Zero (Carnivore) / Low Carb (Keto) Cruising

[SoFlaAtty]

My DW and I have experienced tremendous success on RCL sailings in the MDR and the Windjammer Buffet tending to our dietary practices. We recently sailed on the Celebrity Edge, and enjoyed similar dining accommodations from the Blu dining room.

 

I have been zero carb (Carnivore) since Oct. 2018, and she has been vegetarian since the late 1980’s.

 

Whenever we board, after dropping off our luggage in our cabin, I head to the MDR, meet with a maitre’ d (sometimes they call over a sous chef) and explain to him/her which animal-based entrees I eat, cooked WITHOUT anything else,

 

NO sauces, oils (not even olive or coconut oils), dairy (except real butter if I cook my own eggs at home, but not onboard), veggies, fruit, grains (think breads, pizza and pasta), nuts or seeds. Just meat!!!
 

Good old prime rib, ribeye steak, lamb, duck, salmon and eggs (no pork or shellfish for personal reasons). The fattier the meat, the better, as my body utilizes fat for fuel/energy. Without fat, I would have to ingest carbohydrates for energy. Protein, by itself, does not provide for adequate energy production for humans.

For those of you stumbling upon this post, and who might not fully grasp the fundamentals of human nutritional needs, there are three (3) available main macronutrients from our food options: protein; fats and carbohydrates. The first two are essential to meet human metabolic needs. There are no essential carbohydrates.

 

As for DW’s dietary practices, she simply chooses options from the menu, or ingredients from different menu items repurposed to her liking.

 

We typically can also find an abundance of acceptable options for breakfast, and in the Windjammer Buffet.

 

Anyone else zero/low carb who sail on cruise ships?

 

Favorite cruise lines catering to your dietary practices? Specific ships? Tips for getting wait staff and chefs to honor your dietary practices?

[dmcfad2]

I’m not carnivore but I’ve been keto for three years. I eat a lot of steak, chicken, veggies with butter, avocado, eggs and bacon when I’m cruising. I am going on a Holland America cruise in September. I just asked on the HAL board if anyone had experience with ordering a keto option for the following night in the main dining room, but haven’t received any replies. I find it pretty easy to stay keto on a cruise, but wondered if they would make special keto desserts or sauces if I requested it the night before. It’s not like being gluten free or sodium free. So many more people do that. I’m like your wife because sometimes I will just request things off the menu and ask for no breading, no sauce, etc., but sometimes the waiters seem so perplexed when I do that. I thought it would be easier on them to order the night before, so I was hoping some people had tried ordering it the night before. I’m not getting any answers on the HAL board and it’s not looking good. LOL. Guess I’ll have to stick with my plain steak and veggies. Or maybe call HAL and ask them directly. Probably my best bet.

Edited July 28, 2021 by dmcfad2

[dmcfad2]

By the way, good job being carnivore. I’ve tried, but it feels so restrictive to me. But, it’s so good for you!

Edited July 28, 2021 by dmcfad2

[SoFlaAtty]

dmcfad2 - I fully appreciate those who have openly considered 0Carb, and decided not to pursue it. From an objective standpoint, I completely understand your perspective that it "feels so restrictive".

 

But for me -- the stubborn old son of a gun that I am -- it is actually liberating. I shop in two (2) aisles of the store (meat section and eggs in the dairy section), either put my food in the refrigerator or the freezer, take out a package when I get home from work, put it in the oven for 20-40 minutes, and eat. Rinse, lather, repeat.

 

What's best, is that there is NO food prep the night or week before, no lengthy strolls through multiple aisles of the grocery store or butcher market, minimal cooking preparation before a meal, and within an hour of getting home, eating a couple of pounds of ribeye, roast, ground beef, lamb or salmon, or 6-12 pasture grown eggs. Done, well except for some water throughout the rest of the night.

 

PERHAPS, you might consider 0Carb when on cruise ships. "Special" preparations are very easy for the chefs and cooks, when you simply explain that you want them to cook (multiple orders) of prime rib, lamb, duck, ribeye, etc., without any sauces, only salt and pepper (or butter for those of you that mix meat and dairy).

[clo]

On 7/27/2021 at 5:47 PM, dmcfad2 said:

I’m not carnivore but I’ve been keto for three years. I eat a lot of steak, chicken,

I'm confused. If you eat, for example, steak and chicken, then you are a carnivore. ???

[dmcfad2]

2 hours ago, clo said:

I'm confused. If you eat, for example, steak and chicken, then you are a carnivore. ???

Carnivore diet : 

Red meat (beef, pork, lamb), with an emphasis on fattier cuts of meat to take in enough calories. Other options include:

• Organ meats
• Poultry
• Fish
• Eggs
• Lard
• Bone marrow
• Butter
• Salt and pepper
• Water
• Bone broth
•  

That’s it.

Edited August 17, 2021 by dmcfad2

[dmcfad2]

On 7/28/2021 at 2:50 PM, SoFlaAtty said:

dmcfad2 - I fully appreciate those who have openly considered 0Carb, and decided not to pursue it. From an objective standpoint, I completely understand your perspective that it "feels so restrictive".

 

But for me -- the stubborn old son of a gun that I am -- it is actually liberating. I shop in two (2) aisles of the store (meat section and eggs in the dairy section), either put my food in the refrigerator or the freezer, take out a package when I get home from work, put it in the oven for 20-40 minutes, and eat. Rinse, lather, repeat.

 

What's best, is that there is NO food prep the night or week before, no lengthy strolls through multiple aisles of the grocery store or butcher market, minimal cooking preparation before a meal, and within an hour of getting home, eating a couple of pounds of ribeye, roast, ground beef, lamb or salmon, or 6-12 pasture grown eggs. Done, well except for some water throughout the rest of the night.

 

PERHAPS, you might consider 0Carb when on cruise ships. "Special" preparations are very easy for the chefs and cooks, when you simply explain that you want them to cook (multiple orders) of prime rib, lamb, duck, ribeye, etc., without any sauces, only salt and pepper (or butter for those of you that mix meat and dairy).

Good idea. Thanks.