Food allergies - MDR?

[sapphiregem]

So the kids club tips post made me think...

 

If you have food allergies do you need to contact RCL before the cruise so that your table in MDR is safe for you?

 

Thanks

[reallyitsmema]

So the kids club tips post made me think...

 

If you have food allergies do you need to contact RCL before the cruise so that your table in MDR is safe for you?

 

Thanks

 

Yes, you should contact the special needs department. You should also talk to the head waiter the first night and depending on your allergy, they might have you order your food the night before so there are no issues.

[Clarea]

Email: [noparse]special_needs@rccl.com[/noparse].

[sapphiregem]

Thank you so much!!! Last thing my kids need on their first cruise..momma down n out!!

[cb at sea]

They won't change the menu for everyone at the table...just for you!

[lakelorain]

We contacted special needs for our last cruise and they told us to just talk to our head waiter and waiter. We had one gluten free, one nut allergy, one seafood allergy and a soy allergy at our table. The wait staff did a great job of making sure everyone received the appropriate food.

[BND]

I have a seafood allergy (shrimp for sure and I avoid all other shellfish/crustaceans, just in case). Fortunately, it's not anaphylactic. Unfortunately, it's gastrointestinal which can be not fun. Since it's not life-threatening, I just avoid them. We've dined with people with allergies like mine and with low sodium requirements which RCI deals with very well.

[bighairtexan]

My cruise mate has a garlic allergy. I know, how cruddy is THAT??? :eek: RCI dining room staff bent over backwards to accommodate her and made her totally off menu items. She didn't ask for them, she just wanted to be directed to less "garlicky" choices.

 

And yes she contacted them ahead of time.

Edited October 3, 2014 by bighairtexan

[prekteacher]

I have two children with nut allergies now that carry epipens. We contacted special needs department and like previous posters said will see maitre d and head waiter once on board. Our previous experience on freedom was amazing so hoping for the same piece of mind on allure. Hope all goes well with you!

 

Barb

[geocruiser]

I have a shell fish allergy and did let RCCL know about it when we booked via special needs department. I told the head waiter first night on board. It did no good. The first two night was just awful with the wait staff. Then I went to the maître d, (I believe the man I saw was in charge of the whole dinning room). I told him what was going on, and he move us to a table with a great wait staff. Problem solved.

[stellarose]

Son has severe food allergies to fish and nuts. I will email special needs department. It's already noted on reservation.

[Marie51]

I called the special needs dept because I wanted to actually talk to a person. They had our reservation flagged and went out of their way to be sure all was good.

[sapphiregem]

Thanks so much everyone. I do not need the whole table changed for me but I am anaphylactic to tree nuts (almonds mostly) and Honey. I will have my epipens on me and will do all the above as well.

 

Someone else mentioned a gastro food issue which I also have to Corn, slight crohn's disease, so I just learned to maintain myself by eating what i know i can handle. My son cannot eat pasta, diabolical I know for a 9 yr old, BUT I have educated him very well and he knows what he can also manage for his gastro issues.

 

Thank you ALL!!

[Chip and Dale]

Thanks so much everyone. I do not need the whole table changed for me but I am anaphylactic to tree nuts (almonds mostly) and Honey. I will have my epipens on me and will do all the above as well.

 

Someone else mentioned a gastro food issue which I also have to Corn, slight crohn's disease, so I just learned to maintain myself by eating what i know i can handle. My son cannot eat pasta, diabolical I know for a 9 yr old, BUT I have educated him very well and he knows what he can also manage for his gastro issues.

 

Thank you ALL!!

 

 

I have very severe serious allergies and also carry epipens at all times (serious - all seafood, mushrooms, tarragon and severe - wheat) . I always notify RCI before we cruise and receive the same email warning about the the Windjammer and have always been told to speak with the maitre d in the MDR on boarding which I used to do, but now find it is better to coral the head waiter and insist that he takes it seriously. My allergies are severe and limiting so on some ships they will make different foods for me and others they honestly don't know what the heck they are doing! We have cruised a great deal and have found that it is extreme opposites at times where one ship is uber-cautious and another is nonchalant and the wait staff don't understand and don't seem to care. I have actually had waiters make mistakes and bring me a seafood dish by accident , put mushrooms on my food which looked like onions (this was not a good time, even tho I ingested only a tiny piece and spit it out) and one of the dumbest was the head waiter on the last cruise telling me his suggestion for the next night was for me to have shrimp cocktail and a seafood entre. When I reminded him of my allergy to seafood, his comment was "well then don't eat that".

 

I am vigilant and cautious and watch out for myself. On our last cruise our friends could see how frustrated I was getting with the poor food choices and they actually contacted the Diamond Concierge to help me and this was the best idea ever! Things changed dramatically from that point on. I wouldn't automatically go to the Concierge straight away, they have enough to do, but in the future if I have difficulty in the dining room or a specialty restaurant I definitely will.

 

If we are traveling alone I request a table for 2 ( at reservation and I email RCI just before the cruise to request the table for 2) since my food is often slow and is ordered the night before, this won't slow others down. If we are traveling with friends, they are wonderful and have been incredibly patient with my needs. At times they are the ones insisting that I get something when there seems to be nothing available.

 

Be vigilant and when in doubt don't! If the wait staff does not take your problem seriously ask the maitre d for help, don't delay, take care of things ASAP.

Dee

[GalCruzer]

For my teenage daughter it was discovered as of April of this year that she has an allergy to cashews. Now I have filled out the paperwork for the teen club and activities stating this. But it sounds like it is still necessary to send an email as well?

[Clarea]

For my teenage daughter it was discovered as of April of this year that she has an allergy to cashews. Now I have filled out the paperwork for the teen club and activities stating this. But it sounds like it is still necessary to send an email as well?

I think it's a good idea to send an email to [noparse]special_needs@rccl.com[/noparse].

[sapphiregem]

chip and dale, I'm so sorry you have to deal with all that. I do believe we have to be our own advocates and I am not a push over or a pushy person, unless I have to be!!! All the replies have been super helpful as this is something I didn't think of booking the cruise, allergies are a way of life right!? Whenever I have traveled before I research the local restaurants and pretty much have them planned out, but this is totally different for me!!! Even port stops i will have to be very vigilant!!

[GalCruzer]

I think it's a good idea to send an email to [noparse]special_needs@rccl.com[/noparse].

 

Oops...Didn't pay attention to the sub-topic, just the topic of "food allergies". We are going on the Carnival Ecstasy. Thanks for the em address anyway, I will find the one I need.:)

[Chip and Dale]

chip and dale, I'm so sorry you have to deal with all that. I do believe we have to be our own advocates and I am not a push over or a pushy person, unless I have to be!!! All the replies have been super helpful as this is something I didn't think of booking the cruise, allergies are a way of life right!? Whenever I have traveled before I research the local restaurants and pretty much have them planned out, but this is totally different for me!!! Even port stops i will have to be very vigilant!!

 

Thanks:) It isn't so bad, I'm used to it and going into anaphylactic shock a few times really makes you pay attention and become smarter!

 

I think my allergies in some ways are easier to deal with than so many peoples' allergies to nuts, mine are pretty obvious, nuts can be hidden components in soooo many recipes, it can be quite scary.

 

Good luck. Lots of good advice on here. If you are vigilant you will enjoy your cruise and the ports:)

Dee

[ehfl]

... nuts can be hidden components in soooo many recipes, it can be quite scary.

 

Most people can be easily de-sensitize to nut allergies with a simple clinical program. I know it involves a few weeks of inconvenience, but isn't this better than a lifetime of fretting about every food item around you, or always having to carry an epi-pen? I'm not saying people shouldn't be concerned, if they have a real issue. I'm just wondering if people are overlooking simpler options?

[sapphiregem]

ehfl i agree with you completely...unfortunately i developed my allergy to almonds about 2 yrs ago and they haven't figured out why so I can't par-take in any trials/programs. And my first reaction (even after having almonds before and none) was my throat immediately closing and itching and I couldn't stop coughing. All I had was a pastry made with Almond Paste!!

 

Very odd I know. But otherwise I believe everyone should get into a program for Nut and/or lagoon allergies.

[Ourusualbeach]

I have very severe serious allergies and also carry epipens at all times (serious - all seafood, mushrooms, tarragon and severe - wheat) . I always notify RCI before we cruise and receive the same email warning about the the Windjammer and have always been told to speak with the maitre d in the MDR on boarding which I used to do, but now find it is better to coral the head waiter and insist that he takes it seriously. My allergies are severe and limiting so on some ships they will make different foods for me and others they honestly don't know what the heck they are doing! We have cruised a great deal and have found that it is extreme opposites at times where one ship is uber-cautious and another is nonchalant and the wait staff don't understand and don't seem to care. I have actually had waiters make mistakes and bring me a seafood dish by accident , put mushrooms on my food which looked like onions (this was not a good time, even tho I ingested only a tiny piece and spit it out) and one of the dumbest was the head waiter on the last cruise telling me his suggestion for the next night was for me to have shrimp cocktail and a seafood entre. When I reminded him of my allergy to seafood, his comment was "well then don't eat that".

 

I am vigilant and cautious and watch out for myself. On our last cruise our friends could see how frustrated I was getting with the poor food choices and they actually contacted the Diamond Concierge to help me and this was the best idea ever! Things changed dramatically from that point on. I wouldn't automatically go to the Concierge straight away, they have enough to do, but in the future if I have difficulty in the dining room or a specialty restaurant I definitely will.

 

If we are traveling alone I request a table for 2 ( at reservation and I email RCI just before the cruise to request the table for 2) since my food is often slow and is ordered the night before, this won't slow others down. If we are traveling with friends, they are wonderful and have been incredibly patient with my needs. At times they are the ones insisting that I get something when there seems to be nothing available.

 

Be vigilant and when in doubt don't! If the wait staff does not take your problem seriously ask the maitre d for help, don't delay, take care of things ASAP.

Dee

 

Your post is exactly what our experiences have been like. It can be night and day from one cruise to the next and we have even seen it change drastically on B2B's

 

You really do need to be your own advocate and stand up and speak put when it is not going well. We too have found that the key person is the head waiter and not the maitre d.

[TigerLady]

So the kids club tips post made me think...

 

If you have food allergies do you need to contact RCL before the cruise so that your table in MDR is safe for you?

 

Thanks

 

YES... If it is a severe allergy, like I have, they have to prepare your food on a separate line, form the rest of the food, as not to cross contaminate..