Do Kosher Groups affect dining choices

[ipoder]

Just found out a kosher group will be on the Koningsdam June 25 complete with Rabbi to oversee the food preparation. I don't know how large a group but wonder if anyone has been on board with a kosher group and how the food choices aboard were affected. Bacon and pork ssausage still on the breakfast menu and pork at dinner time? Are there any other restrictions that may affect the non kosher cruise passengers?

[HUNKY]

You might want to investigate how large the Kosher group is. They may be granted exclusive use of some public areas, at certain times. Your food choices will most likely not be limited.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Your food choices will still be the same.

[chengkp75]

Since true Kosher food preparation requires cookware that is divided into meat and dairy preparation, and can not have been ever used for the other, I don't believe there will be a true Kosher kitchen onboard, unless it is a very large group that has paid a premium for new cookware. Typically, Kosher meals are provided on ships in double sealed vacuum packs so that the food does not contact the cookware. So, unless it is a very large (near full ship) group, I don't believe your food choices will be impacted.

[swin26]

There was a kosher group onboard a eurodam Baltic cruise I was on a few years ago. There was no impact on the cruise meals or other activities. I believe they did take over the upper MDR for lunch on embarkation, but the lower was open, and other times they used the meeting rooms. Also, on Shabbat a few of the elevators were set to stop on each floor. Those elevators were labeled.

[Cruising Is Bliss]

the

Just found out a kosher group will be on the Koningsdam June 25 complete with Rabbi to oversee the food preparation. I don't know how large a group but wonder if anyone has been on board with a kosher group and how the food choices aboard were affected. Bacon and pork ssausage still on the breakfast menu and pork at dinner time? Are there any other restrictions that may affect the non kosher cruise passengers?

 

They've been doing these cruises for years. I don't think there would be an impact on other passengers food choices. They might have exclusive use of some any public spaces though.

 

It's not the sealed meals prepared off the ship and opened by the passengers at the table. A dedicated part of the kitchen will be converted under the supervision of the rabbi and his staff who specialize in doing this on cruise ships. There's a standard process to convert all or part of a commercial kitchen to kosher. They will also very closely supervise the preparation of all the kosher food.

Edited August 3, 2016 by Cruising Is Bliss

[summersigh]

We were on a RCCL cruise with a large kosher group. They paid around $1,000 each above the regular fare to accommodate the kosher food prep. They ate together in the MDR because of the kosher food.

 

We had a kosher couple sitting at our table who were not part of the group. Their meals were chosen the night before and served in sealed containers. They were not allowed/invited to join the other without paying the $1,000 to the organizers.

 

Other than them sitting in the same area of the MDR we would not have know the group was aboard.:)

[Cruising Is Bliss]

Koshering a kitchen doesn't require new dishes and silverware and cooking pot. Basically you can kosher anything that won't be ruined by ether boiling water or very high temps. On land a blowtorch could be used but they probably wouldn't be able to do it that way on a ship.

[sail7seas]

Your food choices will be same as always. They will offer alall the same pork and bacon etc.