Rare Host Sharon Posted July 28, 2013 #1 Share Posted July 28, 2013 From a newbie to Oceania - we are booked on three private all-day tours and don't want to have to stop to eat - can we ask Oceania to provide is a packed lunch or is it a case of raiding the buffet at breakfast ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairbourne Posted July 28, 2013 #2 Share Posted July 28, 2013 From a newbie to Oceania - we are booked on three private all-day tours and don't want to have to stop to eat - can we ask Oceania to provide is a packed lunch or is it a case of raiding the buffet at breakfast ? It is stated in "Currents" no food to be taken ashore - I think this has been addressed before on another thread. :) I'm sure there will be plenty of opportunity to grab a bite during your travels - you'll need to stop for a "wee wee" won't you? LOL! :eek: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kuldalai Posted July 28, 2013 #3 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Many countries forbid cruise pax bringing either their own or cruise ship food ashore. It is a Quarantine thing . So you will have to grab something on the run whilst ashore . Avoid cold foods especially salads that are unrefrigerated or you can end up with a nasty stomach upset . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimandStan Posted July 28, 2013 #4 Share Posted July 28, 2013 From a newbie to Oceania - we are booked on three private all-day tours and don't want to have to stop to eat - can we ask Oceania to provide is a packed lunch or is it a case of raiding the buffet at breakfast ? Sharon, I'm surprised at you! There isn't a city in the World where the cuisine isn't an intrinsic part of the experience. I'm not saying that you have to sit down to a three course lunch, but even if you grab something quick from a street vendor (your guide will know where the best one's are), that snack will be something that you remember for years to come. Stan and I still talk about the box of cherries that we bought on the fly at a stall in the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, simply as a novelty because of their size. They were the size of golf balls and exceedingly delicious! We've been to the Turkish Capitol twice since, but to this day every memory begins with, "Was that the time that we bought the cherries?". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
orchestrapal Posted July 28, 2013 #5 Share Posted July 28, 2013 "Was that the time that we bought the cherries?". There is not a place we have visited foreign or domestic where we do not have that kind of memory.:D One does not have to examine every old rock at Ephesus or other Greek or Roman remains in order to have a great memory and some knowledge of a culture!;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jancruz Posted July 28, 2013 #6 Share Posted July 28, 2013 "Was that the time that we bought the cherries?". There is not a place we have visited foreign or domestic where we do not have that kind of memory.:D One does not have to examine every old rock at Ephesus or other Greek or Roman remains in order to have a great memory and some knowledge of a culture!;) Im with you..not a good historian but can tell you about the wonderful people we met in every port!! Do not miss a grab some food in the country experience..and no the ship will not fix you a box lunch.. Jancruz1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sitraveler Posted July 28, 2013 #7 Share Posted July 28, 2013 All that being said, I've seen many instances of people packing up at the buffet to take stuff along. I prefer having room service deliver to the room and packing it there, then going to the buffet for my breakfast. O will not pack a lunch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulchili Posted July 28, 2013 #8 Share Posted July 28, 2013 There are always granola bars and such that you can always take ashore in any country (if that suffices for you as lunch) :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wripro Posted July 28, 2013 #9 Share Posted July 28, 2013 It does not. Unfortunately! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy The Wanderer Posted July 28, 2013 #10 Share Posted July 28, 2013 I would ask your tour guides to pick a spot where you can have a quick stop for a sandwich or something similar. I agree a granola bar won't be enough. Perhaps your guides can find somewhere very pleasant or scenic where you won't mind sitting for a few minutes and enjoying the view. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChatKat in Ca. Posted July 28, 2013 #11 Share Posted July 28, 2013 On one cruise our travelmates decided that they wanted to skip lunch so we could see one more place on our independent tour. This was on the agenda before we left home. In 12 days we ate once grabbing food from a 7-11 and eating on a bench people watching. and another time we had said granola bars from home. I will never forget that we really missed out eating at Tivoli Gardens and our day at Catherine's Palace. My choice is always to have a lunch break at a decent trattoria or similar. Even from a farmer's market stall has a nice options for picking us a local cheese , some fruit and a loaf of bread. 7-11 sandwiches and granola bars - only in extreme emergency! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Sharon Posted July 28, 2013 Author #12 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Oh well - thanks for the replies. If I were going abroad I would agree wholeheartedly about eating local cuisine ashore. In fact I always make a point of trying stuff from street vendors etc - the last one was a gorgeous honey & sesame bun in Corfu, but as a Brit - our tours are in Scotland & Ireland!!.... I always carry a granola bar ashore for emergencies (lol). Not too sure about the suggestion we stop and eat at our toilet:eek: stop ?? Pint of Guiness or Whisky it is :) PS; The only reason I asked by the way was because on my cruise on Discovery in April we visited the beautiful island of Iona on a all-day official ship's tour, and were all given a lunchbox from the ship since there is nowhere on the island to buy food. It hadn't occurred to me before them to even think about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fairbourne Posted July 29, 2013 #13 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Oh well - thanks for the replies. If I were going abroad I would agree wholeheartedly about eating local cuisine ashore. In fact I always make a point of trying stuff from street vendors etc - the last one was a gorgeous honey & sesame bun in Corfu, but as a Brit - our tours are in Scotland & Ireland!!.... I always carry a granola bar ashore for emergencies (lol). Not too sure about the suggestion we stop and eat at our toilet:eek: stop ?? Pint of Guiness or Whisky it is :) PS; The only reason I asked by the way was because on my cruise on Discovery in April we visited the beautiful island of Iona on a all-day official ship's tour, and were all given a lunchbox from the ship since there is nowhere on the island to buy food. It hadn't occurred to me before them to even think about it. Sharon I was not suggesting you actually eat your snack in the loo! But you knew that :eek: my point was that usually a refreshment break coincides with a loo stop! There are a few lovely places on Iona for eating, it may have been that they were busy, or didn't fit in with your tour plans, but to say there is nowhere on Iona to buy food is giving people who read this incorrect information. Which ports are you stopping at in Scotland - we have so much more to offer our visitors than Whisky! :);). But at most whisky distilleries there will be a visitor centre with at the very least a coffee shop! And loos! So 3 strikes and you're on your way!! Drink, food and loos! LOL! These days there are some lovely tea rooms and cafes/pubs/restaurants and more and more are serving food all day. Not to mention National Trust properties with their lovely tea rooms and home baking. So I don't think on your travels you will be far from sustenance. And I'm sure the guide will have something in their plans for a stop. I would also be surprised if the guide didn't provide you with at the very least bottled water and a snack. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
caviargal Posted July 29, 2013 #14 Share Posted July 29, 2013 One of the reason we prefer private tours is that the local cuisine and wines are very high on our list when we are in Europe. We build our days around great places to eat and drink.:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgesGal Posted July 29, 2013 #15 Share Posted July 29, 2013 [quote name='JimandStan;39305532 We've been to the Turkish Capitol twice since' date=' but to this day every memory begins with, "Was that the time that we bought the cherries?".[/font'] JimandStan, I thought the capitol of Turkey was Ankara?;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Host Sharon Posted July 29, 2013 Author #16 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Sharon I was not suggesting you actually eat your snack in the loo! But you knew that :eek: my point was that usually a refreshment break coincides with a loo stop! There are a few lovely places on Iona for eating, it may have been that they were busy, or didn't fit in with your tour plans, but to say there is nowhere on Iona to buy food is giving people who read this incorrect information. Which ports are you stopping at in Scotland - we have so much more to offer our visitors than Whisky! :);). But at most whisky distilleries there will be a visitor centre with at the very least a coffee shop! And loos! So 3 strikes and you're on your way!! Drink, food and loos! LOL! These days there are some lovely tea rooms and cafes/pubs/restaurants and more and more are serving food all day. Not to mention National Trust properties with their lovely tea rooms and home baking. So I don't think on your travels you will be far from sustenance. And I'm sure the guide will have something in their plans for a stop. I would also be surprised if the guide didn't provide you with at the very least bottled water and a snack. I know - I was being tongue in cheek too! We are on Nautica calling at Edinburgh (from Rosyth) and Invergordon. Edinburgh isn't a problem and we hope to do the free walking tour and Castle. We have booked a tour in a minibus to go to Dunrobin Castle etc from Invergordon. Our other all day tour is in Belfast with Paddy's Black Cabs to the Giant's Causeway, Dunluce Castle etc. I am very happy to stop for a leisurely lunch anywhere but my travelling companion is keen to use every minute to see the sights and I start to fade away without due sustenance. The packed lunch idea was only a passing thought, mainly as in our current heatwave conditions, I thought a picnic might be nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SeagoingMom Posted July 29, 2013 #17 Share Posted July 29, 2013 From a newbie to Oceania - we are booked on three private all-day tours and don't want to have to stop to eat - can we ask Oceania to provide is a packed lunch or is it a case of raiding the buffet at breakfast ? I am totally surprised (incredulous, actually) that whatever the definition of an "all-day private tour" is (unless you meant to say "self-guided" tour), it does not include food -- either food provided by the tour company/guide, or a food stop built into the schedule. No one can expect you to tour all day without food! The liability issues are not to be contemplated -- fainting, diabetic comas, lethal crabbiness, etc. :eek: There must be food -- check the info on your tour again -- there must be food! :D:D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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