Low salt diet

[MD_Dan]

We've sailed 10 cruises on RCL and most times the MDR staff went out of their way for our dietary requests.  But I know there have been recent changes.

 

Question 1: Are they still preparing food without sauces upon requests?  I'd like to hear from people sailing recently.  I know we should coordinate requests with all our dining staff.

 

Question 2: There is a FB rumor (I know!) that cruise water still has a good bit of salt.  There have been several posters recently who have discussed swollen ankles and salt related symptoms.  Should we get bottled water?

 

[HappyTexan44]

This should answer your first question:

 

[crewsweeper]

FB rumors need to be taken with a grain of kosher salt!😁

If any saline that makes it into the fresh water system on the ship it would be so miniscule you wouldn't know it.

Cankles are caused by all sort of things including heavy dietary salt and salty air. People getting these need to drink more, not less, water.

[crewsweeper]

2 minutes ago, HappyTexan44 said:

This should answer your first question:

 

If ships used eggs poured from cartons, or dehydrated eggs, why do they load up pallets of fresh eggs every trip?  Maybe someone who has done a ship tour that included the main galley can share some light.

On cruise ships some food are notorious for being absent of salt, others get it in spades.

 

[HappyTexan44]

2 minutes ago, crewsweeper said:

If ships used eggs poured from cartons, or dehydrated eggs, why do they load up pallets of fresh eggs every trip?  Maybe someone who has done a ship tour that included the main galley can share some light.

On cruise ships some food are notorious for being absent of salt, others get it in spades.

 

 

Lots of egg dishes can't be made from the carton.  

[cruisegirl1]

I order most EVERYTHING without any sauce, gravy or dressing.  Occasionally I ask for the sauce on the side particularly if I order a fish dish. I generally use Balsamic vinegar on salad.

 

It has been and still is NO PROBLEM.  I don't coordinate this with any dining staff, I simply add "no gravy" (or whatever) when ordering the meal.     If dining in a specialty restaurant I ask the staff to request to the chef that no additional salt be added to meal.  Many of these items are cooked to order and the request is no problem. (I find the steaks in  Chops to be salty otherwise) 

 

I find no difference in a cruise when I drink tap water VS bottled water, probably because most of the sodium I consume comes from the food preparation.  I cruise often and know which foods they prepare are too salty for me.  I just avoid those foods.

 

Edit to add - my experience is for a preferred lower salt diet, not a medically prescribed low/no salt diet. If you must follow a low/no salt diet, I would fill out the proper special services forms and then coordinate meals with the staff. 

 

M

 

Edited June 24, 2023 by cruisegirl1

[pcur]

If you are concerned about salt, ask for the sauces on the side.  But, it might be better to order a day ahead.  Just ask your waiter for the next day's menu, and order accordingly.

 

No, the water on the ship is not salty:  urban cruise myth.  It's the salt and sugar in the FOOD that puffs us all up like big blowfish!  😄

[cruisegirl1]

40 minutes ago, pcur said:

If you are concerned about salt, ask for the sauces on the side.  But, it might be better to order a day ahead.  Just ask your waiter for the next day's menu, and order accordingly.

 

No, the water on the ship is not salty:  urban cruise myth.  It's the salt and sugar in the FOOD that puffs us all up like big blowfish!  😄

To simply have no sauce on the platter, no advance ordering is necessary.  I do it every night, every cruise.    If one needs a sauce prepared salt free (can they do that?), advance ordering would be required. 

 

You are spot on - the salt and sugar in the food (and don't forget) drinks makes an impact, and not a good one! 

M

[pcur]

19 hours ago, cruisegirl1 said:

To simply have no sauce on the platter, no advance ordering is necessary.  I do it every night, every cruise.    If one needs a sauce prepared salt free (can they do that?), advance ordering would be required. 

 

You are spot on - the salt and sugar in the food (and don't forget) drinks makes an impact, and not a good one! 

M

I was including the pre-order information because the OP didn't specify how severe the reaction was to salt-included foods and/or sauces.  

 

I spent a cruise having dinner with someone who must eat gluten-free. Even though she pre-ordered every night for the next night, they forgot one night and scraped sauce off the top. I sat there and literally watched her abdomen balloon out within 10 minutes.  It was very hard to watch her discomfort.

 

So, I err on the side of over-cautious replies now.

[cruisegirl1]

34 minutes ago, pcur said:

I was including the pre-order information because the OP didn't specify how severe the reaction was to salt-included foods and/or sauces.  

 

I spent a cruise having dinner with someone who must eat gluten-free. Even though she pre-ordered every night for the next night, they forgot one night and scraped sauce off the top. I sat there and literally watched her abdomen balloon out within 10 minutes.  It was very hard to watch her discomfort.

 

So, I err on the side of over-cautious replies now.

Sorry your friend had a reaction. In her case, she should have asked to speak to the head waiter,  sent the item back and asked for the proper meal.   This is not preference, this is a medical necessity. 
 

Further, I probably would have asked for a new set of waiters (Different table) for the remainder of the cruise.  There is no excuse for your friend to have become ill.   She depended on the staff and they failed her.   Depending on one’s allergy, the outcome could’ve been devastating. 
 

m

[MD_Dan]

I appreciate the advice and sharing your experiences.  On previous cruises, we would meet with the waiter/waitress and head waiter/waitress about the next evening's menu.  They were very helpful.

 

DW has kidney disease and a transplant/dialyses is in her future (hopefully not before our November cruise).  And I'll be a kidney donor (maybe before the cruise).   Its not as bad as pcur's friend.

[FlyOverGirl]

I am just off of Wonder this morning and eat gluten free due to celiac. I have always enjoyed cruising because it makes eating so easy for me. Wait staff on RC has always been amazing and they still are but their hands are pretty tied by the new menu/dining changes.

 

My options were extremely limited, there was pretty much no GF dessert any night unless it was sugar free and/or vegan, and the accommodations staff could make were very limited. For example, crème brûlée used to be regularly available, this trip it was offered one night and I couldn’t get it any other night. There were cookies available in the cafe promenade but only a few every day and then they wouldn’t restock (also learned the staff there was giving the entire allotment every day to 1 person). They are prepackaged frozen cookies so it wasn’t a matter of needing to make more.

All this to say if you have a medically necessary dietary restriction and are used to a very accommodating experience be prepared to be underwhelmed. It of course will probably vary based upon ship and wait staff.

 

 

 

[slyster]

My wife has a condition in which she really avoids sauces, salt, and certain foods.  We always coordinate with dining staff and she orders every evening for the next day.  They make it very easy for her. 

[pcur]

On 6/25/2023 at 9:54 AM, cruisegirl1 said:

Sorry your friend had a reaction. In her case, she should have asked to speak to the head waiter,  sent the item back and asked for the proper meal.   This is not preference, this is a medical necessity. 
 

Further, I probably would have asked for a new set of waiters (Different table) for the remainder of the cruise.  There is no excuse for your friend to have become ill.   She depended on the staff and they failed her.   Depending on one’s allergy, the outcome could’ve been devastating. 
 

m

She didn't realize until halfway through the meal that there was a problem, as there was such a small amount of sauce.  It was probably the thickener that did it.  From what I watched I would NOT want to see her ingest more than she did.

 

She did talk to the head waiter about her pre-ordering and how important it was.  But, the waiters didn't cook her food: the kitchen did.  There was no way to visually see what had been done, so changing tables wasn't really necessary.  The entrée looked sauceless. 

 

By the time she realized and stopped eating it, the reaction had already started. 

[ONECRUISER]

On 6/24/2023 at 9:28 AM, crewsweeper said:

FB rumors need to be taken with a grain of kosher salt!😁

If any saline that makes it into the fresh water system on the ship it would be so miniscule you wouldn't know it.

Cankles are caused by all sort of things including heavy dietary salt and salty air. People getting these need to drink more, not less, water.

Agree, doesn't happen from Ships Water

[ONECRUISER]

On 6/25/2023 at 12:40 PM, FlyOverGirl said:

I am just off of Wonder this morning and eat gluten free due to celiac. I have always enjoyed cruising because it makes eating so easy for me. Wait staff on RC has always been amazing and they still are but their hands are pretty tied by the new menu/dining changes.

 

My options were extremely limited, there was pretty much no GF dessert any night unless it was sugar free and/or vegan, and the accommodations staff could make were very limited. For example, crème brûlée used to be regularly available, this trip it was offered one night and I couldn’t get it any other night. There were cookies available in the cafe promenade but only a few every day and then they wouldn’t restock (also learned the staff there was giving the entire allotment every day to 1 person). They are prepackaged frozen cookies so it wasn’t a matter of needing to make more.

All this to say if you have a medically necessary dietary restriction and are used to a very accommodating experience be prepared to be underwhelmed. It of course will probably vary based upon ship and wait staff.

 

 

 

Ate Dinners in WJ on Serenade and Jewel last Fall, if hasn't changed there was many Gluten Free choices in there, lot more then in Main Dining. My Daughter's Diet so always watching

[FlyOverGirl]

2 hours ago, ONECRUISER said:

Ate Dinners in WJ on Serenade and Jewel last Fall, if hasn't changed there was many Gluten Free choices in there, lot more then in Main Dining. My Daughter's Diet so always watching

There are no longer signs noting dietary restrictions in WJ or Solarium Bistro, so you have to ask. Asking questions didn’t really get me anywhere. I think it might be part of the dining updates.

And my experience on Jewel (NYE 2019/2020) with dining staff was incredible. Nuran was my head waiter - loved him.

[neverbeenhere]

Asked for lowest sodium possible. Head waiter had me order the day in advance. “He was going to personally make my meal” First day he brings a salad with no dressing , but with plenty of cheese and olives. I laughed.   Next course, he brought salmon with sauce and a baked potato rolled in salt. I cried. 
 

To say the least, we didn’t make it back to the MDR that cruise. Now, I police my own foods. 

[RoundGuy2771]

4 hours ago, pcur said:

By the time she realized and stopped eating it, the reaction had already started.

 

 

That is horrible. I haven't cruised on RCI for awhile, but will in August. Don't they ask you before every meal whether you have food allergies? On my normal cruise line, it's actually annoyed me that they asked every.single.time.  It won't bother me anymore.