Years ago, a friend mentioned a vegan travel company where everything is vegan. (Most of the tours are cruises — via river boats and small-ship sailboats, with fewer than 200 passengers — though next year Vegan Travel will offer its first railway trips.) And while we checked in with the VT website whenever we thought about traveling, nothing aligned for a long time; these trips tend to sell out quickly (for very good reasons, we discovered; they’re amazing!). Then, when a VT cabin recently opened up at the last minute just as we were looking for a beachy trip, we finally pounced and booked a journey to the Caribbean. From the very first day, all we could think was, “What took us so long?”
The places Vegan Travel brings its travelers are wonderful (from European rivers to Caribbean seas to Asia to the Amazon). And while the destinations are fantastic, we vegans are also there to eat. A lot. And often.
For vegans, one of the greatest joys of an all-vegan trip is not having to think about food in the way we usually do — we don’t have to call ahead, ask a lot of questions, or answer all sorts of questions from fellow travelers about where we get our protein. The food on our Vegan Travel cruise was delicious, and being able to eat everything in sight without having to wonder whether it was made with animals was like being in a vegan utopia for ten glorious days.
Breakfast and lunch were buffet-style meals (and we didn’t get any photos, as we were far too busy enjoying the food). A brief overview of breakfast: pastries including chocolate and plain croissants, a variety of fresh bread, fruit, vegan charcuterie, yogurt, cereals, as well as hot dishes that varied by the day, such as tofu scramble, vegan sausage and bacon, potatoes, crepes, waffles, pancakes…and on and on. Lunches also had fruits, breads, salads, faux meats and cheeses, plus salads and hot dishes from cuisines around the globe. And lunch-desserts were especially lovely; there was always a choice of four or five things, from puddings to cakes to mousses.
We were out on excursions for the first several afternoons, so we missed the afternoon teas; once we finally found ourselves on board for tea, we couldn’t believe how much deliciousness we missed! As pictured below, tea features fruit and cookies, and every day is a new hot dish, like faux-chicken nuggets, pictured below; faux meatballs; tofu skewers; faux seafood with vegan tartar sauce; and more. Daily tea also included two kinds of sandwiches and slices of a decadent cake, like the marble cake pictured below. All of this from 4:30 to 5:30 (with dinner coming at 7 p.m.! and yes, we were ready by then).
The five-course gourmet dinners began with beautiful appetizers (usually a choice among three — though we learned quickly from veteran VT travelers that of course you can get more than one if you can’t decide). Appetizers are followed by soup and a sorbet to cleanse the palate.
The main courses included three or four choices every night, and most of us couples got different ones to try as many as possible. From classic pastas to vegan versions of local favorites, everything was gorgeously presented and delicious.
A quick note about the butter (vegan butter is an indulgence one usually has to be at a vegan restaurant to enjoy) … every night we were presented with a different whipped butter, flavored with herbs and served with freshly baked bread. Having such amazing vegan butters was nearly as delightful as the meals themselves.
And no one (ever) turned away dessert. We usually had two to three choices (again, too difficult — so many of us simply got our two top choices). The vegan ice cream was spectacular, and the cakes, mousses, tarts, and puddings were all wonderful.
While the voyage was more than 90 percent vegan passengers, there were non-vegans, too, and everyone was inclusive and welcoming. The passengers on this journey came from 13 countries, with a variety of ages (the youngest being a teenager), and the excursions and activities ranged from easy (such as reading on the deck all afternoon) to challenging (a five-hour hike up a mountain).
And Vegan Travel considers everything: vegan toiletries, vegan wines and cocktails, and little vegan chocolates on the pillows every night. Again, it felt like a vegan utopia, where everything was cruelty free and we all found ourselves among fellow travelers who love animals and the planet enough to live by their values … and who were there to have a fabulous time. We are already looking forward to seeing our new friends on future voyages.
Visit Vegan Travel to see what’s coming up next … and remember to book early! And if the adventure you love is fully booked, be sure to get on a wait list. Bon voyage!