Are there benefits to special diets (vegan) in suites?

You only need to lower your expectations if you're not willing to pay for what you want.

That said, when you compare the net daily rate of an inclusive premium/luxury line versus being nickel/dimed for everything on a mass market line, you may be pleasantly surprised at the bottom line value. Nonetheless, you do "get what you pay for."

I agree with you that food is most likely better on luxury lines but can you explain to me in what areas MSC and NCL nickel & dime for everything?

I’m doing some preliminary research on cruise lines and something that I haven’t been able to find is whether or not I will have better luck with vegan meals if I stay in a higher class stateroom.

 

My fiancé and I enjoy traveling very much and all of our vacations have centered around food. We haven’t found any difficulty navigating larger cities when it comes to finding vegan fine dining and we’d like to try our luck on a cruise. Having read many posts and articles online, it seems as though vegan dining on cruises has come a long way. Still, it seems to be centered around stir fry, pasta, and salad; three items that require very little imagination or ingenuity from a chef. I am a personal chef myself, having graduated culinary school and working professionally now. It is not unfair to say that I have high standards when it comes to dining - and I want to ensure that my meals are given as much care and consideration as my omnivorous shipmates.

 

I know that we would like to stay in a suite (perhaps Celebrity or NCL because of the butler and concierge service). That is, I think that it would be beneficial to have a crew member’s ear when it comes to requesting vegan food that doesn’t feel like an afterthought.

 

Have any vegans here experienced cruising in suites? Do you find that you get better service from the kitchens based on the fact that you are a suite guest? In cocktail parties that are offered to suite guests, have you been catered to as well? Or have you been given a plate of fruit and crackers?

 

Any insight anyone can provide would be much appreciated. Thank you so much!

 

 

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Can't respond to your specific request for vegan food, but in general, as others have indicated your cabin category most likely has very little to do regarding the quality of the meals you will receive. Many factors will influence this, which are specific to cruise lines and even individual ships. While some cruise lines provide separate dinning rooms for suite passengers, you should be asking whether those restaurants have a separate galley. If the meals come from the same prep areas and galley, you will get the same quality as the MDR, only difference might be some additional choices.

Is the butler a good resource to get better vegan meals. Personally, I highly doubt it will have any significant affect. Passengers with dietary restrictions normally are provided the menus a day in advance by an A/Hd Waiter, who delivers the requests to the galley. This is probably more effective than coming from a butler.

Rather than considering a suite on a mass market mega ship line, I would consider a smaller ship premium/luxury line, where the service is definitely more personal and you have a greater chance of experiencing the fine dinning you desire.

Once you short list to a specific cruise line, you will get more detailed responses by asking questions on the respective Board for that Line.

On HAL    people  in  all ca  bins are given  equal attention o special dining requests in MDR.   All   Vegans who request special  dining will be p;rovieed that.

My niece was with me on Celebrity Silhouette in March and had a wonderful experience w/ the Vegan items. The first couple nights she pre-ordered. Then we weren't in the main dining room so she could do that and the chef just created a Chef's special which she loved so much she asked that he continue to do that every night. She also found numerous selections in the buffet or the Mast grill can do a veggie burger if you are willing to wait for them to cook it. I've read on the boards that there may be a dedicated vegan station now in the buffet on Celebrity. All I know is that kid never went hungry the entire cruise.

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• June 10, 2014
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Posted October 9

 

Allonsea said:

I’m doing some preliminary research on cruise lines and something that I haven’t been able to find is whether or not I will have better luck with vegan meals if I stay in a higher class stateroom.

My fiancé and I enjoy traveling very much and all of our vacations have centered around food. We haven’t found any difficulty navigating larger cities when it comes to finding vegan fine dining and we’d like to try our luck on a cruise. Having read many posts and articles online, it seems as though vegan dining on cruises has come a long way. Still, it seems to be centered around stir fry, pasta, and salad; three items that require very little imagination or ingenuity from a chef. I am a personal chef myself, having graduated culinary school and working professionally now. It is not unfair to say that I have high standards when it comes to dining - and I want to ensure that my meals are given as much care anduote consideration as my omnivorous shipmate

.

 

Chef,,   You need to be reasonable  and realize,   these ships cannoT  be "FINE   DINING" in  their MDR.     They are serving so many  thousands of guests and crew  three (plus) meals  a day and  though  they do a very good job, it HAs to be   banquet food to a point.  I know  Michelin  three   star dining and clearly recognize  the differences    but applaud the chefs  and culinary staffs on the ships.   They  do an amazing job,   IMO,  some of course, better  than others.

 

if you  b oard the ship intending to critique and expect the fine  dining of the best restaurants in major world class cities, you Will likely be dissatisfied.  As a chef, you likely know t his. 

 

Hope you enjoy and have a  great cruise but     go,  trying  to be reasonable will hopefully leg you be pleased.

You might think to put together a group of friends and family and charter  private yacht.   That could be quite fabulous.