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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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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. 😂
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. 😊☺️
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
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
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. 😊
people who have issues with swelling, its not from the water, its most likely from the sodium levels in the food your eating. Since most people over eat and indulge on a cruise vs at home, your most likely taking in more sodium on a cruise than you would at home on your normal diet.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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 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 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 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 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.
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!
@@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.
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 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.
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 :)
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
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
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.
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.
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 worked for a cruise for 9 years, in both the specialty restaurants and the main galley as well as some rotation kitchens. Three different ships from 2 different cruise lines. So I gotta ask this, WHERE did you come up with this information??? The eggs is not true, they are not powered!!!! If they are powdered, then please tell me what specific ships and from what cruise lines you are specifically talking about?? They are shipped, stored and made in ten pound bags and come in a liquid state with ingredients that aren't considered unhealthy. So please tell me where specifically you are getting your information, or better yet, please check your sources. The bacon is the same that is used in all kitchens. Period, same package, distributed and sent to different kitchens around the ship. So are your comments an opinion or just voicing your specific taste buds? I am curious? The water on ship is cleaned , processed, filtered and re filtered again and go through a 7 step process to be served at fountains on ship. They get inspected regularly by both the cruise line and outside sources for contaminants more then you clearly realize. So again, where is this information coming from. No specifics, just a blanket opinion that I'm assuming based on what facts and data, Hmmm?? As for the sushi, I agree with your comments, if it is served on a buffet. That makes sense. The condiment station are more common sense then anything else. If they are maintained and cleaned on a regular basis, then there is nothing wrong with the dispensers. If it looks messy and their are condiments stuck to the sides and covered in flies then that is a different story. Common sense, if it looks good then it pretty much is. I could go on for a little bit more but your opinions seem more like opinions, and not based on facts but well, just your opinions and opinions of others> Are they?? If not give us the data and be a lot more specific about what ships you have seen these issues. What cruise lines? Any specific restaurant?!?
So, note to self: Get food at the places where they cook it made to order for a fresh, better experience. Also, bring hand sanitizer for condiments and touching other products lots of other people will be touching. I'm learning so much watching this channel ❤
1.) Scrambled Eggs from the buffet Instead, go to the eggs and Omelet station, or main diner 2.) Bacon Buffet instead go to the Carving Station, or main diner 3) Sushi from the buffet prefer you go before 12 4) Water on the cruise instead get the bottle water tip from me purchase pack of water and not the expensive water bottle 5) Burgers and Hotdogs from the Buffet, instead go to a grill 6)Self Serve Ice Cream 7) Condiments on the table, use the one in the back you can ask the cruise 8) Spicy or anything with beans 9) Free Coffee from the buffet 10) Avoid drink of the day
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. 🙂
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!
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 hate drinking cruise-ship water," the woman next to me exclaimed. "I just won't touch it, and I always get bottled water," she added, sipping on her frozen daiquiri.....
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.
I’ve eaten all of the 10 foods to avoid with no problem. Eggs were just ok, but the others were fine. Of course food is subjective and is a personal choice.
@@LifeWellCruised Oh ok I see ! I thought the buffet water is just regular purified water and did not know that it was desalinized sea water. Thank you for sharing !!
On our last Celebrity cruise they had a food service talk and we were told the water served in the restaurants and buffets was brought on board whereas the tap water was desalinated.
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.
I’ve never had any problems with the drinking water found at cruise buffets. Most of the time I eat at the buffets rather than at the MDR. I’m very destination focused and the cruise ship is just a vehicle to get me places so I don’t care to dress up to dine at the MDR for dinners.
This is only my experience, not all people have a severe reaction to sodium as I do. Yes, I have been severely affected by the sodium in the food and water on a cruise. The water is desalinated sea water and the process leaves sodium in it, the same way water softeners do. This water is used to make coffee, ice tea, for cooking and to make ice. While the water is safe bacteria wise, it is not safe for me. I was not aware of this on my first cruise and by the time I got off the boat, I could not wear shoes. I ended up in the hospital with congestive heart failure. If you are susceptible it’s good to take some precautions. I get the water package and bring flavorings or drink canned club soda, I eat less soups, stews and sauces, cured meats and other foods high in sodium. I bring extra diuretics and sometimes take an extra tablet in the evening and wear support stocking to bed. This may be TMI for most but wanted to bring attention to the issue. 😊
If you have congestive heart failure it is a chronic condition. It is not from cruise food and water. You should be on Lasix. My mother died from this.
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!! 👌
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.
Scrambled eggs: They'll never crack fresh eggs to make it for the buffet, maybe powered, but possibly liquid egg in a carton which is fully pasteurized. Bacon: In order to cook that much, some places put it in the deep fryer. It's going to be thin cuts so that they can stretch their supply, rather than thick cut. Cruise ship sushi: On Princess, no thanks, even when they do it on a special day for lunch; not even close to being authentic. Coffee: Thankful Princess actually now uses coffee grounds, rather than powdered or liquid concentrate. Big difference. One thing I definitely try, the very limited Filipino food options in the breakfast buffet on Princess ships. When you're tired of a classic American breakfast, get yourself some garlic fried rice or plain white rice, load it with some marinated tocino (pork) or whatever is the special of the day, add a couple of fried over easy eggs on top, and it's delicious. Especially, the cooks making it are Filipinos!
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 bring small purse packs of Lysol or Clorox wipes everywhere I go because of an immune system problem, and I wipe condiment containers and menus with those.
Both Lysol and Chlorox are highly toxic, carcinogenic, they will destroy your immune system. Our immune systems don't function if they are not used to some amount of good bacteria and working. If you need to wipe stuff down better with just water or Hydrogen peroxide.
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 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
My husband and I have cruised many times on 5 different cruise lines. We have always thought the food on the buffet was very good. Including the scrambled eggs and bacon!! I also would never bother the crew to get me a different Ketchup/mustard bottle etc. Just wash your hands often.
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!
I'm definitely in the "avoid the buffet" camp. If the dining room is open and you have time (sometimes on port days that's difficult), eat there. I do appreciate Holland America for having crew serving the food in most of the buffet stations.
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.
As a cruise enthusiast and former restaurant manager. Carnival cruises buffet keeps the condiments off the table, and you need to find them or ask crew. If they are on the table, they haven't been sanitized, and the crew is to clean/sanitize them when clearing the table and put them with the other sanitized condiments which are usually by a bin of rolled up silverware, and that's why they keep them off the table.
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.
I don’t think condiment containers in the back are sterile! If you are that concerned, use alcohol wipes for the condiments. I personally think some exposure to the environment is necessary! That that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
I get a big plate of buffet eggs and bacon every morning. I actually like the consistency of the powdered eggs lol. Same with the greasy burgers. I bring Lysol wipes and hand sanitizer with me at all times to wipe down the condiment bottles because thinking about all the hands that have touched them before me grosses me out.
Swelling in the legs is frequently an indication of salt not being processed out of the blood stream. If that happened to me I’d want to consult a doctor when I got home. I’d also let the ship’s personnel know so that they could check the desalination equipment. As far as condiments are concerned, you can always carry personal wipes with you to sanitize the containers, or maybe just Clorox wipes in a ziplock bag.
I go for the breads , cold cuts and cheese in the buffet for breakfast . on non cruises in the hotel we stopped in Mexico I was front of queue as fresh carved Turkey was on the menu, I did not have it fried as it had already been cooked . The soft ice cream had been more of an issue in all inclusive with parents letting their kids do the ice cream them selves , I remember it being a huge mess , even doing the self scooping yourself , I always preferred being served by the crew member serving ice cream
So far so good at the buffet. It was the main dining hall where I was served a rancid steak. One bite that I did spit out still made me sick for the next two days. Final tip, sniff anything they serve first before putting it in your mouth.
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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!!!
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 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
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!!
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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
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. 😂
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. 😊☺️
I drink the cruise ship water on every cruise. I have never had issues with the water.
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
It does not matter if you drink bottled water or ship water, some people swell from being at sea. Just like when you fly.
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
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. 😊
people who have issues with swelling, its not from the water, its most likely from the sodium levels in the food your eating. Since most people over eat and indulge on a cruise vs at home, your most likely taking in more sodium on a cruise than you would at home on your normal diet.
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 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.
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 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.
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.
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
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!
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!
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.
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 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.
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.
Drank the water and coffee on Caribbean Princess no problem at all!
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
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.
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
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!
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!!🎉❤😊
i love the scrambled eggs, they are my favorite. oh well. everyone to their own.
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.
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 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.
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!
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?
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.
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
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.
Loved you & Tony’s interview! Our 2 Cruise Besties together!! 🚢🚢
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 Always drink the water. Coffee is fine. No problems with the Buffett
Lox and scrambled eggs. My cruise breakfast yummy 😋
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
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 worked for a cruise for 9 years, in both the specialty restaurants and the main galley as well as some rotation kitchens. Three different ships from 2 different cruise lines. So I gotta ask this, WHERE did you come up with this information??? The eggs is not true, they are not powered!!!! If they are powdered, then please tell me what specific ships and from what cruise lines you are specifically talking about?? They are shipped, stored and made in ten pound bags and come in a liquid state with ingredients that aren't considered unhealthy. So please tell me where specifically you are getting your information, or better yet, please check your sources.
The bacon is the same that is used in all kitchens. Period, same package, distributed and sent to different kitchens around the ship. So are your comments an opinion or just voicing your specific taste buds? I am curious?
The water on ship is cleaned , processed, filtered and re filtered again and go through a 7 step process to be served at fountains on ship. They get inspected regularly by both the cruise line and outside sources for contaminants more then you clearly realize. So again, where is this information coming from. No specifics, just a blanket opinion that I'm assuming based on what facts and data, Hmmm??
As for the sushi, I agree with your comments, if it is served on a buffet. That makes sense.
The condiment station are more common sense then anything else. If they are maintained and cleaned on a regular basis, then there is nothing wrong with the dispensers. If it looks messy and their are condiments stuck to the sides and covered in flies then that is a different story. Common sense, if it looks good then it pretty much is.
I could go on for a little bit more but your opinions seem more like opinions, and not based on facts but well, just your opinions and opinions of others> Are they?? If not give us the data and be a lot more specific about what ships you have seen these issues. What cruise lines? Any specific restaurant?!?
So, note to self: Get food at the places where they cook it made to order for a fresh, better experience. Also, bring hand sanitizer for condiments and touching other products lots of other people will be touching.
I'm learning so much watching this channel ❤
1.) Scrambled Eggs from the buffet Instead, go to the eggs and Omelet station, or main diner
2.) Bacon Buffet instead go to the Carving Station, or main diner
3) Sushi from the buffet prefer you go before 12
4) Water on the cruise instead get the bottle water tip from me purchase pack of water and not the expensive water bottle
5) Burgers and Hotdogs from the Buffet, instead go to a grill
6)Self Serve Ice Cream
7) Condiments on the table, use the one in the back you can ask the cruise
8) Spicy or anything with beans
9) Free Coffee from the buffet
10) Avoid drink of the day
If you are ever on the NCL Encore, Definitely Do Try the India food station at the Buffet! It's awesome!
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. 🙂
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!
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 hate drinking cruise-ship water," the woman next to me exclaimed. "I just won't touch it, and I always get bottled water," she added, sipping on her frozen daiquiri.....
The water, I have had on cruises is the best water I have had. If the soft serve ice cream machine is not clean, Complain. Have them clean it.
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.
I think your advice for a cruise buffet is really true of almost any buffet.
As a merchant marine captain, I’m familiar with water makers. Do not drink tap water onboard. Many do not remove enough sodium.
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.
I’ve eaten all of the 10 foods to avoid with no problem. Eggs were just ok, but the others were fine. Of course food is subjective and is a personal choice.
Absolutely food is subjective & can vary by cruise line as well. Thanks for sharing
Buffets are buffets and we know what to expect. Enjoy! You’re there to eat.
😮I drink buffet water all the time in all the cruises and never have had any side effect. 😊
I don’t think most people do, but some people are sensitive to sodium & have found that they do get leg swelling on cruises
@@LifeWellCruised Oh ok I see ! I thought the buffet water is just regular purified water and did not know that it was desalinized sea water. Thank you for sharing !!
happens to me on each cruise, unfortunately @@LifeWellCruised
On our last Celebrity cruise they had a food service talk and we were told the water served in the restaurants and buffets was brought on board whereas the tap water was desalinated.
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.
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!”
I’ve never had any problems with the drinking water found at cruise buffets. Most of the time I eat at the buffets rather than at the MDR. I’m very destination focused and the cruise ship is just a vehicle to get me places so I don’t care to dress up to dine at the MDR for dinners.
This is only my experience, not all people have a severe reaction to sodium as I do. Yes, I have been severely affected by the sodium in the food and water on a cruise. The water is desalinated sea water and the process leaves sodium in it, the same way water softeners do. This water is used to make coffee, ice tea, for cooking and to make ice. While the water is safe bacteria wise, it is not safe for me. I was not aware of this on my first cruise and by the time I got off the boat, I could not wear shoes. I ended up in the hospital with congestive heart failure. If you are susceptible it’s good to take some precautions. I get the water package and bring flavorings or drink canned club soda, I eat less soups, stews and sauces, cured meats and other foods high in sodium. I bring extra diuretics and sometimes take an extra tablet in the evening and wear support stocking to bed. This may be TMI for most but wanted to bring attention to the issue. 😊
If you have congestive heart failure it is a chronic condition. It is not from cruise food and water. You should be on Lasix. My mother died from this.
I’m a nurse, I am on Lasix. Sodium in food and fluids can exacerbate CHF.
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!! 👌
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.
Scrambled eggs: They'll never crack fresh eggs to make it for the buffet, maybe powered, but possibly liquid egg in a carton which is fully pasteurized. Bacon: In order to cook that much, some places put it in the deep fryer. It's going to be thin cuts so that they can stretch their supply, rather than thick cut. Cruise ship sushi: On Princess, no thanks, even when they do it on a special day for lunch; not even close to being authentic. Coffee: Thankful Princess actually now uses coffee grounds, rather than powdered or liquid concentrate. Big difference.
One thing I definitely try, the very limited Filipino food options in the breakfast buffet on Princess ships. When you're tired of a classic American breakfast, get yourself some garlic fried rice or plain white rice, load it with some marinated tocino (pork) or whatever is the special of the day, add a couple of fried over easy eggs on top, and it's delicious. Especially, the cooks making it are Filipinos!
Thank you for sharing your cruise trip advice.😊
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.
I bring small purse packs of Lysol or Clorox wipes everywhere I go because of an immune system problem, and I wipe condiment containers and menus with those.
Both Lysol and Chlorox are highly toxic, carcinogenic, they will destroy your immune system. Our immune systems don't function if they are not used to some amount of good bacteria and working. If you need to wipe stuff down better with just water or Hydrogen peroxide.
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 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
Communal condiments: wrap a napkin around the object. Use hand sanitizer before touching your food. Lots of ways to solve the germ problem.
I've been on many ! 🚢.! Only one I agree with is: sushi, or non raw fish sushi is ok. 😊& Give me buffet anytime. ! Yes!
My husband and I have cruised many times on 5 different cruise lines. We have always thought the food on the buffet was very good. Including the scrambled eggs and bacon!! I also would never bother the crew to get me a different Ketchup/mustard bottle etc. Just wash your hands often.
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
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'm definitely in the "avoid the buffet" camp. If the dining room is open and you have time (sometimes on port days that's difficult), eat there. I do appreciate Holland America for having crew serving the food in most of the buffet stations.
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.
My main takeaway is to avoid the buffet which is what we usually do! We prefer the main dining room or other dining options.
Definitely a good choice
me too
Safest. In my opinion.
Buffets are fun for us. The main dining is too limited and takes too long.
Leg swelling could be coming from the additional salt in the food, cruise foods seem to be saltier. Not just the water
Maybe their legs are swelling from the 2 pounds of bacon they ate 😜
lol that’s always a possibility 😂
😂😂😂
lol the more bacon the better😂
I ate wayyy to much back last week! (Feb 7,-Feb 18th lol)
And drinking less water and getting dehydrated.
As a cruise enthusiast and former restaurant manager. Carnival cruises buffet keeps the condiments off the table, and you need to find them or ask crew. If they are on the table, they haven't been sanitized, and the crew is to clean/sanitize them when clearing the table and put them with the other sanitized condiments which are usually by a bin of rolled up silverware, and that's why they keep them off the table.
🤣My ankles swell but I have always blamed it on the alcohol and salty food, not the water 😂
It's the ship water. You're dehydrated and don't even know it.
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.
Going on my first cruise March 3 Rd. Great tips thanks
Yay! Have fun 🛳️🎉
Enjoy! Bring 🔦& batteries: emergencies && binoculars: to see whales/eagles off in distance!!🎉❤😊
I don’t think condiment containers in the back are sterile! If you are that concerned, use alcohol wipes for the condiments. I personally think some exposure to the environment is necessary! That that doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.
I like my bacon well done, so it is fine with me.
I went to multiple cruises with my family. Always drank cruise ship water and had fountain juices didn’t have a problem at all!
I get a big plate of buffet eggs and bacon every morning. I actually like the consistency of the powdered eggs lol. Same with the greasy burgers. I bring Lysol wipes and hand sanitizer with me at all times to wipe down the condiment bottles because thinking about all the hands that have touched them before me grosses me out.
Swelling in the legs is frequently an indication of salt not being processed out of the blood stream. If that happened to me I’d want to consult a doctor when I got home. I’d also let the ship’s personnel know so that they could check the desalination equipment.
As far as condiments are concerned, you can always carry personal wipes with you to sanitize the containers, or maybe just Clorox wipes in a ziplock bag.
My doctor put me on Lasix Water pills you will “P” like a horse.
The edema is not from the water.
Eating the buffet eggs are the first eggs in YEARS that didn’t kill my stomach.
I go for the breads , cold cuts and cheese in the buffet for breakfast . on non cruises in the hotel we stopped in Mexico I was front of queue as fresh carved Turkey was on the menu, I did not have it fried as it had already been cooked . The soft ice cream had been more of an issue in all inclusive with parents letting their kids do the ice cream them selves , I remember it being a huge mess , even doing the self scooping yourself , I always preferred being served by the crew member serving ice cream
So far so good at the buffet. It was the main dining hall where I was served a rancid steak. One bite that I did spit out still made me sick for the next two days. Final tip, sniff anything they serve first before putting it in your mouth.