Taking Lunch Off The Boat In Nassau

[MagicRat]

Hi, all! I am going on my first cruise with the family on the Dream in April. I wanted to try to "do my own excursion" in Nassau, and was planning on just taking a cab to Cabbage Beach around 10:30 or so and having lunch with the kids there. I was planning on just taking stuff from the boat options and packing it in a freezer bag. Is there any prohibition against doing this? Is it considered "impolite" or something?

Anyone think my picnic plan is bad? I've read mixed reviews on Cabbage Beach, but it sounds fine for my plan- just want a nice beach to swim at for a couple of hours and have lunch.

Also, the "anytime"-type options for food that I've seen talk about pizza, chicken fingers, etc. but do they have stuff like regular turkey sandwiches, etc. available during the day for a snack? What about fruit? Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

[mdinowitz]

I'm not sure if you're allowed to take food off the boat, someone else might be able to answer that, but you can order sandwiches from room service the night before and put them in the refrigerator. I don't recall anyone checking bags getting off the boat at ports, just getting back on.

 

[kcashner]

There is no inspection of bags or anything like that. DCL says that you are not to take food off the ship because they lose control over refrigeration and cannot assure the food safety. In some ports (especially US ports) it is illegal to take certain foods into the country. In the US, fresh fruits and unprocessed animal products are prohibited.

Lots of people ignore the instructions from DCL....

 

[dinahfig]

We've never been searched getting off at the port, but fresh food may be prohibited. Packaged foods would probably be better. I've seen a bunch of people talk about getting the uncrustables from room service (still frozen) and taking those off the ship.

 

[shanesgirl]

Hi, all! I am going on my first cruise with the family on the Dream in April. I wanted to try to "do my own excursion" in Nassau, and was planning on just taking a cab to Cabbage Beach around 10:30 or so and having lunch with the kids there. I was planning on just taking stuff from the boat options and packing it in a freezer bag. Is there any prohibition against doing this? Is it considered "impolite" or something?

Anyone think my picnic plan is bad? I've read mixed reviews on Cabbage Beach, but it sounds fine for my plan- just want a nice beach to swim at for a couple of hours and have lunch.

Also, the "anytime"-type options for food that I've seen talk about pizza, chicken fingers, etc. but do they have stuff like regular turkey sandwiches, etc. available during the day for a snack? What about fruit? Thanks in advance for any responses.

I'd like to know this too!

 

[withrow13]

bump

 

[Lezlee]

Bump

 

[bibbidibobbidibecky]

The only food I've ever read on here about anyone taken off were sandwiches ordered from room service the night before and those small boxes of cereal from breakfast.

I've read of people bringing Ziploc baggies to put the sandwiches in and say they keep quite well for a nice lunch the next day.

Hope this helps.

 

[shaylahc1]

When we were on the Med cruise we took lunch off the ship almost every day. I would place an order from room service in the morning (I would not keep it in the "cooler" overnight because it's not cold enough to be considered a refrigerator). Try calling room service at 6 a.m. for 6 sandwiches & cookies (there are 6 people in my family). I brought ziploc bags to bag it all up. I also brought along aluminum bottles (for drinks) and filled them with ice. The ice served as a "cold pack" to keep the food cool. As the morning went on the ice would melt, so we'd have cold water to drink at lunchtime.
It worked beautifully and saved us a ton of money on food. I never had anyone hassle me at port about taking food off the ship. I'd do it again, too!

 

[jenseib]

There was a thread like this before a few years ago. What was said was that legally you are only allowed to bring off prepackaged/sealed food, like crackers or the PBJ sandwiches that come in a packet. They may not check, but I think you can get into trouble if you are caught. I can't remember much from the thread anymore, but ii was pretty clear you weren't supposed to take food off the ship.

 

[brucechase]

Actually, on my first cruise (a 3 day several years ago - read my trip report in my signature), the CM in the dining room encouraged me to take fresh fruit off the ship in Nassau for lunch along with a few other things. I told him I was going to Atlantis and didn't want to spend so much on food.

That is when he explained to me that many ports have restriction on what can be taken off the ship. In some ports, they don't suggest you take anything off except a bottle of water (his words). But in Nassau, there wasn't any restrictions since all of their fruit is imported from the states anyway.

I don't know if he was telling the truth or not, but I took his advice and took boxes of cereal, banannas, apples, and some other things in my beach bag to Atlantis. I just left it in a chair for most of the day and it was still there several hours later when me and my family went back to eat.

 

[mdinowitz]

PP mentioned that there is only a cooler in the room, I'm pretty sure that on the Dream they were actual refrigerators (like in a college dorm). This may be a change from the Magic and Wonder.