Cruising on a diet

By Barbara Kingstone

Who would have thought that a selling point for cruising would become part of the national obsession with diets.

Gluten-free Japanese cruise, kosher food? You name it and some obliging ships are opting to woe their clients with dietary options.

Lotus Tours in New York City, has been in the travel business for 45 years, and one of the first to offer kosher cruises. . “Kosher cruising has become very popular says,” Michael Kong, executive director of Lotus Tours in Lower Manhattan.. “I may be Chinese but I feel very Jewish and understand the needs of those following dietary rules”.

Their company started offering the same high quality accommodations and tours but with the added convenience of kosher food and without Saturday travel.

“The kosher market has grown, not just in tours and cruises but kosher dining and lifestyle in general. Today there is a variety of offers that didn’t exist even 4 years ago. Kosher food exhibitions take over all of the Javits Center in New York,” he states. He also adds, that there are kosher hotels and resorts from Canada to the Caribbean and quite a number of cruises are offered on a year round basis.

Their programs have visited all continents, including Antarctica. Travellers get to see and enjoy all the famous sights, plus meet local Jewish communities and participate in special events and lectures by noted speaker. “The guests see the world through Jewish eyes and learn of the Jewish experience in the most remote corners of the world,” says Kong.

Gluten-free travel has also grown in the past 3 years mainly due to population awareness that these options exist. In the US, the medical community has only recently recognized this as a distinct population group. As a result many more people have become aware of the actual nature of their condition, how to deal with it and seeking both dietary and lifestyle options to address their needs. It’s estimated that 1 in 136 people has this need. Statistics show that more than 2 million people in North America are afflicted with Celiac disease which is a digestive ailment that reacts to proteins in barley, rye, oats and wheat. The only way to avoid the consequences of the pain is to stay with a strict diet free of these glutens.

Seeing the potential, Bob Levy, founder of Bob & Ruth’s Gluten-Free Dining and Travel Club, based in Baltimore, decided to make life easier and safer for travellers. Their cruises and tours are tailored for this market with the first exclusively gluten-free tour to the Far East.

Imagine no egg rolls or chow mien while you’re cruising on the Yangtze River. It’s deluxe 19 days getaway with stops at Kyoto, Hakone, Tokyo, Beijing, Yangstze River, Xian, Shanghai and Hong Kong.

“Our mission is to improve the lifestyle of Celiacs by making it easier and safer to dine out and travel,” says Levy. They’re even emphasizing lakeside gluten free Japanese lunches while viewing the beauty of Mt. Fuji. Then there’s a picnic on the Great Wall and right on Shanghai’s waterfront you’ll be served gluten free dim sum.

“Canadians are far ahead of the Americans in recognizing and adapting to the gluten free diets,” says Kong

It will also finally enable tourists not to have to worry about getting ill while the others are visiting Shogun’s Palace in Kyoto or the terra cotta warriors in Xian and all the other amazing adventures offered on cruises..

This Orient Gluten Free Getaway takes place from July 16-August 3 on the Victoria Empress, one of the newest deluxe cruiseships on the Yangtze River. The all air- conditioned, 75 cabins have private bathrooms, telephones and colour television. Some have balconies and there’s are full time cruise directors and guides. While on board, there are lecturers who will talk about China plus many other sessions which fill the days at sea.

Those dietary- concerned passengers could take the Oceania Cruises on worldwide kosher food cruises which go to Scandinavia, Russian, Europe, Caribbean, Mexican Riviera and Costa Rica

“Destinations are key,” says Michael Kong. And they offer a plethora from Russia to Central America. The Regatta and the Insignia ships are both intimate and luxurious and although kosher, the cuisine features extremely fine choices, world class entertainment and five star service. Their capacity on each ship is 684 guests and 70% of the suites feature verandas and the exclusive Tranquility Beds plus goosedown pillows and duvets. The glatt kosher crispness is prepared by master chefs and guests have a full time ‘masgiach’ (food overseer) onboard. All meals are prepared under strict rabbinical supervision and there are special programs for the Sabbath.

Lectures at sea discuss the Jewish experience in the four corners of the world. And the shore excursions include visits to local Jewish communities and Jewish heritage sites plus other highlights in each port.

Only time will tell if all this is sustainable but for the moment there are a lot of dietary travel opportunities available.