Do you bring any of your own food/drink/spices to enhance your dining while onboard?

I usually do not bring any food to the cruise, but i travelled with my Daughter last year and she is on a vegan diet, so he brought her beloved vegan parmesan to sprinkle it on every single dish served :) Well, everone to their taste, i guess :)

Thought I'd follow up with what I actually took on the cruise and how it worked out. Food items that came with me in the end were tea bags, maple syrup and truffle oil. And wine too, but plenty of people bring that on board.

The tea bags I would have loved to use more often, they serve Bigelow at afternoon tea each day and I didn't enjoy it (as much as I could have). I think I remembered to take my own bags twice at the most, and that's in a 15 day cruise. At tea time, I was always going there directly from another event on the ship -- I didn't really have the time (or thought) to go to my room to pick it up.

The maple syrup was lovely to have on the French toast and waffles and not using fake syrup in little packets. I forgot to take it to breakfast with me for the first few days, but did eventually get in the habit. It was much easier to grab it as we were leaving the room in the morning and had our thoughts on breakfast. I don't think anyone noticed, so I didn't have the opportunity to share it with the other passengers.

The truffle oil never made it into the mayo for dipping fries in (which was my original plan). We had fries maybe 3 times and was going straight to the Dive-In (the burger place on HAL ships) from an excursion. It is open in the afternoon when nothing else is, so we made a B-line for it when getting back in the afternoon. However, I did start having a few lunches in the Lido, and kept my eating there to the pasta bar (where they make your pasta to order). I do know enough about Italian cooking to get them to combine the right things that compliment the truffle oil, so didn't end up with any terrible concoctions (you wouldn't believe the things people combine when given so many choices). The truffle oil was an AMAZING addition to the pasta and I'm glad I brought it. Again, it was hard to remember to bring to the Lido, but I did manage to use it several times.

In future, I would bring it all again, but would put a few teabags in my handbag at all times so I'm ready for Afternoon Tea.

Happy sailing (and dining), friends!

Epicureangirl, Thanks so much for starting this thread and for following up afterwards. So glad to hear you had a wonderful time!

I sail as a newbie in less than a month on a pretty small ship (fewer than 200 pax), but inspired by your post I will probably bring: real maple syrup (Vermonters and Canadians know the difference, eh?), ghee, and a lovely black salt that is especially delicious on avocado slices. I like to drink a decoction of cumin, coriander, and fennel in the afternoon, so I'll bring a supply of those herbs as well. Of course, if it turns out that my tiny ship has all of those things, I'll sheepishly put my stash back in my luggage.

With less than a month to go, I am getting so excited about the adventures to come!

Epicureangirl, Thanks so much for starting this thread and for following up afterwards. So glad to hear you had a wonderful time!

 

I sail as a newbie in less than a month on a pretty small ship (fewer than 200 pax), but inspired by your post I will probably bring: real maple syrup (Vermonters and Canadians know the difference, eh?), ghee, and a lovely black salt that is especially delicious on avocado slices. I like to drink a decoction of cumin, coriander, and fennel in the afternoon, so I'll bring a supply of those herbs as well. Of course, if it turns out that my tiny ship has all of those things, I'll sheepishly put my stash back in my luggage.

 

With less than a month to go, I am getting so excited about the adventures to come!

Sounds like a great trip -- I'd love to try sailing a smaller vessel someday. Yes, real maple syrup is definitely different. I couldn't bear the thought of using 'pancake syrup' on an fresh-off-the-grill piece of French toast or crepes. Seemed like I would be doing it a disservice pouring THAT on it! ;)

Are your herbs dried herbs or fresh? I have never seen dried or fresh herbs on a ship before (only green onion where they cook the eggs, and cilantro if there is a Mexican taco bar), but maybe a previous cruiser knows what to expect at mealtimes on your vessel. It never hurts to ask the first day you are on the cruise for those items, and it never hurts to ask. Certainly there are a lot of reviews here to help with your investigation. The black salt sounds intriguing, I hope they have some avocado slices for you to have it with. I have cooked with ghee, but is it also used as a condiment? What do you eat that with?

I'm glad you're inspired to bring some of your own items. Instead of thinking to myself, this would have been SO much better with real maple syrup, I just enjoyed my breakfast completely. Well worth the effort to schlep it with me from Vancouver to Singapore!

Cheers.

Glad your carry-on food worked out so well! My husband and I took a crazy amount of stuff on our last cruise a few weeks ago. We brought our own salt, butter (grass-fed), ghee, honey, coconut oil, tea bags, nuts, coconut, dark chocolate and almond butter. We are a little picky, as you can see:)

Glad your carry-on food worked out so well! My husband and I took a crazy amount of stuff on our last cruise a few weeks ago. We brought our own salt, butter (grass-fed), ghee, honey, coconut oil, tea bags, nuts, coconut, dark chocolate and almond butter. We are a little picky, as you can see:)

Were you setting up a bullet-proof coffee bar? Sounds yummy.

LOVE bullet-proof coffee! Didn't try it on the ship, but that's all we drink at home!

Well with the ingredients you brought, you just need ground coffee, an aero press and mini-blender and you're set. Okay, that is a lot of stuff.... :')

Well with the ingredients you brought, you just need ground coffee, an aero press and mini-blender and you're set. Okay, that is a lot of stuff.... :')

Great idea! Doesn't bother us at all, will def put down on the list for the next cruise:cool:

Report back on how your cruise went and if you got to use all your stuff. My challenge was reminding myself to bring things with me.

The refrigerator in the room worked perfectly to store stuff in. Before dinner every night, we'd just throw some stuff in a bag to take with us. The tea bags were extremely easy to carry around. Can't say it didn't take up any time on the trip, it did, but worth it to DH

Are your herbs dried herbs or fresh? I have never seen dried or fresh herbs on a ship before (only green onion where they cook the eggs, and cilantro if there is a Mexican taco bar), but maybe a previous cruiser knows what to expect at mealtimes on your vessel. It never hurts to ask the first day you are on the cruise for those items, and it never hurts to ask. Certainly there are a lot of reviews here to help with your investigation. The black salt sounds intriguing, I hope they have some avocado slices for you to have it with. I have cooked with ghee, but is it also used as a condiment? What do you eat that with?

The cumin, coriander, and fennel are dried, so they are no big deal to carry around. Steep equal parts of each in hot water for 10 minutes or so, and it makes a great digestive aid -- especially if you eat just a bit too much (as I suspect I might!!!). It's a Caribbean cruise, so I'm quite hopeful for fresh avocados.

As for the ghee, I do sometimes use it as a condiment on things like oatmeal, or even to add a bit of unctuousness to stewed fruits and compotes. I tend to use it most at breakfast.

I'll keep in mind your reminder to actually carry them with me when I dine! Oh, and I found a typo in my original message: my ship is under 300 pax, not 200. Still, pretty dang small. I hope you have the chance to try that some day, too. Thank you for the advice!

The Silver Wind looks magnificent -- I'm sure I will some day. I love that your itineraries go to places that the larger ships can't sail. Enjoy your cruise, and the dining of course!

Glad your carry-on food worked out so well! My husband and I took a crazy amount of stuff on our last cruise a few weeks ago. We brought our own salt, butter (grass-fed), ghee, honey, coconut oil, tea bags, nuts, coconut, dark chocolate and almond butter. We are a little picky, as you can see:)

Wow, they allow butter?!? At home, I eat the grass-fed ones too (Kerrigold). Would love to bring it on board with me but did not imagine it is allowed.

Glad your carry-on food worked out so well! My husband and I took a crazy amount of stuff on our last cruise a few weeks ago. We brought our own salt, butter (grass-fed), ghee, honey, coconut oil, tea bags, nuts, coconut, dark chocolate and almond butter. We are a little picky, as you can see:)

Oh good, I'm happy to see I'm not the only one who wants to bring grass fed butter, organic olive oil and MCT oil on the ship. Great thread, and has inspired me to also bring fancy salt.

Hi fellow foodies,

other than the large amount of planning that goes into bringing alcohol onboard (you know who you are ;)), do any of you bring your own tea, spices, snacks or other food items onboard?

 

I am not talking about this as a money-saving measure, but just purely for enjoyment of your meals. There must be SOMEONE who is willing to admit to this. I like much of the food (on HAL), but I miss some things I take for granted at home that would make my meal just that much more enjoyable. Simple things that would be easy to take, like fresh-ground pepper, my favorite salt, or really good cinnamon. I've seriously been thinking about taking my little bottle of truffle oil with me -- I'm pretty sure that would elevate some of the pastas or perhaps I could add it to some mayo for my fries.

 

I hesitate on if I will actually do this as I don't want to be seen as fussy or make anyone uncomfortable. To be clear, I have no plans to whip out my assortment of spices at the Pinnacle Grill, but this might help me make that buffet food just that much more enjoyable. If I season my food discreetly, do you think it is okay to bring some with me? :rolleyes:

I never knew that you could bring food aboard cruise ships . I eat food for health reasons not available on cruise ships.I do my best but I always have problems .If anyone reading this were to say perhaps cruising is not for me ,it is the only kind of traveling I can do.

Wow, they allow butter?!? At home, I eat the grass-fed ones too (Kerrigold). Would love to bring it on board with me but did not imagine it is allowed.

Holland America replied to my email inquiring about butter and stated that as long as everything was factory sealed it was fine to bring on board. Also they advised that I could not ask them to store it, which I would never do...

I bring a small bottle of Spanish EVOO to add flavor to pizza and other tomato-based products services.

I was on the Carnival breeze last month, April 2018, and was saddened to see that all they offer is Lipton tea no longer a nice selection of Bigelow teas. So I welcome your thread to let me know I should bring my own TVs on my next cruise in September 2018.

Hi fellow foodies,

other than the large amount of planning that goes into bringing alcohol onboard (you know who you are ;)), do any of you bring your own tea, spices, snacks or other food items onboard?

 

I am not talking about this as a money-saving measure, but just purely for enjoyment of your meals. There must be SOMEONE who is willing to admit to this. I like much of the food (on HAL), but I miss some things I take for granted at home that would make my meal just that much more enjoyable. Simple things that would be easy to take, like fresh-ground pepper, my favorite salt, or really good cinnamon. I've seriously been thinking about taking my little bottle of truffle oil with me -- I'm pretty sure that would elevate some of the pastas or perhaps I could add it to some mayo for my fries.

 

I hesitate on if I will actually do this as I don't want to be seen as fussy or make anyone uncomfortable. To be clear, I have no plans to whip out my assortment of spices at the Pinnacle Grill, but this might help me make that buffet food just that much more enjoyable. If I season my food discreetly, do you think it is okay to bring some with me? :rolleyes:

Wouldn't the items you want to bring need to be cooked into the food to make it taste better? I know when I'm in a restaurant and they don't use salt & pepper (or ANY seasoning) when cooking (due to customer dietary issues), it never tastes the same when I put salt & pepper on after it's cooked & served. Just me ...

food is so subjective for each person.

my major complaint on all ships food is never hot enough

they have alot of people to feed they do the best they can to serve all.

the food has gone down on all ships over the years and the price of food is going up and the rates on the cruise have not

Well, my shipmates think I'm weird but I always bring a small jar of capers. I like a bagel and smoked salmon (lox) for breakfast but in HALs MDR they'll usually put only about 3-4 capers on the plate. And yes, I realize that I can ask the steward for more but they work very hard and I don't like to bother them.

Hi! My husband and I will be going on our first cruise in July & I'm so excited!!! We eat a pretty healthy high protein, low carb diet. So we plan to bring the stuff we snack on at home: Quest bars, nuts, rice cakes, jerky. I drink alot of hot tea, so will be bringing tea bags & splenda. Oh and we will be bringing our flavored drink packets for the water we've ordered for the cabin as we don't drink soda. Lastly, we are definitely wine drinkers...so will be bringing on 2 bottles and receiving a free bottle from the steakhouse!

Meet with the matre d when you arrive for their help in planning your meals. On Princess, there was a good assortment of teas and Splenda was available.

A quick question ...

If I am to bring on my own maple syrup, honey, and a couple small jars of spices, then should I pack these items in my checked luggage or carry-on (NOT flying) for the embarkation?

I buy Starbucks VIA instant coffees ( especially when I sail Princess). Their coffee is made from syrup and has poor aftertaste as well as being watery. Trust me , you’ll love them. Being along a Tervis or Yeti wanna-be cup to carry it in

Some folks have been asking about putting their liquids in their checked baggage or their carry-ons. If flying in the USA, liquids need to be under 3.4oz each and all the liquids together need to fit into a quart ziploc bag. Unless you need the XYZ for medical reasons, in which case you can read up on all the medical exceptions on the TSA's website.

My first cruise with Princess we brought the little cans of grapefruit Perrier with us thinking it would be a special treat, but there were so many other special treats we barely got to them. Grabbing glasses of ice water with fresh lemon from the buffet was treat enough for me. Princess uses Bigelow tea bags at the buffet and dining rooms and I don't care for Bigelow (for black tea I would rather have Lipton!). On one cruise I got a coffee care primarily for the unlimited tea from the International Cafe and a couple other locations that was much, much better. I learned on that trip all the things I could do--I could go get just a tea bag and take it somewhere else, I could ask them to pour it over ice, etc. I often had tea chilling in the fridge (I was hot a lot). You could use the punches for a pot of loose-leaf tea, and the pots I tried were excellent but the staff were always confused as to what to do when I ordered it.