meal planning - Eclipse in 3 weeks

Greetings all,

We're getting excited about our upcoming Eclipse cruise.

I've decided the best way to not gain (too much) weight on this cruise, beyond my usual habits, is to eat only a salad for lunch.

Where can I get the best entree salads every day for lunch? MDR? Bistro on 5? Does Baccio only have treats or do they have salads, too? I'll poke around the buffet but if we're not off the ship I prefer a sit down meal to a buffet meal for lunch.

Best way to take advantage of room service once or twice?

Any other dining tips for a foodie? We may do Tuscan Grille once, or not, and leaning against Murano and Qsine since the latter is not our style and we have lots of good Italian options around here.

Thank you all,

I too try to watch cals while cruising. Salads at the buffet are excellent, so good I haven't tried anywhere else. The main dining room is open on sea days so you could eat there.

The Murano is a good restaurant, don't write it off until you have seen the menu. That being said, it is calorie heavy, but soooo good.

If you are eating in the main dining room my best advice for building a calorie wise meal is read the menu through, decide what is your must have, then build around it. ie, if there is a great starter maybe skip the main or desert ( blasphemy haha), just because there are 4 courses you don't need to eat all four, tempting though it is.

With all the walking and stairs( not elevator), I tend to only put on 5lb and 3-4 of that is water retention because of the extra salt.- don't sweat it enjoy the cruise and the food. My gain is gone within 2 weeks of getting home and into my usual routine.

I do try to keep fru fru drinks to 1 a day as they are calorie dense.

Cheers, h

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If I'm onboard at lunch time I like to go to the buffet and make a nice salad. Not only do I feel a bit healthy but it's a treat to me just to have everything all cut up and ready to go. :) Nothing foodie or gourmet about it but then at dinner I don't feel too bad eating a fabulous meal at Murano or the Tuscan Grill.

My favourite place for lunch is the Aqua Spa café. They have great calorie-wise choices. One of my favourites is the chicken salad, made with a yogourt dressing, which I will have with one of the small fruit or green salads. Yum.

I really enjoy the salad bar at the buffet for lunch - although it takes a lot of willpower not to indulge in other items while we're there. Occasionally we'll add a couple of other items, like meat or cheese, from other serving stations if those types of items at the salad bar station don't appeal on a particular day.

Sometimes during a cruise, especially if we've had a big lunch on shore, I'll also have just an entrée salad at the MDR for dinner. While they don't usually have one on the menu I've never had a problem asking for a large salad with chicken or shrimp for my entrée when I've asked.

We will be on this cruise with you! For Salads the buffet will have a great selection and you can build your own with literally anything you want. If you want to sit down at lunch, then MDR will always have some nice options. They should have. A couple salads on the menu, but they may not always have big entree salads. They should always have nice starter salads and of course some simple starters that you can probably mix and match.

The aqua cafe is always a good option for lunch. They have healthy (smaller) portions of grilled salmon, chicken, etc. and most is quite good. Or you can always drink your calories at lunch and call the olives in your martini your salad.

Cheers and Happy Cruising! Hope to see you on board.

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Cafe Al Bacio only serves sweets. There are no salads or savories

served there.

AquaSpa Café would be my recommendation for a healthier lunch. Some good fruit there also.

You can make a salad as healthy as you want in the main buffet (Oceanview Café), and you can make a fairly healthy & delicious taco salad/tostada at the Mexican station as well.

thanks all. I'm so glad I posted this, or I would never have heard of AquaSpa Cafe, and if I had I would have assumed it was limited to Aqua Class.

If MDR is closed on port days, what are the options? buffet, AquaSpa, Bistro on 5? Anything else? (that said, I think we'll be in port most port days ourselves).

By the way, is there no way to 'pack a lunch' for the port days?

No idea really about what is available on board on port days. I'm always on shore.

It is against quarantine/ food import-export regs to take food ashore. Sealed packs like granola bars ( factory sealed ) are ok.

Cheers, h.

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Just so you know, Tuscan Grill IS Italian; Murano is French.

I too like sit down meals, but in my experience the lunch menu in the MDR is weak and the salads are not very appealing. As much as I dislike buffets, if you want a nice entrée salad I think making your own at the buffet is your best bet.

I do love the breads but limiting that is my real commitment to staying on some control of foods.

Protein, anything green in all the resteraunts, with only the light oil. Use the parmasian cheese.

Go with the recommended low cal. Items if you can but by all means enjoy your food.

I try to not eat until I am full, don't feel the need to clean your plate and some room for a bite or 2 of desert.

My heavy...humble opinion (-:

I'm not overweight but I just really like to eat so in a place with unlimited food I can get in trouble. At a Chinese restaurant I've been known to put away 10 bowls of rice with food! For me a great entree salad at lunch is a treat because I can't do that during my work week. I'll try AquaSpa Cafe, and maybe MDR once to see, and can always do the buffet as well (just throw some protein on my own salad).

If I only do one specialty restaurant for dinner, which would you recommend? We like anything but prefer substance over style. We prefer hearty, savory food over delicate, airy, 'pretty' creations. We also will be perfectly happy in the MDR so if there isn't a really special reason to fork over $90-$100 for dinner for the two of us, we won't.

We will be on this cruise with you! For Salads the buffet will have a great selection and you can build your own with literally anything you want. If you want to sit down at lunch, then MDR will always have some nice options. They should have. A couple salads on the menu, but they may not always have big entree salads. They should always have nice starter salads and of course some simple starters that you can probably mix and match.

 

The aqua cafe is always a good option for lunch. They have healthy (smaller) portions of grilled salmon, chicken, etc. and most is quite good. Or you can always drink your calories at lunch and call the olives in your martini your salad.

 

Cheers and Happy Cruising! Hope to see you on board.

 

 

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We're on the Jan.18 trip. Is the Spa cafe' open to all? If it is, it sounds like a great spot for us to get a salad for lunch.

We're on the Jan.18 trip. Is the Spa cafe' open to all? If it is, it sounds like a great spot for us to get a salad for lunch.

Open to everyone and also open for breakfast

I'm not overweight but I just really like to eat so in a place with unlimited food I can get in trouble. At a Chinese restaurant I've been known to put away 10 bowls of rice with food! For me a great entree salad at lunch is a treat because I can't do that during my work week. I'll try AquaSpa Cafe, and maybe MDR once to see, and can always do the buffet as well (just throw some protein on my own salad).

 

If I only do one specialty restaurant for dinner, which would you recommend? We like anything but prefer substance over style. We prefer hearty, savory food over delicate, airy, 'pretty' creations. We also will be perfectly happy in the MDR so if there isn't a really special reason to fork over $90-$100 for dinner for the two of us, we won't.

LOL, future cruisemate -- those sound like good options. One piece of advice: avoid the pool grill -- those burgers (and fries) are addictive! :p

On a more serious note, we're big fans of the AquaSpa Cafe, but it's better on some ships than others. On all three of our Century cruises, we ate there for lunch most days. But, on our recent Summit cruise, we found it disappointing. It had all of the ambiance of a high school cafeteria salad bar -- no grilled fish or chicken. Just wilted lettuce, cooked grain dishes, and some weird-looking pickled fruit. I'm REALLY hoping that the AquaSpa Cafe on Eclipse is better!

I'm not overweight but I just really like to eat so in a place with unlimited food I can get in trouble. At a Chinese restaurant I've been known to put away 10 bowls of rice with food! For me a great entree salad at lunch is a treat because I can't do that during my work week. I'll try AquaSpa Cafe, and maybe MDR once to see, and can always do the buffet as well (just throw some protein on my own salad).

 

If I only do one specialty restaurant for dinner, which would you recommend? We like anything but prefer substance over style. We prefer hearty, savory food over delicate, airy, 'pretty' creations. We also will be perfectly happy in the MDR so if there isn't a really special reason to fork over $90-$100 for dinner for the two of us, we won't.

Tuscan Grill would be closest to what you've described.

Really can't beat the buffet for a salad. The salad fixings are off by themselves so a little easier than standing in a buffet line and you get to pick what you want. Throw some grilled chicken or shrimp on top and you have a nice little lunch. Remember it's the dressing that gets you :)

LOL, future cruisemate -- those sound like good options. One piece of advice: avoid the pool grill -- those burgers (and fries) are addictive! :p

 

On a more serious note, we're big fans of the AquaSpa Cafe, but it's better on some ships than others. On all three of our Century cruises, we ate there for lunch most days. But, on our recent Summit cruise, we found it disappointing. It had all of the ambiance of a high school cafeteria salad bar -- no grilled fish or chicken. Just wilted lettuce, cooked grain dishes, and some weird-looking pickled fruit. I'm REALLY hoping that the AquaSpa Cafe on Eclipse is better!

Just to let you all know..Those burgers & fries are NOT produced on the ship. We use the same ones on some of our summer cookouts(catering company)They are most likely purchaced from US Foods or Sysco. Quality is actually pretty good, but not homemade.

Open to everyone and also open for breakfast

Thank you. I'm surprised we missed it on last years trip. We won't this year.

On the Solstice in 2009 we had dinner in Murano and I had the seafood risotto - it will go down as one of the best meals I have ever had! There was no way I could finish it but I would highly recommend it. I think it is offered in a different restaurant now, but if you see it ; have it.

Cheers, h

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Just to let you all know..Those burgers & fries are NOT produced on the ship. We use the same ones on some of our summer cookouts(catering company)They are most likely purchaced from US Foods or Sysco. Quality is actually pretty good, but not homemade.

LOL -- thanks for the heads up. But, wherever they are made -- they're still addictive! :p

Greetings all,

 

We're getting excited about our upcoming Eclipse cruise.

 

I've decided the best way to not gain (too much) weight on this cruise, beyond my usual habits, is to eat only a salad for lunch.

 

Where can I get the best entree salads every day for lunch? MDR? Bistro on 5? Does Baccio only have treats or do they have salads, too? I'll poke around the buffet but if we're not off the ship I prefer a sit down meal to a buffet meal for lunch.

 

Best way to take advantage of room service once or twice?

 

Any other dining tips for a foodie? We may do Tuscan Grille once, or not, and leaning against Murano and Qsine since the latter is not our style and we have lots of good Italian options around here.

 

Thank you all,

The salad at the buffet is excellent. You can certainly watch your carbs and calories by selecting exactly what you want. A lot of choices. Bistro on five does offer salads, but they also have other dishes and you can get hurt by extra hidden calories- Murano is my favorite- they will respect your diet if you ask. I love lobster tails broiled and never had a problem getting them as I find the rich cream sauce they usually use too heavy for me-in many ways! lol. So each restaurant will alter it's menu for you. Tuscan Grille as Murano's also offers a variety of poultry and fish- just tell them no gravy or sauces. My favorite Qsine is off the diet! Many hidden calories, but IMO well worth it a couple of times on a two week vacation. Try to walk and or excersise as much as possible as that does help. Also remember it is your vacation. If you gain a couple of pounds on the ship when you are home- you deal with it! I also prefer a sit down meal- but find that the buffet works best for me for lunch.

Let's be honest. The main reason people gain weight on a cruise is not the eating; it's the drinking. I am a very light drinker, overweight to begin with and an appetite to prove it. I have never gained weight on a cruise. Seriously - and I have cruised over 30 times. My theory is to splurge on what you really, really like and don't often have. Eat only enough to satisfy the craving. What that is varies by person. You can eat three 'real' meals with a large choice of healthy options. At the buffet at lunch, you don't need to do only salads (although that is a good option). You can have a sandwich without cheese or mayonnaise, with a side of sliced fruit . Or a slice of beef or chicken and a big pile of veggies. For breakfast, oatmeal and melon. Or a couple eggs with fruit on the side. For dinner you can do a nice lean steak, or grilled salmon. Lots and lots of options. No worries.

Will the Aqua Spa Cafe be open for lunch on embarkation day?