Dietary restrictions

[djtx2]

Hello all!

Cruise time 2 weeks away.

Anyone know who I talk to about a dietary restriction?  Also where can they be found?

Has anyone dealt with this before?  I went on different cruline in Feb ‘23 and they handled it quite well.  Now I need to talk to someone…..help!

All travel safe and have a wonderful cruise.  
 

Deb

 

 

[IndyKid]

If you're needing vegetarian/vegan fare they offer a decent selection both at the buffet and MDR. If it's a food allergy you'll probably need to ask about specific offerings on the menu as to whether or not they are among the ingredients. 

[Ombud]

@djtx2 inform your waiter on the 1st night that you have a food allergy. They will notified their Head Waiter who will bring the following day's menues and take your order to get the correct food.

 

BTW I also ask to be assigned to that waiter (I'm already assigned to that Head Waiter) so I don't have to explain again. I am not restricted to the MDR but the buffet remains problematic 

[donswife]

These categories can be marked in the app ahead of time:  

 

 

[Ombud]

Yes BUT in my experience the actual wait staff never seems to know that I've checked that box

[djtx2]

9 hours ago, donswife said:

These categories can be marked in the app ahead of time:  

 

 

Thank you,  BUT they don’t have a sodium list which is what I need.    I’ve advised them by phone but can’t be sure it will be relayed. I guess I will find the head waiter when I get on the ship and talk with him so my dinner that 1st night is good.

[djtx2]

10 hours ago, Ombud said:

@djtx2 inform your waiter on the 1st night that you have a food allergy. They will notified their Head Waiter who will bring the following day's menues and take your order to get the correct food.

 

BTW I also ask to be assigned to that waiter (I'm already assigned to that Head Waiter) so I don't have to explain again. I am not restricted to the MDR but the buffet remains problematic 

Thank you for reaching out.  Much appreciated.

Happy New Year!!

[WisCruiser2]

10 minutes ago, djtx2 said:

Thank you,  BUT they don’t have a sodium list which is what I need.    I’ve advised them by phone but can’t be sure it will be relayed. I guess I will find the head waiter when I get on the ship and talk with him so my dinner that 1st night is good.

If you go to your Personalizer for your cruise in Princess.com, click on Check-in and scroll down to "Guest Check-in Status" you can click on Dietary Requests. Low-sodium is one of the options. If you check that, if you eat in a dining room the first night, the head waiter will bring you the next night's menu with low-sodium options (they do this for allergies, too). It would be nice if they had sodium contents listed somewhere, like for buffet foods! Or even, made all the food with lower sodium...

[donswife]

56 minutes ago, djtx2 said:

Thank you,  BUT they don’t have a sodium list which is what I need.    I’ve advised them by phone but can’t be sure it will be relayed. I guess I will find the head waiter when I get on the ship and talk with him so my dinner that 1st night is good.

The diet tab might have it, since low sodium is very common. 

[beg3yrs]

53 minutes ago, djtx2 said:

Thank you,  BUT they don’t have a sodium list which is what I need.    I’ve advised them by phone but can’t be sure it will be relayed. I guess I will find the head waiter when I get on the ship and talk with him so my dinner that 1st night is good.

DW has celiac (gluten allergy) so we've been through this many times. We also traveled with another couple, one of which could not have salt which I think is similar to your issue with sodium. We follow all of the previous advice, it's good. You calling them may have helped too.

 

We go to one of the MDRs during embarkation. Finding a closed one is often the best. The doors are never locked and if there's staff at the reception area, they're usually handling phones for the dine line. DW lets then know she has celiac and asks to be placed at the same table every night. This way, like @Ombud has said, you get staff that's familiar with your needs. Because it's a medical need, our request has always been honored. Not only that but you'll get to know the head waiter (now the dining room manger I think) throughout the cruise as that's the person who will get your meal order for the next evening. This process also worked very well for our friend who couldn't have salt. Not an issue at all.

 

Buffet may be an issue for you. For DW, one of the buffet staff, usually one of the chefs is happy to give her a tour each time to let her know what she can and can't have. Not sure what that may entail for a sodium restriction.

[HotRoot]

18 minutes ago, WisCruiser2 said:

If you go to your Personalizer for your cruise in Princess.com, click on Check-in and scroll down to "Guest Check-in Status" you can click on Dietary Requests. Low-sodium is one of the options. If you check that, if you eat in a dining room the first night, the head waiter will bring you the next night's menu with low-sodium options (they do this for allergies, too). It would be nice if they had sodium contents listed somewhere, like for buffet foods! Or even, made all the food with lower sodium...

I did this on our last cruise.  Then I heard they will not serve you bacon or cheese.  I decided to not bring up the subject.  Just took water pills as it was only a 10 night cruise.  Some foods tasted like salt.  I sent them back to the kitchen after a couple of bites.  No one ever approached me about my prechosen low-sodium option.  Next up is a 33 night cruise.  I will talk with the waiter/head waiter the first night and preorder everything.  But, I want no added salt, not low-sodium.  Just keep the salt shaker away from my food.  But I want the bacon and cheese

[djtx2]

6 hours ago, HotRoot said:

I did this on our last cruise.  Then I heard they will not serve you bacon or cheese.  I decided to not bring up the subject.  Just took water pills as it was only a 10 night cruise.  Some foods tasted like salt.  I sent them back to the kitchen after a couple of bites.  No one ever approached me about my prechosen low-sodium option.  Next up is a 33 night cruise.  I will talk with the waiter/head waiter the first night and preorder everything.  But, I want no added salt, not low-sodium.  Just keep the salt shaker away from my food.  But I want the bacon and cheese

Thanks.  I need no added salt on my food.  I’ll explain it to the HW when I get there.  

[djtx2]

I just need no added salt on my food.  I will contact the HW when I get there.  Thank you!  Travel safe!

[WisCruiser2]

Not sure, but I would think "no added salt" would constitute "low-sodium."

[trbarton]

I’ve seen in the MDR where they bring out a special menu for some people. Perhaps this is for people with special needs. I would request that you have the same table each day so that the staff knows your special requests. 
 

Tom😀

[KreinKrunker]

I would go to the dining room that is open for lunch on embarkation day and talk to a Head Waiter there.  This is what I do for a low salt diet.  That way I can usually preorder dinner.  If you find a good Head Waiter, you may not get that bacon or cheese.  I once ordered a 'bacon cheeseburger' for lunch, I got it minus the bacon & cheese.  If you want one of those, you'll have to go to the grill on Lido deck.

 

[JF - retired RRT]

On 12/29/2023 at 3:26 PM, djtx2 said:

I just need no added salt on my food.  I will contact the HW when I get there.  Thank you!  Travel safe!

I wish they'd do a low salt menu for everything. Most foods are way too salty for me. At home, I rarely add salt while eating even in a restaurant.

I'm always amazed to see people add salt to the food on their plate BEFORE they taste it.😵‍💫

[BamaVol]

On 12/29/2023 at 9:49 PM, trbarton said:

I’ve seen in the MDR where they bring out a special menu for some people. Perhaps this is for people with special needs. I would request that you have the same table each day so that the staff knows your special requests. 
 

Tom😀

Fo me, it’s not a special menu.  It’s dinner for the following night, the regular menu.  I select what I want and the headwaiter has it prepared within my dietary restrictions (no dairy).  When we sit down the following night, I tell my server I have pre ordered and the name of my headwaiter.  After a night or two, they remember. 
 

I ask at the buffet, and someone from the kitchen wearing a tall hat tours me through the line and tells me what I can or cannot eat.

[BamaVol]

1 hour ago, JF - retired RRT said:

I wish they'd do a low salt menu for everything. Most foods are way too salty for me. At home, I rarely add salt while eating even in a restaurant.

I'm always amazed to see people add salt to the food on their plate BEFORE they taste it.😵‍💫

You should be able to do this.  I order off the regular menu the night before and they prepare my food to my specifications. They have a kitchen dedicated to special diets but the food is only a variation of the regular menu.

[BamaVol]

Just now, BamaVol said:

You should be able to do this.  I order off the regular menu the night before and they prepare my food to my specifications. They have a kitchen dedicated to special diets but the food is only a variation of the regular menu.

 

BTW, they can make mistakes.  I had a plate of pasta placed in front of me covered in parmesan despite the headwaiter preparing it without dairy.  Fortunately I knew better and so did the headwaiter.  She straightened things out when she saw what had happened.

[JF - retired RRT]

13 hours ago, KreinKrunker said:

I would go to the dining room that is open for lunch on embarkation day and talk to a Head Waiter there.  This is what I do for a low salt diet.  That way I can usually preorder dinner.  If you find a good Head Waiter, you may not get that bacon or cheese.  I once ordered a 'bacon cheeseburger' for lunch, I got it minus the bacon & cheese.  If you want one of those, you'll have to go to the grill on Lido deck.

 

I have a solution for the cheeseburger dilemma. Have someone at your table order a cheeseburger as an extra main dish and then you eat it.😇

[DiRonT]

On 12/29/2023 at 5:32 AM, Ombud said:

Yes BUT in my experience the actual wait staff never seems to know that I've checked that box

Agree with that - even though we have received confirming emails from Princess recognizing a food allergy, it never seems to get communicated.  We are comfortable in the dining room after we have informed head waiter, but the other casual eateries, we have to explain each time AND yes, the buffet is an issue especially when other passengers cross contaminate serving utensils by moving them around.  Just be extra vigilant!

[nasa1974]

I have a granddaughter (3) that has an egg allergy who will be sailing with me and her family in April. On my October cruise I inquired about her allergy in the buffet (World Fresh Marketplace). I was told that I should contact the head waiter with our concerns and then he will have us meet one of the chefs to walk us through our choices. Breakfast and lunch should be simple but why take a chance. I already knew about the procedure for the MDR

[bingobunny14]

Does anyone know if they have soy or almond milk . Hubby is lactose intolerant and needs for coffee and cereal..ty

[JF - retired RRT]

13 minutes ago, bingobunny14 said:

Does anyone know if they have soy or almond milk . Hubby is lactose intolerant and needs for coffee and cereal..ty

One or the other (or both) are available. I've seen them in the buffet. Pretty sure you can get some at the International Cafe (IC). Likely in the MDR as well...just ask.