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Bringing food on board

TVNews

By TVNews,
in Holland America Line

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TVNews

TVNews

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I know it seems like more food would be the last thing you'd need on a cruise but DW and I like the idea of picking up local specialties (eg. Iberico ham in Spain) to enjoy on our balcony with a glass of wine. What's HAL's policy on bringing meat and cheese on board from ports of call? Any restrictions?

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

Posted
Posted (edited)
I know it seems like more food would be the last thing you'd need on a cruise but DW and I like the idea of picking up local specialties (eg. Iberico ham in Spain) to enjoy on our balcony with a glass of wine. What's HAL's policy on bringing meat and cheese on board from ports of call? Any restrictions?

 

None that I am aware of. When we pick up items such as you mentioned,they are normally in the vacuum sealed plastic. Have bought cheese in France which was not with no issue. I also bring flowers on board in some of the ports with the beautiful flower markets ;)

 

You can bring them on but you CAN'T take them off the ship in most if not all ports.

 

Don't forget the olives when you are in Spain - they are delicious :)

Edited by kazu
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IRL_Joanie

IRL_Joanie

Posted
Posted (edited)
I know it seems like more food would be the last thing you'd need on a cruise but DW and I like the idea of picking up local specialties (eg. Iberico ham in Spain) to enjoy on our balcony with a glass of wine. What's HAL's policy on bringing meat and cheese on board from ports of call? Any restrictions?

 

None whatsoever:)

 

We always make sure that at least once a year we make sure that one of our stops in the Caribbean goes to St Maartens so we can pick up Gouda cheese.

 

When we get the Gouda we buy at least 3 rounds (prepackaged in 3 kilo rounds) IF, and I repeat IF, the ship has a Shore and Store policy (not all HAL ships do, it depends upon the Hotel and COM Managers) they will store them for you in the galley.) IF they do not have it, we always bring 3 large refrigerated insulated bages with us which we keep filled with ice in the shower stall until disembarkation. We declare them with customs and breeze right through with no problems. Per Customs, as long as they are still in original packaged seals they are fine to bring off the ship into the US. Have done this several times so.....

 

We also like to pick up some of the local goodies at other stops to snack on while relaxing on the verandah.

 

As long as it is legal, you are allowed tyo bring it on. Just remember you cannot take food off the ship UNLESS it is still sealed in the original packaging.

 

Joanie

Edited by IRL_Joanie
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IRL_Joanie

IRL_Joanie

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I have brought fudge on board in Ketchikan. I doubt anyone even noticed, so I don't see it will be a problem.

 

:D Now YOU DONE DID IT!!! Made me drool!!!

 

I always buy at least 5 pounds of fudge in Skagway to bring home......Oh man......I cannot wait for next April, I'm outta my Alaska Fudge:(

 

Joanie

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

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thanks everyone for the quick responses. Looks like we will be enjoying some Manchego and ham in the Med in a few weeks.

 

Now you are making me drool talking about Manchego cheese :)

 

We ALWAYS buy Manchego cheese :) :)

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FredT

FredT

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LOL.... Just dont make the mistake we did. On out last New Zealand cruise we picked up some great chedder cheeses from the "Wicked Cheese Company".

 

 

We made the mistake of putting it out a couple times on our table during sail away. Poof... All gone! (Sooooo much better than anything on the ship!)

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fatcat04

fatcat04

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None whatsoever:)

 

We always make sure that at least once a year we make sure that one of our stops in the Caribbean goes to St Maartens so we can pick up Gouda cheese.

 

When we get the Gouda we buy at least 3 rounds (prepackaged in 3 kilo rounds) IF, and I repeat IF, the ship has a Shore and Store policy (not all HAL ships do, it depends upon the Hotel and COM Managers) they will store them for you in the galley.) IF they do not have it, we always bring 3 large refrigerated insulated bages with us which we keep filled with ice in the shower stall until disembarkation. We declare them with customs and breeze right through with no problems. Per Customs, as long as they are still in original packaged seals they are fine to bring off the ship into the US. Have done this several times so.....

 

We also like to pick up some of the local goodies at other stops to snack on while relaxing on the verandah.

 

As long as it is legal, you are allowed tyo bring it on. Just remember you cannot take food off the ship UNLESS it is still sealed in the original packaging.

 

Joanie

 

Good info Joanie, thank you. That is where we have brought back cheese to the ship before as well. Never thought of bringing it home though. :)

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kazu "Live from...." Rare

kazu

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I have never seen anything like that. Where have you seen it?

The one time I have seen insect worry.....

 

At one of our ports in Europe, there was worry about the wooden statues people were bringing back. Apparenly they could have insects. Prinsendam tagged them all - put them in bags and put them in the freezer for three days to ensure any bugs were gone and then returned them all to us.

 

I've never seen the issue with food though, but we don't do the Caribbean a lot ;)

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ksmaxey

ksmaxey

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A warning for all those who like to buy fudge. I was returning from San Diego and bought some fudge on the boardwalk. When I tried to go through TSA I received a very special private search of my suitcase with interview. :eek:

 

I have since learned that the fudge appears on the scanners with the same density and appearance as C4 - plastic explosives.

 

The fudge is legal to check and carry on but plan on that special time with TSA. I'll never do that again!

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Alberta Quilter

Alberta Quilter

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In Rostock, we purchased some fresh strawberries and couldn't eat them all. We had no issues bringing the remaining berries on the ship. In Palermo (different cruise), we came across another market in which we purchased peas in the pod. Again, we took them onboard. All items were scanned, peeked at, laughed about (bringing coals to Newcastle, if you will) and security allowed us to proceed. We enjoyed our treats on our balconies.

Edited by Alberta Quilter
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sail7seas

sail7seas

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We used gto bring big shopping b ags full of sanxcsiwh es ab oard the ship in Montreal to share with frienss. Sanwiches we3 cannot get elsewher. We never had any problem b ringing them.Yes, you can bring food on board b ut not off the ship in most ports.

Edited by sail7seas
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serendipity1499

serendipity1499

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None whatsoever:)

 

We always make sure that at least once a year we make sure that one of our stops in the Caribbean goes to St Maartens so we can pick up Gouda cheese.

 

When we get the Gouda we buy at least 3 rounds (prepackaged in 3 kilo rounds) IF, and I repeat IF, the ship has a Shore and Store policy (not all HAL ships do, it depends upon the Hotel and COM Managers) they will store them for you in the galley.) IF they do not have it, we always bring 3 large refrigerated insulated bages with us which we keep filled with ice in the shower stall until disembarkation. We declare them with customs and breeze right through with no problems. Per Customs, as long as they are still in original packaged seals they are fine to bring off the ship into the US. Have done this several times so.....

 

We also like to pick up some of the local goodies at other stops to snack on while relaxing on the verandah.

 

As long as it is legal, you are allowed tyo bring it on. Just remember you cannot take food off the ship UNLESS it is still sealed in the original packaging.

 

Joanie

 

 

Joanie, you've got me thinking & planning.. Where do you get your insulated bags which hold the rounds?

 

We will not be in St Maartens but will be in Orenjestad, Aruba & Willemstad, Curacao on our Oct 19 cruise on the Zuiderdam.. I love Gouda & usually buy a little wedge for myself, but would love to get a round for our Friend's who will not be with us this cruise..

 

MY Friend's DH loves gouda & always buys a round to bring home..We will be at their house for Christmas.. A round of Gouda, some imported salami, a nice wine & crackers, will make a good gift for them..

 

Does anyone know where I can get a round of Gouda in either Aruba or Curacao?

 

Thanks

Edited by serendipity1499
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IRL_Joanie

IRL_Joanie

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Joanie, you've got me thinking & planning.. Where do you get your insulated bags which hold the rounds?

 

We will not be in St Maartens but will be in Orenjestad, Aruba & Willemstad, Curacao on our Oct 19 cruise on the Zuiderdam.. I love Gouda & usually buy a little wedge for myself, but would love to get a round for our Friend's who will not be with us this cruise..

 

MY Friend's DH loves gouda & always buys a round to bring home..We will be at their house for Christmas.. A round of Gouda, some imported salami, a nice wine & crackers, will make a good gift for them..

 

Does anyone know where I can get a round of Gouda in either Aruba or Curacao?

 

Thanks

 

The 1st Insulated bag I bought at a Super Walmart. It was on display in the Ice Cream Isle.

 

The 3 that I currently use are gifts provided by Special Needs at Sea (my medical supplier when we cruise.) They are the best ever!!!

 

They look similar to this:

 

news_2009927211718.jpg.ec2af845c0d68a5f564eae240dd16c87.jpg

 

We buy our Gouda right at the port in St Maartens. There is a little corner style convenience store there and the cheese is in a cooler at the back of the store. Roger says 1 round is about $30.00 per round, which works out to about $4.50 per pound instead of approximately $16.00 at stateside prices.

 

I do not know of any other port to buy Gouda at since we only buy ours in St Maarten. We found out about St Maarten from dear friends we met on the Oosterdam on our first cruise in 2008 who live in San Juan PR. Their son flies to St Maarten twice a year to stock up for his family members:)

 

Also, about the fudge. I always hand carry my fudge in my carry on bag. AINT NO WAY IN HADES I will trust my fudge in Checked baggage. It is sooooooooo good that it would never make it to my home....

 

I do not know if it could be shipped home, but why take the chance at having a melted box of goo instead of dreamy fudge? :)

 

Joanie

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