Vegans on Oceania

Hi everyone. I am vegan - there I've said it! (six months and counting). I am delighted that Oceania have introduced vegan options onboard as we have booked a cruise with them later this year. Has anyone tried their vegan menu since its introduction? I would love to hear from you if you have. Thanks.

Hi everyone. I am vegan - there I've said it! (six months and counting). I am delighted that Oceania have introduced vegan options onboard as we have booked a cruise with them later this year. Has anyone tried their vegan menu since its introduction? I would love to hear from you if you have. Thanks.

Q.How can you tell if someone's vegan?

A: If they haven't told you in the first two minutes after they've met you, they're not.

(OK, sorry, but of a cheap wind-up, just playing along because OP said 'there, I said it!')

I also have questions about this, and most of them are in the vein of "Are they proper vegan dishes, or are they regular dishes with vegan proteins substituted where the meat might be?"

Vegan menu is a huge step forward if it's done well. I can't cook well enough to go with a plant-based diet yet, but the more I learn, the more I want to.

I will probably try some on our next O cruise. Sorry, I haven’t tasted it yet, but here is a link to the information and sample menu.

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/wellness/gourmet-vegan-cuisine/

I will probably try some on our next O cruise. Sorry, I haven’t tasted it yet, but here is a link to the information and sample menu.

https://www.oceaniacruises.com/experience/wellness/gourmet-vegan-cuisine/

Thanks.

I'm impressed.

we will probably try some also in July

I eat fish but love veggies. the breakfast and dinner sound better than the normal ones. i use dairy but do do complete all veggie days every week.

Hi everyone. I am vegan - there I've said it! (six months and counting). I am delighted that Oceania have introduced vegan options onboard as we have booked a cruise with them later this year. Has anyone tried their vegan menu since its introduction? I would love to hear from you if you have. Thanks.

Sorry, NOT vegan. We book Oceania for the great food. I'm sure they'll provide enough Vegan dishes for the ones who want it.

Q.How can you tell if someone's vegan?

A: If they haven't told you in the first two minutes after they've met you, they're not.

(OK, sorry, but of a cheap wind-up, just playing along because OP said 'there, I said it!')

 

I also have questions about this, and most of them are in the vein of "Are they proper vegan dishes, or are they regular dishes with vegan proteins substituted where the meat might be?"

 

Vegan menu is a huge step forward if it's done well. I can't cook well enough to go with a plant-based diet yet, but the more I learn, the more I want to.

Thanks for your reply which wasn't altogether helpful I'm afraid!! Also, have I told you I'm vegan?!! I'm hoping it'll all be ok when we sail, fingers crossed. (No animals were harmed in the writing of this post)

Going for such a speciality menu devoid of all the principal dishes that the line is famous for is both short sighted and, well, a waste of good money. Id pick a line that dosent focus to much on cuisine as Oceania Your limiting yourself and places like Polo, Jacques, .... will be missed as they are all about meats the same is true with almost every venue.

In short they may offer a "Vegan" menu but you will be limiting your self to less than 10% of what the ship offers.. yet paying full price Think this through, its a terrible waste of money eliminating 90% of the ships benefits for a principal

:eek::eek:

Why do some people insist on telling others how to spend THEIR money

Thanks for your reply which wasn't altogether helpful I'm afraid!! Also, have I told you I'm vegan?!! I'm hoping it'll all be ok when we sail, fingers crossed. (No animals were harmed in the writing of this post)

We sail next week and are looking forward to the vegan and vegetarian offerings--I'll try to remember to snap some photos and report back when we return. It's our first time out with Oceania, and we picked the line for the itinerary, ship size, comfortable surroundings, and (we are hoping) simpatico vibe of fellow travelers. It would be great to find a variety of inventive fresh and wholesome food choices that complement our lifestyle focus. (Would also be nice to find that the acai berry bowl isn't loaded with sugar--we shall see.)

Going for such a speciality menu devoid of all the principal dishes that the line is famous for is both short sighted and, well, a waste of good money. Id pick a line that dosent focus to much on cuisine as Oceania Your limiting yourself and places like Polo, Jacques, .... will be missed as they are all about meats the same is true with almost every venue.

 

In short they may offer a "Vegan" menu but you will be limiting your self to less than 10% of what the ship offers.. yet paying full price Think this through, its a terrible waste of money eliminating 90% of the ships benefits for a principal

Most of these "professional posters" are just talking heads and are not helpful. My daughter is a vegan and the food is wonderful and flavorful. Sometimes people need to mind their business and keep opinions to themselves. Knowing this line, I am sure the menu will be tasty. We are looking forward to a review when someone experiences the menu.

(Would also be nice to find that the acai berry bowl isn't loaded with sugar--we shall see.)

You could probably ask them to not put sugar on them when you order

I will be looking forward to your reviews on the new dishes

we are not Vegan nor Vegetarian but still enjoy meatless meals

Hope they are as good as they sound

I am not vegan or vegetarian, but my son was for several years (though not now). At any rate, I am aware after cooking for him. There are lots of vegan options and you will never feel starved. The food is outstanding. I mostly eat vegan at lunch onboard with no issues, and I know I could at any meal if I chose to.

I am not vegan or vegetarian, but my son was for several years (though not now). At any rate, I am aware after cooking for him. There are lots of vegan options and you will never feel starved. The food is outstanding. I mostly eat vegan at lunch onboard with no issues, and I know I could at any meal if I chose to.

did you try any of the vegan dishes off the new Vegan menus ?

Going for such a speciality menu devoid of all the principal dishes that the line is famous for is both short sighted and, well, a waste of good money. Id pick a line that dosent focus to much on cuisine as Oceania Your limiting yourself and places like Polo, Jacques, .... will be missed as they are all about meats the same is true with almost every venue.

 

In short they may offer a "Vegan" menu but you will be limiting your self to less than 10% of what the ship offers.. yet paying full price Think this through, its a terrible waste of money eliminating 90% of the ships benefits for a principal

Wouldn’t the opposite be true? Oceania is one of the few lines to offer a Vegan menu...setting themselves apart for those who desire it.

DH is not a Vegan, but it is the closest thing to the way he eats...so when ordering special meals on flights, it is what we request for him.

You could probably ask them to not put sugar on them when you order

 

I will be looking forward to your reviews on the new dishes

 

we are not Vegan nor Vegetarian but still enjoy meatless meals

 

Hope they are as good as they sound

It's usually not the added sugar but the sugar that comes along for the ride in processing (acai berries used in smoothies typically come as sweetened powder or sweetened frozen pulp). It will be interesting to see if nutritional info is available. I wouldn't be surprised if it was--Oceania seems to have an eye on health and wellness. We're not vegan or vegetarian either, but enjoy a plant-based diet much of the time.

did you try any of the vegan dishes off the new Vegan menus ?

Yes, I did, in GDR, and I thought they were good. But I like tofu.

It's usually not the added sugar but the sugar that comes along for the ride in processing (acai berries used in smoothies typically come as sweetened powder or sweetened frozen pulp). It will be interesting to see if nutritional info is available. I wouldn't be surprised if it was--Oceania seems to have an eye on health and wellness. We're not vegan or vegetarian either, but enjoy a plant-based diet much of the time.

I guess I am just used to Oceania using fresh fruit I never thought of the acai berries being powder or pulp

I am looking forward to your reports

Most of these "professional posters" are just talking heads and are not helpful. My daughter is a vegan and the food is wonderful and flavorful. Sometimes people need to mind their business and keep opinions to themselves. Knowing this line, I am sure the menu will be tasty. We are looking forward to a review when someone experiences the menu.

Thank you. I have found that friends, family, strangers become very defensive when faced with something different. They think they're helping but in fact are not. Adopting a plant based diet has been one of the best things I've ever done. Well done your daughter.

Going for such a speciality menu devoid of all the principal dishes that the line is famous for is both short sighted and, well, a waste of good money. Id pick a line that dosent focus to much on cuisine as Oceania Your limiting yourself and places like Polo, Jacques, .... will be missed as they are all about meats the same is true with almost every venue.

 

In short they may offer a "Vegan" menu but you will be limiting your self to less than 10% of what the ship offers.. yet paying full price Think this through, its a terrible waste of money eliminating 90% of the ships benefits for a principal

Thank you for your reply and I take on board (no pun intended) what you have said. We have sailed with Oceania several times before now and have loved everything about the cruises, not just the food. That said, I appreciate that the food is a very important element to enjoying these cruises. I'm hoping that with the introduction of a vegan menu with over 250 dishes available that I will be able to find something to eat! To me, paying full price to eat a plant based diet whilst on board is not a hardship. To me veganism isn't only a principle, it's now a healthier, more enlightened way of life.

We sail next week and are looking forward to the vegan and vegetarian offerings--I'll try to remember to snap some photos and report back when we return. It's our first time out with Oceania, and we picked the line for the itinerary, ship size, comfortable surroundings, and (we are hoping) simpatico vibe of fellow travelers. It would be great to find a variety of inventive fresh and wholesome food choices that complement our lifestyle focus. (Would also be nice to find that the acai berry bowl isn't loaded with sugar--we shall see.)

Thank you and I look forward to seeing your photos.

I am not vegan or vegetarian, but my son was for several years (though not now). At any rate, I am aware after cooking for him. There are lots of vegan options and you will never feel starved. The food is outstanding. I mostly eat vegan at lunch onboard with no issues, and I know I could at any meal if I chose to.

Thank you.

We recently did two weeks on Marina, and got a good feel for the vegan menus. My overall thoughts (with respect to dinner in the GDR):

1. The vegan menu changes daily, like the regular menu. Given the reported number of new menu items, you're not likely going to encounter repetition. So that's the good news.
   
2. Despite the large number of items overall, there are few/no choices on each day's menu (i.e. one salad, one soup, one appy, one entree, one dessert). Essentially I hope you like what they have on offer that day.
   
3. The dishes are almost universally vegan derivatives of items on the main menu, e.g. replace chicken in entree with vegan protein substitute. Weirdly retro and not how any vegan I know actually eats. Your favourite meat-potatoes-veg relative would approve. Real vegans not as much.
   
4. Not withstanding the above, taste, presentation, etc. were generally good.
   
5. If you have any other dietary restrictions along with vegan, you could be in trouble.
   

I've posted more details on this and other related topics in a detailed write-up I did about our culinary experiences recently: https://cruisespecialdiet.com/oceania/

Regarding the commenters saying you're wasting your money if you go Oceania without partaking in its full culinary experience, all I can say is people choose cruises for all kinds of reasons, and I'm not about to judge, no matter how tempting it may be...! :halo:

We recently did two weeks on Marina, and got a good feel for the vegan menus. My overall thoughts (with respect to dinner in the GDR):

 

 

1. The vegan menu changes daily, like the regular menu. Given the reported number of new menu items, you're not likely going to encounter repetition. So that's the good news.
   
2. Despite the large number of items overall, there are few/no choices on each day's menu (i.e. one salad, one soup, one appy, one entree, one dessert). Essentially I hope you like what they have on offer that day.
   
3. The dishes are almost universally vegan derivatives of items on the main menu, e.g. replace chicken in entree with vegan protein substitute. Weirdly retro and not how any vegan I know actually eats. Your favourite meat-potatoes-veg relative would approve. Real vegans not as much.
   
4. Not withstanding the above, taste, presentation, etc. were generally good.
   
5. If you have any other dietary restrictions along with vegan, you could be in trouble.
   

I've posted more details on this and other related topics in a detailed write-up I did about our culinary experiences recently: https://cruisespecialdiet.com/oceania/

 

Regarding the commenters saying you're wasting your money if you go Oceania without partaking in its full culinary experience, all I can say is people choose cruises for all kinds of reasons, and I'm not about to judge, no matter how tempting it may be...! :halo:

It was an interesting read discovering how poorly Oceania did with multiple dietary issues but but as a straightforward convenience vegan, not WFPB diet, they do really well :)

I was onboard Marina last Oct and had the best, finest vegan meal I have ever been served onboard a cruise ship 😍 Just a few comments on the above points.. addition, rather than reply

1) The vegan menu onboard has about 250 dishes on a 14 day rotation. So you shouldn't get the same dish twice unless you do a sailing longer than two weeks.

2) The lack of options is true.. most menus I have seen has one option for each course. If you want a vegan menu with multiple options for each course Costa Cruises is you option. But, it won't be Oceania level of cooking. HAL has a veggie menu with vegan options but it is the same menu each night. MSC has one vegan main course per night... (they've made the veggie option a vegan one to cover both) and no-body else does anything like it. Yet, I hope.

3) As for meat subs... personally, I love them. Gimme seitan, tempeh, Oumph!, Tofurky... vegan alternatives to former meat. But if by 'real' vegan you mean WFPB, perhaps Oceania's menu is not the best option. IMO it is great to see a cruise line feature them rather than just veg. Royal Caribbean has soy mince but Carnival couldn't offer even that. Yet P&O has offered seitan based sandwich 'meats' and breakfast 'bacon".

4) Presentation is absolutely spot on on Oceania. Those Versace plates, Riedel glassware etc.

5) The experience of combining vegan with other dietary needs and staff not being aware of seitan being wheat based is scary... Hope you've written to Oceania and your terrible experience will lead to some serious training for not just galley but serving staff.

Would love to hear more.. and see more pics of vegan food onboard Oceania. If anyone is interested in sharing their vegan dining experience onboard, I've decided to start accepting guest posts on my vegan cruising blog :)

Sanna Vegancruiser