Vegan Food On Princess

[Ombud]

On 5/20/2023 at 11:13 PM, nini said:

I just wish that they would broaden their horizons from Indian food and eggplant. I am allergic to eggplant.

And I avoid spicy food and NEVER eat pepper. I do let them know so its usually off menu. But I missed the vegan onion soup .... Royal Princess did not have the vegan menu

 

Hoping for a vegan menu on the Emerald Princess (b2b starting in 2 days for a total of 21 days)

 

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by Ombud

[InTheDrink]

On 4/21/2023 at 10:34 PM, chamima said:

No vegan menu on Celebrity either. 
We always have to rely on getting a good waiter or Head Waiter. 
(Although we’ve had good luck about 90% of the time on Princess and Celebrity. It’s MUCH better than what happens in restaurants on land. ) 

There was a vegan menu posted in the app on our Edge British Isles sailing last May. 

[TravelingBeyondBoundaries]

I just got this email from the dietary manager. It's long but I thought I would share. Funny though, it's not for our cruise in August, it's for the one I just booked for December 2024. Maybe I got the same before and never remembered 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

Here's the email:

 

Thank you for contacting us with notification of your request for vegan meals. Please take a moment to review the following information. Please advise if you are in need of a milk substitute. I can arrange either plain soy milk or plain rice milk. We do not carry almond milk, coconut milk or goat milk.  

 

Once onboard, it is very important that you contact the Maitre d’ Hotel to discuss your special dietary needs and any special preparation of your meals. It will be at your discretion to order meals in accordance with your dietary needs. The Maitre d’ Hotel will be happy to assist with making selections from our standard menu that would be suitable.

 

We do not have a specific vegan menu available. We do offer some vegetarian dishes, which may be suitable for your diet. We can also modify certain menu items to accommodate your diet. We do carry tofu, egg-free pasta and can prepare veggie burgers, as well. The chefs have been able to come up with good meal ideas.

 

To best accommodate your needs, we recommend you take your meals in the main dining rooms and alternative restaurants. On selected port days when the main dining rooms are closed for lunch, every effort will be made to accommodate your needs in the buffet restaurant. We ask that you speak with the Maitre d’ Hotel the evening prior to discuss your meal requirements and any special preparation for the following day. When arriving at the buffet, please request to speak to a Supervisor, who will coordinate any special preparations directly with the chef.

 

Please be aware that the staff who serve stateroom snacks, meals, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, 24 hour dining (International Café and room service) or work in the self-service buffets cannot identify the food contents. This is especially true of sauces, seasonings and spices that may be used. Additionally, some of the meals prepared onboard may use frozen, canned or prepackaged goods, which could contain some of the elements you may not wish to consume. The buffet does offer a self-service dining option. Should you choose to dine in that venue we cannot guarantee that cross contamination among the various food selections will not occur.

 

I have received favorable feedback from vegans who have sailed with us. They are surprised at how the dining staff caters to their needs. Again, please contact the Maitre d’ Hotel and discuss your needs with him, this will result in receiving the proper assistance with your diet. The ship staff will do everything they can to accommodate your diet.  

 

For your safety, any food/drink items you wish to bring onboard must be non-perishable, must not have reached the expiration date before the cruise ends, store bought and sealed in their original containers and packaging upon boarding. Any items brought onboard must be stored in the stateroom and we cannot assign crew members to assist with the preparation. No fruits, vegetables, homemade food or restaurant food will be allowed. Although we may allow certain items onboard, local port authorities may override any approvals we give. Once onboard, due to local agricultural regulations, food items may not be taken ashore.  

 

Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. In the meantime, we look forward to welcoming you onboard.

[chamima]

33 minutes ago, TravelingBeyondBoundaries said:

I just got this email from the dietary manager. It's long but I thought I would share. Funny though, it's not for our cruise in August, it's for the one I just booked for December 2024. Maybe I got the same before and never remembered 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

Here's the email:

 

Thank you for contacting us with notification of your request for vegan meals. Please take a moment to review the following information. Please advise if you are in need of a milk substitute. I can arrange either plain soy milk or plain rice milk. We do not carry almond milk, coconut milk or goat milk.  

 

Once onboard, it is very important that you contact the Maitre d’ Hotel to discuss your special dietary needs and any special preparation of your meals. It will be at your discretion to order meals in accordance with your dietary needs. The Maitre d’ Hotel will be happy to assist with making selections from our standard menu that would be suitable.

 

We do not have a specific vegan menu available. We do offer some vegetarian dishes, which may be suitable for your diet. We can also modify certain menu items to accommodate your diet. We do carry tofu, egg-free pasta and can prepare veggie burgers, as well. The chefs have been able to come up with good meal ideas.

 

To best accommodate your needs, we recommend you take your meals in the main dining rooms and alternative restaurants. On selected port days when the main dining rooms are closed for lunch, every effort will be made to accommodate your needs in the buffet restaurant. We ask that you speak with the Maitre d’ Hotel the evening prior to discuss your meal requirements and any special preparation for the following day. When arriving at the buffet, please request to speak to a Supervisor, who will coordinate any special preparations directly with the chef.

 

Please be aware that the staff who serve stateroom snacks, meals, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, 24 hour dining (International Café and room service) or work in the self-service buffets cannot identify the food contents. This is especially true of sauces, seasonings and spices that may be used. Additionally, some of the meals prepared onboard may use frozen, canned or prepackaged goods, which could contain some of the elements you may not wish to consume. The buffet does offer a self-service dining option. Should you choose to dine in that venue we cannot guarantee that cross contamination among the various food selections will not occur.

 

I have received favorable feedback from vegans who have sailed with us. They are surprised at how the dining staff caters to their needs. Again, please contact the Maitre d’ Hotel and discuss your needs with him, this will result in receiving the proper assistance with your diet. The ship staff will do everything they can to accommodate your diet.  

 

For your safety, any food/drink items you wish to bring onboard must be non-perishable, must not have reached the expiration date before the cruise ends, store bought and sealed in their original containers and packaging upon boarding. Any items brought onboard must be stored in the stateroom and we cannot assign crew members to assist with the preparation. No fruits, vegetables, homemade food or restaurant food will be allowed. Although we may allow certain items onboard, local port authorities may override any approvals we give. Once onboard, due to local agricultural regulations, food items may not be taken ashore.  

 

Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. In the meantime, we look forward to welcoming you onboard.

 

 

That is , except for the second to last paragraph (see below),  the exact same response we have received for the last five years or so. And I mean exact - word for word.

I have received favorable feedback from vegans who have sailed with us. They are surprised at how the dining staff caters to their needs. Again, please contact the Maitre d’ Hotel and discuss your needs with him, this will result in receiving the proper assistance with your diet. The ship staff will do everything they can to accommodate your diet. 

Our experience has been that if we have a good Head Waiter in our area of the dining room we get varied, flavorful meals. If we get a so-so Head Waiter coupled with an inexperienced table waiter things are less good. It's always still better than just taking our chances with restaurants in new places on land that aren't vegan/vegetarian.

[Napagirl]

3 hours ago, TravelingBeyondBoundaries said:

Please be aware that the staff who serve stateroom snacks, meals, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, 24 hour dining (International Café and room service) or work in the self-service buffets cannot identify the food contents.

This is helpful info! I usually just ask the people behind the buffet but now I know to ask for a supervisor. Usually the description or the food itself is obvious but I can't always tell if something is made with a meat broth and/or butter. Cross contamination doesn't bother me and won't make me sick IME. And if it did bother me, I think I could almost never eat anywhere but my own home so thankfully, it's not an issue.

[Ombud]

Sharing a few menus from the Emerald Princess. 

[TravelingBeyondBoundaries]

10 minutes ago, Ombud said:

Sharing a few menus from the Emerald Princess. 

Thanks so much for sharing! The email I shared said they didn't have vegan menus so it's exciting to see maybe they do? Guess I'll find out in August lol.

[Ombud]

7 minutes ago, TravelingBeyondBoundaries said:

Thanks so much for sharing! The email I shared said they didn't have vegan menus so it's exciting to see maybe they do? Guess I'll find out in August lol.

I think there's only 7 total so if on a longer cruise at least there's a variety!!

[chamima]

7 hours ago, Ombud said:

Sharing a few menus from the Emerald Princess. 

 

 

The menu says vegan but I noticed "cheddar cheese" on the enchiladas in the middle menu. So is the menu really vegan or just vegetarian? (Or is it vegan cheese?)

[Ombud]

Vegan 'cheddar' cheese @chamima. Hated it

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Ombud said:

Vegan 'cheddar' cheese @chamima. Hated it

Yes, ugh. DW once made mac and cheese with a non-dairy cheese (cholesterol shall not pass her lips). And ugh is correct.

[Ombud]

More menus. Apparently 18 different ones:

[Ombud]

Ask me later if the Strawberry Smoothie works:

[chamima]

@Ombud - Thanks for sharing the vegan menus. We have a long cruise planned for the fall so it's good to know we won't have to rely on the Head Waiter's imagination for meal choices.

Quick question - are the red Xs yours or are they on the menu as a daily suggestion?

 

So........ did the Strawberry Smoothie work? 🤣

 

****

Edited June 10, 2023 by chamima

[TravelingBeyondBoundaries]

2 hours ago, chamima said:

@OmbudWe have a long cruise planned for the fall so it's good to know we won't have to rely on the Head Waiter's imagination for meal choices.

Are the menus fleet wide? I'm hoping so but I feel like they might have just been available on this specific cruise maybe?

[Ombud]

@chamima the red × is what I ordered. Having the smoothie tonight .... still puzzled as to how it can be vegan but supposed to be. Maybe it'll just be the cold soup 

 

@TravelingBeyondBoundaries this is the 2nd ship I've found them on and also only the 2nd ship since I asked for them

 

 

[jdacombe]

18 hours ago, TravelingBeyondBoundaries said:

Are the menus fleet wide? I'm hoping so but I feel like they might have just been available on this specific cruise maybe?

Good question. We are on Sky next April and our vegan son is thinking of coming along again. The last time, on Enchanted, he did have some issues on a couple of occasions and didn't see a specific vegan menu. 

It would be a welcome addition if this were fleet wide

[Ombud]

On 6/11/2023 at 1:28 AM, jdacombe said:

Good question. We are on Sky next April and our vegan son is thinking of coming along again. The last time, on Enchanted, he did have some issues on a couple of occasions and didn't see a specific vegan menu. 

It would be a welcome addition if this were fleet wide

Thats a shame!! I had the vegan menu on the Enchanted Princess l st September 

[chamima]

Does anyone know if this menu has recently been available on the Sapphire?

Thanks!

[szubieta]

On 5/30/2023 at 12:40 PM, TravelingBeyondBoundaries said:

I just got this email from the dietary manager. It's long but I thought I would share. Funny though, it's not for our cruise in August, it's for the one I just booked for December 2024. Maybe I got the same before and never remembered 🤷🏻‍♀️

 

Here's the email:

 

Thank you for contacting us with notification of your request for vegan meals. Please take a moment to review the following information. Please advise if you are in need of a milk substitute. I can arrange either plain soy milk or plain rice milk. We do not carry almond milk, coconut milk or goat milk.  

 

Once onboard, it is very important that you contact the Maitre d’ Hotel to discuss your special dietary needs and any special preparation of your meals. It will be at your discretion to order meals in accordance with your dietary needs. The Maitre d’ Hotel will be happy to assist with making selections from our standard menu that would be suitable.

 

We do not have a specific vegan menu available. We do offer some vegetarian dishes, which may be suitable for your diet. We can also modify certain menu items to accommodate your diet. We do carry tofu, egg-free pasta and can prepare veggie burgers, as well. The chefs have been able to come up with good meal ideas.

 

To best accommodate your needs, we recommend you take your meals in the main dining rooms and alternative restaurants. On selected port days when the main dining rooms are closed for lunch, every effort will be made to accommodate your needs in the buffet restaurant. We ask that you speak with the Maitre d’ Hotel the evening prior to discuss your meal requirements and any special preparation for the following day. When arriving at the buffet, please request to speak to a Supervisor, who will coordinate any special preparations directly with the chef.

 

Please be aware that the staff who serve stateroom snacks, meals, drinks, hors d’oeuvres, 24 hour dining (International Café and room service) or work in the self-service buffets cannot identify the food contents. This is especially true of sauces, seasonings and spices that may be used. Additionally, some of the meals prepared onboard may use frozen, canned or prepackaged goods, which could contain some of the elements you may not wish to consume. The buffet does offer a self-service dining option. Should you choose to dine in that venue we cannot guarantee that cross contamination among the various food selections will not occur.

 

I have received favorable feedback from vegans who have sailed with us. They are surprised at how the dining staff caters to their needs. Again, please contact the Maitre d’ Hotel and discuss your needs with him, this will result in receiving the proper assistance with your diet. The ship staff will do everything they can to accommodate your diet.  

 

For your safety, any food/drink items you wish to bring onboard must be non-perishable, must not have reached the expiration date before the cruise ends, store bought and sealed in their original containers and packaging upon boarding. Any items brought onboard must be stored in the stateroom and we cannot assign crew members to assist with the preparation. No fruits, vegetables, homemade food or restaurant food will be allowed. Although we may allow certain items onboard, local port authorities may override any approvals we give. Once onboard, due to local agricultural regulations, food items may not be taken ashore.  

 

Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. In the meantime, we look forward to welcoming you onboard.

On the Grand & Royal they carried Almond & Coconut milks at the IC coffee bar.  And the buffet did carry plain Almond milk for my oatmeal.  Going on the Crown for 31 day & I feel pretty confident about eating in the MDR & Buffet.  Like some one mentioned, we won't go hungry.  Though sorbet was the only dessert available, besides fruit, some cookies or pudding would have been nice.

[AlibearNS]

On 7/2/2023 at 12:28 PM, chamima said:

Does anyone know if this menu has recently been available on the Sapphire?

Thanks!

 

They didn't have a specific vegan or vegetarian menu on our April 29th sailing, but I did the survey and put in what I felt about relying on the head waiter's imagination. He didn't have any, and I felt I was a bother. One night I received a plate of mashed potato as a starter. I did say I liked mash but....

I'm not vegan but vegetarian and I struggled when the one mains option was something I couldn't eat.

I'm so glad to learn some of the ships do have a vegan menu; hopefully the Sapphire listened to my very strong feedback and will get it right for your cruise.

A vegan menu should be offered on all ships, not just some.

[AlibearNS]

On 7/2/2023 at 4:32 PM, szubieta said:

On the Grand & Royal they carried Almond & Coconut milks at the IC coffee bar.  And the buffet did carry plain Almond milk for my oatmeal.  Going on the Crown for 31 day & I feel pretty confident about eating in the MDR & Buffet.  Like some one mentioned, we won't go hungry.  Though sorbet was the only dessert available, besides fruit, some cookies or pudding would have been nice.

 

On our cruise on the Sapphire this year they ran out of Almond and Soy milk. I learned I like rice milk - who knew!

[Napagirl]

5 hours ago, AlibearNS said:

 

A vegan menu should be offered on all ships, not just some.

I agree! What they might not have thought about is that a vegan menu also accommodates a vegetarian diet. It's very easy to add cheese or cream to something if one wants to do so. But you can't take it out. 

[chamima]

If I get ambitious I’ll print out @Ombud’s menus from above and take them with us to show as examples. 

[Entix]

Hi, any updates on Sapphire vegan menu. Thx!!