Are packed lunches possible?

[Pipkins]

We have never tried ordering a picnic/packed lunch on Seabourn. We are traveling on Sojourn on 20th June, have a guide booked for a two day tour in St. Peterberg, and would like to take lunch picnics. Naturally we would expect to pay for the service as we would like to include the guide, and hope it will be possible. Any advice?

[lord of the seas]

We have never tried ordering a picnic/packed lunch on Seabourn. We are traveling on Sojourn on 20th June, have a guide booked for a two day tour in St. Peterberg, and would like to take lunch picnics. Naturally we would expect to pay for the service as we would like to include the guide, and hope it will be possible. Any advice?

 

Just see the Maitre D' onboard and he will organise a lovely packed lunch to your preference.No extra charge.

[Pipkins]

Just see the Maitre D' onboard and he will organise a lovely packed lunch to your preference.No extra charge.

 

Thank you. That is a very nice touch from Seabourn.

[JaneBP]

1. Make sure it's not against local reguations, vis a vis bringing in food stuffs.

2. If you should desire sandwiches, be sure they are not with lettuce and tomato as they will be very soggy by lunch time. (I found this out). So be quite specific.

[johnnycruise]

Make sure it's not against local reguations, vis a vis bringing in food stuffs.

 

I would expect the hotel manager to deny the request for a box lunch if the day's port of call does not allow meat or produce to be taken ashore.

[Martita B.]

You might visit with the pastry chef and request a box of homemade cookies. I usually place an order for cookies to be delivered (with my coffee) the day I disembark. So handy to have either at the hotel or the airport ~

MB

[JaneBP]

I would expect the hotel manager to deny the request for a box lunch if the day's port of call does not allow meat or produce to be taken ashore.

 

I requested my lunch from the Maitre d' and I am just cautioning the cruisers to be sure.

[Chairsin]

We ordered six box lunches for our little private tour of Berlin last summer. I also brought a bottle of wine and "borrowed' six plastic wine glasses from Nelson. I would rate the food as just ok but it cetainly saved us time since there was so much to see in such a short amount of time -- naturally we would have preferred to have had a lovely sit down lunch of brats, etc. And yes Jane, the sandwiches were soggy but at least we have something in our stomachs.There was more than enough food for the six of us and our guide. It would have helped if our guide( arranged through seaborn) had had a cooler in the van( I had let them know ahead of time that we would be bringing boxed lunches.)We have some wonderful photos of us lunching in a park in Berlin( next to the famous chocolate shop) holding wine glasses in our hand. Just remember -- don't expect too much and know that you will be very well fed when you return to the ship.

[Martita B.]

Don't forget to hide your favorite fruit the day before you disembark if you plan on taking a few pieces ~I have no idea why the Stewardess removes all the fruit the night before we disembark. I enjoy having an peach, orange or a few grapes at the hotel or the airport ~~ Many President Lounge's only offer oranges or apples in the morning.

Have a great weekend!:p

MB

[LaPaloma]

Don't forget to hide your favorite fruit the day before you disembark if you plan on taking a few pieces ~I have no idea why the Stewardess removes all the fruit the night before we disembark. I enjoy having an peach, orange or a few grapes at the hotel or the airport ~~ Many President Lounge's only offer oranges or apples in the morning.

Have a great weekend!:p

MB

 

A little warning Martita..some countrys frown on fruit coming in...it can bring you a hefty fine.

[curiousx]

when we landed in Fort Lauderdale from Lisbon, there were strict prohibitions on bringing in fruit and lots of warning signs. We watched as one of our red-faced party unloaded his stash of bananas.

[Pipkins]

Thank you, all of you, for your helpful points. We will email the guides, and ask their advice as to which foods, if any, may be allowed through immigration. Martita - the biscuits sound a lovely idea! ....and point taken about soggy sandwiches!!

[wripro]

May I suggest that on at least one of the days you have lunch in a restaurant, just to get some local flavor and see how the natives eat. Just be sure the guide doesn't take you to a tourist restaurant.

[johnnycruise]

May I suggest that on at least one of the days you have lunch in a restaurant, just to get some local flavor and see how the natives eat. Just be sure the guide doesn't take you to a tourist restaurant.

 

Believe it or not, I have found that Seabourn staff members can provide very reliable local restaurant recommendations, especially in ports that Seabourn calls at frequently. They make the most of their limited time off!

[wripro]

As can, I am sure, your private tour guide.

[TLCOhio]

We have never tried ordering a picnic/packed lunch on Seabourn. We are traveling on Sojourn on 20th June, have a guide booked for a two day tour in St. Peterberg, and would like to take lunch picnics. Naturally we would expect to pay for the service as we would like to include the guide, and hope it will be possible. Any advice?

 

When in St. Petersburg in late July 2008, we did box lunches from our ship. It was on Crystal, but I'm sure from our past Seabourn experiences that they would be equally helpful. No hassles or problems going through Russian customs as we got off of the ship. We had six box lunches, covering our group of four, plus one each for our guide and the drivers. They appreciated that.

 

On the first day, we grabbed a quick lunch at the semi-cafeteria in the Peterhof gardens and ate outside on a great sunny day. On day two, we brought boxed lunches from the ship, dining in our van with its fold-up table, doors open as we overlooked Palace Square in front of the Hermitage. It was a perfect, wonderful lunch break in a historic setting look out at Alexander's Column. Our main objective was saving time and not having to wait for traveling to the place, order-taking and the meal to be prepared, etc. There are pro-con factors, either way. I'm sure those suggested dining places will be nice and memorable. You can pick places at the high, middle or lower levels, or do it more "on the run". This is the advantage of doing a private, custom tour. We used Anastasia. Below was our view as we had lunch after touring the Hermitage, plus at the Peterhof.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

 

Our great view as we dined outside of the Hermitage overlooking Palace Square, etc.:

 

 

 

One of the many fountains on the grounds of the Peterhof is the Orangery Fountain, depicting Triton fighting a sea monster. There is a cafe there with outdoor seating and super views:

 

[Pipkins]

These are all excellent suggestions, thank you. Our aim is to save time, and fit as much into our day as possible - although I am sure the food has changed since I was last there in 1969 as a 16 year old!! Even the name has changed...and to think, Leningrad was so quiet....

[TLCOhio]

These are all excellent suggestions, thank you. Our aim is to save time, and fit as much into our day as possible - although I am sure the food has changed since I was last there in 1969 as a 16 year old!! Even the name has changed...and to think, Leningrad was so quiet....

 

YES, lots has changed, for the better, in St. Petersburg. During the last decade, under Putin's leadership (who is from that area), hundreds of millions of dollars have been invested to upgrade and restore things in this former Capital of the Czars. It's really spectacular what has been done there recently. Many times, the smaller Seabourn ships will dock closer in to the historic area. Agree on saving time being an important and main reason to do this box lunch approach.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

[JaneBP]

I had a box lunch somewhere in Central America, I think Guatemala. However, I told the guide and driver (2) that I wanted to eat that when they wanted to take me to some jade factory where I could get lunch and so could they! I was not interested in the jade or jewelry, but they counted on that stop for their meal, and apparently were still eligible for it without me. So, I sat in the car parked on the street and ate, they went inside, and I got to watch the life of the neighborhood. I did have cookies for them, but had not thought about lunches for them.

[ianlin]

We on currently sailing on the Pride. We will arrive at SPB in two days. Today I asked the assistant matre D about box lunches for SBP. He says it is not possible because russian authorities don't allow it. From what I read in this thread, other passergers certainly have done it without any issues.

 

Is there some kind of new regulations at SPB, or is it the assistant maitre D is too busy and just didn't deal of the hassle?

[FKGirl]

Believe it or not, I have found that Seabourn staff members can provide very reliable local restaurant recommendations, especially in ports that Seabourn calls at frequently. They make the most of their limited time off!

 

Agree! When we were in Brindisi, having lunch at a local restaurant, we saw a few staff members dining at the same place!

[ianlin]

I had a box lunch somewhere in Central America, I think Guatemala. However, I told the guide and driver (2) that I wanted to eat that when they wanted to take me to some jade factory where I could get lunch and so could they! I was not interested in the jade or jewelry, but they counted on that stop for their meal, and apparently were still eligible for it without me. So, I sat in the car parked on the street and ate, they went inside, and I got to watch the life of the neighborhood. I did have cookies for them, but had not thought about lunches for them.

 

JaneBP:

 

Have you encounter problems getting boxe lunches @ SBP while on Seabourn ships?

[JaneBP]

I did it in Guatemala, only. I did have, as I mentioned, lots of cookies to share. I ws not asked nor searched for 'contraband' as it were.

I suspect that things are more stringent in Russia, where I have not been.

[Emperor Norton]

JaneBP:

 

Have you encounter problems getting boxe lunches @ SBP while on Seabourn ships?

 

I had a packed lunch on my Moscow excursion. However (big difference here) that packed lunch was made up of goods purchased in Russian stores and everything was pre-packaged. I believe our Russian guides were responsible for obtaining these.

[kathy16]

Had 2 packed lunches from the ship, and ate them on the high speed train to Moscow in July.