Food and culture in other countries

TastyReuben said:
Yep, there are tons of excursions for that, but…not interested. And that’s ok.

That’s really my main point, be it food or ruins or museums or whatever else…to me, it’s ok not to be interested in this thing or that thing, as long as I don’t put it down, or put down anyone who is interested in it - “I understand the historical significance of those ruins, but it’s just not something that interests me” is fine, and it’s not disrespectful or insulting, but “I don’t care about a big pile of stupid rocks” is close-minded and rude.
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I'm still trying to figure out why you're going on a cruise if you're going to just stay on the ship.
 
One of the best meals we have had was in Melbourne. It was on the famous food street lygon st. famed for its different cultures. About late 80s. We didn't know what we wanted. So we just walked into a Turkish restaurant. We had no idea what food they had. I just asked them to bring us Turkish food entrees and mains.
Wow the tastes just blew us away. We had never had anything like it.
We tried to go back About 5 years later but alas, it was gone . We were gutted.
The best best fish n chips I've had was in a small shop just before Scotland. In 98.

Russ
 
Barriehie said:
I

It's a cruise ship.!
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Why not just get on a cruise ship closer to home if you're not going to get off it to view the sights? Lot cheaper. I think this cruise might be one of those free perks for MrsT, but even so traveling to and from the port city where it originates and ends costs money, plus any hotels, meals, etc. on the way there and back...anyway. TR doesn't like sun, sand, heat, etc. Might as well go on an Alaskan cruise. I think he'd enjoy that more.

Besides, it's not cruising anywhere while everyone gets off to go view the sights.
 
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JAS_OH1 said:
Why not just get on a cruise ship closer to home if you're not going to get off it to view the sights? Lot cheaper. I think this cruise might be one of those free perks for MrsT, but even so traveling to and from the port city where it originates and ends costs money, plus any hotels, meals, etc. on the way there and back...anyway. TR doesn't like sun, sand, heat, etc. Might as well go on an Alaskan cruise. I think he'd enjoy that more.
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As long as it has a German brewery 😆

Russ
 
JAS_OH1 said:
I'm still trying to figure out why you're going on a cruise if you're going to just stay on the ship.
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Well, I was never really sold on the idea of being on a cruise ship (meaning, an ocean cruise ship, not a river cruise ship, I liked the idea of that immediately).

However, MrsT earned a “free” cruise several years ago (2012) after completing some training with one of the cruise lines, so we took that in Alaska (and combined it with a land and train portion, so we started in Fairbanks for a few days, then Denali for a few days, then the ship from Anchorage down to Vancouver), and I wasn’t interested in the cruise portion at all, until we actually got there.

What it came down to, and yes it should be obvious, but I’m not always the sharpest knife on the tree, but a cruise ship is more or less a floating resort/town…you don’t have to get off the ship to still have a ton of options at your fingertips.

Movies…live shows…multiple restaurants…casinos…bars…shopping…pools…spas…etc.

Now, you may say, why go all the way to a ship? Just take a week off, stay home and do all those things at home. Well, at home, if I want a live show, it’s an hour drive one direction, if I want afternoon tea, it’s a 40-minute drive in another direction, if I want a fine dining experience, it’s that hour drive back the other way again, movie at a decent cinema…40 minutes again. I’d be exhausted from the driving.

On the cruise ship, I could do all that and more in a single day, all on foot, and probably 20 minutes away, depending on the ship.

Now, truth be told…I don’t care about live shows or movies or shopping or casinos. All I care about is the food and drink and the attentive service.

A typical day when we were on our last cruise:
1. Walk down for a leisurely breakfast
2. Stop for a brunch drink after
3. Easy stroll around
4. Stop for coffee and pastry
5. Back up to room for a bit
6. Order canapés for balcony
7. Walk down for lunch
8. Stop for afternoon drink
9. Easy stroll around
10. Stop for slice of pizza and beer
11. Back up to room for a bit
12. Have drinks on balcony
13. Walk down for cocktails & supper
14. Evening stroll
15. Stop for nightcap
16. Sit on balcony with boozy coffee
17. Sleep!

I can’t do that at home or on a regular vacation, like when we’re going to Pennsylvania. It’s drive drive drive everywhere.

Added to that is…you’re always moving, so tomorrow, you’re in a new place. Even if you don’t get off the ship, the scenery changes, so that’s nice.

Also, and this is a little but significant thing: since the cruise is all paid for as soon as you get on board, gratuities and everything, there’s no dirty business of paying for anything, the act of swiping a card or handing over cash. You have your dinner reservations, go down to one of the six or eight specialty restaurants, “Ah…MrsTasty and husband, right this way!” and order, eat, take your time, no one hustling to get you out of your seat, order as much as you like, and just get up and leave when you’re ready.

Want a drink? Just walk up to one of the probably 20 bars on the ship, and order a drink. Or order on your app and have them bring it to your deck chair. No, “That’ll be $15, sir.” Just, “Here’s your drink, enjoy!”

Want a fruit & cheese tray in your room? Just order it. Want afternoon tea in your room? Just order it. Want a full English breakfast in your room, with pancakes and a lobster tail and a bologna sandwich and a kumquat mimosa? Just order it, and there it is.

So…if a port doesn’t have something more enticing than that get me off the ship…I’m staying and drinking dirty bananas and eating lovely pastry creations on the ship.
 
JAS_OH1 said:
Why not just get on a cruise ship closer to home if you're not going to get off it to view the sights? Lot cheaper. I think this cruise might be one of those free perks for MrsT, but even so traveling to and from the port city where it originates and ends costs money, plus any hotels, meals, etc. on the way there and back...anyway. TR doesn't like sun, sand, heat, etc. Might as well go on an Alaskan cruise. I think he'd enjoy that more.
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The Caribbean cruises are usually the cheapest itineraries compared to going out of NY or Boston.

This isn’t a free cruise, just one that has a deep discount, and MrsT wanted to go, but couldn’t find anyone else to go with her, so I’m tagging along.

I don’t know what the flights are costing, not my concern, but she’s a tightwad, so probably not as much as you might think, and the hotel is paid for with points, so that’s free.

Sun, sand, and heat…they have shade and A/C on the ship, and since I’m planning on leaving the ship just the once, I’ll bet I can step around the sand on the way to and from the brewery in Honduras. :laugh:

I’ve been on an Alaska cruise before, that was nice (and I got off the ship at every stop…but if I had it to do over again, I would only have gotten off at one - Juneau. The other stops weren’t that interesting once we got there).

MrsT is sending a group to Alaska next year, and they really want her to go with them, so there’s a chance I’ll be on that, because she does get a deeply-discounted/free cabin to accompany a group, but she doesn’t want to pay for the flights.
 
TastyReuben said:
Believe it or not, for all the nice little doo-dads and extras…the beer selection isn’t that great. I usually end up drinking Stella.
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karadekoolaid said:
..and what does Stella ( or more importantly, Mrs T) think of that?
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I like Stella. By the by, whenever I hear that name I always think of A Streetcar Named Desire. "STELLLLLLAAAAAAA"
 
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