Excursions which Include meals

[Cruisemeister2002]

Is anyone of the same opinion as myself that I would rather pay a bit more for some decent food on a excursion than be shuffled into somewhere and given in all honest pretty poor stuff dished up. I remember several years ago on an excursion with a guide who described himself as "Herman the German" we were shuffle along to this restaurant where the food was pretty poor. But that was only us. Other people who had either booked or turned up seemed to have very nice food. Added to this we were rushed away and didn't have time for coffee, although maybe that was a blessing ? Another time we were in Quebec and we went to Montmorency Falls amongst a few stops. One stop was a cabin with a couple of scarecrows on the front veranda this was our meal venue. One of the people from off our ship had to point out to them that we were entitled to a drink, alcoholic or otherwise as I do believe if he hadn't said anything we probably wouldn't have got a drink.

[zap99]

18 minutes ago, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Is anyone of the same opinion as myself that I would rather pay a bit more for some decent food on a excursion than be shuffled into somewhere and given in all honest pretty poor stuff dished up. I remember several years ago on an excursion with a guide who described himself as "Herman the German" we were shuffle along to this restaurant where the food was pretty poor. But that was only us. Other people who had either booked or turned up seemed to have very nice food. Added to this we were rushed away and didn't have time for coffee, although maybe that was a blessing ? Another time we were in Quebec and we went to Montmorency Falls amongst a few stops. One stop was a cabin with a couple of scarecrows on the front veranda this was our meal venue. One of the people from off our ship had to point out to them that we were entitled to a drink, alcoholic or otherwise as I do believe if he hadn't said anything we probably wouldn't have got a drink.

On an Island escape cruise we did a trip to Rome. We sat on a table with another couple. Can't remember much about the food, but we shared 4 bottles of wine.🍾

[wowzz]

I don't necessarily disagree, but I think the logistics come into it. 

If you have four coach loads of people suddenly descending on a small town, leaving to them to find something to eat and drink in less than an hour could be difficult.

If anything else, it again shows why a small private tour is better than a cruise operated excursion.

[david05]

Perhaps we have been lucky but we have had some lovely lunches on P&O excursions. Particularly memorable was a fabulous lunch following an excursion to Ephesus, another on a Greece island (can't remember which) and an excursion from Dubrovnik where we stopped at a small place with a fantastic view for a "snack" lunch where dish after dish of locally produced produce was supplied.

Edited July 5, 2022 by david05

[lincslady]

Maybe there is some confusion here as to excursions which include  lunch.  If they include lunch, surely this means that you all go to a restaurant chosen by the line or more likely the tour company and have whatever is specified as included.

 

Going on your own to find your own lunch is completely different.

 

I have had included lunches in the same place, Granada, twice.  One was pretty awful, the other in a different restaurant, was very good, with unlimited wine included as well.

[showingdiva]

I've only done two excursions that have included food - both were with P&O (but admittedly a few years ago now).   One was in Vigo, where there was a buffet lunch provided at a yacht club and the other was in Brest, which was a wine / cheese type thing, but also introduced me to Breton cake, otherwise known as kouign amann.

[Ardennais]

55 minutes ago, david05 said:

Perhaps we have been lucky but we have had some lovely lunches on P&O excursions. Particularly memorable was a fabulous lunch following an excursion to Ephesus, another on a Greece island (can't remember which) and an excursion from Dubrovnik where we stopped at a small place with a fantastic view for a "snack" lunch where dish after dish of locally produced produce was supplied.

I wonder whether you went to the same hotel as we did in Ephesus following an excursion - a lovely terrace overlooking the sea, and it was a great lunch. 
 

[Thejuggler]

Only had a few lunch stops.

 

Voss and Trollstigen were both Norwegian buffet which was excellent and included alcohol.  Advertised cost for drop in customers was £50 and the beer was £10 a bottle, so for a £90 tour good value!

 

We also had lunch in St Petersburg.  Even our then 12 year old daughter was given the quarter caraf of Vodka!  the meal wasn't the best.

[Ardennais]

1 minute ago, Thejuggler said:

Only had a few lunch stops.

 

Voss and Trollstigen were both Norwegian buffet which was excellent and included alcohol.  Advertised cost for drop in customers was £50 and the beer was £10 a bottle, so for a £90 tour good value!

 

We also had lunch in St Petersburg.  Even our then 12 year old daughter was given the quarter caraf of Vodka!  the meal wasn't the best.

Was it chicken and potatoes in St P? That’s what I remember of one lunch there, but we did have a band entertaining us! 

[zap99]

47 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

Was it chicken and potatoes in St P? That’s what I remember of one lunch there, but we did have a band entertaining us! 

In St Petersburg we had a very acceptable beef stroganoff and an equally acceptable red wine. That was with NCL.

[david05]

12 hours ago, Ardennais said:

I wonder whether you went to the same hotel as we did in Ephesus following an excursion - a lovely terrace overlooking the sea, and it was a great lunch. 
 

I think it probably was - lovely view indeed.

[davecttr]

Best meal was an excursion to a winery in Tuscany, not the one next to the railway but the one in the hills with its own pig farm. The buffet was laid out under trees with a blue sky and cicadas chirping away. The food and wine was excellent with plenty of it. so much so that we did not want to leave 🙂

[Denarius]

The best lunch I have had on a P&O excursion albeit many years ago, was in the Hostal de los Reyes Catolicos in Santiago de Compostella. An excellent meal in a memorable stting.

[lincslady]

Me too - I have been there twice; once was a full lunch, the other tapas, both were lovely.  As was the wine, and the staff were charming.

[Jazzytelly]

Perhaps P & O should provide a packed lunch ( giving a choice of sandwiches etc to passengers ) and reduce the excursion price

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Jazzytelly said:

Perhaps P & O should provide a packed lunch ( giving a choice of sandwiches etc to passengers ) and reduce the excursion price

I remember receiving a packed lunch on Thomson shore excursion many years ago.  It wasn't particularly exciting but acceptable.

[P&O SUE]

The best lunch we had was from Vigo with Olly Smith. It was lovely held at a Parador. I suppose with Olly there they wouldn’t give him rubbish 😁

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, Jazzytelly said:

Perhaps P & O should provide a packed lunch ( giving a choice of sandwiches etc to passengers ) and reduce the excursion price

Which would not be permitted now in most countries, because as we are no longer in the EU you cannot take meat or dairy products ashore.  That tends to reduce your sandwich options !

[Red Ray]

We had a simple snack of Spanish tortilla, bread & coffee on a walking tour of Vigo last year (from Iona). To be honest it was probably the highlight of the tour, which says more about Vigo than the actual meal.