Since other thread is closed.....an update...

[Woobstr112G]

Princess is a mass market cruise line. For the most part they don't target a niche audience. If I were going on a cruise that was a mass market targeting vegans and vegetarians I wouldn't expect to find something on the menu to make my carnivorous self happy. I'd make do.

My DD is a vegan (even makes her own SHOES and purses so she can have stylish shoes w/o leather.... I'm rolling my eyes here). On cruises she picks and chooses and has lots of vegetables and not so much protein unless there are legumes/beans on the menu. (she doesn't do soy because of the estrogenic effects and a history of female cancers in the family) And if she orders something and realizes there is either beef broth or gelatin or whatever in it, sometimes she chooses to eat it and others she politely passes. She ALSO GOES AHEAD OF TIME to speak w/ the maitre'd about the night's menu so they can figure out something together.

She doesn't sit there at dinner, w/ other diners around, making issues out of it. I'd have to throw her home made shoes overboard if she did.

 

You DD sounds like a very nice young lady.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Toddy709]

I read your very first post in that "closed" thread and predicted the outcome. I could tell by your attitude that you would not enjoy your cruise, and not just the dining aspect either.

 

Sorry to be so snarky, but some people should just stay home.

[Umbarger]

I so agree Pam.

The very last time we had requested assigned dining we sat with a gentleman such as you describe. The entire 10 day cruise dinners were miserable as he wanted to special order very thing and even demanded how it was prepared, seperately from everyone elses food I might add. He complained through every single meal, called out the head chef and the Maitre d' almost every night to 'chew them out' about his food as he wanted things just so so. No medical diet, just one he told us 'he' decided to put himself on, which to me made things even worse.

As said, last time we have ever had assigned dining by choice. I was never so embarassed in my entire life each night for 10 long dinners. We even tipped our waiter way over the norm that cruise as we felt so sorry for him having to put up with such treatment by a passenger. He did a great job, but all he received was complaints from this guy, but then I don't think anything would have made him happy.

 

Wow, I think I would have switched to anytime dining, gone to the buffet or something. I wouldn't be able to last 10 dinners with this guy.

 

Once on HAL I encountered a guy who complained about everything on the menu for dinner. Had the poor waiter scared to death. Thankfully, it was only one dinner that I had to endure this complainer. I was embarrassed after just one night.

 

Perhaps us people from Kansas dislike complainers or we are just easy to please? :D

[WannaCruise365]

I've been forced to restrict my diet due to a recently diagnosed medical condition it has drastically restricted my diet. As Pam mentioned like the gentleman at her table, I too was able to maintain my health and observe my diet throughout the cruise. After 20 cruises of enjoying all the cuisine it was a real drag..but, without once asking anyone for anything special or receiving any special attention I was able to make healthy food choices and had a terrific cruise..It can be done self imposed or by kindly asking,the crew does about everything within reason to make the dinng experience positive and keep the passengers healthy.

[WannaCruise365]

duplicate post oops

[Denny01]

Not addressing the OP's concern that the people they asked about food content, but addressing the comments about what it is like sharing a table with someone who had issues most every meal and 'shared' it with everyone else......

 

On a cruise around the Horn, we shared a table with a man who had issues with just about every entree. It got very old very quickly. Our friends then started having issues. So we moved to another dining venue (Not with the complainer) and our friends then found it much better....after a few meals they loved, I pointed out that the entrees came from the same kitchen as the main dining room, and was the same as what as being served there, but was now, 'much better'.

 

A good example of how our views and tastes are impacted. So for the OP, many of us understand your issues of not getting the straight word, but you also have to understand how your 'inquiries' impact those around you who aren't worried about eggs and such, especially when it comes up again and again as it sounds.

 

But this is said by someone who wasn't there, and someone who would eat just about anything put in front of him. And makes a point of Not asking what is in it!

 

Denny

[jean s]

My Dad has several medical conditions which restrict his diet. Every time he has sailed on Princess he has been very happy with the choices available. In fact he said that the staff made every effort to help him order the correct meals.

[vmom]

I'm sorry the OP was disappointed and they weren't satisfied with the onboard response. Allergies aside, when one opts for a severely limited diet, they should expect to be a bit flexible when choosing a mass market vacation.

 

There is a big difference between a diet by choice and one due to a medical condition/allergy. The latter can alert the ship ahead of their dietary requirements so the ship can prepare dishes accordingly. A purely voluntary diet does not have the same immediacy or priority. Should there be an option on the pre-cruise Special Requests for a vegan or vegetarian diet? That's another whole thread but in the little I know about these voluntary diets, there are as many variables about what they will or won't eat as there are vegans/vegetarians, making it very difficult for a cruiseline to prepare and respond. After all, such a diet is voluntary, not critical for ones health or well-being.

 

I know the OP has had better success with another cruiseline. Sounds like that's a better "fit" for them.

 

Very well put and I agree completely.

 

The big issue here is that for medically necessary restricted diets, Princess will go out of their way to assist the passenger. But this is a case of a person's personal choice to put severe restrictions on what they eat and then creating a fuss and extra work for the staff. No sympathy here. If the diet is that important, then pick a ship that has more vegan options. Frankly, I doubt it will be in an Italian run kitchen.

[awhcruiser]

Princess would do all that for one person?

:rolleyes:

 

Yeah okay......maybe Princess should get there act together. Sounds better to me.

[poodlewamp]

our last cruise, my friend who has to have all gluten free, had no problems...she has celiac disease !!!

 

 

her travel agent contacted princess, and they did up her

menus for her daily.....on any time dining...

 

 

she said it was a "breeze" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

b.j.

 

( 19 cruises )

[caribill]

There is a big difference between a diet by choice and one due to a medical condition/allergy. The latter can alert the ship ahead of their dietary requirements so the ship can prepare dishes accordingly. A purely voluntary diet does not have the same immediacy or priority.

 

 

A passenger who avoids eggs because of an allergy and a passenger who avoids eggs by choice should be able to get the same and correct answer from a headwaiter when asking if a food has eggs in it.

[Pam in CA]

A passenger who avoids eggs because of an allergy and a passenger who avoids eggs by choice should be able to get the same and correct answer from a headwaiter when asking if a food has eggs in it.

That's true. The difference is that someone with a medical condition is able to notify the cruiseline ahead of time so the Maitre d' is aware and the proper ingredients are available. I bet if the OP had made arrangements to meet with the Maitre d' ahead of time rather than confront them during dinner, they probably would have been more satisfied. Once the food is prepared, dinner is a busy time and things get confusing.

[teripp]

I hate to be negative. But if this is such a problem maybe a different kind of vacation is what you need with someone one who will prepare foods to your specs only. I am sorry but 3000 people on a ship is just way too many to start making all these demands even for allergies. I have MS and do not go out of my way to make some one else miserable. It feels like you are doing that here

[Careg]

Princess better get their act together or what you'll stop cruising with them?

[caber]

I did not read the original post but it seem to me the OP tried to get her dietary requirement settled before the cruise, so as not to have all the fuss onboard.

 

I have been on cruises where the head waiter discussed the following days menus with the passenger who had special diets, usually at the end of the meal when the other passengers were going. I wonder why this did not happen in this case?

[uppitycats]

Seems like someone who has chosen to be a vegan for a number of years, eating in a mass-market venue, would automatically avoid things like noodles, ice cream, sherbet, other foods that normally are made with milk or eggs, even if told they didn't,

 

knowing how difficult it is to get those items in "non-milk, non-egg" forms in the broader world!

 

I didn't read the original thread, so maybe she did..maybe she didn't inform the cruise line in advance, but complaining and asking about items once they were placed in front of her is definitely the wrong time to do it, especially when at a table with a number of other guests.

 

If she was served something that was "suspect", she should just have quietly set it aside, then made sure that before the next meal she had a talk with the maitre'D and got her dietary issues addressed...not make a big fuss, meal after meal. I would have moved away for sure!

[Dachsie5]

seems like someone who has chosen to be a vegan for a number of years, eating in a mass-market venue, would automatically avoid things like noodles, ice cream, sherbet, other foods that normally are made with milk or eggs, even if told they didn't,

 

knowing how difficult it is to get those items in "non-milk, non-egg" forms in the broader world!

 

amen!

[whatcruiseisnext]

The OP made a lifestyle choice and Princess should do whatever to accomodate that for her. Grow up. You made that choice so you should know what you can and can not eat. Your attitude stinks.:(

[ShelbysMom]

The OP came on here complaining that she didn't want to have to talk to the dining staff each night to talk about the next day's meal. She wanted to be told in advance, before the cruise, what she could and could not eat. That seemed to be the only way she would be happy.

 

People told her that's not how Princess works. She wasn't happy about that.

 

No surprise at all that she had problems. She didn't want it to work and it didn't.

[PescadoAmarillo]

The OP (and therefore her tablemates) had issues because of special dietary requirements. In our experience, sharing a table with anyone who has a special need (or want) in the dining room can be disruptive, particularly in Anytime Dining. Even when a headwaiter comes over to discuss the menu options, the rest of the orders may be held up or may not be taken until this is complete. We've waited, as a table 15-20 minutes for this exchange to take place. That's when we're happy it's AD and the next night will probably be different.

 

Sometimes it's one of us who wants things served differently (like the barramundi...I love it but hate the curry sause it is served with, and ask for it plain). When we know this is going to happen, or if we know that we want to skip courses or do anything out of the ordinary "4 or 5 courses, in order, standard food", we ask for a table for 2. No one else is inconvenienced, and we are happily satisfied.

 

On Princess, it also disrupts the table when the asst waiter is sen to retrieve a bottle of wine, particularly dessert wine at coffee/dessert time. We've learned to ask early; otherwise our request holds up our tablemates coffee orders.

[sghetrick]

My husband and I are both vegetarians. One of the reasons we booked a cruise was the variety of menus between main dining, buffet, pizza, international cafe, etc. We don't expect the cruiseline to personally cater to us either we know that this is our choice and we have to find meals within the menus to meet our needs. I personally think it's a lot harder to go to a local restaurant or hotel vacation where you're much more limited.

[waterbug1]

When a person finds themselves predisposed to complaining about how little they are regarded by others, let them reflect how little they have contributed to the happiness of others.

 

Samuel Johnson

[geoherb]

We have shared tables with a vegetarian and with a woman with celiac disease. In both cases, they had no problems ordering the from next night's menu each evening. They did not make a huge fuss about it--and even offered to let everyone else see the menu for the next night so we could plan what we wanted to eat as well.

 

Sometimes I think it's easier just to tell Princess the most restrictive thing you can think of. They can deal with vegans, but it's harder to deal with someone who isn't quite fully a vegan--will eat dairy but not eat eggs.

[billie5]

I am on a vegan diet; even more, no added oils. In other words the "Bill Clinton diet" for the same cardiac reasons. (I used to have to say the Esselstyn diet, but after all the publicity Old Bill has gotten in the past two weeks, it is so much easier to say the Bill Clinton diet, even though the Esselstyn version is actually somewhat stricter) In short, a diet even more restrictive than vegan.

 

Nevertheless, I have had no difficulty in observing the diet during cruises - and I cruise nearly all the mainstream cruise lines. However, I make arrangements in private the day before with the head waiter or maitre d', and if suitable choices are not on the menu, which does happen, the chef is always willing to prepare a special meal such as vegetable curry. Again, this is always arranged a day ahead of time. If my tablemates do not hear me tell the waiter that I have a special meal prepared, they would not even know that I have these dietary restrictions.

 

Bill

[Woobstr112G]

My husband and I are both vegetarians. One of the reasons we booked a cruise was the variety of menus between main dining, buffet, pizza, international cafe, etc. We don't expect the cruiseline to personally cater to us either we know that this is our choice and we have to find meals within the menus to meet our needs. I personally think it's a lot harder to go to a local restaurant or hotel vacation where you're much more limited.

 

Great attitude and outlook.....:):):)

 

When a person finds themselves predisposed to complaining about how little they are regarded by others, let them reflect how little they have contributed to the happiness of others.

 

 

Samuel Johnson

 

Outstanding quote.....:):):)

 

Bob