Boxed Lunch

[Boytjie]

When we lived in a suburb of St Louis we had neighbors who had lived their whole lives in the area and had never crossed the Mississippi River! :eek:

 

There are people that live in the New York City area but that have never been in the city. And I am sure there are some in the city that have never gone outside the five boroughs. Heck some Manhattanites have never been to Brooklyn! :D

[jtl513]

Heck some Manhattanites have never been to Brooklyn! :D

THAT I can understand! (JK - :D:D )

[sail7seas]

That is a good place with a great view. We've eaten there probably three times and always sit outside. Love it. All this reminds me that I'd like to be having lunch....or at least a drink....in Charlotte Amalie at Gladys' Café. Meeting and talking to Gladys is worth a stop and drink if you've never met her. :)

 

 

Gladys is a treasure. Send her the regards of many here on CC. When she's in a chatting mood, such fun. Her place does get really busy for a reason. :)

 

Have a great cruise, Randy. Enjoy.

[sail7seas]

John..... :D :D

For those of us who love to travel, it's hard to understand those who have no curiosity outside their neighborhood but different strokes.

 

It is also hard for those of us who love to taste local flavors to understand those who would rather bring a cheese sandwich off the ship....... different strokes.

 

Our lunches ashore are a great part of our enjoyment and always have been.

Can you imagine being in Italy and bringing a box lunch ashore? That is painful for me to even contemplate. :eek:

[Randyk47]

Gladys is a treasure. Send her the regards of many here on CC. When she's in a chatting mood, such fun. Her place does get really busy for a reason. :)

 

Have a great cruise, Randy. Enjoy.

 

Unfortunately I don't have any cruises planned or under research that go to St Thomas so it's going to be awhile before I'm at Gladys' Cafe again. Sad, very sad. :)

[sail7seas]

But that is a 'fixable' situation.

Pick up phone, call TA, pick cruise, give credit card ........

VOILA, cruise booked. :D

 

[innlady1]

That is a good place with a great view. We've eaten there probably three times and always sit outside. Love it. All this reminds me that I'd like to be having lunch....or at least a drink....in Charlotte Amalie at Gladys' Café. Meeting and talking to Gladys is worth a stop and drink if you've never met her. :)

 

We love Gladys' Cafe!

Every time we're in St. Thomas, we have lunch there...yummy gazpacho and...the bloody Mary's are wonderful, too. I love the way she belts out the tunes while wiping down the bar. Several years ago, a friend of mine who is a writer for Cape Air magazine (that flies here in the spring/summer/fall and in the Caribbean in the winter season) wrote an article about Gladys' Cafe with some great pics.

It's a real treasure! :D

[Charles4515]

There are people that live in the New York City area but that have never been in the city. And I am sure there are some in the city that have never gone outside the five boroughs. Heck some Manhattanites have never been to Brooklyn! :D

 

When I was young I lived in the Chicago area and I visited cousins in Brooklyn who had never been to Manhattan or seen the Statue of Liberty.

[3rdGenCunarder]

No machine scanning is done by the ship as you leave, but regardless: if the local tour operator has told the OP that some ships provide box lunches for his excursion customers, then he must know that it is allowed in his country.

 

 

I don't think I've ever had a box lunch on a tour. Sometimes there was a meal in a restaurant or a pre-packaged snack of some sort. I wonder if, in some cases, the boxed lunch is provided by the tour operator and doesn't actually come off the ship?

[luvcruisn']

Boxed lunches were provided on a HAL shore excursion on an all day tour to Cairo and the Pyramids. I think the lunches came from the ship, rather than the tour operator. A meal at a restaurant was also included, but as the trip to Cairo took 3 hours out and 3 hours back, the boxed lunch was also included.

[jtl513]

I don't think I've ever had a box lunch on a tour. Sometimes there was a meal in a restaurant or a pre-packaged snack of some sort. I wonder if, in some cases, the boxed lunch is provided by the tour operator and doesn't actually come off the ship?

We've seen both. In Denali and Skagway the box lunches were given to us on the bus by the tour operator. They were enough to tide us over until we got back to a restaurant in mid afternoon.

On the Amalfi Coast HAL tour we picked up box lunches just before the gangway because we had no idea when or where we might get a chance to eat something else. When we given lunch break time in the town of Amalfi, most of the box lunches were left on the bus or tossed out. IIRC we ate the apples and drank the bottled water. :)

[Who knew?]

Some folks do have blood sugar issues and want to make sure they don't get caught with nothing to take the edge off. If you may need to eat something before a planned food break during an excursion, I think sealed packages of small snack-type items would be okay most places -- cereal bars, nuts, trail mix, etc.

 

Linda:)

[Globaliser]

... I think sealed packages of small snack-type items would be okay most places ...

Except in the places where it's absolutely forbidden to take food ashore. Or the places where you'll get a hefty fine for not declaring food, even though the food itself will be allowed through after it's been inspected.

 

So it's always worth knowing the exact requirements and rules in a specific place.

[Randyk47]

But that is a 'fixable' situation.

Pick up phone, call TA, pick cruise, give credit card ........

VOILA, cruise booked. :D

 

 

It is that easy but our focus is our Med cruise next year which actually is quickly sneaking up on us. Not complaining, we actually enjoy it, but that cruise is taking a little more research and planning than our typical jaunt to Ft Lauderdale for a cruise. Of course work kind of gets in the way, at least for Mrs. K, and she's not too hot about me taking a solo cruise for some reason. :rolleyes::)

[bracy]

When we cruise in the Caribbean we seek out the most secluded beach at almost every island we go to. Rarely is there food available, so we often take something with us, just not fruit. In 8 cruises have never had anything confiscated. Even if it was, no big deal.

[mr green]

John..... :D :D

For those of us who love to travel, it's hard to understand those who have no curiosity outside their neighborhood but different strokes.

 

It is also hard for those of us who love to taste local flavors to understand those who would rather bring a cheese sandwich off the ship....... different strokes.

 

Our lunches ashore are a great part of our enjoyment and always have been.

Can you imagine being in Italy and bringing a box lunch ashore? That is painful for me to even contemplate. :eek:

 

If I am the person you were refering to, you could not be more wrong. There was no food to be had, unfortunately, other than what we took.

 

john

[Globaliser]

In 8 cruises have never had anything confiscated. Even if it was, no big deal.

It's a bigger deal, though, if you do this somewhere that you'll get fined.

 

So know the local rules.

[Arwen]

I always take a snack bar or two and bottled water. I like the shore excursions that include lunch or if they are short enough, the opportunity to eat at a local cafe' or head back to the ship for a late lunch.

 

I have learned to carefully read HAL's shore excursion options. On our last Mexican cruise, we chose a HAL Mayan tour (about six hours). We had a wonderful guide and I loved it, except it was hot and humid that day....and there was no opportunity to even buy lunch, much less some snacks. What I found strange, is that the water and/or soda pop was passed out at the end of the tour and right before boarding the bus to head back.....a full five hours later. Not everyone had brought water with them.

 

Another couple, booked the same tour privately (different company) and a wonderful Mexican lunch was included....and they paid less, too!

[LynnTTT]

I heard about someone who didn't leave the ship in Barcelona, because they "had heard" there was lot of crime and they didn't like Mexican food!!! So saaaaddddd.

[HALrunner]

When we cruise in the Caribbean we seek out the most secluded beach at almost every island we go to. Rarely is there food available, so we often take something with us, just not fruit. In 8 cruises have never had anything confiscated. Even if it was, no big deal.

 

Our tour operator suggested bringing a boxed lunch from the ship (that is why I started the thread!). We love to try local food wherever we go, however it sounds like this isn't really an option for the excursion we booked. When I asked specifically about it, he replied "We could stop at a Subway as we leave the pier". Cringe! I guess I will check the local guidelines and eat a big breakfast!

Bracy, we also like to seek our the most secluded beach- that is why we chartered this tour. Just wondering if you have advice on a secluded beach in Grand Turk?

[bracy]

Our tour operator suggested bringing a boxed lunch from the ship (that is why I started the thread!). We love to try local food wherever we go, however it sounds like this isn't really an option for the excursion we booked. When I asked specifically about it, he replied "We could stop at a Subway as we leave the pier". Cringe! I guess I will check the local guidelines and eat a big breakfast!

Bracy, we also like to seek our the most secluded beach- that is why we chartered this tour. Just wondering if you have advice on a secluded beach in Grand Turk?

 

It's funny you should ask about Grand Turk because I just booked us a March cruise that stops there. We have never been there before either and are very excited because I hear it has very nice beaches. I will be spending a lot of time on these boards trying to decide which beach to choose.

 

A few people have mentioned some islands fine for bringing food off ship. Does anyone know which islands? Not sure how they would know anyways, no one checks bags on the islands after you leave the ship, at least not in my Caribbean-only experience. Sure don't want to get fined. Two kids & no food makes for a really long beach day.

[bracy]

HALrunner, just noticed you are asking about Cayman. It's my kids' favorite island. You will love it. The beaches and people are great. We have taken food to the beach there twice without any problem, not that i advocate doing anything illegal. :rolleyes: It seems to me we saw food trucks selling meat pies (yum) around the island. Maybe your tour can stop at one of those. Public transportation is easy to use also, if you decide to ditch your tour and venture out on your own. Sometimes we will start out on a tour and finish it ourselves to elongate the trip. We did that last time we were in Cayman. Hope you have a great vacation.

[HALrunner]

Thanks, Bracy! Great advice, just what I was looking for! We will keep a look out for the food trucks/meat pies:) How old are your kids? My boys are 2 and 4. Any other tips you have for a Caribbean cruise with kids? What did you do in San Juan and/or St. Maartin?

From what I kind find on Grand Turk, I think we may end up at the Bohio resort...nice beach, facilities and great food at reasonable prices. Or, maybe we will just rent golf carts to find a less crowded beach. I will let you know how it goes!

[bracy]

Thanks, Bracy! Great advice, just what I was looking for! We will keep a look out for the food trucks/meat pies:) How old are your kids? My boys are 2 and 4. Any other tips you have for a Caribbean cruise with kids? What did you do in San Juan and/or St. Maartin?

From what I kind find on Grand Turk, I think we may end up at the Bohio resort...nice beach, facilities and great food at reasonable prices. Or, maybe we will just rent golf carts to find a less crowded beach. I will let you know how it goes!

 

Our boys will be 12 and 8 when we cruise in March. Can't think of any great tips right now except to bring along a couple beach shovels. Hours of entertainment. :) Oh and i always bring a wet wash cloth in a large freezer bag for washing hands & faces and bringing home shells. Not sure what we're going to do in PR. We don't get there til 1. PR is not the safest island so if we go to the beach it will be at a hotel or we may book a tour of the fort & Old San Juan thru HAL. How about you? We go to St. Thomas, not St. Martin. Haven't been to St. Martin with the kids. I love its European feel and the beaches are pretty but lots of nudity. Not too cool with that having a 12yr old boy. :o Can't wait to hear how your trip is.

[sparky-elpaso]

Our boys will be 12 and 8 when we cruise in March. Can't think of any great tips right now except to bring along a couple beach shovels. Hours of entertainment. :) Oh and i always bring a wet wash cloth in a large freezer bag for washing hands & faces and bringing home shells. Not sure what we're going to do in PR. We don't get there til 1. PR is not the safest island so if we go to the beach it will be at a hotel or we may book a tour of the fort & Old San Juan thru HAL. How about you? We go to St. Thomas, not St. Martin. Haven't been to St. Martin with the kids. I love its European feel and the beaches are pretty but lots of nudity. Not too cool with that having a 12yr old boy. :o Can't wait to hear how your trip is.

 

Picking up shells on the beach may not be a good idea - you may not be able to take them home. Although they might seem "unoccupied" there may be someone home inside. They may not make it through customs. They usually have some for sale in gift shops that would be safer.