Bringing Food INTO Sydney Following a Cruise

[queenpriscilla]

Hi!

 

I have Coeliac disease which means I need to eat gluten free food. I am travelling on a Royal Caribbean cruise from Perth to Sydney via New Zealand next year. I am flying into Perth a few days before the cruise leaves so I can acclimatise to the times etc and to have a good old look around! I was also planning on raiding the local Coles, Woolworths etc for some gluten free goodies to both eat on the ship and to bring home. I assume as I travel I may also buy some things (i.e. if I visit the Cadbury factory in NZ I will probably buy some chocolate to bring home to the UK) but I have concerns regarding the rules at customs as I get off the ship at Sydney.

 

I have been to Australia once before on holiday so I am aware that they have strict rules with regards to bringing food into the country but the food that is brought 'into' Sydney would have been originally purchased in Perth or NZ and will have receipts etc.

 

I am going straight to the airport from the ship so don't have time to go shopping after getting off the ship.

 

Can anyone help with regards to what they think I should do?? Will the food be allowed? won't be buying things like fruit, meat, cheese, etc but probably will get some biscuits, crackers, breakfast cereals, crisps, sweets/chocolates etc.

 

Thanks in advance! :)

Edited April 16, 2016 by queenpriscilla

[vozzie]

1. Complete arrival form truthfully. E.g. Do you have any food? Yes
   
2. Keep all your food items together in a bag...easier to have them inspected
   
3. Once inspected, probably most processed stuff will be allowed through, however the Quarantine Service will decide
   

[aussiedisneyfan]

You shouldn't have any problems with any of that. Just make sure you declare that you have it.

[GUT2407]

1. Complete arrival form truthfully. E.g. Do you have any food? Yes
   
2. Keep all your food items together in a bag...easier to have them inspected
   
3. Once inspected, probably most processed stuff will be allowed through, however the Quarantine Service will decide
   

 

Declare declare declare

 

And be prepared to be asked to throw it away

[Aus Traveller]

On one trip returning to Australia I had quite a lot of food items (not meat, cheese, honey, fruit etc.). As previously mentioned, I had the food in my hand luggage and noted on the arrival form that I had food items. I had prepared a list of the items and noted against each items where I obtained it. I didn't have receipts to show. The Quarantine officer simply looked down the list and approved each one. It was handled very quickly and courteously.

 

With the items you mention, as long as you declare them, you won't have any problem.

[celle]

As long as you declare the food, even if they confiscate some of it, you will not be fined. So declare everything.

 

The same, strict rules apply in New Zealand. If you just have port days on shore in New Zealand, it is best not to take any food off the ship. There will probably be sniffer dogs at the ports, who will find the food.

 

Have you contacted the cruise line's Special Needs department about your dietary needs? It is possible to ask for a gluten-free meals in the main dining room, but you will probably have to choose your main dish the night before.

[Susie001]

I'm a coeliac, too, and I always travel with GF food. As long as it's prepackaged food in its original packaging, and you declare it, you should have no problems. I came back from the US with 6 boxes of the best GF breakfast cereal ever, and Customs just waved me through :D

[NSWP]

'queenpriscilla'..Welcome to CC.

 

I am also a Coeliac and have taken dry packaged GF foods, crackers, cereal etc on ships and aircraft. As has been said declare it and you should be ok. The best GF brekkie food from the USA sounds good, what is it? Have to bring some back from LA.

 

Not sure about about RCI but Princess carries GF crackers and of course GF bread, rolls, cakes available, just ask.

 

Above all enjoy your cruise and the best country in the world!!

Edited April 17, 2016 by NSWP

[gek]

Meat, cheese and fruit are definitely out of the question but most processed and dry, packaged foods are OK.

 

As others have said make sure you declare everything and keep it handy for inspection.

 

Once upon a time I used to declare everything even when I knew it was OK because it would get you into the faster queue. Coming home from NZ it was always "Been to a farm?", "Yep", "Show us your shoes...fine. Off you go" and we would stroll past everyone queued up at the "nothing to declare" exit

[ariomD]

Can't see any problem as long as you declare it. I'm also coeliac and when I travelled on Princess the head waiter brought the next night's menu round to me every night so I could say what I wanted. They're very obliging for people with special dietary needs.

btw, I find Coles have a very good range of GF stuff, as do Woolworths. But I recommend a suburban supermarket rather than the inner city shops. And IGA carry a (small) range of GF sweets, as do some chemists.

Enjoy your trip. :)

[Susie001]

Uncle Les, I fell in love with Chex cereal. Comes in lots of varieties, cinnamon (my favourite), honey nut, rice, corn, chocolate...delicious! It's similar to Kelloggs Crispix, but Crispix is not GF :(

I should add that it's GF to US standards, so 20ppm, as opposed to our 3. However, I've eaten GF-labelled food in the States, Europe and the UK, and not had a problem, so I tend not to worry about the different standards.

[Aussieflyer]

Should be fine as long as the food is processed/packaged in its original packaging and not opened at all. just make sure you do declare foodstuffs.

[queenpriscilla]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it!

 

I understand that I have to speak to the head waiter or someone on the first night to make my needs aware but I also have emailed the special needs department when I made the booking, where I also specified my needs!

 

I will make sure to keep all foods I buy in one bag and will tick the declaration YES box under foods. I will just see how I get on.

 

And by the way, Chex from the US are amazing! My parents recently came back from Miami and brought me back one box of Chocolate Chex and I so wished they'd brought more!!

[joybook]

Just make sure you declare it all. From our experience it will not matter if you purchased it in Australia or not. You still have to declare it. Just because you may have purchased the item in Australia will mean nothing. Best of luck.:)

[Cabansail]

I just hide the food items under something that will distract them. A big bag of cocaine does the trick, but firearms or explosives would be just as good.

 

Have never been caught for any food items yet. :D

[NSWP]

Uncle Les, I fell in love with Chex cereal. Comes in lots of varieties, cinnamon (my favourite), honey nut, rice, corn, chocolate...delicious! It's similar to Kelloggs Crispix, but Crispix is not GF :(

I should add that it's GF to US standards, so 20ppm, as opposed to our 3. However, I've eaten GF-labelled food in the States, Europe and the UK, and not had a problem, so I tend not to worry about the different standards.

Thanks for the advice re Chex, certainly will give that a go in USA before I board Island Princess and bring some back. Not a great range of GF cereals here, GF Weetbix yuk, cornflakes/muesli passable. Princess had some sort of GF cereal on board, identity unknown to all.

[NSWP]

I just hide the food items under something that will distract them. A big bag of cocaine does the trick, but firearms or explosives would be just as good.

 

Have never been caught for any food items yet. :D

Oh dear, I not like what I read. LOL.

[cassamanda]

Someone shouldve told Johnny Depp to declare, declare, declare:)

[Aus Traveller]

Someone shouldve told Johnny Depp to declare, declare, declare:)

Today he was sooooo apologetic. I reckon his lawyer told him he had to do that, but I remember the negative comments he made about Australia and about Barnaby Joyce after the incident. It appeared to me that he thought he was above the law. Today his wife claimed that she was tired and jet-lagged when she filled in the Customs declaration and that she made a mistake. Yeah. I believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny too. ;)

[GUT2407]

Today he was sooooo apologetic. I reckon his lawyer told him he had to do that, but I remember the negative comments he made about Australia and about Barnaby Joyce after the incident. It appeared to me that he thought he was above the law. Today his wife claimed that she was tired and jet-lagged when she filled in the Customs declaration and that she made a mistake. Yeah. I believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny too. ;)

 

They got off light.

[joejoe 59]

Thanks everyone for taking the time to reply, I really appreciate it!

 

I understand that I have to speak to the head waiter or someone on the first night to make my needs aware but I also have emailed the special needs department when I made the booking, where I also specified my needs!

 

I will make sure to keep all foods I buy in one bag and will tick the declaration YES box under foods. I will just see how I get on.

 

And by the way, Chex from the US are amazing! My parents recently came back from Miami and brought me back one box of Chocolate Chex and I so wished they'd brought more!!

As everyone said no problem with bringing gf food in.

We just did an RCL cruise & as a coeliac they handle it very well, even in the buffet they have a gf section at all meal times.

Enjoy your cruise.

[NSWP]

They got off light.

They are untouchable celebs, of course they got off light, just like boofhead footballers and prima donna swimmers. Hit 'em hard, hit 'em low, hit 'em with the old pea beau.

[mv13]

Just arrived back from a cruise on RCI Explorer of the Seas last week and as a poster above said, they have a GF section in Windjammer at every meal. From memory I believe some dishes on the menu in the Sapphire Dining Room were also marked as GF.

 

With regard to bringing food back into Australia or to any of the ports you stop at in NZ.....the announcements made on the ship state that it is forbidden to take any food products other than unopened bottled water ashore. I am diabetic and therefore carry Jellybeans/confectionery in case of low blood sugar. On disembarking in NZ, their quarantine officers had no problem with me taking confectionery ashore when asked.

 

Coming back into Sydney the incoming passenger card does not even ask you to declare all food products. It only asks if you are carrying the usual prohibited items of meat, dairy, fruit, vegetables, seafood etc. I had a wooden product to declare so also mentioned to the AQIS Officer that I had confectionery/chocolate but they weren't the least bit interested in checking the food.

 

As mentioned by other posters, "if in doubt declare", however on recent experience I think you will be fine to carry your GF packaged products ashore.

 

Have a great holiday!

 

Regards

 

Melissa

[joybook]

Re MV13s comments.

 

While I have no memory of the contents of the card, your comments regarding the incoming passenger card surprises me. My wife inadvertantly did not declare an unopened pack of biscuits (which coincidently she had purchased in Australia before leaving) when returning to Sydney. She was castigated by the customs people and really hauled over the coals - they were absolutely ruthless - yes the biscuits were confiscated.:)

[mv13]

Hi Joybook

 

I was also amazed that the incoming passenger card only targeted specific items of food as I believed, like you, that all food products must be declared. I re-read the card multiple times just to make sure!

 

I just did a web search and if you scroll down on the web page I have linked to below, you will find a copy of the card that we were given for our arrival at the Overseas Passenger Terminal last week, as well as a discussion regarding the changes. However, as I said in my previous post "if in doubt declare". Sorry in advance if the link does not work.

 

 

Regards

 

Melissa

Edited April 22, 2016 by mv13
Incorrect url