Gluten-Free Dining

[lmkucala]

We're leaving on the Triumph on 12/26 and my husband has to have a gluten-free diet. According to their website Carnival can accommodate this (at least on the dining rooms). Does anyone have any experience with this and how easy/difficult was it?

[stefndoug]

We're leaving on the Triumph on 12/26 and my husband has to have a gluten-free diet. According to their website Carnival can accommodate this (at least on the dining rooms). Does anyone have any experience with this and how easy/difficult was it?

 

We just did a 12 night cruise from Vancouver to Hawaii and my mom needs a gluten free diet. Of all the different cruiselines I have done, this has been the best. There were a few gliches in the beginning, but for the most part it went well. They had bread, pasta, soups plus lots more gluten free. It worked best in the dining room. They said it would work in the lido (asking for gluten free bread), but it never worked.

 

Stefani

[lmkucala]

Wow - gluten-free bread?! There are very few restaurants that serve that so that's pretty good (even though I've never tried any gf bread that tastes any good).

[stefndoug]

Wow - gluten-free bread?! There are very few restaurants that serve that so that's pretty good (even though I've never tried any gf bread that tastes any good).

 

The pasta was amazing... you could barely tell the difference. They also would make soups with a gluten free thickener instead. So my mom had cream of brocolli soup one night. The bread was not bad. It tasted best toasted. There were some items that she couldn't have because they were prebreaded, or just made with gluten already. But if the kitchen could, they would make things specifically for her. The dining room even had a person who's job was to deal with special diets. It worked well and my mom was very happy with how it worked. The first few days they brought her food much later, but after some complaining, they brought all our food at the same time.

 

Stefani

[quickrate]

We just got back from the Spirit and my husband was given the royal treatment. An assistant maitre'd came to the table every night with the menu for the next evening letting him pick out what he wanted gluten free. Ask for the bread made with corn instead of rice-it's better!

Pat

[NCTribeFan]

Doesn't the OP need to contact Carnival well in advance, though, to specify the special diet?

 

OP, have you done that? You sail pretty soon.

[travelfourever]

It's very simple to do actually...I did it for my step mother yesterday.

 

Call Carnival (1-888-Carnival) and speak with a rep before sailing/asap. Tell them what you need and they will help you out. They tell you to then make sure you "remind" your waiter when you get on board.

 

There is another thread on this too...search on gluten free diet ccl

[NJCruiser23]

I traveled gluten free last April on the Glory. They were great. The hostess came to the table every night and I picked off the menu. Bread was ok and they had it at every meal for me. For breakfast in the dining room they made me gf frent toast and they made eggs benedict sans the english muffin. They even made warm chocolate melting cake gf and it was great. They really go out of their way for you. I don't remember that much of a delay in getting my food compared to my family. I guess I was just happy I could eat good food. I was diagnosed only a month before my cruise and I was freaking out. It went so well. Most people who need gf diet say they don't gain any weight on a cruise and I didn't think I would because of food restrictions. Well, not that I wanted to, I gained 2 pounds on this cruise. We had a great time. The only time I ever got sick was first lunch on lido deck when we first got on the ship. But that was my fault, I wasn't that careful. You can ask server at lido and they can help you with some info about the food.

 

Your DH will be just fine. But definitely contact carnival at special services. They can email you a form to fill out that you can print and fax to them. Definitely do this so they will have enough gluten free food aboard for your DH. Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise. I am jealous, we are not going again until next July. :)

[conchead]

The MDR and the buffet are always free.

No extra charge for glutens, unless it is in a specialty

restaurant or the coffee shop thing.:)

[najnelle]

I have Celiac Disease. I just returned a few weeks ago from the Splendor. I had excellent service from the dining room staff. The first night, they recommended that I order the grilled chicken. Each night the hostess brought the following days menu for me to choose breakfast, lunch, and dinner. They even made a special dessert for me one night with apples and raisins (like pie without the crust). They had gf bread, pasta, gf side dishes.

 

We went on the Behind the Scenes tour. The chef introduced us to the sous chef that prepared all my meals. They go to great lengths to meet your needs. Our dinner table mates loved to hear what was for dinner the next night.

[stefndoug]

They will also make you the chocolate melting cake without flour... you just have to ask for it the day before. I just wanted to emphasize this since my mom is a chocolate fan and she LOVED it.

[Krissta]

The MDR and the buffet are always free.

No extra charge for glutens, unless it is in a specialty

restaurant or the coffee shop thing.:)

 

Well played. ;)

[cruisequeen10]

We were on the HAL Veendam to Mexico (Sea of Cortez) in October and my mother had to order the night before for the next days dinner. The only thing wrong with that is she always was served 10 minutes after we all received our food. And when her food came, it was always cold. She wasn't impressed.

[Essiesmom]

I was on the Dream TA and on the one night of open dining (Bermuda) a member at the table said they had a gluten free vegan at their regular table, and he was well taken care of. I had a gluten free tablemate on Fascination, and he got excellent service from the dining room staff. EM

[stefndoug]

We were on the HAL Veendam to Mexico (Sea of Cortez) in October and my mother had to order the night before for the next days dinner. The only thing wrong with that is she always was served 10 minutes after we all received our food. And when her food came, it was always cold. She wasn't impressed.

 

we fixed that... we complained to the main maitre D after that happened to us a few times. We told him that if it happens again, we will all not eat until she gets our food... so don't bring our food until it is all together. Worked... you just have to get tough sometimes. We also had the issue that our wait staff got sick after the 3rd day, so we had new wait staff, so we had to be a little lenient with them.

[lmkucala]

Thanks everyone for the information and the advice! I've contacted Carnival and requested a form to let them know of his diet needs.

 

Sounds like he will eat better on the ship then at home!

 

Thanks!

Lisa

[bunchofbulls]

This is such a helpful thread for those of us with Celiac! My DD and I are both gluten intolerant. We are sailing on the Triumph in March. I told Carnival of our special dietary needs when we booked our cruise. The guest services representation noted it on our reservation and said to speak to the maitre'd when we board the ship.

I was told I did not need to fill out a form prior to cruising. Is this correct? The rep I spoke with didn't seem fully informed on dining room issues. Especially for my DD, I want to be sure there are gluten-free options. (BTW I did fill out a form for Camp Carnival which indicated what she could or could not have.)

Just curious if all of you gluten free cruisers filled out forms prior to cruising or not.

[ooulio]

I cruised last year on Carnival Freedom gf and had no problems. They were wonderful. I picked out my meals the day before too. They also made me GF Pizza to be served in the big dining room. It was the best gf pizza I have had. Good crust. Not like cardboard in most places. Only day it was a little later was the first day. After that I had the bread with jelly. It was pretty good. Pastas were good. I did try the chocolate melting cake gf. It was very good. Creme Brule is GF too. Excellent. Has anyone tried the Supper Club for gf? I have only eaten there regular for me. Yes I did fax back a form already. We are going on the Carnival Dream next month. Can't wait. I am ignoring the people who are trying to spoil it for me. They did that last year on the Freedom. We did that one twice. 2008 Eastern and 2009 Exotic Western. It was our Favorite ship. I have a harder time before we go on the cruise in a strange area. So hard trying to find gf food. I dread that more.

[bunchofbulls]

Yes I did fax back a form already. We are going on the Carnival Dream next month. Can't wait.

 

Ooulio, where did you get that form? Is it on Carnival's website or did they send it to you?

[nikkijohn]

I'm trying to find the form also. I called carnival last week and spoke with the dietary specialist and he told me that as of a little over a month the form was no longer needed for glutean free diets. He said that it had become the number diet request so they didn't "pre-order" stuff for it. Just to let our cabin steward know and the matre' D. So what is the right answer? I am taking my mom on her first cruise and I really want to make sure she gets to experience all of it....the food I mean :p. Especially because on land her choices in resturants are so limited.

[cmjb4ever]

IMO, Carnival handles special requests very well. I did not try to eat gluten-free, but I did eat vegan. The service was excellent in the MDR. I was even able to eat at Lido as long as I was careful what I picked. I had informed Carnival prior to sailing and then spoke with the M'd the first day on board.

[Max Circus]

The info is this thread is the answer to a long-running question on these boards. "When/how much would you tip your Maitre'D?"

 

If they took extra special care of a special dietary like this, they would get a very nice tip from me. This is above and beyond their normal duties.

[pinkbugs471]

Hi all. I too have celiacs. In March I will be on the Liberty. This will be my 8th Carnival Cruise. I have never filled out a form because of dietery needs. I was told to go see the M'aterdee (sp) when I boarded the ship. You tell him that you need a gluten free diet.

 

As everyone else has posted, the hostess will come to your table each evening to have you select your food for the following day.

[bunchofbulls]

Great! Thanks for the info! It's great to hear from others who have "been there, done that". :)

[pinkbarbie]

The info is this thread is the answer to a long-running question on these boards. "When/how much would you tip your Maitre'D?"

 

If they took extra special care of a special dietary like this, they would get a very nice tip from me. This is above and beyond their normal duties.

 

On the Conquest where they took such good care of our daughter, we not only tipped the waiters and Maitre'd but also the hostess, because she always found us at lunch on the lido and made sure we had what we needed. I would love to have her as hostess again sometime. My kids still talk about how uch they love her.