VEGAN tips and tricks for Royal cruise

[Mywildlove]

Hi friends,

 

I'm sure this has been posted a few times already but I'm gonna have to ask again sorry.:o

 

My husband and I recently started following a whole food plant based diet or vegan diet. We took our first vacation as vegans a few weeks ago and the resort we went to was amazing in trying to accommodate us but there were still many issues. Even though there was issues we couldn't help but wonder if Royal Caribbean would be so accommodating.

 

I would love any and all advice on this topic. Also if you have cruised on Royal as a vegan I would like to know your experience and any advice you may have.

 

What kind of rules are there regarding bringing your own food on the ship (something my husband and I decided was necessary due to lack of vegan food options)?

 

Thank you for all your input.

 

(Please understand I'm only interested in vegan options. Not trying to be rude but we have encountered a lot of people that don't understand the difference between vegan and vegetarian. Big difference between the two, plus I know the ship has plenty of vegetarian options.)

[Foodluvr]

Hi friends,

 

I'm sure this has been posted a few times already but I'm gonna have to ask again sorry.:o

 

My husband and I recently started following a whole food plant based diet or vegan diet. We took our first vacation as vegans a few weeks ago and the resort we went to was amazing in trying to accommodate us but there were still many issues. Even though there was issues we couldn't help but wonder if Royal Caribbean would be so accommodating.

 

I would love any and all advice on this topic. Also if you have cruised on Royal as a vegan I would like to know your experience and any advice you may have.

 

What kind of rules are there regarding bringing your own food on the ship (something my husband and I decided was necessary due to lack of vegan food options)?

 

Thank you for all your input.

 

(Please understand I'm only interested in vegan options. Not trying to be rude but we have encountered a lot of people that don't understand the difference between vegan and vegetarian. Big difference between the two, plus I know the ship has plenty of vegetarian options.)

 

Tons of vegan options on board, you can also email the special needs desk ahead of time. Items on menus are identified and there are at least one entree option each day in MDR. Wimdjammer too has options. You should have no problem finding more than enough to eat on board and its delicious!!

[spookwife]

Prepackaged food only. They will not prepare or heat anything you bring on board. Most of the time you will choose your dinner menu the day before. For buffet, ask for a chef to point out suitable options.

 

 

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[Mywildlove]

This is all good to know so far. I didn't know about the special needs desk so I'm now curious if anyone's used it for this specific reason? Or maybe if someone can share their experience with the special needs desk?

 

Does anyone know the limit of prepackaged food that can be brought on and can it be perishable? Since the cruise we have booked is departing from Seattle which is a 50 minute drive to the port for us, we could pack a suitcase or two full of just prepackaged food. One of the perishables I'm thinking about is a bottle of vegan ranch dressing because vignette gets old really fast (plus the high acidity really messes with my stomach). It would be store bought and sealed but has to be refrigerated which I would use the mini fridge in the room for. How about homemade food like muffins, something that is not store bought prepackaged but I would not need any assistance from Royal in preparing the food.

 

I do realize there will be something to eat on the ship, but I'm still a person that wants variety and food that actually tastes good which is the main issue we had at the AI resort we went to. Salad with balsamic vinegar, rice, cheese less meat less pizza and French fries and oatmeal got really old really fast. So if I have to bring my own food to make sure I am happy, it is more than worth it to me since probably more than 80% of the food offered will be unsuitable for us.

 

Also at the AI we really struggled with snacks and deserts which is another reason I'm more than happy to bring my own food.

 

Once again thanks for all the input please keep the information coming.

[yuvraj]

I do understand the difference between vegan and vegetarian. I am not vegan but members of my family have various dietary requirements including vegetarian and over the years availability of food they could enjoy has been a matter of concern and we have gone through a process of learning to get the most out of our cruising experience. Hopefully following is of help not only to the OP but others following this thread.

 

Notifying RCL ahead of time, plus a visit to MDR on embarkation to discuss your requirements help. In both cases it helps the exec chef plan resources because he/she will know that there are X number of vegans on board or X number of people with special dietary requirements.

 

It has been our experience that the head waiter or restaurant manager will take charge and order appropriate meals after discussing with you. Typically you need to plan or think ahead by a day and be prepared to be disappointed from time to time but they will make the effort. You can also look at a menu and ask to have a dish adapted by leaving out elements or by combining elements from different dishes. You can also ask for a starter to be served as a main. We have had to resort to these strategies for my wife who is a vegetarian and also fussy with what she likes.

 

The windjammer is your best option. Can get crowded at peak periods but the choice is amazing and IMO caters well for vegetarians and vegans. The flexibility to pick and mix to create your own meal is really helpful and we have relied on this when we have a number in the group with dietary requirements. Some of the ships we have been on have a dedicated vegetarian/vegan counter in the WJ which I have found impressive.

 

We have taken pre-packed snacks on board without problems. Never found a need to pack a whole suitcase full of stuff. At port stops I have bought bottles of sauces to bring back home and bringing these on board the ship have never been a problem.

 

Based on my experience, I would take with me some snacks and rely on port stops to pick up extra items as a contingency. If MDR disappoints then plan on eating in WJ. Big challenge for vegans is sourcing protein so I would take plenty of packs of nuts and other protein based products.

 

One final observation. Over the years, we have eaten some amazing vegan or vegetarian meals. Augergine tartare and tabouleh are highly memorable. However it does depend on ship and itinerary and RCL seem to go through cycles where they make the effort to put great dishes on the menu which are vegan / vegetarian to choice and creativity being disappointing.

[FionaMG]

I would love any and all advice on this topic. Also if you have cruised on Royal as a vegan I would like to know your experience and any advice you may have

 

Hi,

 

You might want to take a look at these two threads from the boards:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2445481&highlight=vegan and https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2444151

 

Also, one of the posters on the threads (MsPoppadom) has a blog with a very comprehensive report on cruising as a vegan on Royal Caribbean. You can read it here: http://vegancruiser.co.uk/royal-caribbean/cruise-vegan-royal-caribbean/

 

Hope this helps and you have a great cruise. :)

[geomancer]

Be aware that while you can take food on board, you can not take it off again. Customs is very specific about this, especially where fruits, vegetables, and plant matter are concerned.

[spookwife]

the in cabin coolers are exactly that: coolers. NOT refrigerators. so items that need true refrigeration will spoil. my thinking is , if you need to bring all your own meals, then why bother cruising? multiple suitcases of just food seems like overkill.

 

fresh fruit and veggies abound. the chefs are quite capable of making meals that cater to pretty much every diet, and often love the challenge. but at the same time.. they have to feed thousands of people a day.. 3-4 times a day. they cannot be your personal chef. you need to do a lot of pre planning and may have to resign yourself to only eating certain ingredients all week since they can only bring so much on board to begin with.

 

snacks, no problem.. the options on board suck for most people, not just ones with severely restrictive diets.

[dreadpirate3]

While not vegan or vegetarian, I am a foodie and pay close attention to the menus.

 

Many Indian dishes are available on and off menu, and as long as they don't contain dairy or meat, they should be suitable.

Any egg-free dry pasta can be used to make a vegetable ragu, and that would be vegan.

In the WJ, just ask one of the head waiters about vegan options, and they will be happy to guide you.

 

The special needs form is here, but you should specify on your cruise preferences page what your dietary preference is.

https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/guestSpecialNeeds.do

 

They do have soy milk, if that is something you like.

[GSOTall1]

I can say with certainty that the vegan options on the ship are lacking but they do exist. Bread/rolls made with milk and/or eggs, usually only one vegetarian entree in the MDR (may or may not be vegan, not labeled either), and depending on how strict your food requirements are, food possibly cooked on or near stations that also cook meat.

 

Stepping back from the gloom and doom, it is possible to have a decent amount of variety for vegans on the ship, especially if you're on one of the newer ships that have more food options in general.

Plenty of pasta dishes that are easily made vegan in MDR, buffet, and specialty dining.

Sorrento's pizza can make you a cheese-free pizza, but make sure that the dough is vegan as well if that's even an option.

Some of the newer ships have the Solarium Bistro that promotes healthier eating so there should be more vegan friendly options there.

 

You'll have to use your due diligence when looking at menus and ask plenty of questions but you shouldn't go hungry. As others have said, special needs at RC should be able to fill you in a lot more than we can since they have the inside information on menus and ingredients available.

[Mywildlove]

the in cabin coolers are exactly that: coolers. NOT refrigerators. so items that need true refrigeration will spoil. my thinking is , if you need to bring all your own meals, then why bother cruising? multiple suitcases of just food seems like overkill.

 

fresh fruit and veggies abound. the chefs are quite capable of making meals that cater to pretty much every diet, and often love the challenge. but at the same time.. they have to feed thousands of people a day.. 3-4 times a day. they cannot be your personal chef. you need to do a lot of pre planning and may have to resign yourself to only eating certain ingredients all week since they can only bring so much on board to begin with.

 

snacks, no problem.. the options on board suck for most people, not just ones with severely restrictive diets.

 

So what, we should just become hermits because most of society doesn't offer vegan options? And just because we are vegan means we have to accept for a week we'll have to eat bland, boring food that isn't actually prepared meals but the ingredients for meals offered to everyone else?

 

My husband and I switched to a vegan diet for health reasons. Since eating a vegan diet my IBS, depression, insomnia, joint pain, migraines, heart palpitations, hypertension, tinnitus are gone! That is just me and that is not the complete list of health issues eating vegan has managed to get rid of.

 

So what, eat the crap that makes me feel like crap that the ship provides or bring my own food and not get sick and feel great so I can enjoy my vacation? Yes if I was bringing food that is provided I would say that would be overkill. Since we are paying a couple of thousand dollars for the cruise, what is a hundred or two worth of food for a week? As you stated the ship won't be providing a personal chef which brings us full circle to I have to be my own and bring the food with me.

Edited November 16, 2017 by Mywildlove
Accidentally hit send

[spookwife]

For a cruise ship, which has very limited space and options, yes. The food is bland and boring anyway. Being dietary restricted means more so. I am just saying that if you feel the need to provide your own meals in order to enjoy yourself, then choose a vacation where you can bring and cook what you want. Like renting a cabin on the lake

 

 

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[yuvraj]

So what, we should just become hermits because most of society doesn't offer vegan options? And just because we are vegan means we have to accept for a week we'll have to eat bland, boring food that isn't actually prepared meals but the ingredients for meals offered to everyone else?

 

My husband and I switched to a vegan diet for health reasons. Since eating a vegan diet my IBS, depression, insomnia, joint pain, migraines, heart palpitations, hypertension, tinnitus are gone! That is just me and that is not the complete list of health issues eating vegan has managed to get rid of.

 

So what, eat the crap that makes me feel like crap that the ship provides or bring my own food and not get sick and feel great so I can enjoy my vacation? Yes if I was bringing food that is provided I would say that would be overkill. Since we are paying a couple of thousand dollars for the cruise, what is a hundred or two worth of food for a week? As you stated the ship won't be providing a personal chef which brings us full circle to I have to be my own and bring the food with me.

 

It is frustrating. Based on own experience, the only advice I can offer is to do your research and see which cruise lines caters best for vegans. I believe that you will be pleasantly surprised with RCL especially if you eat in the windjammer (buffet). There will be some disappointments but also a lot of positives.

 

It will be good to hear about your experiences after your cruise so hopefully you will post some kind of review.

[GUT2407]

Family have never had trouble following a Vegan diet on any cruise. If there’s nothing on the menu, ask. Or better yet contact special needs before you go.

[TRUEBLUE66]

Hi,

 

You might want to take a look at these two threads from the boards:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2445481&highlight=vegan and https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2444151

 

Also, one of the posters on the threads (MsPoppadom) has a blog with a very comprehensive report on cruising as a vegan on Royal Caribbean. You can read it here: http://vegancruiser.co.uk/royal-caribbean/cruise-vegan-royal-caribbean/

 

Hope this helps and you have a great cruise. :)

 

Hi Fiona,

Thanks for the links. Hoping to get my daughter and her partner on a cruise with us soon and being vegan this might help!

 

Cheers!

 

David

[FionaMG]

Hi Fiona,

Thanks for the links. Hoping to get my daughter and her partner on a cruise with us soon and being vegan this might help!

 

Cheers!

 

David

 

Hi David,

You're welcome. Hope you succeed! :D

[lbjen]

So what, we should just become hermits because most of society doesn't offer vegan options? And just because we are vegan means we have to accept for a week we'll have to eat bland, boring food that isn't actually prepared meals but the ingredients for meals offered to everyone else?

 

My husband and I switched to a vegan diet for health reasons. Since eating a vegan diet my IBS, depression, insomnia, joint pain, migraines, heart palpitations, hypertension, tinnitus are gone! That is just me and that is not the complete list of health issues eating vegan has managed to get rid of.

 

So what, eat the crap that makes me feel like crap that the ship provides or bring my own food and not get sick and feel great so I can enjoy my vacation? Yes if I was bringing food that is provided I would say that would be overkill. Since we are paying a couple of thousand dollars for the cruise, what is a hundred or two worth of food for a week? As you stated the ship won't be providing a personal chef which brings us full circle to I have to be my own and bring the food with me.

 

My own health condition means that I can’t really eat at most restaurants. So I don’t go to them. I don’t walk in and demand they make a special menu with 6 different options every time just for me. If your health decisions mean that you are unable to enjoy the food offerings currently available on most cruise ships, then you should consider other vacation options. It’s not like there aren’t any.

[waterbug123]

Plenty of pasta dishes that are easily made vegan in MDR, buffet, and specialty dining.

 

Most pasta noodles are made with egg, so in addition to asking that the meat and cheese be left out of a particular pasta dish, you'd also need to make sure they have egg-free noodles available to use.

[LESLIEKURZ]

RCCL has an awesome special needs department that handles dietary restrictions, among other things. I would contact them via the form found here https://secure.royalcaribbean.com/allaboutcruising/guestSpecialNeeds.do or via email. They will be able to make your servers aware of your needs in advance which is a huge help. As someone else said, you will probably get to pick your meals in advance, the evening before which takes a huge weight off. If you like Indian food you can also look for dishes that are Jain. They are vegan and also don't contain a number of other ingredients including onions, which are my allergen. They aren't marked at the buffet but the chefs know. The vegetarian and vegan dishes are marked BTW.

[HangryGrl]

My husband and I actually had a great experience as vegans on Royal (Navigator). The main dining room was extremely accommodating. We picked our meals the previous evening as has been mentioned. All of the meals we had were great and they also always sent us a huge plate of steamed veggies and an few nights an additional side from the chef. We had way more food than we probably needed! I can't speak for desert as neither of us is a big sweet eater (we were always too full anyways!) but they did offer at least fruit every night. We also found plenty to eat in the windjammer for breakfasts and lunches. All of the staff went out of their way to help and asked multiple times if there was anything else they could bring us. On the flip side I would not recommend Carnival as we took a cruise with them last year and pretty much ate salad and potatoes (every preparation you can think of) for the entire cruise. I love potatoes but I couldn't stand the sight of them by the time I got home! We are back on the Navigator in January and super excited!