You can't bring back shells from cruise??

[fairytalelover]

Is it true that we cant bring back shells from Castaway Cay and Nassau?? Why??

 

[mmouse37]

Just think of it...if everyone who visited took a small amount....eventually there would be none left for future visitors to enjoy....it is to protect the islands/ecology.

What is the saying...."Take only pictures...leave only footprints"....or something like that!!!

MJ

 

[HooKooDooKu]

What is the saying...."Take only pictures...leave only footprints"....or something like that!!!
MJ

"Take only pictures... leave only footprints... kill only time."

 

[fairytalelover]

But people bring shells back from other beaches all the time, like in Hawaii, MEditerranean etc.... and it has never caused a shell shortage. Seems kinda odd to me.

 

[mmouse37]

Wow...thanks...I did not know it had a third part!!! I thought I got the first two parts messed up!!

MJ

 

[Sarangel]

But people bring shells back from other beaches all the time, like in Hawaii

I can't speak to other places, but in Hawaii (over the last 10 years or so that I've been going) there has been an increase in the "don't take shells" policy. And even so, I know that the number of shells in the places I snorkle has dwindled noticeably... This can be a problem for sea creatures that re-use abandoned shells.

Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox now.

 

[LCTsMom]

Our local beaches have a No LIVE Shelling law. Empty shells can be taken. I can't speak for other places.

 

[JimmyJackJunior]

It is illegal to take anything natural from Hawaii without a permit. And you are doing serious damage to the ecology by removing the shells. The damage will not show over a short period of time but will over tens, hundreds and thousands of years. Dont forget the island, beaches and formations took millions of years to form. What your doing does not have an immidiate effect but will have a lasting one.

I can not add anything more appropriate than the take only pictures quote.

 

[plutojudy]

Why do people think they can take home the Starfish? I have seen too many people bring them out of the water. Why? No brains? When I nicely point out to them that they are live animals, they look at me like I don't know what I am talking about. I love the people who all of a sudden can't speak or understand English. Every time we have been there we see people sneaking things into their bags.

 

[The4OfUs]

Don't forget the coral - something I wasn't aware of until, on our cruise, my son picked up a piece - small, about the size of a golf ball - from under his foot in the ocean...and a fellow cruiser told him that it was still alive, and he should put it back. I wouldn't have realized it if he hadn't said something.

 

[jel0511]

Don't forget the coral - something I wasn't aware of until, on our cruise, my son picked up a piece - small, about the size of a golf ball - from under his foot in the ocean...and a fellow cruiser told him that it was still alive, and he should put it back. I wouldn't have realized it if he hadn't said something.

To be honest, as soon as your son touched it, he killed it. If you even touch coral, it dies...... Hence why so many snorkle spots have deteriorated over the years, people keep touching things, and it kills it.

 

[fairytalelover]

Yes but am empty shell is not alive. It's just an empty shell.

 

[jel0511]

Yes but am empty shell is not alive. It's just an empty shell.

True, but some animals move from shell to shell, and it is part of their protection. DCL has a policy that nothing be removed from their beaches so that every cruiser has the same advantage to experience Cataway Cay. At any of the beaches on St. John, or some of St. Thomas, they are National Parks and it actually ILLEGAL to remove anything from them since everything on the beach is considered property of the National Parks. There might be the same rule in Nassau as well, though as someone who's been to Nassau a few time, I wouldn't want to bring anything back from their beaches.....

 

[CarolAnnC]

Just think how many thousands of DCL passengers visit Castaway Cay each week. If everyone took just one shell, it would be barren within days.

There are signs to not take the shells there, and hopefully people will do the honorable thing.

 

[zakatak]

I can honestly say that I didn't see any signs at Castaway Cay OR heard any announcements. I had no idea and my son did take about 10 shells, most of which were broken old flat shells, but two of them are nice.

If Disney doesn't want you to take the shells, they should make a better attempt at letting people know. Neither us, nor the family we were travelling with, heard or saw anything about that policy.

 

[BethC1952]

I think they make an announcement on the trams about "Take only pictures...leave only footprints", but I might be mistaken!

Beth

 

[CarolAnnC]

The signs are located along the walkways of Castaway Cay.

 

[The4OfUs]

To be honest, as soon as your son touched it, he killed it. If you even touch coral, it dies...... Hence why so many snorkle spots have deteriorated over the years, people keep touching things, and it kills it.

Oh - well he had stepped on it beforehand, anyhow, as it was right in the ocean as he stepped in from the beach...so I don't think it could have been avoided anyhow. Good to know for a future trip tho.

 

[TammiMcMan]

I think they make an announcement on the trams about "Take only pictures...leave only footprints", but I might be mistaken!

Beth

Beth, you are not mistaken. The announcement is made on the tram, there are signs along the walkway and if anyone still has their literature from the cruise, check out the backside of the Castaway Cay map. Under Friendly Reminders it states that "due to our commitment to the environment, we ask that seashells, coral and other natural treasures be left undisturbed at Castaway Cay for all to enjoy". For whatever reason, I'm thinking that I heard it announced a number of times when we were on board.

Tammi

 

[Mandabella]

I can honestly say that I didn't see any signs at Castaway Cay OR heard any announcements. I had no idea and my son did take about 10 shells, most of which were broken old flat shells, but two of them are nice.

If Disney doesn't want you to take the shells, they should make a better attempt at letting people know. Neither us, nor the family we were travelling with, heard or saw anything about that policy.

I would agree. We never heard a word about this, didn't see the signs or hear any announcements. We started to take one nice shell, cause we thought it was empty. Once we realize there was still a live animal in there, we tossed it back into the water.

Come to think of it, I've seen more shells at my local beaches than our visit to Castway Cay.