Ordering off-menu?

[Tampa Girl]

36 minutes ago, Hobar said:

@Mary229 answered my question.  I don’t like fancy food with lots of sauces; I would rather have a plain chicken or steak and lots of veggies.  I did not want to be limited to the dishes as listed on the menu.  Not quite When Harry Met Sally, but not too far either 🙂 

 

You will have no problem getting entrees served without sauces.  As long as it is the same meat and cooked by the same procedure, i.e. fried, broiled, baked, etc., there should be problem.

[Hobar]

6 minutes ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

You will have no problem getting entrees served without sauces.  As long as it is the same meat and cooked by the same procedure, i.e. fried, broiled, baked, etc., there should be problem.

That could be a problem as I don’t eat or like fried foods. But I’m sure there will be baked or broiled options.  

Edited March 17 by Hobar

[GeezerCouple]

2 hours ago, Hobar said:

@Mary229 answered my question.  I don’t like fancy food with lots of sauces; I would rather have a plain chicken or steak and lots of veggies.  I did not want to be limited to the dishes as listed on the menu.  Not quite When Harry Met Sally, but not too far either 🙂 

 

Given what you've just written, I think you have the wrong idea of what "ordering not on the menu" or "off-menu" means.

 

It would be quite likely that asking for "no sauce" (or yup, "sauce on the side, and only a little bit", etc.😁) or just about any simple *variation* of what IS on the menu would be possible.  And almost definitely if you notice the menu earlier in the day and ask in advance.

On another larger ship cruiseline, we've been offered a soup made without a problematic ingredient, but asked to give them 24 hour notice.  (And oh yes, to please show up and order that special item, etc.!)  And then there are special requests to make something gluten free even if it's not listed as available that way.

No guarantees, of course!

And asking for the green beans that are listed with the chicken instead of the broccoli that is listed with your desired fish?  That's not "off-menu".

[It might be when it's a huge convention where there are, for example, only 3 choices of "the meal", and everything is pre-plated, or mostly so.

But that's not what a cruise ship is.]

 

As for "mixing and matching" things that *are* on the menu... I wouldn't want to count the number of times something like that is requested at every meal when thousands of individual meal orders are being taken!

 

Don't forget, there are all sorts of allergies, and there are special preparations of many of the items for each meal already happening, day after day, meal after meal.

But that is NOT the same as requesting a cheese soufflé when there's nothing similar on the menu.  Or asking for a pork chop when there is no pork on the menu, etc.  Or asking for a duck a l'orange when duck isn't even being offered at that meal...

Those are requesting things that are "not on the menu".

 

Given what you *are* asking about, you will very likely have little or no trouble.

Enjoy!

 

GC

[written by the "Sally" of GeezerCouple 😉 ]

[CruiserBruce]

Thanks @GeezerCouple. That hit the nail directly!

[Lakesregion]

17 hours ago, crystalspin said:

I believe there is always salmon, a strip-steak, and maybe a chicken entree, -- that sometimes do not appear on the menu if there are so many other options it pushes the standards off in printing.

That is an asumption but not always a reality. On a January Zaandam cruise I could not find anything of interest on the regular menu and asked about the alternative items and chose salmon. Only to be told after about ten minutes that they did not have salmon available. Turns out they offered salmon on the regular menu the next evening and when queried about the lack of it on the aleternitive menu, the Maitr'd said it was frozen and they did not wish to thaw an entire salmon one day before they would be featuring it just for a single request.

[jenp123]

If you like lots of veggies, I have always been able to ask for plain, steamed veggies.  They usually come out with an assortment each night and slightly different options.  

[TiogaCruiser]

8 hours ago, Mary229 said:

Since you do like vegetables, as we do, you will be happy to hear there is now a new menu item - vegetable of the day.   Since we both order them we are given a large bowl served family style for our table for 2

 

1 hour ago, jenp123 said:

If you like lots of veggies, I have always been able to ask for plain, steamed veggies.  They usually come out with an assortment each night and slightly different options.  

Love it! I’ll be asking for the steamed veggies next cruise.

 

The last 2 cruises ( both post Covid) there was a dearth of veggies- and what few were offered were sautéed or fried. For whatever reason there were tons of potatoes and beets. 😝 Beets!😝.
 

So a veggie of the day, or steamed veggies is a vast improvement.

 

 

[YourWorldWithBill]

In your original question you mentioned Club Orange, so I will just add to all that's been said that they will try their best to accommodate you in CO. As someone said, never hurts to ask. They made a special effort a couple of times to deal with a request, telling us that it wasn't possible when that was the case.

 

And remember that you can order from either the vegetarian on Indian menu, although you might have to give advance notice.