Recent vegan/vegetarian cruisers on HAL

[leerathje]

28 minutes ago, oaktreerb said:

@erin78 I have recently begun to try to remove cheese from my diet.  Melted cheese holds the pizza together.  What would you expect to have included on a pizza without cheese?  

 

Vegan "cheese"?

 

L.

 

[erin78]

1 hour ago, oaktreerb said:

@erin78 I have recently begun to try to remove cheese from my diet.  Melted cheese holds the pizza together.  What would you expect to have included on a pizza without cheese?  

Sauce and veggies. Maybe it would be a little messier to eat, I don't know. But since the pizzas are cooked to order, asking to have the cheese left off should be possible.

If you're making it at home, there are vegan "cheeses" but I can't vouch for any personally. 

[soccermom4]

We use vegan cheese at home on pizzas - and some cruise lines have started carrying it.  I don't know if HAL does.  It's not bad if used sparingly.  Too much and it's like glue.

[Sea Birds]

Disappointed that HAL changed the vegetarian menu.  Now most of the dishes have "Beyond Meat" which is beyond me! As an ethical vegetarian I do not want to eat something that tastes like meat.

Beyond Meat is struggling as a company. I guess I am not the only vegetarian who dislikes the Beyond Meat’s revolting taste.

On my recent (81 days) cruise I had quite a lot of trouble and anguish as a vegetarian, especially in the Lido. Items on the menu, both in the Lido and MDR, were not always marked with the vegetarian symbol. I had to ask every single time if an item was vegetarian.  This made it difficult for both passengers, servers and  waiters.

My worst experience was having to stand in line next to the carving section to get any vegetables.

At the pasta station you can ask them to use a clean fry pan. Make sure the servers use clean utensils for cutting your sandwiches or serving your vegetables.

The Asian section was quite good, but not to eat every day. The Lido salad bar was also good.

In the MDR I usually ended up with plain pasta and marina sauce. Once I had chili rellenos which were quite oily. Most nights the MDR salads had feta cheese or gorgonzola cheese etc. which I do not eat.

Luckily my wonderful waiter would bring me a salad with ingredients that I selected and could eat. Soups were questioned every time to make sure vegetable stock was used.

[whogo]

21 hours ago, rob7 said:

As an ethical vegetarian I do not want to eat something that tastes like meat.

 

Beyond Meat is struggling as a company. I guess I am not the only vegetarian who dislikes the Beyond Meat’s revolting taste.

Isn't Beyond Meat a highly processed foods we are supposed to avoid?

 

rob7, you're the first vegetarian I have seen on this board who is rightly concerned about cross-contamination of cooking and serving utensils. I am not confident that Holland America's "vegetarian" selections are free of gelatin, rennet, anchovies, or other meat ingredients. I am more confident of the Indian menu dishes, if that is what the crew eats. 

[albingirl]

35 minutes ago, whogo said:

Isn't Beyond Meat a highly processed foods we are supposed to avoid?

 

rob7, you're the first vegetarian I have seen on this board who is rightly concerned about cross-contamination of cooking and serving utensils. I am not confident that Holland America's "vegetarian" selections are free of gelatin, rennet, anchovies, or other meat ingredients. I am more confident of the Indian menu dishes, if that is what the crew eats. 

Right.  And if you read the ingredients, there is a ton of salt in Beyond Meat.  And the point was well made; why would you want a meaty taste if you are truly a vegetarian?  I thought the whole point was to avoid meat.

[rodndonna]

3 hours ago, albingirl said:

Right.  And if you read the ingredients, there is a ton of salt in Beyond Meat.  And the point was well made; why would you want a meaty taste if you are truly a vegetarian?  I thought the whole point was to avoid meat.

 

Plant based meat alternatives like Beyond meat have/are been developed more as a meat alternative more for for environmental reasons. There are a lot of folks  who are looking to reduce meat consumption (but not strict vegetarian or vegan), just alway trying to avoid  meat or use alternatives when possible.

[cruzn single]

This may/may not relate, but I go to the pasta station frequently for lunch in the Lido.  Since I have a shellfish allergy, I always ask for them to use a clean pan.  I usually just get pasta with butter and sautéed mushrooms.  I also can’t eat most red pasta sauces.  Asking for the clean pan is no big deal for whatever reason.

[erin78]

On 12/30/2022 at 2:33 PM, rob7 said:

Disappointed that HAL changed the vegetarian menu.  Now most of the dishes have "Beyond Meat" which is beyond me! As an ethical vegetarian I do not want to eat something that tastes like meat.

 

Beyond Meat is struggling as a company. I guess I am not the only vegetarian who dislikes the Beyond Meat’s revolting taste.

 

 

On my recent (81 days) cruise I had quite a lot of trouble and anguish as a vegetarian, especially in the Lido. Items on the menu, both in the Lido and MDR, were not always marked with the vegetarian symbol. I had to ask every single time if an item was vegetarian.  This made it difficult for both passengers, servers and  waiters.

 

 

My worst experience was having to stand in line next to the carving section to get any vegetables.

 

 

At the pasta station you can ask them to use a clean fry pan. Make sure the servers use clean utensils for cutting your sandwiches or serving your vegetables.

 

 

The Asian section was quite good, but not to eat every day. The Lido salad bar was also good.

 

In the MDR I usually ended up with plain pasta and marina sauce. Once I had chili rellenos which were quite oily. Most nights the MDR salads had feta cheese or gorgonzola cheese etc. which I do not eat.

Luckily my wonderful waiter would bring me a salad with ingredients that I selected and could eat. Soups were questioned every time to make sure vegetable stock was used.

 

 

I'm sorry to hear this - I dislike Beyond meat too.  Thanks for the update.

Edited January 5, 2023 by erin78

[Nola26]

I have not sailed on HAL yet, but in researching for a likely Alaskan cruise on the Eurodam I noticed Morningstar Frams Veggie links on the dining room breakfast menu. Not something we've ever seen while cruising.  Feeling even better about booking this trip now!

 

Thanks for the tip about the Indian menus, I never would have even thought to request that. Is there much Indian food on the buffet? Honestly that station usually my go to on cruise ship buffets. Typically tasty and always has vegetarian options.

[JG0203]

I recently sailed on the Oosterdam and can confirm that they have vegan and vegetarian options available in the main dining room. The menu changes daily, but there will always be a vegan and vegetarian option. In addition, the Lido buffet always has vegan and vegetarian options. The chefs are usually more than happy to accommodate vegan and vegetarian requests. If you have any questions about specific menu items, the waiters and chefs can usually help you out. Additionally, I would recommend asking for a copy of the daily menu ahead of time, so you can plan ahead and make sure that you are getting the most out of your dining experience.

[soccermom4]

@JG0203So the MDR regular menu has a vegan and vegetarian option on it or is it a separate menu?  Thanks so much for you input!

[0106]

There is a vegetarian entree on the MDR menu every evening.  

[soccermom4]

Thanks. I was aware that there was a vegetarian entree.  We try to eat vegan (no dairy, meat, eggs etc.) and generally the vegetarian dishes contain eggs and cheese.  RCCL had a separate 100% vegan menu available with rotating choices.  Wasn't sure if @JG0203 had actually seen Vegan items on the MDR menu.

[dutchgal46]

, Just came off the Rotterdam. 

There is always a vegetarian option on the MDR menu.

They have a separate vegetarian menu.   You can also ask for the Indian menu, but these dishes have to be pre ordered. 

I like Mexican food,  ordered a quesadilla in the lido,  when she tried to pick it up, she used a tong, that still had meat on it, i felt bad, but told her she had to make a new one, 

I always ask for a clean pan, i tell them that i am allergic. 

 

[dutchgal46]

3 minutes ago, dutchgal46 said:

, Just came off the Rotterdam. 

There is always a vegetarian option on the MDR menu.

They have a separate vegetarian menu.   You can also ask for the Indian menu, but these dishes have to be pre ordered. 

I like Mexican food,  ordered a quesadilla in the lido,  when she tried to pick it up, she used a tong, that still had meat on it, i felt bad, but told her she had to make a new one, 

I always ask for a clean pan, i tell them that i am allergic. 

 

Also, i always ask to hold the beyond meat balls from the tomato soup

[OlsSalt]

On 12/31/2022 at 10:11 AM, whogo said:

Isn't Beyond Meat a highly processed foods we are supposed to avoid?

 

rob7, you're the first vegetarian I have seen on this board who is rightly concerned about cross-contamination of cooking and serving utensils. I am not confident that Holland America's "vegetarian" selections are free of gelatin, rennet, anchovies, or other meat ingredients. I am more confident of the Indian menu dishes, if that is what the crew eats. 

 

"Cross-contamination" was extensively discussed when gluten-free requirements were added to the passenger menu options a number of years ago. Not using the same toasters,  separate food preparation areas etc.

 

Probably led to the sad decision to no longer make fresh bread dough on board, and switch only to the less flavorful  frozen dough-only  wheat bread preparations -to prevent any "cross contamination" of the galley due to inadvertently dispersed flour particles.

[soccermom4]

How do we let HAL know we prefer to eat vegan?  We're booked with a travel agent and I've never seen anything on our profile that allows us to choose that option.

[ontheweb]

11 minutes ago, soccermom4 said:

How do we let HAL know we prefer to eat vegan?  We're booked with a travel agent and I've never seen anything on our profile that allows us to choose that option.

Either call or e-mail your TA and tell him or her to inform HAL. Or you could do it yourself, but then you might be on hold for a while.

[OlsSalt]

4 hours ago, soccermom4 said:

How do we let HAL know we prefer to eat vegan?  We're booked with a travel agent and I've never seen anything on our profile that allows us to choose that option.

 

From the HAL blog: caution - older post - hope phone number is still good.

 

"We do our best to keep our guests with dietary needs in mind when planning our menus. Traveling should be an enjoyable way to experience the world, and we encourage our guests to feel empowered to have a carefree vacation with Holland America Line! If you have special dietary needs that require assistance, please contact Ship Services at least three weeks prior to your departure: 1–800–541–1576."

 

 

[Nerdy veghead]

I just got off a 10 day cruise on the Eurodam. I agree that the menu is disgustingly beyond meat heavy. After this cruise I don’t ever want to eat beyond meat again. 

[OlsSalt]

Ships are closed systems - limited in supply storages space and food delivery areas. With the addition of the many newer dining options of late, prior options must be reduced for others. 

 

Gluten-free, non-dairy, vegetarian, vegan, non GMO,  no nuts, no shell fish, low salt, etc, etc. HAL used to be a pretty solid meat and potatoes type dining experience. No longer - but while expanding into newer offerings, older traditional offering had to be curtailed.

 

Much has changed over the past few years due to the proliferation of specific dietary requirements of more passengers. But being a closed system on a ship has not. Hence, a lot of dislocations for everyone.

 

We miss the freshly made bread, but the inability to prevent gluten contamination led to its demise and switch to pre-made frozen bread dough, which is just not the same. So everyone has to give a little and get a little under these new dietary requirement proliferations ......on a closed system ship.

[Denali2003]

Hello.  I like that HAL has a separate Vegan / Vegetarian menu in the MDR.  Is it the same items each night or is there a different Vegan menu each night?  Thank you.

[PoppyBanks]

5 hours ago, Denali2003 said:

Hello.  I like that HAL has a separate Vegan / Vegetarian menu in the MDR.  Is it the same items each night or is there a different Vegan menu each night?  Thank you.

It is the same menu each night. 

[Crew News]

6 hours ago, Denali2003 said:

Hello.  I like that HAL has a separate Vegan / Vegetarian menu in the MDR.  Is it the same items each night or is there a different Vegan menu each night?  Thank you.

There is an Indian Menu that is different each night in the MDR:  7-Day Indian Menu