Not bringing snacks- bad idea??

This will be our kid's first cruise. They are 7, 8, and 10 years old. Did anybody bring prepackaged snacks for kids this age? Since food is so plentiful onboard the ship, I never even thought of this. They like to have a snack between lunch and dinner, but of course our eating schedule will be very different during the cruise week.

We're not really sure what we're doing in the ports, but we will be gone from the ship most of the day on port days.

Just wondering if I should reconsider some kind of granola bars, fruit gummies, etc. I can't bring fresh fruit from the ship ashore, correct?

I hate the thought of bringing food with us when there is SO much available on the ship. But just wondering if maybe we'll need some snacks in port (??)

What has your experience been with kids around this age?

Thanks!! :D

My son is younger and picky, so we did bring them and will again. I think your kids will find things to eat no problem, but if they like granola bars and things like that might be good to have them in the room for between meals. Also find they are great to have in ports.

The cruise lines don't screen passengers leaving the ship, so they won't know if you bring fruit off the ship. My son really liked the small boxes of cereal that were available on cruise ships for snacks.

The cruise lines don't screen passengers leaving the ship, so they won't know if you bring fruit off the ship. My son really liked the small boxes of cereal that were available on cruise ships for snacks.

But bringing fresh fruit into nearly any foreign country is illegal. whether or not you get away with it is irrelevant. It's against the law and can hurt the environment. Please - Do not bring fresh fruit off the ship at port.

The cruise lines don't screen passengers leaving the ship, so they won't know if you bring fruit off the ship. My son really liked the small boxes of cereal that were available on cruise ships for snacks.

No, but those cute looking dogs that you walk by do.

The cruise lines don't screen passengers leaving the ship, so they won't know if you bring fruit off the ship.

No, but those cute looking dogs that you walk by do.

Very true.

Bring a little bit, if you're worried...but there is PLENTY to eat on the ship! And, your snacking habits will be fall by the wayside...too much going on all day! If you find you DO need snacks, you can get them at a port....these places all have food!!

Do NOT bring anything fresh ashore...only prepackaged foods! There can be big fines or they could arrest you for breaking their agricultural laws!

The cruise lines don't screen passengers leaving the ship, so they won't know if you bring fruit off the ship. My son really liked the small boxes of cereal that were available on cruise ships for snacks.

In Cozumel, local authorities, were stopping everyone and looking thru every bag as you walked down the pier.

Also in Port Canaveral they were searching bags on the gangway.

definitely no taking fruit off.

The kids might be up for trying some local snacks, or they may be craving a little taste of home- my experience has been about 50/50 with my DD who just turned 11, so when we're packing up the luggage, I'll throw in some chex mix and cheese & cracker packages, along with some M&Ms and lemonade crystal light mix that we can grab in the carry-on for port days with a water bottle to keep us going.

the cereal boxes a previous poster mentioned also work well.

good luck and have a great cruise.

I do bring snacks into ports. There isn't always time to stop and eat when you get hungry if you're on an excursion.

Definitely nothing fresh. The dogs can and will catch it.

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I always bring some little snacks for my now 7 year old. Kids are always weird, they may need a snack when you're not ready to run up to grab something. It's good to have some random little snacks in your room.

I think it'a a good idea to have a few packaged snacks along on port days, just in case there isn't food readily available, or kids won't eat it, or whatever. We do when we travel with grandkids and also just for us. I usually have some packaged nuts or granola bars or non-chocolate candy (because of the heat), as well as water.

We also have a few snacks in the cabin. Yes, there is more than plenty of food on the ship, but not always readily available when the snack attack happens. I bring nuts, small chocolates, like kisses; my husband bring licorice and maybe some fruit snacks or trail mix.

I bring snacks. Usually I buy them at the embarkation port so that I don't have to pack them. My kids wake up at the crack of dawn. They want to eat right away. Snacks help to tie them over until the adults wake up. Also, they come in handy on port days. I've taken fruit and cereal boxes off the ship countless times. I thought it was only illegal in certain ports?

I bring snacks. Usually I buy them at the embarkation port so that I don't have to pack them. My kids wake up at the crack of dawn. They want to eat right away. Snacks help to tie them over until the adults wake up. Also, they come in handy on port days. I've taken fruit and cereal boxes off the ship countless times. I thought it was only illegal in certain ports?

It's to protect what's left of the ecosystem.

In the 90's large swaths of Southern California were crop dusted with Malathion to prevent fruit flies from ruining citrus. Windows closed, no running whole house fans or AC. Of course it was summer. Animals could not be left outside. Everything outside either had to be brought in or wrapped. After the third time I learnt the trick to covering the swing set.

You do not want the cute Labrador sitting next to you.

With our kids, there was so much available that we didn't need any outside snacks. I did throw a box or two of the cereal in our bag on port days, just in case my 3 & 5 yo wanted something during excursions.

My littles were early risers, too, but I just put in a room service order each night to have pastries, fruit & juice sent to our room. It wasn't enough noise to wake my husband, and then we'd sit on the balcony & enjoy the view.

i "over did it" for my 1.5 year old last december. i had those squeeze applesauec pouches, pretzel packs, and a few other things. he used the bare minimum.

we are going next month. while on board, i am not worried at all because he will eat fruit or a cookie or even a roll.

but for the days off ship, i may just bring a pack of goldfish just for munching.

also if they like to eat dry cereal you can grab the dry cereal boxes at breakfast and take those with you. he did that a lot too.

otherwise, don't go crazy.

But bringing fresh fruit into nearly any foreign country is illegal. whether or not you get away with it is irrelevant. It's against the law and can hurt the environment. Please - Do not bring fresh fruit off the ship at port.

Wow! Somehow I totally missed this. We did bring snacks onto the ship that we purchased for our 10hr drive to port, but there was so much food onboard that we didn't even eat that. My kids are 6,7, 11. We did not eat off the ship on port days so we ate big breakfasts and packed cereal boxes, muffins, and FRESH FRUIT - apples, bananas, pears :eek: from WindJammer in our backpack to eat on the islands. We usually wrapped up some extra cookies, etc., to take back to our room for an evening snack after dinner.

So, did not need snacks from home. The one thing that was very convenient was I bought a box of gallon size Ziploc bags, and those came in handy for separating snacks into to take ashore. Also for putting our souvenirs, personal items, etc., in while inside the backpack to ensure nothing got wet or damaged.

In Cozumel, local authorities, were stopping everyone and looking thru every bag as you walked down the pier.

 

Also in Port Canaveral they were searching bags on the gangway.

It must be hit or miss because nobody searched our bags. I guess we looked sweet enough. :D