Special menus

[Daideo]

I noted on the Holland-America web site that you can pre-order special diets ("Special diets and meals, such as Kosher, Passover Seder dinner, gluten-free, salt-free, fat-free, baby food, diabetic and other special dietary needs can be accommodated ").

 

As I'm diabetic, this piqued my interest.

 

Has anyone here ever arranged the diabetic diet? How does it differ from the normal dinning room menu?

 

-low-carb grandpa

[dakrewser]

I know there's a special vegetarian menu that you can order from (placing an order 24 hours in advance), but I've not been aware of any other special menus. Maybe someone else might know.

[K&RCurt]

I wondered about that but never asked. I am a type I diabetic but I keep very tight control over my blood glucose. i use fast acting insulin on a sliding scale based on what I eat. I just took my normal dose of insulin before dinner, ate whatever I wanted off of the regular menu and then made up for any carbs over my standard diet with additional insulin. I have also found that 2 glasses of wine = 7 units of insulin I don't have to take (as alcohol creates a lowering of blood glucose...That's why if someone is passed out drunk the 1st thing a Dr. does is administer IV glucose solution).

 

I would call ship's services and inquire about the "diabetic: menu.

[Daideo]

I have also found that 2 glasses of wine = 7 units of insulin

 

Thanks for the info, I'm a type II and really new to the regimen.

 

Do you actually "experiment" to determine the value of a glass of wine, or is this some standard measure??

[ClothesHorseJoe]

I noticed on a recent tour of the Oosterdam that the Lido had a whole section of Sugar Free (Or No Sugar Added) desserts...I keep an eye out for these things as my Father is diabetic.

[fireboat]

We are headed out on our first cruise. My DW signed me up for the diabetic choice since I have type 1. I am assuming I'll have a lot of low-cal, sugerfree, options. It should be like any menu at a resturant. Look for those symbols.

 

Please don't start "adjusting" anything on your trip. If you have questions about how food / drinks affect your sugar levels, get your doctors advise. If he doesn't give you the answers. Get a new doctor. Or maybe get him to refer you to an endocrinologist. Insulin shock is no fun.

 

I am in FD/EMS and seen enough. There's really no good place to go into insulin shock. But some may be worse then others . . . oh, let say a foreign country. Take a hint from a long time insulin taker, get some of those small frosting tubes (in the cake making section of your grocery store). Carry one with you. I carry one in my fire gear, yup take it right into the fire with me. Cookies, candy bars, glucose tablets: they either break, melt, or expire.

 

Knowledge is king. Enjoy your trip.

[K&RCurt]

As Fireboat stated, I would not "experiment" while on a cruise or any vacation. I have estabished my parameters over 10 years of living with Type I diabetes and working closlely with a few very good endicrinologists, PAs who were diabetic also and a great former endicrinologist's nurse (DW!). I check my blood glucose FREQUENTLY and I will err on the side of too little insulin and take more later rather than risk insulin shock. Low blood sugar is really NO FUN.

 

Daideo: I have found the "value" for wine through experimentation. and it only applies to me and for dry wine. Sweet wine is more like a carb as it has more sugar than alcohol. As you are type II I have no idea how it would interact with your meds.

 

As Fireboat said so well, work with you doctor, dietician and/ or diebeties educator on what you shopuld / should not eat &/or drink with the medication regime you are on.

 

Before the avaiablility of Humalog or other very fast acting insulin I followed a very strict "diabetic" diet in order to control my blood sugar and have a "good" HbA1c. Now I can relax my diet when I want to and still maintain excellent control both long and short term.

[cruzlover56]

My DH is a type II diabetic. We had the same worry before our first HAL cruise as he was also recently diagnosed. We needn't have worried. There was plenty of choice on the Menu including "no sugar added" desserts.

They also identified low carb options. Also using a glucose monitor helps my DH keep on track by testing his blood often when in unfamiliar dietary environments. This gives you what you can tolerate. Activity level will also effect your readings.

 

I pulled these low carb choices off the Menus from our Zuiderdam cruise in 2004.

 

Appetizers:

Portebello and Ricotta Crostini

Fruit salad in Papaya

Carpaccio of Beef

Grilled Chicken Sate

 

Main course:

 

Indian Spiced Lamb Loin Chops

Roast beef with Horseradish crust

Chicken Cordon Bleu

 

Desserts: No sugar added

 

Cheesecake

Lindzer torte

cranberry jello

Almond cream with fresh fruit kabobs

Vanilla Ice Cream

 

 

Boy reading over those old menus has really got me going. 2 weeks til the Noordam and the end of my diet!

[grannynurse]

Ask your TA to request your special diet and have him/her get a a copy of HAL's faxed response to bring with you. Do this several months in advance of your trip, then follow up shortly before you leave. Sometimes the communication between Seattle and the ship is not that great. HAL does offer special diets but you must request in advance, especially kosher meals as they have to be pre-ordered and brought aboard in special packaging.

Hope this helps,

GN

[robertmnch]

:) I've been a Type 2 Diabetic since 1995. Have sailed on HAL for 25 cruises! The Maitre D' or a Dining Room Supervisor can get you the next Evenings Menu so you can make your Carb and Protein choices 24 hours in advance. This allows you to eat what you feel is healthy for Breakfast and Lunch the next day, knowing what your Carb Load will be for Dinner! Works fine for me! If you are planning to eat in the Pinnacle Grille the next night, just stop by the PG and the Maitre D' will be happy to show you the Menu! The Lido always has the Dinner Menu posted at Lunch!

I noted on the Holland-America web site that you can pre-order special diets ("Special diets and meals, such as Kosher, Passover Seder dinner, gluten-free, salt-free, fat-free, baby food, diabetic and other special dietary needs can be accommodated ").

 

As I'm diabetic, this piqued my interest.

 

Has anyone here ever arranged the diabetic diet? How does it differ from the normal dinning room menu?

 

-low-carb grandpa

[Daideo]

Ask your TA to request your special diet and have him/her get a a copy of HAL's faxed response to bring with you. Do this several months in advance of your trip, then follow up shortly before you leave. Sometimes the communication between Seattle and the ship is not that great. HAL does offer special diets but you must request in advance, especially kosher meals as they have to be pre-ordered and brought aboard in special packaging.

Hope this helps,

GN

 

Good advice, thanks! And thanks to everyone who replied.

 

Fireboat: Love the idea of the frosting tubes! Much easier to carry than the other stuff...

 

-grandpa

[spicy1]

Does HAL also have staff that will make special vegetarian meals for ethnic groups?

[dakrewser]

Does HAL also have staff that will make special vegetarian meals for ethnic groups?

 

There are vegetarian offerings on each menu plus a special vegetarian menu which can be pre=ordered from (a day in advance) - just ask your dining room steward....

[Oceanwench]

Every evening as we were finishing up our dessert, our dining room steward would give us the vegetarian menu and take orders for the next evening's meal. [We had one person at our table who was a vegetarian, but the rest of us sometimes ordered off the vegetarian menu - outstanding soup!]

The vegetarian menu did not change from day to day ... we were handed the same menu each evening.

 

However, as has been stated above, there is always a vegetarian meal included on each day's menu, too.

 

DH is a Type II diabetic and ordered off the regular menu. There were lots of good choices, including desserts.

[mosiegirl]

These desserts sound wonderful.. I'm newly type II and considering cruising for our next vacation. What do these desserts taste like? I mean, do you sacrifice taste for the lack of sugar? They sure do sound good !!

 

maureen

[RuthC]

I'm newly type II and considering cruising for our next vacation. What do these desserts taste like? I mean, do you sacrifice taste for the lack of sugar?

They're not too bad. They're not the real, good stuff, but not bad.

If you're really going to behave yourself they do satisfy the sweet tooth. The no sugar added ice cream is very good.

[Sunshine91]

Just back from Noordam's inaugural. I was diagnosed type-II last August & take metformin (glucophage). I did not pre-select the diabetic menu since I didn't want to be limited to just those menu items. I rarely eat "diabetic" or special foods. I do, however, read food labels to keep a rough idea of my carb count & take my blood sugar daily. I'll also skip bread & other carbs at dinner in order to have dessert. But then I'll choose ice cream instead of the chocolate cake with the gooey fudge stuff.

Found myself taking it more frequently while onboard so that I could adjust when/what I ate. Also, like K&RCurt, I've found alcohol to be a blood sugar decreaser. I usually drink a couple of beers or some champagne - not fruity, overly sweet things, although at the suggestions of my new friends onboard, I did try a couple of cosmos. I could get very used to those, but I was a good girl. Also, I wound up dancing alot at night in the disco & walking & swimming during the day. My activity level was up so I think that also helped keep my levels in check.

What I am dreading is my meeting with the scale tomorrow morning (every Monday I tell myself, whether I like it or not), but I won't bore you with those results. :D