Safety of food in Caribbean and Mexican ports

[Paid4c4]

When I first started cruising in the mid 1970's we were warned not to eat or drink ashore because our systems weren't prepared to process some of the bacteria etc.  Over the years I no longer hear the warnings not to eat or drink ashore.  My question do you find food and drink safe while ashore?

Bill

[Pooch]

Yup!

[steverk]

Most people find it safe, but I personally avoid it.

If you do choose to eat or drink, I recommend chasing it with tequila. They say the alcohol will help neutralize any bad stuff, if it is there. Even if the food is completely safe, the tequila is bound to make it more fun.

[OCSC Mike]

Never gave eating in port a 2nd thought. It's usually part of an excursion or at an all-inclusive resort though. I don't randomly walk into the nearest hole in the wall but I'd have no problem eating anywhere that had some sort of reliable recommendation behind it.

[teddy]

39 minutes ago, steverk said:

Most people find it safe, but I personally avoid it.

If you do choose to eat or drink, I recommend chasing it with tequila. They say the alcohol will help neutralize any bad stuff, if it is there. Even if the food is completely safe, the tequila is bound to make it more fun.

Total tangent…

I had a customer return a lamb leg the other day.  She said she cut a piece off and ate it.   She realized after that it was still raw so she drank some tequila to kill any bacteria.  
 

(She wanted to return it because she said it shouldn’t be raw.)

[Geezer Of The Seas]

Not extensive experience, but ate freshly fried conch fritters from a food truck outside the John Watling distillery in Nassau last year and some kick butt Caribbean style wings at Chef John's inside the port at St. Thomas in this past April, no problem. What was frustrating: the bus tour of St. Maarten we took the day before St. Thomas passed a bazillion roadside vendors selling jerk chicken and didn't stop at any of them. 

PS: The conch fritters in Nassau were out of this world.

[wordell1]

I've never had any issues eating in any port.  I do avoid tap water in foreign countries although I don't really think it would be an issue in most these days. 

[WAYNO]

We also have the same questions and seldom eat or drink while ashore.  I do let my guard down occasionally, and will eat a complete dinner at large, obviously popular restaurants.  Interestingly, the last time we did eat at Mazatlan, we ordered soft drinks from a bottle.  The waiter promptly opened the bottles and poured the beverage into a glass with ice.  I didn't touch it, but quickly the waiter realized what he had done, and replaced our drink with a fresh one, still in the bottle.  It is hard to un-learn old lessons.  

 

[loki007]

nothing better than some real Mexican food in Cozumel or some jerk chicken in Jamaica. 

[BMW Hoosier]

2 hours ago, steverk said:

If you do choose to eat or drink, I recommend chasing it with tequila. They say the alcohol will help neutralize any bad stuff, if it is there. Even if the food is completely safe, the tequila is bound to make it more fun.

Who is the "they" in this claim?

[WAYNO]

It's just a fun urban myth.

 

I've eaten many gusanos , soaked in Gusano Rojo Mezcal in my lifetime, and I've never been sick from one.

[VeronicaS1970]

I am not going to eat tacos out of the back of a truck, but will gladly eat local when visiting ports. We usually ask locals what's good or where do they eat. Best way to experience a culture is through food.   

[WAYNO]

In Mazatlan, we trusted our pulmonia driver to find us a safe restaurant.

 

The place was full of gringos, and we remained healthy.

[Rackham]

The advice I've seen is outside of tourist areas, only eat things which are cooked (preferably in front of you) and drink only from containers you open yourself (to avoid the refilling from the tap scam). In areas catering to tourists, fresh vegetables, fruits and ice are probably fine since water purification systems have been popular. Bottled water is still suspect. Meals included during a shore excursion should be fine, even off the beaten path, as they're targeting foreign tourists and won't want to risk a group getting sick and their status with Royal revoked.

[WAAAYTOOO]

We always bring Cipro with us on cruises just in case we get any tummy issues with local food or water.  That’s probably why we’ve never had an issue ! …b/c we are prepared for it !

[smokeybandit]

Yes, Mexico has water issues. But it's bad for the locals, too.  All reputable restaurants and hotels serve bottled  or otherwise commercially treated water.

[steverk]

58 minutes ago, BMW Hoosier said:

Who is the "they" in this claim?

People who I spoke to after they returned to the ship.

[smokeybandit]

Cruise lines send millions of people per year to these areas, plus all the land tourism. If it was an issue it'd be in the news.

[tjcruisers]

Never tried it, but if your in the main area or on a ship excursion I would assume it's safe (otherwise they'd be out of business pretty quick). I wouldn't eat at someplace off the beaten path

[Psycho and Barb]

We have never had a problem and have had the best Jerked Chicken we've ever had from a roadside stand in Jamica.  

[BMW Hoosier]

13 hours ago, steverk said:

People who I spoke to after they returned to the ship.

So, in other words, no scientific evidence at all. 

[Matt]

I’ve eaten so much Mexican food around Mexico and still around to tell the tale. 

[Shari]

Three of my cousins went on a cruise to Ensenada and 2 decided to eat tacos there.  Those 2 got very sick and the 1 who wouldn't eat them was fine.  I avoid food in Mexico, I lived in San Diego for nearly 30 years and heard of too many people getting sick.

[smokeybandit]

11 minutes ago, Matt said:

I’ve eaten so much Mexican food around Mexico and still around to tell the tale. 

[Geezer Of The Seas]

Why did Dos Equis ever end that ad campaign? 

[smokeybandit]

29 minutes ago, Geezer Of The Seas said:

Why did Dos Equis ever end that ad campaign? 

12 years is a long time for a single ad campaign. They ended it just to keep things fresh.

[Geezer Of The Seas]

15 hours ago, smokeybandit said:

12 years is a long time for a single ad campaign. They ended it just to keep things fresh.

But the World's Most Interesting Man............was! 

Stay Thirsty My Friend! 

[DJsMrs]

I can guarantee that if the food in Mexico was a general issue the ships would either not stop there, or there would be copious warnings about not eating or drinking while ashore.   The last thing they need is a ship full of people with Montezuma's...

Having said that - maybe stick with bottled water.  If you're concerned about the ice in a cocktail - have a beer.      

[Jolly Ogre]

The only time we got sick was from drinking water at CocoCay!

[Zacharius]

So I'll say this as someone who is an extremely adventurous traveler and has been to (and eaten in) something like 75% of the countries in this world. I have only been sick a few times, and half of those times were in "safe" places (US, western Europe, that kind of thing). Obviously there's going to be a risk in a lot of places eating the local food away from touristy areas (or even in touristy areas), but if you're of good health, you will likely be fine. I do avoid water in many countries in the world, though...that scares me much more. 

[WAYNO]

Folks put their head in the sand and profess the food and water in Mexico and elsewhere is perfectly safe.  Nobody's gonna tell them what they should or shouldn't eat.

If it's so safe, why are there so many programs promoting and educating food suppliers, vendors and restaurants  to cook cleanly and safely?

I've been all over Mexico and the Caribbean.  The pork, fish, or other foods on the sidewalk... did you see it being cooked?  How long ago was it cooked?  How was the refrigeration?  With no running water or sanitary facilities near the food carts or other neighborhood vendors, how did they wash their hands and cooking utensils?

Travel guides say to eat at obviously organized kitchens, with immediately cooked dishes and high food turnover. 

Montezuma's revenge is still real.  So are many other communicable illnesses.

And if folks don't get sick in spite of ignoring sanitation, good for them.  Many folks do remain unscathed.

I will remain cautious. 

https://www.fda.gov/food/international-cooperation-food-safety/fda-senasica-cofepris-food-safety-partnership

https://www.worldnomads.com/travel-safety/north-america/mexico/tips-for-water-and-food-in-mexico

https://mexiconewsdaily.com/mexicolife/dining-rules-health/

 

 

[Carlos A.]

1 hour ago, WAYNO said:

Folks put their head in the sand and profess the food and water in Mexico is perfectly safe.  Nobody's gonna tell them what they should or shouldn't eat.

If it's so safe, why are there so many organizations attempting to teach the Mexican people how to cook cleanly and safely?

I've been all over Mexico and the Caribbean.  The pork, fish, or other foods on the sidewalk... did you see it being cooked?  How long ago was it cooked?  How was the refrigeration?  With no running water or sanitary facilities near the food carts or other neighborhood vendors, how did they wash their hands and cooking utensils?

Travel guides say to eat at obviously organized kitchens, with immediately cooked dishes and high food turnover. 

Montezuma's revenge is still real.  So are many other communicable illnesses.

And if folks don't get sick in spite of ignoring sanitation, good for them.  Many folks do remain unscathed.

I will remain cautious. 

No organization has come to my house yet to "teach" me how to cook, I guess they haven't reach all the "Mexican people" yet. 

You are mainly talking about street vendors, even Mexicans are cautious about eating there. But there are more than street food vendors in Mexico. To believe that all the food sold in Mexico falls into the same category is an mistake (I'm not saying that you think this). We have sanitary regulations and regular inspections on stablished food vendors like any other country. 

As you said, eat at obviously organized kitchens, with immediately cooked dishes and high food turnover is the safe way to go. And avoid tap water.

[JimnKathy]

Using some hot sauce (Tobasco, Louisiana Hot Sauce, etc.) at a meal can help offset some stomach issues as well, but I'd probably chase it with a bit of tequila, too.