Jump to content

Vegetarian options


bevandroger
 Share

Recommended Posts

Roger and I are first time Seabourn cruisers - December's 18-day Orchid Isles & the Coral Coast on the Encore. We have been assured by customer service that he will easily be able to find good quality vegetarian/vegan choices at every meal - he will eat fish if need be. In February Oceania was most willing to accommodate (special menus 2 days in advance - but who can remember what one chose); however, it was great on effort yet just so-so on delivery. Next, on Celebrity, it was less complicated because the menu came the night before. Can anyone tell us what to expect and any insider hints? Bev

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just back from a Seabourn cruise around Ireland etc. There were always a few enticing vegetarian options on the menus. (Not sure about VEGAN , apart from the obvious).

You should not have any problems if you eat fish/ seafood (one of THOSE "vegetarians/ vegans", are You??) We found out menus during the 2- weeks + cruise very seafood heavy. Really delicious stuff!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, you get the daily menu the night before at turn down service by your room stew. There are always vegetarian (but not necessarily vegan) options in all the dining venues.

 

If you'd like to have vegan or other special requests (e.g. no salt), introduce yourself on the first day to the assistant maitre d. who looks after guests with special dietary requirements. He (it's always been a "he" so far in my 9 years sailing with Seabourn) will discuss your needs and preferences with you, and you will pre-order your meal the night before with him: logistically, he will find you at dinner the night before and hand you the menu for the next day - the same menu you'll get in your room after turn-down service - for you to select your choices and/or modify or design your own dishes and then hand it back to him.

 

Also, be careful of gelatin - some of the dessert items (in the Colonnade buffet as well as à la carte items) contain gelatin, although some of their pastry chefs are turning to agar agar at times. Best to check beforehand.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have not been on Encore but on the smaller SB ships vegetarian choice for appetizers and entrees in MDR and Colonnade were very nice ( as you know, you can have a couple different veggie appetizers if the veggie entree does not appeal to you, to fill up). I often preferred veggie ( or fish) , but not vegan, to meat offerings DH always got, due to flavor and being less filling, so I could try more variety).

 

As others said, introduce yourself, browse advance menus ( great fun!) and perhaps ask for a special ( an interesting cheese and veggie pasta?) if MDR dinner options look unappealing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, there are always vegetarian option on the menus--in both the Restaurant (MDR) and in the Colonnade. There is also a vegetarian option on the unchanging TK Grill menu (Eggplant Parmesan) as well as several fish options there.

 

I saved all the menus from recent (June) voyage on the Ovation. Here are some of the vegetarian entree options in the Main Dining Room:

 

Baked Spinach Ricotta Cheese Tart

Potato and Beaufort Cheese Torte

Golden Polenta Cake & Eggplant with olive relish

Truffled Potato Gnocchi Oyster Mushrooms

White Crisp Asparagus

Soy Glazed ****akes and Gingered Greens

Three Cheese Tortellini

Black Truffle Risotto

 

Also there is always a salad or two (second course) which is vegetarian.

 

I believe there is also a vegetarian option on the Classic menu (available everyday).

 

In addition, there are many first courses which are vegetarian such as:

 

Chilled marinated tomato ricotta flan

Wild oyster mushroom ceviche

Twice baked Boursin cheese shuffle

Braised Leek Confit and white asparagus

Potato-shallot cake, Remoulade, herb salad

Slow roasted beets with buffalo mozzarella

Warm potato ravioli

Vegetable Somosas

Grilled vegetable and mozzarella

 

 

And this is just a sampling!

 

We didn't dine in the Colonnade very often, but in looking at the menus, there are also vegetarian option there, but more often this would include fish.

 

At lunch in the Colonnade, there is a buffet with lots of salad options as well as grilled salmon available on the menu at lunch.

 

At the Patio Grill at lunch there are also vegetarian options.

 

I hope this helps you realize that you will be well fed!

 

I do not see many strictly Vegan options. That might have to be a special request.

Edited by SLSD
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found a few more menus from our recent Ovation voyage with more vegetarian entrees:

 

Strozzapreti All'Uovo Pasta (wild mushrooms, mushroom jus, goat's cheese)

Warm Baked Thyme Onion Gruyere Tart

Goat's Cheese Tart

Ratatouille Ravioli in Caramelized Onion Broth

Vegetarian Spring Rolls

Gnocci Primavera

Black Truffle Risotto

 

More Vegetarian First Courses and Second Courses:

 

Chilled Marinated Ricotta Flan (pesto dressing, fresh basil)

Corn and Lemongrass Soup

Green of Green Asparagus Soup

Warm Leek Stuffed Artichoke

Roasted Vegetable Soup

Raw Apple and Celery Salad

Grilled and Roasted Vegetable Terrine

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Creamless Celery Root Soup

Tossed Red Oak Lettuce with haricots vert, mushrooms, sherry and shallot dressing

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I found a few more menus from our recent Ovation voyage with more vegetarian entrees:

 

Strozzapreti All'Uovo Pasta (wild mushrooms, mushroom jus, goat's cheese)

Warm Baked Thyme Onion Gruyere Tart

Goat's Cheese Tart

Ratatouille Ravioli in Caramelized Onion Broth

Vegetarian Spring Rolls

Gnocci Primavera

Black Truffle Risotto

 

More Vegetarian First Courses and Second Courses:

 

Chilled Marinated Ricotta Flan (pesto dressing, fresh basil)

Corn and Lemongrass Soup

Green of Green Asparagus Soup

Warm Leek Stuffed Artichoke

Roasted Vegetable Soup

Raw Apple and Celery Salad

Grilled and Roasted Vegetable Terrine

Roasted Pumpkin Soup

Creamless Celery Root Soup

Tossed Red Oak Lettuce with haricots vert, mushrooms, sherry and shallot dressing

 

Oh, stop it please!!!!!

You are torturing us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

patnicc, I'm looking at the menu for the TK Grill now. Other vegetarian offerings would be:

 

Classic Caesar Salad

Super Chilled Iceberg Salad

Double Consomme "Celestine"

Steamed Creamed Artichoke

Eggplant Parmesan (not the classic style I'm used to)

 

There are also great side dishes (not listed on the menu I have)

Here are a few I remember:

 

Sauteed mushrooms (quite yummy)

Fancy Mac and Cheese

Some kind of potato dish (could be mashed potatoes)

Edited by SLSD
Link to comment
Share on other sites

patnicc, I'm looking at the menu for the TK Grill now. Other vegetarian offerings would be:

 

Classic Caesar Salad

 

Technically only pescatarian... anchovies are a primary ingredient! (I have a strictly vegetarian friend who was crushed when she learned that the Caesar salads she so loved had fish in the dressing!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

patnicc, I'm looking at the menu for the TK Grill now. Other vegetarian offerings would be:

 

 

Double Consomme "Celestine"

 

 

 

 

Is the consommé marked on the menu as a vegetarian choice? It's usually made with either beef or chicken stock so I would be cautious of it unless it specifically states it's suitable for vegetarians.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Is the consommé marked on the menu as a vegetarian choice? It's usually made with either beef or chicken stock so I would be cautious of it unless it specifically states it's suitable for vegetarians.

 

Beef stock, indeed, not vegetarian.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Technically only pescatarian... anchovies are a primary ingredient! (I have a strictly vegetarian friend who was crushed when she learned that the Caesar salads she so loved had fish in the dressing!)

 

Yes, but they can leave out both the anchovies and anchovy paste.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sounds great. We've sailed a number of times on Seabourn but have avoided the TK Grill because we didn't realise they had veggie options. Hubby is vegetarian.

 

Eggplant parmesan is the only veggie main dish on the menu.

 

However, they will make special vegan mains and soups with advance notice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A strict vegetarian will not eat Parmesan as it is made with rennet (an animal product.)

 

True, traditional parmesan is made with animal-based rennet. They have made the dish without the cheese for me in the past, but I don't recommend it. There are many new world cheeses that are made with vegetarian (plant or microbial-based) rennet. On Seabourn, you can make a special request in advance (give them about 2 months' notice) for those items or vegan cheese.

 

I usually special order vegan cheeses - my favorite brand is Miyoko's Kitchen, made from cashews - and vegan yogurt. Seabourn doesn't charge extra for such dietary substitutes. After all, we save them a lot of money by not consuming all the expensive items e.g. caviar, foie gras, lobster, prime rib, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good luck getting the TK folks to alter the menu for anchovy-free dressing. (If they can do it, kudos! But there has been much past discussion about lack of ability to make substitutions on TK dishes.

 

TK has a vegetarian menu at the French Laundry, so presumably they CAN do vegetarian. The question is if they can execute substitutions on Seabourn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So--it appears that the TK Grill is not a good option for vegetarians. I was mainly listing these items for the poster who said her husband does eat fish. If a vegetarian does not eat cheese, many of the MDR vegetarian options are not suitable either. I listed some of the options to to give the OP an idea.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

... If a vegetarian does not eat cheese, many of the MDR vegetarian options are not suitable either. ..

 

By definition, vegetarians do eat dairy cheese, vegans do not. However, many dairy cheese is made with animal-based rennet, which strictly speaking is off-limit to vegetarians as well. Dairy cheese without animal-based rennet should be fine with vegetarians.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's something important to remember: People are vegetarians for various reasons. Sometimes it is an exclusion of beef for health reasons. Sometimes it is an avoidance of beef--most of the time. It is not always an animal cruelty issue.

 

Of course at the same time, some people also avoid dairy products for health reasons. In that case, all the cheese based tortes and tarts would not be an option. I provided what I could see from the menu that might come close to an option for some.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good luck getting the TK folks to alter the menu for anchovy-free dressing. (If they can do it, kudos! But there has been much past discussion about lack of ability to make substitutions on TK dishes.

 

TK has a vegetarian menu at the French Laundry, so presumably they CAN do vegetarian. The question is if they can execute substitutions on Seabourn.

 

Not true, past discussions about no substitutions on TK dishes are exaggerated and misconstrued. (A lot of fake news on here just as everywhere else, sad to say.)

 

TK Grill can do vegan substitutes without any problem. We've had a vegetarian version of their Caesar Salad many times. They even know to ask if they should remove both the anchovies and the anchovy paste.

 

In the past couple of years, they've been making a vegan "T-bone steak" for me. Last month, on the Ovation, I asked chef Sharma at TK Grill if he can do the same, but he insisted on making something different, as I've already had the "T-bone steak" previously. He proceeded to make me a full multi-course vegan meal.

 

I even asked if he has free rein when Chef Devin, Thomas Keller's Chef de Cuisine and executive chef in charge of all all TK executions on Seabourn, is on board. Chef Sharma replied that chef Devin would be the first to make me a special vegan dish. This makes sense, as, on land, TK restaurants would not hesitate to make a vegan dish or to satisfy special dietary requirements for their guests.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's something important to remember: People are vegetarians for various reasons. Sometimes it is an exclusion of beef for health reasons. Sometimes it is an avoidance of beef--most of the time. It is not always an animal cruelty issue.

 

Of course at the same time, some people also avoid dairy products for health reasons. In that case, all the cheese based tortes and tarts would not be an option. I provided what I could see from the menu that might come close to an option for some.

 

Sure, people avoid, or don't eat, certain food for their own reasons. However, the various definitions of vegetarianism are quite clear. People who merely don't eat red meat are not vegetarian, just like people who eat fish are not vegetarian (they are pescatarians).

 

It is amusing how many people like to call themselves vegetarian when they are not. I can't count the number of times when, upon meeting people for the first time and telling them that I am vegetarian, they would answer, "So am I! But I eat seafood, and chicken once in a while, and oh, by the way, I can't resist a juicy hamburger once in a while..." :confused::confused::rolleyes::p

 

Everyone is free to eat whatever they want, but they shouldn't feel the need to rush to label themselves something they're not. It's confusing and inauthentic. (If you are someone who doesn't eat red meat, fine, you are someone who doesn't eat red meat, nothing wrong with that. But you are not vegetarian.)

 

And don't get me started on all the "gluten free" people who sign on because it's trendy, not because they are celiac. I have celiac friends who suffer serious health consequences if they were to consume gluten accidentally.

Edited by sfvoyage
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...