Advice for Passengers on the Keto Diet ...

[gardengalaz]

Hi, Everyone --

 

This post is intended exclusively for people on the ketogenic diet who want to stay on a clean, keto way of eating while on a Celebrity Cruise. For those of you who are not on keto, please don't be unkind or judgmental in your comments.  For many of us, keto, as restrictive as it is, has been life-changing.

 

You will have no problems whatsoever at the breakfast buffet.  Every type of egg, breakfast meats and low-glycemic index foods like sautéed mushrooms are available in grand abundance. 

 

At lunch, no problems again because the grill area is open, so you'll have all of the grilled chicken breast and steak you want -- and often fish as well.  There is a rather extensive salad bar that does have cold sliced chicken, sometimes cold sliced beef and real bacon, chopped eggs and some cheeses, so that's an option.  There are some cold cuts, but if you're on truly CLEAN keto, you wouldn't want those anyway.  

 

Late lunch, you can always go the Mast Grill and order a couple of burger patties ... add some cheese and bacon if you want to fancy things up a bit.

 

Dinner in the MDR is fine since there is always grilled salmon, grilled chicken breast and grilled sirloin available.  Paired with a simple caesar salad (no croutons, of course) and you're good to go.  

 

That said, dinner in the buffet can, on first glance, be an impossibility since the grill area isn't usually open for dinner and the carving station isn't always offering something to carve.  While there are plenty of options for people eating the SAD, with rare exceptions everything is either smothered in a gravy or sauce of some sort or a rice dish.  The salad bar is also an option.

 

The best thing that happened for me during dinner in the buffet was that the chef and maitre'd noticed I was sitting with my sister without any food in front of me and asked me if I wasn't eating.  I explained I was on a specific diet -- and at first they encouraged me to go off of my diet since I was on vacation, but after I told them what a giant mistake that was for people on keto, the chef said he understood completely and quite literally pleaded with me to let him know whenever I was having dinner in the buffet and he would happily make me a steak or chicken or piece of fish .... whatever I needed to both enjoy my cruise and stay on my diet -- and that's precisely what he did.  THAT is the kind of service you can count on on Celebrity ... and I only wish I had known that was a possibility earlier in the cruise.

 

Before that happened, I would have given you one piece of advice: pack a bunch of ziplock bags and grab some extra grilled chicken or steak from the lunch buffet to eat at dinner.

 

For our entire cruise, I didn't see any fresh avocados or nuts, so you can't count on those for your healthy fats macro.  As far as allowed fruit is concerned, the only berries I saw were garnishes on some of the desserts offered on the buffet ... so your 20-grams of carbs daily max will come from lettuce and incidental things.

 

Bottom line ... it's VERY possible for you to have a lovely cruise and still stay in ketosis.

 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by gardengalaz

[RichYak]

This is a very helpful post. Thanks for sharing. 

[Chanbre]

I recall that nuts and some berries were available at breakfast in the Silhouette buffet. Just head for the muesli station.

 

I think that nuts were also available as toppings at the buffet's ice cream station.

[gardengalaz]

6 hours ago, Chanbre said:

I recall that nuts and some berries were available at breakfast in the Silhouette buffet. Just head for the muesli station.

 

I think that nuts were also available as toppings at the buffet's ice cream station.

 

The muesli station is a GREAT idea -- I never even look over there since it's all carbs.  Thanks for the suggestion.  Ice cream station on this cruise has only sprinkles and those syrups ... no nuts there on this  cruise.

 

[peanut head]

If you like fish, you can always try Sushi on 5 and get the sashimi.  No rice comes with it.  They also have avocado there.

[gardengalaz]

4 hours ago, peanut head said:

If you like fish, you can always try Sushi on 5 and get the sashimi.  No rice comes with it.  They also have avocado there.

 

Thanks for another great idea!  I've never even thought about sushi since the rice thing .. bus sashimi is a totally different thing!  We still have a full day left here on our Silhouette cruise, so maybe that's dinner tomorrow.  I was also thinking about the Lawn CLub Grill -- but $50 for a steak, although better quality for sure, seems a bit pricey.

[NutsAboutGolf]

34 minutes ago, gardengalaz said:

 

Thanks for another great idea!  I've never even thought about sushi since the rice thing .. bus sashimi is a totally different thing!  We still have a full day left here on our Silhouette cruise, so maybe that's dinner tomorrow.  I was also thinking about the Lawn CLub Grill -- but $50 for a steak, although better quality for sure, seems a bit pricey.

 

Can't forget about the kids filet assuming one is lucky enough to be able to order it (seems to not be on all ships)...If you order a dry Caesar (don't eat the croutons) and a couple of kid filets you could be in and out for dinner in an half hour 

[soniam]

Good for you! I usually go off keto on vacation, but it is very hard, both coming and going. Glad you took them up on their offer. It probably never hurts to ask at the cruise buffet if they have any protein without the sauce. Many people can't eat the sauces, especially due to allergies.

[iTownPrincess]

Thank you for this post, excellent information. I admire your commitment and the work you put into keeping it clean.

 

Speaking strictly for myself I find occasional 2-5 day breaks from Keto work best for me roughly every 3-4 months. Regaining ketosis after a break is not a hardship and I actually find it comforting to return to a set eating routine after a break. I admit to occasional “dirty” Keto when a Wendy’s double cheeseburger hits the spot but in general I keep it inside the lines. You are an inspiration!

[gardengalaz]

7 hours ago, iTownPrincess said:

Thank you for this post, excellent information. I admire your commitment and the work you put into keeping it clean.

 

Speaking strictly for myself I find occasional 2-5 day breaks from Keto work best for me roughly every 3-4 months. Regaining ketosis after a break is not a hardship and I actually find it comforting to return to a set eating routine after a break. I admit to occasional “dirty” Keto when a Wendy’s double cheeseburger hits the spot but in general I keep it inside the lines. You are an inspiration!

Thank you so much for the kind words!  

 

[neverlaysup]

On 5/1/2023 at 11:34 AM, gardengalaz said:

Paired with a simple caesar salad (no croutons, of course) and you're good to go.  

I would be very leery of salad dressing on a cruise, probably full of sugar and not what you want to eat while doing Keto.

[gardengalaz]

On 5/2/2023 at 6:03 PM, neverlaysup said:

I would be very leery of salad dressing on a cruise, probably full of sugar and not what you want to eat while doing Keto.

Very good point.  Generally, I still with oil & vinegar but with a caesar, I ask for it on the side and just dip the tips of my fork into it for a little bit of flavor.

[Barwick Cruiser]

You might try the Spa Cafe for avocados. Pretty sure we had some sliced on a few dishes so they def have some. Can’t see why they wouldn’t give you a whole one if you asked. 

[Nado44]

First and foremost, share your keto needs with your maitre d, server and/or butler. Most will be familiar with the dietary restrictions and can modify as appropriate. They aim to please.

 

Sliced avocados can be requested. I've also asked for small bowls of blueberries and nuts.

 

If in a upper suite, you can make specific requests with shoreside personnel. They arranged to have chickpea pasta on a prior sailing.

[jean87510]

On 5/1/2023 at 2:34 PM, gardengalaz said:

Hi, Everyone --

 

This post is intended exclusively for people on the ketogenic diet who want to stay on a clean, keto way of eating while on a Celebrity Cruise. For those of you who are not on keto, please don't be unkind or judgmental in your comments.  For many of us, keto, as restrictive as it is, has been life-changing.

 

You will have no problems whatsoever at the breakfast buffet.  Every type of egg, breakfast meats and low-glycemic index foods like sautéed mushrooms are available in grand abundance. 

 

At lunch, no problems again because the grill area is open, so you'll have all of the grilled chicken breast and steak you want -- and often fish as well.  There is a rather extensive salad bar that does have cold sliced chicken, sometimes cold sliced beef and real bacon, chopped eggs and some cheeses, so that's an option.  There are some cold cuts, but if you're on truly CLEAN keto, you wouldn't want those anyway.  

 

Late lunch, you can always go the Mast Grill and order a couple of burger patties ... add some cheese and bacon if you want to fancy things up a bit.

 

Dinner in the MDR is fine since there is always grilled salmon, grilled chicken breast and grilled sirloin available.  Paired with a simple caesar salad (no croutons, of course) and you're good to go.  

 

That said, dinner in the buffet can, on first glance, be an impossibility since the grill area isn't usually open for dinner and the carving station isn't always offering something to carve.  While there are plenty of options for people eating the SAD, with rare exceptions everything is either smothered in a gravy or sauce of some sort or a rice dish.  The salad bar is also an option.

 

The best thing that happened for me during dinner in the buffet was that the chef and maitre'd noticed I was sitting with my sister without any food in front of me and asked me if I wasn't eating.  I explained I was on a specific diet -- and at first they encouraged me to go off of my diet since I was on vacation, but after I told them what a giant mistake that was for people on keto, the chef said he understood completely and quite literally pleaded with me to let him know whenever I was having dinner in the buffet and he would happily make me a steak or chicken or piece of fish .... whatever I needed to both enjoy my cruise and stay on my diet -- and that's precisely what he did.  THAT is the kind of service you can count on on Celebrity ... and I only wish I had known that was a possibility earlier in the cruise.

 

Before that happened, I would have given you one piece of advice: pack a bunch of ziplock bags and grab some extra grilled chicken or steak from the lunch buffet to eat at dinner.

 

For our entire cruise, I didn't see any fresh avocados or nuts, so you can't count on those for your healthy fats macro.  As far as allowed fruit is concerned, the only berries I saw were garnishes on some of the desserts offered on the buffet ... so your 20-grams of carbs daily max will come from lettuce and incidental things.

 

Bottom line ... it's VERY possible for you to have a lovely cruise and still stay in ketosis.

 

 

just saw this.  I have a similar diet to Keto but don't eat any nuts or seafood, shellfish.  I was on the Equinox recently and had no issues finding my "stuff".  The staff at the OVC were very helpful more so then Blu which has a lot of nuts and seafood in their menu but they accommodated me.  Thanks for posting.  

[maggieq]

57 minutes ago, jean87510 said:

just saw this.  I have a similar diet to Keto but don't eat any nuts or seafood, shellfish.  I was on the Equinox recently and had no issues finding my "stuff".  The staff at the OVC were very helpful more so then Blu which has a lot of nuts and seafood in their menu but they accommodated me.  Thanks for posting.  

How do you manage drinking on the cruise?  Spirit and club soda?

[jean87510]

2 hours ago, maggieq said:

How do you manage drinking on the cruise?  Spirit and club soda?

water and coke zero.  Not a big drinker.

[Georgia_Peaches]

When DH and I were on Solstice back in March we were several months in to our keto lifestyle. We started it to help bring down DH’s A1C levels so that he could get off his meds. He was successful and a new lifestyle was born!  Anyhow, it was the first cruise I’ve ever taken where I actually lost a little weight while eating literally everything I wanted. Obviously, we avoided bread and pasta and sugar. But we drank spirits with club soda and on 2 occasions we had gelato. I never felt deprived because we ate a ton of eggs, bacon, cheese, meat, and green vegetables. Once your body gets used to the change, maintaining becomes second nature. On the very limited occasions where we splurged (gelato and a slice of pizza) my body felt a little sluggish. I didn’t like the side effects so it wasn’t hard to get back on track at all. The keto lifestyle (I don’t view it as a diet) is easily maintained while cruising. 

[yoshi]

On 5/1/2023 at 2:58 PM, peanut head said:

If you like fish, you can always try Sushi on 5 and get the sashimi.  No rice comes with it.  They also have avocado there.

Plus the sashimi salad is very good!

[Flatsman]

On Edge class, in main dining rooms, don't forget the duck breast, lamb t-bones without the sauces. Let your waiter know 24 hours in advance and they will arrange to fit your needs.

[MisterMet]

On 5/1/2023 at 2:34 PM, gardengalaz said:

Hi, Everyone --

 

This post is intended exclusively for people on the ketogenic diet who want to stay on a clean, keto way of eating while on a Celebrity Cruise. For those of you who are not on keto, please don't be unkind or judgmental in your comments.  For many of us, keto, as restrictive as it is, has been life-changing.

 

You will have no problems whatsoever at the breakfast buffet.  Every type of egg, breakfast meats and low-glycemic index foods like sautéed mushrooms are available in grand abundance. 

 

At lunch, no problems again because the grill area is open, so you'll have all of the grilled chicken breast and steak you want -- and often fish as well.  There is a rather extensive salad bar that does have cold sliced chicken, sometimes cold sliced beef and real bacon, chopped eggs and some cheeses, so that's an option.  There are some cold cuts, but if you're on truly CLEAN keto, you wouldn't want those anyway.  

 

Late lunch, you can always go the Mast Grill and order a couple of burger patties ... add some cheese and bacon if you want to fancy things up a bit.

 

Dinner in the MDR is fine since there is always grilled salmon, grilled chicken breast and grilled sirloin available.  Paired with a simple caesar salad (no croutons, of course) and you're good to go.  

 

That said, dinner in the buffet can, on first glance, be an impossibility since the grill area isn't usually open for dinner and the carving station isn't always offering something to carve.  While there are plenty of options for people eating the SAD, with rare exceptions everything is either smothered in a gravy or sauce of some sort or a rice dish.  The salad bar is also an option.

 

The best thing that happened for me during dinner in the buffet was that the chef and maitre'd noticed I was sitting with my sister without any food in front of me and asked me if I wasn't eating.  I explained I was on a specific diet -- and at first they encouraged me to go off of my diet since I was on vacation, but after I told them what a giant mistake that was for people on keto, the chef said he understood completely and quite literally pleaded with me to let him know whenever I was having dinner in the buffet and he would happily make me a steak or chicken or piece of fish .... whatever I needed to both enjoy my cruise and stay on my diet -- and that's precisely what he did.  THAT is the kind of service you can count on on Celebrity ... and I only wish I had known that was a possibility earlier in the cruise.

 

Before that happened, I would have given you one piece of advice: pack a bunch of ziplock bags and grab some extra grilled chicken or steak from the lunch buffet to eat at dinner.

 

For our entire cruise, I didn't see any fresh avocados or nuts, so you can't count on those for your healthy fats macro.  As far as allowed fruit is concerned, the only berries I saw were garnishes on some of the desserts offered on the buffet ... so your 20-grams of carbs daily max will come from lettuce and incidental things.

 

Bottom line ... it's VERY possible for you to have a lovely cruise and still stay in ketosis.

 

 

Thank you for the great information.

[SRQbeachgirl]

I started a Keto diet at the end of January and have stuck to it 100%...until last Friday night. With a cruise coming up next week I was curious as to how I would feel if I got off it. So for dinner at one of our local waterfront restaurants I had a pina colada and some fried shrimp.

 

Well, I won't be doing THAT again! 🤢 

[L33]

Really happy to have found this thread 🍽️

We are both on a clean-keto and having been on several cruises in the past - found it a bit difficult. To add to the challenge - I only eat one-meal-a-day (OMAD) which is dinner, I got used to that because of my work schedule - so I prefer not to stray 😉

Would it be possible for me to collect a box from the breakfast buffet and keep it for dinner ...? It seems to me like the easiest option... My dinner has to be rather large to cover my required energy-intake... Has anyone dealt with something similar on a cruise ? if yes - please share ?

Regards

L

Edited August 13, 2023 by L33