Too MUCH SALT FOR ME!

[aquilegia]

It might be true because, as we get older, our taste buds aren't as sharp as they once were. So, many folks add more salt/pepper than usual.

 

i'm sure this is true about flavourings generally, not just salt. When I was a child, my mother never added sugar to fruit or took it in tea/coffee. When she got old, all that changed and she would sugar even things that were sweet to begin with.

 

I'm one who doesn't cook with salt. I have it on the table, but virtually never add it to my own food. When I'm out, I just avoid things that I think will be salty. As others have said, it's a lot easier if you ask for sauces and dressings on the side.

[Nancyquilts]

Unfortunately, one of my favorite dishes is French onion soup. It's always too salty on Princess - they say it's the cheese, and if you want it low salt you can have it without the cheese. Why can't they use cheese that isn't so salty?

[Loonbeam]

As always, food is subjective.

 

That said, salt is effective and cheap as a seasoning.

 

But there can be other factors. I ate one night at a restaurant we dine at regularly and the food was SUPER overseasoned. I mentioned it to the owner, he talked to the chef (who had been there for years). Turned out he had recently had nasal surgery, which can affect the taste buds for a while, so everything was tasting blander than usual to him and he was overcompensating.

[Cruisin' Chick]

I'm another person who doesn't care for salty food. I don't use it while cooking unless there's a recipe that seems to need salt for the baking reaction. IMO, lazy cooks use salt rather than herbs and spices.

 

My hubby will now use Mrs. Dash when he's seasoning his food.

 

I don't care for salad dressing (not even anything with vinegar as I detest that smell). I can eat my salad plain or with lemon juice.

[sminfiddle]

We are another no-salt-added household. We always taste it in sauces, marinades etc. in restaurants.

On the Crown, surprisingly we didn't notice a saltiness in the food apart from occasional dishes. I don't remember if my Black&Blue Onion Soup was salty (I usually expect it in onion soup though).

 

It never occurred to us to measure ankles before or after :D

[Amster12345]

I don't remember anything being too salty on the last cruises, but I'm one of those people who often add salt before I taste something. Always if it is "healthy" or low sodium.

I cook with very little salt because my husband can't have that much sodium, but it doesn't taste good to me unless it is saltier.

 

Sent from my Samsung using Forums mobile app

[geocruiser]

I don't remember anything being too salty on the last cruises, but I'm one of those people who often add salt before I taste something. Always if it is "healthy" or low sodium.

I cook with very little salt because my husband can't have that much sodium, but it doesn't taste good to me unless it is saltier.

 

Sent from my Samsung using Forums mobile app

 

I know what you mean. I cook with no salt most of the time. When my brother come to visit I put the salt shaker on the table. He is my only guest that needs the shaker. He has gotten use to the salt and needs it to make the food taste good to him. But it works out. He can add it at the table. All others who visit us don't used the shaker (but they cook with salt at their homes).

[mummyrose]

Some of the soups and broths were extremly salty on our 26 day cruise but it changed when complaints were put in writing at the front desk. ..

 

 

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[luvincruising48]

On a trip on the Golden last November to Hawaii I experienced extremely swollen ankles. I visited the ship's doctor who gave me a diuretic. I followed up with my doctor when I got home who told me that a friend of hers who is a doctor works on cruise ships and she says they salt the food to increase your thirst so you purchase more alcoholic drinks. This is the first time I have ever experienced this problem but it makes me wary of cruising on Princess again.

[Thrak]

Oddly enough, on our last cruise (Star Princess SFO / Hawaii) all three of us commented on how bland the food was in HC. Definitely didn't seem salty, over-seasoned, or, for that matter, flavorful.

[mcarbone2001]

May those of us who don't want so much salt might want write to Princess and let them know how we feel. I did try salt free on Tahitian Princess and it was awful. The soup tasted like dish water (no, I never tasted dirty dish water but in my mouth I felt that is what is tasted like) Food can be flavored with other things than lots of salt. Some salt is fine for me, but too much is not good. My DH had fish the last night on board that he could not eat because of the salt. I think the balance is for Princess to use less salt in food and those who want more can add it at the tables.

 

I agree. We can always add more salt.

[cr8tiv1]

I know what you are saying. I did do a low/no sodium diet on a two week cruise. Each night, I pre-ordered my dinner. The head waiter would shake his head and roll his eyes every time I wanted sea food. He reminded me that they spent their lives in salt water. I found the vegetables to be perfectly done. I did miss my potatoes and had to sometimes order them on the side. Their soups seem to be especially salty.

 

I did eat regularly at the other venues. I thought by cutting down the salt in at least one main meal would help. I still had swollen ankles and feet. My next two week cruise will also dabble in low/no sodium diet but I will have my compression socks with me.

 

I do wish Princess would use less salt and allow the passengers to modify their individual dishes.

[Rosefloater]

I'm another person who doesn't care for salty food. I don't use it while cooking unless there's a recipe that seems to need salt for the baking reaction. IMO' date=' lazy cooks use salt rather than herbs and spices.

[/quote']

 

I'm like you. The only time I add salt from a recipe is when I'm baking. Otherwise it herbs and spices.

 

Haven't cruised Princess yet, but on Carnival and most restaurants I can taste the salt. There is one restaurant we go to where we know the soup is made in house because sometimes we taste the salt and other times we don't.

 

If you watch any cooking shows, you will see the chefs always salting everything, and complain when something isn't salted.

[Dayenu]

I agree - my ankles were swollen every night on our cruise last week. I do not use a lot of salt at home, but the chefs on board really seem to!

 

I thought it was the water - they desalinate on the ship. Oh, well, water pills are easier to carry than your own bottled water :cool:

[Dayenu]

On a trip on the Golden last November to Hawaii I experienced extremely swollen ankles. I visited the ship's doctor who gave me a diuretic. I followed up with my doctor when I got home who told me that a friend of hers who is a doctor works on cruise ships and she says they salt the food to increase your thirst so you purchase more alcoholic drinks. This is the first time I have ever experienced this problem but it makes me wary of cruising on Princess again.

 

If one cruise line does it, others do the same, don't doubt it.

[Love.II.Cruise]

As does the sea air, it coats the hand rails so likely our lungs too. Plus the occasional mouthful of sea water while snorkeling :eek: Some might get a daily allowance without the food source :D

 

This is me! On our Windstar cruise there was a trampoline with a slide at the back of the ship. I was able to record a short video as I slid down the slide (posted below; turn your volume up to hear me say “I’m recording” followed by a scream). One tip you might want to keep in mind if you decide to replicate my little experiment: screaming and ocean water don’t mix; I got a nice, big mouthful. :eek:

 

https://plus.google.com/photos/104205394500372911214/albums/5847669117647932561/5847669348545228482?authkey=CLnl-Iu3te6hSA&pid=5847669348545228482&oid=104205394500372911214

[Times Prince]

I agree - my ankles were swollen every night on our cruise last week. I do not use a lot of salt at home, but the chefs on board really seem to!

After one of our early cruises we asked our doctor about the cause of ankle swelling. His answer was that it was the direct result of cruising at sea in a saltwater environment, and had little to do with the salt added to the food. This was coming from Colorado, where we maintained a low salt diet.

 

Hi All

 

Have never added salt to any meal, prefer salad in its raw state, not into all the dressings, have tasted salt in a few meals while on board a ship, but not to the point that I have returned anything.

 

Often wonder how others food must taste with salt and pepper added

 

yours Shogun

We have been minimal salt users for years and have not found salty food to be an issue on Princess ships.

 

On our one cruise on Holland America, we found ourselves adding salt to many dishes as the chefs on that cruise apparently didn't add any during cooking. The food was much too bland. But seeing as we, in our early 50's were the youngest on the ship, maybe they were cooking for a different requirement for their passenger set.

 

As with anything, tastes vary. And choices do, too - like requesting fish. :rolleyes:

[lovevacadays]

I'm sorry to hear that there was too much salt for you. I'm not a huge salt person and I have not had the same experience as you but we definitely all have different taste when it comes to food.

[DebJ14]

I had to do this because of shellfish. Can not eat them. My TA called Princess for me to let them know. On the first night when seated I told the head waiter about it. He went a got a list and checked my name and cabin. Then I was asked if I could make dinner at a certain time each night at MY Time dinning. We said "yes". We were seated at the same table every night. The head waiter told me it was safer for them to do it this way. He all so said when I eat in the HC to get the head chef (he said look for man in the big hat) and he will tell me what I can not eat. Some times shell fish is hidden in the dish. It worked out fine.

 

We have to eat gluten free for medical reasons. Every cruise line we have sailed recommended that we have assigned dining. It makes it easier for them to deal with allergies when you have the same waiter every night. Some people get their backs up about this and demand the right to eat whenever they please, but I figure that we are putting them to extra trouble, so we always sign up for late seating.

[DebJ14]

Our doctor told us that people on cruises who don't live in humid climates often get swollen ankles on cruises. We live in a very humid environment and my ankles never swell, but on a family cruise all the female relatives who live in the mountains had huge ankles on the cruise. They use alot of salt all the time in their food to the point where I find it inedible, so I doubt they got more in the food on the cruise than they get at home. I picked up some Water Pills at CVS in Key West for them and that did the trick. They were too uncomfortable to walk on their swollen ankles so they didn't manage to get off in the first port. By the time we reached the next port they were fine as the pills kicked in. My sister in law reported the problem to her doctor and he gave her a prescription diuretic to use only when she cruises.

[TERESAh]

THIS issue is the biggest for us when we cruise as my mother is limited to 1500 mg a day (and of course everyone is recommended to use under 2300mb sodium).

 

If you have ever looked at how much salt there really is in all the food we eat you would be shocked at how much you are consuming in a single day---bread, dressings, sauces, packaged foods etc are ALl high in sodium and the average person does not think about what they are eating--until it is too late and they have damage to their bodies.

 

I have read on these boards in the past about getting the menu the night before and letting them know which items you would like prepared without salt and I would love to be able to partake in this. On out last 14 day cruise to Hawaii on the Golden Princess I did not find that our waiter was at all receptive of this happening. All he said was "no the chef never cooks with too much salt". Yea right.

 

Has anyone had success with the night before menu deal and who did you speak to if you were eating in anytime dining? This is a medical issue for my mom and a choice to be supportive for me so I would love to be able to make this happen for our next Hawaiian cruise in April.

 

Thanks bunches!

Yasmine :)

 

On our last cruise there were 3 of us who wanted low or no salt. The head waiter came to our table every night with the next night's menu. Our meals were specially prepared with low or no salt.

[DrivesLikeMario]

Interesting! I never thought of getting diuretics for cruising.

 

The information about humidity does make sense. One's home environment can be so totally different to the moist, humid sea environment.

[MandD]

T

 

I have read on these boards in the past about getting the menu the night before and letting them know which items you would like prepared without salt and I would love to be able to partake in this. On out last 14 day cruise to Hawaii on the Golden Princess I did not find that our waiter was at all receptive of this happening. All he said was "no the chef never cooks with too much salt". Yea right.

 

Has anyone had success with the night before menu deal and who did you speak to if you were eating in anytime dining? This is a medical issue for my mom and a choice to be supportive for me so I would love to be able to make this happen for our next Hawaiian cruise in April.

 

Thanks bunches!

Yasmine :)

 

During the meal tell your waiter that you would like to speak to the head waiter. The headwaiter will come to your table and you can explain that your mother requires a low salt diet. He will provide the next day's menu (supper and lunch if the MDR is open that day for lunch). You tell him what you would like to eat and he will explain what they can and can not do. Most of the cold soups are low or no salt. I once missed supper (in the MDR) and the next night the headwaiter scolded me for not calling him after hours. When I said I really missed mashed potatoes he went in the kitchen and returned with a bowl of about 3-4 lbs of unsalted mashed potatoes! (And that was in anytime dining, too.) I'm surprised at your experience on Golden Princess as our last two cruises were on that ship. The only time I ever had a problem was on NCL Pride of Aloha where the waiter said, "All our food is low salt" and then walked away.

 

There is a place on the cruise personalizer to indicate the need for a low sodium diet, be sure to mark that.

[CZEE]

I have read on these boards in the past about getting the menu the night before and letting them know which items you would like prepared without salt and I would love to be able to partake in this. On out last 14 day cruise to Hawaii on the Golden Princess I did not find that our waiter was at all receptive of this happening. All he said was "no the chef never cooks with too much salt". Yea right.

 

Has anyone had success with the night before menu deal and who did you speak to if you were eating in anytime dining? This is a medical issue for my mom and a choice to be supportive for me so I would love to be able to make this happen for our next Hawaiian cruise in April.

 

Thanks bunches!

Yasmine :)

 

I do this with limited success. I always order salads with dressing on the side and no sauces on anything. I do make an exception for Pasta Alfredo. Sigh. Some things you cannot live without. Regardless, I still end up with swollen ankles that even a minor diuretic, increased water intake, and exercise can't help. It's worthwhile to do.

 

 

Lani

[CZEE]

After one of our early cruises we asked our doctor about the cause of ankle swelling. His answer was that it was the direct result of cruising at sea in a saltwater environment, and had little to do with the salt added to the food. This was coming from Colorado, where we maintained a low salt diet.

 

 

I'm from Colorado. When I was on active duty, I was surprised when my uniforms didn't fit when I was TDY to the east coast. They did fit after a day or two. I think we're just dehydrated living at altitude. However, salt just kills me. Always has.

 

Lani