Dietary issues...

[graycottag]

Has anyone travelled on Princess with a dietary problem.... and how has it been handled? My travelling partner and I will be on the Crown in February. He is lactose allergic...not just lactose intolerant...i.e, he can have NOTHING with a any dairy products in them...at all. Normally he can deal with this without too much trouble(though pharmaceuticals are a nightmare) but was wondering if anyone has had anything similar and how was it dealt with? Can meals be individually prepared, or do things just come out of the kitchens only as they have been made?

 

I see on the personalizer that one needs to notify the cruise line of lactose intolerance...and he intends to send them the required letter indicating his issue, but we're curious if anyone else has experienced this.

[lissbarb]

I have dealt with other dietary issues successfully with Princess. Send an email and I'll be happy to discuss this with you.

 

lissbarb@aol.com

[Cruisin' Chick]

Usually the head waiter will come to the person each night with the next day's dinner menu. The passenger selects the entree and then the kitchen will prepare it specially.

[paul929207]

We met a woman at breakfast that had severe food allergies. She ate all her meals in the dining room. Each evening, the Head Waiter brought her the menus for the next day and she made her selections for all three meals. She said she had not had any problems.

[uppitycats]

Yes, that form needs to be carefully filled out, and he should call Princess as well. Once on board, he needs to go to the pursers desk, explain the issue, and ask to talk to the head chef. Generally the first day is a bit of a problem -- he may have to scout around a bit to find out for himself what he'll be able to eat,

 

but after that, the chef should be sitting down with him each day, showing him the next day's menu, noting what he can eat or not eat, figuring out what substitutes could be made so that he can eat, and then the meals will be prepared accordingly.

 

Note, though, that this only works in the main dining room. He'd be on his own at the buffet for sure, although he might be able to also work out menus at the specialty restaurants, with advanced notice.

[City_Woman]

I am lactose intolerant and have had nothing but positive experience in the dining room.

 

The only night that your partner will be on his own will be the first night - they will accommodate as much as they can.

 

Judy

[JAMS1]

Last year on the Royal, I ate like a Queen

The first night I chatted with our waiter, & after that He made sure I knew what was safe for me to order. Was able to eat without issue in the Buffet too. Just asked and kept a keen eye on what I was eating. Breakfast was a bit limiting put not a problem.

Have a great Cruise.

[billie5]

My cardiac (Caldwell Esselstyn) diet has some difficult limitations (esp. no added oil of any kind) so, as others have indicated, the head waiter came over each evening and discussed choices for the next night. However, on many evenings there were no permissible choices for the next evening. In those cases I suggested alternative dishes (eg, vegetable curry, spaghetti with vegetable sauce -- no oils in the cooking of course) and they were individually prepared for me. Don't hesitate to make your own suggestions.

 

One easy strategy. Find something suitable for a dinner at the lunch buffet. That is an easy dish they can make for you any future evening during the cruise. That actually was where I came up with vegetable curry -- their curry at the first lunch was to die for.

 

Bill

[Sacstephen]

This is very helpful to know. We have a friend considering whether he and his wife will join us on a cruise in January. He had multiple by-pass heart surgery about a year ago, and has to be very strict on his diet - almost completely vegetarian. It is good to know I can tell him they will provide him with good options.

[bandmp]

My husband has a severe shellfish allergy, and we have been able to cruise without any difficulty. We also cruised with our granddaughter who has a severe peanut allergy. Princess needs to be notified prior to your cruise about the allergy. We have found that with anytime dining we select to have the same servers each evening - then remind them the first evening of the allergy. The head waiter comes with the menu for the next day, and reviews the order. Mario, the head waiter on the Coral, even checked things like hot dogs and pizza for our group. Then our granddaughter could enjoy these at lunch without concern.

Have a great cruise!!

[billie5]

Sacstephen,

Have your friend google Caldwell Esselstyn of the Cleveland Clinic. His diet is entirely vegan (basically, no animal protein whatsoever, no added oil, no nuts). He followed 18 cardiac patients with 51 previous heart attacks/incidents between them for 10 years. On the diet, not a single cardiac event thru the 10 years. Two thirds had complete halt of the disease, the remaining third actually had regression of the disease. Apparently the reason the diet is rarely recommended is that people find it too difficult to stay on. Hard for me to understand, as I have had no trouble staying 100% on the diet for the past year.

 

Bill

[unboringuy]

Sacstephen,

Have your friend google Caldwell Esselstyn of the Cleveland Clinic. His diet is entirely vegan (basically, no animal protein whatsoever, no added oil, no nuts). He followed 18 cardiac patients with 51 previous heart attacks/incidents between them for 10 years. On the diet, not a single cardiac event thru the 10 years. Two thirds had complete halt of the disease, the remaining third actually had regression of the disease. Apparently the reason the diet is rarely recommended is that people find it too difficult to stay on. Hard for me to understand, as I have had no trouble staying 100% on the diet for the past year.

 

Bill

 

Bill:

 

If you see this, just curious how things are going on your Esselstyn diet? I've been on it for a week now! I understand that Bill Clinton went on it earlier this year.