B2B Monarch/Brilliance with A SOY DAIRY GLUTEN CORN SUGAR FREE KID*ALLERGIC TO CRAB*

[foxesden1]

After a quick ships tour, I headed over to Windjammer - very different experience from Monarch, right from the start. I walked up and saw the dining room manager (On Monarch, all the Managers/chefs knew who I was and what I needed, so at any given time I could have someone help me). I was told (I would not say rude, maybe short? tone of voice.. ) to see the chef, and I was dismissed. No idea who or where I would find him.. I walked away feeling a tad bit like a child. NOT a great start..

 

I was able to find someone to help me - and get a burger going for Miss Em. As happened on the last trip, the staff hears gluten free.. and not the rest of the foods she can't eat.. so while her burger was done, i had to wait 10min for them to get and toast a gluten free bun.. which I had already explained my daughter could not eat. Not worth getting stressed about I took it and gave it to my FIL to eat.

 

After that meal, I really never went into WJ for my daughter. It was clear that they would be not my best connection for food.

 

 

 

 

 

[foxesden1]

 

 

 

 

After lunch I went down to the dining room, to see about getting dinner organized for my daughter.

[foxesden1]

It was after one, so I was hoping someone would be there to speak too. No such luck but a staff member was kind enough to to check in the kitchen, I overheard ones of the chef's saying "I am not going to keep a guest waiting.. " and out came Mr. Wonderful.. LOL

 

 

We set up a menu for Miss Em, and he made fresh broth for her daily. (Anyone who knows about the GAPS diet knows who important this is to regain the full function of a leaky gut.

 

He took her on a tour of the Galley - and off we went. I was VERY happy.

 

 

 

 

 

I emailed in advance and requested a table for five window seat.

[foxesden1]

 

Whoops, Miss Em's lunch the first day.

 

 

Great sweets my DH and I shared.

 

 

Unlike last trip where I tried my best to keep Miss Em out of the Windjammer - on the first day she wanted to see what foods they had that she could eat. She also wanted to visit the chef with me. I think its great shes understanding at such a young age, she is going to need to advocate for her self, and any special needs she may have. I took her on a tour of the Windjammer (again this was first day, we really never ate here again after that) and I could see my daughter felt very empowered. She would look at foods and say I can't have that, and then state why. She deduced correctly the only things she could have would be salad, chopped egg, and steamed rice. Once in a while some cantaloupe/watermelon. She felt in control, and that is great!

[foxesden1]

We went down to check out our inside, and thankfully it was larger then our outside on Monarch. We decided we liked inside cabins if they were large enough to hold a seating area. Our DD slept every well in them, and they were quite. (Plus much less money allowing us to cruise more often!). :D

 

 

 

 

Our coupon books arrived but not my daughters.

 

 

 

I was growing to hate shower curtains very quickly on RCL.

[foxesden1]

 

 

Now this I found funny. We were on a cruise, which clearly had a Bureo de Change on it, the compass told you which currency used used in the the country we were were visiting.. but DAILY like clockwork I could hear people go on and on about the French Islands not taking US money.. (not quite true more on that later).

[foxesden1]

 

Now this was a disappointment, every time we tried to go to Sea view it was either closed, or not serving what we wanted..(Fish and Chips and Onion Rings). So we never ate there.

 

 

 

 

 

We did not spend much time up on the Sports Deck as the cruise was very port intensive. My DD and DH rock climbed once, and we played Mini Golf once.

[foxesden1]

 

 

 

 

 

[foxesden1]

Just a heads up Girl Scout Cooke sales start Sunday - and I am a troop leader with upwards of 25 girls, so I will be MIA for a few days!

[foxesden1]

Just checking to see if anyone is reading this before I put another few hours into it. :D

[greatlakesgirl]

I'm still following! As the mom of a nut and dairy allergic daughter, I'm definitely paying attention! Thanks so much for your review! :) :)

[loeytalldog]

Just checking to see if anyone is reading this before I put another few hours into it. :D

 

I'm reading too! You are doing a great job! And your daughter is a cutie!

 

Lois

[troynuke]

I'm reading. My kids don't have allergies but I find it amazing the amount of planning and research you do for your trips. Your organization is remarkable. Your daughters understanding and knowing what she is allowed is also pretty incredible for her age.

[NorbertsNiece]

I'm here :D

[mollanjake]

I'm reading too!

 

YOU ARE A GREAT MOM! Not sure I can handle all that you do.

 

Good Luck with the GS Cookies sales! We sold them in the fall here in KS.

[nerak2780]

I'm here too!

My family is going on the Brilliance in October (NE/Canada out of Boston) and one member of our party has Celiac's so this trip report is extra useful! :D

[audome78]

Please...more.

[JaneStarr]

I'm really enjoying your review. Thanks for your obvious hard work and attention to detail! It's wonderful that you are arming your adorable DD with the tools to fend for herself :)

I have a shell-fish allergy and ran into a problem in the Windjammer on Jewel OTS once. Took a scoop of clearly labeled "Vegetable fried rice" only to find baby shrimp in my second bite. Fortunately, my allergy is not "life-threatening", at this point. I "just" get several hours of terrible GI symptoms akin to food-poisoning (or Noro).

Was especially upset because that was the day of our special Alaska hellicopter to the top of a glacier/dog-sled excursion. I loaded myself up with Benedryl, which fortunately headed off GI symptoms. Was not happy to be walking around in such a sedated state. The manager in WJ didn't seem all that concerned. (I had contacted special needs dept before sailing. My instructions were to tell head waiter in restaurant and find a manager in the WJ to show me what was safe to eat.)

 

These days, I try to avoid ship buffets when possible. Really wish they offered one egg/omelet station w/o shrimp option. Some of the friendly cooks don't understand that just wiping out the pan before making a shellfish-free omelet isn't enough. Once, I got the message across to use a clean pan, but the chef proceeded to use a shared spatula...I didn't have the heart to have him start over...just gave DH the omelet and got cereal.

Jane

[foxesden1]

thanks guys! just checking to see if ANYONE was out there! LOL I am TRYING to put my Xmas tree away, and making dinner "cockpot ya!" I should get a hour before I have to car pool and I will update then.

 

cookie sales are going good, my DD got 107 boxes so far - :D her personal goal is 350 - the troop goal is 4500! :eek:

 

I take Miss DD to the GI clinic next week - hope to have a update soon!

 

 

T

[Snoopycollector]

ABSOLUTELY !!! I look forward to the rest !! Not only for the great pics but because I too, have seafood/shellfish -- peanut and tree nut allergies -- very severe (like avoid MDR when they serve lobster due to the smell.) I like to know others' experiences on RC with dining issues, just in case.

 

Like Miss Em - I learned what I could have and needed to avoid at a very young age; she has my greatest empathy. I am probably not so sensitive to things like "manufactured in a facility" notes as she is... but that doesn't mean my husband can ever eat a Snickers bar in my presence. Thankfully he doesn't like seafood and he's my greatest champion when dining with others who want to order seafood (and who already know that I'm allergic.)

 

I truly hope she grows out of many of these -- my seafood issue seems to have gotten more sensitive with age. I can't have anything that has shared a refrigerator with it.

 

And may I suggest Children's Benadryl for the poster above me ?? Regular puts me out for 2 days but Children's stops the reaction without drowsiness. The meltables don't taste too bad.

 

Patiently waiting for the rest !!! :D

 

Sandy

[GraphicsChyk]

Just checking to see if anyone is reading this before I put another few hours into it. :D

 

Me! I'm following along!

[kernow]

I'm reading too and looking forward to the next instalment.

 

I remember you and Miss Em well from the Liberty TA, such a shame that she has to eat such a restrictive diet now, hope things will improve as time goes on.

 

We are doing a b2b on Brilliance in a few weeks so can't wait to hear more. Do you happen to know if the Seaview cafe was open for lunch on embarkation day, its our first time on a Radiance class and we can't wait to try it.

 

Julie

[MOSusan]

Enjoying your thread. I was Cookie Mom for 5 years, never had a troop as large as your's but I know that I can fit 2000 boxes of cookies in my Chrysler Mini Van! :D

[CruiseTherapy]

Beeeeutiful daughter....I applaud your resiliance!! I know I couldn't muster the energy you have to deal with all this. But I realize, you do what you gotta do! And why let this interupt your lives...life goes on.....Bravo! She'll probably grow up much healthier than any of us!

[foxesden1]