Shared Tables and Food Allergy Protocols

[nodumblond]

Taking Long Suffering Boyfriend (LSB) on his first cruise. Got late dining -- yeah, baby! Can't wait! :-)

 

Here's my dilemma: he's very allergic to raw onions and any kind of vegetable pepper (green, jalapeno, etc). He'll start sneezing if he even smells them, and if he ingests them, it's an express train to anaphyalctic shock city. So he really can't be at the same table with folks eating that kind of thing.

 

I'm a somewhat social creature and enjoy meeting new people over dinner for two or three days. But is it fair to waltz up to a group of folks we don't know and say, "hi! we'll be your tablemates! Could you please not order anything with raw onions or vegetable peppers while we're around?" (to say nothing of how mort LSB would be. he hates having a fuss made, even if it's to proactively keep him safe.)

 

So do we approach our table mates at the first dinner? Have our maitre'd 'scout out' our table assignment in advance to ask the table's patience? Just resign ourselves to having a table for two and being anti-social?

Any ideas? I don't want the guy to feel like a pariah, and it's the first time he's encountered this kind of thing.

 

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

Mary

 

 

 

I

[Starr Mtn]

Appears to me - a table for two would be the best alternative for you.

It doesn't seem worth it to expose anyone to those types of allergic reactions ... nor to limit total strangers to a list of items they could not order ..........

[GottaLuvCruising]

I'm inclined to agree with we2cruise. The only other thing I can think of is if you get to know people during the cruise who are willing to accept the restrictions, you might be able to dine with them.

[cali-croozer]

Even if you were at a table for two, the tables are close together and he'll be exposed anyway (or when the waiters go by). How does he manage in a regular, crowded restaurant? The same goes for the buffet; he's going to have to figure out how to handle that.

 

I don't know what you should do; people get so excited about food on a cruise, I don't think they're going to want to be told they can't order something. On the other hand, it might not be a big deal for some people. Your boyfriend doesn't want a big fuss made, why don't you ask him how he wants to handle it.

 

Hope everything works out.........................

[PurpleCow]

I agree, I think a table for two would be in order, if not room service. Wouldn't an antihistamine control the sneezing? Not that raw onions and /or peppers appear on the menus in the main dining room, except for salads, very often.

[wrp96]

You need to contact the cruiseline in advance and make sure that they are made aware of this. Many cruise lines have special needs departments that handle this. I know that RCI has a special department just to handle special food requests, specifically allergies.

 

Then when you get to the ship immediately go talk to the maitre d' to make sure he is aware of it as well. Do not wait until dinner time on the first night to make sure that this can be accomodated because by then it will be too late. If he's that allergic by smell alone, it won't just be your table that is affected but other tables near you as well that will need to be made aware. This will take advanced planning on the maitre d's part to make sure you are accommodated.

 

You are definitely better off sitting by yourself because there is no way you will be able to control what those around you order other than by completely eliminating menu options for those diners, and if he is that smell sensitive it wouldn't be just your table but the tables around you as well. I understand allergies (I have my own) and would definitely be accomodating as would many other people, but still many others wouldn't.

 

Please don't think of having a table for two as being anti-social. Instead look on it as a little extra time daily to have a relaxing, intimate dinner with your boyfriend. Then after dinner go hang out and be social with other people in the bars and discos where there's no allergies to worry about.

[Nliedel]

I agree, a table for two. You can be social after dinner. It would be grossly unfair to others to dictate what they can and cannot order and if you get a jerk at your table who does not care then you will have issues. I agree about contacting the cruiseline. Do it more than once. Make sure to bring an EXTRA epi pen just in case. I always pack two for a cruise (bees, not on the ship, but in port).

[MsBlue]

Very simple solution. Let your booking agent know of his allergies and they can advise the cruiseline prior to your cruise. I know Carnival does everything possible to ensure diner's well being as far as food preparation goes. As mentioned above, it's rare that RAW veggies appear except in salads or possibly as garnish.

 

Dining room seating shouldn't be a problem, either. Ask your agent to request a table-for-two. This may not be possible, and remember that ALL dining requests are just that - requests, not set in stone. Your best bet is to see the Maitre d' as soon as you board the ship, explain your problem, and I feel sure you'll have your table-for-two, even if they have to bring one into a corner somewhere. Good luck.

[CaptData]

Do contact the cruise line. You should have a table for two. Also once on board see the doctor and ensure they have a complete list of his allergies and what to do (meds). I agree about the salads, several have onion in them and some peppers. You should also ask for the menus ahead of time so that they can make it up without his food stuff. I do this for some of the things I had problems with before. The Mait'd had the menus for the week delivered to my stateroom. I ordered everything I wanted 24 hrs ahead. When I sat down they still gave me a menu but they knew my order and brought that. My table mates thought it was stange but when one of them found out she was upset that she had ordered something that I could not have. She loved it, so she wanted it.

[serene56]

if you get a jerk at your table who does not care then you will have issues..

 

Im not insentive to people with allergies..but when I am on vacation I would like to order stuff that sounds very good. SO loves Jalepena Peppers and would not care to be told he cant order them. Does not make us jerks though.

 

I agree with other people-- ask for a table for two. Seems unfair to ask people to give up food on a cruise.

[kitty9]

As someone with severe allergies and asthma, you're going to have a problem even if you have a table for two. He's going to be in close contact with any of those foods, even if you are alone at a table. The foods you mention are all over the ship in the restaurant, buffet and pizza place and the odor permeates every area where food is located. And you most certainly cannot ask 6 other people to limit what they eat on a cruise. Can you imagine paying big bucks for a cruise and then having a tablemate come and tell you that since they're allergic to meat you cannot order anything with meat in it? It's not fair to anyone.

 

You need to have your boyfriend speak with his doctor to see if this trip is even possible. I know that person's with peanut allergies can go into shock if they even smell peanuts, so if your boyfriend has problems just smelling vegetables, it's going to be a huge issue on a confined cruise ship because those vegetables are everywhere.

 

nliedel, I most certainly don't think that a person would be a "jerk" if they didn't want to bow to the dictates of someone with a food allergy. What if a tablemate came to you and said that since he as a severe allergy to many things that you are only allowed to order salads for dinner every night? How would you feel after paying so much money for a cruise? Being a jerk has nothing to do with this matter.

[tomc]

Here's my dilemma: he's very allergic to raw onions and any kind of vegetable pepper (green, jalapeno, etc). He'll start sneezing if he even smells them, and if he ingests them, it's an express train to anaphyalctic shock city. So he really can't be at the same table with folks eating that kind of thing.

 

I'm a somewhat social creature and enjoy meeting new people over dinner for two or three days. But is it fair to waltz up to a group of folks we don't know and say, "hi! we'll be your tablemates! Could you please not order anything with raw onions or vegetable peppers while we're around?"

 

I say this most gently and with only the best of intentions: Maybe cruising is not the vacation he should be taking. Dining rooms are fairly crowded, tables can be tight and it's Smell City. Delightful smells for most of us; unbearable for those with allergies.

[Nliedel]

I am not sure that this means he cannot cruise. Does he go to restaurants on land? If the answer is yes then a cruise should be no problem. Just follow the outlined precautions and if he is fine on land then he will be fine.

 

I have to agree, and have already stated but need to reiterate, that asking others to only order certain foods is beyond rude so just have hisdoctor write a letter with a full explaination asking for a table for two.

[nodumblond]

for which I'm most grateful.

 

Yes, we do eat out (as often as I can get away with it! :->) -- but, of course, then we're at a table for two and usually not on top of others as you are in a 'land' restaurant. And yeah, my first stop once on board was going to be the maitre'd.

 

As long as the raw onion isn't too powerful, usually taking a prescriptive Benadryl will keep it under control. Same thing with the pepper issue -- it just depends. (You should see us going grocery shopping. :->)

 

If worst comes to worst, we'll do all our dinner dining as room service. I'm not letting a little thing like food allergies keep him away from the great experience that is cruising. :-)

 

Thanks for the input.

[MrsPete]

Do contact the cruise line. You should have a table for two. Also once on board see the doctor and ensure they have a complete list of his allergies and what to do (meds).

What if he were seated at the far end of the table with you between him and the other diners as a "buffer"? Would that be far enough away?

 

If this wouldn't work, then it's better to go for the 2-person table. Since you'd be seated with strangers at the table, it's unfair to ask them to modify their dining choices to suit a tablemate. Also, I think that if the cruise line knows this ahead of time, they'll be willing to work with you to get a 2-person table.

[marvholly]

I do not know what line you are cruising. However, I have cruised Carnival, Celebrity and NCL. All since 2002. NONE have raw onions or peppers in any dish except maybe bell pepper on a salad in dine room or chopped on the buffet.