Taking a boxed lunch in St. Petersburg

[jeanb]

Has anyone taken a boxed lunch on a tour with Red October? We would like to take lunch on one of the 2 days and eat in a restaurant on the other but I do know what the procedure is. Do you order the boxed lunches from your waiter in the dining room the night before or do you order it from the buffet? I would appreciate any suggestions from those who have taken boxed lunches.

[Andee]

I've been flamed for my opinion on this topic before, but I still hold to it, and I'm tough, so here goes:

 

I think it's fine to take food off the ship for passengers who paid for a cruise. I do not think it is right to take food off the ship for the guide and driver--that seems like stealing to me.

 

I also think the guide and driver put in a long day, and deserve a break from thier customers' company, no matter how amazingly charming those customers might be.

 

When we cruised to St. Petersburg, our ship didn't offer boxed lunches.

[jasm8449]

I agree about everyone needing a break in a long day of touring.

 

That being said,this is what I do on the rare occasions when I need to take a lunch off the ship:

 

I pack a small (6-can) softsided foldable cooler, some Ziplock sandwich bags, and a Ziplock freezer bag.

 

The day before, I'll get some fruit (apples, oranges, bananas) from the buffet. I'll order cookies and sandwiches from room service. I pack these in the Ziplocks, and store them in my mini bar. In the morning, I make an ice pack with the freezer bag and ice cubes.

[Clare Husted]

Hi,

We just came back from touring with RO and did

take a canal ride with a packed lunch from the

ship. We ordered room service and got a club

sandwich plus some chips. There was no problem

taking food from the ship. We had to leave very

early AM so just brought some baggies and had the

sandwiches in the refrigerator ready the night

before. Also fruit and cookies can be included

to balance out the lunch. We did this for the

first day of touring and then did lunch with a

Russian Family the next day. A good meal was

prepared by this family and an experience to

remember. Third floor apartment building was

very old and depressing but gave us a first

hand experience to their way of life. Elena

Babanova (our RO guide) was excellent.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Just back from a Norwegian Dream cruise to Baltic and Russia.

Used Red October and can not praise them enough.

They were excellent!!!!!!!!

 

Boxed lunches????????

 

We had read on this board that you could take food ashore,

and were all set to do so.

However........

 

BE WARNED ......

 

Quarantine regulations in Russia prohibit the taking ashore ,

of food ,of any kind.

After finding this out ,one of our party simply emailed RO

from the ship,and they arranged lunch at a restaurant for us.

It turned out to be a very interesting and enjoyable experience.

After a full morning of sightseeing,it was a great break ,before we set off again in the afternoon.

[canyousayvacation]

Which restaurant did you chose? How was the food and prices??

[Kiwi Kruzer]

We did not choose the restaurant,

just left it in the hands of RO.

We where not dissapointed.

 

Dining in Russia is like stepping back in time.

An experience to be treasured ........

 

Food and prices?

Day 1 $19

Day 2 $21

Food?

Well ,that is why you travel....

To experience the difference........

Go for it and enjoy.......

[mek]

We had no problems taking sandwiches off the Grand 2 weeks ago in St Petersburg. The first day we had a very nice buffet lunch at the Hotel Europa,($20 each), and the second day to save some time, we decided to bring our own lunch.

[celem]

My 2-day tour in St. Petersburg is not with RO, but rather with Baltic Travel through American Express. It includes lunch on both days with no option to not include the lunch, so there is no profit incentive for the warning printed on the tour tickets. It reads:

"Lunch is provided. Do not ask for a box lunch from the ship. Immigration cannot clear food from the ship, so please respect the local authorities and leave all food onboard".

[Toots]

We were on the same ship as Kiwi Kruzer and were told several times not to take food off the ship because of immigration rules. We didn't want to chance being sent to the Gulag for sneaking in sandwiches and fruit!! I'm surprised that other cruiselines don't have the same restrictions.

 

We asked Red October at the last minute to provide lunch for us that we could eat while traveling in the van and they provided two sandwiches, fruit and bottled water for each of us. I think it was about $15, not cheap, but very convenient.

 

Brigitte

[spappa]

I was traveling on Red October with Kiwi Cruizer--and I think we were all pleasantly surprised at how enjoyable our lunches in the St. Petersburg restaurants were.

 

The first day, the soup wasn't ready so they gave us a drink of our choice--beer, wine, soft drink--as their apology. The food was excellent and as Kiwi says, it was a very nice break. You really don't realize how much you have been going until you sit down!

Plus we were eight people from five different locations--and we enjoyed the opportunity to visit more in-depth with each other.

 

Very wonderful way to enjoy the culture. It was one of those lagniappe items--a very pleasant surprise that you didn't plan.

 

And I just brought all those zip-lock bags and cute little lunch bags back home with me--I'll use another time!