Farminger Posted July 16, 2017 Report Share Posted July 16, 2017 Being the planning junkie I am, I have been pouring over the forums here, Trip Advisor, Frommer's, and the like, in order to find the best places to go while in port. However, being that there seems to be a wealth of information from what I would call a group of friendly, experienced travelers here, I pose this/these questions: What is the best _________ you ever ate/bought/saw/experienced in a port your visited while cruising? Where and what are, of course, important, but also why whatever it was was the best. Now I know this will be different for everyone, but the point here is to, in a way, build a clearinghouse of ideas for all of us who are planning or those who just want to share. Thanks to all in advance for your input, and Happy Sailing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whenismynextcruise Posted July 16, 2017 Report Share Posted July 16, 2017 While on a cruise to Bermuda in May on another cruise line (that I wont be traveling on again - 3 initials begins with N and ends with L) we were docked in the Naval shipyard. We found the Dockyard Pastry Shop. LOVED IT! We ate there everyday in port sometimes twice. This is why we enjoyed it so much. It was maybe a 10 minute walk from the ship in a nice little walled off courtyard. The sign and the name indicated that is was more of a coffee shop/pastry shop so its easy to walk by if you are looking for more than than that. The actual shop is very small but they have a great selection of not only pastry/breakfast but a full lunch menu as well. And the people running it could not be nicer. You can either order inside (recommended to see what new stuff they have) and they will bring it to you or you can sit in the courtyard and order from there. The courtyard area is such a nice respite. There are multiple umbrellas that cover the entire courtyard from the sun. Half of courtyard is walled and the other half is tall flowering bushes (I have no idea what kind) and feels very cozy without feeling closed in. We noticed that is was pretty popular with the residents there as well if that tells you anything. When we got home a little googling found the website http://www.thedockyardpastryshop.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted July 17, 2017 Report Share Posted July 17, 2017 The best shore experience was in Dublin where we visited a very old pub and had the best pub lunch imaginable. Their Shepard's Pie was amazing. I would have bathed in the gravy if I could have. What we like to do is to venture into the local grocery stores and try things that we can't get here. For example. in Lithuania, went into a small market, talked to the clerk and tried a couple of house made pastries, some yogurt-like items, and the like. We also like to venture into the local "fast food" establishments to see what's different and perhaps to try something we may not have available here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L454S Posted July 17, 2017 Report Share Posted July 17, 2017 Best yet was the entire westbound transatlantic cruise from Copenhagen to Boston. Norway was great, but 4 days and 3 ports in Iceland was so different from other places we had been. Would do that sailing again in a heartbeat. The Serenade was on top of their game. Great room steward, wait staff, etc.......Everything was just right. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie Posted July 20, 2017 Report Share Posted July 20, 2017 The best experience ever was on our cruise to Alaska. I, too, had poured over Trip Advisor and other forums. We wanted to go whale watching in Juneau. I found amazing reviews for Harv & Marv's Outback Alaska. The reviews did not disappoint. We had a private boat for our group of 6. Harv & Marv's picked us up at the port (along with 2 other groups). The bus driver gave us a mini-tour through Juneau, providing some history and pointing out significant buildings and sites. Our captain (Captain Liz) was fantastic! Her love of whales came through - she was just as excited as we were to spot both humpbacks and orcas. And, she was extremely knowledgeable. We got a great lesson on Alaska and the whales. She took us by the Mendenhall glacier for photo ops on the way back to shore. (Oh, and her boat had free drinks and snacks. Was heated and had a bathroom. Very, very nice whale watching boat.) Our bus driver continued our sightseeing tour on the way back into Juneau, and he also stopped for a brief photo op at the glacier. He dropped some people in town who wanted to shop and others, he took all the way back to the ship. For dinner, my husband & I went to The Hangar in Juneau, recommended by Captain Liz, for fresh seafood. The service wasn't spectacular, but the food was very good. The views were the best part of the restaurant, though. It's called "The Hangar" because it overlooks the dock where the planes come in for water landings / take-offs. We watched plane after plane come in, drop tourists & take off. Spectacular! If you're ever going to Juneau, I cannot recommend Harv & Marv's enough. Check out their facebook page, too. Amazing photos of the whales! It was not only the highlight of that cruise, but of every vacation we've ever taken. JLMoran 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom2mybugs Posted July 21, 2017 Report Share Posted July 21, 2017 My best ever of a cruise was my first sea day on my first cruise on vision of the sea. Im a person who goes all the time (and my trips are usually disney busy vacations) and to be able to lay on a pool deck with my teens and not have to do anything was the most relaxing day of my life. I have had great times at ports and on other sea days, but that was the best. Don't forget to give yourself permission to relax and simply enjoy the moments you've been planning months for! Jane WAAAYTOOO, DocLC and BrianAlt 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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