Bringing stuff back from a cruise...

[cdness]

So my wife and I are finally heading out on a cruise for our Honeymoon. We will be traveling through the caribbean and porting out from Puerto Rico. I have a couple questions regarding the trip:

1. When we are at the islands, am I able to collect ANYTHING that would be good for my tank?

2. If I am allowed to collect something, what is the best way to keep it alive while on the ship?

3. What would be the best method for getting it back to the states?

4. Since I am porting out of Puerto Rico, will I need to worry about any customs issues or import/export regulations?

Any other experiences in this situation you would like to share? I would like to be informed as much as possible as I am not one to try skirt the laws and regulations just to get something cool home... That's why I figured I would ask here first and see if anything is legal, possible, or feasible on a trip like this...

 

[Swine]

Subscribed! I want to get my scuba diving certification for when I have the chance to do something like this.

 

[chefmur]

You are not allowed to bring anything plants/fruit/animals into US, they are very strict and will inspect on arrival to US. We have taken several cruises to Bahamas and Virgin Islands and wanted to bring some goodies back. Also many of the ships xray your hand luggage when you come back on ship after being on the islands.

 

[chefmur]

JUst realised you are going out of PR so may be different, the ship regulations will still not allow it I believe.

 

[ritter6788]

You are not allowed to bring anything plants/fruit/animals into US, they are very strict and will inspect on arrival to US. We have taken several cruises to Bahamas and Virgin Islands and wanted to bring some goodies back. Also many of the ships xray your hand luggage when you come back on ship after being on the islands.

Correct. Nothing living. We couldn't even bring back a grass hat that was made for our kids in Cozumel. Border security confiscated them at the port.

 

[fragmatic]

I know this sounds like a joke answer, but you need to "cruise" down the Interstate and visit a real US beach. My understanding is you will not be allowed to import anything that may harbor unseen animal or plant live forms. However, I'd most certainly contact a customs official or go online and find out. If you could, even with strict limits, that would be really cool. Keep us informed!

 

[k2parkstar]

So my wife and I are finally heading out on a cruise for our Honeymoon. We will be traveling through the caribbean and porting out from Puerto Rico. I have a couple questions regarding the trip:

1. When we are at the islands, am I able to collect ANYTHING that would be good for my tank?

2. If I am allowed to collect something, what is the best way to keep it alive while on the ship?

3. What would be the best method for getting it back to the states?

4. Since I am porting out of Puerto Rico, will I need to worry about any customs issues or import/export regulations?

Any other experiences in this situation you would like to share? I would like to be informed as much as possible as I am not one to try skirt the laws and regulations just to get something cool home... That's why I figured I would ask here first and see if anything is legal, possible, or feasible on a trip like this...

Customs still treats PR as a foreign country with regards to importing and exporting. I wouldn't recommend tryingntonbring anything.

 

[saltwaterclown]

Just box whatever up and ship it.

 

[k2parkstar]

Just box whatever up and ship it.

Still gotta do customs.

 

[Swine]

Dang. Well send us any photos if you end up like this guy smuggling song birds in.

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Xparent Skyblue Tapatalk 2

 

[saltwaterclown]

Doesn't have to do customs if it's claimed a gift. Of course you wouldn't say it's coral.

 

[saltwaterclown]

Just get a mule;]

 

[tazguy25]

Only tip I have is the rum goes into a mouthwash bottle with some Food color ;-)
Even in Fla getting wild coral is frowned apon. Just a few species are allowed recently that I'm aware of.

 

[Telefonica007]

Ship it USPS to ur house from Puerto Rico if ur find something in Puerto Rico...

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[glb]

I wouldn't. It would be a real bummer to be detained by Customs at the end of your honeymoon.


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12g Nanoreef. Zooanthids, Ricordia, Star Polyps, Acans and two clownfish. CF Lighting, 75% actinic blue, 25% 10,000k white.

 

[ohio reefer]

Come on guys, don't give up! Do you not remember her?

She's snuck them on an airplane and only has a 110,000$ fine to pay! Smuggling wildlife is an expensive hobby.


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[watchguy123]

I appreciate the allure of finding something really cool, however Customs has rules and regulations to protect the environment here and abroad. You most definitely don't want to bring some pest back into the US nor pay an incredibly large fine and be detained or arrested. Enjoy the honeymoon, good luck with diving certification and leave the ocean wildlife intact

 

[Mr. E Wrasse]

Only tip I have is the rum goes into a mouthwash bottle with some Food color ;-)
Even in Fla getting wild coral is frowned apon. Just a few species are allowed recently that I'm aware of.

Yeah for real. And we don't have that cool of stuff here anyways. And cdness, I have brought shells back from mexico, bonaire, bahamas and have had the taken away from me, even seaglass. I can sometimes get away with it since ive been to bonaire so many times and know where to hide stuff but I'm sure you will not only get the coral taken away, but also receive a very hefty fine

 

[cdness]

I forgot about this thread... As an update, I never tried to bring in anything live. However I did bring some rocks back with me. They were all dead coral skeleton I thought would look good in a FOWLR tanks.

When going through security they saw the first one and said it is part of nature and confiscated it. I mentioned it was given to me by a local collector on an island but they still took it. It wasn't from PR so it will probably just be destroyed

In the same bag I had a huge conch shell and a paper bag with smaller coral skeleton pieces. She asked where I got these and I said they are craft items and she let me through with them...

So if you pick up dead coral skeletons or shells, say they are craft items and you bought them if you want to get through customs...

They have warnings all over in regards to live stuff including plants. They wouldn't even allow me to bring home the roses a local street craftsman in PR made for my wife out of cut palm leaves.

 

[ritter6788]

They wouldn't even allow me to bring home the roses a local street craftsman in PR made for my wife out of cut palm leaves.

That is what they did to us in 2008 for the palm hats. Funny thing was 2 guys in front of us got through with the same kind of hats. They took ours out of my kids hands but let 2 others go through with them wearing them on their heads. We took 2 cruises last year and they weren't even making the grass hats anywhere anymore. They even listed it on the customs sheet as one of the items you couldn't bring back.