Cruising Vegans: Read this!

[HatRez]

I was very worried heading into our Koningsdam cruise since this was my first cruise since going vegan six years ago and didn't know what to expect. Here is a detailed summary for anyone searching this topic in the future:

 

Breakfast: The lido deck offers very few options. Breakfast includes oatmeal, fresh fruit, hash browns, toast with jam. Some stations offered Morningstar veggie sausages but I know a lot of Morningstar products are vegetarian but not vegan so I passed to be safe. Room service and MDR offers a nice wild rice and quinoa bowl that is vegan without the poached egg. Adding a couple hash browns and some fresh fruit is a filling breakfast. Both cafes offer soy and almond milk (couldn't find oat for those wondering) for lattes. 

 

Lunch: Again, the lido deck options were limited. The pasta bar does plain pasta with marinara if requested. The salad bar is handy and the balsamic dressing is vegan. I custom-made a couple of hard-shelled tacos one day with refried beans and various toppings, served with chips and guac. They occasionally had a vegan bean chili served with rice. Sometimes the faraway lands station had Indian or Asian dishes that were vegan but mostly they were meat-heavy. No vegan desserts, although sometimes if I asked the ice cream station they would have access to sorbet. The pizza spot can do a cheese-less pizza but also has vegan mozza shreds if you ask. Dive-in has a veggie burger (unsure if it's vegan) and Beyond burgers and sausages! The burger buns are brioche so you can have it with a lettuce wrap. The dive-in sauce isn't vegan but you can sub ketchup, mustard and relish.

 

I don't believe anything at the Dutch Cafe was vegan. Same with Gelato, obviously.

 

Dinner: If you tell HAL when you book that you're vegan, they will handle the rest in MDR or Orange Club. The first night I had the appy and entree option that were alterable to be vegan, along with lemon sorbet, but after that every one of my courses was designed for me. It was amazing! I had an Indian night, I had pasta with Beyond meatballs, tabbouleh salad, tomato soup, cauliflower steak with saffron rice. They even made me vegan desserts like poached pear, peach crisp and chocolate cake with berries. I felt spoiled every night, because sometimes they would bring me my specialized dinner AND the regular menu option that was also vegan, so I'd have so many plates of food in front of me!

 

I also should note we upgraded to a Neptune suite and the concierge in the Neptune Lounge was so amazing. Every day there was a plate of vegan snacks left on our coffee table. Sometimes mini sandwiches, sometimes veggies and hummus or chips and salsa. Tamarind does a vegetarian bento box for $5 for room service and I believe most of the items on it are naturally vegan.

 

At first it looks very un-friendly for vegans but they really do go above and beyond to make an effort. I would prefer if they switched to impossible for things like meatballs and pasta because Beyond has such a distinct taste but honestly, the fact they have Beyond is awesome. I really wish there were more vegan sweets available during the day but once a day at dinner was okay. 

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

[lactmom4sons]

Thank you all the information