The cost of blue water eating.

[KevinV]

Once upon a time, cruising in the Caribbean meant lots of cheap food and drink. This is definitely no longer a case. Food is often much more expensive than the UK although booze is considerably cheaper. (It’s often cheaper to drink rum & a mixer than a soft drink.). I’ve posted about the prices before so no more of that.

However, we’re now in Dominican Republic Ann and in Maritimo Atlantic on the north coast. It’s a bit of a upmarket place and some people still complain about the prices. I’m not sure what the problem is. We just had two cocktails, a pizza (we couldn’t finish) two magnum ice creams (which we did finish!) and a bottle of white wine (which we also didn’t finish!) £34

When I went out last year I found it much changed from my previous visit 20 years ago. Even the traditionally poorer islands had figured out how to make money from the yachts. Much better quality everywhere, much better hygiene, much tidier overall - and (most of) the locals have a higher standard of living. There's a price to pay of course - by us
There is still cheap food and drink to be had - often just one street further inland, and eating local produce whenever possible.

 

[Boathook]

Binned any in date but half rotted English supermarket fruit or veg or cooked any English supermarket chicken or bacon recently?

Eeeew...

Not my experience of supermarket food. Do you put the veg and fruit in your basket first and then throw the tins, etc on top to damage everything ?

 

[Sea Change]

Grenada is still quite affordable- the more rustic places are still EC$5 for a beer and $20 for a good burger- that works out about £7.30. it's possible to spent a lot more, of course.
A roti will fill you up all day and usually costs about $15 (under £5).

Once you get to Antigua and further north, it's a different story...

 

[Sailing steve]

The Canary Islands remain relatively cheap.

Indeed

The quality of produce in HiperDino and Mercadona supermarkets is much better in comparison to the budget supermarkets such as Lidl and Tesco and a weeks shopping often comes out maybe twenty Euro cheaper too.

Fuel and bottled gas isn't as expensive and a half decent bottle of wine can be had for way less than you'd pay in the UK too.

 

[ashtead]

When we first went to Tenerife in mid 1980s it was truly cheap in the south but having just returned from Gran Canaria the one thing we thought really cheap were the bus and taxi fares -seemed dozens of taxis at least in Las Palmas and even the buses were regular and cheap. Venturing further afield didn’t think car hire rates too expensive either. Plenty of local wines which seemed to have a reasonable price even in restaurants. Should you be moored in Las Palmas (where the ARC park) Pier 19 seemed well priced .

 

[Sea Change]

Indeed

The quality of produce in HiperDino and Mercadona supermarkets is much better in comparison to the budget supermarkets such as Lidl and Tesco and a weeks shopping often comes out maybe twenty Euro cheaper too.

Are you comparing Mercadona in the Canaries with Lidl in the UK?
We found mainland Spain to be notably better than either the Balearics or Canaries.
After five months of Balearics and Eroski/Lidl shopping, when we reached the Carrefour in Cartagena we went slightly crazy and almost bought more than we could carry back to the boat (and that's with three bikes and a trolley!)

 

[Bouba]

You don’t have to go all the way to the West Indies….this is on my doorstep for a day out
A tiny island in a blue blue sea, crystal clear water, hot weather and €75 for lunch for two without alcohol or dessert

It was a very nice lunch with very friendly staff

 

[Poignard]

Is eating blue water as inadvisable as eating yelllow snow?

 

[Bouba]

Is eating blue water as inadvisable as eating yelllow snow?

No, the dog always likes to take a couple of sips to confirm that he doesn’t like it

 

[Poignard]

No, the dog always likes to take a couple of sips to confirm that he doesn’t like it

Dogs seem to prefer water that we might consider polluted to the corporation pop we drink.

 

[Blueboatman]

You don’t have to go all the way to the West Indies….this is on my doorstep for a day out
A tiny island in a blue blue sea, crystal clear water, hot weather and €75 for lunch for two without alcohol or dessert

It was a very nice lunch with very friendly staff

75 euros for lunch ??
The worlds gone mad

 

[BobnLesley]

There is still cheap food and drink to be had - often just one street further inland...

That applies everywhere with regards to both price and quality: For a harbour side restaurant to make a profit it just needs to be there, the restaurants/bars one street back. need to be good and offer value for money.

 

[Bouba]

75 euros for lunch ??
The worlds gone mad

It is expensive but it was quality food, and there are many extra costs such as, everything has to be imported, no rushing out and buying something, so there’s the risk of over ordering and losing food. There is almost no land available for restaurants so their rent could potentially be astronomical…also housing is almost non existent and probably very expensive so where do the staff live…and is it easy to attract staff to an island ?

 

[Blueboatman]

It is expensive but it was quality food, and there are many extra costs such as, everything has to be imported, no rushing out and buying something, so there’s the risk of over ordering and losing food. There is almost no land available for restaurants so their rent could potentially be astronomical…also housing is almost non existent and probably very expensive so where do the staff live…and is it easy to attract staff to an island ?

If you’re happy I’m happy



The most expensive piece of water per mile by ferry in the uk may still be going to the Isle of Wight

 

[Bouba]

If you’re happy I’m happy



The most expensive piece of water per mile by ferry in the uk may still be going to the Isle of Wight

There a little island off the coast near us where the fee per meter is very high....and we went on a ferry in Toulon that went a long way for only two euros. I’m not sure how things are calculated

 

[Bouba]

I was saying to the wife today that the island trip cost the pair of us only €17 in fuel........assuming you don’t count any other part of boat ownership .....it’s good that I can have a man maths conversation with her......and that she indulges me

 

[AntarcticPilot]

There a little island off the coast near us where the fee per meter is very high....and we went on a ferry in Toulon that went a long way for only two euros. I’m not sure how things are calculated

Star ferries in Hong Kong cost less than a pound for the trip from Kowloon to the Island. Not sure exactly because I qualify for the OAP rate!

 

[Blueboatman]

I was saying to the wife today that the island trip cost the pair of us only €17 in fuel........assuming you don’t count any other part of boat ownership .....it’s good that I can have a man maths conversation with her......and that she indulges me

I didn’t get where I am today without using man math.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

I was saying to the wife today that the island trip cost the pair of us only €17 in fuel........assuming you don’t count any other part of boat ownership .....it’s good that I can have a man maths conversation with her......and that she indulges me

If you were a raggie it would cost even less by man maths. Lets not bring the cost of our new Code 0 into the conversation

 

[Bouba]

If you were a raggie it would cost even less by man maths. Lets not bring the cost of our new Code 0 into the conversation

I wouldn’t mind having a sailboat.....it’s just that I don’t have enough mates to crew it