Can you bring food in your suitcase on a cruise?

If it's homemade, not in a sealed package or needs refrigeration or to be cooked, it's prohibited. The only food allowed on cruise ships is store-bought items in sealed, shelf-stable packaging. If you're tempted to try to smuggle something on board, it's not recommended.



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If you're planning to go on a cruise, you might be wondering whether cruise lines check your luggage. The answer is yes, they do.

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Guests may also bring non-alcoholic beverages as carry-on items on boarding day. Non-alcoholic beverages may not exceed 12 standard (17 oz.) cans, bottles or cartons per stateroom. Milk and distilled water brought on for infant, medical, or dietary use are permitted. Thank you for helping us improve our website!

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Food Items must be pre-packaged and unopened; homemade items or pre-cooked foods will not be permitted on board. Limitations on permitted food items are directly related to concerns for food safety and contamination prevention.

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Can you bring snacks, like candy, on a cruise? Shelf-stable snacks like chips, pretzels, protein bars or any other items packaged in sealed wrappers are permitted on every major cruise line.

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If you take fresh food off your cruise ship, it will be confiscated.

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Cruise ships have mastered the art of food storage and preparation. They use a variety of techniques to ensure that their ingredients remain fresh for days, such as using dry ice, vacuum-sealing items in airtight containers, and storing perishables in temperature-controlled areas.

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Water is always free of charge on most cruise ships. You may be asked to pay a fee for some versions of bottled water. However, you can likely ask for a jug of iced water in any restaurant or bar for no added cost. There are several water dispensers present on a cruise ship so that you can help yourself.

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You might be a big fan of bottled water and refuse to drink tap water, but a cruise ship's water is MUCH better than tap water. They have high-tech filtration systems that allow the water coming out of your bathroom sink to be clean and more than pure enough to drink.

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Fine or surcharge: On many cruise lines, you may be subject to a fine or a surcharge if they catch you sneaking alcohol onto the ship. Confiscation of alcohol: No matter what other disciplinary action the cruise line takes, you can expect them to confiscate your alcohol as soon as they find it.

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The best news about packing is that there is no (reasonable) limit on how much you can bring on a cruise. Most cruise lines “encourage” or “suggest” each passenger to limit luggage to two suitcases, each one less than 50 pounds. In addition, you can also bring carry-on luggage (more on that in a moment).

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While airlines have restrictions on what size of toiletries you can bring on a flight, at least in your carry on or personal bag, cruise lines do not. If you're not concerned about packing space, you can bring full size toiletry items including shampoo and conditioner bottles, shaving cream and other hygiene products.

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Bring Your Own Toiletries While many cruise lines offer complimentary shampoo and conditioner in stateroom bathrooms, they aren't likely to be the products you use at home. I always bring my own shampoo, conditioner and of course, my hair care products.

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Most cruise lines do usually have a fridge of sorts in the cabins. These fridges are really “mini-bars.”

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The easiest way for ships to do this is to liquefy the leftover food in an industrial grinder. The food is blended with water until it's a smooth mixture and then either disposed of in port, incinerated, or pumped out to sea when the ship is deep water and away from the coastlines. Simple as that.

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Guests are not allowed to bring on board any food items other than dry, non-perishable snack items (cookies, crackers, chips, energy bars, etc). If you need to bring special beverages, please complete a Special Needs form.

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You'll see suits and ties, tuxedos or evening gowns, but don't have to go so formal yourself. Shorts (including cutoff jeans), T-shirts, sportswear, flip-flops, bathing suits, caps and men's sleeveless shirts are never permitted in the main dining room or specialty restaurants during dinner.

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In fact, the cadets and crew enjoyed the 400+ pounds of bananas so much that additional cases of fresh bananas were purchased in port. There is no reason to leave bananas on the dock! Bananas are safe to carry - and eat aboard the TS Kennedy...or any other ship.

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The rule of twos can help you plan the perfect wardrobe. Pick two outfits -- one for day, one for night -- for each day you travel, as well as workout clothes, bathing suits, and PJs for every two days. Then cut the total amount in half -- remember, no one is going to notice when you wear the same shirt twice.

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The answer to this question varies a lot by person, their travel habits, spending preferences, length of the cruise and destination. Many people suggest $100 per day, and this has generally worked well for me in my cruising experiences, but there are a lot of variables to consider.

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