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My wife and I never had a bad food experience on our cruises. We felt like royalty in everything we did including the different meal options. We tried everything! No regrets.
Holland America, best food we've had on a Cruise line. For a buffet level it was superb, as was the choice. I lived at the Asian station, to the point the staff knew me as a regular "noodles again, sir?" while in the line. I don't get that level of Asian choice where we now live therefore is a treat to experience that.
Or the heat, I have HBP and I don’t eat salt, drink sodas or alcohol, but when I’m in hot climate. I swell up like a ballon, It happened on cruises, Florida and even in my own country P.R.
In 22 years working on cruises (On 2 different lines) I have never seen powdered eggs used (Not saying they aren't by some lines, but just what I've seen). The eggs used for scrambled are pasteurised and are delivered in 10L bags. They are safer than fresh eggs. Before anyone asks I worked in the F&B department for some time and audited stores, so I know what we had onboard.
I eat the scrambled eggs and bacon from the buffet most mornings, as I’m not up in time to go to the dining room. Never had a problem. They taste ok to me.
Thank you, I didn’t think that they were powdered either. I’ve done a galley tour before, and saw the amount of eggs that they go through. I’m not a fan of other people cooking scrambled eggs for me. When I eat eggs, it is usually over medium.
I doubt that the eggs are powdered, in large restaurants and cafeterias the eggs come in large bags. The bagged eggs are from producers that use eggs that are cracked or not the right color or will not look right in a carton. I've had powdered eggs in my youth there is a difference in taste and texture.
Dittos on the coffee on Carnival. We usually order a pot for breakfast for room service or get it from the machine on the Lido buffet, both are really good. 😊
Ships purify sea water through the reverse osmosis process. The water on a cruise ship is more pure than the water that comes out of your tap at home. Those complaining about it are simply wrong and/or misinformed. Buying bottled water is one of the dumbest things you can do on a cruise.
People are so stupid sometimes. They're probably out of shape, don't walk enough, eat a ton of salt from other foods and then blame it on water.... while chugging sodas and all kinds of sugary desserts.
@@thekellys29 misinformed if they think the water is causing their peripheral edema. The salt is removed from the water. Reverse osmosis it what we used in dialysis to remove salt and other impurities
Thank you for this video - the Bonus is spot on: Relative was a cruise company executive and will never eat anything on a cruise that the staff doesn't serve personally, like the omelette bar, specialty restaurants, etc. Will never eat at the buffet or salad bar after getting norovirus a couple times. Passengers go into these dirty ports, then come back and touch the tongs with unclean hands. I have been on several cruises and have never had a problem myself. One kiosk even hand made Caesar salads to order, which was really nice!
A tip for better coffee at the buffet is buy a china mug at the gift shop and bring it to the buffet. I have never liked hot drinks out of plastic or melamine cups. Their porous nature holds on to weird flavour like dish soap etc. and transfer to your coffee. Buy a mug as a souvenir and enjoy it and your coffee all cruise long. It really made a difference.
@@margaretgregory6542 NCL ships have "China" mugs for coffee at the buffet, only the cold drinks cups are plastic. In the Solo Lounge, everything is either "China" or glass ... no plastic, no melamine.
You can't get swollen joints from desalinization. LOL lots of islands and some countries get water that way. Basically it is pure water with no sodium or impurities.
I just went on a cruise and used the ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, and ice cream machine. I came back stomach virus free!!! I did wash my hands frequently though!
We should normalize frequent handwashing anyhow, whether or not you eat at a cruise buffet. I would be so embarrassed to have condiments in plain sight but be the princess asking for the special condiments in the back. 😂
The Princess dining room makes a huge deal out of serving steak but it’s not a good cut and definitely not cooked well. The rolls in the dining room are cold and always the same for every meal on Princess. Viking River cruises has communal dining with large round tables. One man made disparaging remarks about our being from a state he disliked. I prefer eating with only my husband but that isn’t easy to do on Viking River if it’s too cold for outdoor seating.
I would never bother/ trouble overworked staff to fetch me new condiments due to my germaphobia. Simply use a napkin or use sanitizer after using them. Both are much faster and don’t inconvenience staff.
@@delbert9357 Because we take measures that people who aren't germ-conscious will. I began cruising in 1992 and became germ-conscious in the 1970s. 😊☺️
Love cruising and nothing deters me from eating breakfast consisting of bacon eggs toast. My heart flutters each time I enter the dining room on deck 14❤❤❤to see what is laid out in front of ne to taste and relish. Always thanked the staff and chefs for doing a wonderful job, I am easy to please😂😂😂espe cially when someone is there to cater yo my needs. Respectful to my chin steward and tip well when leaving. Treat the stewards well and they will respond to you. Happy sailing😅😅😅
As a nurse what I see is people’s intake of salt on cruises is tremendous. Stay home and for 10 days go out for every meal, your feet legs hands will swell. Trick is drink drink drink and I am speaking of water. Not juices, beer, alcohol. All these things contribute to this problem. I carry my own hand sanitizer with me and use continuously..
Eating out always means salt overload. All commercial eateries do it. Obviously can't do it at the buffet, but a good trick in a la carte is to tell them you require a low salt diet due to hypertension. You can always add salt to food, but you can't remove it. As to touching condiment bottles, etc., carry hand sanitizer everywhere you go on a cruise ship and use it often.
My husband and I always eats at the buffet at all the Royal Caribbean ships and never had any problem. Everything you mentioned, no issues at all. It must be other cruise lines.
Love the channel but you missed on this video. Water on these ships is checked and rechecked and much safe than most peoples municipality water through 80 year old pipes. Also, your thoughts on sushi in the buffet are wrong too. Perishables like sushi that need to be get cold are timed and replaced. Cruise ships can not afford people getting foodborne illnesses. Agree that there is a better choice than powdered eggs. Lastly, the swollen ankles comes from retaining water and not the desalinization plant onboard. People generally consume extra salt, alcohol and carbs while on vacation so sticking to the salad bar during a few extra meals will help. Happy cruising!
@@juliepoppe6294 I would be very wary about anything served out of water/coffee/soda pop/ice cream machines etc. These machines are breeding grounds for bacteria & mold buildup when they and the filters that are used are not regularly maintained. As for FOOD SAFETY. The temps of buffet foods are usually (by law) required to be taken and recorded at regular intervals. This is one of the most important things that should be closely monitored to prevent any potential food borne illnesses.
@@isabellind1292 well We just did 5 days on NCL Jade and everything was fine. I agree a lot of gas station/ restaurants I don’t trust their sanitary practices though.
I eat A LOT of breakfast buffet eggs and bacon and other than the bacon often not being cooked crispy, I never have a problem. And the coffee is weak but not terrible. And my backup go to is burgers and again, never had a problem. Maybe my taste buds are not as refined but most of the buffet food is good to very good. And I am not alone since the buffet is usually packed.
'Not crispy' is the way I _prefer_ my bacon. It's usually difficult to get it that way at most buffets - unless one goes digging in the pile o' pig, which holds up the line and causes people to grumble. So I normally glance quickly, sigh and move on to the ham, if there is any.
I only drink the ship's water, as I refuse to use plastic bottles. My father cruised often, and 9 years ago, went into congestive heart failure on his Caribbean cruise. He was airlifted to Miami, to the Cleveland Clinic. There, he was informed that they had this happen on a weekly basis. Because cruise ships often cater to older clientele, they upped the sodium content to counteract their dulling taste buds. Sodium goes up, heart failure kicks in. He was treated accordingly and was back in Canada in days.
Yes... our cruise recently, had 3 Med Evac Emergencies...and one death...apparently, this is routine on the ships/itineraries that appeal to the older generation.
The buffet is an easy place to eat on the ship and just need to make good choices. The main dining room, while a good social event, is slow and has limited options. Frequently the buffet has some of the entrees available!
Hey I just wanted to take a moment and say that although I have never been on a cruise in my life I find your videos very entertaining educational and I just generally enjoy watching them thank you for all of your amazing videos so far.
Wife and I drink the cruise ship water and are fine with it. We do tend to also get a bottled water package so we will have water for our excursions, such as beach excursions.
On our last cruise we enjoyed the water more than we do bottles at home and didn’t have any issues with swelling. The taste was crisp and fresh. We stayed very well hydrated :)
As one person commented, that makes sense the eggs are in liquid form in plastic bags. That’s the same way some bakery’s buy them. I’ve eaten powdered eggs and in my opinion, the ones on the buffet don’t taste anything like them.
I doubt that the eggs are powdered, in large restaurants and cafeterias the eggs come in large bags. The bagged eggs are from producers that use eggs that are cracked or not the right color or will not look right in a carton. I've had powdered eggs in my youth there is a difference in taste and texture
Having the staff serve at the "buffet" is certainly a treat. I remember when they would switch over to that when there was a case or two of noro on board. I'm glad that they do it this way all the time now.
Swelling in legs isn’t from water. It’s from the tons of salt that seasons every dish. You normally don’t eat multiple meals plus snacks out of your home. The other issue is sunburn. Sunburn, even mild, damages the cell walls and allows fluid to leak outside of the cells and cause swelling. Desalinated water does none of this. I am a retired critical care nurse who teaches fluid, electrolytes, renal diseases, shock, and trauma care to both experienced nurses and doctors starting in critical care. No one likes to admit they are eating like gluttons. Also, alcohol dehydrates and can mess with fluid balance as well.
A tip for better coffee that my husband & I use to save money is we bring the Starbucks instant coffee which comes in Individual packets in addition to flavored coffee creamer which are individually packed. This allows easy carry and we still get to have great tasting coffee that doesn’t cost a lot each day.
I just wanted to share that as far as ordering a drink, especially at dinner, I will usually get club soda with a slice of lemon. Or get a bottle of sparkling water. They will save it for you (like they do for bottled wine. 🍷.
I have gotten sick on 2 different cruises, and both on Princess. The 1st was embarkation day. I got a tuna sandwich from Piazza. In the middle of the night, I was extremely sick. I knew it was from the sandwich because I continually belched it throughout the evening. I can assume that because it has mayo on it that the sandwiches were allowed to be out of the refrigerator for too long. The 2nd time was eating about 5 or 6 slices of red and yellow bell pepper. A few hours later, while in the showroom, I didn't feel well. We left the show, and just as we entered our stateroom, I was in the bathroom. Get something other than raw veggies and salads that are cooked. Thank you for your variety of videos on cruising.😊
Peak or just prior to peak meal periods, although being a big headache as everyone is trying to eat at the same time guarantees the freshest food. Going after the peak, this can be mixed dending upon how long after the peak you go. Scrambled eggs on ANY buffet (land or sea). And not all bulk scrambled eggs set ups are powdered but do actually crack cases (128 eggs per) of eggs ahead early that morning (kitchen workers start at 5-6am) and stored till ready to cook and are cooked in large quantity on a flat griddle surface. The issue is that since it is done in large amounts, it 'sits' (on a heated fixture to keep it hot) and that's where the off taste you find happens sometimes. If its 'watery,' it was just made by staff in the back and knowing its going to sit for a bit, it's scrambled soft. If it's clumpy or dry, is that it has sat for a bit (again over a heated fixture). The hamburger comment, yes, because of the volume of people coming thru, they are often 'pre-cooked' and kept aside so that no one has to wait to long for a burger, especially at peak meal (crowds of people trying to eat at the same time) periods. (Would definitely avoid if they have that side setup and it isn't a peak or just after a peak meal period). Me - 45 years in foodservice cook including at a large university dining hall. (Slightly different shape but same animal)
I agree that you don't need to avoid the buffett all together however I would avoid it for breakfast. It can just bee too much of a madhouse so I just prefer to go to the MDR for breakfast because you can get the same food but not have to fight for a table & through crowds to get your food. I also have one other tip, avoid eating greasy food if there are bad seas. I don't get seasick but when I was in the Navy I learned the hard way that greasy food in your stomach and rough seas just aren't a good combination.
Our experience was the opposite. We tried the MDR for breakfast to see what it was like… hated it. While finding a seat was fine, it took 45 minutes to get our food from ordering, and it wasn’t impressive. We had people come in after we had our orders taken, have their orders taken, get their food, eat, and leave, all before we got our food. We were very underwhelmed. Was it because they were too busy? Maybe, but we decided to not bother with the MDR except for dinners. Their dinners were great, and we loved them.
I drink over a gallon of water a day. I have never had an issue with swelling on a cruise. Avoid: Sticking to what you normally eat. Try: Anything new! Take smaller amounts and go back if you like it. I am lucky in that I don't have a problem with spicy, and really enjoy trying out the Indian fare on board. If you see something unique, give it a shot. I rarely go to the formal dining rooms, it's the "pub" or the buffet most of the time. I like variety. I will actually lose weight on a cruise.
I eat at the buffet all the time even the scrambled eggs and have never had a problem. Even some of the other items you mentioned never had a problem, but that is me.
Good video. I would guess the ankle swelling is from the high salt content of the food rather than salt in the water. We also try to avoid the buffet (food trough) as much as possible. Sometimes it is not practical because the MDR's hours or our schedule on port days.
The eggs at most omelette stations are not fresh cracked or made from powder, the eggs are in packaged liquid form. Watch when they set up the station or get low on eggs. The same is true of egg whites.
Just came off NCL Getaway a couple weeks ago. I love the buffet and most of my meals were from the Garden Cafe. Ate my breakfast there on ALL of my 10 days on the ship. I saw them cracking eggs into individual bowls at the omelet stations.
I came here to say this. I work in Food Services and I can confirm that the eggs are not powdered for but in fact liquid packaged eggs. Do they even make powdered eggs anymore?
I like liquid eggs and egg whites at the omelet stations, but last couple of years I have not liked the scrambled eggs. They must be different from the omelet station, and to me they taste like powdered.
I have friends who go to the omelet station and ask for the chef to cook one or two eggs either sunnyside up or over easy. There's no way to confuse that kind of egg with powdered or liquid egg!
We very seldom eat at the buffet. I’m on vacation and I enjoy being served. Plus my hubby is in a wheelchair and going through those lines and crowds can be problematic. My kids love the buffet, but when you hit your 70’s it’s a different experience. 🙂
Buffet tip: all ships encourage sanitizing when you enter! Washy washy!! I ALWAYS sanitize AGAIN when I’ve gotten my food and ready to sit and eat!! The shared utensils are FULL of germs!! 👌
We just cruised last week on Holland America. Ate the buffet every day and it was really good. hal still serves all their buffet food so that was helpful. drank the complimentary coffee and water every day also. it was good, no issues.
We were not going to the buffet ever but decided to “ look at it” on our HAL cruise in Jan. Wow. Fresh, tasty and mostly served. Ended up eating there almost every lunch when it opened. ( by the way the captain ate there also at noon! 👨✈️) I’m not buying the water issue. There are too many other things that will cause swelling on a cruise. Lol
The water is not salty and causing the fluid retention but the food certainly is. I have noticed how much saltier the food is than the food I make at home. I drink a lot of the water; in the cabin, from the water stands or bubblers and from the bar with ice and now I'm careful with the food, I have no problem.
I doubt that the ship's water is causing the water retention. More likely, it is the cruise ship food that contains a lot of salt. Restaurants on land add alot of salt to their food too, but since you are not typically eating 3 meals a day in restaurants, you would likely not experience the water retention issues. Also, I carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer to any restaurant (on land or sea) and use it after touching menus, condiments, buffet serving utensils, etc.
Princess has had hand sanitizer at the front of buffet lines for over two years and a deck hand to see you use it. It is right before you touch a plate. Once in Alaska and once in the Bahamas, once in Canada, so pretty standard I guess.
My husband & I don’t drink alcohol just lots of water. We live in Fl so we are use to hot weather humidity no matter where we travel. The salt added to the foods will be the killer on the trip but lots of salad & fruits, veggies will do me fine esp since we aren’t big meat esters at all. I think the food won’t be a problem. We don’t gorge on the food just cause it’s there. Discipline & choice💯
I have always had bad luck with biscuits...hard as a rock. Every time I order a breakfast sandwich from room service, the biscuits are rock hard and the sausage is overcooked and tough as leather as well. Cruise lines need a lesson from on biscuits from Colonel Sanders.
I drank the ships water the entire time and I was fine. Powdered or not the scrambled eggs on the Norwegian Bliss were delicious and several of my fellow passengers agreed. I agree about the bacon though you go to grab a couple pieces and you get a mountain
Hot weather with humidity causes swelling...water not so much...sodium and spices msg cause massive swelling...hydration problem drink less alcohol more club soda with a bit of juice...
the water on board is better than your own municipal water you have at home, however, there are not as much minerals or water softeners that you might be used to at home, Swelling in the legs could be to other items your eating that are not usually in your diet and then not moving around as much as you might be at home.
Gday lm going on my first cruise soon so lve been binge watching your videos thank you so much ,l dont want to upset or inconvenience anyone and l really want to know what l can and cannot do ,and what l need to take with me Very much appreciated.
I only drink bottled water on cruises, and my feet still swell. Lemon water (which you recommended!) helps A LOT. Also avoiding "too much alcohol" helps a lot, too, though. 😉😊
@@elisaastorino2881 There is no scientific evidence to suggest that lemon water is more hydrating than regular water. It's a placebo effect. You add the lemon to the water so you're enticed to drink it, and in the end you become more hydrated simply from drinking more water. The lemon itself has zero effect on how much your body absorbs.
Not sure how you get to your cruise port, but you may need compression socks. Any time I would go on vacation my feet would swell up for the first couple of days. I'm young so I didn't think it was a serious medical issue, but I went to the doctor about it anyway. Turns out this is a common side effect from flying. I wear compression socks on airplanes and keep them on until I go to bed. My feet/ankles will be fine the rest of the trip. Completely fixed the issue for me.
Re coffee. Just returned from a short cruise on Majestic Princess. On that ship, the coffee is freshly brewed! (A name brand I can't seem to remember). It was delicious and I drank some several times even though I had a drink packagevthat included the espresso based coffees. In the past, Princess cruises used coffee from concentrate... (less than ideal, in my view).
Going on my 1st cruise end of May & Exercise Physiologist here-water retention only happens when there's a lack of hydration (water) & an over consumption of sodium or high stress environments. Going to try to eat how i do at home but 100% know there will be water retention due to the higher processed foods & additives. Tips are great! Looking forward to using them all!
I stuck to my diet, except for dinner, and morning exercise routine and managed to lose 1.5 pounds on a 7-day cruise. Over eating ruins my day, and I didn't want to ruin my vacation. I like buffets because I can pick the portion size, but the restaurants and MDR are great too, just too much food.
One of the main causes of swollen legs on any vacation is going to a hotter area than you live in, eating more salty foods, drinking more alcohol and sitting for hours with your legs down and not exercising. Desalinated water is ok unless it tastes salty.
Thanks for explaining the eggs - I was wondering about that. As for the coffee (I do like good coffee), I was pleasantly surprised at the buffet coffee on MSC last year. It was dark, rich, and overall delightful. They even had it available long before the buffet opened each morning. I'm an early riser, and it was great to head up to the buffet and watch the sun rise with my coffee every morning. The only people in there besides me at that time were a few crew members and buffet staff.
I enjoyed all of these except Sushi over the last two weeks and will 100% do it again! I don’t get on a ship with 5,000 people and expect everything perfectly clean. Builds your immune system. 😊
Going to an air conditioned dining room for lunch when you’ve been on the pool deck in wet bathing suites and for women, just wearing a wrap, is not really ideal. Plus, asking for an already busy wait staff to take an extra trip in the back room to get you new ketchup and mustard containers is silly. Just use a napkin to pick them up . The staff are busy enough.
If you can read correctly, we were referring to asking wait staff to go to the back room to get clean condiments. That’s what we think is not ideal…@@iammedusa2600
@Jeff-cr6ur 0 seconds ago If you can read correctly, we were referring to asking wait staff to go to the back room to get clean condiments. That’s what we think is not ideal… @iammedusa2600 @@iammedusa2600
If you can read correctly, we were referring to asking wait staff to go to the back room to get clean condiments. That’s what we think is not ideal…@@iammedusa2600
One thing my wife and I do is take wipes to clean the salt and pepper shakers. We use them at any place we eat...you just never know. As far as the spicy food 😂😂😂 to me it's not at all spicy. But for those who don't like spicy food I can understand the problem you might have. You should avoid spicy foods on the ship. (I have to bring extra spicy seasonings with me.)
I carry travel salt and pepper shakers in my purse. The salt is for my friends that are salt aholics. The pepper is mine. My friends don't tend to use pepper. I would be requesting low sodium meals because I am extremely sodium sensitive.
I got a gastro thing a few years ago on a cruise ship and tbh I usually wouldn’t be OTT about things but after seeing this I am inspired to do the same
Obviously the person in this video or most likely most of the commentors have never been in the military services especially the Navy or Marime Corps but food is served line style and rarely does anyone from the crew get sick.
I have always lost a couple of pounds on every cruise. I eat 2 meals a day, plus a small snack or alcoholic drink. Walk the ship daily and ashore at each port call. I don't eat so much that I'm stuffed, but enjoy each meal completely.
Those stairs are underrated lol. I lose weight as well. The elevators are full so haven't really got a choice but yeah the stairs rule and love walking around the decks
The egg part is wrong the reason it taste like that is because they use pasterized 10L bags like most hotels. These bags have a lot of citric acid and salt in them as a preservative and thats what gives them a funny taste. I drown it in hotsauce and dont notice
Why would REMOVING the salt from the water cause peripheral edema? That makes no sense. I was told the ships use reverse osmosis for the drinking water, which, I suppose, could be the”desalination “.
I was on Carnival Vista in Dec. I skipped the breakfast buffet and went to the burrito bar and had freshly made breakfast burritos. they were fabulous.
I agree with the comments about the desalinized water. The most likely cause is the increase in salt consumption from the food on the ship, whether that's for preservation, taste, or different food choices because you are on vacation.
I’ve gotten many drinks of the day and they were definitely not watered down. One time my son had to help get my mom and me back to our room after one drink. He remembers that very fondly.
@@ruthhoward5380 We were on NCL. It was my first cruise. It was amazing how hard the crew worked to make sure everyone was having a wonderful time. In the main dining room, we had the same waiter for breakfast and the same night waiter. They were amazing. We never had to send anything back. They always prepared as requested. I actually asked for my bacon between crisp and "bendy" and they knew what I wanted.
We avoid the buffet. I use a cane and it is very difficult to manoeuvre around trying to hold a plate and dodge all the inconsiderate folks in a rush to grab food like there wasn’t going to be enough. And the lack of hygiene is another.
I agree with a few of these. Bacon is always clumped in a heap, burgers usually dried out... but the coffee is the worst offender! At least with RC, the free coffee tastes like water that had bad coffee waved in its general direction from the other side of the planet! Main dining room is better, bit not by much. No real solution, other than pay extra for the coffee shop style cafe.
Powdered Eggs are just plain nasty; However, I have found that if you add salsa to them, it works. The tang in the salsa, fixes the powdered egg taste.
Really informative stuff! I never eat the scrambled eggs/bacon for the same reasons. My feet were swollen throughout my cruise and I couldn't understand why, and put it down to dehydration so keep drinking more water and herbal teas...alas!!!
Absolutely I’ve had swollen legs on cruise ships. I’ve always attributed it the salt in the foods. I don’t often drink the ship water but I use the ice.
it helps if folks wash their hands before touching the serving utencils. I was recently on a Carnival ship and they had nifty hand washing stations located just as you entered most places were food was served but not everyone bothered to use them.
The desalinated water is very good to know about. I have heart failure and if I take in too much salt Ill end up in medical! I stick with bottled water!
My wife and I was on Carnval Celebration in early July. The eggs in the buffet was alot more different than every other cruise we have been on (been on RC and NC). The texture of the eggs were different. However going to other places for breakfast, The burrito/taco place for breakfast had a dish where you SEE them using real eggs for the dish. You just have to pick where you eat in regards to fresh eggs.
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Yes. İ Said something. Better water=than my city water where I live. ❤❤
Plus she said in a previous video that cruise is filtered and it’s cheaper than buying the bottle water
@@LifeWellCruised I have this!!!! Wonderful!! Very handy!!!
@@joseajimenez8768in other words, avoid ALL buffets, just go to the restaurants. PS leave the kids at home
@@monpayscanadanah take your kids and make memories
My wife and I never had a bad food experience on our cruises. We felt like royalty in everything we did including the different meal options. We tried everything! No regrets.
Holland America, best food we've had on a Cruise line. For a buffet level it was superb, as was the choice. I lived at the Asian station, to the point the staff knew me as a regular "noodles again, sir?" while in the line. I don't get that level of Asian choice where we now live therefore is a treat to experience that.
I drink the cruise ship water on every cruise. I have never had issues with the water.
I think is more like jet leg or sea sickness. Some people experience things differently.
I think the water is fine, the swelling comes from all the added salt to the food to make it taste better.
Good point
Or the heat, I have HBP and I don’t eat salt, drink sodas or alcohol, but when I’m in hot climate. I swell up like a ballon, It happened on cruises, Florida and even in my own country P.R.
I was going to say the same thing. It has nothing to do with the water.
My legs swell up on every cruise. I drink bottled water.
And the alcohol they r drinking!!
I always eat the scrambled eggs and bacon. I love them. Now that people will avoid them, that means there's more for me!
I love the bacon! But there were shells in the scrambled eggs the one time I tried them, and that turned me off on them forever.
Never have had an issue with either
The eggs were questionable. I usually got an omelette.
Us too!
I thought I was the only one who loves cruise ship scrambled eggs
In 22 years working on cruises (On 2 different lines) I have never seen powdered eggs used (Not saying they aren't by some lines, but just what I've seen). The eggs used for scrambled are pasteurised and are delivered in 10L bags. They are safer than fresh eggs. Before anyone asks I worked in the F&B department for some time and audited stores, so I know what we had onboard.
thank you
I eat the scrambled eggs and bacon from the buffet most mornings, as I’m not up in time to go to the dining room. Never had a problem. They taste ok to me.
@@fiestygurlizmeMe too.
Thank you, I didn’t think that they were powdered either. I’ve done a galley tour before, and saw the amount of eggs that they go through. I’m not a fan of other people cooking scrambled eggs for me. When I eat eggs, it is usually over medium.
I doubt that the eggs are powdered, in large restaurants and cafeterias the eggs come in large bags. The bagged eggs are from producers that use eggs that are cracked or not the right color or will not look right in a carton. I've had powdered eggs in my youth there is a difference in taste and texture.
I’m a coffee lover and the free coffee on the carnival cruises are quite good. Not watered down at all!!
I have never had a problem with any of the coffee on Princess cruise ships. Actually I think the coffee on there is great!
Dittos on the coffee on Carnival. We usually order a pot for breakfast for room service or get it from the machine on the Lido buffet, both are really good. 😊
Ditto for Royal!
Have been on 15 cruises, coffee great!!!
Ships purify sea water through the reverse osmosis process. The water on a cruise ship is more pure than the water that comes out of your tap at home. Those complaining about it are simply wrong and/or misinformed. Buying bottled water is one of the dumbest things you can do on a cruise.
@@thekellys29 - go on princess
People are so stupid sometimes. They're probably out of shape, don't walk enough, eat a ton of salt from other foods and then blame it on water.... while chugging sodas and all kinds of sugary desserts.
@@thekellys29 misinformed if they think the water is causing their peripheral edema. The salt is removed from the water. Reverse osmosis it what we used in dialysis to remove salt and other impurities
I agree they are misinformed.... And it's so soft!!! My hair loved it. Lol. We have a well, water is a bit harder than onthe ship.
@Nothingishereyo Exactly! It couldn't possibly be the fact that there stuffing down 20k calories a day could it? Lol
Thank you for this video - the Bonus is spot on: Relative was a cruise company executive and will never eat anything on a cruise that the staff doesn't serve personally, like the omelette bar, specialty restaurants, etc. Will never eat at the buffet or salad bar after getting norovirus a couple times. Passengers go into these dirty ports, then come back and touch the tongs with unclean hands. I have been on several cruises and have never had a problem myself. One kiosk even hand made Caesar salads to order, which was really nice!
A tip for better coffee at the buffet is buy a china mug at the gift shop and bring it to the buffet. I have never liked hot drinks out of plastic or melamine cups. Their porous nature holds on to weird flavour like dish soap etc. and transfer to your coffee. Buy a mug as a souvenir and enjoy it and your coffee all cruise long. It really made a difference.
Great idea!!
We bring our own stainless steel lined travel mugs because the coffee cups on board are waaaaay too small....
All 3 cruise lines I traveled on hat China cups at the buffet, you are telling me there are some who have plastic/paper ones?
@@sonkeschluter3654 not paper but definitely plastic in the buffet, china in the main dining room on Princess.
@@margaretgregory6542
NCL ships have "China" mugs for coffee at the buffet, only the cold drinks cups are plastic.
In the Solo Lounge, everything is either "China" or glass ... no plastic, no melamine.
You can't get swollen joints from desalinization. LOL lots of islands and some countries get water that way. Basically it is pure water with no sodium or impurities.
I like the buffet the staff work hard to keep it clean and I have never had a problem.
My only problem was too much food. If you have never had a prepared breakfast on a Royal Caribbean ship you need to.
I just went on a cruise and used the ketchup, mustard, salt, pepper, and ice cream machine. I came back stomach virus free!!! I did wash my hands frequently though!
We should normalize frequent handwashing anyhow, whether or not you eat at a cruise buffet. I would be so embarrassed to have condiments in plain sight but be the princess asking for the special condiments in the back. 😂
Lox and scrambled eggs. My cruise breakfast yummy 😋
I was just on the Coral Princess for 3 weeks. The food in the buffet was far better than the food in the dining rooms.
Same on RC. I found the dining room food bland and had zero taste.
The Princess dining room makes a huge deal out of serving steak but it’s not a good cut and definitely not cooked well. The rolls in the dining room are cold and always the same for every meal on Princess. Viking River cruises has communal dining with large round tables. One man made disparaging remarks about our being from a state he disliked. I prefer eating with only my husband but that isn’t easy to do on Viking River if it’s too cold for outdoor seating.
I would never bother/ trouble overworked staff to fetch me new condiments due to my germaphobia. Simply use a napkin or use sanitizer after using them. Both are much faster and don’t inconvenience staff.
I agree. They are busy enough already. And just because they bring u a new bottle, who says it’s any cleaner?!?!!
Bring a small bottle of hand sanitizer 💥
She suggested that
Why on Earth would you go on a Cruise Ship if you are a germaphobe?
@@delbert9357
Because we take measures that people who aren't germ-conscious will. I began cruising in 1992 and became germ-conscious in the 1970s. 😊☺️
Love cruising and nothing deters me from eating breakfast consisting of bacon eggs toast. My heart flutters each time I enter the dining room on deck 14❤❤❤to see what is laid out in front of ne to taste and relish. Always thanked the staff and chefs for doing a wonderful job, I am easy to please😂😂😂espe cially when someone is there to cater yo my needs. Respectful to my chin steward and tip well when leaving. Treat the stewards well and they will respond to you. Happy sailing😅😅😅
As a nurse what I see is people’s intake of salt on cruises is tremendous. Stay home and for 10 days go out for every meal, your feet legs hands will swell. Trick is drink drink drink and I am speaking of water. Not juices, beer, alcohol. All these things contribute to this problem. I carry my own hand sanitizer with me and use continuously..
Great point
As a retired nurse, I agree…. So much sodium
Eating out always means salt overload. All commercial eateries do it. Obviously can't do it at the buffet, but a good trick in a la carte is to tell them you require a low salt diet due to hypertension. You can always add salt to food, but you can't remove it. As to touching condiment bottles, etc., carry hand sanitizer everywhere you go on a cruise ship and use it often.
Yes, it's definitely the sodium
@@arikirsch8168o
My husband and I always eats at the buffet at all the Royal Caribbean ships and never had any problem. Everything you mentioned, no issues at all. It must be other cruise lines.
We've sailed with different cruise lines and have never had any problem.
Or your solid digestion system.
@@izzyrov5814 These buffets should not be self serve. The food items should only be handled and served by the staff until it reaches your hands.
No - it is - how much you eat. Vodka is dangerous and kills the liver. How much do you drink? Don't blame it on the Vodka - but the one who drinks.
Certainly not Viking!
If you are ever on the NCL Encore, Definitely Do Try the India food station at the Buffet! It's awesome!
Love the channel but you missed on this video. Water on these ships is checked and rechecked and much safe than most peoples municipality water through 80 year old pipes. Also, your thoughts on sushi in the buffet are wrong too. Perishables like sushi that need to be get cold are timed and replaced. Cruise ships can not afford people getting foodborne illnesses. Agree that there is a better choice than powdered eggs. Lastly, the swollen ankles comes from retaining water and not the desalinization plant onboard. People generally consume extra salt, alcohol and carbs while on vacation so sticking to the salad bar during a few extra meals will help. Happy cruising!
You are absolutely correct ✅
Agreed. Purified water is so much better!
I normally swell pretty badly, if I'm up more, but on my cruise, absolutely no swelling. I was amazed.
@@juliepoppe6294 I would be very wary about anything served out of water/coffee/soda pop/ice cream machines etc. These machines are breeding grounds for bacteria & mold buildup when they and the filters that are used are not regularly maintained.
As for FOOD SAFETY. The temps of buffet foods are usually (by law) required to be taken and recorded at regular intervals. This is one of the most important things that should be closely monitored to prevent any potential food borne illnesses.
@@isabellind1292 well We just did 5 days on NCL Jade and everything was fine. I agree a lot of gas station/ restaurants I don’t trust their sanitary practices though.
I eat A LOT of breakfast buffet eggs and bacon and other than the bacon often not being cooked crispy, I never have a problem. And the coffee is weak but not terrible. And my backup go to is burgers and again, never had a problem. Maybe my taste buds are not as refined but most of the buffet food is good to very good. And I am not alone since the buffet is usually packed.
As stated by others, I think the problem is the amount of salt cruisers add. TRy your food first, then add salt if you must.
Edison; good call, you get the job.
'Not crispy' is the way I _prefer_ my bacon.
It's usually difficult to get it that way at most buffets - unless one goes digging in the pile o' pig, which holds up the line and causes people to grumble.
So I normally glance quickly, sigh and move on to the ham, if there is any.
It does not matter if you drink bottled water or ship water, some people swell from being at sea. Just like when you fly.
My ankles swell every single time I fly. Wish I knew why, but it's true.
I only drink the ship's water, as I refuse to use plastic bottles. My father cruised often, and 9 years ago, went into congestive heart failure on his Caribbean cruise. He was airlifted to Miami, to the Cleveland Clinic. There, he was informed that they had this happen on a weekly basis. Because cruise ships often cater to older clientele, they upped the sodium content to counteract their dulling taste buds. Sodium goes up, heart failure kicks in. He was treated accordingly and was back in Canada in days.
Yes... our cruise recently, had 3 Med Evac Emergencies...and one death...apparently, this is routine on the ships/itineraries that appeal to the older generation.
My mother always thought plastic bottles were the cause of cancer.
@@georganastabler7465 GOOD MOM!!! Listen to your Mother, young lady.
Added sodium to the system doesn’t react that fast.
@@zekeonstormpeak4186 It absolutely does when you are old.
The buffet is an easy place to eat on the ship and just need to make good choices. The main dining room, while a good social event, is slow and has limited options. Frequently the buffet has some of the entrees available!
Hey I just wanted to take a moment and say that although I have never been on a cruise in my life I find your videos very entertaining educational and I just generally enjoy watching them thank you for all of your amazing videos so far.
I don’t enjoy listening to her voice. Her teeth are too big for her mouth. Go on a cruise with princess and eat everything you want, you paid for it.
Wife and I drink the cruise ship water and are fine with it. We do tend to also get a bottled water package so we will have water for our excursions, such as beach excursions.
Absolutely love the scrambled eggs at the buffet, beside 4 triangle hashbrowns and a pile of bacon, winning!!!!
Mmmmmm 🥓!!!
Me too- guilty pleasure
i agree boy that was great
Oasis of the sea
Hashbrowns are to die for
On our last cruise we enjoyed the water more than we do bottles at home and didn’t have any issues with swelling. The taste was crisp and fresh. We stayed very well hydrated :)
Thanks for sharing!
As one person commented, that makes sense the eggs are in liquid form in plastic bags. That’s the same way some bakery’s buy them. I’ve eaten powdered eggs and in my opinion, the ones on the buffet don’t taste anything like them.
I doubt that the eggs are powdered, in large restaurants and cafeterias the eggs come in large bags. The bagged eggs are from producers that use eggs that are cracked or not the right color or will not look right in a carton. I've had powdered eggs in my youth there is a difference in taste and texture
Agree on the scrambled eggs on Royal. Always get eggs cooked to order. Thanks Ilana! 🙂
I prefer HAL’s Lido market as the vast majority of the food is served by the crew and the food is freshly made. They have amazing stations.
Having the staff serve at the "buffet" is certainly a treat. I remember when they would switch over to that when there was a case or two of noro on board. I'm glad that they do it this way all the time now.
Swelling in legs isn’t from water. It’s from the tons of salt that seasons every dish. You normally don’t eat multiple meals plus snacks out of your home. The other issue is sunburn. Sunburn, even mild, damages the cell walls and allows fluid to leak outside of the cells and cause swelling. Desalinated water does none of this. I am a retired critical care nurse who teaches fluid, electrolytes, renal diseases, shock, and trauma care to both experienced nurses and doctors starting in critical care. No one likes to admit they are eating like gluttons. Also, alcohol dehydrates and can mess with fluid balance as well.
The flight food is also salty to counter act the altitude reducing taste.
Thanks for commenting. This is great information.
@@Reed-2big Taste reduces altitude? That can't be good....
@@GorillaCrewWarGaming altitude reduces taste not the reverse
@@Reed-2big 😂
A tip for better coffee that my husband & I use to save money is we bring the Starbucks instant coffee which comes in Individual packets in addition to flavored coffee creamer which are individually packed. This allows easy carry and we still get to have great tasting coffee that doesn’t cost a lot each day.
Yes. I’m a borderline coffee snob and while I’m not a fan of Starbucks I do find that instant to be much better than most hotel room or cruise coffee.
Very smart tip! I didn’t know this existed (might share this tip in future 😊)
@@LifeWellCruised I think she meant, she brings her own coffee.
Starbucks and great tasting coffee should never be used in the same sentence. 😂😂
We do that too!
I just wanted to share that as far as ordering a drink, especially at dinner, I will usually get club soda with a slice of lemon. Or get a bottle of sparkling water. They will save it for you (like they do for bottled wine. 🍷.
No. 11 was by far the best tip. I don’t like eating at a buffet at all. I’d rather eat in the MDR or a specialty restaurant.
I have gotten sick on 2 different cruises, and both on Princess. The 1st was embarkation day. I got a tuna sandwich from Piazza. In the middle of the night, I was extremely sick. I knew it was from the sandwich because I continually belched it throughout the evening. I can assume that because it has mayo on it that the sandwiches were allowed to be out of the refrigerator for too long.
The 2nd time was eating about 5 or 6 slices of red and yellow bell pepper. A few hours later, while in the showroom, I didn't feel well. We left the show, and just as we entered our stateroom, I was in the bathroom. Get something other than raw veggies and salads that are cooked.
Thank you for your variety of videos on cruising.😊
Peak or just prior to peak meal periods, although being a big headache as everyone is trying to eat at the same time guarantees the freshest food. Going after the peak, this can be mixed dending upon how long after the peak you go.
Scrambled eggs on ANY buffet (land or sea). And not all bulk scrambled eggs set ups are powdered but do actually crack cases (128 eggs per) of eggs ahead early that morning (kitchen workers start at 5-6am) and stored till ready to cook and are cooked in large quantity on a flat griddle surface. The issue is that since it is done in large amounts, it 'sits' (on a heated fixture to keep it hot) and that's where the off taste you find happens sometimes. If its 'watery,' it was just made by staff in the back and knowing its going to sit for a bit, it's scrambled soft. If it's clumpy or dry, is that it has sat for a bit (again over a heated fixture).
The hamburger comment, yes, because of the volume of people coming thru, they are often 'pre-cooked' and kept aside so that no one has to wait to long for a burger, especially at peak meal (crowds of people trying to eat at the same time) periods. (Would definitely avoid if they have that side setup and it isn't a peak or just after a peak meal period).
Me - 45 years in foodservice cook including at a large university dining hall. (Slightly different shape but same animal)
Cruise ship water is fine. Leg swelling is more likely due to inactivity and dangling legs. Walking and support hose are the best options!
Naw it's due to overly salted food. I bet many people walk more on cruise ships than normal.
I agree that you don't need to avoid the buffett all together however I would avoid it for breakfast. It can just bee too much of a madhouse so I just prefer to go to the MDR for breakfast because you can get the same food but not have to fight for a table & through crowds to get your food.
I also have one other tip, avoid eating greasy food if there are bad seas. I don't get seasick but when I was in the Navy I learned the hard way that greasy food in your stomach and rough seas just aren't a good combination.
That's a D-Day lesson as well.
Our experience was the opposite. We tried the MDR for breakfast to see what it was like… hated it. While finding a seat was fine, it took 45 minutes to get our food from ordering, and it wasn’t impressive. We had people come in after we had our orders taken, have their orders taken, get their food, eat, and leave, all before we got our food. We were very underwhelmed.
Was it because they were too busy? Maybe, but we decided to not bother with the MDR except for dinners. Their dinners were great, and we loved them.
Went on 3 cruises
Food was great no problems
I drink over a gallon of water a day. I have never had an issue with swelling on a cruise.
Avoid: Sticking to what you normally eat.
Try: Anything new! Take smaller amounts and go back if you like it. I am lucky in that I don't have a problem with spicy, and really enjoy trying out the Indian fare on board. If you see something unique, give it a shot.
I rarely go to the formal dining rooms, it's the "pub" or the buffet most of the time. I like variety.
I will actually lose weight on a cruise.
Love your videos! 8:22 I drink the water and coffee, eat the eggs and bacon. So far so good!
I eat at the buffet all the time even the scrambled eggs and have never had a problem. Even some of the other items you mentioned never had a problem, but that is me.
Good video. I would guess the ankle swelling is from the high salt content of the food rather than salt in the water.
We also try to avoid the buffet (food trough) as much as possible. Sometimes it is not practical because the MDR's hours or our schedule on port days.
I've been on many ! 🚢.! Only one I agree with is: sushi, or non raw fish sushi is ok. 😊& Give me buffet anytime. ! Yes!
The eggs at most omelette stations are not fresh cracked or made from powder, the eggs are in packaged liquid form. Watch when they set up the station or get low on eggs. The same is true of egg whites.
Just came off NCL Getaway a couple weeks ago. I love the buffet and most of my meals were from the Garden Cafe. Ate my breakfast there on ALL of my 10 days on the ship. I saw them cracking eggs into individual bowls at the omelet stations.
Liquid eggs is the most common, frozen in 2L containers or large bags.
I came here to say this. I work in Food Services and I can confirm that the eggs are not powdered for but in fact liquid packaged eggs. Do they even make powdered eggs anymore?
I like liquid eggs and egg whites at the omelet stations, but last couple of years I have not liked the scrambled eggs. They must be different from the omelet station, and to me they taste like powdered.
I have friends who go to the omelet station and ask for the chef to cook one or two eggs either sunnyside up or over easy. There's no way to confuse that kind of egg with powdered or liquid egg!
We very seldom eat at the buffet. I’m on vacation and I enjoy being served. Plus my hubby is in a wheelchair and going through those lines and crowds can be problematic. My kids love the buffet, but when you hit your 70’s it’s a different experience. 🙂
I order a case of water added to my room when I bought my tickets for the cruise.
Buffet tip: all ships encourage sanitizing when you enter! Washy washy!! I ALWAYS sanitize AGAIN when I’ve gotten my food and ready to sit and eat!! The shared utensils are FULL of germs!! 👌
That bacon looks fabulous to me!! I love it crunchy!
It was crunchy just how I love it!
That is how my wife likes her bacon. Well well done
This is the way Americans eat bacon, think it’s only the English that eat back bacon
Me. Too!
Thank u, Susan, agree!!🎉❤😊
Interesting, I enjoyed included coffee from the buffet and scramble eggs as well😊
We just cruised last week on Holland America. Ate the buffet every day and it was really good. hal still serves all their buffet food so that was helpful. drank the complimentary coffee and water every day also. it was good, no issues.
I like that HAL serves the food at the buffet
We were not going to the buffet ever but decided to “ look at it” on our HAL cruise in Jan. Wow. Fresh, tasty and mostly served. Ended up eating there almost every lunch when it opened. ( by the way the captain ate there also at noon! 👨✈️)
I’m not buying the water issue. There are too many other things that will cause swelling on a cruise. Lol
My husband has an omelet EVERY MORNING on the cruise. They crack the eggs right there to make every omelet. On HAL!
@@ruthhoward5380 good to know. is that in the main dining room or a special omelet station?
The water is not salty and causing the fluid retention but the food certainly is. I have noticed how much saltier the food is than the food I make at home. I drink a lot of the water; in the cabin, from the water stands or bubblers and from the bar with ice and now I'm careful with the food, I have no problem.
I doubt that the ship's water is causing the water retention. More likely, it is the cruise ship food that contains a lot of salt. Restaurants on land add alot of salt to their food too, but since you are not typically eating 3 meals a day in restaurants, you would likely not experience the water retention issues. Also, I carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer to any restaurant (on land or sea) and use it after touching menus, condiments, buffet serving utensils, etc.
Princess has had hand sanitizer at the front of buffet lines for over two years and a deck hand to see you use it. It is right before you touch a plate. Once in Alaska and once in the Bahamas, once in Canada, so pretty standard I guess.
I always attribute my swelling to the flight. I carry Furosemide tablets most of the time just in case.
My husband & I don’t drink alcohol just lots of water. We live in Fl so we are use to hot weather humidity no matter where we travel. The salt added to the foods will be the killer on the trip but lots of salad & fruits, veggies will do me fine esp since we aren’t big meat esters at all. I think the food won’t be a problem. We don’t gorge on the food just cause it’s there. Discipline & choice💯
I have always had bad luck with biscuits...hard as a rock. Every time I order a breakfast sandwich from room service, the biscuits are rock hard and the sausage is overcooked and tough as leather as well. Cruise lines need a lesson from on biscuits from Colonel Sanders.
I drank the ships water the entire time and I was fine. Powdered or not the scrambled eggs on the Norwegian Bliss were delicious and several of my fellow passengers agreed. I agree about the bacon though you go to grab a couple pieces and you get a mountain
i love the scrambled eggs, they are my favorite. oh well. everyone to their own.
Hot weather with humidity causes swelling...water not so much...sodium and spices msg cause massive swelling...hydration problem drink less alcohol more club soda with a bit of juice...
You make many not wanting to cruise, but the booking are at 110%.. wild stuff
the water on board is better than your own municipal water you have at home, however, there are not as much minerals or water softeners that you might be used to at home, Swelling in the legs could be to other items your eating that are not usually in your diet and then not moving around as much as you might be at home.
Gday lm going on my first cruise soon so lve been binge watching your videos thank you so much ,l dont want to upset or inconvenience anyone and l really want to know what l can and cannot do ,and what l need to take with me Very much appreciated.
I Always drink the water. Coffee is fine. No problems with the Buffett
I only drink bottled water on cruises, and my feet still swell. Lemon water (which you recommended!) helps A LOT. Also avoiding "too much alcohol" helps a lot, too, though. 😉😊
Lemon water also keeps you hydrated better than plain.
@@elisaastorino2881 There is no scientific evidence to suggest that lemon water is more hydrating than regular water. It's a placebo effect. You add the lemon to the water so you're enticed to drink it, and in the end you become more hydrated simply from drinking more water. The lemon itself has zero effect on how much your body absorbs.
Not sure how you get to your cruise port, but you may need compression socks. Any time I would go on vacation my feet would swell up for the first couple of days. I'm young so I didn't think it was a serious medical issue, but I went to the doctor about it anyway. Turns out this is a common side effect from flying. I wear compression socks on airplanes and keep them on until I go to bed. My feet/ankles will be fine the rest of the trip. Completely fixed the issue for me.
Also if your Dr allows water pills help with that swelling but consult your Doctor
salty foods does this too
Re coffee. Just returned from a short cruise on Majestic Princess. On that ship, the coffee is freshly brewed! (A name brand I can't seem to remember). It was delicious and I drank some several times even though I had a drink packagevthat included the espresso based coffees.
In the past, Princess cruises used coffee from concentrate... (less than ideal, in my view).
Going on my 1st cruise end of May & Exercise Physiologist here-water retention only happens when there's a lack of hydration (water) & an over consumption of sodium or high stress environments. Going to try to eat how i do at home but 100% know there will be water retention due to the higher processed foods & additives. Tips are great! Looking forward to using them all!
I stuck to my diet, except for dinner, and morning exercise routine and managed to lose 1.5 pounds on a 7-day cruise. Over eating ruins my day, and I didn't want to ruin my vacation. I like buffets because I can pick the portion size, but the restaurants and MDR are great too, just too much food.
@@annastrand5144 that's great! I weighed myself after & I lost 4 llbs & 1 inch on my waist. All about portion sizes and staying active
One of the main causes of swollen legs on any vacation is going to a hotter area than you live in, eating more salty foods, drinking more alcohol and sitting for hours with your legs down and not exercising. Desalinated water is ok unless it tastes salty.
Thank you for sharing your cruise trip advice.😊
I avoid any pasta salad at the buffet. My daughter got very ill from one made with mayonnaise.
Thanks for explaining the eggs - I was wondering about that. As for the coffee (I do like good coffee), I was pleasantly surprised at the buffet coffee on MSC last year. It was dark, rich, and overall delightful. They even had it available long before the buffet opened each morning. I'm an early riser, and it was great to head up to the buffet and watch the sun rise with my coffee every morning. The only people in there besides me at that time were a few crew members and buffet staff.
I, too, am a fan of MSC's coffee. Best free coffee I've had on a cruise ship.
I enjoyed all of these except Sushi over the last two weeks and will 100% do it again!
I don’t get on a ship with 5,000 people and expect everything perfectly clean. Builds your immune system. 😊
Going to an air conditioned dining room for lunch when you’ve been on the pool deck in wet bathing suites and for women, just wearing a wrap, is not really ideal. Plus, asking for an already busy wait staff to take an extra trip in the back room to get you new ketchup and mustard containers is silly. Just use a napkin to pick them up . The staff are busy enough.
Exactly the same thing I thought! Seems rude to ask staff to do something extra.
If you both had listened, she suggested that.
If you can read correctly, we were referring to asking wait staff to go to the back room to get clean condiments. That’s what we think is not ideal…@@iammedusa2600
@Jeff-cr6ur
0 seconds ago
If you can read correctly, we were referring to asking wait staff to go to the back room to get clean condiments. That’s what we think is not ideal… @iammedusa2600 @@iammedusa2600
If you can read correctly, we were referring to asking wait staff to go to the back room to get clean condiments. That’s what we think is not ideal…@@iammedusa2600
Thanks!
@@georgemalesky9462 thanks so much! I really appreciate your support!
One thing my wife and I do is take wipes to clean the salt and pepper shakers. We use them at any place we eat...you just never know. As far as the spicy food 😂😂😂 to me it's not at all spicy. But for those who don't like spicy food I can understand the problem you might have. You should avoid spicy foods on the ship. (I have to bring extra spicy seasonings with me.)
Good idea for the wipes
Bro, I bring a hot sauce bandolier so I'm never without the spicy.
I carry travel salt and pepper shakers in my purse. The salt is for my friends that are salt aholics. The pepper is mine. My friends don't tend to use pepper. I would be requesting low sodium meals because I am extremely sodium sensitive.
I got a gastro thing a few years ago on a cruise ship and tbh I usually wouldn’t be OTT about things but after seeing this I am inspired to do the same
Obviously the person in this video or most likely most of the commentors have never been in the military services especially the Navy or Marime Corps but food is served line style and rarely does anyone from the crew get sick.
After many years of cruising. I never had bad food anywhere.
Awesome
We haven't either!
Yes neither do we.
Do you mean you are very selective and actually use your brain? Don't expect that from "humans" these days. The cruise line is responsible.
Thank you for the tips but I will not avoid the buffet. That’s the best part of the cruise.
I always lose 8 to 10 pounds each cruise. Take the stairs, walk the deck and don’t crave sweets. I’m not normal. Lol
I do the same only I wish I could lose that much... I do manage to shed a few pounds.
I have always lost a couple of pounds on every cruise. I eat 2 meals a day, plus a small snack or alcoholic drink. Walk the ship daily and ashore at each port call. I don't eat so much that I'm stuffed, but enjoy each meal completely.
You are not normal! Wish I were you
As long as you are healthy and happy That's all that matters.
Those stairs are underrated lol. I lose weight as well. The elevators are full so haven't really got a choice but yeah the stairs rule and love walking around the decks
The egg part is wrong the reason it taste like that is because they use pasterized 10L bags like most hotels. These bags have a lot of citric acid and salt in them as a preservative and thats what gives them a funny taste. I drown it in hotsauce and dont notice
I love all your videos,.. because of you I'll be booking my first cruise in 2024
Have lots of fun on your first cruise, and don’t forget a few zip lock bags, and magnetic hooks….❤
Enjoy !! My tip: emergencies can happen, bring flashlight 🔦 & extra batteries. 🎉❤😊. Maybe binoculars: whales in distance. Eagles overhead 😆
I just debarked from the Discovery Princess and they had Lavazza coffee onboard and it was delicious!
Why would REMOVING the salt from the water cause peripheral edema? That makes no sense. I was told the ships use reverse osmosis for the drinking water, which, I suppose, could be the”desalination “.
My husband is a water chemist. That’s the first thing he said. The water is good on the ship.
After 30plus years on cargo ships and using desalinated water I have had. O problems with oedema and was sailing for months at a time.
@fiestygurlizme Because the people complaining about it don't understand the process.
I was on Carnival Vista in Dec. I skipped the breakfast buffet and went to the burrito bar and had freshly made breakfast burritos. they were fabulous.
I agree with the comments about the desalinized water. The most likely cause is the increase in salt consumption from the food on the ship, whether that's for preservation, taste, or different food choices because you are on vacation.
I’ve gotten many drinks of the day and they were definitely not watered down. One time my son had to help get my mom and me back to our room after one drink. He remembers that very fondly.
Oddly, we never ate at the buffet, but the bacon in the main dining room was delicious.
The bacon on HAL is delicious. U can ask for crispy if that’s what u like. They will try to give u what u want.
@@ruthhoward5380 We were on NCL. It was my first cruise. It was amazing how hard the crew worked to make sure everyone was having a wonderful time. In the main dining room, we had the same waiter for breakfast and the same night waiter. They were amazing. We never had to send anything back. They always prepared as requested. I actually asked for my bacon between crisp and "bendy" and they knew what I wanted.
We avoid the buffet. I use a cane and it is very difficult to manoeuvre around trying to hold a plate and dodge all the inconsiderate folks in a rush to grab food like there wasn’t going to be enough. And the lack of hygiene is another.
@@reillydog11I rarely experience inconsiderate passengers on cruise ships, maybe only in cheap overcrowded ships.
I’m a big coffee drinker (a/k/a snob). Royal Caribbean always serves good coffee. It’s Lavazza and I’ve never noticed that it’s been watered down.
Loved you & Tony’s interview! Our 2 Cruise Besties together!! 🚢🚢
I agree with a few of these. Bacon is always clumped in a heap, burgers usually dried out... but the coffee is the worst offender! At least with RC, the free coffee tastes like water that had bad coffee waved in its general direction from the other side of the planet! Main dining room is better, bit not by much. No real solution, other than pay extra for the coffee shop style cafe.
Powdered Eggs are just plain nasty; However, I have found that if you add salsa to them, it works. The tang in the salsa, fixes the powdered egg taste.
Really informative stuff! I never eat the scrambled eggs/bacon for the same reasons. My feet were swollen throughout my cruise and I couldn't understand why, and put it down to dehydration so keep drinking more water and herbal teas...alas!!!
RC serves the soft serve thank God!!
Absolutely I’ve had swollen legs on cruise ships. I’ve always attributed it the salt in the foods. I don’t often drink the ship water but I use the ice.
the food contains way more salt than some theoretical residue sodium, which is not even supposed to be in there by the way, ever would.
Never had problems with any of the food. Sure beats MRE's
it helps if folks wash their hands before touching the serving utencils. I was recently on a Carnival ship and they had nifty hand washing stations located just as you entered most places were food was served but not everyone bothered to use them.
Wow, now I’m depressed, I have always loved the buffet, scrambled eggs and bacon.
Don't listen to her!
Don’t go on a cruise if you believe anything she said beyond “Wash your hands before you eat!”
Buffet breakfast is excellent on princess... i enjoyed it daily... yes even the scrambled eggs.
The desalinated water is very good to know about. I have heart failure and if I take in too much salt Ill end up in medical! I stick with bottled water!
It is de-salinated. It is not the water that is causing swelling, probably too much salt use by choice
Desalinated means the salt has been removed.
My wife and I was on Carnval Celebration in early July. The eggs in the buffet was alot more different than every other cruise we have been on (been on RC and NC). The texture of the eggs were different. However going to other places for breakfast, The burrito/taco place for breakfast had a dish where you SEE them using real eggs for the dish. You just have to pick where you eat in regards to fresh eggs.
Adding lemon or lime to your water may cut down on sodium and make the water taste a whole lot better.
It does improve the taste but more importantly the hydration.