Diabetic Menu

[Chesie]

Hi everyone,

 

We are new to Princess and just wondering if they take into considerating "sugar free" items on their menus. If so, can anyone give us some examples?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Chesie

[mauiedin87]

Being pre-diabetic, of course I was very interested in what was offered on our 15-day Island Princess cruise last spring. I can report that there were a number of sugarless desserts offered, but when it comes right down to it, there is no such thing as a "diabetic menu". You're mostly on your own and have to make your own choices, although the wait staff was making helpful suggestions! So I let the others at our table "inhale" the bread basket, the pasta, the potatoes, the rice, the cakes, the pies, cookies and ice cream, but there were plenty of other things to choose from. I certainly didn't go hungry, although I did manage to lose 4 lbs, but that was more from all the vigorous activities we participated in and hardly ever taking an elevator. Yes, a diabetic can enjoy a cruise!:)

[Casshew]

I wrote Princess and asked about it.... you can get brown rice if you ask for it, but not wholewheat pasta. They suggested speaking with the maitre de after boarding and making your requests.

 

Like the above poster said, you are pretty well on your own but they will be happy to help you order the best meal for your needs.

[sunshine426]

If you ask, your room steward can provide sugar free choclates at turn down service. Also, if you need a sharps container for any needle's and lancets, just request that as well.

[Nymue]

Cass!!! That's great to know! I had no clue about the brown rice. I wonder if you can only do that if you have Traditional Dining and they know when to expect you? ;)

 

Hugs,

Anne

 

I wrote Princess and asked about it.... you can get brown rice if you ask for it, but not wholewheat pasta. They suggested speaking with the maitre de after boarding and making your requests.

 

Like the above poster said, you are pretty well on your own but they will be happy to help you order the best meal for your needs.

[Nymue]

:eek: Sugar Free Choclates :p :D :p That's an other one I was unaware of!!!!

 

Anne

 

If you ask, your room steward can provide sugar free choclates at turn down service. Also, if you need a sharps container for any needle's and lancets, just request that as well.

[Pam in CA]

Folks, just tell your waiter and/or the Maitre D and they'll modify or make any item on the menu, including dessert, that you can eat. I've seen it many times where someone at our table was diabetic and needed a special diet. The Maitre D brought menus (breakfast, lunch and dinner) to the table every night and the passengers were able to request a wide range of menu items modified, even lunchtime desserts.

[Nymue]

While everone else is knoshing on the yummy breads, ask your server for a veggie and / or cheese tray. It's a wonderful and healthy substitute ;)

[Casshew]

:eek: Sugar Free Choclates :p :D :p That's an other one I was unaware of!!!!

 

Anne

 

Wow, I never heard of that one either. :eek:

 

Anne, I have anytime dining... maybe they just cook up some brown rice to order really quick?

[Chesie]

Thanks everyone! I can pretty much judge the meals but thought a sugarless dessert once in awhile would be nice. I'm not much into the pasta (go figure an Italian would say that!) but the bread and potatoes will be challenging. Good to know they do their best to help us diabetics along.

 

Casshew, we will be taking the same cruise October 2008 to Rome/Turkey/Greece and Egypt. You'll have to let us know how everything went on our roll call already set up. for 10/5/08.

 

Thanks again

 

Chesie

[Casshew]

They always had delicious whole wheat breads avaiable as well...

 

Chesie, have fun planning your trip... I would recommend a private Cairo Tour/Overnight rather than the Princess one, so much better and cheaper. (210.00pp instead of 749.00pp)

[Nymue]

Let me know how it goes. I can't wait to see your pictures!!!! Than maybe I can talk you and Noel into joining us in revisiting the BI's in July :rolleyes:

 

Hugs,

Anne

BTW - See if they'll fix you a sugarfree Creme Brulee' for ME :p

 

Wow, I never heard of that one either. :eek:

 

Anne, I have anytime dining... maybe they just cook up some brown rice to order really quick?

[Casshew]

Hi Anne... no chance of rejoining the Golden Idols in July as we are doing the QM2 in August. :(

 

Sugar Free Creme Brule'?? I can't even imagine how they do that hard sugar crust on top? lol

[UT-Volsfan]

On Princess, you won't have any problems finding sugar free desserts that you'll enjoy. The lunch and dinner menus always have one sugar free dessert, and they are different between the two meals. They also don't repeat desserts over the different dinner menus.

 

If you go to the buffet, just ask one of the staff for a sugar free dessert if you don't see any sitting out. I've never had any trouble getting one there.

 

For breakfast, you can get sugar free syrup for the waffles and pancakes. Only thing to watch is how they serve the pancakes - somebody in the kitchen has them putting some powdered sugar on top of the pancakes for the presentation (you'll need to ask them to leave the sugar off if you're in the dining room) or pick thru the pancakes in the buffet since the ones on top have the sugar on top.

 

Another tip is if you like mixed drinks to check out an outfit callled Baja Bob's. They make mixers for drinks made with Splenda instead of sugar. So they are low cal and sugar-free. They sell both bottled mixers and some in powder form you can use.

 

If you are carb counting to figure out your insulin dosage, you might want to contact Princess a few weeks before the cruise and request they send you the menus on email and see if they'll give you the carb information for the different menu items. Explain to them you're a diabetic and it would help with your meal planning.

 

And it's good to see the tip on asking for sugar free chocolates on the bed in the evening. We've sailed several times on Princess and somehow missed this good tip!

 

Have a good time on your cruise!

[Casshew]

Thanks for your suggestions UT-Volsfan, good info there.

[Chesie]

Thanks again everyone. What a wealth of information!

 

Yes, we are doing a private tour for Cairo overnight. I believe our rollcall is looking into Nile Blue. That is the same company doing the 11/07 tour on Star Princess, I believe.

 

Too many sleeps to count before the trip, but working on it!

 

Chesie

[sunshine426]

Wow, I never heard of that one either. :eek:

 

Anne, I have anytime dining... maybe they just cook up some brown rice to order really quick?

 

OK, I did spell chocolate wrong, oops, but I too was unaware that Princess offered this. I had packed my own and asked our cabin steward if he could use these for evening turndown so Mr Sunshine wasn't left out. They did not have all the different varieties that they have with the regular treats, but still was wrapped in pretty blue/silver logo paper, and added to the idea of special individual treatment offered. Be aware that sugar free does not mean calorie free as these treats can pack quite a calorie punch. We also have taken powdered drink mixes(crystal light) and added our own rum for fake punches. Again, alcolhol itself can affect blood sugar, so sugar free is not the entire answer, but it helps.

[BJS]

Hi everyone,

 

We are new to Princess and just wondering if they take into considerating "sugar free" items on their menus. If so, can anyone give us some examples?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Chesie

Here are several of the Sugar-Free Desserts on the dinner menus:

Sugar-Free Milk Chocolate Mousse Cake,

Sugar-Free Buttermilk Crepes with Chocolate-Cream Filling

Sugar-Free Florida Key Lime Pie

Sugar-Free Coconut Cake

[Casshew]

On another thread I saw something about a sugar free cheesecake and carrot cake as well :)

[Nymue]

The Sugar-free Cheesecake is YUMMMMM :D :p :D

[Casshew]

Looking forward to trying it! I wonder how much fat is in it though? just because it's sugar free doesn't mean it's low fat :eek: