Bring of sand back from islands

[torcruise]

I agree just because greedy corporations destroy resources, doesn't mean we should help chip in. Let's go into the woods and take a limb with a nest on it. Who cares there are logging companies doing worse! :rolleyes:[/quote

We should care about both tho

[Doug & Cindy Scrap Hunter]

We should care about both tho

 

I know and I wouldn't do either. Not my tree, not my limb, and not my eggs. Buy a souvenir in the gift shops to help the locals and stop being so cheap. Some folks are so entitled, and then blame it on corporations like we're children. "He did it first."

[pghsteelerfan]

John Heald addressed this particular question on his social media page when someone posted the question about bringing sand back on the ships and whether Carnival permits it or not. This is his answer (copied and pasted for accuracy):

 

"Name: Gregg------

Message: Can you clear something up for me and other CC members. Can you bring sand beach sand back ? Some are saying yes and some no!! Hundreds want to and need to know. What’s the skinny John LOL.

------------------------------

Ahh Gregg, I see what you did there, a fat joke to finish with. Anyway, I checked with the beards who are here with me now and there are very strict rules Gregg from US Customs about not allowing this. You see, there may be microoragasms living in the sand so we don’t allow our guests to bring sand back on board the ships.

By the way, do people actually do this?

 

Cheers"

 

So...the answer is "no", passengers on Carnival are not allowed to bring sand back on the ships. I'll admit, I have taken a couple tablespoons of sand back in the past (using zip lock freezer sandwich sized baggies). Our last cruise was in 2015 and it was never an issue and not even questioned. It would be nice if CARNIVAL addressed this and had it listed as a "prohibited item". But reading some recent posts about saving chairs by the pool, dining room attire, and Carnival's sporadic enforcement...who knows.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

But reading some recent posts about saving chairs by the pool, dining room attire, and Carnival's sporadic enforcement...who knows.

 

This leads to further problems. Can hold a chair by the pool, with a container of sand that you've collected at the beach?

[kona_wahine]

I brought sand home from my favorite Island, Half Moon Cay in an empty water bottle. Had no issues on the ship, but the airport actually had to test it to be sure it wasn’t drugs!! Oh that beautiful white powdery sand...

 

 

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I did this too. TSA just asked if it was sand and that was it.

[salty dingo]

The port of Rotterdam was recently expanded by 2,000 hectares ( about 5,000 acres.) This area was created from sand dredged out of the sea.

 

In have been there and seen it - absolutely amazing. I never ran into anyone who thought the sand would have been better off in the sea, or that it was in limited supply.

 

What if someone wanted to bring back a bottle of seawater? Would you complain that it if everyone did that we would run short of sea water? Probably somebody here would. All good fun!

[Doug & Cindy Scrap Hunter]

The port of Rotterdam was recently expanded by 2,000 hectares ( about 5,000 acres.) This area was created from sand dredged out of the sea.

 

In have been there and seen it - absolutely amazing. I never ran into anyone who thought the sand would have been better off in the sea, or that it was in limited supply.

 

What if someone wanted to bring back a bottle of seawater? Would you complain that it if everyone did that we would run short of sea water? Probably somebody here would. All good fun!

 

Lowering the water would raise the islands, wouldn't it? More souvenir sand! :p

[Bluemoon319]

John Heald addressed this particular question on his social media page when someone posted the question about bringing sand back on the ships and whether Carnival permits it or not. This is his answer (copied and pasted for accuracy):

 

"Name: Gregg------

Message: Can you clear something up for me and other CC members. Can you bring sand beach sand back ? Some are saying yes and some no!! Hundreds want to and need to know. What’s the skinny John LOL.

------------------------------

Ahh Gregg, I see what you did there, a fat joke to finish with. Anyway, I checked with the beards who are here with me now and there are very strict rules Gregg from US Customs about not allowing this. You see, there may be microoragasms living in the sand so we don’t allow our guests to bring sand back on board the ships.

By the way, do people actually do this?

 

Cheers"

 

So...the answer is "no", passengers on Carnival are not allowed to bring sand back on the ships. I'll admit, I have taken a couple tablespoons of sand back in the past (using zip lock freezer sandwich sized baggies). Our last cruise was in 2015 and it was never an issue and not even questioned. It would be nice if CARNIVAL addressed this and had it listed as a "prohibited item". But reading some recent posts about saving chairs by the pool, dining room attire, and Carnival's sporadic enforcement...who knows.

 

 

The beards have inaccurate information. I spent quite some time yesterday with U.S. Customs & the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service regarding the regulations for bringing sand & shells into the U.S. I was very clearly told that a small amount of sand for personal use was allowed provided it is "mined or collected so they are freeof organic material, such as roots, grasses, plant debris, or leaf litter." https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/organism/soil/downloads/soil-circular.pdf

That being said, I don't expect that the Carnival Security people know every regulation & could very easily confiscate it due to lack of knowledge.

 

 

 

(I want to thank-you for one of your posts from last year. It was very helpful.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=55682047#post55682047 )

[Bluemoon319]

Technically I would say no, it falls under the soil clause, however, it probably will not be noticed. Many people unknowingly bring illegal items home. I'm not talking drugs, but shells, some open food, and other items. When departing a ship customs is fairly loose as they have to process so many people.

 

According to the USDA, sand is exempt from soil. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/organism/soil/downloads/soil-circular.pdf

[Bluemoon319]

Our trip last October to Hawaii, came through customs in Maui and the gal grabbed my baggie with a couple of pieces of sea glass in it and tossed it in the trash. I said it wasn't shells or sand but sea glass. She asked what sea glass was, so I told her. She said it was "bad luck" and that I could not have it. So, apparently what you are for sure allowed or not allowed is sometimes not crystal clear... and subject to local superstition..lol. (Next island, it came back with me tucked in my swim top =]...and no lightning has struck me....yet...=P...)

 

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I don't even know what to say about that when customs is basing their decisions on superstitions! BTW, if something like that happens again, ask them to send it to an inspector. I was told yesterday a U.S. Fish & Wildlife inspector that Customs doesn't necessarily know all the regulations. She gets things from them often for inspection. If they pass, the item is returned to the person.

[broberts]

The beards have inaccurate information. I spent quite some time yesterday with U.S. Customs & the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service regarding the regulations for bringing sand & shells into the U.S. I was very clearly told that a small amount of sand for personal use was allowed provided it is "mined or collected so they are free of organic material, such as roots, grasses, plant debris, or leaf litter." https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/organism/soil/downloads/soil-circular.pdf

That being said, I don't expect that the Carnival Security people know every regulation & could very easily confiscate it due to lack of knowledge.

...

 

The bolded section is pertinent as it is essentially what was said in the quote with which you seem to disagree. A person scooping up sand on a beach cannot be sure that the material is free of organic material. In fact it is highly unlikely that the scooped material contains no organic material.

 

According to the USDA, sand is exempt from soil. https://www.aphis.usda.gov/plant_health/permits/organism/soil/downloads/soil-circular.pdf

 

From the linked circular: "Materials free of organic matter, such as: pure sand, clay (laterites, bentonite,china clay, attapulgite, tierrafino, etc.), talc, rocks, volcanic pumice, chalk, salt,iron ore, and gravel. These materials must be mined or collected so they are freeof organic material, such as roots, grasses, plant debris, or leaf litter. "

 

Pure sand is excluded. Beach "sand" is most definitely not pure sand as it is not free from organic material.

[salty dingo]

Pure sand is excluded. Beach "sand" is most definitely not pure sand as it is not free from organic material.

What is "pure sand"? Something you make in a lab? Even sand commercially mined and sold has some organic matter in it. I know because I buy it by the ton locally for making concrete and gardening.

 

At HMC the sand is indeed pure. It is as white as baby powder. There's not enough organic matter in there to see. No way on earth anyone would have a problem with taking that back home.

 

However, there are beaches which are half sand, half mud/seaweed/yucky stuff. Don't take that.

 

I would just avoid taking anything that is not grains and is as pure as you can find, and that will pass any regulation test.

[Flatbush Flyer]

People do it all the time despite it being illegal in a number of countries and not allowed into the US. If the law doesn't move one, consider the environmental impact of millions of cruise visitors taking a teaspoon or two each year.

 

 

 

Anyone who brings sand back is irresponsible. It's the things you can't see in the sand that pose a problem. The threat to agriculture is significant.

At the very least, stay out of California and Hawaii where you will not be welcome.

 

 

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[Organized Chaos]

At HMC the sand is indeed pure. It is as white as baby powder. There's not enough organic matter in there to see. No way on earth anyone would have a problem with taking that back home.

Well, unless they find out where all that white sand actually comes from. ;)

 

[salty dingo]

Anyone who brings sand back is irresponsible. It's the things you can't see in the sand that pose a problem. The threat to agriculture is significant.

At the very least, stay out of California and Hawaii where you will not be welcome.

Wow, who knew sand was full of fruit fly eggs :cool:.

[broberts]

Wow, who knew sand was full of fruit fly eggs :cool:.

 

There is more than enough ignorance in this thread. No need to speculate about others.

[Flatbush Flyer]

There is more than enough ignorance in this thread. No need to speculate about others.

 

 

 

What I wouldn't give to be there when the last few pro-sand posters tried to explain their point of view to ag agents in CA, HI, NZ, Chile,et al.

 

 

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[salty dingo]

What I wouldn't give to be there when the last few pro-sand posters tried to explain their point of view to ag agents in CA, HI, NZ, Chile,et al.

 

I don't know about other countries, but the USA is clear, as has been posted above: sand is allowed so long as it is "...collected so they are freeof organic material, such as roots, grasses, plant debris, or leaf litter."

 

That's a direct quote. It does not say there must be zero microscopic organic matter. It gives examples of easily identifiable chaff including "roots, grasses, plant debris, or leaf litter." That's visible stuff in my mind.

 

You can interpret that regulation as:

1. "Inspect it under a microscope. See if there is anything that is not sand; if so it is not allowed"
   
2. "Look at it. If there is no visible organic material, only sand, it is allowed"
   

Everyone is free to interpret the same words differently. That's why we have so many religions, after all. Everyone thinks their interpretation is the obviously correct one. My obviously correct interpretation is #2. I won't hold anyone else's view against them.

[Doug & Cindy Scrap Hunter]

Folks, there are peeps stuck in the middle east and other tough living deserts. They've got sand in their eyeballs and hair and other crevasses, I'm sure. Why not buy some of their sands where there's plenty of it? I'm sure they would LOVE the privilege of taking a cruise and being spoiled onboard, but you folks on these ships are dreaming about sand. The grass is always greener I guess...

[Organized Chaos]

You can interpret that regulation as:

 

 

 

 

1. "Inspect it under a microscope. See if there is anything that is not sand; if so it is not allowed"
   
2. "Look at it. If there is no visible organic material, only sand, it is allowed"
   

My wife's gonna be ticked when she finds out I took out her bottle of wine and replaced it with my microscope.

 

Folks, there are peeps stuck in the middle east and other tough living deserts. They've got sand in their eyeballs and hair and other crevasses, I'm sure. Why not buy some of their sands where there's plenty of it? I'm sure they would LOVE the privilege of taking a cruise and being spoiled onboard, but you folks on these ships are dreaming about sand. The grass is always greener I guess...

Ehh, I already have a couple bottles of a middle eastern country that shall remain nameless (they might have spies in here). I'd rather have some Caribbean next.

[nicnic96]

Anyone who brings sand back is irresponsible. It's the things you can't see in the sand that pose a problem. The threat to agriculture is significant.

At the very least, stay out of California and Hawaii where you will not be welcome.

 

 

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So apparently I'm supposed to leave my sand covered swim trunks and flip flops at the beach? If I did I might have a different problem boarding the ship.:)

[torcruise]

I don't know about other countries, but the USA is clear, as has been posted above: sand is allowed so long as it is "...collected so they are freeof organic material, such as roots, grasses, plant debris, or leaf litter."

 

That's a direct quote. It does not say there must be zero microscopic organic matter. It gives examples of easily identifiable chaff including "roots, grasses, plant debris, or leaf litter." That's visible stuff in my mind.

 

You can interpret that regulation as:

1. "Inspect it under a microscope. See if there is anything that is not sand; if so it is not allowed"
   
2. "Look at it. If there is no visible organic material, only sand, it is allowed"
   

Everyone is free to interpret the same words differently. That's why we have so many religions, after all. Everyone thinks their interpretation is the obviously correct one. My obviously correct interpretation is #2. I won't hold anyone else's view against them.

cause only USA laws count when your visiting another country :rolleyes:

[Organized Chaos]

cause only USA laws count when your visiting another country :rolleyes:

When you're bringing it back through U.S. Customs, yes, U.S. laws tend to matter.

[Doug & Cindy Scrap Hunter]

When you're bringing it back through U.S. Customs, yes, U.S. laws tend to matter.

 

You can't scrape the Colosseum with a selfie stick in Italy, but I guess if you want a little debris souvenir in a jar go for it. US Law is all that matters.

 

When in Rome, AND the Caribbean, follow the local laws! The islanders don't deserve any less respect.

[Doug & Cindy Scrap Hunter]

So apparently I'm supposed to leave my sand covered swim trunks and flip flops at the beach? If I did I might have a different problem boarding the ship.:)

 

That's why they have showers near the beach. The cruise line doesn't want a messy trail any more than your suitcase does.