Food Hacks on longer trips

[highplanesdrifters]

Yes, we've all been there. About day 15 everything is starting to look a little samey samey, especially on the smaller ships.  

  Many request special meals in advance from the chef.  Indian is our go to. 

  We will sometimes buy local condiments, especially spicy ones before we board. The restaurant kindly brings them out at dinner.

  Our last trip on the Explorer challenged our paletes after Chef Pia left. I started making my own soup at the lunch buffet.  I asked for a larger bowl of soup part way filled.  It was usually some brothy or cream based thing, added veges and protein from the buffet.  Tada!

 

Let's hear yours, I need some new ideas!

 

[Mr Luxury]

18 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Yes, we've all been there. About day 15 everything is starting to look a little samey samey, especially on the smaller ships.  

  Many request special meals in advance from the chef.  Indian is our go to. 

  We will sometimes buy local condiments, especially spicy ones before we board. The restaurant kindly brings them out at dinner.

  Our last trip on the Explorer challenged our paletes after Chef Pia left. I started making my own soup at the lunch buffet.  I asked for a larger bowl of soup part way filled.  It was usually some brothy or cream based thing, added veges and protein from the buffet.  Tada!

 

Let's hear yours, I need some new ideas!

 

Try a land based vacation.

[highplanesdrifters]

11 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

Try a land based vacation.

Every day we are not on a ship is a land based vacation.🤣

[Mr Luxury]

12 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Every day we are not on a ship is a land based vacation.🤣

You retired folks eh

[canderson]

Guess it's time for the newbie to ask:  Does Atlantide work to a rotating 14 day schedule?  What about menu rotation in other venues?

[highplanesdrifters]

1 hour ago, Mr Luxury said:

You retired folks eh

I don't think I'll ever consider myself retired until I'm six feer under. Or cremated,  or eaten by Sharks, or until somebody takes my toys away.🤣

[CalmSea]

2 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Let's hear yours, I need some new ideas!

 

Order some dishes local to the ports you are visiting. In order to give time for the Chef to gather the ingredients, I suggest the following time line. 

1. Look up what is a famous local dish for a port you will be visiting in 2 days.

2. Order the dish to be served in 3 or 4 days time.

The Chef should have time to get prepared, to buy whatever local ingredients required while in port, and to serve you a day or two later.

[les37b]

Curry also…. But several times we’ve had Beef Wellington prepared for us.

 

 

[Rothko1]

23 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Yes, we've all been there. About day 15 everything is starting to look a little samey samey, especially on the smaller ships.  

 

 

Actually, I haven't been there.

[A Tucson Guy]

Last year on the Dawn, we asked in advance for Peking Duck. Sadly this chef did not know how to prepare Peking Duck as it was so so. Other meals were great but we will not request Peking Duck. We will just go the Peking Duck restaurant in Manhatten and pig out- haha.

Edited July 31, 2023 by A Tucson Guy

[ronrick1943]

Nice idea, making your own soup——but not for me.

[CalmSea]

21 minutes ago, A Tucson Guy said:

Last year on the Dawn, we asked in advance for Peking Duck. Sadly this chef did not know how to prepare Peking Duck as it was so so. Other meals were great but we will not request Peking Duck. We will just go the Peking Duck restaurant in Manhatten and pig out- haha.

I think we should try to stretch the limits of the chef. Let him/her know that the Peking Duck is not up to par, and maybe the next time will be better. I had often wonder asking for shrimp dumplings or fried won ton. The ship should have all the necessary ingredients on board, if they willing to make the skins of the dumplings or won ton from scratch. 

[Stumblefoot]

5 hours ago, A Tucson Guy said:

We will just go the Peking Duck restaurant in Manhatten and pig out.

Or Hong Kong or Beijing.

[TLCOhio]

On 7/30/2023 at 4:41 PM, canderson said:

Guess it's time for the newbie to ask:  Does Atlantide work to a rotating 14 day schedule?  What about menu rotation in other venues?

 

Appreciate this very interesting, good thread with the various comments, ideas and follow-ups.  

 

Good question as to if Atlantide is on a 14-day rotating menu schedule.  With our upcoming 18-day, Feb. 2024 Mumbai to Singapore Silver Moon schedule the menu "variety" is of interest.  Inquiring minds always want to know more!!  Maybe to order in advance some special dining delights from India?

 

For us, doing special advance orders is of interest and we have found success.  Prove it??  Below is one visual from the Silver Muse going up to Alaska in the summer of 2019.  At other times, our group has had a variety of Thai items served family-style at our table.  It has been suggested, since many of the kitchen staff come from the Philippines, that it would be smart to ask in advance for a such family-style mix of varied dishes from their country.  

 

On a Norway sailing in 2010 to watch in our suite during the World Cup final game, we did a "Tail-Gating Party" with various items ordered off of the room service menu through our Butler.  Worked super and was great fun.  

 

Lots of options!!!  Be creative.  Discuss with the Executive Chef for options, ideas, potentials.  Have fun.  The staff likes it when they can perform in unique and special ways.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Summer 2019 Calgary, Jasper/Banff National Parks, Western Canada Rocky Mountaineer rail adventure, Vancouver, sailing up to Alaska on Silver Muse, post-cruise excursion to Denali, etc.  Many visuals, Our firsts in these scenic areas!  Now at 19,560 views. Live/blog: 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2682584-live-terryohio-silver-muse-alaska-canadarockies-pix’s/

 

During our Silver Muse sailing north to Alaska, we scheduled a day ahead to have the Beef Wellington ordered for our table of six, including the author/speaker joining us in our group.  Wonderful evening and highly enjoyable dining!!:

(Open your screen/viewer wider to see this visual larger/better!)

[christraveller]

We ordered an Indonesian meal, with advance notice, on an Atlantic crossing. Fabulous food!   Not dull, authenticity hit 100%.  
 

strongly recommended. 

[TLCOhio]

10 hours ago, christraveller said:

We ordered an Indonesian meal, with advance notice, on an Atlantic crossing. Fabulous food!   Not dull, authenticity hit 100%.  strongly recommended. 

 

Appreciate this great tip and follow-up for trying Indonesian meal.  Excellent idea.  

 

BUT, help me as a guy who likes interesting and varied food treats to understand more.  

 

How do you  or any others summarize for what exactly makes the differences for an Indonesian meal . . . VERSUS . . . such from India,Thailand, Vietnam, China and/or the Philippines??  Are these mostly similar?  Or, which are most different, special and unique??

 

Inquiring minds are curious!!  And, always hungry.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise from Copenhagen, July 2010, to the top of Europe. Scenic visuals with key tips. Live/blog at 248,131 views.

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/1172051-livesilver-cloud-norway-coastfjords-july-1-16-reports/

[drkitkat123]

one of my major concerns about our upcoming MUSE trip is the reported standard of the hamburgers ...... :-)))). Very concerning to a hamburger addict!!!

 

Anyone ever tried to hack the hamburger to get the kitchen to produce a better version?

[highplanesdrifters]

16 hours ago, drkitkat123 said:

one of my major concerns about our upcoming MUSE trip is the reported standard of the hamburgers ...... :-)))). Very concerning to a hamburger addict!!!

 

Anyone ever tried to hack the hamburger to get the kitchen to produce a better version?

Excellent query.  I agree, a good burger is a thing of beauty.  I'd go straight to the restaurant maitre'd and ask what the possibilities might be.  Keep us posted.

[highplanesdrifters]

22 hours ago, TLCOhio said:

How do you  or any others summarize for what exactly makes the differences for an Indonesian meal . . . VERSUS . . . such from India,Thailand, Vietnam, China and/or the Philippines??

I asked The Google Machine about Thai vs. Indonesian food.  Here's what I got.

Very interesting.

 

With approximately 6,000 populated islands and more than 300 ethnic groups, the food in Indonesia is extremely diverse, based on religion, region, culture and season. There is an infinite number of versions of home cooked indigenous dishes, with ethnic contributions of Chinese, Malay, Indian, Dutch, Portuguese, Arab, Muslim and Hindu etc. Popular is Javanese, Sumatran, Balinese. Compared to Thai, Indonesian cuisine is more complex, has stronger flavors, earthy, more fried, braised, heavy, spicy and served often at room temperature. Prominent ingredients are a large variety of herbs, use of similar local ingredients like citrus, coconut, palm sugar fermented fish/shrimp paste and sweet soy sauce.

 

On our next trip I plan to ask the restaurant Maitre'd whose cooking and their nationality. Then ask for their native speciality.

[labrasett]

On 7/30/2023 at 8:54 PM, highplanesdrifters said:

Yes, we've all been there. About day 15 everything is starting to look a little samey samey, especially on the smaller ships.  

  Many request special meals in advance from the chef.  Indian is our go to. 

  We will sometimes buy local condiments, especially spicy ones before we board. The restaurant kindly brings them out at dinner.

  Our last trip on the Explorer challenged our paletes after Chef Pia left. I started making my own soup at the lunch buffet.  I asked for a larger bowl of soup part way filled.  It was usually some brothy or cream based thing, added veges and protein from the buffet.  Tada!

 

Let's hear yours, I need some new ideas!

 

Pias chicken curries were beyond divine.

 

[highplanesdrifters]

3 hours ago, labrasett said:

Pias chicken curries were beyond divine.

 

She can make a turkey wrap taste like it came out of a 5* kitchen.

[Stumblefoot]

8 hours ago, highplanesdrifters said:

She can make a turkey wrap taste like it came out of a 5* kitchen.

Give her German food a try some day.  🤯

[jpalbny]

Chef Pia... I still blame her for shrinking all of my clothes. She is a favorite for sure!

[highplanesdrifters]

I once asked her if she would consider posting her schedule so we could book those cruises.😁

[highplanesdrifters]

10 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Give her German food a try some day.  🤯

Ditto!