Vegan choices

[Ellaleah]

I just booked my first Celebrity on the Apex.  From what I understand there is a choice of 4 complimentary restaurants and I know that we need to contact the Maitre’d to advise them of our special need.  Does that really work?  I was just on the Carnival Celebration with a party of 5.  We had asked for GF and dairy free ahead of time and every time we ordered it was a big deal.  It seems to me that it is very difficult for them to accommodate special dietary needs if you don’t eat in the same restaurant every night.  We were on the Ruby Princess 1/22 and they were great at accommodating the vegan diet, but it was 60% full and we ate in the same dining room every night.  Anyone have any experience as to how to go about this the best way?  
thank you

[mandream]

My wife is vegan and our experiences are very mixed.

 

We always have fixed seating (which on Edge class means we're at the same restaurant each night) which makes things easier.  Generally speaking - anything you do pre-cruise won't make a difference.  The way it typically works is each night you will meet with the Maitre D and plan the menu for the next night.  It could be based off what they are serving with modifications or it could be completely different.  This is why it is easier to be in the same place each night.  For the first night, my wife typically tries to meet with the Maitre D once we board to make sure she has something for that evening.  Sometimes this works - sometimes they scramble once we arrive.  If you go to Specialties - make sure you let them know in advance.

 

We do find this to be the most frustrating part of sailing with Celebrity.  However, we still sail with them nonetheless because we like pretty much everything else.  You definitely won't starve - it just might be more of a hassle than you would like it to be.  But it sounds like you have already had this experience so should be somewhat prepared. 

 

Good luck!

 

Mike

[chamima]

53 minutes ago, mandream said:

My wife is vegan and our experiences are very mixed.

 

We always have fixed seating (which on Edge class means we're at the same restaurant each night) which makes things easier.  Generally speaking - anything you do pre-cruise won't make a difference.  The way it typically works is each night you will meet with the Maitre D and plan the menu for the next night.  It could be based off what they are serving with modifications or it could be completely different.  This is why it is easier to be in the same place each night.  For the first night, my wife typically tries to meet with the Maitre D once we board to make sure she has something for that evening.  Sometimes this works - sometimes they scramble once we arrive.  If you go to Specialties - make sure you let them know in advance.

 

We do find this to be the most frustrating part of sailing with Celebrity.  However, we still sail with them nonetheless because we like pretty much everything else.  You definitely won't starve - it just might be more of a hassle than you would like it to be.  But it sounds like you have already had this experience so should be somewhat prepared. 

 

Good luck!

 

Mike

 

 

My husband is a vegan and we have had similar experiences.

We sail in Aqua because we thought the smaller Blu restaurant might find accommodating his needs easier.

We've found it all seems to depend on the dining room manager and/or a really good wait staff. Pre-Covid we were spoiled because we had the same people for the last 3 or 4 years but neither of them are Celebrity crew anymore , They've both moved on. We sail again next week and I have my fingers crossed.

(FWIW - people report that there is now a separate vegan/vegetarian 10 day menu. I hope that's accurate)

[mandream]

14 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

 

My husband is a vegan and we have had similar experiences.

We sail in Aqua because we thought the smaller Blu restaurant might find accommodating his needs easier.

We've found it all seems to depend on the dining room manager and/or a really good wait staff. Pre-Covid we were spoiled because we had the same people for the last 3 or 4 years but neither of them are Celebrity crew anymore , They've both moved on. We sail again next week and I have my fingers crossed.

(FWIW - people report that there is now a separate vegan/vegetarian 10 day menu. I hope that's accurate)

 

There was a Vegetarian menu on our December cruise, but it didn't help much.  Once you removed the dairy from most of the items - you wouldn't want it anymore.

 

My wife just asked the chef to make her a surprise vegan appetizer, main and dessert each night.  It was ok.

 

Mike

[chamima]

Just now, mandream said:

 

There was a Vegetarian menu on our December cruise, but it didn't help much.  Once you removed the dairy from most of the items - you wouldn't want it anymore.

 

My wife just asked the chef to make her a surprise vegan appetizer, main and dessert each night.  It was ok.

 

Mike

 

 

Sorry to hear that.

My husband likes Indian food so in the past he's had success with asking for that. Fingers crossed for next week (and the 38 days we'll be on board!)

[dcyonce]

Celebrity does have Vegetarian menus. 

You can ask for the daily Vegetarian menu from any restaurant. I've attached the sample Vegetarian menus for 14 day sailings. These are mostly correct. Although recently Celebrity has made a LOT of changes to the various menus and drastically cutback the Vegetarian/Vegan options on the Oceanview buffet.

 

And ... many of the "Vegetarian" items on these menus are not Vegan. 

 

Up until January 2023 my recommendation would have been "speak to the Oceanview head chef". They have the best Vegan options and can make them available to you in the Main Dining Room, Blu, Luminae, etc. But, post "Oceanview's drastic cutbacks" ... I think your best bet is to speak with the Maitre'd for which ever restaurant you will normally have dinner. We have found the Luminae and Blu chefs to be mostly accommodating. And sometimes the chefs are excited to cook something different.

 

Hope this helps !

  -- Don

[Bo1953]

30 minutes ago, mandream said:

 

There was a Vegetarian menu on our December cruise, but it didn't help much.  Once you removed the dairy from most of the items - you wouldn't want it anymore.

 

My wife just asked the chef to make her a surprise vegan appetizer, main and dessert each night.  It was ok.

 

Mike

Mike - that is exactly what I do... as well, I also ask for items off menu which I know they can make without challenge, like stir-fry's, vegetable risotto, dahl and the like...

 

I have had very few challenges, overall.

 

bon appetit and bon voyage

[Ellaleah]

Thank you all for the feedback and the menus.  They are much appreciated.

[Scottishclover]

My daughters are both vegan and were quite happy with the choices on the Apex. They normally pre- ordered  something from the separate  vegetarian menu which could be made vegan and if there was nothing they liked, they requested something else like Dahl. My husband needs to eat gluten free so he pre- ordered too. Even although we moved between the MDRs we tended to be given the same servers when we revisited. The movement between the 4 MDRs worked fine. The server just goes to the kitchen and can see what you pre ordered the previous evening.

 

At lunch there was a vegan corner with a couple of dishes and  overall the girls had no problem finding something at the buffet in Ocean View Cafe. Spa Cafe also have a couple of options and there was dairy free milk at Cafe al Bacio and at breakfast. We were on a 12 night cruise and were often approached by food and beverage officers to ask if the vegan and gluten free options were working for us. 

[excited balcony]

I have had the separate vegetarian menu on previous Celebrity Cruises in the past and have always been happy with the options.  We are sailing next month and I worried with all the 2023 cutbacks that they may have eliminated the vegetarian menu.  I am so happy to see that is not the case!!

[stellarose]

hubby and I are pescatarians so I am happy to see good options.