Not a good beginning....

[veggie59]

:mad: Our cruise is 2 months away. I am not feeling the love from Princess at this time. Being a vegetarian......I asked whom I could contact to go over some food specifics. I was promptly given an email and asked up front if they were the correct person to inquire with. I was told they were the dietary coordinator and they could answer my concerns. I sent off a list of questions......and I just received a reply. What do you know......they answered just about every question with......"Please consult the Maitre d' Hotel onboard to inquire." Huh.......it doesnt do me any good to spend all my time going over options while ON the cruise. Gee.......on NCL they answered all my questions prior to sailing. Not too happy right now. I sent back a reply asking if there were someone else that could help me now. :mad:

[ssbeagle]

I do know the Maitre D' is the person to talk to about your dietary concerns. They will discuss the menu with you each day for the next night. There are plenty of items on the menu for vegetarians. They are even marked as such.

[veggie59]

I do know the Maitre D' is the person to talk to about your dietary concerns. They will discuss the menu with you each day for the next night. There are plenty of items on the menu for vegetarians. They are even marked as such.

 

I am aware of the vegetarian options that are usually provided. If you eat those items then it works. I do not eat many of those items. I have also found that many items touted as vegetarian are not prepared correctly....and hence are not really vegetarian.

 

Previously, before a Maitre'd (on Celebrity) suggested to me to inquire prior to cruising.....I had always settled for a salad, fruit plate, and baked potato each night. I was told that I should discuss my eating options prior to sailing. I guess NCL and Royal are able to do it.....but Princess can not.

[Pam in CA]

:mad: Our cruise is 2 months away. I am not feeling the love from Princess at this time. Being a vegetarian......I asked whom I could contact to go over some food specifics. I was promptly given an email and asked up front if they were the correct person to inquire with. I was told they were the dietary coordinator and they could answer my concerns. I sent off a list of questions......and I just received a reply. What do you know......they answered just about every question with......"Please consult the Maitre d' Hotel onboard to inquire." Huh.......it doesnt do me any good to spend all my time going over options while ON the cruise. Gee.......on NCL they answered all my questions prior to sailing. Not too happy right now. I sent back a reply asking if there were someone else that could help me now. :mad:

Please rest assured that ANYTHING you want or require can and will be done by the Maitre d'. Your options are essentially unlimited. The Maitre d' will provide you with the next night's menu and you can modify anything on the menu OR ask for something else to be prepared for you. You can pre-order meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining room through the Maitre d'. In the buffet, it's self-serve so you can pick and choose what you want. There are many, many options. For instance, when I want a salad in the buffet, I can choose between two or three different types of lettuce, between 8 - 12 different dressings, including non-fat, choose from either different vegetable add-ons from celergy to radishes to cauliflower, etc., go to the area with cheese and add what I want from a choice of 5 - 6 different types, etc. Hope you get the idea. Plus, the Pizzaria has about the best pizza at sea, including cheese pizza.

 

FYI, when I'm on a long cruise, I often request just soup and a salad for dinner in the dining room. It's never been a problem. All you have to do is ask. Want a baked potato? No problem.

[kendon]

What would you discuss before the cruise that you couldn't discuss while on the ship? I'm sure they would be extremely acommodating....

[Pam in CA]

Previously, before a Maitre'd (on Celebrity) suggested to me to inquire prior to cruising.....I had always settled for a salad, fruit plate, and baked potato each night. I was told that I should discuss my eating options prior to sailing. I guess NCL and Royal are able to do it.....but Princess can not.

Personally, I'd MUCH rather be able to ask for anything that appealed to me any night rather than have to pre-order it before sailing. But that's me. Sounds like NCL and RCCL are far less flexible and accommodating than Princess. As I said above, all you have to do is ask for whatever you want. Usually, they require a 24-hour notice but even without that, they're very flexible and accommodating. It's not a big deal; they do it all the time even for people who aren't on a special diet or have special needs/wants. Heck, once I shared a table with an elderly gentleman who was Jewish and diabetic. Every night, they prepared special meals for him. Breakfast and lunch as well.

[Loonbeam]

While Princess definitely could have given a better response, 2 months out I'd be wondering if its a little too early, given there is a decent chance the people on the ship now will be rotated off.

 

Personally, in your case I would want to speak to the executive chef on board (which the Maitre'd will facilitate). All the dietary coordinator can do really is make sure that some food is loaded and communicate with the chef..

[veggie59]

Well to somewhat answer in one post. Many items such as sauces are made with buillion, stocks, or worcestershire sauce. Many things.....some pasta (Princess included) is made with eggs.....commercial boxed pasta is not. Many breads have either lard or an egg-wash. Most pizza in general has egg-free crust. However, the reply I got said they could make an egg-free crust......so does the original have eggs? But they didnt know if it had lard...and referred it to the Maitre'd. Huh??I dont eat ibeef, seafood, poultry or eggs. Nor do I eat things made with gelatins. If I want steamed vegetables.....they must be cooked seperately with plain water. On the sample menu they had French Fries listed as a vegetarian option....yet they couldnt tell me if they are baked or fried. Are they fried in vegetable oil that is totally seperate from other fried items? Is the fryer soley used for just the fries and no meat items or fish?? Guess what.....see the Maitre'd onboard.

 

I know I can see the Maitre'd onboard....have done it for years. They are the ones that have told me about finding things out ahead of time. Someone has to be willing to find out and not pass the buck. For years I thought I had to settle for a salad and fruit plate every night for dinner. It seemed like I wouldnt have to this time.....but I guess I will be eating alot of salad again. I am not going to spend time every night reviewing menus......because they dont have things on them I eat. I will end up ordering salad, fruit, and maybe a baked potato.

[Toddy709]

Well to somewhat answer in one post. Many items such as sauces are made with buillion, stocks, or worcestershire sauce. Many things.....some pasta (Princess included) is made with eggs.....commercial boxed pasta is not. Many breads have either lard or an egg-wash. Most pizza in general has egg-free crust. However, the reply I got said they could make an egg-free crust......so does the original have eggs? But they didnt know if it had lard...and referred it to the Maitre'd. Huh??I dont eat ibeef, seafood, poultry or eggs. Nor do I eat things made with gelatins. If I want steamed vegetables.....they must be cooked seperately with plain water. On the sample menu they had French Fries listed as a vegetarian option....yet they couldnt tell me if they are baked or fried. Are they fried in vegetable oil that is totally seperate from other fried items? Is the fryer soley used for just the fries and no meat items or fish?? Guess what.....see the Maitre'd onboard.

 

I know I can see the Maitre'd onboard....have done it for years. They are the ones that have told me about finding things out ahead of time. Someone has to be willing to find out and not pass the buck. For years I thought I had to settle for a salad and fruit plate every night for dinner. It seemed like I wouldnt have to this time.....but I guess I will be eating alot of salad again. I am not going to spend time every night reviewing menus......because they dont have things on them I eat. I will end up ordering salad, fruit, and maybe a baked potato.

 

Over the years, it seems when someone is unhappy about sailing with Princess BEFORE they even sail, it will only get worse on the cruise and then we all get to hear about how awful it was after the fact. You've sailed before so you know what you'll get with the other lines you've sailed on. Is it too late to get a refund from Princess?

[veggie59]

Over the years, it seems when someone is unhappy about sailing with Princess BEFORE they even sail, it will only get worse on the cruise and then we all get to hear about how awful it was after the fact. You've sailed before so you know what you'll get with the other lines you've sailed on. Is it too late to get a refund from Princess?

 

Ahh.....that isnt fair. I am conveying what happened. I have yet to sail on Princess. Yes....it is too late as we sail in 60ish days.

[genevieve7000]

Well to somewhat answer in one post. Many items such as sauces are made with buillion, stocks, or worcestershire sauce. Many things.....some pasta (Princess included) is made with eggs.....commercial boxed pasta is not. Many breads have either lard or an egg-wash. Most pizza in general has egg-free crust. However, the reply I got said they could make an egg-free crust......so does the original have eggs? But they didnt know if it had lard...and referred it to the Maitre'd. Huh??I dont eat ibeef, seafood, poultry or eggs. Nor do I eat things made with gelatins. If I want steamed vegetables.....they must be cooked seperately with plain water. On the sample menu they had French Fries listed as a vegetarian option....yet they couldnt tell me if they are baked or fried. Are they fried in vegetable oil that is totally seperate from other fried items? Is the fryer soley used for just the fries and no meat items or fish?? Guess what.....see the Maitre'd onboard.

 

I know I can see the Maitre'd onboard....have done it for years. They are the ones that have told me about finding things out ahead of time. Someone has to be willing to find out and not pass the buck. For years I thought I had to settle for a salad and fruit plate every night for dinner. It seemed like I wouldnt have to this time.....but I guess I will be eating alot of salad again. I am not going to spend time every night reviewing menus......because they dont have things on them I eat. I will end up ordering salad, fruit, and maybe a baked potato.

If you are unwilling to sit down with the maitre' d to plan your menus, then you are already planning to be disappointed before you step foot on the ship. If Princess is willing to go the extra mile, but you are not, then what is Princess supposed to do to make you happy? :confused:

[NukeTim]

I would think you'd rather do this on board. I was at a table where a person had extreme dietary concerns (not just a vegetarian). The head waiter came over every night at the end of the meal with the next nights dinner menu. He asked if there was anything they wanted from the menu and if anything could be modified to suit their diet. Princess was very accommodating to their needs in every way.

[Toddy709]

Ahh.....that isnt fair. I am conveying what happened. I have yet to sail on Princess. Yes....it is too late as we sail in 60ish days.

 

 

I'm not trying to be fair or unfair. I'm simply stating what I've seen on these boards over the years. If you go in with an attitude that you're not "feeling the love," I'll bet money it will get worse when you board.

 

As Pam from CA said, they will be more than happy to work with you on the ship, but you have to work with them, too. Someone else stated that the crew on the ship now may not be the crew on the ship when you board. You choose to maintain a certain diet and I believe they will bend over backwards to accommodate your desires once you're on board, but you've got to be willing to work with them, too.

[veggie59]

If you are unwilling to sit down with the maitre' d to plan your menus, then you are already planning to be disappointed before you step foot on the ship. If Princess is willing to go the extra mile, but you are not, then what is Princess supposed to do to make you happy? :confused:

 

Wow....too many Princess fan boys. Anyone can sit down with the Maitre'd if they have food issues. Now I AM getting steamed. Does anyone ACTUALLY read things in there entirety?? I have been told in the PAST (on other cruiselines) to contact ahead of time. I asked about this with Princess when I emailed to inquire about setting up a M&G. I was given an email address. I specifically asked the respondant if they were the correct person to address my concerns to. I was told yes they were. I then sent them my concerns...their replies passed off the answers to the Maitre'd onboard. I guess the dietary coordinator didnt know as much as they thought.

[Toddy709]

I am not going to spend time every night reviewing menus......because they dont have things on them I eat. I will end up ordering salad, fruit, and maybe a baked potato.

 

I'm not a Princess cheerleader. I am exceedingly glad that there are people that prefer other lines, otherwise the line I want to sail on would be the perfect line for everybody and I would have a hard time getting a stateroom:rolleyes:!

 

I think your answer lies in your statement I quoted above. If you're not willing to work for your dietary needs, then you can enjoy lots of fruit, salad and maybe baked potatoes! I'll watch for your posts when you return.

[Loonbeam]

And that's where I think you have the valid concern/complaint and would follow up with the same person, with a copy to their chef's office, perhaps with more specific questions (I am sure yours were).

 

One thing I am not sure about is how much control the Execs have on what is actually ordered for their ships. That would make a huge difference in what the dietary specialist would be able to tell you, and might be the first question I would ask, since if the chef controls what supplies are ordered their advance info (and therefore their utility) might be limited.

 

 

Wow....too many Princess fan boys. Anyone can sit down with the Maitre'd if they have food issues. Now I AM getting steamed. Does anyone ACTUALLY read things in there entirety?? I have been told in the PAST (on other cruiselines) to contact ahead of time. I asked about this with Princess when I emailed to inquire about setting up a M&G. I was given an email address. I specifically asked the respondant if they were the correct person to address my concerns to. I was told yes they were. I then sent them my concerns...their replies passed off the answers to the Maitre'd onboard. I guess the dietary coordinator didnt know as much as they thought.

[veggie59]

Personally, I'd MUCH rather be able to ask for anything that appealed to me any night rather than have to pre-order it before sailing. But that's me. Sounds like NCL and RCCL are far less flexible and accommodating than Princess. As I said above, all you have to do is ask for whatever you want. Usually, they require a 24-hour notice but even without that, they're very flexible and accommodating. It's not a big deal; they do it all the time even for people who aren't on a special diet or have special needs/wants. Heck, once I shared a table with an elderly gentleman who was Jewish and diabetic. Every night, they prepared special meals for him. Breakfast and lunch as well.

 

Quite the opposite. When I boarded I knew my options and didnt have to spend time waiting for someone to double check whether something was okay for me to eat. I never pre-ordered anything before sailing.. On occassion, like the night before....I would be asked if I knew what I wanted for the next night. I didnt have to sit and go over everything nightly like on prior cruises. It also helps to know what is okay to eat at the buffet. You dont want to know how much time in the past I was left standing in line so someone could ask if the rice was made with broth. Or so they could find the red wine vinegar.....or what ever.

[Dunelm]

I think I would try to accept the fact that all cruise lines are not identical and that what works with one line may not work with another. I can understand why you may be a little anxious about the coming cruise; however, I agree with many of the other comments that Princess will do all they can to accommodate your needs once you are on board. No, it is not like Norwegian or other lines, perhaps, but maybe give them the benefit of the doubt.

[Toto2Kansas]

If I am not mistaken, Princess makes arrangements before your cruise for special 'medical' diets, but for diets such as the OP's, they deal with this with many passengers on every cruise, so it is not something that needs special attention by the dietary department. They already know what can be prepared according to their guidelines and they don't make these arrangements in advance. A simple word to the Maitre d' onboard and they will tell you what is available or can be prepared for your special request, including the way it is cooked.

This is just the way Princess handles vegetarian requests, and the way they have done it for some years.

[Toddy709]

If you had a child that had a possibly fatal food allergy, would you feel comfortable being assured by some "dietary consultant" on land that they will not encounter a problem? Or would you feel more comfortable having daily discussions with the maitre d and the head chef?

 

I've been on six Princess ships and while they all had the same basic dishes, they were all prepared differently. It's all the head chef's discretion. A good example would be that on four of the six ships, my favorite dish was the black and blue onion soup. I just had it last week on my sixth ship and it tasted completely different and I didn't care for it at all.

[veggie59]

And that's where I think you have the valid concern/complaint and would follow up with the same person, with a copy to their chef's office, perhaps with more specific questions (I am sure yours were).

 

One thing I am not sure about is how much control the Execs have on what is actually ordered for their ships. That would make a huge difference in what the dietary specialist would be able to tell you, and might be the first question I would ask, since if the chef controls what supplies are ordered their advance info (and therefore their utility) might be limited.

 

I am not new to cruising like some may think. I have not done alot of cruises.....but this will be my 11th.

 

What you posted is partly why I asked if the person whose email address I was given....was the right person to address my concerns. I was told that they were the dietary coordinator and the one that could help me. It seemed by the replies I received, that the information that they had was very limited.....or they just didnt know/care. Dont tell someone you can address things.....if indeed you can only pass them off to the Maitre'd onboard. Like the only dessert they knew was okay was sorbet.......and I was the one that mentioned sorbet. Everyone knows sorbet is usually a safe bet for a vegetarian.....so no new info there.

[TracieABD]

There are several vegetarians who post regularly here. I am not sure if they are vegan or not (I don't think you are, as you did not state that you don't consume milk, butter, cheese...). As one who followed a vegetartian diet for many years, I do know that sometimes it was easier to go the vegan route in resturants and then add items (like cheese or butter). I do feel that when I would tell people that I was vegan, they took me way more seriously as a vegetarian.

 

Not sure if this makes sense, if not please forgive... I am a bit jet lagged!:o

[Cancun01]

It is unfortunate that you booked a trip on a 3000 + person ship that you are not familiar with without first verifying if vegetarian/vegan really means vegetarian/vegan including prep, no honey etc. since it is obviously a major concern for you. Princess as with other lines has a lot of people on a lot of ships every week and they are responsible for the food safety for all those meals as well as religious, medical and life-style meal requirements for all those people. Although it is apparent that you have already precluded, perhaps justified on your contacts, that Princess will not live up to your expectations I would recommend the following:

 

In the cruise personalizer - there is an area for special on board requests including dietary restrictions. I believe that there is even a distinction made between vegan and vegetarian. This would be the normal route for someone who has special dietary requests based on what I assume to be ethical and life-style choices rather than life-threatening allergies. This can then be followed up on board.

[caribill]

Well to somewhat answer in one post. Many items such as sauces are made with buillion, stocks, or worcestershire sauce. Many things.....some pasta (Princess included) is made with eggs.....commercial boxed pasta is not. Many breads have either lard or an egg-wash. Most pizza in general has egg-free crust. However, the reply I got said they could make an egg-free crust......so does the original have eggs? But they didnt know if it had lard...and referred it to the Maitre'd. Huh??I dont eat ibeef, seafood, poultry or eggs. Nor do I eat things made with gelatins. If I want steamed vegetables.....they must be cooked seperately with plain water. On the sample menu they had French Fries listed as a vegetarian option....yet they couldnt tell me if they are baked or fried. Are they fried in vegetable oil that is totally seperate from other fried items? Is the fryer soley used for just the fries and no meat items or fish?? Guess what.....see the Maitre'd onboard.

 

 

Honest, you are making a mountain out of a molehill by worrying about this so much in advance. Onboard Princess will work closely with you to meet your dietary needs.

 

I do not know if you have traditional or anytime dining. If you have anytime, plan on using the same dining room each evening so that you can work with the same people each evening.

 

Actually, sitting down with the Matre d' is not the proper description. You really do not go off into a corner and meet with him.

 

On the first evening, when you enter the dining room, ask to speak with your headwaiter or the Matre d'. Let him know of your dietary requirements and ask him to work with you on that first evening's menu.

 

By the end of that first evening meal, he will come by to where you are eating dinner with the menus for the next day. He will come back after you have had time to review what is available and then work with you to select dishes that can be made to fit your needs. For example, you can have onion soup made for you without using a beef stock and, if you avoid cheese, without cheese. And, yes, you can have vegetables prepared the way you want.

 

They are used to working with special needs such as no eggs (some people are allergic to them), no added salt, vegan, vegetarian, gluten free etc.

 

You do not have to limit yourself to salad, fruit and baked potato and can have interesting foods that meet your needs.

 

They will take your order for the next day and identify it with your cabin number. Thus, if you ate in an anytime dining room or are eating breakfast or lunch in a dining room, they can quickly locate what is being done for you.

 

If you are in anytime (and, again, I suggest you use the same dining room each evening), just let your waitstaff know that your order was selected in advance and that the headwaiter or Matre d' needs to come by before the end of dinner to work with you for the next day.

 

And if you are in traditional. let your waitstaff aware that you are having specially prepared meals. And it does not hurt to let them know what they should never bring to you.

 

Honestly, there is nothing that could be done in advance of the cruise to make this process any easier.

 

Now, the buffet is a different story for other than salads and fruit. If you cannot eat breakfast and lunch in a dining room, they speak with the headwaiter/Matre d' that first evening about how the foods you might be interested in at the buffet are prepared. Do not expect the personnel behind the counters at the buffet to know the answers or in many cases to even totally understand the question as English may not be their first language. If you do have questions while in the buffet area, ask to speak with the headwaiter that is always there at a mealtime.

 

Prepare to enjoy a great cruise, including meals that fit within your requirements.

[California Native]

I am aware of the vegetarian options that are usually provided. If you eat those items then it works. I do not eat many of those items. I have also found that many items touted as vegetarian are not prepared correctly....and hence are not really vegetarian.

 

Previously, before a Maitre'd (on Celebrity) suggested to me to inquire prior to cruising.....I had always settled for a salad, fruit plate, and baked potato each night. I was told that I should discuss my eating options prior to sailing. I guess NCL and Royal are able to do it.....but Princess can not.

 

 

Not every single ship in the Princess fleet sources their food from the same place not even if they share the same itinerary

Not every single chef/sous chef cooks the recipe the same on every single ship

Because of this they can't give you a blanket guarantee of what hidden products may or may not be in any food item or food prep throughout the fleet. You need to speak with the Maitre D on your specific sailing

A Celebrity Maitre D made this suggestion to you NOT a Princess Maitre D but you are acting like Princess should do what a Celebrity employee dictated to you..

Personally, the time we were on Celebrity we were assured

that there were no Mussels in the clam chowder. We

were concerned that they used a seafood broth to make the chowder. Well, guess what... the recipe didn't call for that

according to the main office but on that particular ship the sous chef thought it would give it another level of taste.

If we had taken the home offices word on it and not spoke with the head waiter my mom would of been sick for days.

I'm another long time passenger with Princess and I can tell you to speak with the Maitre D, he will have a meeting

with your head waiter and waiter to ensure that your needs are met.

Princess would like a "heads up" about medical needs, but even then they still want you to speak with the Maitre D when you arrive on the ship

You have made a very specific lifestyle choice and because of this you need to take the extra step to speak with the Maitre D. They will take the time find out everything you need to know.

I would suggest that you print out the email you sent to Princess and provide that to the Maitre D, in addition to your verbal conversation.

That will ensure an extra step for all of your concerns on food ingredients and food prep to be answered.

As mentioned above..each night you can see the following evenings menu.

If you pick out dishes that sound like you might be able to eat them.

Write out what you need them to find out for you for that menu item whethers it's ingredients and/or prep

Perhaps you can take this further and ask if the menus can be given to you the 1st day and you then provide an entire list of questions at once for them.

I have been at tables with Diabetics, Crohns disease, vegetarians of all levels, and those with specific food allergies..

Each person was looked after, treated with the utmost respect and had thoroughly enjoyable dining experiences.

 

and with all due respect, I think you are creating a problem when there is none

K.