Altering food in MDR

I am a bit of a fussy eater, being a super taster there is a lot of food that tastes dreadful to me. Normally in a restaurant I will ask for items to be left off (e.g. broccoli) because I wont eat it and I don't want to waste it. I don't expect a replacement item, as I figure that it is my issue not theirs and the restaurant shouldn't have to bear any additional cost or hassle because of my taste buds.

My question is should I do this when on my cruise? I have seen behind the scene type of documentaries and the kitchens seem to be a production line to pump out the volume of food needed. If I ask for a variation is this going to cause a hassle for the staff?

While it goes against the grain it is to not clean my plate I could live with this for the 10 odd days if the inconvenience to the kitchen would be to great.

I am a bit of a fussy eater, being a super taster there is a lot of food that tastes dreadful to me. Normally in a restaurant I will ask for items to be left off (e.g. broccoli) because I wont eat it and I don't want to waste it. I don't expect a replacement item, as I figure that it is my issue not theirs and the restaurant shouldn't have to bear any additional cost or hassle because of my taste buds.

 

My question is should I do this when on my cruise? I have seen behind the scene type of documentaries and the kitchens seem to be a production line to pump out the volume of food needed. If I ask for a variation is this going to cause a hassle for the staff?

 

While it goes against the grain it is to not clean my plate I could live with this for the 10 odd days if the inconvenience to the kitchen would be to great.

You can try. If something contains broccoli in it, they probably can't remake it, but if it's on the side they may leave it off. We have found special requests in the main dining rooms to be hit or miss. We think it may have to do with the English as 2nd language thing.

I would talk with the M'D. There are a lot of people that have special dietary needs but you waiter can't do it, especially on the spot. Usually the M'D comes to your table the day before and discusses the next night's dinner.

If it's a specific diet that you want to follow than it's best to request that on your reservation. But random items/ingredients that you prefer not to have? That's going to be difficult for the kitchen because cruise line dining is mass catering and many plates are prepared in assembly lines. You could be waiting a long time if something has to be prepared just for you.

It might be best to just put something aside and let it be wasted. The amount of food that you will waste is like the proverbial spit in the ocean compared to what ships eventually feed to the fishes. Mountains of buffet food have to be tossed once the maximum holding time is reached.

Just request what you want...they might do it...might not. No big deal either way.

If it's not a dietary issue, it's easier on everyone to just not eat the unwanted vegetable.

It's fairly easy to order something topped with sauce without the sauce.

What you can do really does vary by cruise line.

Some are more flexible than others in responding to these requests.

Keith

A sure way to slow down the kitchen and service to your table. Just my opinion but leave it alone and don't eat what you don't want.

A sure way to slow down the kitchen and service to your table. Just my opinion but leave it alone and don't eat what you don't want.

I agree 100%

If you've watched the documentaries then you know that most cruise lines will grind up the un-eaten food and discharge it to the sea for the fish. So what you don't eat will be eaten...by something:). It is probably easier to just serve the dishes as they are plated.

A sure way to slow down the kitchen and service to your table. Just my opinion but leave it alone and don't eat what you don't want.

Agreed.

I would suggest that the OP order two appetizers and two main courses.

I always do without any problem. Bring it on.

I have always found that the cruiselines are extremely accommodating about dietary requests. I have never found that the waiters could not accommodate something. I sometimes say "no potato or no asparagus", if the menu states it comes with a certain meal. My husband does not eat butter or cheese, so he was always able to get things without that. On my last cruise, which was on Celebrity, there were two people at our table who could not have certain foods. One could not have anything with onions or garlic in it and the other had to eat gluten-free. Each night toward the end of the meal, the waiter brought the next night's menu to them and had them select what they wanted. Then, he put their order in for tomorrow and the kitchen made up their meals without the offending ingredients.

I agree with the above --speak to the martre d when he meets the first day and explain your dietary stuff to him

you pick what you want the day before dinner-- and they will have it made for you- basically that is the only way to get it done.

to be a production line to pump out the volume of food needed. If I ask for a variation is this going to cause a hassle for the staff?

 

Yes it does, the larger the kitchen the more hassle.

They accommodate dietary needs caused by allergies and illnesses, but fussy eaters just order the food they like and leave off the foods or the dishes they don't, for example no main dish but two appetizers. In the buffet, you have free choice!

Smaller luxury ships or the smaller restaurants on the ships may be more flexible.

It depends. If the thing you don't want is an ingredient, already mixed with other things, yes it will be a small problem to get your dish without it but not impossible. You can always ask. The worst they can do is say no they can't do that. It has been my experience that the cruise line will try.

I have cherry picked items from multiple dishes to build my own dinner. I got somebody to make me a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon even though that didn't appear anywhere on any menu on board.

It has to be within reason though. If you really want red snapper & they don't have any on board, you are not going to get red snapper for dinner. But if they serve it fried & you want it baked, they will probably make it for you.

I had a chef on board tell me I could cross order from specialty restaurants if I asked nicely & they weren't too busy. I never tried that and I would think because of the pricing that would be a problem. That chef went off the reservation & made me something he enjoyed that wasn't on any menu after the dinner I ordered wasn't to my likening.

It depends. If the thing you don't want is an ingredient, already mixed with other things, yes it will be a small problem to get your dish without it but not impossible. You can always ask. The worst they can do is say no they can't do that. It has been my experience that the cruise line will try.

 

I have cherry picked items from multiple dishes to build my own dinner. I got somebody to make me a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon even though that didn't appear anywhere on any menu on board.

 

It has to be within reason though. If you really want red snapper & they don't have any on board, you are not going to get red snapper for dinner. But if they serve it fried & you want it baked, they will probably make it for you.

 

I had a chef on board tell me I could cross order from specialty restaurants if I asked nicely & they weren't too busy. I never tried that and I would think because of the pricing that would be a problem. That chef went off the reservation & made me something he enjoyed that wasn't on any menu after the dinner I ordered wasn't to my likening.

This reminds me of the guy who wanted the chef to cook the fish he was going to catch.... can't remember where he was, probably Alaska. He just couldn't figure out why this would be a problem.

It depends. If the thing you don't want is an ingredient, already mixed with other things, yes it will be a small problem to get your dish without it but not impossible. You can always ask. The worst they can do is say no they can't do that. It has been my experience that the cruise line will try.

 

I have cherry picked items from multiple dishes to build my own dinner. I got somebody to make me a grilled cheese sandwich with bacon even though that didn't appear anywhere on any menu on board.

 

It has to be within reason though. If you really want red snapper & they don't have any on board, you are not going to get red snapper for dinner. But if they serve it fried & you want it baked, they will probably make it for you.

 

I had a chef on board tell me I could cross order from specialty restaurants if I asked nicely & they weren't too busy. I never tried that and I would think because of the pricing that would be a problem. That chef went off the reservation & made me something he enjoyed that wasn't on any menu after the dinner I ordered wasn't to my likening.

You also need to note that if an item is not on the menu somewhere onboard that day, you probably won't get it. Orders for menu items go to Provisions in the morning, proper quantities are pulled from the freezers and sent to the prep galleys for defrost and portioning, and then up to the main or specialty galleys. Ships don't have microwaves to defrost items quickly.

This reminds me of the couple I shared a table with who were "on a diet" and had to have a different, off menu, fresh fruit salad every night. With ice cream on the side. And the husband had to have mint tea, made from fresh leaves NOT a tea bag, too.

On the last night they thanked the waiters profusely, and left without tipping...:rolleyes:

This reminds me of the couple I shared a table with who were "on a diet" and had to have a different, off menu, fresh fruit salad every night. With ice cream on the side. And the husband had to have mint tea, made from fresh leaves NOT a tea bag, too.

 

 

 

On the last night they thanked the waiters profusely, and left without tipping...:rolleyes:

You do realize that couple could have prepaid their gratuities.... How would you have known ?

Of course they could have been cheap and stiffed the staff, but just leaving in the last night you can't tell who has long ago already prepaid or had them paid by a TA.

You do realize that couple could have prepaid their gratuities.... How would you have known ?

 

Of course they could have been cheap and stiffed the staff, but just leaving in the last night you can't tell who has long ago already prepaid or had them paid by a TA.

Ah, but this was on P&O where its the done thing to tip the waiters and room stewards extra, as the prepaid gratuities are only half the industry standard.

Of course they didn't HAVE to, but I would have felt cheap giving just a handshake so if I'd had as many special requests as that couple.

You do realize that couple could have prepaid their gratuities.... How would you have known ?

 

Of course they could have been cheap and stiffed the staff, but just leaving in the last night you can't tell who has long ago already prepaid or had them paid by a TA.

When someone from the UK says someone didn't tip - you KNOW there is an issue LOL.

It doesn't sound like this was the case but auto tipping has not always been there. It used to be you put money in an envelope and handed it to the various crew on the last night.

The OP didn't mention which cruise line. Maybe he/she can ask on the specific board for that cruise line and ask how accommodating it is for special requests.

I'm a picky eater and I know Princess is great about how dishes are described on the menus. You can even ask the head waiter to come over with the next night's dinner menu so you can preselect an entree for special preparation. In fact, after my hubby got a borderline cholesterol test back, I put him down for a low cholesterol diet on his next cruise. Each night, he would select an entree to be prepared in a lower fat way. Before the next cruise, he asked me not to put this on his cruise personalizer :o -- but then, he's pretty good about eating healthy.

On our most recent cruise, after casually mentioning to our waiter that I avoid seafood dishes as I'm allergic to shellfish (he was reciting the specials), the head waiter showed up in two shakes of a lamb's tail. I assured him I was okay and didn't need his assistance on this (I don't like fish anyway). If there's something I don't eat on my plate, I'll either offer it to hubby (he'll eat almost anything) or just leave it. And I know I can always order the always available chicken without drama.

The OP can always check with the waiter on veggies -- if he doesn't know which ones come with a meal of interest, the head waiter could be summoned to let the passenger know what comes on the plate and if it can be deleted if not wanted.

If it's for a particular dietary requirement, the ship will go out of their way to satisfy it. If it's because you don't, for instance, like broccoli, then yes, it is an inconvenience to the kitchen staff who do pump out the meals in quick order and causes a hiccup. They can do it, but the meal is multi-course and the portions are not gigantic. The food eventually goes to the fishes so it's not exactly wasted. I'm more than happy to ignore a veggie that I don't like, rather than tell the waiter to please leave it off. We cruised with someone who was a picky eater and asked for a side-dish to be left off. The waiter wanted to offer a substitute and kept trying to find something she liked. He was so afraid that a meal wouldn't satisfy her that I wanted to SHAKE her and ask that she NOT do this anymore...PLEASE. It's a small amount...just don't look at it...lol. There have been several meals where my son-in-law, who is a BIG eater has asked for two different entrees or more than one of the same entree. After the first meal, the waiters always asked, "two for you tonight?" They try to anticipate. When they found out that my Grandson's favorite appetizer was escargot and that he was having me order one for him, the following night when he ordered Escargot, the waiter brought 3 and said, "for starter" and smiled. I've never felt more pampered than by the wait staff in the dining room. One night I had been out in the sun and was feeling tired and had gotten a bit overheated so I wasn't very hungry. The waiter was so concerned that I didn't like the entree or the menu selections. At dessert, he brought out three, sat them on the table and said he was trying to tempt me to eat. They are wonderful. We just "go with the flow." They are great and will do whatever they can to make you happy.

I don't eat certain things, like most vegetables. So I try to carefully read the menu descriptions of plates. Then I can avoid dishes that contain those things. For example, most of the "Spanish or Mexican" style dishes use beans of some sort in them. If the beans are a side dish, I ask them to be left off and it is not a problem. But if the dish itself includes beans, I simply don't order it.

BTW, I've always found something and have never left a cruise hungry!

I always just ask for what I want (for example, sirloin medium rare with green beans instead of broccoli). The waiter has always said of course, no problem, and brings what I want.

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