Any other Veggies out there?

[Blondy1]

I was just curious to see if there were any other vegan/vegetarians out there. We are cruising 3/13 on Caribbean Princess and we are new to Princess I was just curious what to expect for food choices? Any ideas?:)

[Essiesmom]

There are lots of veggies and vegans cruising these days. Talk with your waiters and they will take good care of you. EM

[dantesab]

no problem tell the waiter and he will be happy to fix you up or go to the buffet they have lots of great choices

[Potstech]

At each meal in the MDRs there will be a vegaterian selection. also as others have said talk to your waiters with your needs and they will help out.

[Appygirl]

I'm a vegetarian and we were on the Island Princess last year, first time of trying the Princess line. As a vegetarian I had no worries about overeating and putting on weight!

 

Vegetarian choices are limited. People who are not vegetarians may not realize this because they see salads and fruits and think that's all we need to eat and feel full afterwards. Although the salads looks wonderful most have some meat product in them. Very obvious. You'll see chicken, shrimp, or ham pieces very visible. They have little signs out front too to describe what the selection is. Non-vegetarians probably think we'll just pick out the meat and eat the rest and that leaves us lots to choose from.

 

For me breakfast was the best meal for vegetarians. Lots of choices. This was up in the Lido Restaurant, buffet style. You will have no problems at breakfast.

 

Lunch was more difficult. This is where you will see those wonderful looking sandwiches and salads that are not suitable for vegetarians. You'll still find something to eat, I was just disappointed because for lunch I'm usually a salad or sandwich person. I'd say every second or third day there would be something suitable for me to choose from in that section. If you like salads there is also a put it together yourself salad bar.

 

Dinner - again at the Lido restaurant, you'll always find something to eat but selection for vegetarians is limited.

 

If you're eating in the main dining room for lunch and dinner you will be even more limited by vegetarian choices. For dinner there are several starters and appetizers that are good for vegetarians. For the main course there is one vegetarian selection, as opposed to 4 or 5 selections for people who eat meat. I'd check the MDR menu in the afternoon and make a decision if I'd eat there or go up to the Lido depending on what that one vegetarian choice is. One night the vegetarian choice was English stilton with crisp leek hay. Would you eat that? I ate up in the Lido that night! Also in the MDR the portions are small. I'd usually have to go up to the Lido later on in the evening to get something else to eat because I was still hungry.

 

I found the quality of the food similar to other cruise lines, but as for vegetarian selection the other lines I've been on do a much better job than Princess. Or at least the Island Princess. Perhaps the Caribbean Princess offers better vegetarian choices.

[LidoLiz]

One night the vegetarian choice was English stilton with crisp leek hay. Would you eat that?

 

Yes, as often as I possibly can, and now I make my own at home!:D

 

LidoLiz

[sultan_sfo]

Vegans (quite different from vegetarians) may find it difficult. There was a big discussion about Vegans 5 or 6 weeks ago.

[Blondy1]

Thanks for all of the info! I eat vegan 99% of the time, the other 1% is when I am out somewhere and didnt ask enough questions...I dont mind eating dairy sometimes but I cannot handle much of it and I dont want to be uncomfortable on vacation! I have told them my eating preferences in advance, so maybe they will have some options I can veganize? I hope!

[shepp]

One night the vegetarian choice was English stilton with crisp leek hay. Would you eat that? I ate up in the Lido that night! Also in the MDR the portions are small. I'd usually have to go up to the Lido later on in the evening to get something else to eat because I was still hungry.

 

My God, yes! I could cheerfully eat Stilton every night. Or, failing that, goat cheese souffle. Or Fettucine Alfredo. Not to mention Princess' mouth-watering roasted pumpkin crepes. I also read somewhere here that, on request, the kitchen will prepare Indian food, which encompasses perhaps the world's finest veg cuisine.

 

I just did a bit of random research: of the 22 items listed on the Captain's Gala menu, 8 are designated as vegetarian - not too shabby. (But - as been stated - it must be much, much tougher for full vegans.)

 

And, of course, in the MDR you can ask for and get as many dishes, or as many of one dish, as you want.

 

I traveled the world as a vegetarian, and got used to the fact that my options might be limited. Same as on a cruise ship where a kitchen has to prepare 10,000 meals a day, the vast majority of them for omnivores. And "Princess doesn't prepare vegetarian food" would be quite different from complaining that you don't like what they offer. Especially if it's Stilton, one of the most irresistible cheeses ever. :)

[caribill]

For a better vegatarian dining experience in the dining rooms, when you go to dinner the first evening speak with the headwaiter.

 

He/she will help you plan thaqt evening's dinner to meet your dietary needs.

 

Even better, he/she will come to your table by the end of dinner with the next day's breakast, lunch, and dinner menus. He/she will then work with you to select both vegetarian items and other items that can be prepared vegetarian. For example, the French onion soup is normally made using beef stock. The headwaiter can arrange for it to be available for you the next evening without beef stock.

 

If you are in anytime dining, it is better to use the same dining room each evening so that you can interact with the same headwaiter. Your selections will be noted according to your cabin number, so you do not have to use the same waitstaff each evening.

 

Although you should inform the waitstaff that you are a vegetarian, it is the headwaiter who can have the menu modifications made, not your waiter or assistant waiter.

 

The above is for eating the meals in the main dining rooms. If you eat a meal in the buffet, speak with the headwaiter there to get guidance as to what would be acceptable to you at that meal. If you will be eating in a specialty restaurant, go there the evening before and speak with that headwaiter.

[pitbulLover]

Im a vegetarian and I was wondering about this as well. Its hard enough in many land restaurants so I wanted to make sure there is no problem for our cruise. Looks like I will be speaking with our head waiter!

[chamima]

For a better vegatarian dining experience in the dining rooms, when you go to dinner the first evening speak with the headwaiter.

 

He/she will help you plan thaqt evening's dinner to meet your dietary needs.

 

Even better, he/she will come to your table by the end of dinner with the next day's breakast, lunch, and dinner menus. He/she will then work with you to select both vegetarian items and other items that can be prepared vegetarian. For example, the French onion soup is normally made using beef stock. The headwaiter can arrange for it to be available for you the next evening without beef stock.

 

If you are in anytime dining, it is better to use the same dining room each evening so that you can interact with the same headwaiter. Your selections will be noted according to your cabin number, so you do not have to use the same waitstaff each evening.

 

Although you should inform the waitstaff that you are a vegetarian, it is the headwaiter who can have the menu modifications made, not your waiter or assistant waiter.

 

The above is for eating the meals in the main dining rooms. If you eat a meal in the buffet, speak with the headwaiter there to get guidance as to what would be acceptable to you at that meal. If you will be eating in a specialty restaurant, go there the evening before and speak with that headwaiter.

 

caribill is correct. Speak to the headwaiter the first night.

Appygirl - you really missed out on an opportunity

to have some great meals! I've written this before but I guess it bears repeating. My husband is a vegan who also eats no oil or nuts (medical diet). We spent 22 days on the Royal Princess this winter and the chef prepared him 22 different, flavorful, beautifully presented dinners! We've both been vegetarians for years before this and have always found Princess dining room staff to be unbelievably accommodating (way more than land based restaurants) as long as we let them know what our needs are.

Going on a ship and expecting the staff to be mind readers is a set up for failure.

(BTW- We tried a Celebrity cruise just before the Princess one and while they tried to be accommodating, it was no where close to what we got on Princess!)

[Coral]

caribill is correct. Speak to the headwaiter the first night.

Appygirl - you really missed out on an opportunity

to have some great meals!

 

I totally agree. If you speak with a head waiter, they will do anything for you!

[CroneWynd]

Make sure, if you are veggie/vegan for any health reasons, that this is faxed/emailed to Princess at least two weeks before the cruise (it requests this in the cruise personalizer).

 

Don't expect waiters or even head waiters to "get it" immediately. You might spend the first couple of days clarifying what "no dairy" means. You will do better if you fax the info over first, so the food and beverage department knows about it before you get there.

 

Yes, you can get soy milk. You have to ask for it. Room service will bring it to you if you request it for in-room eating. You can get it in the buffet, but expect to wait a couple of minutes for it.

 

You can get a veggie pizza without cheese, if you request it. We got it right at the pizza place on the upper deck. Princess, almost across the board, is eager to accommodate your requests (in my experience) - though occasionally you do have to spell it out for them.