vegetarians/dining

[maywell]

Don`t you just love it when they put meat in almost everything:mad: salads, mac and cheese, vegetables.........as if there is not enough everywhere else.

That's why it better to be a semi-vegetarian than the other types of vegeratians on a cruise ship- not that limiting, lol.

 

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[BuffetPantsPls]

I am not the OP but the reason is that the grill was "contaminated" with the fat and juice of the meat.

 

I have been a veg. for over 40 yrs. and I do find it easier on cruise ships nowadays.........but still frustrating sometimes....you have to ask, ask, ask is this made with any animal stock etc.

 

I find the best person to ask on the buffet is an East Indian on the line, they understand:D

 

the breakaway buffet always had 2 vegetarian curry options that were quite good.

[Trevor Fountain]

This thread may just have put me off cruising for good. The thought of my juicy, maybe greasy, beautiful beef burger, potentially getting contaminated by a spatula that may have flipped a flippin' veggie burger. I've said it before, standards are falling.

[maywell]

This thread may just have put me off cruising for good. The thought of my juicy, maybe greasy, beautiful beef burger, potentially getting contaminated by a spatula that may have flipped a flippin' veggie burger. I've said it before, standards are falling.

 

Oh come now, most people who eat a veggie burger are usually not in mood to eat red meat at the time. It not that standards are falling, it just that people palates are expanding.[emoji5]

 

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[dalgirl]

Stay at home???? Wow, very understanding:rolleyes:

 

NCL used to have a small area on the buffet that was all veg. It was wonderful.

 

I have worked in many kitchens, large and small as a chef, and it is your job and duty to take care of ALL of your customers. It is not a "burden".

 

NCL has a lot of vegetarian options in their restaurants and buffets. It may not be what you want at that moment, but beggars as they say....

 

I do understand a picky, limited eater wanting just the same treatment as the masses (I am one myself). But I also understand that is not rational to expect to get it. No one can run a restaurant to please everyone, that is why there are so many restaurant choices around town. When my family wants a seafood restaurant and I hate seafood, I don't complain to the restaurant on how many other choices (if any) they have for someone who does not eat seafood. I don't start obsessing that they may have fried my fries in the same grease as a fish batter. I suck it up and enjoy my family and eat my chicken (which by the way cannot be dark meat) or my steak (which by the way cannot be anything but well done).

 

I think the cruiselines do a great job in seeing to everyone's needs. But you have to be proactive and let them know your dietary restrictions and be prepared that you will be limited in your choices. You may be a vegan and not like a lot of Indian foods - well what's it going to be? You don't want to just stay home remember??? (fyi, I also don't like Indian foods)

 

I also do not care for most Asian foods, yet I will be cruising in Asia for 3 weeks with several days off ship. This will be MY problem, not anyone else's. I am already working on what snacks, etc. I can take for myself. Unless something is going to make you sick or kill you, then you might have to eat a limited menu, and work around your self-imposed dining restrictions.

 

As the pickiest, "on the side girl" in the world I have no patients for someone complaining that they don't have all the choices available to normal, regular eating people of the world - the problem is us, not you normal people:p

[Shawnino]

This thread may just have put me off cruising for good. The thought of my juicy, maybe greasy, beautiful beef burger, potentially getting contaminated by a spatula that may have flipped a flippin' veggie burger. I've said it before, standards are falling.

 

If we're not supposed to eat animals, why are they made out of meat?

[seahorse]

NCL has a lot of vegetarian options in their restaurants and buffets. It may not be what you want at that moment, but beggars as they say....

 

I do understand a picky, limited eater wanting just the same treatment as the masses (I am one myself). But I also understand that is not rational to expect to get it. No one can run a restaurant to please everyone, that is why there are so many restaurant choices around town. When my family wants a seafood restaurant and I hate seafood, I don't complain to the restaurant on how many other choices (if any) they have for someone who does not eat seafood. I don't start obsessing that they may have fried my fries in the same grease as a fish batter. I suck it up and enjoy my family and eat my chicken (which by the way cannot be dark meat) or my steak (which by the way cannot be anything but well done).

 

I think the cruiselines do a great job in seeing to everyone's needs. But you have to be proactive and let them know your dietary restrictions and be prepared that you will be limited in your choices. You may be a vegan and not like a lot of Indian foods - well what's it going to be? You don't want to just stay home remember??? (fyi, I also don't like Indian foods)

 

I also do not care for most Asian foods, yet I will be cruising in Asia for 3 weeks with several days off ship. This will be MY problem, not anyone else's. I am already working on what snacks, etc. I can take for myself. Unless something is going to make you sick or kill you, then you might have to eat a limited menu, and work around your self-imposed dining restrictions.

 

As the pickiest, "on the side girl" in the world I have no patients for someone complaining that they don't have all the choices available to normal, regular eating people of the world - the problem is us, not you normal people:p

 

Lot of assumptions here. I am not picky, I always expect a limited menu. most ethnic restaurants have a more varied menu then your meat and potatoes crap.

I have never expected any special treatment.........just to be respected.

Have traveled to many places and the best foods were in Egypt, Greece and Prague.

 

Oh and I love Indian food:D

[maywell]

If we're not supposed to eat animals, why are they made out of meat?

Humans are omnivores by natural, when it comes down to survival and starvation - you better believe someone will make a meal out of their fellow person if no beef, pork, chicken, rice, grains, Twinkies, vegetables, tree bark, rats, dogs, etc are around to eat. To each their own on their preference of food - I think the cruise lines get a passing grade for at least trying to feed the meat lovers, seafood fanatics, vegetarians with different self-imposed or religion limitations and everyone inbetween with or without medical conditions and religious backgrounds.

 

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[maywell]

Lot of assumptions here. I am not picky, I always expect a limited menu. most ethnic restaurants have a more varied menu then your meat and potatoes crap.

I have never expected any special treatment.........just to be respected.

Have traveled to many places and the best foods were in Egypt, Greece and Prague.

 

Oh and I love Indian food:D

 

Reread the OP's post and then you'll understand why some people's posts are saying that person is too picky at NCL buffet. Especially on Getaway, and if its anything similar to the Breakaway's buffet, which happen to 2 of them ( Garden and Uptown), then there's plenty of vegetarian choices such as cooked ones that are not Indian(I don't mind Indian as long super spicy doesn't destroy my tongue [emoji9] ), veggie salad, breads, pasta and since they said they are lacto-ovo; hard boiled eggs, fried eggs, cheeses like brie or prolovone, milk (regular, 2%, soy). The OP is not a super strict vegan(which is extremely limited food options), they have plenty of leeway with their food choices. The person didn't even want to make a meal out of sides - no offense, but if I choose between meat or veggie / rice / potatoes sides for a main course, I'll take the side dishes without a heartbeat. I have no problems eating fried plantains, eggs and cheese or sauteed lima beans in olive oil, baked potatoe w/o butter & sour cream, just black pepper and stewed zucchini for a meal.(Speaking of the last one, that sounds like good dinner plan right, lol)

 

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[Shawnino]

I think the cruise lines get a passing grade for at least trying to feed the meat lovers, seafood fanatics, vegetarians with different self-imposed or religion limitations and everyone inbetween with or without medical conditions and religious backgrounds.

 

 

Agreed--and as you and others have pointed out, the person with particular dining requests needs to collaborate with hotel staff. That can't be overemphasized.

 

Not that I've done it on NCL as I've never needed to, but I've sat at larger tables with people on other lines who order "off menu" -- that is, there's a list of a few things, usually including a vegan dish, that are always available but not listed. Perhaps NCL offers same, not sure.

 

I think if certain foods were that essential to their cruise, many CC'ers have everything sorted before I boarded.

[zashachic]

I'm also a vegetarian recently off the 10/25 Getaway and agree that the lunch and dinner (especially lunch!) vegetarian buffet options were limited and disappointing. For breakfast I had many options and usually had an omelette made. I would have a big breakfast and expect to have a smaller lunch.

 

I was not impressed by the salad options or dressings. Mac and cheese was always there, an easy "go to" but it was not good. I really liked the stir fry but only saw a veggie option a couple times. The Indian section was good once or twice, but spicy and without a full description of the contents some days I had to pass on it. Fries, pasta with pesto were decent. I enjoyed one dinner at the buffet where there was a pasta chef station with different sauce/vegetable choices. The other times I was there for dinner it was more of the same lunch stuff.

 

MDR's always had 2 vegetarian main dishes and were fine. I tried to have us eat in a MDR for dinner because it was a better and more balanced meal, but it was SLOW leading to preference for the buffet some nights. I was on another NCL cruise last year that seemed to have more options. I was never hungry on the cruise but it could have been better.

[soaringfalcon]

We took my DD and her friend on the Gem this August and they both had no issues. DD said that she had to look sometimes at the buffet but she always found something. We talked to the maitre'd at lunch on the first day and he explained how they would accommodate them. They didn't have one issue. I'm sorry that your experience wasn't the same.

[dalgirl]

There are many times the vegan choices are really good. I had several on the getaway. I still think most people are picky to a certain extent no matter what they say. Seeing all those choices and knowing that you are limited even by your choice would make anyone dissatisfied.

 

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[maywell]

There are many times the vegan choices are really good. I had several on the getaway. I still think most people are picky to a certain extent no matter what they say. Seeing all those choices and knowing that you are limited even by your choice would make anyone dissatisfied.

 

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You know what? You're absolutely right about that and pretty much summed up everything in this thread.

 

A buffet is suppose to have 'everything' but let's be honest - Most buffets don't offer everything to everyone at the same time. Some offer the same food options day in and day out, then there are others buffets that changes up their food every day or week and finally others that does a mix of both. Couple of people will like the offerings that day at the buffets due to their preferences and there will be others that will hate it because the choices are not to their preferences. Its the age old, ' Can't satisfy all the people all the time' Catch-22 - It wouldn't had matter if it was a cruise line or land-based buffet; the only difference is for land-based that hopefully its not the only buffet for miles around. But to say that a buffet doesn't offer food (unless the trays are truly that empty during meal times or the place is close) is pretty much a lie or over exaggeration - it does offer food, just not what you want at that time, day or week.

[cliffd64]

I have cruised many times and met people with all sorts of dietary restrictions, and the ones who made it a point to take the initiative to communicate with the Food and Beverage Manager, and the Maitre'Ds in the various restaurants were accommodated beyond their expectations. NCL went out of their way to ensure they had wonderful meals prepared just for them and their individual requirements.

 

I think if you have a diet that requires special preparation and treatment, you should be responsible for making that request clear to the appropriate staff. Expecting a general purpose buffet to be stocked with items that meet your particular individual needs is probably a little unreasonable. In the case of the original poster, a short conversation with the appropriate staff might have changed the whole dining experience for them.

[rvsullivan]

NCL has a process for taking care of special dietary needs. It requires you to notify them in advance. You must then coordinate with a designated person on board. Each day they will then meet with you to coordinate the next days meal. Many, many have reported that when this process is followed it works well.
If you choose to ignore the protocol and roam around the ship asking each venue to fix you a meal, you will be disappointed. They can scramble and make something work, but anyone with you will be done eating well before your food arrives.
Why not just follow the process for your self imposed dietary requirements? It's seems the easier way?