Vegan/Vegetarian accommodations on NCL?

Hi guys!

I had a less than ideal experience cruising with Carnival as a vegetarian - I was only able to eat mostly sides at meals and even then the dining room staff was never entirely sure if things were made with chicken stock, animal fat, etc.

Now, I'm 1000% not intense about restaurants/hotels/etc. catering to me because I understand the way I eat is not the norm, and I definitely don't expect people to go out of their way to make food for me. However, when I've paid the same amount for a cruise as everyone around me and can only eat a couple of things I don't even like off of the menu for an entire week, it's a little frustrating.

This time around, my wife is vegan and I'm mostly plant-based. So in an effort to avoid the issues we had on our last cruise, I decided to book with NCL because their website specifically mentions vegetarians and suggests that if you email them 8 weeks before your cruise to let them know you'll be on board, they'll be able to accommodate you! I was super excited about this and last week sent them an email to let them know.

However, their email response to me was something along the lines of "here are links to photos of our menus, hope that helps!"

So I responded and mentioned the wording on their website and asked if there were additional accommodations that could be made. But when they responded they didn't really acknowledge the wording on the website and just said that that there's nothing they can do and I'll have to ask once onboard.

Their responses seem directly contrary to what I'm reading on the site, and I'm starting to get concerned that we'll be having another less-than-ideal food experience on this cruise again. Their emails feel a little canned and I can't help but have the feeling they're not really listening to me.

So for any of you who are vegan/veg or even have another type of dietary restriction, has NCL been able to accommodate you? What did they do? Did they do anything when you let them know beforehand? Who did you talk to?

Thanks for your help, and sorry for the long post!

You will need to contact the maître d and the chef while on board. They can accommodate you but they need to know ahead of time. There are some stock dishes that fit your diet but the regular menu doesn't include a selection of options for, nor should it as you can easily understand.

Following this post , my 19 year old is cruising with us next month and she is vegan. I don't cook that way and she always manages to eat at home. NCL told us that we should ask our server at each venue what the vegan/ vegetarian option is. Hopefully she will be ok with that!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

I don't know who at NCL the OP emailed but I don't think it was the Access desk. They are the ones to contact before a cruise for Special Needs.

I don't know who at NCL the OP emailed but I don't think it was the Access desk. They are the ones to contact before a cruise for Special Needs.

I did contact the access desk; they forwarded my email to someone from Special Events who is the person I've been having this convo with. The access desk has been cc'd on all of the emails but I haven't heard from them!

Actually, NCL is all over things like this. I have vegetarian in my profile and NCL does the following:

1. I have letter in my cabin upon arrival noting my dietary selection and providing me a contact number should I have any questions or requests.

2. Personal call to my cabin asking if I need anything special and making sure I know to call.

3. Host typically comments on my vegetarian status/needs at check in at the main dining room

4. There are always vegetarian choices on the menu. Usually multiple appetizers and 1-2 entrees. It is also possible to get a slight modification. For example there is a shrimp and pasta dish on the everyday menu, it can be served without the shrimp.

5. I ask questions and either the server knows or will go find out. Typical example is for soups. Many soups, even though they sound vegetarian are made with chicken or other non vegetarian stock and I won't eat those. So I ask (even at home) before ordering.

6. I had a vegan dining mate last cruise, she always found a good entree, she never asked for anything special, but she could have. She did choose to have lunches and some dinners at the buffet due to the variety there. Personally I find the Indian food on the buffet a refreshing vegetarian option that we both enjoyed.

Call and ask if you need to, but NCL does a good job of providing vegetarian options in just their normal daily operation.

The one time we should have made arrangements was for pay dinner show. We booked late and they really hadn't planned for vegetarian options.

As Nola26 said, they are really on top of it.

Make sure you do put the request in to your TA or NCL directly or your dietary needs. You can also make requests for certain types of substitutes (I prefer coconut or almond milk), and it was available on the Pearl for me.

The waiters are very good as well. Someone in our group was gluten intolerant and didn't setup and dietary preferences before boarding, she mentioned it at dinner and the waiter was great with checking with the kitchen as to what could be offered last minute.

You could also attend your M&G. The officers usually give out their cards with direct numbers. About 3 years ago, we were on the Sun. One of our new friends had a few issues due to her vegan diet and not feeling well. However, I talked to Hotel Director, Brian. The head chef talked to her and she did not have any issues after that. In fact, she spent a lot more money on drinks since she was feeling better since she was eating better.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I was on the Escape in Dec 2016 and the vegan options prepared for me were amazing. I met with the sous chefs at the restaurants I wanted to eat at (the day before) and they always made sure to have something wonderful when I came for dinner or lunch. And I agree with the previous poster that attending the Meet and Greet is a good idea as you will have the opportunity for direct contact with the various department heads.

@nola26 - that sounds amazing!!

I won't worry too much then about the website and this email chain. And now that you mention it, I do think I remember a question about dietary constraints and being able to select that we're vegetarian!

Okay, whew! I think I was getting unnecessarily stressed about it. Thank you all for your advice, and I'll keep an eye out for the m&g!!

...

I'll keep an eye out for the m&g!!

Have you joined your Roll Call? That is where you'll find the date/time/place of your Meet & Greet. It will not be mentioned on the ship's newsletter.

My family was on the Jade last week and my 21 year old daughter is vegan. We did nothing in advance of the cruise and hoped for the best. We were pleasantly surprised at all the options available to her, mostly on the buffet. There was always a vegetarian section and most items there were vegan as well. She ate lots of Indian dishes (which she loves) and always had the salad bar with plenty of choices that rotated. She also asked for almond milk at the buffet and they had no problem getting it for her. She did not go to any of the specialty restaurants, only the buffet, Blue Lagoon, and the two main dining rooms.

When I had a Group, mid last year (2016) I was told upfront, that they can accommodate Vegetarian, but not Vegan. I had a Vegan in the Group. She was told to talk to the Matre 'D and she did.. He went over each menu ahead of Time and pointed out the Vegetarian options. He told her that he could not guarantee that they would be Vegan. She definitely did not starve on the cruise, though, and was happy with her options.

Have you joined your Roll Call? That is where you'll find the date/time/place of your Meet & Greet. It will not be mentioned on the ship's newsletter.

here on the forum? yes I'm in the roll call! So is the meet & greet not an official thing?

Avoid Cagney's and Moderno.

I just remembered, the food labels at the buffet are color coded, green means the item is vegetarian. If you still question an item, just ask the worker behind the line.

O'Sheehan's is the least vegetarian friendly place probably due to the overall small menu. The nachos can be made w/o bacon, not special, but a fine snack. If you eat dairy I highly recommend the omelets. The caesar salad was good, but the apple pie is the real reason to go there, plenty of apple and not too sweet. I may still be in denial about how many slices I ate. :o

Bumping this thread because we just got off the breakaway and I have to say we are so happy with the service we had!! Our daughter the vegan :) met with Horace the assistant matre d in Savor and he made it his business to make sure she had variety and was happy every time she went in there. I couldn't have asked for better !

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Good to hear that vegetarians and vegans can be catered for. Does anyone know if the vegetarian options contain vegetarian ( rennet free) cheese? This is readily available in the UK, and food prepared here which contains cheese prepared with rennet is labelled as unsuitable for vegetarians.

I ask because I have had some less than satisfactory correspondence with Celebrity Cruises. They produce a vegetarian menu on board, but some of the choices contain cheese made with rennet. When I queried this with them, I was told that most vegetarians are happy to eat cheese containing rennet ( really? Did they ask anyone? Did they tell them what they were being offered?) and that to eat a correctly defined vegetarian meal, I would have to have the 'vegetarian' menu modified to meet my requirements!

Not impressed!

I am certainly not vegan or vegetarian, but I have to speak about the Special Access coordinators for NCL... they are the reason we choose to cruise NCL instead of Royal or Carnival. They go above and beyond for anyone who has special needs. I watched from our balcony as our Special Access coordinator walked back into the port to find a stack of boxes that had been misplaced by a porter. Without her doing this, we would have had to get back off the ship and fly home instead of sailing away at 4 PM.

Call the Special Access desk when you get on board. Let them know exactly what you need. They will do all of the behind the scenes negotiating to make it happen. :-)

I'm travelling with my mother and daughter; the latter is vegan. The 3-specialty meals were included for my mother and me, so I bought one for my daughter. I have booked Tepanyaki and Cuchina because I figured she could get something without meat there. Can't decide on the third one. Moderno has an extensive salad bar and a bean side dish. Don't know if La Bistro would work; I've seen the menu and it all seems pretty meat heavy.

I could let her repeat one of the others, and my mom and I could go to Moderno or Cagneys. We might need some alone time by then!

I have cruised twice with my niece who is a vegan.

First, you need to send a letter to the access desk to let them know of her dietary restrictions. They will tell you to meet with the restaurant manager/maître d' on the first day of your cruise.

They made my niece a vegan mushroom soup and she had a vegan version of the Portabella stack. The most lovely vegan dessert was presented to her at le bistro they did bruled banana slices with lemon sorbet and a strawberry.

It may have just been personal preference, but she did not care much for Moderno.

We did not go to the Italian.

There are lots of sides at Cagney's and they gladly substituted butter for oil.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

As a vegan I can tell you that some of my best meals have been aboard NCL - even prior to learning about the Special Access desk. Specific questions that have been asked on this forum:

• Rennet-free cheese availability: Unsure. I'm not a huge fan of cheese, so I've never asked. Interested to hear the answer though.
  
• "Milk" Options: NCL has almond and soy milk. I always call 30 days prior to boarding to have a special request for almond milk as I have been told they tend not to stock a large amount. The brand they use is also gluten-free (some brands have a gluten binding agent)
  
• Vegetable soup: Most "vegetable soups" are made with chicken broth on boats - it's a flavor-thing. Ask your waiter or the maitre d' if you can order veggie soup in broth. The kitchen always has plain broth, and usually are willing to throw in some vegetables to make a quick soup (your meal may be delayed / slow though). If you are eating at that same restaurant for more than one day, ask on your first visit - they may be able to accommodate you on your second meal easier.
  
• Bread: some breads are made with egg and butter - the sourdough and french bread options are not made with eggs or dairy, but do have yeast.
  

Best places to eat:

1. Buffet: Indian and middle eastern cuisine outstanding. Many of the vegetable dishes are made with oil rather than butter, but always ask. Salad bar is fresh and plentiful, and you can find sorbet at most of the ice cream venues (make sure it's not "sherbet" though). Try the congee option as well - it's a Japanese rice breakfast often served with meat, but can be vegan depending on what you add to the base
   
2. Moderno: Yes..I swear! The salad bar is outstanding - especially the hearts of palm. If you have an otherwise carnivorous family, this is a great restaurant to share a meal. Some vegans are uncomfortable around meat in general, so this may not be best option for them
   
3. Sushi Restaurant: Depending on your ship, there will be a sushi restaurant that can make you both menu and special order rolls. Veggie, cucumber and seaweed salad with picked daikon rolled in sesame seeds is a personal favorite (as is the sake martini with cucumber...yum)
   
4. Haven: If you happen to be in the Haven, they will tailor meals to your dining preferences. I'm completely spoiled by my last trip in which the breakfast buffet was a vegan's dream. Hot cereals are made with water generally all over the ship - oatmeal with dried fruits and granola is a great way to start a vegan day.
   

I love, love to eat .... and honestly have had good vegan food on Disney, Celebrity, RCL and NCL. You just have to plan ahead a bit and be vocal and persistent about your requests.

Warm regards, Amy

I am intolerant to dairy and have never had any problems on NCL. They've always been absolutely fantastic, much better than restaurants on land. You have two options:

1) Tell the staff before hand, they are able to plan meals a day in advance for you if thats what you'd like. I rarely bother with this option, I suppose because I have an intolerance not an allergy it isn't life or death so I get a little lazy...

2) Tell your waiter at the start of the meal. It's a little more tricky on NCL are you don't have the same staff everyday but nether the less they are always really helpful. I've never had any problems.

Genuinely is easier than on land. I suppose as they have so much food onboard they are more than happy to make a substitution. As for Vegans I think cruise lines in general are really trying to up their game on this one!

I've been on 9 NCL cruises and have written about my experiences with my dairy intolerance here, including my top tips. I won't bother typing it all out again as most have already been mentioned above. But just incase you are interested: http://cruisingisntjustforoldpeople.co.uk/2016/12/19/cruising-with-a-food-intolerance/

Have a fabulous cruise! I'm quite an NCL fan girl...

Try the tomahawk ribeye in Cagneys.. pretty sure it's vegan friendly :p:p

I wanted to mention that my niece, the vegan, did not want to eat at Teppanyaki this last trip because of the special attention paid to her to cook her meal separately. Some people feel it is a detriment to others enjoyment of the show. If she had really wanted to go there I would've asked if they would prepare her meal in the kitchen and bring it out. Of course I would have added an extra large tip if she had wanted to do this.

We also were in the Haven and the epic club for breakfast and lunch was just fantastic, as was dinner. We had the old UDP so we wanted to dine at some other places too. But seriously, the three of us agreed that the epic club was by far the best food on the ship.

If you are in a suite they will bring you afternoon snacks. My niece loved the crudités and they made her a vegan dip. We also had bowls of berries which she loved.

We asked the strawberries be dipped in dark chocolate. She liked that.

Sent from my iPhone using Forums