How often do you eat in local places during your cruise?

[Sherlock43031]

Europe or Med always look forward to trying the local food in the smaller mom/pop places. Islands, South America or Mexico not so much

[Laughing Angel]

oysterdam, I like your style!

 

I love exploring new places, and part of that means meeting new people and trying the local cuisine. Life is short.

:D

[griffy116]

Europe or Med always look forward to trying the local food in the smaller mom/pop places. Islands, South America or Mexico not so much

 

Exactly!

[Aplmac]

Worst pizza by far that I've ever had ............ was in Naples :rolleyes:

I had a pizza in Old Genoa, wasn't that impressed.

I mean it was OK...

Somewhere in this area of Old Genoa

 

but by far the nicest pizza I've had was in a small upstairs Italian restaurant overlooking the Carenage

on the Caribbean island of GRENADA, of all places

 

.

[Happy ks]

The problem is that almost all cruise ships have only a buffet for lunch. Buffet food in general is not good food. So when people say I paid for the buffet meal and I am cheap and don't pay for good food in port they should never complain about the quality of food on a cruise.

 

Why do so many people like the ship buffet food over a good port meal besides being cheap.

 

 

Are there people that like eating buffet and eat only buffets at home?

 

I think most buffets are lower on the quality of food scale than fast food places.

 

 

What is interesting to me is that cruise ships budget around $12-15 per person, per day for food. So to say the meals are paid for is not what I would call a big deal. When I read statements like "I want to get my money's worth", I think...that doesn't take much.

 

The way I look at a cruise is that I'm paying for my passage, with some mediocre food included in my fare. The only time we've had lunch onboard the ship in port is when we never got off the ship in the first place. Like Ensenada.

[cruiseapril]

Not very often, as we spend on excursions and gifts- but would like

to have Rijsttafel again in Curacao.

[NoobCruise]

Mostly we take excursions which may or may not have food included. If not, then it's a toss up, depending on how tired we are. If we're still feeling adventurous, we'll go back out. If we're beat, we head to the ship.

[Hlitner]

Mostly we take excursions which may or may not have food included. If not, then it's a toss up, depending on how tired we are. If we're still feeling adventurous, we'll go back out. If we're beat, we head to the ship.

 

Ahhh. You have hit on another (of many) reasons why we seldom take cruise line excursions in Europe. Out of necessity the restaurants that cater to large tour groups must be tourist-class places set-up to handle large bus groups. As a general rule these are not the places we would normally choose to eat. In addition, many of the bus tours get a very limited "tourist menu" or buffet in order to speed up the process. Sitting in a well-located outdoor café, sipping my wine or beer and feasting on some good local food, and not having to be concerned about "rush rush rush" or waiting in line (with 100+ other bus passengers) is an important part of our typical port day. In other ports we might actually go to a world-class restaurant for lunch....which is never included in large tours (nor would they allocate the time).

 

Somebody recently asked me about having gelato at Vivoli (the most famous gelateria in Florence) but I warned them that if they were going to take a walking "tour" they would probably not get to that particular street (its somewhat off the normal routes). Escorted tours have their advantages....but they also have a lot of drawbacks.

 

Hank

[jaybird from SC]

Unless we have a meal included with all day tour, we never eat off the ship....

[tip]

If were are on shore during lunch time, we will seek out an establishment where the locals eat. Since we take many private excursions, the van or cab driver can recommend places. Even if we are in sight of ship, it takes too long to board to eat and then get back off again after lunch to continue sight seeing or shopping.

 

Before we return to the ship for the day, we almost always stop for a cold drink which means either a fruity drink or local beer for "The One Who Must Be Obeyed" usually at an establishment which is in sight of the ship. It only makes sense since drink prices ashore are usually cheaper than on board. :D

[Ship's Wake]

Ahhh. You have hit on another (of many) reasons why we seldom take cruise line excursions in Europe. Out of necessity the restaurants that cater to large tour groups must be tourist-class places set-up to handle large bus groups. As a general rule these are not the places we would normally choose to eat. In addition, many of the bus tours get a very limited "tourist menu" or buffet in order to speed up the process. Sitting in a well-located outdoor café, sipping my wine or beer and feasting on some good local food, and not having to be concerned about "rush rush rush" or waiting in line (with 100+ other bus passengers) is an important part of our typical port day. In other ports we might actually go to a world-class restaurant for lunch....which is never included in large tours (nor would they allocate the time).

 

Somebody recently asked me about having gelato at Vivoli (the most famous gelateria in Florence) but I warned them that if they were going to take a walking "tour" they would probably not get to that particular street (its somewhat off the normal routes). Escorted tours have their advantages....but they also have a lot of drawbacks.

 

Hank

 

While we like to eat at local places as well, we have also chosen some average places that were so-so at best. Not every dining experience onshore for us could we describe as wonderful. Gibraltar and Cadiz come to mind.

 

Better to have tried and been underwhelmed a few times than to not have tried the local food at all. :)

[slidergirl]

I had a pizza in Old Genoa, wasn't that impressed.

I mean it was OK...

Somewhere in this area of Old Genoa

 

but by far the nicest pizza I've had was in a small upstairs Italian restaurant overlooking the Carenage

on the Caribbean island of GRENADA, of all places

 

.

 

Unfortunately, just because you are in Naples or Genoa or Paris or anywhere else, it doesn't guarantee the best pizza, oysters, etc. It's the idea of eating somewhere local for me.

One of the best Chinese dinners I've ever had was in Tel Aviv at a Glatt Kosher place;)

[sparky-elpaso]

For us it depends on our schedule for the day and the layout of the port (depends on if there's anything near the place where the ship docks).

 

If we go ashore early (usually because it's a tender port) and have an afternoon excursion we may look for a place to have lunch. Or we'll stop for lunch after a morning excursion if something looks interesting. We had some really good fish & chips at some of our Australian ports and a delicious chicken club sandwich at a dockside restaurant in Aruba - sat on the dock looking out at our ship.