Gluten-free questions

[goofysmom99]

I have to abide by a GF diet (celiac/coeliac for 12 yrs) and, having recently booked my first AZ cruise, I have some questions about GF options on board. I know what the menus say and about ordering a day ahead, etc., but would appreciate some first-hand input from someone who has actually eaten GF for 2+ weeks.

 

Are there GF hamburger buns?

Brand of GF bread? (Celebrity uses/used Canyon Bakehouse on my last European and TA cruises - great stuff and it's what I buy at home now.)

Any GF pasta options?

Pizza? And if so, is it edible? Celebrity pizza crust (made on board of rice flour only) is awful. HAL had premade crusts which were good (actually, that's relative - they were edible).

GF soy sauce?

Hard cider? GF beer (usually yucky but I really enjoy Green's with GF pizza when I'm in the UK)?

Any cookies/munchies to go with coffee/tea? Should I bring my own?

 

I know these are rather specific questions but for someone on a restricted diet, the little things can really make or break a cruise. It's why, after 3 wretched cruises in succession, I gave up on RCI altogether.

 

Anyway, I've heard great things about AZ and am hoping they handle GF as well as Celebrity does now. Thanks in advance to anyone who knows.

[sparty1]

I've tried answering goofysmom99 GF questions, but I can't seem to post it as a quote plus answers? I'll try as new post:

Yes, they have buns, pizza and Soy sauce, and pasta. Yes they have GF desserts(even GF scones)

[sczcardfan]

Don't know how helpful this is, as my memory has reached a point that I can't remember specifics from my last Azamara voyage. But my aunt who has to eat gluten free is a huge fan of Azamara and (like all too many of us) is much more worried about eating too much while on the cruise than struggling to find good things to eat.

 

I don't recall any gluten free beer (and don't see any on the beer package list on Azamara's website) -- my aunt would have been enjoying wine regardless of the existence of any gf beer.

[BBMacLaird]

A few months ago I wrote a blog outlining how important it is to us to handle Food Allergies properly.

Please be sure to note your FA on your profile, and plan to meet with the Restaurant Manager on the first day.

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/blog/food-allergies-and-cruising-everything-you-need-know

[excitedofharpenden]

Ruth, I can't answer the GF questions (except that the GF financiers are delicious as are the cookies!), but just to say welcome to your first Azamara cruise!:cool: I hope you are well.

 

Phil

Edited July 9, 2016 by excitedofharpenden

[goofysmom99]

Ruth, I can't answer the GF questions (except that the GF financiers are delicious as are the cookies!), but just to say welcome to your first Azamara cruise!:cool: I hope you are well.

 

Phil

 

Hi Phil! Based on your reviews and feedback from some of our mutual friends, I decided to take the plunge ;) with AZ. The included beverages, gratuities, and reasonable single supplement look to be a better fit for me than X. X's 200% single supplement really frosts me. They raised their prices, included beverages and such, but still kept the same single supplement (I don't drink twice as much because I'm solo). I'm probably done with that except for a last-minute TA booking now and then.

 

Bonnie, thanks for the link. Pretty pictures. :D I'm hungry.

 

And thank you to sparty1 and sczcardfan. Nice to know I don't need to haul as much with me. While I usually don't have problems with restaurants on shore, it's good to be prepared so I'll still throw in protein bars and nuts for full day shore excursions.

[Sabbycat]

I have to abide by a GF diet (celiac/coeliac for 12 yrs) and, having recently booked my first AZ cruise, I have some questions about GF options on board. I know what the menus say and about ordering a day ahead, etc., but would appreciate some first-hand input from someone who has actually eaten GF for 2+ weeks.

 

Are there GF hamburger buns? No

Brand of GF bread? (Celebrity uses/used Canyon Bakehouse on my last European and TA cruises - great stuff and it's what I buy at home now.) it is not very goodAny GF pasta options?

Pizza? And if so, is it edible? Celebrity pizza crust (made on board of rice flour only) is awful. HAL had premade crusts which were good (actually, that's relative - they were edible). No

GF soy sauce? Do not remember

Hard cider? GF beer (usually yucky but I really enjoy Green's with GF pizza when I'm in the UK)?Call AZ ahead of time and they will order GF beer of your choice. I had them order Dura Damm when I was cruising in 2014. This is the brand X uses so I figured it would be easiest. Don't know about cider

Any cookies/munchies to go with coffee/tea? Should I bring my own? I do not remember.

 

I know these are rather specific questions but for someone on a restricted diet, the little things can really make or break a cruise. It's why, after 3 wretched cruises in succession, I gave up on RCI altogether.

 

Anyway, I've heard great things about AZ and am hoping they handle GF as well as Celebrity does now. Thanks in advance to anyone who knows.

 

I too cannot consume gluten and found that Azamara, while not as easy as X, was good. I loved that they ordered my beer for me but I did have to pay $5.75 (i think), per beer. The evening dinners are a breeze for GF, but the buffet is not quite as easy. Talk to the chef in the buffet.

 

They had pasta - rice.

 

Honestly, I find AZ fine for a restricted diet. No worries. I can be rather fussy (less so since diagnose), but they are very careful and helpful.

[excitedofharpenden]

 

And thank you to sparty1 and sczcardfan. Nice to know I don't need to haul as much with me. While I usually don't have problems with restaurants on shore, it's good to be prepared so I'll still throw in protein bars and nuts for full day shore excursions.

 

A little tip Ruth. If you go to Mosaic Cafe of a morning they should have some cookie jars with GF cookies. Ask the server there if they'd put three or four of them in a coffee take out mug for you.

 

As a solo traveller I too find the 200% supplement on Celebrity costly and I can do better on Azamara. There seems to have been many more 125% cruises available this year and I'm hoping this continues. The fact that I love the Azamara product is a bonus. Well, I most likely wouldn't cruise them if I didn't like them! Enjoy the TA. It's early days. You never know I might be on it. I've done three TAs on Journey and loved each one.

 

Phil

Edited July 10, 2016 by excitedofharpenden

[upwarduk]

Enjoy the TA. It's early days. You never know I might be on it. I've done three TAs on Journey and loved each one.

 

Would love to meet you Phil on Quest TA 09/09/16.

[excitedofharpenden]

Would love to meet you Phil on Quest TA 09/09/16.

 

Jackie, I would have enjoyed that. I looked at it a little while ago, but will now be on Journey 23rd September.

 

Phil

[sparty1]

I see someone else says they had no GF buns. I'm sorry they did not find them on board, but on our March, 2016, cruise, Journey DID have both hot-dog and hamburger buns. You have to request GF from the grill chef when you place your order. I hope Azamara hasn't stopped supplying them! We will be on Journey again in October, and we will certainly find out if they stopped carrying them.

 

Also, it is still a good idea to take some GF snacks for day trips on shore.

[goofysmom99]

A little tip Ruth. If you go to Mosaic Cafe of a morning they should have some cookie jars with GF cookies. Ask the server there if they'd put three or four of them in a coffee take out mug for you.

 

As a solo traveller I too find the 200% supplement on Celebrity costly and I can do better on Azamara. There seems to have been many more 125% cruises available this year and I'm hoping this continues. The fact that I love the Azamara product is a bonus. Well, I most likely wouldn't cruise them if I didn't like them! Enjoy the TA. It's early days. You never know I might be on it. I've done three TAs on Journey and loved each one.

 

Phil

 

Phil, thanks for the tip about the cookies. I've tucked that away into my computer-like brain. ;) Meanwhile, I booked a "test cruise" for later this year out of Miami. First Caribbean since Dec 07. Easy enough to get there (one-way car rentals) and the price was right. And also easy to take a few hamburger buns if necessary. :)

 

I studied all the 25% offerings and, for the moment, there isn't anywhere I want to go....that, and having reached a point where I won't take flights longer than 8 - 9 hours, even in business/first. That leaves Europe and TAs. I did my Far East travel a long time ago with government-provided transportation. :rolleyes:

 

Sabbycat, thanks for the tip about GF beer. Can I bring a 6-pak aboard? That would make it easier still.

[Grandma Cruising]

You can bring as much booze as you like on board.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[goofysmom99]

You can bring as much booze as you like on board.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

Excellent! Thank you!