When Vegetarian Options cease to be Vegetarian..

[bboop51]

Reading this with interest as I'm a vegetarian and my husband is a vegan.

I've found that even the best intentioned waiters and Maitre Ds have served me food that isn't by any stretch of the imagination vegetarian (for instance - bacon in a vegetable):(

 

I'm hoping this new Dine Aware program will educate the staff better.

 

I am also following this with interest. My brother and SIL are both Vegans. We are hoping to cruise with them next year (it will be their first cruise.) We like to cruise AQ and dine in Blu. I was hoping Blu could be a good fit. Or I was wondering if another cruise-line did a better job. BTW we hated NCL.

[Bo1953]

I am also following this with interest. My brother and SIL are both Vegans. We are hoping to cruise with them next year (it will be their first cruise.) We like to cruise AQ and dine in Blu. I was hoping Blu could be a good fit. Or I was wondering if another cruise-line did a better job. BTW we hated NCL.

 

b51 - the real key to dining without fear on X is to:

 

1) submit dietary request in advance, there is a form or email or via how you booked;

 

2) speaking with Maitre D's upon embarkation to assure that you have done everything in your power to address this.

 

Will someone mess up along the way, sure thing, but X is more than willing to correct right then and there and remember.

 

Go, enjoy, eat lots, and above all, enjoy your sailing!

 

bon voyage

[Bo1953]

From CC a primer on how to best handle food diets/restrictions...

 

bon voyage

[hvbaskey]

From CC a primer on how to best handle food diets/restrictions...

 

bon voyage

 

Excellent article! thank you for the share,

 

Heather

[travelpeon]

Ditto Bo's advice. Always specify ahead of time and clarify dietary specifications. Keep in mind that food supply orders are usually submitted at least one cruise before your sailing and mass market lines generally can't pop over to the local grocery while in port.

 

Kevin - I understand you feel X should adhere to UK standards of vegetarian as there are plenty of UK customers. I work in California with a lot of people from India and I have learned to always ask for an exact diet when someone says they are "veggie". There are all sorts of responses which your UK standards probably wouldn't consider vegetarian (chicken, for one, is a common exception) to very specific diets like Jain or Kosher Indian. It is a wide array and expecting the menu designers (who usually aren't the chefs onboard) to get it right for a predominantly omnivorous America centric menu isn't something I'd (or they) leave up to menu marketing. And this is in a very multicultural area where vegetarian and vegan is common. Even still water at the table can be requested with ice, no ice, and hot as preferences vary :)

 

Treat it like a severe food allergy and don't apologize for being proactive. There are waiters and chefs who understand having a different type of veg diet and they, too, think it is perfectly normal to clarify what what their dietary specifications are. The crew mess cooks up plenty of Asian rice centered meals in veg and non-veg variants every day.

Edited September 21, 2016 by travelpeon

[chamima]

My husband is a vegan with a few more restrictions. (No oil, nuts, fatty vegetables) so he prints up a list of foods he can (in green) and can't (in red) eat.

We bring several copies with us and give one to the Maitre D the first day.

[Bo1953]

My husband is a vegan with a few more restrictions. (No oil, nuts, fatty vegetables) so he prints up a list of foods he can (in green) and can't (in red) eat.

We bring several copies with us and give one to the Maitre D the first day.

 

c - your husband eats quite like myself... makes going to Qsine quite interesting at times, but I love it nevertheless..

 

bon voyage