Meals (esp. breakfast) on Port of Call days

[RayC862]

Hi,

Going on my very first cruise, and have been learning a lot from this site and message board - although with all of the information it can take some time to find what you're looking for. ;-)

 

So my question is: what do folks do for breakfast on days when stopping in a port? We've booked a few shore excursions, and our ship arrives at 7 am at most ports. Obviously time is of the essence when trying to disembark and connect with your tour. So how do you manage breakfast when you'd like to disembark asap at 7 am? Just get up super early for breakfast? Stash away something from dinner the night before? Do 4,000 people all order room service?

 

Thanks for any tips or shared experiences.

 

-Ray

[d9704011]

Not to worry.... breakfast hours are suitable for you to enjoy your meal and have plenty of time to prepare for disembarkation at a port of call.  There won’t be any significant difference in traffic at breakfast compared to other days.

[CruiserBruce]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

Have no fear, you will not go hungry!  As mentioned,  breakfast hours will open earlier for early port days. There will typically be several venues where you can eat breakfast,  so room service is not the only option.

 

Also, just because you dock at 7, doesn't mean every excursion will start at 7:10. Some might, but some may also go at 8, 9, or some other appropriate time. If you are doing your own thing, you will be fed and able to get off shortly after 7.

[mom says]

First of all, just because a ship is due to arrive at a given time doesn't mean it will be available for disembarking. You may have a wait. The ship will have the buffet open early enough for you to have breakfast. Or you could order room service. Depending on the line you cruise, the MDR  may or may not be open. I personally wouldn't try stashing food away from the night before, unless it was just a few pieces of fruit. The cabin fridges are really just coolers - not cold enough to hold food safely. 

[ed01106]

The last thing you have to worry about on a cruise is going hungry.  If your weight gain is less than 5lbs you have done well.

[RayC862]

So basically it's "get up early to have breakfast" before disembarking.

 

Our first stop is scheduled to arrive at 7:30 am. The tour we've booked runs from 8 am - 8 pm. I know the tours will make adjustments to allow time to disembark, but, you know, first cruise, so no first hand experience on how it unfolds.

 

Thanks, all, for your comments.

 

-Ray

 

P.S. My wife plans to lose 10 lbs on the cruise.

Edited September 3, 2019 by RayC862

[ed01106]

13 minutes ago, RayC862 said:

So basically it's "get up early to have breakfast" before disembarking.

 

Our first stop is scheduled to arrive at 7:30 am. The tour we've booked runs from 8 am - 8 pm. I know the tours will make adjustments to allow time to disembark, but, you know, first cruise, so no first hand experience on how it unfolds.

 

Thanks, all, for your comments.

 

-Ray

 

P.S. My wife plans to lose 10 lbs on the cruise.

You have a few options.  1. Get up early and go to breakfast. 2. Bring food to you room the night before.  3. Room service.  4. Eat breakfast ashore (assuming you have free time)

 

Also how much breakfast you need is also a factor.  If you want an omelette made to order it will take more time than if you can get by on grabbing a muffin to eat while standing in the disembarkation waiting area.  You can’t bring food from the ship ashore, but you can bring packaged food such as granola bars from home and stick them in your bag to eat on the bus ride.

 

 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, ed01106 said:

standing in the disembarkation waiting area.

 

I'll add my welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

But, please don't stand in the disembarkation waiting area until the ship is cleared by the port authorities.  That news will be broadcast over the ship's PA.  There will be plenty of time for you to get to the gangway once the announcement is made.  Once off the ship, your tour group will be assembled--and that takes some time since all of the guests on the tour don't always get off at the precise same time.

 

In short, take your time.  Have the type of breakfast that you want within the time frame that you have.  Some people like to "hurry up and wait" which I try to personally avoid if at all possible.

 

For me, on early departure shore excursion mornings, I prefer a Room Service breakfast.  

[shipgeeks]

2 hours ago, RayC862 said:

So basically it's "get up early to have breakfast" before disembarking.

 

Our first stop is scheduled to arrive at 7:30 am. The tour we've booked runs from 8 am - 8 pm. I know the tours will make adjustments to allow time to disembark, but, you know, first cruise, so no first hand experience on how it unfolds.

 

Thanks, all, for your comments.

 

-Ray

 

P.S. My wife plans to lose 10 lbs on the cruise.

Is that a ship tour?  If so, there should be no problems getting there.  You might be told to meet in the theater, or other public space, at a certain time, with tickets in hand. You will then be led off the ship with your group.  Alternately, you might be asked to meet on the dock, in which case a leader will be holding up a sign to identify that tour.

If you have booked a non-cruiseline tour, on your own, you will have to accept that ship tours will have priority in getting off the ship.  Perhaps there will be a way to ask for priority disembarkation tickets.

8am-8pm is a long tour!  Just curious where that is, and where you are going?

Presumably a tour that long will have a lunch included.  As mentioned above, plan to have a quick breakfast, and don't plan to take any fresh food off the ship with you.

[RayC862]

5 minutes ago, shipgeeks said:

8am-8pm is a long tour!  Just curious where that is, and where you are going?

Presumably a tour that long will have a lunch included.  As mentioned above, plan to have a quick breakfast, and don't plan to take any fresh food off the ship with you.

Hi,

Tour is through SPB and goes from Warnemunde port in Germany to Berlin. 3 hrs each way on the Autobahn, so 6 hours consumed in travelling to & fro. There is a lunch stop, although just checking now, the cost is not included. So many details.

[hallux]

Just be aware - on some ships or cruise lines, passengers taking shore excursions booked through the cruise line may have priority for disembarkation.  This may apply only to larger ships and/or tender ports, but don't get too frustrated or angry if they don't let you off as soon as you want to get off because others have ship-booked excursions and are getting first crack at the doors.

[ed01106]

11 minutes ago, hallux said:

Just be aware - on some ships or cruise lines, passengers taking shore excursions booked through the cruise line may have priority for disembarkation.  This may apply only to larger ships and/or tender ports, but don't get too frustrated or angry if they don't let you off as soon as you want to get off because others have ship-booked excursions and are getting first crack at the doors.

To add that the tour operator knows that it will take time for you to get off.  They won't leave until everyone is on the bus or the mass wave has ended.  So don't worry if you are towards the back of the line.  But if you wait too long to join the line you could miss 

[lenquixote66]

I will have water with lemon,oatmeal and a cup of herbal tea.

[CruiserBruce]

8 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

I will have water with lemon,oatmeal and a cup of herbal tea.

Huh?

[CruiserBruce]

2 hours ago, RayC862 said:

Hi,

Tour is through SPB and goes from Warnemunde port in Germany to Berlin. 3 hrs each way on the Autobahn, so 6 hours consumed in travelling to & fro. There is a lunch stop, although just checking now, the cost is not included. So many details.

This will not be a problem. You are docking,  will be able to get off very quickly. Many, many, many people have done this trip in Warnemunde. 

[lenquixote66]

1 minute ago, CruiserBruce said:

Huh?

That is my breakfast nearly every day on a cruise.At home I never eat oatmeal.

[HWH]

There are a number of excellent tour operators, including the one you have selected, that run tours at the Baltic ports, and they know how the cruise ships operate in terms of giving ship excursions priority disembarkation. You will be docked at the port so no tendering, so you should be able to get off quickly. Check the documents you got from SPB which should tell you where your guide will be--shouldn't be more than a few minutes walk after stepping off the ship.

That said, I would recommend getting up early and having some breakfast (check the daily program that your steward leaves in your stateroom the night before to see the hours). You will have 3 hours on the bus to nap!!

[CruiserBruce]

2 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

This will not be a problem. You are docking,  will be able to get off very quickly. Many, many, many people have done this trip in Warnemunde. 

Good for you....

[CruiserBruce]

2 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

That is my breakfast nearly every day on a cruise.At home I never eat oatmeal.

Good for you...relevance?

[Floridiana]

I have yet to miss breakfast on a ship. But to be on the safe side, I carry prepackaged muesli/energy bars and a bottle of water. They come in handy on a long bus ride. 

[lenquixote66]

At home I begin every breakfast with a cup of boiled water with juice from a lemon,2 slices of spelt bread with almond butter, decafinated herbal tea or turmeric ginger tea.

 

I have never found spelt bread or almond butter on a cruise.

[mom says]

15 minutes ago, lenquixote66 said:

At home I begin every breakfast with a cup of boiled water with juice from a lemon,2 slices of spelt bread with almond butter, decafinated herbal tea or turmeric ginger tea.

 

I have never found spelt bread or almond butter on a cruise.

What does any of that have to do with the OPs concerns? He asked what to do about breakfast before an early excursion. Not what to eat. 😒

Edited September 4, 2019 by mom says

[CruiserBruce]

Just now, mom says said:

What does any of that have to do with the OPs concerns?

My thoughts, and question,  exactly...

[lenquixote66]

1 minute ago, mom says said:

What does any of that have to do with the OPs concerns?

I was responding to Cruiser Bruce.

[lenquixote66]

1 minute ago, CruiserBruce said:

My thoughts, and question,  exactly...

Not every response has to be directed to the initial post. If you have a conversation with a group of people it is very likely that you will discuss other things.I was responding to you .I initially responded to the OP.