What do you do for lunch?

[Bakincakes]

Half of the fun of visiting new places is sampling the local cuisine...you can find inexpensive local food, in most places.

 

Some excursions will include lunch. Our last trip to Cozumel we enjoyed a wonderful Mexican buffet in a local resort area. The food was delicious and the view was wonderful as well.:)

[Cruising89143]

We usually have lunch while we are off the ship. It's a nice break from cruise food.

[bplazo]

We always have something to eat at the ports we visit.

[needabreakcanada]

Some of you have made comments like:

 

a break from the cruise food

 

cruise food not worth making the trip back for.....

 

Is the food on Royal not that great? I had always hear it was all about the food on cruises???

 

I am not a big eater but a small meal and frequent one due to a medical condition. I am also limited in what I eat - so eating in port may not be an option - no seafood, spices, few fruits are on the list of not to eat for me.

 

How would i fare in the southern caribbean ports?

[cruiselvr04]

If our excursion doesn't include lunch we take pre-packaged nuts, crackers (save from plane ride), box of cereal or protein bars from home. In Europe we loved the local food but in the caribbean we find it's not for us. We usually eat a big breakfast and get a snack when we get back on board since we eat late dinner. We eat so much on a cruise that we can go hungry alittle.

[househunter]

Some of you have made comments like:

 

a break from the cruise food

 

cruise food not worth making the trip back for.....

 

Is the food on Royal not that great? I had always hear it was all about the food on cruises???

 

I am not a big eater but a small meal and frequent one due to a medical condition. I am also limited in what I eat - so eating in port may not be an option - no seafood, spices, few fruits are on the list of not to eat for me.

 

How would i fare in the southern caribbean ports?

 

Cruise food is more about quantity rather than quality. Because they have to mass prepare everything for over 1000 people at a time, it is usually similar to a hotel banquet dinner. We get tired of it very quickly and can't wait to have breakfast or lunch ashore where we can get fresh food cooked to order. We also eat mostly in the specialty restaurants for dinner for the same reason.

[hansolosmom]

Since I have 2 growing boys who need to eat constantly - here's my suggestion bring snacks with you for the trip. We always bring water bottles & I pack in my carry-on a couple boxes of snack things for them, things that won't melt or need any type of refrigration for example granola bars, breakfast bars, the fruit filled bars & sometimes fig newtons. This way everytime we go on an excursion I put some of the snack bars in my backpack along with some water bottles & we are good to go. You will notice most people with kids will do this. I always make sure I bring a ziploc bag & some wipes so if anyone is crumby they can clean up & I use the bag for trash.

 

Just make sure any of the snacks you bring are in small packages - don't bring a big bag of pretzels & just try & take some of them with you because there are regulations about bringing foods on-shore

[Gilgo Surfer]

We eat on board whilst enjoying the quietness once all the riff-raff have gone ashore ;)

 

I would never consider my fellow cruisers to be "riff-raff" because they choose to explore the ports.

[Wilda]

So if you are in a cruise port for the day - and you already paid for your lunch on board the ship - what do you do?

 

Do you pay again for a lunch while in the port?

Can you pack a lunch from the ship to take with you?

Or do you go back to the ship for lunch and then go back to the port action?

 

Guess you can tell how new I am to cruising.

 

Thanks

 

I have not found it to be worth the hassle of going back to the ship to grab lunch; just eat in port.

 

I think it is important to realize that while most food and entertainment is included in the price of your vacation...having a "I already paid for this" mentality may lead to some frustration (if it goes beyond lunch on a port day). For example, if you can't get into the ice show because there are no available seats..."I paid for this" could have you feeling like you are not getting everything that you paid for;)

 

Just an observation:D

[CaptData]

I have to eat every so often or I get dizzy when I am exerting myself.

 

Doesn't have to be big just a little something.

 

Thanks for the tips :)

 

If your diabetic you can take a box of cereal with you (sealed). Just remember to pick it up in the morning. The other option is a chocolate bar (sealed). I have done both depending on what I intend to do. I ensure that my times are within my limits. I always bring sealed candy just in case.

[pltag]

I'll pay for lunch when ashore ........ but to make up for it, I take POUNDS of sandwich fixings home with me after the cruise and eat sack lunches for weeks. After all ....... I paid for it!! :D :rolleyes: :D

 

Pardon the thick layer of sarcasm ...... but the frugal (cheap) nature of some cruisers never ceases to amaze me!

[isdoo]

I would never consider my fellow cruisers to be "riff-raff" because they choose to explore the ports.

 

It was a joke, hence the ;) - strewth - lighten up :)

[Shooraq]

If I'm at someplace like the Bahamas, I'll just go walking around the main st and come back for lunch.

 

In new ports or ports that I really like, I will stay ashore for lunch... I rather try a new cuisine or dish that I wouldn't have otherwise. Love it!

[lovesublime]

I'll pay for lunch when ashore ........ but to make up for it, I take POUNDS of sandwich fixings home with me after the cruise and eat sack lunches for weeks. After all ....... I paid for it!! :D :rolleyes: :D

 

Pardon the thick layer of sarcasm ...... but the frugal (cheap) nature of some cruisers never ceases to amaze me!

 

 

 

 

What a lame analogy. The rudeness of some posters never ceases to amaze ME. You're the reason why noobs (the OP) shy away from posting and visiting forums like this :rolleyes:

[Palmetto Pilot]

I always try to eat on the ship since it is already paid for and I like the food. Lunch off the ship can be nice too, I like to get drinks on shore since they are so much cheaper.

[Gilgo Surfer]

It was a joke, hence the ;) - strewth - lighten up :)

 

I thought it was a joke. If you would have used this::D, I would have known for sure.

[needabreakcanada]

Hey just trying to be able to make a dream happen - any way I can.

 

Don't knock me for it!

 

All tips have been appreciated.

 

The only "cheap" thing in the lot is your comment - jest or not:D

[printingchick]

So if you are in a cruise port for the day - and you already paid for your lunch on board the ship - what do you do?

 

Do you pay again for a lunch while in the port?

Can you pack a lunch from the ship to take with you?

Or do you go back to the ship for lunch and then go back to the port action?

 

Guess you can tell how new I am to cruising.

 

Thanks

 

If it's a tender port, it's not really possible to get back on the ship just for lunch. Too time consuming. I VERY RARELY will pay extra to eat in port, but that's likely just my frugal nature. I always pack foods I can legally take ashore (granola bars, packaged crackers) to hold us over until we get back on the ship. Sometimes, food is included on port excursions, particularly the longer ones. If it makes sense, we've also tried to split our day. For example, we recently did a morning catamaran/snorkeling trip in Cozumel, reboarded the ship to eat and change clothes, then headed back out into town to sight-see and show. If that's not possible, we'll just eat a big breakfast, then snack on foods from our backpacks until we can reboard the ship for a late afternoon lunch/snack before dinner.

[galavant3]

Until now I didn't even think about it but all three of our shore excursions last week included lunch. So we had no decision to make!

[ehfl]

When traveling, I prefer to eat at local places. If I wanted ship food, I could just stay on the ship. But why not have something better when you have the opportunity?

 

It seems to be penny-wise and pound-foolish, to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a vacation, and end up not enjoying the local foods.

 

How can buffet food sitting under a heat lamp on the ship, compare with fresh local grouper, lobster or conch?

[pltag]

If I wanted ship food, I could just stay on the ship.

You're making WAY too much sense. The simplicity of this statement is brilliant!

 

I ruffled feathers before because I said:

I'll pay for lunch when ashore ........ but to make up for it, I take POUNDS of sandwich fixings home with me after the cruise and eat sack lunches for weeks. After all ....... I paid for it!! :rolleyes: :D

 

Pardon the thick layer of sarcasm ...... but the frugal (cheap) nature of some cruisers never ceases to amaze me!

 

 

What a lame analogy. The rudeness of some posters never ceases to amaze ME. You're the reason why noobs (the OP) shy away from posting and visiting forums like this :rolleyes:

I felt OP's question had pretty much been answered since the previous 1/2 page of posts dealt with whether it's a "ship" or a "boat". :D: But, I never want to be disrespectful to Newbies, so I apologize!

 

My frustration and sarcasm....... comes from the whole FOOD discussion. I am too busy having FUN on the ship, but especially OFF of the the ship to worry much about food. It NEVER, EVER, EVER occurred to me that the ship's food service was intended to feed me in port. It was only after I read posts on this forum and learned that some (I hope few) will actually order room service the night before port days ...... put the food in zip-locks to take with them. Yikes :eek: :eek:

[needabreakcanada]

Brining snacks make sense to me. Both myself and my daughter have fast metabolisms and have to eat every two hours or we get dizzy. No diabetes.

 

I also have fibromyalgia and with that came crohns/colitis. So eating in port is probably not something I can count on due to food limitations.

 

Snacks make alot more sense so I can eat and control what I have available.

[gerif]

When traveling, I prefer to eat at local places. If I wanted ship food, I could just stay on the ship. But why not have something better when you have the opportunity?

 

It seems to be penny-wise and pound-foolish, to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a vacation, and end up not enjoying the local foods.

 

How can buffet food sitting under a heat lamp on the ship, compare with fresh local grouper, lobster or conch?

 

Absolutely! Last time we did the Canada/NE cruise, we pigged out on lobster at every port (steamed, baked, lobster rolls on the go - amazing). Didn't even think about eating what they call lobster in the MDR.

[Desert Cruizers]

Depending on the tours offered, we sometimes will pick a tour that includes lunch or a snack. We don't want to eat a big meal at noon then dinner.

[maddog59]

Are you serious? People actually order room service food, repackage it in ziplock bags, and take it onshore?? Now that is taking frugal to an whole new level.

 

Personally, I prefer to belly up at a local bar or cafe, order up the house specilaty and a least a few cold cervezas. How else do guests really experience local cultures? Certainly not a pre-packaged tourist excursions.

 

Remember, everyone dies but not everyone lives!!:D