Any Non-Vegans on Vegan cruise - 3/11/17

[GRANNYOFSIX]

Hoping our concerns can be answered.

I believe there was a vegan cruise that set sail on March 11, 2017.

If you are a non-vegan that sailed on the Divina March 11, 2017 we sure would appreciate your help.

 

1. Main question is will we be able to dine at the first seating - I just discovered that on the February 15, 2018 cruise that we have booked, it will be a vegan cruise. I have been told the vegan cruisers will be eating first seating and non-vegans will have to eat at the second seating. Is this true?

 

2. I have been told that the vegan guests will have their own chefs. Will the non-vegans still have the MSC chefs with the normal MSC food selections?

 

3. Can you tell us if this cruise was different from any other cruise you sailed on just because it was a vegan cruise.

 

4. I definitely hope I'm worrying for absolutely nothing!

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

 

[riclop]

Hoping our concerns can be answered.

I believe there was a vegan cruise that set sail on March 11, 2017.

If you are a non-vegan that sailed on the Divina March 11, 2017 we sure would appreciate your help.

 

1. Main question is will we be able to dine at the first seating - I just discovered that on the February 15, 2018 cruise that we have booked, it will be a vegan cruise. I have been told the vegan cruisers will be eating first seating and non-vegans will have to eat at the second seating. Is this true?

 

2. I have been told that the vegan guests will have their own chefs. Will the non-vegans still have the MSC chefs with the normal MSC food selections?

 

3. Can you tell us if this cruise was different from any other cruise you sailed on just because it was a vegan cruise.

 

4. I definitely hope I'm worrying for absolutely nothing!

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

 

Like i answered you before vegans eat at 600pm, shows will be later because they have lots of doctors talking in the theater and in the buffet they will have a section just for them. We had first seating but were moved to second seating which forced us to the buffet.

[nikkiw60]

I have bumped the review from this cruise the first post.

 

 

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[GRANNYOFSIX]

Good morning Riclop.......I didn't realize you were actually ON a vegan cruise. I'm sorry for the confusion. I was told by MSC that the vegan cruisers will be in one dining room and we could still have first seating in the other dining room. I am now questioning MSC's answer big time...... this is truly a shame and MSC should have told us when we booked. I'm not sure what the heck to do since we already booked the air. I will be speaking to someone at MSC today. I'm so very disappointed. Again, I'm sorry for the confusion of not realizing you were physically on the vegan cruise. Were you aware before you booked that cruise that it was a vegan cruise? Is it worth cancelling in your opinion? Thanks Riclop!

:(:(

 

Like i answered you before vegans eat at 600pm, shows will be later because they have lots of doctors talking in the theater and in the buffet they will have a section just for them. We had first seating but were moved to second seating which forced us to the buffet.

[GOLDENBONNY]

Hoping our concerns can be answered.

I believe there was a vegan cruise that set sail on March 11, 2017.

If you are a non-vegan that sailed on the Divina March 11, 2017 we sure would appreciate your help.

 

1. Main question is will we be able to dine at the first seating - I just discovered that on the February 15, 2018 cruise that we have booked, it will be a vegan cruise. I have been told the vegan cruisers will be eating first seating and non-vegans will have to eat at the second seating. Is this true?

 

2. I have been told that the vegan guests will have their own chefs. Will the non-vegans still have the MSC chefs with the normal MSC food selections?

 

3. Can you tell us if this cruise was different from any other cruise you sailed on just because it was a vegan cruise.

 

4. I definitely hope I'm worrying for absolutely nothing!

 

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

 

 

I would book different cruise, but if you can't just don't think about it and enjoy.

[max996]

I would book different cruise, but if you can't just don't think about it and enjoy.

Or if you still want to take that particular cruise, I'd say upgrade to a yacht club suite. That way you won't have to worry about meal seatings, vegan food and all that; you just go over to Le Muse whenever you want to eat, and eat. And there's always food out in the Top Sail Lounge.

[nikkiw60]

I am waiting to hear back from our U.K. Agent to see what she can find out.

 

 

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[GOLDENBONNY]

Or if you still want to take that particular cruise, I'd say upgrade to a yacht club suite. That way you won't have to worry about meal seatings, vegan food and all that; you just go over to Le Muse whenever you want to eat, and eat. And there's always food out in the Top Sail Lounge.

 

Good for you you can easy to book Yacht Club but I believe not every one can do it. Plus last time I wanted to book YC it was sold out for my sailing

[max996]

Good for you you can easy to book Yacht Club but I believe not every one can do it. Plus last time I wanted to book YC it was sold out for my sailing

Yeah, those Yacht Club suites do sell out fast. And I do realize that everyone is not financially able to do that, but if she can that's an option to explore as well.

[nikkiw60]

Yeah, those Yacht Club suites do sell out fast. And I do realize that everyone is not financially able to do that, but if she can that's an option to explore as well.

 

 

Yacht Club also doesn't suit everyone!

 

 

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[GRANNYOFSIX]

Thank you everyone for your responses. We spoke in depth to our MSC TA today. He did a lot of research. They are not aware (although of course he is now) that there is a "theme" cruise happening ahead of time. I do think the TA's should be made aware, but they aren't. He was extremely helpful. He had lots of suggestions, eating in buffet, specialty dining, moving up to Yacht Club, etc. I must say, he truly understood my concerns especially since my husband really needs to eat at the first seating. He said we could complete a special needs form which would get us most likely in 1st seating, and we would be able to get regular food, but it's all too risky.

 

Since we already booked the flight and don't want to pay to cancel, we decided to eat at 2nd seating. We will definitely take the meds with us and hopefully can prevent an attack.

 

It will all work out.........just a bump in the road!!:o

 

 

[1fifthavenue]

Hi, obviously not sure on your husbands illness / medication requirements, but on Splendida and Fantasia the wine bar on deck 7 (called La Cantina di Bocco on Divina) has tapas available from about 5:30pm - if you're on second sitting which is at 9pm and his need is to have some food to allow medication to be taken, perhaps some tapas style appetizers in here would be a help and tie him over until dinner time?

[GRANNYOFSIX]

Good Morning 1fifthavenue......thank you for your post and suggestions. Thank goodness my husbands digestive issues are not life threatening or anything. He has a severe case of gerd and before he was diagnosed with he took Pepcid complete and that worked for a long time. Then he started with pain so severe it brought him to the hospital then to the gastro doc - at first the hospital treated him for a heart attack which they say a lot of patients with his type of gerd and he was also fighting another gastro issue at the time. That was very scary. The gastro doc has put him on medicine as well as another type of antacid. His new med regimen "seems" to be working. One of the requirements is not eating past a certain hour, which makes sense. He doesn't need food to take his meds, he just needs to not eat late at night or eat fatty foods (which he truly doesn't anyway). Whew second seating on the ships you mentioned is sooooo late. 8:00pm on the Divina is sure late enough. We plan on not going to be early so that may help eating at 2nd seating on the Divina. Going armed with meds and staying up late (which we always do anyway) and being sure not to eat after dinner will hopefully help prevent another attack....EVER....... Thanks for your concern!

 

 

 

 

Hi, obviously not sure on your husbands illness / medication requirements, but on Splendida and Fantasia the wine bar on deck 7 (called La Cantina di Bocco on Divina) has tapas available from about 5:30pm - if you're on second sitting which is at 9pm and his need is to have some food to allow medication to be taken, perhaps some tapas style appetizers in here would be a help and tie him over until dinner time?

[1fifthavenue]

Ah I see, my suggestion was more around the possibility of medication as I have to take my medication with food as it is harsh on the stomach.

 

Maybe you could move your dinner time a little later in the run up to your cruise so that it isn't such a massive jump?

[GOLDENBONNY]

Thank you everyone for your responses. We spoke in depth to our MSC TA today. He did a lot of research. They are not aware (although of course he is now) that there is a "theme" cruise happening ahead of time. I do think the TA's should be made aware, but they aren't. He was extremely helpful. He had lots of suggestions, eating in buffet, specialty dining, moving up to Yacht Club, etc. I must say, he truly understood my concerns especially since my husband really needs to eat at the first seating. He said we could complete a special needs form which would get us most likely in 1st seating, and we would be able to get regular food, but it's all too risky.

 

Since we already booked the flight and don't want to pay to cancel, we decided to eat at 2nd seating. We will definitely take the meds with us and hopefully can prevent an attack.

 

It will all work out.........just a bump in the road!!:o

 

 

 

I would suggest to take doctor letter than your husband can not eat late and make special arrangement with MD to have any time dinner .

[nikkiw60]

I would suggest to take doctor letter than your husband can not eat late and make special arrangement with MD to have any time dinner .

 

 

From reading earlier reviews the vegan group have their own chefs on board so assume that only vegan food available at the early sitting.

 

 

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[GRANNYOFSIX]

Hi Nikki......that's what Joe and I were thinking..... if we did eat at 1st seating (which we could do if we completed the SPECIAL NEEDS FORM) what kind of food would be offered. My TA said we would be able to get the regular menu but Joe and I felt like it was too risky to take the chance. Decided on 2nd seating.............have you heard from your TA yet?? Considering cancelling or taking the chance??? We decided to go with the flow as we think it will all be fine.......as long as we eat at 2nd seating. We shall see.....;)

 

 

From reading earlier reviews the vegan group have their own chefs on board so assume that only vegan food available at the early sitting.

 

 

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[riclop]

Good morning Riclop.......I didn't realize you were actually ON a vegan cruise. I'm sorry for the confusion. I was told by MSC that the vegan cruisers will be in one dining room and we could still have first seating in the other dining room. I am now questioning MSC's answer big time...... this is truly a shame and MSC should have told us when we booked. I'm not sure what the heck to do since we already booked the air. I will be speaking to someone at MSC today. I'm so very disappointed. Again, I'm sorry for the confusion of not realizing you were physically on the vegan cruise. Were you aware before you booked that cruise that it was a vegan cruise? Is it worth cancelling in your opinion? Thanks Riclop!

:(:(

No problem , we were not told about it and i would not cancel because maybe they changed there way of putting all the vegans in at 600pm in the mdr. We went to the matre d and he was no help at all so we just ate in the buffet every night and enjoyed it but the buffet menu for dinner has been cut back quite a bit. We have been on the Divina 7x and have noticed the cut backs.

[nikkiw60]

Our TA just called and said the cruise would be mostly as normal except for some dining restrictions but will send me an email. Will post this when I receive it.

 

 

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[GRANNYOFSIX]

Thanks Nikki.....

 

 

 

Our TA just called and said the cruise would be mostly as normal except for some dining restrictions but will send me an email. Will post this when I receive it.

 

 

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[riclop]

Our TA just called and said the cruise would be mostly as normal except for some dining restrictions but will send me an email. Will post this when I receive it.

 

 

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Also the shows will be later because they use the theater for Dr. lectures.

[GRANNYOFSIX]

Thanks riclop.......good to know in advance!!!

 

 

 

Also the shows will be later because they use the theater for Dr. lectures.

[MsPoppadom]

Going to be devil's advocate but you could try the first dining and the vegan menu they're offering? Photos I have seen from this year's cruise looked fab. I would love to be on this 2018 sailing myself. But do give the menu a try if you can - after all, it's not that different, still food. Just veggie/plant-based :) Should you find it not be satisfactory, you could always pop into the buffet for reinforcements after. Going veggie and then vegan I found my personal digestive health improved - so hopefully the special menu would be suited to your husband's medical condition as well.

[nikkiw60]

You can't do this as the holistic cruise have their own chefs and they are charging a premium for this.

 

 

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[GRANNYOFSIX]

Thank you for your response MsPoppadom......... I agree with Niikiw60 - I researched the vegan/holistic cruise and the guests taking this cruise are paying dearly to have their own chefs, etc......I'm sure only paying guests will be able to be included in the lecturers, meals, etc. I feel confident the food offered in first seating by the vegan chefs will be delicious and I often choose vegetarian options myself (but not always) I'm a huge seafood eater and enjoy being able to eat seafood while cruising. My husband does enjoy filet mignon and other meat offerings at restaurants and while cruising since I don't cook red meat very much at home. His digestive issue happens when he eats late at night which we are learning not to do. That is why I was concerned about eating 2nd seating. Being night owls when we cruise should help Joe not to have a digestive issue. Thanks again.

 

 

 

Going to be devil's advocate but you could try the first dining and the vegan menu they're offering? Photos I have seen from this year's cruise looked fab. I would love to be on this 2018 sailing myself. But do give the menu a try if you can - after all, it's not that different, still food. Just veggie/plant-based :) Should you find it not be satisfactory, you could always pop into the buffet for reinforcements after. Going veggie and then vegan I found my personal digestive health improved - so hopefully the special menu would be suited to your husband's medical condition as well.