10 TIPS FOR KETO CRUISING!
In my last blog I shared the experience that Coach Jon and I had on the incredible Low Carb Cruise a few weeks ago and in it I promised that I would go beyond the event and actually speak to you about staying keto on a cruise. Admittedly this might seem like a daunting challenge when faced with the prospect of a being on a floating buffet 24/7 for a set period of time but trust me when I say there are actually ways to make it smooth sailing if your goal is staying on plan and focused on your goals while you sail the high seas!
Today I am going to share ten tips that will make your own keto cruise a success. There will be some planning involved and some challenges to navigate but it is far from impossible, and you might just find that a cruise is an easier vacation to enjoy while following a ketogenic lifestyle than you expected.
Don’t Sleep On The Facebook Groups & Reddit Forums!
A great tool for jump starting your cruise adventure planning (keto or not!) is on Facebook. There are very active Facebook groups and Reddit Forums dedicated not only to every cruise line but often to specific sailings. A little searching can land you in a place specifically devoted to the experience you are about to have. In there you will see a lot of folk talking about the specific details of your ship and also have the opportunity to put it out there that you’re a keto cruiser. Yes, be aware that not everyone on the internet is a friendly resource but you just might make a connection with other folk with similar goals who will be on your ship!
Don’t Overpack Snacks
Faced with the prospect of a buffet full of sweet treats, free ice cream, and more, our first instinct can be to load a suitcase full of keto friendly snacks and treats. I am definitely not saying that you shouldn’t bring anything with you. But be purposeful. Think about what you might need, not what you might want. Does that make sense? If snacking isn’t a part of your usual routine, there’s no need to make it a part now. So be strategic. Also, they take up a lot of space, which is a premium in your luggage and tiny cabin! Prioritize a few things, and know that there will be plenty of keto friendly food on board!
Bring Your Electrolytes (And a water bottle!)
So from over packing we head to a packing must! Do not forget your electrolytes! You will most likely find yourself being very active in a warm environment while cruising, and proper hydration will be a must. You can request your cabin attendant bring you a bucket of ice daily for your water bottle or use filling stations around the ship. Your routine will be different, so don’t forget to keep up with your water intake. Brands like Redmond Re-Lyte (Click here and use code GORMY to say 15% if interested!) and LMNT even have convenient single serving electrolyte packets to make bringing them a breeze!
The Soda Package/Coffee Package
Speaking of hydration and beverages, most ships offer packages you can purchase in advance giving you access to bottled water, diet soda beverages, flavored sparkling water and coffee on board. They often go on sail or are simply cheaper when purchased in advance. You can investigate the different options with your cruise line in advance. I know for me, I am an iced coffee drinker so the prospect of only having hot coffee on board or spending an exorbitant amount at the specialty coffee locations was not attractive. Pro tip! If you’re a cold brew coffee fan you can even bring a cold brew concentrate like Javy. It is a small bottle with over 30 servings!
Use Your Morning Wisely
If you’re cruising Alaska or Europe during the cooler months, this advice can be good, but maybe not essential! Hehe! But if we’re talking a warmer climate cruise, take advantage of the cooler temps in the morning to get your daily activity in. As much as a cruise can mean more activity in general, it can also mean days at sea laying by a pool. Your health goals are about so much more than food, so don’t skip taking advantage of the gym, spa and walking areas. A morning walk on an upper deck can mean unparalleled views while doing a little cardio. Often the gyms have incredible views as well, and enough equipment to satisfy your resistance training needs. A morning workout also sets you up for feeling great the day ahead! Early morning on deck (or your balcony if you have one!) can also be a great time to sit with your coffee and do your mindfulness work. Journaling, daily goal setting, prayer and meditation can feel incredible when there is a silence and calm to the ship.
Order What You Need
Five tips in and I haven’t even really addressed food on board, but we’re finally getting into it! Main Dining on a cruise ship is not like going to a sit down restaurant on a traditional vacation. For one thing, you will have the same server every night, so they will get to know your needs and preferences, like having plenty of real butter on the table when you’re seated and skipping the bread basket. Also, and this was new to me as I was a first time cruiser, you can order as much as you want to meet your needs! And no, your server will not bat an eye at you ordering 3 steaks or 2 shrimp cocktails. And while you can ask for adjustments to the meals, a cruise ship main dining room may not be able to be as accommodating at dinner as you might find in a normal restaurant. They are literally preparing meals for thousands of people! This can mean not eating the provided side dishes if they don’t fit your way of eating. This is OK! It’s more than okay really. You can also see the menus for each night in advance, and determine if main dining is the right option for you that night! I highly recommend doing breakfast or lunch in main dining at least once as they are definitely more flexible, and it can be nice because those times tend to be less crowded, especially on port days.
Don’t Fear the Buffet
Some, not all, cruises do indeed now have 24 hour buffet options and as someone that struggles with food issues that can be intimidating. But if you work on shifting your perspective the buffet can often be the best option for staying keto on board. Yes, there will be islands of desserts, but there will also be many easy to find keto options, heck even carnivore options! Breakfast will have eggs of all varieties, omelet stations, bacon, sausage, charcuterie type areas and more. Lunch and dinner will have a variety of proteins like carving stations, stir fry areas, burgers, the already mention charcuterie section full of meats, cheeses, and pickled vegetables. They also have prepared salads, salad bars, steamed and sautéed vegetables and fruit. Be conscious that the dessert area will often have “no sugar added” and “gluten free” options that do not automatically mean they are low carb or keto friendly, so be sure to ask a crew member if you have questions about the ingredients in anything.
(I’ll add a bonus tip here that often ships will have other eateries, restaurants and room service that can be included or at an additional charge. You might find options there that help you stay on your plan and enjoy the experience of the ship. We had an incredible dinner at the steakhouse one night on our Royal Carribbean ship.)
Navigating Alcohol
Whether or not to have alcohol as a part of your way of eating is a personal choice, and most likely if you are doing so already you will know your best options. If this is new to you and you do want to have a drink or two on board, your most keto friendly options will be sticking to clear alcohols (like vodka or gin) with club soda and lemon or lime. The ship’s bars will also likely have low carb seltzers. It never hurts to ask a bartender what they recommend if you’re looking to be carb conscious, they might see it as a fun challenge to whip you up a special cocktail! I will say that if you are planning to stick to your ketogenic lifestyle that the alcohol drink package is probably not a great value for you!
Know Your Port Day Plan
Cruises offer awesome opportunities to visit new places on your port days. Be sure to plan ahead to know your food options and what you might need to bring with you if you are going on an excursion. A long day in the tropical heat will definitely call for proper hydration and can be a great time to bring along a keto friendly snack option like jerky or biltong. A little research in advance can help you explore the local cuisine from a solid keto perspective!
Don’t Worry About Looking “Weird!”
And lastly, you are going to be on board with thousands of people you will most likely never see again, so do your best to let go of any feelings about sounding weird if you make special requests in dining or anywhere on the shop. Or comments from the people that think it’s weird you’re still working out on the ship. This is your vacation that you paid for, so don’t let anyone giving your food choices or morning walks a side glance prevent you from fully enjoying your experience! A lot of us on the Low Carb Cruise enjoyed the opportunity the pizza place one board offered to get pizza and just eat the toppings. Did a few people get asked what they were doing? Sure! But more often than not the response they received after explaining was akin to, “That’s awesome, enjoy it!”
In my experience, the contained nature of a cruise and the many food offerings on board actually made this a fantastic environment for enjoying travel and exploration while staying focused on those daily priorities that matter to me. I hope that this little dive into keto cruising will help you see the opportunities it presents and will give it a go yourself!
