Food/drink question from a first timer

[Lane1344]

Hi,

We are going on Harmony in August and I have read about people taking food from different venues around the ship to their room or other places.

I was wondering how do they do a takeaway meal?

Do you have to carry the plates or do they give you a container?

Also the same question regarding tea/ coffee.

I know its probably a daft question but it's something I've been wondering about as I may want to take food and drink to my room etc

[Clarea]

You just carry the plates and utensils to your stateroom. Your stateroom attendant will take care of the plates and utensils after you are done with them. Same with tea/coffee, though you may find some paper cups at Cafe Promenade.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You may want to pack your own thermal cup to keep coffee and tea hot until you get to your cabin.

[cb at sea]

No "carry out" containers..you just pick up the plate and take it back to wherever you want.

 

If you plan on doing this, you might want to bring something to facilitate your food moving!

[Roz]

An easier alternative is to order room service.

 

Roz

[serene56]

By the time you get from the food venue to your cabin that food may be cold. I agree with Roz-- room service. Just tip a buck or two when its delivered

[spookwife]

Hi,

We are going on Harmony in August and I have read about people taking food from different venues around the ship to their room or other places.

I was wondering how do they do a takeaway meal?

Do you have to carry the plates or do they give you a container?

Also the same question regarding tea/ coffee.

I know its probably a daft question but it's something I've been wondering about as I may want to take food and drink to my room etc

 

no there are no take out containers. best you can hope for is a lid that room service items are placed under while in transit. also there are no trays either so you will be balancing plates.

 

quite honestly not too many people go this route. maybe for breakfast they stop by the buffet and grab some pastries and some coffee( a few places may have paper 'to go ' cups but otherwise it's open mugs)

 

or you grab your plate for lunch and wander back poolside to eat.

 

they do not as a general rule provide doggie bags from the MDR. now people have reported being able to get dessert wrapped up in a napkin or the like but full meals or snacks is rooms service or taking a side trip to the buffet for the most part.

[serene56]

st they stop by the buffet and grab some pastries and some coffee( a few places may have paper 'to go ' cups but otherwise it's open mugs) .

 

if you are a coffee drinker take an insulated mug with a lid. The cups on the cruise are very small

[Reina del Mar]

I have read that some people use shower caps, (collected from hotels) to cover plates from Windjammer! Not sure whether this would work.

 

Carry out card cups available in several places.

 

If taking food ensure you declare on customs' form.

[terri-eddie]

Try inverting a second plate on top of your filled plate. Doesn't really hold in the heat, but makes it less messy to carry. Also, you can then carry a second plate of food for another person on top, also covered.

[NMLady]

...

If taking food ensure you declare on customs' form.

 

That is only for final disembarkation. That is the only time you go through customs.

 

At port stops you cannot take food ashore unless it is in factory sealed packages such as granola bars or cereal boxes.

[Lane1344]

Thanks all for the info.

 

I guess it's not a practical thing to do. And tbh I don't think carrying around plates etc is safe.

[Cruisin' Chick]

Don't know that ship, but my hubby will make a breakfast tray for my daughter and me from the buffet at Princess on sea days. He likes to get a made to order omelet there, and then he'll use the small tray (that's on our desk in the cabin -- it usually holds the canned soda and bottled water they hope we'll buy) to place small plates/bowls of cereal, waffles, etc. He'll put away the tray for the next time and the cabin steward can take back the plates.

 

I'm not the only one who'll take items from the International Cafe -- it's set up for that purpose.

[leaveitallbehind]

An easier alternative is to order room service.

 

Roz

 

The only problem with that is that unless you are in a suite the room service menu is somewhat limited and does not include the dinner menu from the MDR. The suite menu is broader and includes dinners.

[Langley Cruisers]

I guess it's not a practical thing to do. And tbh I don't think carrying around plates etc is safe.

 

Do it if you want, it's not a problem. You will see others doing it. And the plates and coffee cups on Royal are plastic (except in the dining room).

[navybankerteacher]

Don't know that ship' date=' but my hubby will make a breakfast tray for my daughter and me from the buffet at Princess on sea days. He likes to get a made to order omelet there, and then he'll use the small tray (that's on our desk in the cabin -- it usually holds the canned soda and bottled water they hope we'll buy) to place small plates/bowls of cereal, waffles, etc. He'll put away the tray for the next time and the cabin steward can take back the plates.

 

I'm not the only one who'll take items from the International Cafe -- it's set up for that purpose.[/quote']

 

Room service on most ships offers good choices and prompt delivery of items kept warm with covers which are not available for do-it-yourselfing. Also, they have the trays not available in the cafeteria - certainly the logical option for in-room breakfast.

[Reina del Mar]

That is only for final disembarkation. That is the only time you go through customs.

 

At port stops you cannot take food ashore unless it is in factory sealed packages such as granola bars or cereal boxes.

 

 

Coming from Great Britain, as the OP appears to be, must declare foods on entry.

[Cuizer2]

Hi,

We are going on Harmony in August and I have read about people taking food from different venues around the ship to their room or other places.

I was wondering how do they do a takeaway meal?

Do you have to carry the plates or do they give you a container?

Also the same question regarding tea/ coffee.

I know its probably a daft question but it's something I've been wondering about as I may want to take food and drink to my room etc

 

Coming from Great Britain, as the OP appears to be, must declare foods on entry.

 

The OP is talking about taking food from the buffet to his/her room to eat while on the cruise. There is no customs agent on the ship and no need to declare what food you are taking to your cabin.

Edited July 25, 2016 by Cuizer2

[Reina del Mar]

The OP is talking about taking food from the buffet to his/her room to eat while on the cruise. There is no customs agent on the ship and no need to declare what food you are taking to your cabin.

 

Apologies..misread original question.

 

Thought OP wanted to take food into another country.

[Moochieg]

I packed a travel mug for my coffee and it worked great.

[griffy116]

I take a stash of zip lock bags..every size. On our last cruise, I got up early and decided to hit the Promenade Cafe for coffee and a pastry. I decided to be a sweet Mom and I took one of the big zip locks with me, got a couple of pastries on a plate, slid the plate inside the zip lock to prevent spills (and germs) as I navigated my way back to the cabin. Several people on the elevator commented that they wished they had thought to bring them for this. While she was getting ready, the pastries were sealed in the germ free bag waiting on her and the coffee was in one of their "to go" cups with the lid. We usually fly to the cruise port so I don't take a travel mug with me and the to go cups work just fine. I take the zip lock bags in everything from snack size to 2-3 gallon on every cruise and I continue to find new uses for them one of the best tips I ever got on this forum, many, many years ago.