Eating off the ship

[SkittleFreak]

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had gotten sick from eating off the ship?

I'm getting my hepatitus shots done before we go, but I know that won't protect me from other bugs. I'm traveling the western Carribbean: Belize, Costa Maya, Grand Caman and Cozumel.

Just wondering about other people's experiences (especially Costa Maya and Cozumel)

Thank you

[miclane001]

I have eaten in all those places except Costa Maya with no problems.

[serene56]

I never had a problem with eatin goff the ship- I never got shots for a cruise either.

(keep yourself safe and dont drink water- so no ice cubes.. most places that we visit come with great reviews.

[springtxbill]

Any regular tourist spot the food or water should not give you a problem. The farther you go off the beaten path, the higher chances are that you may have a problem.:)

[StephenJohnson]

Well, health aside, why on earth would you [B]want[/B] to eat off ship? It's not like hunger is a big factor in cruising....

[Slinkiecat]

I would carry a small bottle of ship's water rather than risk "Montezuma's revenge" in Mexico.

Just my own opinion, and others with personal experience may say that the old days of unsafe conditions no longer apply.

Have a wonderful trip and don't forget to report back to us when you return.

Slinkie

[Smooth Sailing]

If you drink lots of Margaritas with your meal - all bugs will be killed.

[Sunny Lady]

My DH loves to try "native" food just about everywhere we go. He likes to explore and go to places that the tourists don't normally encounter. He normally talks to the locals and ends up finding a pretty decent restaurant. Alot of it is common sense, intuition & street smarts. Obviously, safety is a factor in some countries more than others. Look around and see the turnover, etc. in the restaurants. We haven't been disappointed yet! Some of our best cruise memories have been in this area because we have as an earlier post states "gone off the beaten path". It is your hard earned $ so do what you want to do! Enjoy.

[SkittleFreak]

thanks for all the great info.

I know I won't go hungry on the ship, but who wants to leave the beach early? :)

[JanetMarie]

I can honestly say that in all of our cruises, we really haven't eaten off the ship more than a handful of times. And those times were in St. Marteen and St. Thomas. Frenchmen's Reef and the French side to STM have been the couple of places. No, never got sick. We're always so stuffed from all the food that is served onboard, that it feels good to disembark and not think about food, food, food. ;)

[Cactuscruise]

[quote name='StephenJohnson']Well, health aside, why on earth would you [B]want[/B] to eat off ship? It's not like hunger is a big factor in cruising....[/QUOTE]


One of the high points of world travel is seeing how other cultures live and that includes eating. I'm a traveler and a cook so I enjoy eating all over the world. I'm always on the lookout for a new recipe or an interesting twist on an old favorite. I love to sample native dishes wherever I go and not just in the islands. While I do enjoy cruising you really don't get the feel and flavor of the country for the short time that you're there. I've visited Europe, Hawaii, South America, the Caribbean, Canada, Mexico, and 38 of the 50 US states and I've never gotten sick from the food. Maybe I've just got a strong constitution.

[wulicny]

I wouldn't recommend eating off the ship unless you wait until right after they clean it very well. ;)

[SkittleFreak]

Mmmmm cruise ship muscles;)

[obnurse]

SkittleFreak,

We did that exact itinerary in July on Carnival Inspiration. You're going to have a great time! We ate local food in Belize but washed it down with bottled soda. The food was great! Personally, I think it's fun to taste the local food, but we're pretty cautious and I wouldn't let my family drink any "local" water! If you'd like, feel free to e-mail me. I'll give you any info I have about our trip: [email]kcolcernian9@comcast.net[/email]