Now, a question about sandwiches.
 

We've discussed smuggling wine on-board, now I want to ask about smuggling food off-board.

Let's say I don't want to go on a tour, exploring a new place on my own, and don't want to pay for lunch on the shore.

What are my options if I don't want to go back to the ship till sailing time? Can I take food with me? Will they check my purse?

Is taking food officially allowed or will it be stealing? Should I get room service, conseal it, and take along?

No one will say anything -- you will just get a few strange looks trying to wrap up your food/sandwich from the breakfast table. You will probably be the only on board doing that.

Eat lunch ashore and enjoy the local cuisine. ((b))

Budman: WHAT LOCAL CUISINE???? I live in San Francisco, so what is there in San Diego or Catalina I can't find here?

Besides, I don't eat meat nor seafood, fish and vegetarian are my choices - what is there to enjoy that I can't find in SF?

You could order room service then take that ashore with you. Then no one will notice. :-)

I'm sorry, I thought you were talking about a Viking river cruise which you posted about earlier.

I stand by my post. :-) ((b))

The ship food is yours, and cruise lines don't care where you eat it. Just bring back dishes, forks etc. if you take them out.

Many ports have agricultural regulations so be aware.

If you do not eat seafood, how could you eat fish?

IMO, local cuisine in some islands is quite good. And, yes, there are food items (including fruits and veggies) indigenous to the area that I have never seen in CA : - )

We've cruised only twice, third is coming up. Maybe a more seasoned cruiser can explain why it seems that many cruisers (on this board) feel the need to beat the system.

I have noticed that "stealing" and "smuggling" are terms that are used often here and wonder if this attitude is indicative of cruisers in general. Would anyone care to comment on whether the all-inclusive nature of cruising brings out these traits; or is it that cruising attracts the "thriftier" traveler?

Would you actually take food off the ship, wander around & plop down somewhere to eat what you've brought, like picnic-style? And not be embarrassed to wrap up food & take it with you? To save $10 or $20?

kfusto, Faina lives in the SF area. It looks like she might be taking a cruise along the California coast, but it's not clear from her original post.

If the cruise happens to stop in Mexico and she is vegetarian, she could always go for the refried beans (gosh, I don't like 'em when they fry 'em the first time) :-) ((b))

Yeah Budman but when she comes back on board and goes to dinner in the main dining room she might "fog" the room with wonderful aromas ...

Faina:

You asked a reasonable question. Most lines will gladly pack you a shore lunch if you call room service and order it in advance. It will come in the form of a "box lunch". I've seen it done many times, even on mass market lines like Carnival.

There can be very good reasons for this that have nothing to do with "stealing", "beating the system" etc. For example, you may wish to take a cab to a beach to spend the day where there is no food nearby.

Don't be afraid to ask when you get on the ship... enjoy your cruise.

I agree with Hold. There is nothing wrong with the question and I am sure a shore lunch can be arranged. If the OP prefers this so what?

Sue: I think you need a survey to answer the questions you posed, at least with any accuracy.
Bon voyage Faina. Enjoy yourself. :S-

I'll try to answer everybody's questions.

Sorry about confusion with 2 different cruises, at first I tried to find a reasonable river cruise in Europe, but they look very similar to the bus cruises I took on land, the only difference is that the "hotel" moves with you, so no unpacking.

I travel alone, so for me the price would be twice the price of the advertised "per person" except for the cheapest cabins at the bottom of the boat, where the add-on charge is 50%.

The price for me would be about $400 a day! I chose not to do the boat tour.

I will go to Europe at the time of the blooming tulips, I hope, signed vacations in April, searching Amsterdam, Brussels, Brugge, Luxemburg. My questions are/will be posted on the European board.

So instead of a river cruise I've decided to do a budget short sea cruise out of Los Angeles: San Diego, Catalina, Ensenada. I want to be as prepared as possible, so as the first-time cruiser I may be asking silly questions. We all have been there! Only a fool "knows it all".

I beleive sea cruises, especially the shorter ones, attract all sorts of people, including the budget crowd. And I am a budget traveler, and not embarassed by that. This is my money and it's up to me how to spend or not to spend.

The cruise is all inclusive, and no, I will not be embarassed to wrap up a sandwich and to picnic later watching the great views of the Pacific Ocean.

I did the same in Switzerland, watching the Matterhorn and Yungfrau, I plan to do the same in the Netherlands, what's the difference?

When I bring my lunch to work or get a sandwich to go, and later picnic in the Redwood Grove by the Piramide in San Francisco, nobody bats an eyelash. What's the difference if I'll be in San Diego or Ensenada?

I will ask the ship for boxed lunches. I didn't know they do it! Thank you for advising.

I wouldn't even bother to talk to a person whos name is Suerich...what a pity she wants to let everyone know that she wants to be rich.
Sue,
for your information, rich people do not advertise. They don't have to. You are really need a reality chack here.

Does someone have fire extinguisher to put out the fire in me...???

Its realy too bad that some here put others in a defensive position for simply asking a question that they don't approve of. The irony is this is a travel board where you would think perspectives would be different. JM2C.
Fiana have fun. :-)

Yes, Jacketwatch, perspectives are different.

However, Faina's exact words were "stealing"; "smuggling"; and "concealing", implying some wrongdoing. It was not a simple question such as "can I get a sandwich to go?".

Again, different perspectives.

Ahhhhhh, perception......

I think the bottom line is -- No one will stop you or search you at the brow if you decide to take some food off the ship. You will have to go thru a metal detector & your stuff thru an x-ray on your return.

I have never seen nor do I know of anyone having done this, nor am I aware that they will make you a box lunch. I guess it depends upon the cruise line. Call and ask.

If you decide to order room service, wrap up the food in a naptkin, and stick it in one of your bags, no one will be the wiser and you don't even have to sneak. And if you ask your cabin steward to bring you some wrap or foil, they will probably do that without question. ((b))

Come on, guys, gimme some credit - at least I'm not going to smuggle wine on-board... nor lagging cases of sodas :)

Now, how do I line my pockets with plastic to carry coffee :)) Naw, just kidding!

Sue: I don't equate taking food off a cruise ship to wrong doing such as shoplifting. Do you? This is a small potatoes issue I think. It doesn't bother me. Oh well. C'est la vie.