Fresh Kosher Food Attracts More Orthodox to Cruises
Atlanta families look forward to their first Alaskan cruise in August.
Brooklynite Elan Kornblum, who is known in the observant Jewish world for his Great Kosher Restaurant Foodies Facebook website, said he has long been able to obtain kosher meals on airflights and, in the last few years, on cruises, but these were always “packaged, warmed up” meals. Only in the last couple of years have kosher fresh meals been available on one major cruise line, and last August he took his family on a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska to take a close-up look at the new offerings.
“This is a game changer,” Kornblum told the AJT. “The buffet was much better quality. It wasn’t in tin foil. I felt like a mensch.”
Atlanta families are now set to take their close-up view and stomachs on Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas cruise to Alaska in August. Of the approximately 3,000 passengers on this cruise, 300 have opted for the special kosher alternative, enabled by a kitchen certified kosher by Rabbi Dovid Weberman, who has been certifying kosher cuisine since 1997.
According to Weberman, all kosher team members (mashgichim and mashgichot) are Orthodox observant. All kosher meals are produced under mashgiach temidi. Dairy products are cholov stam.
Two of those Atlanta families are David and Eve Adler, and good friends, Jeff and Diane Bland, the latter of whom will be joined by her parents from New York and a daughter, son-in-law and child coming from Israel for the Alaskan cruise.
The Blands have taken four cruises previously, but always had packaged meals.
“They all taste the same and are microwaved,” she said. “The kosher element enhances the trip.” She noted that she had read Kornblum’s description of his kosher experience on an Alaskan cruise last year, giving her the idea.
The Adlers have experienced all-kosher river cruises, but she heard that the Royal Caribbean kosher option is “like going to a wedding every night,” the food is so good. She heard the breakfasts are as extensive as hotel breakfasts in Israel. This will be the Adlers’ first Alaskan cruise and first cruise aboard Royal Caribbean.
The cruise line is offering what it called “Kosher Fresh Dining” packages on three sailings this August, two to Alaska from Seattle and one sailing to the Bahamas from New Jersey. The cruise line’s media department said that with the “purchase of the package, guests will have access to fresh kosher meals served buffet style in the Solarium Bistro during breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Sit-down dinner with three times [will be] available for Shabbat. Glatt Kosher supervision [is] by Rabbi Dovid Weberman.”
According to Kornblum, Royal Caribbean sets aside one kitchen that is cleaned, sanitized, and koshered with specially trained chefs and one dining room set aside for the kosher-requiring passengers who pay $60 per person per day for the kosher-certified food. Children ages six to 12 pay $30 per person per day. Children under five are free.
In addition, states Weberman, kosher red and white wine is available for purchase by the bottle. Special signage is posted to direct those paying for the kosher option to the correct dining room.
While a rabbi is on board to provide kosher supervision, said Weberman, the Royal Caribbean culinary team onboard will have a dedicated group trained in kosher operations to prepare all kosher food for the sailing. “All food is sourced from reputable and long-term suppliers of Royal Caribbean. All meat and poultry are kosher. The kosher support team will assist in answering questions from our guests on how the food preparation is supervised,” he said.
Floridian Sharon Leeds has been a travel agent for 35 years but now focuses solely on kosher cruises. “There’s a large demand,” pointing to the Royal Caribbean’s kosher-option cruises in Alaska and the Caribbean. The latter are timed in January when yeshivot have vacation times. “Last year, there were four cruises during yeshiva week. We sell to a lot of kosher clients who are first-time cruisers.”
Leeds noted that kosher meals can be found on any cruise line, but it is packaged food brought to the ships. “We focus on Royal Caribbean. It’s unique because all food is prepared and organized through the cruise line,” which, she added, is organizing a charter cruise in May.
Also on board, Leeds organizes a conference room for prayer services.
The majority of Leeds’ clients come from the Northeast U.S., but there are always some from Georgia, she said. “This is so new. I hope other cruise lines will add this option,” Leeds said.
Kornblum said he has heard talk of other cruise lines getting into the fresh kosher food experience. The Royal Caribbean kosher option always “sells out within a few weeks.”
He enjoyed his Alaskan cruise so much last year that he decided to join the Royal Caribbean cruise to the Caribbean at the end of August.
In addition to the attraction of getting on-board prepared kosher-certified food on her upcoming Alaskan cruise, Diane Bland spoke of another benefit of cruises.
“It’s hard to bring the family together. Cruising is a great way to bring together different generations.”
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