Low Carb Dining

[Cauvet]

I was pleased to see HAL included low carb selections on its menus albeit they always weren't the lowest carb selection. But at least they tried. I eat a low carb diet and chose whatever entre I wanted and asked to hold the potato and requested extra veggies. Never a problem.

[BaBaG]

Thanks for the tips! I, too, eat low-carb and am looking to our October 17 cruise on the Volendam w/o wrecking my diet!! DH thinks I'm nuts -- but I'd rather not come home 5 to 10 pounds heavier after each cruise. It's too hard to lose it again and again!

Barbara

[jhannah]

I'm "doing" the low-carb thing now as a "lose before you cruise" sort of thing. And I'm glad they make some concessions on board ship. However, isn't going on a cruise to eat low-carb sort of like putting on a tux to go mud wrestling? :D

[ekerr19]

My DH & I recently started South Beach diet in anticipation of our upcoming Med cruise... I know there will be many SB options onboard and I am looking forward to trying to stay on the diet while cruising. I've never tried before, but I usually lose weight onboard, because we are so active (a lot of dancing and walking).

For those dieting, HAL does offer many foods suited for different diet plans.

[sail7seas]

We don't so much eat low carb but rather it is more a "good carb"/low sugar diet we follow......South Beach.

We are both on maintenance and not really looking to lose weight so much as maintain our current weight. But, we will be happy if we find whole grain breads, brown rice, lots of broccoli and high carb veggies and beans etc

I've never had any problem finding plenty of "good, nutritious food" on HAL along with the treats and cheats. If one is willing to make a small effort on their own, I think just about everyone can find food on HAL which works for their eating plan. These excellent Chefs are very knowledgable about the most popular/common eating plans that people are following. They know huge numbers of people are on Atkins and South Beach and they accomodate them fine IMO Same goes for diabetes food requirements.

[BaBaG]

DH and I are following SouthBeach, too! It's very satisfying and I don't feel deprived. Just want to make smart choices and maintain -- not trying to lose -- while on our October cruise.

Thanks for everyone's input. I think they'll be plenty of healthy choices -- now I just need to make them!

Barbara and Frank

[Orcrone]

I'm "doing" the low-carb thing now as a "lose before you cruise" sort of thing. And I'm glad they make some concessions on board ship. However, isn't going on a cruise to eat low-carb sort of like putting on a tux to go mud wrestling? :DActually, a tux or suit is required during formal mud wrestling evenings.:D :rolleyes:

[Cauvet]

The main thing is on HAL they will make up your plate anyway you want it. So if you see some veggies that are feature on another dinner plate, ask for it and they will get it. So we mixed and matched and made our own low carb entres. By the way to all you skeptics, low carb does become a way of life and it isn't a matter of losing weight but maintaining. My husband and I didn't gain any weight on our last cruise with sticking to the healthy thing and plenty of walking and we were never wanting for food and had dessert every night,

[sheldrvrT6A]

Cauvet
I have been trying to find you as I reposted on the roll call thread last week after our cruise. Call and I could not find you at the crows nest the first sail day? We were all up there looking for you. Dave and Melinda seem to be great folks. Sorry we missed you as we sat and had drinks for awhile.
Jerry

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

For years HAL has always gotten more of anything you like - i.e., vegetables, extra salmon, anything.

That's one of the reasons why so many people like HAL - they do it your way.

:)

[sail7seas]

When we were on Rotterdam in March, our steward was aware I was not eating very much. Each evening, the very most I ordered was either a soup or a salad, an entree and coffee. Some evenings just an entree and coffee. I never had dessert.

He was most polite and courteous but each evening asked, Is that all you wish to have, M'am? Yes, Thank you.

One night there was broccoli served with the fish I ordered and I enjoyed it so much, I ate my DH's as well. The steward had been watching us as he was afraid I was disappointed in the dining room and just was not saying anything to him about my displeasure. It bothers them when someone picks at dinner night after night.

The next evening when I ordered dinner, he said that he noticed I seemed to enjoy the broccolli the night before and would I like for him to bring me broccoli each evening? YES....I'd really like that. And he brought a lovely silver serving dish filled with the brightest green, perfectly steamed broccoli every night thereafter and I so enjoyed it.

That (and other stories like that) is why we LOVE HAL over all of the other cruiselines we have sailed. We have never had "genuine" service of that sort on the other lines.

That kind of service IMO is not about a tip; it is about wanting to please a passenger. Being eager to see they have a good vacation and are pleased with their experience. It's being a nice person.