Dining at Sea - What's Your Favorite Food

National Plan a Cruise Month

In honor of National Plan a Cruise Month let's take a look at dining at sea.  Depending on your food requirements, you may select one cruise line or itinerary over another.
 

What's Your 

Favorite Food 

on a Cruise

Whether you have cruised before or not, I'm sure you are aware that there's plenty of great food to be had on a cruise ship.  The first thing you'll find when you get onboard is that your cabin is not ready, but don't worry, dining venues are open and ready to serve you.  But that is just the beginning of what lies ahead.   We'll take you on a culinary journey onboard several cruise ships over several posts.  If you can't wait, we've posted some similar stories previously as well.

Myth #4 – All There is to do is Eat – I’ll Gain Weight

While it is true that there are several dining options on every cruise, we've examined this myth about nothing to do but eat previously.  Now, let's focus on the second part of that myth - that you'll gain weight.

It is possible that you could gain weight on a cruise, but if so, that will not be the cruise line's fault. There are healthy menu options on the main dining menus and while not every venue serves food for the health conscious, there are plenty of options for you to chose from.  In addition, there are full service health and fitness facilities on each ship so that you can continue your exercise routine.

One of the things the cruise line pays close attention to are any dietary requirements of their passengers. 

We took this picture during a galley tour on Azamara Journey.  The special requests consist of some religious requests, because it was during Jewish holidays, and also some specific ingredients that needed to be avoided for another passenger.

Be sure to let you cruise specialist know if you do have any special requirements so that it can be noted on your reservation and advance preparations can be made if necessary.

What's for Dinner 

You might want to start with our previous What's for Dinner article  In addition, visit our Pinterest Board where we'll be sampling some of the food and venues that we've had the pleasure of dining at in the past.  

Tell us about your favorites - send us your pictures as well and we'll share them in a future post.  (Post on our FB Page)

(Updated 10/13/2021) 

Le Petit Chef ™ offered on Celebrity Cruises® is simply one of the most unique dining events in the world. Join me on Celebrity Edge, as these tiny chefs prepare a meal at my table, to celebrate my birthday.

 

Since the pandemic lockdown in March 2020, you may have been missing dining at your favorite restaurants.   As restaurants reopened, you may have visited your favorites, or even tried some new ones to support your local businesses.    

On a cruise ship, you have the possibility of frequenting your favorites and also trying new ones.   If you don't like something you ordered, the wait staff will gladly bring you something else.   So, eat your favorite foods, or find some new favorites while cruising.

 

Click the banner above for the latest cruise promotions

 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

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I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

Healthy Cruising and the Royal Promise

"The safety and wellbeing of our guests and crew, and the communities we visit, is our top priority. In response to COVID-19, Royal Caribbean is evaluating every last detail of our operations to develop unprecedented standards that will keep you safe and healthy. That’s why we have assembled the Healthy Sail Panel, a group of the best minds and leaders in public health, biosecurity, epidemiology, hospitality and maritime operations. Their insights and recommendations are helping to drive our way forwards as we work to strengthen our current procedures and create new ones across the entire cruise experience. The panel will work alongside our new Public Health & Chief Medical Officer, Dr Calvin Johnson, who will lead the company’s public health initiatives and oversee our response to health crises. Our collective efforts will be shared with the cruise industry and other industries that may benefit from our findings – because we’re all in this together."

Healthy Return to Sailing

Royal Caribbean Group continues to collaborate with the Healthy Sail Panel, epidemiologists, health authorities and various governments around the globe to ensure a healthy and safe return to cruising for guests, crew and the communities visited. The Company also continues to prepare and develop its plan to meet the Framework for Conditional Sailing Order issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for US sailings. Meanwhile most sailings remain suspended.

In December, Quantum of the Seas started operating out of Singapore.  The CDC  requested Royal Caribbean provide information about two of their COVID-19 safety technologies being used on Quantum.  We wrote about the first one, Muster 2.0 in a previous post.  With that technology, passengers no longer gather in large groups to complete the mandatory safety drill before sailing.

The second technology, the Tracelet™ is a patented technology which allows for contact tracing.

 

What is a Tracelet™? 

Tracelet™         Courtesy Royal Caribbean Singapore

Who needs to wear it? 

What if I cannot wear it on my wrist? 

The Tracelet™ is a comfortable, water-resistant, hypoallergenic wearable worn by all guests and crew during the cruise. The Tracelet™ helps Royal with contact tracing in the unlikely event of an onboard health concern. Therefore, everyone onboard regardless of age, needs to wear it. 

Should you be unable to wear it on your wrist, they will find another way for you to wear it. Any guest who chooses not to wear the Tracelet™ will be unable to sail.

As cool as the Tracelet™ is, you might want to take it with you, but unfortunately you'll have to leave it onboard when the cruise ends for the next guests to use.   

What Happens if Someone Tests Positive Onboard?

Courtesy Royal Caribbean - Click to Enlarge

That's an excellent question that is on the minds of most perspective passengers.  First of all, since everyone eligible (currently 12 and over)  is starting out the cruise fully vaccinated and/or with a negative test, odds are in your favor that this won't happen.  But if it does, Royal Caribbean Group (all brands) has your back.  The following information should ease your mind.

Upgraded Medical Facilities & Expert Care 

"There’s nothing more important than your health and safety. Our high-quality medical care includes doctors and nurses onboard each sailing and state-of-the-art equipment onboard. And in the event of a suspected case of COVID-19, we’re fully prepared with immediate medical evaluations, rapid COVID-19 testing and dedicated zones for COVID-19 care, more critical care beds on each ship, and robust treatment plans."   Read More (click here).

Identification / Containment / Providing Care & Assistance

These are the pillars behind Royal Caribbean's protocols to handle a medical emergency of this nature.  Thanks to the Tracelet™  and the technology behind the scenes,  Royal Caribbean can quickly determine who you've been in contact with and take steps to contain further infection.   By definition that means anyone that was within 6 feet for 15 minutes or more which can be determined by the technology.

Editor Note:   Think about this:   If you tested positive at home - would you know who you were in contact with and for how long?

We've already mentioned that they have upgraded their medical facilities and can isolate patients as necessary.   The next thing they do may be unexpected.

Medical Evacuation

When a passenger is identified with COVID-19, the Royal Caribbean Care Team onboard takes over.  The team will get them the necessary treatment onboard and arrange for private transportation back home.

Transportation will be provided by private air ambulance paid for by Royal Caribbean.  Even if you are not exhibiting symptoms, this arrangement is used to ensure you have proper care should you need it in transit.   You will be delivered to your doorstep by the transport team assuring that you are completely cared for.

Editor Note: Can you think of another hospitality provider that would provide this level of care?  While this is for all brands of cruise lines that are part of Royal Caribbean Group, other lines have similar care that they can provide.  Check with your travel professional during your cruise planning.

 

Click the banner above for the latest cruise promotions

 

Cruise lines are offering special promotions and pricing on popular cruises to encourage consumers to plan their next cruise vacation now. We'll be featuring promotions on our website and social media.

Choose Cruise Month (click for mini-series)

Connect With Us On

    
    

Sign-up for Exclusive Email Offers

I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM Eastern for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat

CDC Committed to Summer Cruising

 

click images to enlarge

Updated May 5, 2021

CDC Issues Phases 2B and 3 of the Conditional Sailing Order (Read CDC release including Technical Instructions for phases)

Below is a high level summary of the update.  Note that cruise lines can speed up the process by sailing with crew 98% vaccinated and passengers 95% vaccinated (which basically means children under 18 aren't vaccinated but adults are).

CDC Committed to Cruise Resumption in Summertime

In today's trade briefing with Celebrity Cruises, we were told about the latest update from the CDC regarding the resumption of cruises out of the United States.  The news is very promising.

In a letter to the cruise industry, CDC on Wednesday covered five parts of the phased approach to the safe resumption of cruises out of the U.S.  

Test Cruises

The phased Conditional Sail Order (CSO) had provisions for "test cruises" before a cruise line could begin revenue sailings.  The cruise line would submit plans and results of their test cruises and the CDC would respond in 30/60 days.   They have reduced the requirement to a 5 day response and furthermore removed the need for test cruises if the following vaccination policy is in place.

Vaccinations

While the CDC can't mandate vaccinations, they are highly recommended and the cruise lines plan to implement the requirement in order to speed up the process of resumption of cruising.  The requirements shown in the chart above are for 98% of the crew to be vaccinated and 95% of the guests.  In Celebrity Cruises case, the crew will be 100% vaccinated and they will be requiring guests 18 or over be vaccinated, so they will be able to meet the 95% requirement.

Crew Travel

There is a color code in the CSO which comes into play for crew embarking on a vessel.  We won't go into details here since this is internal to cruise line operations and not of concern to passengers. The new rules makes it easier for cruise line operations.

Port Support

The CSO calls for the cruise lines to have contingency plans in place in the event there is an outbreak of cases onboard a ship, which is highly unlikely.  The update from the CDC allows nearby ports to work together to provide the necessary capacities that are required.

Returning Home

Royal Caribbean Group, the parent company for Celebrity Cruises, has already have 150,000 passengers sail successfully this year.  There were a total of 7 cases of COVID-19 among all those passengers.  There was no disruption, unlike the problems that happened in the early days of the pandemic before much was known about the disease.

What happens if a passenger tests positive for COVID-19 and must leave the ship?   How do they return home?

If they are local to the port, they can simply drive home.  If they need to fly home, the airline has rules which require quarantine.  They will be quarantined in a local hotel and then allowed to fly home after that period expires.   Your airline or travel professional can help you understand this requirement.

What Will Cruise Experience be Like

Celebrity Cruises (and others) are striving to make the cruise experience as good or better than pre-COVID-19.  The crew are very anxious to get back to work, and will go out of their way to make your voyage a great experience.   Here are just a few ways that this will occur:

• The ships will be operating at 50-60% capacity, while the crew is at 100%, meaning more crew to assist you
• Additional show performances will be added to allow for social distancing, meaning less crowds
• You'll still be able to enjoy a buffet meal, but the crew will serve you instead of you picking out the food yourself, meaning you won't have someone's grubby hands in your food
• Shore excursions may be limited to those offered by the cruise line (depending on the requirements imposed by the ports visited - this is still a work in progres)
• You'll still be able to relax in the spa and enjoy other ship amenities
• In accordance with CDC guidance, other safety measures, including COVID testing, mask use and social distancing will remain important on ships, regardless of whether passengers are vaccinated
• Any COVID-19 testing required onboard (embarkation / disembarkation) will be handled by the cruise line (rules may vary based on destination and cruise line - consult your travel professional).

Traveling This Summer & Beyond

Speaking of  "beyond".  Besides this exciting news from the CDC, Celebrity Cruises unveiled their newest Edge-class ship Celebrity Beyond which will begin sailing one year from now.  In addition, there are several options to sail out of non-U.S. ports of call starting this June.  

Celebrity Cruises Itineraries

Celebrity Cruises has partnered with medical and scientific advisors from their Healthy Sail Panel, Global Head of Public Health and Chief Medical Officer; and local health and government authorities to guide them in the development of their protocols. These measures include reduced capacities, enhanced cleaning and sanitation. and physical distancing. For more information see Announcing our Return to Sailing.

We are also committed to a safe resumption of travel, not just cruising.  We participate in weekly update calls with all our travel partners so that we can bring you the very latest information to help you plan you return to travel.  Please see our Travel Safety Program.

We will be conducting virtual information sessions.  If you'd like to be on our mailing list please contact us.

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I recently completed extensive training and have become Travel Safety Verified. As your dedicated Travel Advisor, your safety is our priority, and it's our job to ensure you have the necessary information you need to give you confidence and peace of mind when making your future travel plans. Click the link to review our Travel Safety program with valuable resources that will answer many of your questions.

Where have you explored? 

Gather your travel and food pics and join us every Wednesday night for the latest installment of #FoodTravelChat