Paid4c4 Posted June 14, 2023 Report Share Posted June 14, 2023 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pooch Posted June 14, 2023 Report Share Posted June 14, 2023 Yup! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steverk Posted June 14, 2023 Report Share Posted June 14, 2023 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. Pooch 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCSC Mike Posted June 14, 2023 Report Share Posted June 14, 2023 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. luv2sail 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddy Posted June 14, 2023 Report Share Posted June 14, 2023 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.) OCSC Mike and WAAAYTOOO 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Of The Seas Posted June 14, 2023 Report Share Posted June 14, 2023 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. Paid4c4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wordell1 Posted June 14, 2023 Report Share Posted June 14, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAYNO Posted June 14, 2023 Report Share Posted June 14, 2023 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. Paid4c4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loki007 Posted June 14, 2023 Report Share Posted June 14, 2023 nothing better than some real Mexican food in Cozumel or some jerk chicken in Jamaica. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMW Hoosier Posted June 14, 2023 Report Share Posted June 14, 2023 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 and Larry S 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAYNO Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 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. Paid4c4 and teddy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VeronicaS1970 Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAYNO Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 In Mazatlan, we trusted our pulmonia driver to find us a safe restaurant. The place was full of gringos, and we remained healthy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rackham Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 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 ! PPPJJ-GCVAB 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steverk Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 58 minutes ago, BMW Hoosier said: Who is the "they" in this claim? People who I spoke to after they returned to the ship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tjcruisers Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Psycho and Barb Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 We have never had a problem and have had the best Jerked Chicken we've ever had from a roadside stand in Jamica. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BMW Hoosier Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 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. Carlos A., WAYNO and Larry S 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 I’ve eaten so much Mexican food around Mexico and still around to tell the tale. Cactus527, WAAAYTOOO, Carlos A. and 2 others 2 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shari Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 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. DDaley 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 11 minutes ago, Matt said: I’ve eaten so much Mexican food around Mexico and still around to tell the tale. bobroo, Cactus527, Geezer Of The Seas and 4 others 1 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Of The Seas Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 Why did Dos Equis ever end that ad campaign? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokeybandit Posted June 15, 2023 Report Share Posted June 15, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Of The Seas Posted June 16, 2023 Report Share Posted June 16, 2023 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! Cactus527 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJsMrs Posted June 16, 2023 Report Share Posted June 16, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jolly Ogre Posted June 16, 2023 Report Share Posted June 16, 2023 The only time we got sick was from drinking water at CocoCay! WAAAYTOOO 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zacharius Posted June 16, 2023 Report Share Posted June 16, 2023 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. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAYNO Posted June 16, 2023 Report Share Posted June 16, 2023 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/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carlos A. Posted June 16, 2023 Report Share Posted June 16, 2023 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. teddy, JimnKathy and WAYNO 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimnKathy Posted June 16, 2023 Report Share Posted June 16, 2023 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. amdawn and steverk 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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