Menus have glaring errors

[emory2001]

I noticed this as well on the Jewel last week. I am lactose intolerant, and I enjoy completely vegan dishes when they are available (although I'm not at all strict about meatless). I was pleased to see the variety of dietary options and detailed labeling.

 

However, I noticed two things: (1) the labels regarding gluten and dairy are only "gluten-free available," and "lactose-free available," which may mean the item has to be modified in order to comply, and (2) sometimes those labels were applied incorrectly, because the item couldn't always be modified, depending on how the ingredients are incorporated. That being said, our waiters were BEYOND helpful in modifying dishes for me whenever possible. For instance, when my dinner entree was supposed to come with mashed potatoes, they substituted a plain baked potato. When dessert was an angel food cake with caramel and vanilla sauces, they brought me plain angel food cake with strawberries. On nights when nothing on the dessert menu could be modified for me (i.e. cheesecakes and mousses), they brought me a baked cinnamon apple. I couldn't have been more pleased. :D

[Starry Eyes]

With just 3.2% of Americans being vegetarians and another 10% "inclined" that way, the number of choices on the menu seems reasonable.

 

The just-released “Vegetarianism in America” study, published by Vegetarian Times (vegetariantimes.com), shows that 3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or 7.3 million people, follow a vegetarian-based diet. Approximately 0.5 percent, or 1 million, of those are vegans, who consume no animal products at all. In addition, 10 percent of U.S., adults, or 22.8 million people, say they largely follow a vegetarian-inclined diet.

what does "vegetarian-inclined" diet even mean? Is there even a definition for that? Or is it open to whatever interpretation the survey participant chose...maybe somebody who doesn't eat red meat, won't touch lamb, loves salads or eats rice/beans because they are cheaper? Who knows? And who thinks people tell surveyors from Vegetarian times the truth about their diet?

[NorbertsNiece]

Look at the menus posted in this thread, V is for vegetarian. Vitality has a symbol that looks like an upside down Y.

 

In fact the V is some kind of plant..... an ear of corn perhaps? Sorry the pic is hazy....

[momof3hungryboys]

It does sound, from what other people have said, that RCCL goes the extra mile to please its cruisers. I'll have to report back after my cruise in April. :)

 

Honestly, if I can get an Indian veggie curry or a baked potato and steamed/grilled veggies I'll be happy. Plus, if we have any questions it sounds as if my waiter or the head waiter should be able to help us.

 

I'm super excited to go on a cruise with my kids and my parents, and I'm looking forward to our meals together. I'm sure we'll all do fine.

[TEXASMUNK]

thanks for the numbers...was just plain curious

[emory2001]

momof3hungryboys, there was Indian food on the Windjammer buffet every day at lunch. I can't imagine it would be too hard for them bring some of it to the dining room at dinner, especially if you let your waiter know the night before what you'd like the next night. A few times, in anticipation of certain items on the next night's menu requiring advance notice to be made dairy free, my waiter brought me the next night's menu, so I could let him know ahead of time what I wanted, and we could talk about modifications if necessary. Seriously, they are so accommodating once they know your needs. :)

 

(And they won't care that you are in the whatever-percentage of people who have that dietary need, or whether your dietary need is strict or merely a preference. All they will care about is that you are taken care of to your satisfaction.)

[earn]

Think RCI do really well accommodating my gluten free diet, but the new menu does (or did in October away) have a few items over the 10 days labeled gluten free, which I was told I couldn't have. I thought it would have been fixed by now. I have just booked an MSC cruise in the Caribbean before our Transatlantic in April. They are meant to be great for gluten free, and recommended by Coeliac UK, but RCI will be hard to beat for me.

[MadManOfBethesda]

Jello contains gelatin.

 

What do you mean Jello contains gelatin? Jello is gelatin.

 

It's like saying Chapstick contains lip balm or Kleenex contains tissue. :D

 

Jello, Chapstick and Kleenex, are all brand names that have become so ubiquitous over time that people now think of them as generic. Jacuzzi, Xerox, Frisbee, Band-Aid, and Tupperware are other examples of this phenomenon.

[SapphireMind]

More insidious is marshmallows which contain gelatin. Marshmallow fluff does not FYI.

 

Thank goodness DH isn't a vegan anymore :p;)

[Royal_Cruiser]

What do you mean Jello contains gelatin? Jello is gelatin.

 

It's like saying Chapstick contains lip balm or Kleenex contains tissue. :D

 

Jello, Chapstick and Kleenex, are all brand names that have become so ubiquitous over time that people now think of them as generic. Jacuzzi, Xerox, Frisbee, Band-Aid, and Tupperware are other examples of this phenomenon.

 

Well, not really. Jell-o is a brand. Gelatin can mean either a prepared dessert in the way that most of us think of Jell-o, or it can mean just gelatin. Like plain gelatin, which is a product derived from animals. So Jell-o brand gelatin dessert, or other brands of gelatin dessert, contain gelatin the animal product. :confused:

[MadManOfBethesda]

Well, not really. Jell-o is a brand. Gelatin can mean either a prepared dessert in the way that most of us think of Jell-o, or it can mean just gelatin. Like plain gelatin, which is a product derived from animals. So Jell-o brand gelatin dessert, or other brands of gelatin dessert, contain gelatin the animal product. :confused:

 

We're arguing semantics.

 

Yes, Jello is a brand of gelatin. That was my point!

 

IOW, Jello is gelatin. It makes no sense to say that Jello contains gelatin. THAT'S WHAT IT IS!

 

As I said previously, it is analogous to saying that Chapstick contains lip balm.

[DebJ14]

Many of the items that are labelled GF are prepared specifically as such and served without the bread accompaniment for example or glutinous sauce. GF food is prepared in a dedicated kitchen so when requesting an item from the menu that is labelled GF you need to ask for the GF version. It's perfectly adequate and delicious.

 

GF on the ships is not prepared in a dedicated kitchen and they warn you of the possibility of cross contamination. I do have to say that the waiters are woefully lacking in any knowledge or understanding of GF in the MDR. We had much better luck in Chops and at Giovanni's table.

[whataboutport]

The Jell-o brand sold in the US has not used animal products for it's gelatin in quite some time. It did in the past. I think they use kelp now or some type of seaweed. If you buy any jellie candies made overseas, such as in Latin America, Asia, the gelatin they use is animal derived.

[SapphireMind]

The Jell-o brand sold in the US has not used animal products for it's gelatin in quite some time. It did in the past. I think they use kelp now or some type of seaweed. If you buy any jellie candies made overseas, such as in Latin America, Asia, the gelatin they use is animal derived.

 

That is incorrect. Jello gelatin is an animal-based product. Anything that has gelatin is animal-based. You can use gelatin substitutes in certain recipes (like agar agar) If it says gelatin and nothing else, it is from an animal. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gelatin

[NorbertsNiece]

GF on the ships is not prepared in a dedicated kitchen and they warn you of the possibility of cross contamination. I do have to say that the waiters are woefully lacking in any knowledge or understanding of GF in the MDR. We had much better luck in Chops and at Giovanni's table.

 

Hi apologies but I did read an account of a behind the scenes tour where someone described a separate kitchen..... certainly on Adventure the crew was very well informed 99% of the time and were happy to jump on the learning curve when needed.

[goodycruising]

GF on the ships is not prepared in a dedicated kitchen and they warn you of the possibility of cross contamination. I do have to say that the waiters are woefully lacking in any knowledge or understanding of GF in the MDR. We had much better luck in Chops and at Giovanni's table.

 

If you felt the waiters were not confident in their knowledge, I would ask to speak to the head waiter fellow. He must be getting a tip at the end for something more than walking around smiling. Our last head waiter did have fun magic tricks, but I would hope that his talents would run to helping with food questions in these sort of situations. The cruise line does want happy customers, and the many tiers of management should be able to help.

[Big_G]

Maybe your boys wouldn't be so hungry if you just fed them some meat. Just sayin'... :D

[novicetraveller]

For info... if none of the menu items meets your requirements, you can always ask for Tofu, which is what I ate for most of the 2nd week of my cruise in Sept. 08 2012. I have put in a request for my next cruise for much the same thing. I'm not a strict vegetarian, as I will be eating Caesar Salad, which has non-veg cheese.... otherwise it's a vegeterian salad.

[momof3hungryboys]

Maybe your boys wouldn't be so hungry if you just fed them some meat. Just sayin'... :D

 

 

I thought teenage boys are always hungry, regardless. Besides which they were the ones that decided to be vegetarians, I didn't make them.

 

In fact my middle son, at age 8, decided he was going to be a vegetarian, and he was the first vegetarian of the family. Then my oldest son and I decided to join him. After 5 years my youngest son finally decided to convert too.

 

Now all 3 boys have decided to be a vegan at home and vegetarian when they eat out. ;)

[earn]

I was told on Liberty that they prepare GF food in a GF area. I am 'glutened' quite easily, but have been fine most of the time on RCI ships. I did have one night in the MDR on my last Grandeur cruise where I knew I had been got, as my arms started to tingle, and I couldn't be bothered to talk etc. Half way through the meal I couldn't keep my eyes open. I have no idea what it was, but expect it was something simple like the waiter using the same tongs for my bread as the rolls. In general they are fab, and much better than land based hotels.

[Royalty X]

I understand what you are saying. Still experience has told me that people/staff don't have a good understanding of what items are vegetarian or gluten free.

 

At a bread store I asked an employee if they had any gluten free bread, and they told me it was all gluten free. They obviously didn't have a clue.

:eek: Seriously!? I wouldn't have known what to say. LOL! :D

We've also been given food samples after explaining to the food rep that we don't eat animal products, only to find out that it contained something we choose not to eat, like anchovies.

 

I'll be sure to check with the staff on my trip, and I'm sure we'll figure it out. I wonder if the caesar salad is vegetarian, since the dressing traditionally contains anchovies. I guess I'll have to ask.

Hehe, that's another good one. I can't believe that some people genuinely think that seafood isn't meat. Although, if the caesar salad has chicken on it, it's probably safe to say it's not vegetarian. ;) LOL!:)

[Royal_Cruiser]

We're arguing semantics.

 

Yes, Jello is a brand of gelatin. That was my point!

 

IOW, Jello is gelatin. It makes no sense to say that Jello contains gelatin. THAT'S WHAT IT IS!

 

As I said previously, it is analogous to saying that Chapstick contains lip balm.

 

You're right. :-)

[whataboutport]

For info... if none of the menu items meets your requirements, you can always ask for Tofu, which is what I ate for most of the 2nd week of my cruise in Sept. 08 2012. I have put in a request for my next cruise for much the same thing. I'm not a strict vegetarian, as I will be eating Caesar Salad, which has non-veg cheese.... otherwise it's a vegeterian salad.

 

Traditionally cesar salad dressing has anchovy in it.

[LindaM]

What do you mean Jello contains gelatin? Jello is gelatin.

 

It's like saying Chapstick contains lip balm or Kleenex contains tissue. :D

 

Jello, Chapstick and Kleenex, are all brand names that have become so ubiquitous over time that people now think of them as generic. Jacuzzi, Xerox, Frisbee, Band-Aid, and Tupperware are other examples of this phenomenon.

 

 

 

Hey...it's me!! I did a search, too. No wonder you have so many posts I am shocked I have been here and have never noticed you before. You are one of the CC trolls---I promise to look forward to your posts in the future. These boards would be pretty boring otherwise. Don't forget to read my response to your last post!

[Toddcan]

I thought teenage boys are always hungry, regardless. Besides which they were the ones that decided to be vegetarians, I didn't make them.

 

 

You adopted them? :D