On Location cultural events

[chefestelle]

Good morning. I have tried in vain to search for leads on how cultural events are set up for ports. I'm interested in any general response but particularly what I can look forward to for Mexican Riviera and Mediterranean Empires cruises. What sorts of events are held, at what point in the cruise, for how long during the day, etc. are they well done? Do they tie in special dinners like when they do a BBQ? If there is a general thread, I'd be happy for your direction to it. I have read other scanned On Location sheets which give me hints but don't give any real particulars. Thanks all!

[Alberta Quilter]

I can only recall one such event on my Med cruise and that was when the On Location program just started. It was a special outdoor buffet by the aft pool featuring local specialties. (Full disclosure - I remember it because we stole some of the tomatoes that were being used as decoration to make tomato sandwiches in our cabin one day (got the bread from the Lido). They were really good tomatoes and, sometimes, you only want a tomato sandwich!)

 

On my recent Canada/NE cruise, there were a few On Location events - lobster rolls served in the Crow's Nest, PEI potato bar and Poutine Bar at the taco bar (where you could dress your potato/poutine as you liked), and they had a mussel event of some sort (we were on tour at the time) in PEI.

 

So, these types of things can be as much as an outdoor buffet or as little as a lobster roll served via tray in a lounge.

[chefestelle]

Thanks. That's the idea I was getting. Were they particularly good? I'm wondering how they will work around excursions and the like.

[chefestelle]

And I won't tell about the tomatoes if you don't. I have a bumper crop of them this year and have had LOTS of tomato sandwiches!

[Alberta Quilter]

And I won't tell about the tomatoes if you don't. I have a bumper crop of them this year and have had LOTS of tomato sandwiches!

 

You're the first and only person I've told!!:D But we ate what we stole; it didn't go to waste. And, coming from a place where we get ripe, homegrown tomatoes for, oh, about ONE month, we savoured every bite of those tomatoes.

[Alberta Quilter]

Thanks. That's the idea I was getting. Were they particularly good? I'm wondering how they will work around excursions and the like.

 

Sometimes they'll work around excursions, other times not. Like what we experienced in PEI. We had a full day tour and totally missed the mussels onboard. We did have some at lunch, that our guide purchased, so we could try them.

 

The lobster rolls that we got in Bar Harbor were kind of pitiful. There was little lobster on them but the buns were good. It was funny when, at Bingo, the Host asked how the lobster rolls were and several of us answered that the buns were the best part!

 

The poutine and potato bars at the Taco Bar were out all afternoon so one did have time to try them unless they were out on a full afternoon/day tour. The potato bar was very good. I only looked at the poutine bar; I'm not a fan of poutine.

[chefestelle]

I love poutine but I eat vegan now so... Still, I'm looking forward to what they do in the Med with so many cultures to draw from. Hopefully they will cue it up with on board time! As for Mexico, I should be able to enjoy in at least one port...

[SilvertoGold]

I'm a bit confused about your question about cultural events.

 

Do you mean HAL bringing on board local talent? Both your itineraries generally don't do that.

 

But HAL does do some local BBQs sometimes (although the German one in Spain was strange).

[chefestelle]

I'm talking about everything from local talent to setting up their own cultural themed events. For instance, page 137 of the cruise atlas says they bring mariachi bands on board and have a traditional Mexican sail away as well. But that's all it says about those events and I take it your experience is they do neither. Page 91 talks of a poolside bazaar in Istanbul and possibly a Turkish dinner though that's not clear. There are other little references but no real explanations. Does that help explain what I'm asking about?

[Krazy Kruizers]

Maybe HAL is trying to change things, but on all out Mexican Riviera and Sea of Cortez cruises we did not have any entertainment come on board.

 

For Med and Baltic cruise (also Panama cruises) we did have lecturers come on board. Some were good - others so-so..

 

We did several Canada/New England cruises - never had Lobster Rolls on the ship.

 

I did a report about Lobster Rolls several cruises ago and unfortunately the best place that sold them was in Bar Harbor and that place has gone out of business. They were all Lobster . Other places had way too much filler in them and very little lobster.

[euro cruiser]

Last week on the Eurodam they brought on a local band in Germany and set the entire pool area up like a beer garden. It was fun, if a little hokey. The folks who went to Berlin missed the entire thing, however, as they didn't get back until the band was packing up and leaving.

[TiogaCruiser]

I don't recall any "on location" events or other on our Mexican Riveria in March. Perhaps I missed it. Will check my documents and report back.

 

We DID have some Mexican-fusion or nouveau cuisine in the MDR and for mariners. And a paper flower folding class.

Edited August 26, 2015 by TiogaCruiser

[dakrewser]

Last week on the Eurodam they brought on a local band in Germany and set the entire pool area up like a beer garden. It was fun, if a little hokey. The folks who went to Berlin missed the entire thing, however, as they didn't get back until the band was packing up and leaving.

 

We had that band in Wernemunde some years ago - they welcomed us to the port, did an evening show, then played as we sailed away. Lot's of fun!

[chefestelle]

Last week on the Eurodam they brought on a local band in Germany and set the entire pool area up like a beer garden. It was fun, if a little hokey. The folks who went to Berlin missed the entire thing, however, as they didn't get back until the band was packing up and leaving.

 

 

That would be great! Thanks. If you manage to find your on location sheets and can post photos of them here, that would be golden!

[SilvertoGold]

I'm talking about everything from local talent to setting up their own cultural themed events. For instance, page 137 of the cruise atlas says they bring mariachi bands on board and have a traditional Mexican sail away as well. But that's all it says about those events and I take it your experience is they do neither. Page 91 talks of a poolside bazaar in Istanbul and possibly a Turkish dinner though that's not clear. There are other little references but no real explanations. Does that help explain what I'm asking about?

 

Thanks for the explanation.

 

Hope things work out to your liking on both these cruises!