Sugar free options?

[ajlsjl]

Can someone point me in the direction of where I can find information on low sugar/sugar free food options onboard the Fantasy? I see the dinner menus have sugar free dessert options, but I'm looking for information on menus at Cabanas, etc. I was just diagnosed with pre-diabetes in November, and going low sugar/sugar free at home has been relatively easy. This will be my first vacation post-diagnosis, and I want to make sure I can keep it up!

 

[diznymom]

Cabanas has lots of meat and veggie options. There is also an abundance of fresh fruit.
Drink lots of water to stay hydrated. I would stay away from the sodas.

 

[lanejudy]

I don't recall "sugar free" notations on the menu other than desserts, and those are mostly along the lines of "no sugar added" which often meant fruit or sorbet. Honestly, your best bet is eating healthy with plenty of fresh fruits and veggies, avoiding a lot of the sauces. I assume you have met with a nutritionist to talk about appropriate foods and portion sizes. There are "simple" items on the menus each night -- plain chicken, steak, fish options. Alternatively, you may be able to ask for sauces to be served "on the side" so you can control how much; whether they can accommodate the request may depend on the item and how it's received or if it's prepared by DCL. Unsweetened iced tea is available in the MDRs.

Someone will know which alternative sweetener is available onboard. We don't tend to pay attention because DH actually avoids those as his doctor prefers real sugar to the super-sweet alternatives.

If you use an app (or hard-copy book, since you may not have good Internet service onboard) such as Calorie King, it can help with the carb counts.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Someone will know which alternative sweetener is available onboard.

This was on the Wonder in 2015:

 

[lanejudy]

I just knew you'd have a picture! Thanks!

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I just knew you'd have a picture! Thanks!

The caveat being, I believe I also took a picture in Palo more recently on the Magic of the same thing, and, if I'm recalling correctly, the packages, while being the "right" colors were not the name branded stuff. I'll see if I can find it.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Found it. This was on the Magic in 2016 - generic sugar substitute/brown sugar packages.

 

[nordkin]

I haven't sailed in a couple of years, but for sugar-fee desserts in Cabana's you had to ask. They did not put them out. I have complained about this on all 13 of our cruises because I do not feel I should have to ask, be told what the options are, make a choice, and then wait for them to bring it to me, because I have diabetes. I have always gotten the same response when I complain - The demand is so low it is wasteful to put them out. They did not even have a sign to ask the last time I sailed. I am sailing again in May so I will see if this is still true.

 

[Dug720]

I haven't sailed in a couple of years, but for sugar-fee desserts in Cabana's you had to ask. They did not put them out. I have complained about this on all 13 of our cruises because I do not feel I should have to ask, be told what the options are, make a choice, and then wait for them to bring it to me, because I have diabetes. I have always gotten the same response when I complain - The demand is so low it is wasteful to put them out. They did not even have a sign to ask the last time I sailed. I am sailing again in May so I will see if this is still true.

Pretty much anyone with food issues has to ask - I know I do for gluten-free - which makes sense. If they had an area for each possible food issue there would be no space for pretty much anything else.

 

[marcyleecorgan]

I haven't sailed in a couple of years, but for sugar-fee desserts in Cabana's you had to ask. They did not put them out. I have complained about this on all 13 of our cruises because I do not feel I should have to ask, be told what the options are, make a choice, and then wait for them to bring it to me, because I have diabetes. I have always gotten the same response when I complain - The demand is so low it is wasteful to put them out. They did not even have a sign to ask the last time I sailed. I am sailing again in May so I will see if this is still true.

HA! That is ridiculous considering how much food they waste in general!

 

[lorenni]

I haven't sailed in a couple of years, but for sugar-fee desserts in Cabana's you had to ask. They did not put them out. I have complained about this on all 13 of our cruises because I do not feel I should have to ask, be told what the options are, make a choice, and then wait for them to bring it to me, because I have diabetes. I have always gotten the same response when I complain - The demand is so low it is wasteful to put them out. They did not even have a sign to ask the last time I sailed. I am sailing again in May so I will see if this is still true.

I know for GF items, buffets in the parks have stopped putting them out (example - Tusker House breakfast). Not because they don't want to provide them, but because people who can eat gluten would take them, not like them, leave them uneaten, and then people like me and Dug720 would be put of luck because they would be all gone. At least this is what the chef told me on my last visit in March right befor he brought me a plate of GF donuts.

For me - I'd rather have to ask for my dessert than risk having no dessert at all because everyone else took the GF dessert option was on the buffet.

 

[Dug720]

I know for GF items, buffets in the parks have stopped putting them out (example - Tusker House breakfast). Not because they don't want to provide them, but because people who can eat gluten would take them, not like them, leave them uneaten, and then people like me and Dug720 would be put of luck because they would be all gone. At least this is what the chef told me on my last visit in March right befor he brought me a plate of GF donuts.

For me - I'd rather have to ask for my dessert than risk having no dessert at all because everyone else took the GF dessert option was on the buffet.

THANK YOU!!!!

Ditto people who ARE in fact gluten-free but think "Oh, the ship will have stuff..." and not have gluten-free put on their record because they "don't want a big deal" made out of it. The ship will stock primarily based on what they are expecting - plus a *little* more. If a lot more people are actually gluten-free and are eating gluten-free than people who told them they are, particularly on a longer voyage they may well start to run out of things. That happened to me on my 12-night Brilliance of the Seas cruise last summer - the night before getting into Venice, the bread served at dinner was some kind of nasty something that was nothing like what had been served other nights. The night after we docked in Venice for overnight, we got the good bread again. My server apologized and explained that there were a lot more people eating gluten-free than had let the cruise line know needed it. LUCKILY Venice was a terminal point for some of the RCCL Med cruises, so they had a distributor there and were able to restock.