picnic lunch

[snootyb]

Is it possible to request a picnic lunch from the ship for the days that we do excursions?

[broker1217]

There has been discussion around this subject before, and as far as I can see, VO does not offer this service. 

 

Most excursions (included, optional or private) recognize that folks need to eat and have bathroom breaks, and time for this is built in. Lunch could be included in some tours or free time is included for you to eat on your own.

See this thread for more info on some solutions:

 https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2531856-how-to-arrange-quotpack-lunchesquot-for-a-group-on-a-tour/?tab=comments#comment-54559315

 

 

[Pushka]

Many countries forbid taking food off the ship. Don’t try this in any Australian or New Zealand Port. In both countries there will likely be sniffer dogs in port. I suspect there are many other likewise countries. 

Edited January 28, 2019 by Pushka

[broker1217]

Pushka makes a good point. Make sure you understand what can be brought into each country.

 

Unless you have some really challenging dietary requirements, try some local restaurants or street food. Food is such an important part of culture and one of our favorite parts of traveling. I would be really sad if I was in a foreign country and ended up eating a sandwich from the ship that had been carried around in a backpack for a couple hours. 

 

If you share which ports you are visiting there will be plenty of people who will chime in with recommendations for food.

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, snootyb said:

Is it possible to request a picnic lunch from the ship for the days that we do excursions?

 

Just want to say, welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

And give you my answer to your question: It depends on where you are going and why you want the meal. As Pushka has pointed out, there are places where you can't legally take food off the ship and will be stopped if you try.

 

Yes, there are people who for health reasons want to take food with them on their excursions--pills to be taken, blood sugar to be watched, etc. If this is the issue, then you are best pursue this question with the fine customer service agents who answer the mail at TellUs@vikingcruises.com. E-mail them with your question and your booking number and they will get you the precise answer you need port by port.  If you include a phone number, they will even call you.

 

Yes, there are people who may for various other reasons other than medical want to take food ashore with them. I don't know if Viking regularly packs box lunches on request but I have heard people talking on these boards about packing their own. They either raid the breakfast buffet or they order something from room service (free 24/7). If this is your plan, you need to come prepared to do this -- plastic bags, etc. Of course, all of this provided there is no issue with carrying food ashore.

 

Most of the included tours are half day or less tours and you are either back in time for lunch or the tours are in the afternoon. Some people come back to the ship for lunch and then go out again. Many of the full day tours include a meal and those that don't include a lunch break.

[Heidi13]

Many years ago, providing packed lunches was a common experience, but I haven't seen this service provided for many years.

 

The primary reasons are the inability to take food products off the ship in many countries and also concerns with refrigeration.

[cruisenfreak]

We always carry packaged snacks - breakfast bars, nuts, cheese crackers, hard candy, etc. I think these are okay everywhere.

[Little Monty]

33 minutes ago, cruisenfreak said:

We always carry packaged snacks - breakfast bars, nuts, cheese crackers, hard candy, etc. I think these are okay everywhere.

 

Not in Australia or New Zealand. On arrival into each port the Cruise Director makes repeated announcements - no food off the ship, no food of any kind. Bottled water is the only thing you can take with you.

 

If caught with food you will be fined and in the case of serious or repeated breaches you may be detained (eg taken into custody to appear in Court). Serious breaches of bio security laws may lead to jail time.

 

Just sayin ... every country is different.

 

Those who have medical or other issues which require specific food types during the day need to take this up with the cruise line before commencement of the cruise. There are of course shops in every port of call in Australia / NZ to buy nuts candy, cheese etc.

 

Local authorities take these matters very seriously and I encourage everyone to do the same.

 

 

[Jim Avery]

Right you are LM.  We never tried to take food into OZ.  At every Aussie port we brought goodies back aboard.  One of our enjoyments of foreign travel is food.  Eating in restaurants, street vendor, or junk food is always interesting.  As far as food laws in OZ, well, you really would not want introduction of any strange species or dangerous things into Australia.......  Just sayin'......... 😳

[Little Monty]

4 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Right you are LM.  We never tried to take food into OZ.  At every Aussie port we brought goodies back aboard.  One of our enjoyments of foreign travel is food.  Eating in restaurants, street vendor, or junk food is always interesting.  As far as food laws in OZ, well, you really would not want introduction of any strange species or dangerous things into Australia.......  Just sayin'......... 😳

 

ha ha Jim .. yes we already have enough strange / dangerous things (and strange people of course !!).

 

Does a packaged breakfast bar present a real threat to our bio security ?

 

Probably not, but I think there have been so many breaches of more serious foods being brought in it was just easier for local authorities to ban everything.

 

Going the other way (ie buying something local and taking it on board) is usually less of an issue - but there are some products which shouldn't cross borders (even across Australian state borders - some fruit comes to mind, ie fruit purchased in Melbourne where there is a particular disease evident can't - or at least shouldn't - be taken into Queensland where the disease does not exist). 

 

Honey as well can be an issue .. although I can't remember the rules on honey (I used to work at an international airport, but those memories are fading).

 

Again, without being an alarmist - please everybody just be aware, the rules do vary from country to country and even from location to location within the same country.

 

Do some research, listen to on-board announcements, ask the cruise line before departure if you are not sure. If in doubt, declare what you have and let the authorities decide (ie don't try to hide anything in the hope it will be ok).

 

Welcome to Australia 😁

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim Avery]

Glad to see you knew I was just having a bit of fun.  Have always got on well with Aussies no matter where met.  Yes, we have seen people taking enough stuff off ships that they could set up a shop.  We love local food.  Even survived Cambodian street food.  Can't see why anyone wants to take leftovers off a ship.......Says the guy that ate at McDonalds in Wellington, NZ.  And Saigon..... And Porto, Portugal.  There is just no accounting for taste.😎🍸

[Little Monty]

10 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Glad to see you knew I was just having a bit of fun.  Have always got on well with Aussies no matter where met.  Yes, we have seen people taking enough stuff off ships that they could set up a shop.  We love local food.  Even survived Cambodian street food.  Can't see why anyone wants to take leftovers off a ship.......Says the guy that ate at McDonalds in Wellington, NZ.  And Saigon..... And Porto, Portugal.  There is just no accounting for taste.😎🍸

 

... and Mexican in Auckland ? I read the 2018 WC forum updates every day last year and I seem to recall one guy who found a Mexican restaurant in Auckland.

 

Not sure, but it might have been a guy from Arizona ? I might be wrong of course.

 

I see the PGA golf is in Phoenix this week.

 

This is Jonnie Miller's last every week as an analyst with NBC. He had great success on 'desert' courses.

 

I try to watch the PGA golf every week ....  I have learned a lot about the US from Dan Hicks and Jim Nance 

 

 

[Jim Avery]

Haha, there are no private spaces left!  Yes, excellent Mex in Auckland.  We generally eat Mex at least once a week.  On VO, lots of great food but almost no Mex options.  There was a Mexican Night at Aqavit Terrace but it was not very Mexican, imho.  The PGA bash in Phoenix is legendary.  A raucous party from start to finish.  Not going this year.  

[Pushka]

3 hours ago, cruisenfreak said:

We always carry packaged snacks - breakfast bars, nuts, cheese crackers, hard candy, etc. I think these are okay everywhere.

No they aren’t. As Monty has indicated. You will be asked to declare any food and if you don’t you will be fined. Nuts and cheese especially. Wrapped sweets might be ok. 

[cruisenfreak]

1 hour ago, Pushka said:

No they aren’t. As Monty has indicated. You will be asked to declare any food and if you don’t you will be fined. Nuts and cheese especially. Wrapped sweets might be ok. 

Well, that ‘s interesting and good info to have.  We’ve never been to Australia and New Zealand.  We do not take anything from the ship like open nuts and cheeses, just packaged snacks.  Of course we will listen to our ship notices and follow whatever is said.  Getting arrested would not be any fun at all!

[Pushka]

1 hour ago, cruisenfreak said:

Well, that ‘s interesting and good info to have.  We’ve never been to Australia and New Zealand.  We do not take anything from the ship like open nuts and cheeses, just packaged snacks.  Of course we will listen to our ship notices and follow whatever is said.  Getting arrested would not be any fun at all!

 

🙂  You won’t be arrested. You might get a stern talking to. Maybe a fine. And will lose any risky food. They treat us Aussies the same when we return if that’s any consolation. They take biosecurity very seriously. And it’s staggering some of the things that people try bring in. 

[Vineyard View]

We love the experience of enjoying local food for lunch while traveling in ports. It is a piece that we look forward to when we travel. 

We have a newly switched port on our upcoming trip that is giving me pause. There appears to be nothing to really do without getting out of the port area. It is mostly an undeveloped island with the emphasis on nature, waterfalls, rainforest exploration - all of which I am a magnet for and look forward to. This leaves our choices to take an excursion or book a tour. I have been reaching out to different tour companies with excellent reviews. The tour operators suggest we bring our own lunch. This is a new one for us. 

Yes, I know most will say take a Viking excursion and surely that will not be the case. Most likely that would be correct. This is a new port and no history to see previous offerings. We always gravitate to DIY or private tours on any cruise. This port may have to be an exception. My point is that we have never run up against a port where the local tour operators suggest bringing your own lunch. If we go private,  that may require us to get creative with food from the ship. Another first for us, and one that would not be our first choice. I am still working on this one.