This will be new for me.

Oh boy, just what I wanted for my birthday, (or five days after), to be told I was diabetic!!

My DW and I are sailing on the Freedom on 9/28/14. Does anyone have experience with being on a cruise being diabetic?

Umbrella drinks, buffets and sweets...oh my!! I have no concept of being on a cruise vacation and having to watch what I eat and drink. HELP!!!

Oh boy, just what I wanted for my birthday, (or five days after), to be told I was diabetic!!

 

My DW and I are sailing on the Freedom on 9/28/14. Does anyone have experience with being on a cruise being diabetic?

 

Umbrella drinks, buffets and sweets...oh my!! I have no concept of being on a cruise vacation and having to watch what I eat and drink. HELP!!!

It can be done. Obviously can't go for the "free for all" approach.

On our last cruise both myself and DW did just that. While in the MDR we were mindful of the things we ordered and on Carnival (sorry I have no experience with RCCL) they had great tasty sensible meals listed at each sitting. Obviously it will take the choice to have them over the other choices, but it can be done.

Go knowing what things you will be drawn to and do not put yourself in a place that they will be. Just because there is a window for sweets does not mean you have to indulge. Again, at the buffet there were sweets that were sugar free.

Lastly, don't make yourself think of the whole experience as the food you are missing. Concentrate on the memories you are making, the fun you are having and the other stuff will not be as important.

General advice--

-Ask your room steward for a sharps container.

-Frio makes containers to keep meds cold without ice.

-Only prepackaged foods off the ship. Bring something onshore with you, JIC.

Are you insulin dependent? If so, look into an insulin pen, one that can be used for 28 days without being refrigerated. My DH uses the pen and when traveling, it's the best.

I'm a Type II Diabetic which I control TOTALLY by diet. It can be done!

You don't have to give up everything you enjoy ... just limit the amount of it you eat or drink. Eating a "heart friendly" diet works well for diabetics too. ;)

I was able to order from the regular menu without a problem!

LuLu

Royal Caribbean also has a sugar free dessert option on the dinner menu in the MDR. You can get sauces on the side. And honestly, the desserts on cruise ships generally look better than they taste. You can also get a cheese plate.

Watch out for Carbs in those Sugar Free desserts.

Try to substitute fruit for some of those taste items.

Actually ,portion control is very important and that is what cruise lines do well in the dinning room, small potions of taste foods.

Control yourself @ the buffet .

Hi newtexan,

I understand your situation. I am diabetic myself and have controlled it with diet, exercise, and a low dose of Metformin. I have cruised many times since diagnosis, and on two cruises I even lost weight! I know!!

Here are some other threads in another forum. They were written by other members who are diabetics, or who simply eat the diet recommended by doctors. Included are tips and advice, and I think they are an excellent read for someone in your situation.

You CAN do this. Have a great cruise!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1361583 <---click here

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1864615 <---and click here

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Don't panic about the diagnosis. This is a condition that can be managed even on a cruise ship. There are plenty of options available and you can walk out of the dining room feeling very satisfied food wise.

Don't be afraid to ask questions about the offerings on the menu and to request sauces on the side and extra veggies instead of potatoes, rice and pastas.

One of the things we do is to make sure that we get our exercise. That is key to getting the insulin to work properly. If I want a treat like dessert, I combine it with a little extra exercise. The exercise does not need to be intense. Stairs instead of elevators (even if only for one floor) and a couple of laps on the promenade do the trick.

The poster who said not to concentrate on what you're missing is spot on. In actuality, you will probably come out ahead as you will feel better when your blood glucose is controlled.

Debbie

I was told last Sept that I was diabetic. Went on the 94 day QV World Voyage and had no problems. I take no meds and controll with walking and watching what I ate. I never took the elevator during the 94 days. Tell your head waiter and he will provide the next days menu (lunch & dinner) and you make your choices.

They were very good about providing a good meal with fewer carbs. They usually had sugar free or low sugar items too. For breakfast they had sugar free syrup for your pancakes or French toast.

I would have no hesitations about doing this again.

Have a great trip.

Don

Contact the special needs dept and notify them of your dietary needs. If you take insulin they can put a sharps box in your cabin and if you need to refrigerate meds they will give you a small medication fridge (at least on Royal Caribbean they did this for us.)

And keep in touch on board with maître de and your waiter

Standard issues really and they will look after you well

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Are you insulin dependent? If so, look into an insulin pen, one that can be used for 28 days without being refrigerated. My DH uses the pen and when traveling, it's the best.

Not on any meds yet, just lifestyle changes for now. Thanks.

Not on any meds yet, just lifestyle changes for now. Thanks.

I've been diabetic for almost 20 years. I'm a type II and take meds.

As others have noted, portion control and being careful (especially around the buffet) are big helps.

You should learn about nutrition -you need a balance, including carbs, in your diet. Also, some food will affect your blood sugar more than others (I'm not talking candy here). For examine, with me, rice is a killer but potatoes are much better (again portions are important).

You should experiment and most of all, relax! It is OK once and a while to have a dessert with a balanced meal (just make sure it is not two or three;))

Finally, exercise is an important component in the treatment for diabetes. We like to walk the promenade deck in the mornings usually before breakfast. It is a great way to see beautiful sunsets, breath salt air and drink in beautiful ocean vistas, all while keeping fit!

Get a second opinion and do some more research. DCOY has the right idea and exercise seems to reduce or stabilize blood sugar levels more than diet. It also depends on where the lab sets the bar. Some consider an A1c above 6.5 to be diabetes yet, for some, a goal of 7.0 is recommended for acceptable control of type II. Other labs consider fasting b/s readings above 110 to be pre diabetes while others don't recommend meds unless readings are above 130. Have a great cruise and make some small lifestyle changes first to see if it brings results. It worked for me.

Hope things get better

Enjoy your cruise

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Bring your meter (I hope your doctor talked about having one) and test, test, test. We call it "eating to your meter". You will quickly learn what foods can spike your blood sugar and can eat less of them. Carbs are my personal downfall - yummy croissants, breads and such - I satisfy myself with just a couple of bites to get a bit of enjoyment, not deprivation. For liquor it is staying away from the fruity stuff and stick to rum and diet coke or some thing with flavored vodkas and diet soda.

Oh boy, just what I wanted for my birthday, (or five days after), to be told I was diabetic!!

 

My DW and I are sailing on the Freedom on 9/28/14. Does anyone have experience with being on a cruise being diabetic?

 

Umbrella drinks, buffets and sweets...oh my!! I have no concept of being on a cruise vacation and having to watch what I eat and drink. HELP!!!

I read further down and found that you can be lifestyle controlled. While it is a little late to get all the teaching you need, make sure after the cruise your doctor sends you for dietary counseling.

Keep in mind while on the cruise, your goal is to be off meds and avoiding the need for shots. You can do it-I know you can!!

One thing about managing the condition that you do need to be careful about are episodes of low blood sugar. Sometimes they result as a reaction to going too high and then when there is an excess of insulin to counteract it, you go low. Always carry some small hard candies with you in case this happens.

The symptom that most affected me was getting the jitters and feeling like I was going to keel over. Do have your meter handy and check your blood sugar and if low, eat something.

Deb

Don't panic. When I got my type II diabetes diagnosis last year I was devastated. But you really can still enjoy life, with just some lifestyle adjustments. Remember that *all carbs* will affect your blood sugar not just sugar/desserts, so go easy on bread, pasta, fruit and potatoes. Seafood, steak, cream, butter, chicken and vegetables are all fine. There will be sugar free desserts on the menu every day, or if you enjoy cheese, skip dessert and have cheese instead - must less likely to affect your blood sugar. I know everyone is different but I really don't find the desserts/cakes on cruise ships to be very good anyway - I'm always a bit disappointed in them (plus I have really lost my sweet tooth since being diabetic).

Try to fit in some extra exercise if you are able - swimming, or using the stairs rather than the elevator.

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WOW! Great suggestions and support from you all. Reminds me of the message boards on the ADA website. Thanks much!

Its a new way of living ahead of you, i know. But you do get used to not being able to eat the many things other people do. I think about how long i want to live when i make the choises.

I have a mixed type of diabetes, which means i am very sensitive to carbohydrates but dont need any medicines as yet, with sensible eating i may push the time when i will use insulin years ahead of me.

But it definately is a new way of cruising.