Taking food off the ship

[CruisingSince2012]

We arrived at 7 am. First passengers off at 7:10. Last off at 9:10. No line for customs immigration - no one wanted to see our passports.

 

Was this in Vancouver? How do you know when the last passengers got off?

[CowPrincess]

On debarkation day I will eat breakfast while waiting for my deck to be called. I will then go to the Harbor Air port and board a floatplane for a flight to Victoria. There is only time for a small lunch after check-in at the Empress Hotel before I go to an art museum because it closes at 5:00. So instead of buying food at the hotel, Mom wants to take buffet food off the ship in Vancouver. Is this OK or do ship crew tell passengers to keep their food onboard?

 

Those are good ideas if we have time before catching the floatplane. Takeoff is at 10:20. How long is it likely to take us to debark the ship?

 

 

Is this the Vancouver Flight Harbor Centre you need to get to? If so, it is not a great distance from the cruise terminal.

 

http://vhfc.ca/driving-directions/

 

When you get to disembark is not written in stone, but if you can self-disembark (first group off the ship, managing all your own luggage, no porters) that greatly improves your chances.

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Was this in Vancouver? How do you know when the last passengers got off?

 

 

Vancouver....all groups were called off at 9:10.... I didn't wait to watch them all leave, ....so when the last person actually stepped off was probably 9:30 .....but there was probably someone who over slept and had to be rousted out...

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Was this in Vancouver? How do you know when the last passengers got off?

 

 

Vancouver.

Edited August 3, 2015 by Pete and Judy

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Was this in Vancouver? How do you know when the last passengers got off?

 

 

If you have to get off early.....let front desk know....they will give you an early color....and you should be off by 8 am easy

[Island Lovers]

Suggestions for a quick bite after you disembark in Vancouver - I wouldn't try to take food from the ship other than packaged crackers or small packaged cereal. Usually, breakfast is plentiful on board, so be sure to eat some protein. You can have a cup of coffee or snack at Harbour Air. Also, just on the side of the Convention Centre, there is a Subway (for light sandwiches). Within two or three blocks, there is other fast food. At the Royal Centre, by the Hyatt, there is McDonald's and Tim Horton's.

 

I've had some experience with Harbour Air, and they are service oriented and accommodating. They will keep your bags if you need to run out for a while to grab something to eat. Just be sure to check in again 35 minutes prior to flight time. Also keep in mind weight restrictions with float planes. But they will be happy to ship your luggage earlier or on a later flight (space permitting) if your plane is full. The Harbour Air terminal is less than a ten minute walk from the Fairmont Empress. Enjoy your cruise and your time on beautiful Vancouver Island!

[Lizzie68]

There is a coffee shop right at Canada Place, which you can enter from the first level or from inside, which sells baked goods. It is actually on the same side that HAL ships dock at, and you can probably see it when you dock. It's a little way back from FlyOver Canada.

[Vict0riann]

We do have food on Vancouver Island!

[chefestelle]

We do have food on Vancouver Island!

 

 

Shhh! Some of the best restaurants ever! I think it was a timing issue for OP. Otherwise, I'm sure we could list many restaurants to enjoy, time permitting!

[GUT2407]

How many threads do we need saying that in most ports it is illegal to take food ashore before people get the hint.

[CruisingSince2012]

How many threads do we need saying that in most ports it is illegal to take food ashore before people get the hint.

 

When was the last time someone posted a question about that before I did?

[susiesan]

What about making a sandwich to take ashore for lunch during the day on one of the port stops? My cruise leaves from Quebec and stops in 3 Canadian ports. I plan to be off in a rental car, hiking, away from restaurants. I don't plan on going back to the ship for lunch. Can I take a sandwich, and a piece of fruit off the ship in a small cooler lunch bag to have a picnic?

[chefestelle]

When was the last time someone posted a question about that before I did?

 

 

Who cares if they did post a similar question? The search function doesn't always function anyway. Besides, if a thread is repetitive or boring, the answer is simple - skip it. I for one really appreciated the long time posters who have been most helpful when I have posted questions, and most patient if I posted one that was already dealt with but I couldn't find. Experience of others is a great form of research!

[Boytjie]

What about making a sandwich to take ashore for lunch during the day on one of the port stops? My cruise leaves from Quebec and stops in 3 Canadian ports. I plan to be off in a rental car, hiking, away from restaurants. I don't plan on going back to the ship for lunch. Can I take a sandwich, and a piece of fruit off the ship in a small cooler lunch bag to have a picnic?

 

No food off the ship means no food off the ship. Only prepackaged stuff like cereal, energy bars, bags of nuts etc. No sandwiches, no fruit.

Edited August 4, 2015 by Boytjie

[cruz chic]

How many threads do we need saying that in most ports it is illegal to take food ashore before people get the hint.

 

As many as it takes. There are many, many threads asking the same question. No one is obligated to read any of them.

[chefestelle]

What about making a sandwich to take ashore for lunch during the day on one of the port stops? My cruise leaves from Quebec and stops in 3 Canadian ports. I plan to be off in a rental car, hiking, away from restaurants. I don't plan on going back to the ship for lunch. Can I take a sandwich, and a piece of fruit off the ship in a small cooler lunch bag to have a picnic?

 

 

It may seem peculiar because you are staying within the same country but I suspect the issue for Agriculture Canada is where the food originated. If the ship provisioned outside Canada, Ag won't want its usual suspects brought onshore.

[Vict0riann]

I always pack a few pre-packaged granola bars when we travel. You never know when you might need them. Half the time I bring them back home with me, but occasionally they have come in handy, especially in the developing world. Which I wouldn't classify Canada as. :-)

 

That said, I have seen people eating on bus tours, etc, food which they have to have brought off the ship. They do it furtively.

[Fouremco]

What about making a sandwich to take ashore for lunch during the day on one of the port stops? My cruise leaves from Quebec and stops in 3 Canadian ports. I plan to be off in a rental car, hiking, away from restaurants. I don't plan on going back to the ship for lunch. Can I take a sandwich, and a piece of fruit off the ship in a small cooler lunch bag to have a picnic?

 

No food off the ship means no food off the ship. Only prepackaged stuff like cereal, energy bars, bags of nuts etc. No sandwiches, no fruit.

Boytjie's correct answer aside, you'll be visiting provinces with some excellent opportunities to sample regional food. Take advantage of it and enjoy. :)

Edited August 4, 2015 by Fouremco

[chengkp75]

It may seem peculiar because you are staying within the same country but I suspect the issue for Agriculture Canada is where the food originated. If the ship provisioned outside Canada, Ag won't want its usual suspects brought onshore.

 

This is correct. Either the ship is doing a RT from a homeport in the US, where the ship is provisioned, or it is doing alternate one ways, and will be provisioned half the time in the US.

 

NCL's Pride of America cruises strictly within the Hawaiian Islands and generally tolerates people taking food off, since the ship is provisioned 100% of the time in Honolulu, from either local suppliers or from provisions shipped into the state and inspected by Hawaiian Agriculture on entry. Now, when she makes her repositioning cruise from San Francisco back to Hawaii in March, she will not stop at any foreign port, but Hawaii will not allow any unpackaged food off for a couple months, until they can verify that all non-inspected food from the mainland has been consumed onboard.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Boytjie's correct answer aside, you'll be visiting provinces with some excellent opportunities to sample regional food. Take advantage of it and enjoy. :)

 

Good advice! We probably do more than 50% of our port stops on our own. To maximize our time, we eat a big breakfast on board, then just have a light snack lunch. We look for coffee shops or bakeries, trying to avoid chains and eat local. Except at least once in Canada you have to stop at a Tim Horton's. I think it's a law. :)

 

You should be able to find a coffee shop or deli at any of your ports. If you're going on a hike, find a deli to get something to take with you.

Edited August 4, 2015 by 3rdGenCunarder

[Fouremco]

Good advice! We probably do more than 50% of our port stops on our own. To maximize our time, we eat a big breakfast on board, then just have a light snack lunch. We look for coffee shops or bakeries, trying to avoid chains and eat local. Except at least once in Canada you have to stop at a Tim Horton's. I think it's a law. :)

 

You should be able to find a coffee shop or deli at any of your ports. If you're going on a hike, find a deli to get something to take with you.

Don't forget to load your TimmyMe app before leaving home! :)

 

http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/about/timmyme.php

[Fouremco]

It may seem peculiar because you are staying within the same country but I suspect the issue for Agriculture Canada is where the food originated. If the ship provisioned outside Canada, Ag won't want its usual suspects brought onshore.

 

This is correct. Either the ship is doing a RT from a homeport in the US, where the ship is provisioned, or it is doing alternate one ways, and will be provisioned half the time in the US.

 

NCL's Pride of America cruises strictly within the Hawaiian Islands and generally tolerates people taking food off, since the ship is provisioned 100% of the time in Honolulu, from either local suppliers or from provisions shipped into the state and inspected by Hawaiian Agriculture on entry. Now, when she makes her repositioning cruise from San Francisco back to Hawaii in March, she will not stop at any foreign port, but Hawaii will not allow any unpackaged food off for a couple months, until they can verify that all non-inspected food from the mainland has been consumed onboard.

This reminds me of an incident a couple of years ago when we returned home via New England from a land holiday in Nova Scotia. Crossing back into Canada at a sleepy border point in southern Quebec, we were challenged by a CBSA officer who was most upset because we had a couple of apples with us that we'd forgotten about in our cooler. Grown and purchased in Canada, the apples fortunately still had the store's sticker still on them. The officer eventually let us bring them with us, but not before a stern lecture on the importation of fruit and other foods. She was completely right, of course, and we had no quarrel with her.