Dumb, Dumb, DUMB Camp Carnival Food Allergy Form!!!

[ekatiel]

We are sailing on the Conquest in just under a month. My 5 year old has allergies to eggs and nuts. I have called the special needs department and informed them of DS's allergies, so we're set on that front (and I plan to bring on a bunch of foods since they can't tell me what's in their food until we are on board). However, I just went online and looked at the camp Carnival forms and saw the food allergy form :eek:. It has a ton of foods listed on the form, and you are supposed to circle which foods your child can't have. That would be great, except it doesn't mention the INGREDIENTS of any of the foods :confused:. Some things are no-brainers like the fruits and veggies section, or even where they mention brand name cereals. BUT, it has things like "hamburgers" and "chicken nuggets" on the list. Well, 9/10 times DS CAN have a hamburger, but occasionally, the buns have egg in them. Same with nuggets-- some nuggets are fine, others have egg. I sure hope they know what's in the food when I bring the form to Camp Carnival, but I'm a little worried that they won't. I'm considering circling the entire form and institituting a "do not feed" policy with DS in the camp. Anybody have experience with this?? --Katie

[Ehpride]

I would just state exactly what you wrote. That he can have hamburgers or nuggets unless there is egg in them. Put that he can't have eggs or nuts and you will need to verify individual foods based on specific ingredients.

[shipty2]

My son has been going to camp carnival since he was 4 years old and is 15 now. After ten cruises he has never eaten with them. He has always gone for specific activities but eaten with us.

[BARBARA J.W.]

We are sailing on the Conquest in just under a month. My 5 year old has allergies to eggs and nuts. I have called the special needs department and informed them of DS's allergies, so we're set on that front (and I plan to bring on a bunch of foods since they can't tell me what's in their food until we are on board). However, I just went online and looked at the camp Carnival forms and saw the food allergy form :eek:. It has a ton of foods listed on the form, and you are supposed to circle which foods your child can't have. That would be great, except it doesn't mention the INGREDIENTS of any of the foods :confused:. Some things are no-brainers like the fruits and veggies section, or even where they mention brand name cereals. BUT, it has things like "hamburgers" and "chicken nuggets" on the list. Well, 9/10 times DS CAN have a hamburger, but occasionally, the buns have egg in them. Same with nuggets-- some nuggets are fine, others have egg. I sure hope they know what's in the food when I bring the form to Camp Carnival, but I'm a little worried that they won't. I'm considering circling the entire form and institituting a "do not feed" policy with DS in the camp. Anybody have experience with this?? --Katie

 

Do you plan on your son eating with

Camp Carnival at night in the lido.?

While you go to the Formal Dining Room...

They feed the Children pizza,hot dogs,fries,

& ice-cream....

Or you could feed him before he goes...

[ekatiel]

I do not plan on letting him eat with the camp (unless I feel REALLY comfortable with the counselors and he BEGS me-- I would hope that I'd be allowed to load up a plate for him before hand). Eating in the MDR with us is much safer. Is the form only for eating dinner with the camp or is it for other times, too-- Do they have snacks, etc in camp? Or activities that involve food?

[jbknits]

:eek: I don't think I would have him eat there...or at least no prepared foods.

[BARBARA J.W.]

I do not plan on letting him eat with the camp (unless I feel REALLY comfortable with the counselors and he BEGS me-- I would hope that I'd be allowed to load up a plate for him before hand). Eating in the MDR with us is much safer. Is the form only for eating dinner with the camp or is it for other times, too-- Do they have snacks, etc in camp? Or activities that involve food?

 

I have seen them at night in the Lido..

The Children sit at the tables.

The Counselors serve the Children...

It's pizza & or a hot dog & fries.....

You may want to take him with you

to dinner then meet Camp Carnival later

when they go back to their area.....

[arabrab]

If it is a serious allergy, I wouldn't trust Carnival (or any other cruiseline's) children's camp staff to be fully aware of hidden ingredients. Maybe last week the buns didn't have egg, but the supplier they got them from this week does use egg.

[BARBARA J.W.]

 

Hello arabrab

 

I am guessing your name is BARBARA...

[gazingm42]

I am also have a allergy to eggs and nuts. I have not had a issue to be honest

with you. I talk with the MD/waiter the 1st night. They will bring out the one

of the head cooks and talk with me about the menus. I can ask question such

as these. They are really good to know what ingredients are in different items

to tell you what to avoid.

 

The camp is also very good about watch for allergy issues. Talk with them as

well on the 1st night and explain your concern. I have one child who as some

minor issues and never had a issue with them feeding him anything to cause

a issue.

[cantwait06]

My daughter didn't eat dinner with them but they did give her a snack one time. I personally would institute a "no feeding" policy with them. They didn't say they were going to give the kids a snack at the time my dd was there, they just did. Maybe you could leave your own snacks with them just in case it happens to be a snack time when your son is there, so he won't be left out? But otherwise, I wouldn't risk it. Even if they are aware of the allergies they might not realize that some foods contain eggs or traces of nuts.

[PaulMedik]

We are sailing on the Conquest in just under a month. My 5 year old has allergies to eggs and nuts. I have called the special needs department and informed them of DS's allergies, so we're set on that front (and I plan to bring on a bunch of foods since they can't tell me what's in their food until we are on board). However, I just went online and looked at the camp Carnival forms and saw the food allergy form :eek:. It has a ton of foods listed on the form, and you are supposed to circle which foods your child can't have. That would be great, except it doesn't mention the INGREDIENTS of any of the foods :confused:. Some things are no-brainers like the fruits and veggies section, or even where they mention brand name cereals. BUT, it has things like "hamburgers" and "chicken nuggets" on the list. Well, 9/10 times DS CAN have a hamburger, but occasionally, the buns have egg in them. Same with nuggets-- some nuggets are fine, others have egg. I sure hope they know what's in the food when I bring the form to Camp Carnival, but I'm a little worried that they won't. I'm considering circling the entire form and institituting a "do not feed" policy with DS in the camp. Anybody have experience with this?? --Katie

 

Katie,

 

On the form in the General section there is the option for Eggs. There is also an 'Other' section for you to list specific allergies. Foods that contain eggs as an ingredient also lists eggs such as fried rice contains eggs. Copied below is a picture of the actual form. I circled eggs and added eggs to the 'Other' section. You can print it out and add Nuts and you're all set;

 

[A&Jfamily]

We are sailing on the Conquest in just under a month. My 5 year old has allergies to eggs and nuts. I have called the special needs department and informed them of DS's allergies, so we're set on that front (and I plan to bring on a bunch of foods since they can't tell me what's in their food until we are on board). However, I just went online and looked at the camp Carnival forms and saw the food allergy form :eek:. It has a ton of foods listed on the form, and you are supposed to circle which foods your child can't have. That would be great, except it doesn't mention the INGREDIENTS of any of the foods :confused:. Some things are no-brainers like the fruits and veggies section, or even where they mention brand name cereals. BUT, it has things like "hamburgers" and "chicken nuggets" on the list. Well, 9/10 times DS CAN have a hamburger, but occasionally, the buns have egg in them. Same with nuggets-- some nuggets are fine, others have egg. I sure hope they know what's in the food when I bring the form to Camp Carnival, but I'm a little worried that they won't. I'm considering circling the entire form and institituting a "do not feed" policy with DS in the camp. Anybody have experience with this?? --Katie

 

I understand your frustration and concern for your child; my best friend's daughter has a peanut allergy. But since you are asking this question, it appears that you have not cruise with CCL before. As other posters have written, they are excellent at dealing with food allergies.

 

Please try not to be so harsh about their form. Honestly, most kids do not have to deal with these issues. And can you imagine what the form would look like if it listed all the ingredients of everything that was a possibility that the child could eat? It would be unmanagable.

 

They don't often feed the kids in camp because, unless you are leaving your child with them while you are in port, the hours are pretty broken up: 9-12, 2-5, 7-10.

 

The easiest thing to tell them is no food. Also, when you drop him off, remind him not to eat anything that you haven't given him. Have him eat his meals with you. Then you will not be worried, and can relax and enjoy your vacation.

[uppitycats]

Assuming that's a copy of the actual form, it isn't dumb at all, but really quite comprehensive. No one should expect someone else to be fully aware of every ingredient in every food item, or be aware of every special need of an individual, except that individual (or guardian) or the chef who prepares the food.

 

So if you're sure that your child's allergies are so very severe that he's at risk if he is near or consumes food that you haven't approved of...then tell him not to eat anything unless you've approved it, and you haven't approved food in the kid's program. Then be sure you get him and bring him to meals in the MDR, where you have sat down the day before, gone over the menu with the chefs, and know what is in the food..or not in the food..and what is acceptable for him to eat.

[gaylensgigi]

Plan on your child begging to eat with them,my grandson wanted too.When I asked him if he didnt want to eat with us,he just said"Gigi,I always eat with you, I want to eat just once with my friends".The menu was limited..grilled cheese sammies, hot dogs and the others that have already been listed here.When you go to register your child on the first day of the cruise,bring up the allergies and your concerns at that time.That gives you a contact person who you can go to, as well as informs whoever is over the agegroup for your child. Have a great cruise:)

[jam82]

Camp Carnival sometimes serves snacks. I think th snack is usually cookies, I would assume these could contain nuts and eggs.

[ekatiel]

I am also have a allergy to eggs and nuts. I have not had a issue to be honest

with you. I talk with the MD/waiter the 1st night. They will bring out the one

of the head cooks and talk with me about the menus. I can ask question such

as these. They are really good to know what ingredients are in different items

to tell you what to avoid.

 

The camp is also very good about watch for allergy issues. Talk with them as

well on the 1st night and explain your concern. I have one child who as some

minor issues and never had a issue with them feeding him anything to cause

a issue.

 

If you don't mind sharing, do you remember if the ice cream (on the lido deck or the stuff in the MDR) had eggs in it or traces of nuts? No one at Carnival can tell me, and it will be difficult to bring ice cream with me, so I'd rather not if I don't have to. Also, how about most of the bread products like the hamburger buns, hot dog buns, pizza crust, etc? Did these contain eggs? Thanks SO much if you remember!!! I know that suppliers can change, and I will certainly double check when we get there, but it would be nice to have some kind of idea!

 

Katie,

 

On the form in the General section there is the option for Eggs. There is also an 'Other' section for you to list specific allergies. Foods that contain eggs as an ingredient also lists eggs such as fried rice contains eggs. Copied below is a picture of the actual form. I circled eggs and added eggs to the 'Other' section. You can print it out and add Nuts and you're all set;

 

This is the form I was looking at. Yes, it does mention eggs as an ingredient in the fried rice, but it also lists items like "muffins" and "chocolate chip cookies", which I'm 99% sure contain eggs, and it does NOT mention that these items contain eggs. So, it is a very incomplete list.

 

To the PP who said that the list would be crazy if they listed all allergens: It really could be done quite simply. Eight food allergens account for over 90% of all food allergies. They could simply list the food in the first column of a 9 column document, and then list the top eight allergens in the other columns. Then, they'd simply need to X the column if a food item contains a certain ingredient. Most fastfood restaurants have lists like these on their websites for their entire menus. Here's a link to Sonic's list as an example: http://www.sonicdrivein.com/pdfs/menu/Sonic_Allergen_Table_9-30-08.pdf Many restaurants also list the complete ingredients in a separate form so that those who have less common allergies can read all the ingredients. Those lists ARE long!! The main problem Carnival would have with keeping such a list is changing suppliers. The form would need to be updated each time they changed suppliers. Other major restaurants and even cruise lines (like Disney-- which we can't afford :() manage to keep updated lists, though.

 

I did not book this cruise thinking that Carnival would be wonderful about food allergies like Disney is (and am prepared to bring food on for DS), but since they have a food allergy form, I was hoping that it would at least be a workable form. The form above is not a workable form for those with food allergies. There is no way to tell what allergens are contained in each item. --Katie

[Athankfulheart]

I think you could ask ahead of time which snacks are being served. My kids have had pretzels, chips, goldfish crackers and water. Those are the only things that were offered on the Carnival ships for snack. When you drop him off, perhaps you can ask what snack is available that day and approve/disapprove it right then.

 

On our December sailing on the Magic my 10 and 9yo's did not spend very much time at camp but on other sailings they have. One thing they did enjoy was dinner with camp. They set it up on the closed side of the lido buffet and rope off a small area. The kids were gone before that side of the buffet opened up for the passengers. The staff appeared to be very diligent and careful about everything and I wouldn't hesitate to offer this to your child if it sounds fun to them. It was offered several times on this particular sailing. They offered pizza, grilled cheese and I believe ham and cheese sandwiches.

 

My 9yo was allergic to peanuts until he was between 5 & 6 years old. He only cruised once during this time and I felt very confident about how the allergy was handled both in the restaurants as well as in camp. He "outgrew" his peanut allergy - which is highly uncommon for this particular allergy and we are very grateful for that. I have another son who is on a no dairy diet. Things have gone well with him too. Have sailed with a friend who has Crohns and another child with an egg allergy. They really do an impeccable job in my opinion.

[RuthlessBoss]

I think you could ask ahead of time which snacks are being served. My kids have had pretzels, chips, goldfish crackers and water. Those are the only things that were offered on the Carnival ships for snack. When you drop him off, perhaps you can ask what snack is available that day and approve/disapprove it right then.

 

On our December sailing on the Magic my 10 and 9yo's did not spend very much time at camp but on other sailings they have. One thing they did enjoy was dinner with camp. They set it up on the closed side of the lido buffet and rope off a small area. The kids were gone before that side of the buffet opened up for the passengers. The staff appeared to be very diligent and careful about everything and I wouldn't hesitate to offer this to your child if it sounds fun to them. It was offered several times on this particular sailing. They offered pizza, grilled cheese and I believe ham and cheese sandwiches.

 

My 9yo was allergic to peanuts until he was between 5 & 6 years old. He only cruised once during this time and I felt very confident about how the allergy was handled both in the restaurants as well as in camp. He "outgrew" his peanut allergy - which is highly uncommon for this particular allergy and we are very grateful for that. I have another son who is on a no dairy diet. Things have gone well with him too. Have sailed with a friend who has Crohns and another child with an egg allergy. They really do an impeccable job in my opinion.

 

They took that cruise 5 years ago, and on others since.;)

[alymb03]

Our next cruise will be my 8 year old's second cruise. He has egg, peanut and tree nut allergies. We did not and will not allow him to eat in Camp Carnival. No biggie and is much easier/safer for everyone involved. Don't trust other people to be as diligent in allergy safety as you are.

Edited January 7, 2016 by alymb03

[MaiTaiMary]

My kids were never fed any snacks in Camp Carnival. Or lunch. They just fed them dinner, I believe. In your situation, I would be much more comfortable just taking him to dinner where you can ask specific questions.

[cruiseonthebrain]

I did not even know that you could contact special needs about food allergies- was that for food in the MDR? I am never far away from a small collection of epipens- but this info is very helpful.

[Crusin5252]

Our next cruise will be my 8 year old's second cruise. He has egg, peanut and tree nut allergies. We did not and will not allow him to eat in Camp Carnival. No biggie and is much easier/safer for everyone involved. Don't trust other people to be as diligent in allergy safety as you are.

 

Our granddaughter is allergic to peanuts and tree nuts. If she were to Camp Carnival, we would not let her eat there. Take snacks with you that they gave give during snack times. Our granddaughter is used to this at school. You never know when cross contimination can occur. Also make them aware of the severity of the allergy. if a child who has eaten a peanut butter sandwich and touches an object and then our GD touches the object she will welt up and her eyes will swell shut and her throat may start swelling. if she actually ingests anything with nuts or something that has been cross contaminated, she will stop breathing very quickly. At school, every child has to wash with soap and water after eating. if birthday snacks are eaten on desks, all desks are washed off. I would talk to them and see what kind of precautions they would take and make sure they give you a beeper so they can contact you immediately. Our doctor said Disney World is the safest vacation spot for peanut allergy children.

[SFplusP]

Haven't read all the replies so forgive me if this has been said. They will feed snacks, but not things like chicken nuggets for snack. That would only be at dinner, or for lunch on a port day if you left him on board. Those are the only times they feed them meal type food. Otherwise it will be things like pretzels, goldfish crackers, etc.

[exarkkun]

An epi-pen is your friend.

 

 

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