New to cruising with Diabetes

[sashas_mom]

i have cruised many times with Princess but never with food restrictions. I’m sure they cater to all kinds of dietary restrictions, but thought I should ask my “cruising experts” if there are tips you can share with me for cruising with this new diagnosis. Foods you especially enjoyed within your new limits? Do they have special menus for us?

 

Thanks in advance:)

[tcdcruiser]

Hi, I've been cruising for years with Type 2 diabetes. If your diagnosis is Type 1 my advice does not apply, since I do not use insulin.

 

I don't ask for a special menu, so I don't know if they have one. I do know that the menus say to discuss dietary restrictions with your table captain. I have seen other people order their food the day before.

 

However, I do not do any of that. I focus on lower carb choices: we ask not to have bread on the table (or I resist if sharing a table with others,) I ask for my food to be brought without rice, potatoes, etc, and I rarely have dessert. Sometimes I request extra steamed vegetables. This is much the same way that I eat at home or when out for a meal at a restaurant. My diabetes is well controlled with Metformin and diet.

 

Avoid mixed drinks such as margaritas or cosmopolitans - on board nearly every drink has simple syrup in it. (Just sugar water.)

 

I don't know how long it has been since your diagnosis, but hopefully you have tested to see which foods are likely to spike your blood glucose. If so, you should be able to eat around your diagnosis.

 

Happy cruising!!

[easyboy]

You can discuss your dietary restrictions with the Maitre ‘d or headwaiter on embarkation day. They will handle it throughout the cruise.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[tcdcruiser]

Remember that the food service staff are not experts about diabetes. Expect them to ask what you need; not suggest which foods will be good for you. You must be your own best advocate for your body.

[sashas_mom]

I do have Type 2. It’s been a year and yes, I watch my Carbs, etc. and have done very well with my numbers. However, we eat at home so I’m able to completely control what is in a recipe and what I eat. This will be a new challenge for me, so I thought your tips would be helpful and appreciated. Has anyone found sugar free desserts they enjoy occasionally? Any good chicken dishes or fish dishes you especially liked or disliked? I just envision myself eating what they call chicken breast, and I call hockey puck, every night.:(

[Kamloops50]

i have cruised many times with Princess but never with food restrictions. I’m sure they cater to all kinds of dietary restrictions' date=' but thought I should ask my “cruising experts” if there are tips you can share with me for cruising with this new diagnosis. Foods you especially enjoyed within your new limits? Do they have special menus for us?

 

Thanks in advance:)[/quote']

 

I would request the diet you need thru the cruise personalizer. When you go to the MDR tell the wait staff that you have a special diet. The head waiter or his assistant will come over and talk/take your dinner order. They will also give you the menu for next days lunch and supper. He'll also take your order as well for both.

[OCruisers]

I'm a Type 2 Diabetic which I control completely by diet.

On the regular menu there are always things I can eat. :)

[tcdcruiser]

I do have Type 2. It’s been a year and yes' date=' I watch my Carbs, etc. and have done very well with my numbers. However, we eat at home so I’m able to completely control what is in a recipe and what I eat. This will be a new challenge for me, so I thought your tips would be helpful and appreciated. Has anyone found sugar free desserts they enjoy occasionally? Any good chicken dishes or fish dishes you especially liked or disliked? I just envision myself eating what they call chicken breast, and I call hockey puck, every night.:([/quote']

 

I so agree that their everyday "chicken breast" is dry and nasty, although I think that the chicken dishes on the changing menu can be tasty. I very much like the salmon. Be careful of "sugar free" desserts and remember that they are not carb free. I do not eat them, although I make low carb desserts at home.

 

One of the main reasons that I do not go through the "dietary restrictions" is that I do not want anyone watching my every bite. If I am going to splurge now and then I do not want to be judged for it.

 

Happy cruising!

[Pam in CA]

So sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. :(

 

I often cruise with my sister and a friend, both of whom have dietary restrictions due to medical issues. They put the info in their Cruise Personalizer and the first night, immediately mention it to the waitstaff. The Head Waiter/Table Captain comes by and goes over the menu and can make alternative suggestions. Every night, he brings all of the next day’s menus and can, and does, pre-order dishes or something not on the menu. Some are better than others but for the most part, they are knowledgeable and helpful. Don’t depend on the waitstaff knowing anything. Don’t take their advice when it comes to a medical diet.

[jean s]

My Dad is a long time type 2 diabetic and has no trouble eating off the regular menu. He looks at the posted menu in advance during the day and says he can always find something he is comfortable ordering.

[sashas_mom]

I so agree that their everyday "chicken breast" is dry and nasty, although I think that the chicken dishes on the changing menu can be tasty. I very much like the salmon. Be careful of "sugar free" desserts and remember that they are not carb free. I do not eat them, although I make low carb desserts at home.

 

One of the main reasons that I do not go through the "dietary restrictions" is that I do not want anyone watching my every bite. If I am going to splurge now and then I do not want to be judged for it.

 

Happy cruising!

 

Thank you and thank you for the reminder that sugar free is not carb free. My friend makes the most delicious carb free and sugar free desserts and it’s the only time I get to indulge. (I’m too lazy to make them myself) ☺️

[sashas_mom]

So sorry to hear about your recent diagnosis. :(

 

I often cruise with my sister and a friend, both of whom have dietary restrictions due to medical issues. They put the info in their Cruise Personalizer and the first night, immediately mention it to the waitstaff. The Head Waiter/Table Captain comes by and goes over the menu and can make alternative suggestions. Every night, he brings all of the next day’s menus and can, and does, pre-order dishes or something not on the menu. Some are better than others but for the most part, they are knowledgeable and helpful. Don’t depend on the waitstaff knowing anything. Don’t take their advice when it comes to a medical diet.

 

Hi Pam. Thanks. The good news is we are going on a cruise, which we haven’t done in a few years, and can’t wait. Do you eat in Anytime dining, and at the same table every night to make it easier for them to find Nancy and your friend? Do you make a reservation? We prefer anytime dining and enjoy sitting with others each night.

 

We’ll be together next year in the Royal👏👏👏

[golfb4cruzing]

I've got Type 2 and follow same rules I do at home. I actually have a little more latitude to try different foods because of all the walking we do during the week. I increase my testing each day but never really had an issue.

[elliair]

i have cruised many times with Princess but never with food restrictions. I’m sure they cater to all kinds of dietary restrictions' date=' but thought I should ask my “cruising experts” [b']if there are tips you can share with me for cruising with this new diagnosis. [/b] Foods you especially enjoyed within your new limits? Do they have special menus for us?

 

Thanks in advance:)

 

The best thing you can do for yourself is to move. Don't get in the elevator, take the stairs. As for alcohol, drinks like vodka, whiskey, bourbon have 0 carbohydrates. If you want a drink mix them with a diet coke. If you would like wine, enjoy a glass of the driest wine like Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. The sugar free desserts have hidden carbohydrates located in the crust or cake. The sugar free mousses are okay to eat. IIRC, the key lime mousse and chocolate mousse are served in pastry shells. Eat the mousse and not the shell. Go to the grill and enjoy the hot dog or burgers but without the bun. Avoid the catsup, but mayo and mustard are okay. Omelets are made to order at the Lido buffet. Fried eggs are also offered, bacon and sausage. Basically meat and veggies. Salad bar is good as well, avoid the croutons. Keep moving.

[LovetheSea]

I was diagnosed one year ago this month. Type 2. I have been on two cruises this last year. I had no problem finding foods to eat. It was very hard not to be able to have my old favorites. Now I stick with meat, seafood, veggies, fruit. Water to drink. Eggs and meat and fruit in the mornings. Omelets are good. Coffee with artificial sweetener in the morning. I bring my own. I have tried a few of the no sugar desserts. Usually at dinner in the dining room. But you have to be careful with those. No sugar, but still have carbs. At dinner I order the steak or Primer Rib or Fish. I eat the veggies and protein and just leave the carbs on the plate. No bread or rolls. I love shrimp and salads. Just have to be careful with the dressings. A lot of dressings have too much sugar. I like Blue Cheese. I choose that and don't put much on. Good luck. Be strong. It takes a lot of willpower. Especially at first. I cried a lot when I was first diagnosed. A year into it, I am a lot stronger . And 50 pounds lighter too! I also love to swim.

[MGAfhc]

Really, for Type 2, it's just a matter of making informed choices from the regular menu and regular use of a meter, and exercise.

 

This year I have an A1C scheduled just before leaving and the doctor has already told me that it will be OK to reduce the Metformin by half during the cruise, to relieve some of the side effects.

[jimpod]

I was diagnosed 4 years ago, just 4 days before a cruise that had to be cancelled. Although I am Type 2 I am insulin dependant but have never disclosed this to the ship. I count carbs and manage my insulin depending on what I eat. I have tried the no sugar options for dessert but cannot say that I found them very good. I now just eat what I want, within reason, and adjust the insulin accordingly. As others have said keep active, that will help keep your blood sugars down. Most of all enjoy your cruise.

[3kidsncats]

If you register a dietary need, you can then preorder changes to your meal (ie, substitute more veggies for the starch portion). If you just try to order the changes once you are there to eat, your meal will probably take a fair amount longer to receive. That's what I experienced -- I did order the day before, but the HW on that trip refused to meet with me, so each night it was a new waiter taking the preorder and things didn't get handled properly---so in the rare event your HW won't come to the table with the next night's menu -- INSIST or go track him/her down.

 

Also-- they don't offer a "diabetic" diet plan, and will try to list you as "gluten free". Problem with that, is gluten free does NOT mean low carb. One waiter insisted I needed to have the creme brûlée for dessert on my birthday, because it was the only "gluten free" option. Of course, my BG would have skyrocketed had I chosen that. (They have a chocolate mousse heart shaped dessert that works well for me-- I don't eat the cake portion, just the mousse. It's a small portion and doesn't spike my BG)

 

I manage my pre-diabetes strictly through diet (don't use any meds) and found it reasonably easy to do. The buffet was too monotonous because the only food options they changed our daily were the carb ones. Also -- walking the promenade was a lovely way to help manage a few minor dietary splurges.

[Pam in CA]

Hi Pam. Thanks. The good news is we are going on a cruise' date=' which we haven’t done in a few years, and can’t wait. Do you eat in Anytime dining, and at the same table every night to make it easier for them to find Nancy and your friend? Do you make a reservation? We prefer anytime dining and enjoy sitting with others each night.

 

 

 

We’ll be together next year in the Royal[emoji122'][emoji122][emoji122]

We usually book late Traditional dining. On our Star cruise to Hawaii in November, late seating was too late and the early was too early. I saw the Maitre d’ on embarkation day and arranged for the same table every night at 7pm in the Anytime dining room. Discovered that he sets a section of tables aside in the Anytime dining room used for super early Traditional for those wanting a 7pm or thereabouts set dining time. We were four ladies traveling together so it worked out great.

 

I would strongly advise either Traditional dining or an onboard set dining time with the same waitstaff every night. It makes explaining medical diets a lot easier.

 

Have a great cruise and I’m looking forward to seeing you next year, if not before.

[sashas_mom]

Thank you all, this was very helpful. I look forward to our cruise and feel a lot better about this aspect.

[sprint180]

Thanks for asking this question. I was just diagnosed a month ago. Still stumbling through it all. I was wondering about eating on our cruise next month.

[LeeW]

I do have Type 2. It’s been a year and yes' date=' I watch my Carbs, etc. and have done very well with my numbers. However, we eat at home so I’m able to completely control what is in a recipe and what I eat. This will be a new challenge for me, so I thought your tips would be helpful and appreciated. Has anyone found sugar free desserts they enjoy occasionally? Any good chicken dishes or fish dishes you especially liked or disliked? I just envision myself eating what they call chicken breast, and I call hockey puck, every night.:([/quote']

 

Buffet sugar-free desserts are often better tasting to me than the ones with sugar - Princess desserts tend to be very heavy and sweet. They do a few of these (like sugar-free chocolate cake) in the main dining room that I order regularly. If you can tolerate a spoonful of custard the fruit-topped tartlets are quite tasty (fruit, custard, pie crust about 2" diameter).

[GUT2407]

You can and should register with Soecial Needs.

 

Talk to the Maitre’d

 

And

 

Follow the same guidelines you do on land.

[riclop]

i have cruised many times with Princess but never with food restrictions. I’m sure they cater to all kinds of dietary restrictions' date=' but thought I should ask my “cruising experts” if there are tips you can share with me for cruising with this new diagnosis. Foods you especially enjoyed within your new limits? Do they have special menus for us?

 

Thanks in advance:)[/quote']

No special menus .

[sashas_mom]

I thought of another question. We will be getting off th ship each day. In the past we have eaten at roadside places but I admit they don’t offer the healthiest food, the food I eat now. Can we take food off the ship? I can bring a fabric lunch bag with me. I know the hotels would be fine, but they are usually expensive. Found any good places you’d recommend? We will be renting a car every day.