Dairy intolerance question

[krueg2828]

Taking my first Virgin cruise in November….excited!  Just curious how flexible the restaurants are about leaving butter/sauces off food or making an alteration in meals at the restaurants.  It’s an impossible situation on other cruise lines as they usually end up serving tasteless chicken or salmon with plain rice and a dry veggie every night.  I see on Virgin menus there a lot of vegetarian meals and a few vegan, but being dairy-free I don’t fit into either category as I eat and need animal protein.  If any non-dairy person has any experience or advice, I’d appreciate it.

[cantgetin]

Not a non-dairy person, but in most instances they will provide sauces "on the side."  They are good about allergy issues--talk to the chef when you order.  Be a little firm with the server about your need to speak to the chef, not play "relay up the line" games. And, as always, be vigilant about anything that seems suspicious.  Even Test Kitchen as evolved from "we can't alter the menu so this might not be a good restaurant for people with special food needs" to "let us know a day ahead and we'll find a way."

[_tacocat_]

also not a non-dairy person, but have a weird thing with creamy sauces and basically every schmear/spread on the face of the planet haha.  they're proactive about food allergies, and they ask every time you sit down.  as long as you're not ordering something with dairy as a key ingredient (like a grilled cheese or anything with a cream sauce) and it's a finishing drizzle or a separate ingredient/garnish, you should be able to get it sans dairy.

[krueg2828]

Thanks for your replies!

[Penguintoo]

We just returned from a trip on the Scarlet Lady (9/30 Dominican Daze itinerary) and while I am not fully dairy free I do have several anaphylactic food allergies so I can speak to this pretty easily.  I was very concerned about being able to eat and if I would have a variety of foods to choose from. On other cruise ships I have dealt with the slab of dry protein and disgusting side dishes.  That was not the case on the Scarlet Lady.  Absolutely everybody in food service on the ship went out of their way to make sure I was not cross contaminated while on the ship and that I had an incredibly positive experience eating.  I spoke with a restaurant manager at all meals that were not eaten in The Galley to explain my allergies.  They always asked very intelligent questions to make sure they understood exactly what I was able to eat.   In one restaurant the person cooking my meal was made to change his clothes and go to a clean kitchen so I would not be cross contaminated.  While we were not excited about the port stops we will be cruising with Virgin again simply because they did such a fabulous job with my food allergies.

[CruisingWalter]

@krueg2828 VV is one of the most pro-active cruise lines out there for most any dietary needs or requirements. They're an active Vegetarian/Vegan supporter and will handle most any need. Just let your server know when you sit down any requirements you have and they'll make it good for you. Enjoy the cruise, they are an AWESOME food cruise line. I have a full food tour on my YouTube channel, I can't link to it here on CC, but if you search Where's Walter Travel on YouTube, you'll find my Scarlet Lady playlist. 🙂

[krueg2828]

Thanks for the reply.  This short Caribbean cruise is a food test for part of a bigger trip I am taking next year….a 14-day back to back out of Athens.  I feel very hopeful it will work out after reading your comments.

[CruisingWalter]

4 hours ago, krueg2828 said:

Thanks for the reply.  This short Caribbean cruise is a food test for part of a bigger trip I am taking next year….a 14-day back to back out of Athens.  I feel very hopeful it will work out after reading your comments.

 

Wooooooo, 14 days out of Athens sounds lovely!!

[thehungryhobbit]

Does anyone know what plant based milks, if any are offered at the coffee place or with cereal at either the "buffet" or room service?

 

[cantgetin]

47 minutes ago, thehungryhobbit said:

Does anyone know what plant based milks, if any are offered at the coffee place or with cereal at either the "buffet" or room service?

 

I'm guessing that you are looking for almond, soy, or similar milks on the ship.  Yes, they are available on board, although I can't specifically say they are in The Grounds Club or that Room Service has them. I don't know that answer. There is no buffet on Virgin; plant based milk is available in the food court area known as The Galley--just ask your server.  What you CAN do is to take a re-usable tumbler or whatever with you or ask for a "to go" cup of your preference in any of the restaurants and keep that in the refrigerator in your room.  Grounds Club Too is right next to The Galley, but it is still an inconvenience to have to get service in two areas if it isn't at Grounds Club.  I'm not saying it is or isn't.  I'm saying we didn't ask.

[jon81uk]

54 minutes ago, thehungryhobbit said:

Does anyone know what plant based milks, if any are offered at the coffee place or with cereal at either the "buffet" or room service?

 

Not sure what they had at the Galley but the grounds club coffee bar definitely had soya and oat and maybe more. I was drinking oat cappuccinos. 

[thehungryhobbit]

Thanks for the answers! We love a good latte in the morning and evening but can't have dairy either. Loved the tip about keeping a tumbler of plant milk in the room too. Definitely a great idea for early morning cereal for those early shore excursion days.