Excursions that include lunch

[mrskay9]

Hello.  I've cruised twice before but I don't remember ever having an excursion that includes lunch.  I'm traveling with a picky eater.  The excursion only says "lunch at a popular hotel".  So I'm asking for people's experiences.  Is it a set meal, order off a menu, or buffet? Can you order sides like a salad or fries (this would be instead of an entree for Miss Picky).  

 

Thank you for your experiences.  I know on a cruise she's not going to go hungry, but ya know, I gotta keep the grumpies away lol.  

 

[satxdiver]

All the Princess excursions that I have been on that included lunch it was a buffet or fixed meal with no other choices available.  They have been in a separate area from any restaurant similar to a meeting room etc.   I seriously doubt that you would be able to order anything else.

[mrskay9]

26 minutes ago, satxdiver said:

All the Princess excursions that I have been on that included lunch it was a buffet or fixed meal with no other choices available.  They have been in a separate area from any restaurant similar to a meeting room etc.   I seriously doubt that you would be able to order anything else.

 

Thank you.  I will know to be prepared for her.  Thanks for the post.  

[mrskay9]

1 hour ago, satxdiver said:

All the Princess excursions that I have been on that included lunch it was a buffet or fixed meal with no other choices available.  They have been in a separate area from any restaurant similar to a meeting room etc.   I seriously doubt that you would be able to order anything else.

Satxdiver, 

I had another question if you have a second.  Do you remember what they served?  

[denmarks]

I was on an all day tour in Kawaii where there was a choice between 2 items. I think it was a hamburger or chicken sandwich. The guide phoned it in about 1 hour before arrival. It probably all depends on the tour and the size. I can't imagine a separate buffet for 12 people.

[SharkieRools]

Perhaps share the excursion(s) in question so those who might have taken them before can share their experiences.

[satxdiver]

11 minutes ago, denmarks said:

I was on an all day tour in Kawaii where there was a choice between 2 items. I think it was a hamburger or chicken sandwich. The guide phoned it in about 1 hour before arrival. It probably all depends on the tour and the size. I can't imagine a separate buffet for 12 people.

 

Sounds like you were on a private tour which is different.  I assumed the original question was about a ship tour.  We have been on private tours that were more sit down and pick between a few items.

 

7 minutes ago, SharkieRools said:

Perhaps share the excursion(s) in question so those who might have taken them before can share their experiences.

 

Great idea.

 

1 hour ago, mrskay9 said:

Satxdiver, 

I had another question if you have a second.  Do you remember what they served?  

 

It depends on where the tour takes place.   Last ship tour was in HI and the buffet had chicken, beef and other accompaniments.  We have done some in Mexico where it was more Mexican food that usually included some kind of chicken, rice and beans. 

[mrskay9]

7 minutes ago, SharkieRools said:

Perhaps share the excursion(s) in question so those who might have taken them before can share their experiences.

Thanks.  I'm on the British Isles tour this summer.  I search but there's not a wealth of information on this trip in general.  

 

My excursions are Herm Island Walk, Conwy Castle, Loch Lomond, Castle Mey, and Edinburgh.  

[Mike45LC]

In Rome, we went on a private excursion.  This was pre-cruise, not through Princess.  We were taken to a dumpy restaurant, Fontana di Venere, for a three course dinner.  The ladies in the group all complained that there was no seat on the toilet in the ladies' room! 

 

We had a choice of two pastas (first course), a choice between pork and perch (second course).  I asked for chicken, which was OK.  A Muslim couple who were also on the tour asked for vegetarian.  We were all accommodated.  The third course was dessert, I don’t recall now what it was (some kind of flan or custard) but there was no choice; not edible in my opinion.  There was a separate charge for beverages.

 

The price differential between the tour with dinner and the same tour that started after the meal was $50 pp.  This was not a $50 dinner in my opinion.  Not even a $20 dinner.

 

In Italy, an Amalfi Coast tour, we stopped for lunch at the Calajanara Restaurant.  There was no choice in the food, which was served family style.  There was a very nice mixed salad – wonderful tomatoes!!  Then, pasta marinara.  Then, dessert, lemon cake.  I found the meal acceptable.  I do not recall if soft drinks were included or if we have to pay for sodas separately.
 

The other tours, we were on our own for meals.  

Edited March 5, 2020 by Mike45LC

[denmarks]

46 minutes ago, satxdiver said:

 

Sounds like you were on a private tour which is different.  I assumed the original question was about a ship tour.  We have been on private tours that were more sit down and pick between a few items.

 

 

 

This was not a private tour. It was the ship tour of movie production locations.

[MissP22]

We've had a few tours that always seemed to have chicken in one form or another.

[mrskay9]

2 minutes ago, MissP22 said:

We've had a few tours that always seemed to have chicken in one form or another.

Hi MissP22!

 

Thank you! Chicken is on her "approved" list.  I think we'll make out ok then.  Thank you for your info!

[Katwoman007]

We did one in Alaska/Yukon and there was a Chicken dish or you could get a vegetarian curry and rice dish. I believe this was noted on the excursion. They had a side, drinks (tea, water, lemonade I think) and then donuts. They did not have any other food, besides buying a can of soda. It kinda sucked because I HATE meat on the bone (lol) but I was not sure I really wanted to try curry for the first time while hours away from the ship. lol I survived though, and I can be picky based off my diet restrictions. 

 

[rkacruiser]

My experience has been that it usually a set menu; a buffet once in awhile.  But, no opportunities to order off what the "tour lunch" will be.  

 

Mixed experiences to be sure:  some have been disappointing, but some lunches offer dishes/drinks that are typical of the country one is visiting:  For example, Pisco Sours in Chile, a typical hot lunch (which I thought was dinner) in Iceland, etc.  Those types of lunches tend to be quite good and sometimes different.  I remember a lunch during a shore excursion in a Japanese city where all of the many courses were cold.  Initially, seeing such "turned me off".  But, the food was good and it really was a "different" dining experience.

 

Having a lunch included in a tour does make such a tour more expensive.  And, also longer because of the time spent dining.

[Ombud]

On Princess excursions that include food notify the excursion office if you have allergies.  They will accommodate you

[EDVM96]

3 hours ago, mrskay9 said:

My excursions are Herm Island Walk, Conwy Castle, Loch Lomond, Castle Mey, and Edinburgh.  

 

In Scotland it will be tasty Haggis, of course.

Eat local. 😁
 

[geoherb]

I've done a few Princess excursions that included lunch. The most recent was the glacier tour on my Alaskan cruise. I remember the choice on that one was between salmon chowder and vegetarian chili.

[daydreamer16]

I don't often take Princess tours but did last February on the Coral in Costa Rica. We visited the hot springs at Arenal volcano and ate at a hotel there. It was a buffet with rice, beans chicken & fish and a couple of salads. There was pudding for dessert. It was pretty good & no drinks were included.

[Coral]

Definitely ask. In Norway - they only offered salmon on one of my excursions. I did ask for something else and they said they could do pork. 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by Coral

[Blondilu]

I took the British Isles cruise twice.  Twice on each cruise we had an excursion that included lunch.  So, four meals.  All fixed menus.  All chicken.  Small salad for starter, in one instance.  Soup in another.  Bread, some kind of vegetable with the meal.  A dessert of something or other.  All pretty good as I recall.  My sister is real picky and did OK.  

[wangfam]

There is a city tour in Taipei that includes lunch at the Grand Hotel in their buffet. Absolutely the best lunch ever. I still dream of that meal. Sushi; noodles, rices, pastas; every salad that exists in creation; carved beef roast, shrimp, salmon, chicken; sandwich board; a hall of drinks including wine, beer, soda, coffees; and two areas of desserts and pastries. If you ever are brave enough to go to Asia in the future, look for this tour if only for the lunch!

[mrmarklin]

11 hours ago, satxdiver said:

All the Princess excursions that I have been on that included lunch it was a buffet or fixed meal with no other choices available.  They have been in a separate area from any restaurant similar to a meeting room etc.   I seriously doubt that you would be able to order anything else.

I had this two days in a row in St Petersburg. The lunches were set meals and were terrible. 

[satxdiver]

1 hour ago, mrmarklin said:

I had this two days in a row in St Petersburg. The lunches were set meals and were terrible. 

We did a private tour of St Petersburg.  First day we were given a box lunch on the minibus.  The second day we had a sit down lunch at what appeared to be a restaurant with a choice of two meals.  It was not bad tasting.

[caribill]

14 hours ago, mrskay9 said:

Hello.  I've cruised twice before but I don't remember ever having an excursion that includes lunch.  I'm traveling with a picky eater.  The excursion only says "lunch at a popular hotel".  So I'm asking for people's experiences.  Is it a set meal, order off a menu, or buffet? Can you order sides like a salad or fries (this would be instead of an entree for Miss Picky).  

 

Thank you for your experiences.  I know on a cruise she's not going to go hungry, but ya know, I gotta keep the grumpies away lol.  

 

 

If there are foods that you cannot eat, whether because of allergies, moral codes or just being picky, when you get onboard go to the Shore Excursion desk and let them know your restrictions. They will notify the tour vendor who will do what they can to meet your needs.

 

The response may range from providing exactly what you need to saying some of the food already available will meet your needs (for example, there is a salad there if you can't eat meat, but will not provide an available protein alternative).

 

When you take your tour, verify with your guide at the start of the tour that they received the message. Sometimes then they contact the restaurant to provide what you need.

[mrskay9]

Thanks so much for the replies.  It gives me a good idea of what to expect.  I don't think she'll starve at all but I just wanted to be prepared.