#NationalVegetarianWeek is in full swing and is a great way for you to get stuck in and try out a different way of living. The week is an annual awareness-raising campaign promoting inspirational vegetarian food and the benefits of a meat-free lifestyle. Whilst some may see becoming vegetarian as an easy transition into a cruelty-free lifestyle more people than ever in Britain are beginning to take up Veganism to eliminate animal-cruelty in their whole day-to-day lifestyles. Adopting Veganism is not something to be taken lightly and involves changes which can affect choices including where, who and what companies to travel/holiday with.
When it comes to holidaying even the most experienced of travellers will have questions and worries on what will await them in terms of personal food and lifestyle requirements, however, these can pale into insignificance when they are compared to the worries of a Vegan traveller as they begin to research what companies can accommodate their Vegan lifestyle. This can often lead to Vegan travellers having to rely on word of mouth reviews or repeating holiday destinations to ensure that they will be able to enjoy their holiday without having to compromise.
According to the Vegan Society, in 2016 at least 542,000 people in Britain are now following a Vegan diet having risen over 360% in the last 10 years. Whilst being vegetarian can be a struggle in terms of diet being Vegan encompasses all aspects of life including clothing, cleaning products, hygiene products, etc. and anyone with dietary requirement can vouch for finding holiday destinations where you feel confident that your needs will be catered for can often be one of the most important considerations when booking a trip. When not only food options but lifestyle items need to be considered do companies really hit the mark?
In March 2017 we here at Cruise & Maritime Voyages (CMV) announced that in September Cruise & Maritime Voyages in association with Vegan Travel would be operating a Vegan cruise to Norway’s Fjordland aboard our new flagship, Columbus. The on board menu will become 100% Vegan and to compliment the menu change we will be offering a wellness programme including yoga and Pilates, daily activities which may include making Vegan cheese and toothpaste with many Vegan focused speakers.
Nowadays it is not unusual for cruise lines to provide an extensive list of options for vegetarians and CMV is no different, on board our restaurant menus have separate vegetarian sections, with vegetarian options available at all meal sittings throughout the day. Vegan travellers traditionally would have needed to contact their cruise line to enquire whether Vegan options would be available with meal options limited, so a Vegan cruise takes a lot, if not all, the worry away.
Now whilst I am sure you are all confident that Veganism will be adopted on board Columbus, what about when you dock and explore Norway, we hear you cry! Nowadays smart phones are an ever present comfort to most travellers and Vegan Norway has released an app which helps visitors discover Vegan friendly places in major Norwegian cities including Bergen and beyond. The app which is free and has over 10,000 users can be used as a digital city guide to focus on vegan friendly shopping and places to eat. So why not download in advance of your trip to discover what highlights are available whilst you are exploring the Norwegian Fjordland.
So if you are Vegan, looking to become Vegan or just interested in different lifestyle choices why not book now?