certainly, yes. Whether it is worth it or not is a very personal matter. There might be fewer dining options (e.g. only one restaurant might be open) than on sea days, but the food is no different.
On the days when the ship is in port, you will typically find the buffet open for lunch and one dining room with open seating.
Is it worth it? That depends on whether you want to spend to time going back and forth to the ship. I personally wouldn't do it if it involved tendering. That can really use up some time and we always make it a point to do everything we want to do ashore in one tender trip in this case. But if the ship is moored and it is nearby, then we usually go back for lunch. Note I said usually. If the port happens to have a place I'd like to try, then that is what we do. For instance, in St. Martin there are many good French restaurants. In Cozumel I like Pancho's Backyard.
It also depends on how much you are enjoying the port call, and on your energy level. On our last cruise, we were content to take a shore excursion for the morning, come back to the ship for a (late) lunch, then relax onboard for the afternoon. I definitely agree that coming back just for lunch if you are tendering is more of a hassle than it may be worth, but if you plan to spend the rest of the day onboard ship and not go back to the island, then going back for lunch is a decent option in a tender port too.
Posts: 1361 | Location: Illinois | Registered: June 19, 2002
Actually we rarely spend the entire day ashore. I like to have a few hours in the afternoon (or evening) when the ship isn't crowded and we can enjoy the pool with the other few people who know the secret.
