Vegan Advice

[West Coast Gal]

Looking at booking a cruise with someone who eats vegan in our party. How is Princess for finding more than just salad to satisfy a vegan?

[Love.II.Cruise]

Looking at booking a cruise with someone who eats vegan in our party. How is Princess for finding more than just salad to satisfy a vegan?

 

I'm not sure, but I would contact Princess directly and see what they say. I'd definitely let them know of the restrictions when booking.

 

We were vegetarians for 6 months and we're concerned about taking a cruise as a vegetarian (having a veggie burger cooked on the same grill as meat would have been an issue for us). When you really start reading ingredients of products that you think are vegetarian, it is a real eye opener.

 

I can't imagine trying to sail as a vegan (especially if you are extremely strict). Best of luck!

[Loonbeam]

Do a thread search on Vegan, this is a common topic..

 

Also, from my FAQ:

 

Food Allergies/Special Diets/Dietary Concerns

 

Many cruisers nowadays have special dietary needs, most often for medical reasons. Cruise lines will do everything possible to accommodate reasonable requests, but it takes a partnership.

If you have a dietary need, there are certain general steps you should follow:

 

• If your needs are medically based, I recommend traditional dining. Maintaining the same wait staff will make it much easier to manage. If TD is not an option, see below.
  
• Indicate your specific needs in the cruise personalizer as early as possible. This allows for the possibility of onloading any special items needed.
  
• Once onboard, contact the Maitre’D on embarkation day (location will be listed in the patter). Confirm they have your details correct. He or she will go over their specific protocols with you.
  
• Indicate if your dietary needs are medical or preferential, i.e. a food allergy versus a lifestyle choice. This can influence options available and also make it easier on the kitchen staff. Food allergies require special care, but if you don’t eat nuts by preference you will not know they used the same pot to cook it.
  
• During meals, your main point of contact will be your servers and most especially your headwaiter. Each evening, the headwaiter should review the next day’s menu with you and will work with you to adjust as needed. They can also make arrangements for specialty dining, which should be confirmed upon arrival at the venue.
  
• If you are in AD, and at Breakfast and Lunch, advise your servers that the headwaiter is aware of your special diet and has arranged menu options if available.
  

Some Notes:

 

• Needless to say, your options may be limited early on Embarkation day, and the adjustments at the first night’s dinner may also be a little more limited as the kitchen has had very little time to prepare. That said, the kitchen will do whatever they can.
  
• In general, avoid the buffet. While Princess makes every effort to avoid cross-contamination, your fellow passengers do not. I’ve personally observed the same utensils used to spread peanut butter used to pick up other items.
  
• Princess cannot provide special meals to take off the ship as most ports will not allow it. You should plan accordingly for excursions.
  
• The executive chef and their team and the headwaiter will be working very hard to ensure your needs. If you can arrange it, a personal thank you is always a good idea, or at the very least a positive comment card.
  
• A good place to meet the EC is at the Chef’s table. The chef’s table is an excellent option and they will adjust the menu as needed.
  

 

 

This entry was posted in Food and Drink on January 29, 2013.

[Once Upon A Time]

We travel with friends that are vegan and vegetarian and I am Celiac.. so, lots of experience with special meal requests. Vegetarian is never a problem.. Vegan is usually a special request as is my No gluten/No Dairy.. The head waiter brings the next day's menu at the end of dinner and we discuss the options and order for the next day. We can order lunch and dinner.. or just dinner. Never had a problem and it's always been perfect. Just let your waiter know that you have a special diet .. (your travel agent should also put a notification on your reservation .. special diet - Vegan):)

[West Coast Gal]

That is great news and I will do a search of the threads also

[billco]

Here is a link to a thread I started on plant based diets I started a while back.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1650339&highlight=plant+based

[West Coast Gal]

Here is a link to a thread I started on plant based diets I started a while back.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1650339&highlight=plant+based

 

Excellent - really appreciate you writing back

[JustinPlusLauren]

We will be eating a vegan diet on board the Emerald in January, and it will be my first time cruising with a plant based diet. I know it isn't helpful now, but I will be writing all about what we eat when we return!

[Appygirl]

I'm a vegetarian but not a vegan. Princess is a poor choice for vegetarians and it is harder for vegans. Breakfast is probably the easiest meal. Lunch and dinner if eating in the MDR will have one vegetarian, though not necessarily vegan choice. The menu is posted earlier in the day. I'd check it out and if that one item wasn't something I'd want to eat, we'd eat in the Horizon Court. I know people will say put it on your cruise personalizer or speak with the head waiter the day before for choices and that might work better for people with traditional seating at a fixed time, but not so well for anytime diners like us. Plus I'm not the type of person who wants to slow down the dinner for the rest of the table. If I don't like the one vegetarian choice I'll eat upstairs instead.

 

Lunch time at the Horizon Court was often tough. Always the infamous salad that you put together yourself. Some really good looking already prepared salads and sandwiches that 90% of the time held some kind of meat product. Dinner up in the Horizon Court was pretty good and often the chefs will fix something.

 

Veggie burgers on Princess are disgusting. They are thick and don't get cooked all the way through and are mushy.

 

They have a vegetarian sandwich on the room service menu that is really good.

 

The good thing about being a vegetarian on Princess is that you're probably not going to gain any weight!

 

I love the entertainment on Princess and that plus the itinerary is why I choose them. Not for the food.

[Liz54]

I'm a vegetarian but not a vegan. Princess is a poor choice for vegetarians and it is harder for vegans. Breakfast is probably the easiest meal. Lunch and dinner if eating in the MDR will have one vegetarian, though not necessarily vegan choice. The menu is posted earlier in the day. I'd check it out and if that one item wasn't something I'd want to eat, we'd eat in the Horizon Court. I know people will say put it on your cruise personalizer or speak with the head waiter the day before for choices and that might work better for people with traditional seating at a fixed time, but not so well for anytime diners like us. Plus I'm not the type of person who wants to slow down the dinner for the rest of the table. If I don't like the one vegetarian choice I'll eat upstairs instead.

 

Lunch time at the Horizon Court was often tough. Always the infamous salad that you put together yourself. Some really good looking already prepared salads and sandwiches that 90% of the time held some kind of meat product. Dinner up in the Horizon Court was pretty good and often the chefs will fix something.

 

Veggie burgers on Princess are disgusting. They are thick and don't get cooked all the way through and are mushy.

 

They have a vegetarian sandwich on the room service menu that is really good.

 

The good thing about being a vegetarian on Princess is that you're probably not going to gain any weight!

 

I love the entertainment on Princess and that plus the itinerary is why I choose them. Not for the food.

 

 

It does not sound from your post that you did any of the preparation suggested by Loonbeam in post # 3. If you simply try and "find" acceptable options it's not really fair to Princess. They cannot read your mind. Next cruise alert them to your dietary needs and I think you will be pleased.