Bringing fruit on board at embarkation

[Princessfan20]

8 minutes ago, MalteseFred said:

CRUISES.....where rules are there to be broken.

 

Does it sound like an appropriate tagline based on what one reads on a daily basis on here?

smh

 

Thanks,

Fred.

 

That about sums it up.  I did not know you can wear shorts in the MDR's on Formal nights IF you have fresh cherries in your pockets to give to the Maitre de.....just love on CC how so many think the rules do not apply to them and others better never ever cross the line!!  Quite interesting behaviors.

Edited May 19, 2022 by Princessfan20

[cruzin4us]

There is a reason you aren't supposed to bring fruit.  Many citrus trees here in So. Cal are being killed by a little insect called asian citrus psyllid.   Guess where they came from?   I guarantee they didn't fly over here from Asia.

 

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/acp/docs/anr/8205.pdf

 

My point is, you may not think it's a big deal until you are a farmer.   People thinking it's no big deal to take a few pieces of fruit with them, but there may be some little Western Cherry fruit fly in your cherries which may hatch and get off in the next port.   They have the rules/regulations for a reason. 

 

For some enjoyable reading on cherries...

 

https://ask.metafilter.com/126927/First-they-came-for-my-cherries-and-I-said-nothing

[cr8tiv1]

I have passed through security in Hilo with my papayas and flowers.  I know better regarding NOT being able to take them into California.  

 

I fly back and forth between California and Hawaii often.  I am very much aware of what can and can not be brought into each state.  I am fairly certain the same rules apply for cruising into either port.

 

I can't answer if you choose to cruise out of a different state.  As long as your cherries are consumed on board...If not allowed through security, you will just have to sacrifice the batch.

 

If you want a definitive answer call or check the agriculture department for each state.

 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by cr8tiv1

[MsSoCalCruiser]

I know this isn’t fruit but we were in Monterey on a cruise pre-Covid.  I purchased a large soup to go from one of the restaurants on the pier to bring onboard for my friend.  I stepped off the tinder and an employee asked what I had so I responded soup.   He said no soup for you and took my soup which was a large piping hot container of clam chowder.

 

I’m afraid someone will be eating your cherries and it probably will not be your friends.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

2 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

As stated, no its not okay, but many get away with it.  USPH requires that all "ready to eat" food, like fruits and produce be sanitized before serving.  This requires a chlorine or vinegar bath.

Thank you for the clarification.  I wasn’t trying to daft but it seemed your response was only for prepared foods and not things like whole fruit that wouldn’t be processed. But your explanation of how the fruit and veggies are sanitized makes sense. 

[HaveDogWillTravel]

Thank you to all those who gave me respectful and thoughtful replies. I truly appreciate your input. 
 

For those who missed it.  I had indicated that the cherries would be consumed on board and they would in all likelihood not see the dawn. So no taking them off ship at another port to spread disease. 

 

I do think that the list of prohibited items should clearly state what food items can not be brought on board. I carefully read that document and my passenger contract.  There is no mention of food being an issue. I have never done it so I had no personal experience.  
 

It seems unreasonable for people to be expected to know about secret rules.  

 

I’ve asked my PVP and am waiting for a reply. 
 

 

Edited May 19, 2022 by HaveDogWillTravel

[cr8tiv1]

28 minutes ago, MsSoCalCruiser said:

I know this isn’t fruit but we were in Monterey on a cruise pre-Covid.  I purchased a large soup to go from one of the restaurants on the pier to bring onboard for my friend.  I stepped off the tinder and an employee asked what I had so I responded soup.   He said no soup for you and took my soup which was a large piping hot container of clam chowder.

 

I’m afraid someone will be eating your cherries and it probably will not be your friends.

 

Many moons ago, my daughters were bringing back "pork chops" from a "best in the island" restaurant.  My pork chops were confiscated by security/NCL.  To this day, I believe "they" knew how good this meal was and enjoyed every morsel.  Looking back, I guess I could understand that, if I got sick, I could have blamed NCL.  But still....I wanted my pork chops.

[MsSoCalCruiser]

2 hours ago, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Many moons ago, my daughters were bringing back "pork chops" from a "best in the island" restaurant.  My pork chops were confiscated by security/NCL.  To this day, I believe "they" knew how good this meal was and enjoyed every morsel.  Looking back, I guess I could understand that, if I got sick, I could have blamed NCL.  But still....I wanted my pork chops.

Oh bummer!  i’m sure someone ate your pork chops.
 

I was bringing the soup to my friend who did not get off at port because she was having back pain.  I knew she loved clam chowder so I bought her the large.  I know someone ate that clam chowder.

Edited May 19, 2022 by MsSoCalCruiser

[caribill]

11 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Crew are not allowed to have non-packaged food in their cabins, and most lines don't allow open packages (like a large bag of chips) for pest control reasons.

 

 

If you bring aboard a large sealed bag of chips, if it opened and only a few chips eaten, then you now have an open bag of chips on board.

 

Are you saying once a crew member opens a large bag of food, it must all be eaten at that time since an open package is not allowed?

[chengkp75]

2 hours ago, caribill said:

 

If you bring aboard a large sealed bag of chips, if it opened and only a few chips eaten, then you now have an open bag of chips on board.

 

Are you saying once a crew member opens a large bag of food, it must all be eaten at that time since an open package is not allowed?

That is correct, which is why the crew store only sells the individual type bags of snacks.  USPH is strict about where open food can be in galleys, why would it be different in crew cabins.  Once you get pests onboard, it is extremely difficult to get rid of them.  Heck, even cardboard boxes are not allowed out of the provisions area into the galleys and food prep areas.  If the galley needs a case of canned tomatoes, the provisions staff will take all the cans out of the boxes and stack them on a cart for delivery, and the box goes to the refrigerated garbage room.  Why?  Roach eggs are commonly found in the glue that holds corrugated cardboard boxes together.

[Lady Arwen]

17 hours ago, cruzin4us said:

Just asked Princess via the "chat" and this was the response:

 

 

Just posting this message again for those who missed it.  You cannot bring fruit onboard and this is directly from Princess.

[latebloomer56]

18 hours ago, HaveDogWillTravel said:

Thanks for the reply. Just curious have you had any experience bringing on fresh fruit? 

I wasn't allowed to bring my cherries on board that I bought at the market place in Seattle. They took the bag at security, I of course being doubtful they would be trashed took them back and went on the pier took out the pits and fed them to the birds 😊. Wasn't many left maybe half a pound.

For flowers never took any on board bug know they wouldn't let me take the arrangement from my husband off the ship in LA from our first Hawaii trip 🙁.

[HaveDogWillTravel]

2 minutes ago, latebloomer56 said:

I wasn't allowed to bring my cherries on board that I bought at the market place in Seattle. They took the bag at security, I of course being doubtful they would be trashed took them back and went on the pier took out the pits and fed them to the birds 😊. Wasn't many left maybe half a pound.

For flowers never took any on board bug know they wouldn't let me take the arrangement from my husband off the ship in LA from our first Hawaii trip 🙁.

Thank you very much for relaying your experience. 
 

I find it odd that Princess has this secret rule. I mean what is this? In and Out Burger?  I have no problem following rules but how can I follow a rule if it isn’t stated?  
 

Secret rules should not exist. 

 

thanks to all for posting their experiences and thanks for sharing your expertise @chengkp75 As always we all appreciate your wealth of knowledge. 

[VibeGuy]

I would absolutely not trust chat’s answer on this. A goodly percentage of them have never so much as seen a Princess ship, and they’ve given bad answers on whether you have to pay in the MDR, documentation requirements and COVID testing.
 

Here are my green grapes, procured in Manzanillo, with the permission of the Executive Chef, taken in by the storekeeper, and transformed the next night into the Sole Veronique you see before you.  
 

A chat from a shoreside customer service agent won’t be considered as an “official” answer from Princess when it really comes down to it.  The rules that apply to shipboard operation get enforced at the ship level and do not concern the precruise sales org one whit.  As an example, ask the same chat service if I could bring an oxygen concentrator onboard, or sail if I’m on peritoneal dialysis.  They’ll get those wrong, too. 

[VibeGuy]

7 hours ago, latebloomer56 said:

I wasn't allowed to bring my cherries on board that I bought at the market place in Seattle. They took the bag at security

Security is not employed by Princess.  I suspect if this had been escalated to an administrative officer they answer would have been “of course”. 
 

 

[chengkp75]

10 minutes ago, VibeGuy said:

Here are my green grapes, procured in Manzanillo, with the permission of the Executive Chef, taken in by the storekeeper, and transformed the next night into the Sole Veronique you see before you.

Those grapes were not consumed without sanitizing before being added to the Veronique.  Those same grapes would not be allowed for you to have in your cabin to pop in your mouth as desired.  You asked for a dish, they couldn't provide the ingredients, and you asked if you could provide.  Way different.  And, it is a violation of the USPH VSP, but would likely never be caught.

Edited May 19, 2022 by chengkp75

[latebloomer56]

16 hours ago, VibeGuy said:

Security is not employed by Princess.  I suspect if this had been escalated to an administrative officer they answer would have been “of course”. 
 

 

Good to know if it is dock security, thanks.

[Camelia-]

On 5/18/2022 at 3:06 PM, cruzin4us said:

Just asked Princess via the "chat" and this was the response:

 

 

Interesting.. a few years ago when we were docked in  Honolulu I bought a whole bag of papayas since I was tired of the same servings of fruit every day on board. I didn’t even think that it might not be allowed and no one stopped me or even questioned me about it when I boarded.. not sure if rules changed or if they just missed it.

 

[VibeGuy]

They actually did remove a portion of the grapes from the package and returned the rest to me, in the package, for snack purposes.  *whistles innocently*.  
 

(FWIW, I don’t routinely ask people to peel me grapes.  I was insistent that merely halved would be fine.  But this dish was as fantastic as the last time I had it on Sitmar.  I almost cried.)
 

After asking an actual CFR-fluent food nerd, I don’t think the VSP as a whole requires a sanitising agent on fruits and vegetables, even those served raw.  7.3.3.2.4 of the latest Ops Manual says you must rinse produce in potable water.  7.3.3.2.5 says you *may* use a registered sanitising agent, but I don’t see reference to a requirement and the whole thing is pretty much lifted from the FDA Model Food Code, just making it applicable to vessels that wouldn’t usually be subject to state-level regulations that reference the code.   Personally, I’d like to see them use a ClO2 rinse on any fruit or vegetable that isn’t peeled or cooked before consumption, but I’d rather see that happen in environments that affect more people than the cruise ship fleet.   It’s also entirely possible that individual lines have a HACCP plan that requires the use of a sanitiser, which would be beyond the VSP requirements. 
 

 

 

[pris993]

On 5/18/2022 at 7:43 PM, cr8tiv1 said:

 

Many moons ago, my daughters were bringing back "pork chops" from a "best in the island" restaurant.  My pork chops were confiscated by security/NCL.  To this day, I believe "they" knew how good this meal was and enjoyed every morsel.  Looking back, I guess I could understand that, if I got sick, I could have blamed NCL.  But still....I wanted my pork chops.

NCL is the most strict.  I believe because they want you to spend extra to eat on board, MDR and buffet foods leave a lot to be desired on NCL.  We have cruised Princess, Celebrity, HAL, Cunard  and NCL many times in the Mediterranean.  Loved buying dried fruit, nuts, pastries and street foods in ports.  Enjoyed lunch on our balcony in some ports with what we brought on board.  It was only on NCL that staff worked at restricting passengers from doing so.  

[HaveDogWillTravel]

My PVP got back to me saying Princess has no rules against bringing fruit on board. Those that answer chat are not the most experienced sometimes. Plus they answer on the fly. My PVP researched and took his time getting me what he felt was an accurate answer. 

 

I carried those cherries on ……out in the open …..no hiding them. No one blinked an eye throughout the process of boarding. When I delivered small bags of them to the crew I’ve been sailing with since last November I did so openly in front of senior managers and there was even a security person near me who definitely saw what I had and had zero reaction.  My crew peeps were over the top happy to get this small treat.  

 

Your opinions may vary but I broke no stated Princess rules and I certainly made the day of several people who have been on this ship 7 long months.  

[cruzin4us]

You did the right thing.....Carried them out in the open.   If they don't stop you, then you are golden.   

I just have issues with those people trying to hide/sneak an item on board.

 

I heard the Cherry crop was good this year in California!

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, cruzin4us said:

You did the right thing.....Carried them out in the open.   If they don't stop you, then you are golden.   

I just have issues with those people trying to hide/sneak an item on board.

 

I heard the Cherry crop was good this year in California!

Yes, have been having some up here in Ontario and they were good.  I really look forward to the Washington State cherries.  They are the best IMO.  

[Cruise Raider]

5 hours ago, cruzin4us said:

You did the right thing.....Carried them out in the open.   If they don't stop you, then you are golden.   

I just have issues with those people trying to hide/sneak an item on board.

 

I heard the Cherry crop was good this year in California!

I am most confident that @HaveDogWillTravelwould never try to skirt the rules, which is why she asked the question here.  We’ve been told in the past, point blank, that bringing fruit fruit or fresh flowers onboard is absolutely fine!  I’m sure it was quite the treat for the staff to get fresh cherries! 
We are also here in California and our neighbors brought us some cherries from their parent’s tree … they were the best cherries we’ve ever had!  So yes, the cherry crop is incredible here in California.  
 

[cr8tiv1]

Glad this was brought out in the open.  I brought back treats specific to each of the 4 Hawaiian Islands in March.  I gave them to my room steward AND the the Assistant Manager in Club Class to divide up.  I had expected it to be share amongst the few who were serving me.  Much to my surprise, it was stretched out to the entire CC staff.  Good thing there was enough for everyone to sample.  I was never stopped at security when bringing these food items onboard (along with my 4 papayas to enjoy on the way back).   My understanding has always been that you can bring it on board, but you may not take it off the ship.