Caribbean Cruise Cuisine

We just got back from a week long cruise on the Voyager of the Seas (Royal Caribbean International) and while the food on the ship was decent and abundant, it was mass produced for 4,000+ people and lacked the layers of flavor that make a dish really stand out. Luckily we were able to try some local fare on a couple of our stops.

Dinner in the formal dining room was hit or miss. The Prime Rib was tender but very mildly seasoned to the point of blandness.

In Georgetown, Grand Cayman we opted for a sample plate of local food from a small stand near the port offering Turtle Stew, Conch Stew, Fish Escoviche, Fried Fish and more. They were out of everything but the escoviche and the conch so the lady made us a plate of everything to try. Left: Conch in coconut milk with dumplings- very simple yet tasty. Right: Fish with onions and bell peppers- nom nom. Upper right: Yes, it's cold Kraft Macaroni and Cheese- WTF are you doing here???
That's our ship in the background.

In Montego Bay, Jamaica I enjoyed a fresh papaya on the beach before going to a shore-side restaurant to beat two Red Stripes and a plate of grouper with rice and 'peas' (yes, they're really beans).

Also in Jamaica- the very popular 'patty' is similar to an empanada. Pretty good for $1.50, it is filled with either chicken, beef, or vegetables. They were out of chicken because it's the best so we tried the other two.