Cruises, Your Weight, Having Fun and a bigger Economic Picture

Sunrise at Sea Tom Abbott

So we went on a cruise.

For most people, this is a time to throw caution to the wind. It is a moment to taste amazing food, and to forget about any diet you may be following. There were a few things that made it easy for me to keep my regime. And this meant that no, I did not gain weight. In fact, I might have managed a feat that most cruisers do not: Lose a pound or two.

We took the MS Oosterdam, part of the Holland America Line.

First off, it helped that some of the food on the cruise was not that spectacular. Yes, I am a critic, but as my husband keeps telling me, I am a damn good home cook. To be brutally honest, some of the food onboard was not that good. The specialty Italian restaurant is hardly one I would recommend. (I ate from the GF selection, the fish soup was good, the entree was hardly memorable) So if you are taking a Holland America cruise, avoid Canaletto. They will charge you extra, and it is hardly worth it. The Gluten-Free Italian pasta I had one day for lunch from the buffet line was far superior. The meat sauce was very good.

Now, Pinnacle Grill was worth the extra expense if you like good cuts of meat and seafood. Which brings me to the rest of this. Like most cruise lines, Holland America is no longer serving large portions. This is a…