Extremely Picky Eaters

[MaryLS]

I will be on the Caribbean Princess in Dec. 04. The other 5 I am traveling with are extemely picky eaters, i.e., no condiments, cheese, garlic, sauces, etc. They will not try new things. I reviewed the dining room menus for the ship and they will never eat the selections. Can they order anything even if it isn't on the menu or will I be stuck at the buffet all week? Is the buffet decent? What kind of food do they have on the buffet. Thanks for any info you can provide.

[srphnx]

The staff will try to help with orders for things without certain add-ons, you can get a plain burger.

[teedee]

They can always order a plain steak and potato, or even ask for other entrees be served without sauces. You should be fine in the dining room, I don't think you'll be stuck in the buffets!

Terri

[Julia’s Journey’s]

On our Carnival Paradise 11 nights we shared a table with a family and for all dinners the dad never even looked at the menu he ordered 2 steaks with a plate of fries and that is it, no dessert, no salad, on appetizers. His wife says that is all he eats at home after night 2 his food was waiting for him as he sat down.

My son wanted cinnamon rolls for dinner one night and when I said they were for breakfast the waiter brought him a plate of them.

They will generally try and accomodate any request.

[bjboothman]

There is also grilled chicken breast available every day. I shared a table with a grown woman who would eat nothing but spaghetti for 10 nights. Come on --- how good could it be? Be prepared -- your friends will probably come home complaining about the food unless they are really into desserts. There is not a lot of "plain" food on the buffet either, at least I didn't think so. I don't think the plains steaks and chicken breasts are all that special.

[monk888]

On the Caribbean Princess, your pals can eat at Prego Pizzeria out by the pool from 11AM til at least 8PM. All day they have different types of pizza by the slice for free. Also, just opposite Prego is the Trident Grill. Same hours, serving burgers, fries, dogs, brats, etc.

 

In the Horizon Court Cafe and in Cafe Caribe, you've got a huge selection of foods from which to choose. In the AM, they have all kinds of breakfast cereals, OJ, Grapefruit juice, Milk. Then, they always have scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, etc. They have an omelette station as well. Fresh fruit galore.

 

For lunch, all kinds of cold cuts, fish dishes, grilled chicken breast, casseroles, and on and on.

 

For dinner, it changes nightly. There is usually a carving station. One night, they had a huge Battleship Round of Roast Beef. All you want. One night, Prime Rib. One night, turkey and ham. In Cafe Caribe, two nights they had the Seafood Extravaganza with shrimp, King Crab legs, and grilled Caribbean lobster.

 

Fear not. There will be plenty to choose from.

 

The Monk

[roohound]

damn, I thought I was picky because I don't eat any fish or seafood LOL

[MaryLS]

Thanks so much for your prompt reply. It is their first cruise and I don't want them to be unhappy!

[PeabodyNVL]

A woman who shared a table with us a year ago in May ate no cooked foods...not meat, not vooked vegetables. Only raw vegetables, fruit and bread. And Canadian bacon...go figure...LOL. She had no problem finding enough to eat.

 

If necessary, you can ask them to prepare a vegatable tray or fruit plate every night.

 

What do your friends do when they go out to a normal restaurant?

[MaryLS]

A visit to a normal restaurant would be Red Lobster. Plain broiled flounder, scallops, fries or baked potato. At a diner it would be meat loaf and mashed potatoes.

[PeabodyNVL]

I would think that there would be no problem accomodating them. Steak and Salmon are on the every day menu. Baked potatoes or fries are available on request. They might not have a lot of variety, but they won't starve :). Also, you can ask them to put all of the sauces on the side.

[amagar]

but it's been our cruising experience that the meals always sound better--or at least more adventurous--than they actually taste. Remember, the chef's goal is to please as many people as possible...and to do that usually means dumbing down spice, etc. (We eat lots of ethnic food at home--Indian, Thai, Mexican, etc. and grow weary of the bland flavors). As much as they try--and I believe they do--the food, IMHO, never rises much beyond banquet/wedding level. People up above gave you good advice...and also remember you can order more than one entree....so get the standard steak and then experiment, maybe, and order the nightly fish special with the sauce on the side. If you like the fish, all the better. If not, feast on the steak : )

 

Let me point out here that we have only sailed Celebrity and RCI, but after reading these boards now for several years, the food appears to be relatively the same. We'll be on Princess in December and will report back with findings. Cheers.

[jhannah]

It is their first cruise and I don't want them to be unhappy!

I'd say you're screwed from the get-go. Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, we all have our "druthers" ... but this seems extreme to me. Perhaps a cruise isn't where they should be.

[jrtmouse]

Dang, my main purpose for cruising was the food!!!!!!

[britsbest]

The waiters say you can try anything and if you do not like it, try something else. Never found a meal I didn't like!

[spongerob]

Ask for the Heart-Healthy selections. Those usually don't have sauces, but might be spiced up a little. The Always Available selections won't challenge anyone who is afraid to try new things. My wife is very non-adventurous and has no problem with the food on the ship. If anything, she's realized that she shouldn't be afraid to try new things and has expanded her horizons.

 

If they are really fussy - go traditional, so your waitstaff doesn't have to be re-trained every night.

[Druke I]

Years ago, on the old Sea Princess (later Victoria, now Mona Lisa), there was a young man (18 or so) travelling with his mother, seated a couple of tables away. Trip was 15 nights, Osaka Japan to Vancouver BC, via Honolulu.

 

The table captain, on the second or third day, pointed out to us that he ate the same thing three meals a day: steak, french fries with ketchup, and a coke!

 

We watched, and that is all he ordered for the entire trip.

 

I like steak and fries too - but not 3 times a day for 15 days!

 

This is the same young man whose necktie always matched the mother's dress!

 

Michael

[roohound]

Five gets you ten, he's still living with her LOL

[wdonnieb]

I am sailing with a friend that has a Tobasco fetish. She puts it on everything. I do not eat it much so I do not know, but do they have Tobasco on the ship for passengers to use? I wonder if I should suggest to her to carry her own bottle in her purse?

Donnie

[Druke I]

Roohound

 

I wouldn't take that bet! Sorry.

 

Michael

[dosi]

My BIL will not eat anything green. Green grapes-no....red grapes-yes. Green apples no, red apples yes. You get the picture. This guy is like 40 and still does not see how ridiculous this is :rolleyes: .

[seattlekckckc]

Wow! I thought I was the pickiest eater in the world. Everyone in my famly rolls their eyes at me when I order at restaurants, I have lots of requests for things on the side, or not on it at all. I have never had a problem with Princess. They always serve it with a smile! Remember, there is always a fruit plate and a cheese plate and a plain salad, so they can hopefully combine those with the always available menu (my favorite part of the menu on the ship!)

 

On the Diamond however, they had taken off the steak and chicken off of the AAvail menu. I just about went into shock! And , when I special ordered a steak, it was like jumping through hoops to get it. The Maitre'D finally had to pull some strings to get one. When I asked about it, they said it was in regards to having the Sterling Steakhouse as an option to eat in if you wanted steak. Kind of restrictive I think - I had traditional late seating.

 

Casey

 

PS, I always have my special requests with a SMILE, a please and a thank you - that goes a LONG way ~:-)

[Cruisin'40]

I also was sorry to see the Diamond didn't have the chicken or steak as always available, we used that option frequently. However we concluded that there was so much food available we could just order an extra appetizer, salad, dessert or in the unlikely event we were still hungry there is always room service and the Horizon court to fall back on.

Having a family of picky eaters, we have NEVER had a problem on a Princess cruise, in fact it is the perfect opportunity to expand your horizons and try new foods (actually suprised me that my girls 12,and 18 tried things on the cruise ship that I wouldn't try). I tend to think if someone is going to be unhappy with the food on a Princess cruise, they may be unpleasable (sp)!

:)

[mikesteg]

I am sailing with a friend that has a Tobasco fetish. She puts it on everything. I do not eat it much so I do not know, but do they have Tobasco on the ship for passengers to use? I wonder if I should suggest to her to carry her own bottle in her purse?

Donnie

I'd bring a bottle. Dinner shouldn't be a problem, but you never know. I haven't been on Princess yet, but other ships vary considerably. One ship (Rhapsody or Elation) had a bottle of regular tabasco on every table and then a 2nd bottle of specialty tobasco which varied from table to table. Most ships (again, no experience with Princess) have a common area somewhere around the end of the buffet where you can grab a bottle of hot sauce, vinegar, whatever. I can't say for sure that Tobasco is always in there, though. I'm sure you can get it in any dining venue.... it just might be more hassle than it is worth.

 

Maybe just get her one of these as a surprise: http://countrystore.tabasco.com/index_category_more.cfm?tlcatid=2&catid=46&moreid=C446 :D

 

 

Mike

[Rockwife]

The other 5 I am traveling with are extemely picky eaters, i.e., no condiments, cheese, garlic, sauces, etc. They will not try new things.

 

That sounds like a bummer, MaryLS! I wish you all the luck in the world assisting these poor folks finding something they will like to eat and commend you for trying. You might want an "escape plan", though, and try to meet CC folks on a roll call thread so you can plan to meet up with some other people for dinner a few nights? Just an idea! I know that if I had to eat with a table full of people that refused to try anything new every night I'd be pretty unhappy.

 

Good luck!