Gluten Free Dining Onboard

[BarbieBell]

I was recently diagnosed with Celiac (yeah, who knew seniors would develop it) but I’ve only been able to get a little info about the options or procedures onboard. I filled out the form Royal provided and was told to tell the waiters of my allergies when dining. I was just wondering if anyone could offer any suggestions or share experiences regarding this subject. I’m a bit nervous about not having control and preparing my own food. I’m taking a few gluten free things with me but welcome any suggestions. 

[Curt From Canada]

5 hours ago, BarbieBell said:

I was recently diagnosed with Celiac (yeah, who knew seniors would develop it) but I’ve only been able to get a little info about the options or procedures onboard. I filled out the form Royal provided and was told to tell the waiters of my allergies when dining. I was just wondering if anyone could offer any suggestions or share experiences regarding this subject. I’m a bit nervous about not having control and preparing my own food. I’m taking a few gluten free things with me but welcome any suggestions. 

Quick response, as I have an early morning tomorrow.

I have a gluten intolerance (probably not Celiac … long story). Still, since 2013, I have eaten gluten free on Royal Caribbean cruise ships. Briefly:

There are only two places in the world I feel safe eating. At home, my soulmate cooks with the utmost care. There is never a concern. The other place is on a cruise ship. They have multiple food allergy issues every single week. They are experts at handling them. A few critical things to do: 

1).  The Main Dining Room [MDR] wait staff is excellent. Tell (remind) them on night 1 that you are Celiac. They will help you each night to choose the next night’s meal (they will make sure night 1 is OK as well).

2). Ask them about breakfast and lunch for the next day … they can help with that as well. 

3).  The WindJammer should be a nightmare (but it is not). Tell any of the food servers that you are Celiac (you may have to say gluten free … not wheat) and they will have someone walk you through each station indicating what you can have or not have. The MDR is still safer, but I have used the WindJammer from time to time. It takes more time, but they are very knowledgeable and detailed. 

4). Specialty Dining: Same as MDR. Just let the waitstaff know and they will make sure the meals are adapted as required. 

5). There is a way to get this on your file. Someone else can help with that special service request. I used to do it, but found I had to do points 1) to 4) above anyway, so I stopped with this detail. In this case, I think you should “do as I say and not as I do”. Get it in your file for each cruise. 

I hope that made sense and was helpful  

Curt from Canada  

 

[smokeybandit]

It's quite easy as noted above.

 

Just never be shy about asking for a manager if you don't get a specific question answered, especially in the Windjammer.

 

In the MDR, most dishes they can make gluten free, including chicken cordon bleu on French Night and fish and chips on UK night.

[SPS]

17 hours ago, BarbieBell said:

I filled out the form Royal provided and was told to tell the waiters of my allergies when dining. I was just wondering if anyone could offer any suggestions or share experiences regarding this subject. I’m a bit nervous about not having control and preparing my own food. I’m taking a few gluten free things with me but welcome any suggestions. 

Don't be nervous! I've posted quite a few times about my wife's experiences here with having to eat gluten-free on RC ships. Each time, (eight and counting) the staff has been very helpful and accommodating to ensure that she is served the gluten-free foods she requires. If you do a search or the boards for "gluten free", you will find a lot of good information. Also, some time back, @Matt posted an article to the front page about eating GF of RC ships. 

TIP: In the dining room, your waiter or head waiter will bring you the NEXT night's menu to 1.) Let you make choices from what is already gluten free. 2.) Inform you of what choices to avoid entirely. 3.) (The BEST one) Let you know what items can be modified to be gluten free so they can have a GF item prepared especially for you!

Hope this helps!

Eating gluten free on Royal Caribbean cruise ships | Royal Caribbean Blog

[smokeybandit]

When you do order the next night's meal, always have a backup (app and entree) that you know can be made GF, such as the fruit and cheese plate (yes, this is a dessert, but you can order as an app) or spaghetti.

Most of the time they can make what you want GF, but sometimes they can't (and unfortunately this varies by ship/chef).  If that next day the waiter says "sorry, can't do that, what's your next choice?" you're already prepared.

[JFCruise]

A little anectdote that might help you:

I am not celiac or gluten-free at all. But I was once having breakfast in the MDR and the server came to the table offering bread. She did the regular thing: We have this and that and whatever and gluten free.

Now I, out of sheer curiosity as I have never tried gluten free bread asked for one. The next time she came around with bread I asked her for a regular bread. She was SOOOOO insistent that it was no gluten-free. I think she tried to deny me like 3 times before I was able to explain that I was just curious about the GF bread.

[smokeybandit]

2 hours ago, JFCruise said:

A little anectdote that might help you:

I am not celiac or gluten-free at all. But I was once having breakfast in the MDR and the server came to the table offering bread. She did the regular thing: We have this and that and whatever and gluten free.

Now I, out of sheer curiosity as I have never tried gluten free bread asked for one. The next time she came around with bread I asked her for a regular bread. She was SOOOOO insistent that it was no gluten-free. I think she tried to deny me like 3 times before I was able to explain that I was just curious about the GF bread.

I'll save anyone else's curiosity: If you don't need gluten free bread, you don't want gluten free bread.