​Fooooood!

I wondered the difference between a cheap cruise and an expensive one.
Let’s start with the good news. When it comes to how good the boat looks, the entertainment, and the islands visited, there is no difference.
This time, we took a cheap 11-day cruise from New York to the Caribbean Islands (St Thomas, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, Grand Turk, Bahamas).
First, why should a cruise line be cheaper? Because they want the boat to be full. The last cabins were sold only the previous few days before departure. The inside cabins (no balcony or window) sold for less than $700 per person! I am not sure it covered the food (included in the price). But, since the tips are now mandatory ($176 per person), at least they helped to pay the crew members who got their pay from tips, like the room attendance guys.
Now, here the problem starts. Most of those coming for the cheap cruise come for free food. I do not mind anyone’s pleasure, but I cannot stand the waste. And food waste is number one on my hate list.

My grandma used to say, “Better guts cracked than food thrown away.” She used absolutely everything. Whatever was left from preparing the food or after a meal was served to the pig. One day, my father told her that growing a pig cost more than buying it right before Christmas (to be sacrificed). But my grandma preferred to lose some money rather than wasting leftovers. So the food is holy (don’t take it religiously). When I have more than I want on my plate, I eat it all, have less of the next meal, or skip it. Maybe I am too far on this, but what I see on the cruises gives me a sour taste.
Some tourists had seafood, burgers, and Chinese on their tables. They bite from everything, then eat only the dish they like - and leave. Others put on their plate much more than their stomach could ingest, and leaving half of it on the table gave them the impression that they were on the right track to eat less. 
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​More than half go to the garbage. I saw cases much worse than in these pictures, but I did not have my cell with me.
It is useless to say that most tourists are way overweight.

​Another aspect.
Evening, people respect the efforts made by musicians and entertainment hosts and dress more formally, at least wearing long pants and a shirt. On cheap cruises, most tourists still wear shorts, sandals, and T-shirts, eventually under-shirts, in the evenings.
So, avoid cheap cruises if you want a company where people care about their appearance.

​In my next post, I will describe the life on the boat and our stops (no more talking about food).