ask all passengers to open purses and other types of cases to inspect for food that should not be brought on shore. Also have been to a number of ports where they do have dogs sniffing for the forbidden items.

 

And some countries will have additional restrictions. For example, Australia does not want any products with nuts taken ashore, prepackaged or not. I have read of Hershey's bars with almonds being confiscated.

 

Below shows one port where dogs are used:

Edited March 2, 2016 by caribill

[SadieN]

People are so happy when the cute Labrador sits next to them. They are shocked when they are asked to open their bags.

[john watson]

In fairness to security protocols you should have pixelated that dog's head. One day she will retire and people with a grudge might recognise her.

 

Regards John

[OzKiwiJJ]

I don't recall being challenged about taking anything ashore in my bag. I've taken fruit from breakfast and bottled water.

 

Don't try taking fruit ashore if you cruise Australia and New Zealand. Both countries take biosecurity very seriously and fruit is an absolute no-no.

[capriccio]

People are so happy when the cute Labrador sits next to them. They are shocked when they are asked to open their bags.

 

While waiting for luggage in Miami after a Princess charter from Manaus a very friendly beagle came up to a very elderly couple from the cruise and targeted the gentleman's carry-on. He was obviously confused but the agent was very patient explaining that she needed to look in his bag. That took a while (he had an orange in it if I remember correctly) and meanwhile the dog had rolled over on its back and the wife was busy rubbing the dog's stomach totally ignoring the husband's predicament. All ended well.

[Sailin Gal]

I preface this by saying that after reading this thread, I will check customs regulations much more carefully in the future. :eek:

 

Here is what we have done in the past and it worked very well. . .

 

Packed zip baggies (we don't leave home without them), and a small, insulated lunch bag in our luggage. We froze a clean, wet face cloth in our cabin fridge, packed that in a baggie as an ice pack, and ordered sandwiches and chips from room service late the night before the excursion. Sandwiches and mock ice pack went ashore with us in the insulated lunch bag. Bottled water and chips in the backpack too.

 

I've only done this in one port, and made the decision to do so based on our previous stop in that port, and what we had planned for the day. Not sayin' we don't spend plenty ashore for food and drink, but this just worked well for us on one particular shore day.

[floridalover5623]

I preface this by saying that after reading this thread, I will check customs regulations much more carefully in the future. :eek:

 

 

That's all it takes. Just read the Patter.

You would be surprised how many countries do allow certain foods- especially baked products.

[figmentdj]

How about the USVI? Maybe a zip locked bag of IC sandwiches and chips? Similar to what Sailin Gal does.

 

By the way - I would never take bananas, apples or oranges off at any port. Just too many issues.

[chrysalis]

How about the USVI? Maybe a zip locked bag of IC sandwiches and chips? Similar to what Sailin Gal does.

 

By the way - I would never take bananas, apples or oranges off at any port. Just too many issues.

 

You can't take any food off the ship when you return to the US, so the USVI wouldn't be any different, right?

[GUT2407]

While waiting for luggage in Miami after a Princess charter from Manaus a very friendly beagle came up to a very elderly couple from the cruise and targeted the gentleman's carry-on. He was obviously confused but the agent was very patient explaining that she needed to look in his bag. That took a while (he had an orange in it if I remember correctly) and meanwhile the dog had rolled over on its back and the wife was busy rubbing the dog's stomach totally ignoring the husband's predicament. All ended well.

 

It normally does end fine, but some get stroppy about being stopped and that's when it can ge rough. (how dare you ake my apple).

[tailspintom]

In fairness to security protocols you should have pixelated that dog's head. One day she will retire and people with a grudge might recognise her.

 

Regards John

 

Very funny, John. It reminds me of the fellow looking for a pet and being introduced to a talking dog. After the dog brags about being singularly responsible for the apprehension of a mutitude of international criminals, the fellow is told the dog sells for 10 dollars. The reason it is so cheap? It is such a big liar.

[Napagirl]

I've never even noticed any warnings about bringing food into port. Now I know!!

 

As someone who has dietary restrictions, it's easy to throw some almonds in my bag just so I don't starve. I guess I better bring some pre-packaged ones from home.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I've never even noticed any warnings about bringing food into port. Now I know!!

 

 

You'd notice if you were cruising down under. Announcements every ten minutes or so once people started going ashore at the various ports, plus numerous large signs, and often those cute little beagles checking EVERY bag. You can't get past them. ;)

[pablo222]

You'd notice if you were cruising down under. Announcements every ten minutes or so once people started going ashore at the various ports, plus numerous large signs, and often those cute little beagles checking EVERY bag. You can't get past them. ;)

 

They had dogs on the pier in Cozumel, so americans don't have to

really go very far to encounter this.

[Cruise Raider]

Ok -- I am a little confused. I have always seen the patter warning passengers of taking food off the ship while in port. I have been told they are worried about the food being taken off the ship, which is always why we take some pre-packaged fruit / nut mix from our local grocery store -- each individual pack is factory sealed and just a handful in each pack. We also might bring granola bars, also prepackaged. Are these allowed in most ports in the Caribbean, Alaska and Mexico? I always assumed they were and we also take a bottle of water with us into ports whenever we go. I cannot see any problem with doing that ... but what about our prepackaged nuts and dried fruit and granola bars. I also love those small packets of hot peanuts. Are there ports that don't allow this type of food to be taken ashore if it hasn't been opened before leaving the ship?

[GUT2407]

1. 
   

Ok -- I am a little confused. I have always seen the patter warning passengers of taking food off the ship while in port. I have been told they are worried about the food being taken off the ship, which is always why we take some pre-packaged fruit / nut mix from our local grocery store -- each individual pack is factory sealed and just a handful in each pack. We also might bring granola bars, also prepackaged. Are these allowed in most ports in the Caribbean, Alaska and Mexico? I always assumed they were and we also take a bottle of water with us into ports whenever we go. I cannot see any problem with doing that ... but what about our prepackaged nuts and dried fruit and granola bars. I also love those small packets of hot peanuts. Are there ports that don't allow this type of food to be taken ashore if it hasn't been opened before leaving the ship?

 

 

Every port I've been to, commercially pre packaged, sealed food has been OK.

[redtogo]

Are you allowed to take drinks or food off the ship in port? I am wondering if I can pack some prepackaged food (pretzels, etc) from home or bring ziplock a for a cookie or other snack from on the ship for us to eat while on the beach. Thanks!!

 

Announcements are made that you should not take food off the ship. We have been in ports where officials are searching bags and there is more fruit on the searcher's tables than on the buffet at any one time on the ship.

 

I wouldn't try it. There can be fines imposted.

 

I don't recall being challenged about taking anything ashore in my bag. I've taken fruit from breakfast and bottled water.

 

I've seen people stopped by the port police after the little port police dog sits down and alerts the officials to food in the passenger's bag. The dog wasn't alerted to a sandwich, which I would have thought would really have an odor. It was alerted to an apple in the passenger's bag. An APPLE !!

Edited March 3, 2016 by redtogo

[OzKiwiJJ]

I've seen people stopped by the port police after the little port police dog sits down and alerts the officials to food in the passenger's bag. The dog wasn't alerted to a sandwich, which I would have thought would really have an odor. It was alerted to an apple in the passenger's bag. An APPLE !!

 

They are trained to detect certain scents.

 

An apple (or any other fruit) could harbour insects so is far more dangerous to biosecurity than a sandwich made from processed foods (eg bread, ham, mustard) but even those are banned.

[OzKiwiJJ]

1. 
   

 

 

Every port I've been to, commercially pre packaged, sealed food has been OK.

 

They were asking people to declare ANY packaged food that people were taking ashore in NZ on our recent Celebrity cruise. If it's OK you are allowed to keep it otherwise it goes in the bin.

 

At Dunedin I had some chocolates I was giving to my brother for Christmas. I'd bought them at a store in Auckland so took the receipt with me to show the biosecurity chap so was OK.

[Cruise Raider]

1. 
   

 

 

Every port I've been to, commercially pre packaged, sealed food has been OK.

 

Perfect! I will take them with me in that case. My stomach is sensitive to some of the local foods when I eat off the ship. I just need a little snack to hold me over so will take these sealed snacks with me while out in port. thanks!

I understand that New Zealand might be a different story but going nowhere near there so hopefully all will be ok.