Gluten free - your experience?

[Froufie]

So now having to deal with some dietary issues - already lactose intolerant but now supposed to lay off the gluten as well. I have written to the special needs department with some questions, and did find this on the Carnival website:

 

Gluten Free:

Our chefs will make every effort possible to fulfill your requests and will gladly prepare freshly made options that meet your dietary needs. However, you will need to make arrangements in advance with your headwaiter and hostess. Once onboard, we ask you speak with them so they can assist in planning your daily meals in the dining room. This will allow us the necessary time to prepare foods, as requested, in a timely manner.

Additionally, we have available gluten free bread for deli sandwiches, hamburger buns for burgers, and cake upon request. Plus, our ice-cream and yogurt are Gluten-free and we offer Gluten-free pizza at the Pizzeria, as well as, Gluten free pasta on the pasta bar (only available on the Carnival Breeze, Carnival Dream, Carnival Magic, and Carnival Sunshine). However, please keep in mind that sandwiches, burgers, and pizza are prepared fresh upon request. Therefore, they may take a little longer than regular menu items. We ask for your patience while we prepare your requested dish. We’d also like to mention we carry Gluten-free beer, Estrella Daura for your enjoyment.

 

Just wondering, for those of you who are gluten intolerant, what your experience was like onboard? thx :)

[Buckeye10640]

Very interested in this as well as I am sailing on the Paradise in Dec. with my daughter who is gluten-free for medical reasons and also a vegetarian.

[ohio beach girl]

Hi Froufie,

I am gluten intolerant too. I just got off of Fascination 2 weeks ago and have cruised on NCL since finding out the problem was gluten. I didn't have any gluten reaction problems from eating on either line. I did tell both lines when I booked that I needed GF.

 

On both lines, the waiter in the main dining room at dinner will give you the menu for the following night and you have to place your order. I didn't care for having to decide the day before but that's the way they do it. I was also asked about breakfast. I could place a breakfast order if I was planning on eating in the dining room. But I like the omelet station so only ate in the dining room once on the sea day, delicious Texas french toast, as this was a port intensive cruise.

I asked for tiramisu and the chef made it. I mostly had warm chocolate melting cake for desert.

I asked for the bacon mac and cheese and the chef made a huge bowl of GF bacon mac and cheese. I also got GF french onion soup which was very good.

The waiter brought GF bread most evenings, it wasn't the best tasting but it wasn't horrible. It was better toasted.

 

I did have problems with the orders not being correct the next night -on a couple nights, mostly the apps and deserts. "if the chef can make xyz GF then I will have that, if not I'll have Casear salad" I did this twice on apps and once I was pretty sure the xyz would be easy to do, but they brought Casear salad, the other night they brought both. ? Another night I asked for a desert- which had to be made GF- and I was served WCMC. The main courses were correct. I didn't go hungry.

 

I usually don't eat at the buffet and being GF now makes it hard. There aren't any signs about contents, possibility of cross contamination by people moving utensils, and no one to ask at the buffet area. The chocolate buffet was disappointing. It was mostly glutenful. I didn't know they had GF pizza and didn't go ask. Darn.

 

GF ordering on the cruise was easier than most restaurants. Last year on NCL they had english muffins and I could get eggs benedict. :) I didn't think about it on Carnival. Darn again. But like I said I didn't go hungry.

 

Shari

Edited October 8, 2016 by ohio beach girl

[windan]

My son has celiac disease. We sailed on the Pride in September. The gluten free experience was great. On the afternoon when you board the ship go to the main dining room and see the maitre' d and let him know of your food allergies. He will show you that nights dinner menu. After that each night usually around desert time your dining staff will give you the next nights dinner menu. Pick whatever you want. If you can't make up your mind between two items order both. You will order that whole nights meal. There was only one item out of the whole cruise that the chef could not make GF. My son loved all of his food. And the warm chocolate melting cake was awesome. You know it's gluten free as it is served in different shaped dish. They served bread every night and for GF bread it was ok. If your ship has Guys burger joint the burgers are GF and you can get it on a GF bun or do what my son did and forget the bun. The fries will also have to be made separately without the seasoning. Keep in mind that the frozen special drinks are off limits as they are not GF. My son also ordered GF grilled cheese sandwich from romp my service and liked it. I hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise!

 

 

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Edited October 8, 2016 by windan

[Ykgorbie]

Carnival were WONDERFUL with my gf needs. Just a word of warning - at the breakfast buffet, one day I had some "scrambled eggs" - they did a piece of work on me and I later found out they are from a cardboard container - not fresh eggs. (+ they taste horrible). After that, I had fresh eggs made for me every morning. You certainly should not go hungry. I guess the only downside to it was having to order your next day meal(s) the evening before - not always knowing what you'd feel like eating the next day.

[Froufie]

Thanks for the information - very helpful.

 

I don't even see myself ordering food the night before - that would be lots of planning LOL and I am on vacation. While I am on a low FODMAPS diet I can eat 'some' gluten just not a lot. I am also lactose intolerant which complicates things - so despite something being gluten free it would also have to be lactose free as well - which makes things a bit more challenging... Also supposed to stay away from lots of sugar/high fructose glucose corn syrup too - not fun!!!

 

Would love the option of a sf/gluten free/lactose free dessert - if that is even possible? And for meals I can certainly manage w/protein/starch (potatoes/rice) without having to pre-plan my dinners (and I am used to avoiding cheese/dairy (and did I forget to mention the mild nut/peanut allergy???)....

 

I also asked the special needs dept about availability of lactose free milk/cream (possibly soy milk I suppose) and sorbet or other lactose free desserts (I know they have the tropical fruit plate available every night however as per my low FODMAPS diet even some of that fruit would be off limits) :(.

 

The bright side? Might be the first cruise where I don't gain any weight! :D:D

Edited October 8, 2016 by Froufie

[AussieOmni]

Not GF but I have a diet that is often mocked on CC and Carnival treat me well.

 

 

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[Ykgorbie]

Ordering the night before wasn't that bad - the special dietary needs lady would come over with the regular menu for the next night and I would pick things and she would let me know whether or not they could be made gf. She encouraged me to order more than one appetizer, entree, dessert....you will still gain weight LOL

Again, I was amazed at how helpful Carnival was with the special menus. The lady would even ask what I wanted to order for breakfast in the MDR the next morning "if" I decided to go. I find the worst part about going on a cruise is all of the travel through airports (we have to take a min of 3 flights to get from here to Florida) - I get sick of eating bananas and oranges and $16 salads, lol. Also, some of the ports can be a pain if I'm hungry. Hope you have a great cruise !

 

Thanks for the information - very helpful.

 

I don't even see myself ordering food the night before - that would be lots of planning LOL and I am on vacation. While I am on a low FODMAPS diet I can eat 'some' gluten just not a lot. I am also lactose intolerant which complicates things - so despite something being gluten free it would also have to be lactose free as well - which makes things a bit more challenging... Also supposed to stay away from lots of sugar/high fructose glucose corn syrup too - not fun!!!

 

Would love the option of a sf/gluten free/lactose free dessert - if that is even possible? And for meals I can certainly manage w/protein/starch (potatoes/rice) without having to pre-plan my dinners (and I am used to avoiding cheese/dairy (and did I forget to mention the mild nut/peanut allergy???)....

 

I also asked the special needs dept about availability of lactose free milk/cream (possibly soy milk I suppose) and sorbet or other lactose free desserts (I know they have the tropical fruit plate available every night however as per my low FODMAPS diet even some of that fruit would be off limits) :(.

 

The bright side? Might be the first cruise where I don't gain any weight! :D:D

[Chrystine5]

I am not gluten intolerant, just sensitive. A little gluten doesn't affect me. But last October, my first cruise, I was very concerned about being able to eat anything. I was SO pleased to find out that it was Way easier to eat GF on a cruise than at home even. The waitstaff will bend over backwards to let you know what you can get GF, and other than the GF bread brought to the table each night (eh) everything was delicious. Another lady at our table was gluten AND lactose intolerant, and she usually had several good options to choose from also. As for GF, LF, sugar free, nut free, 😱 What's left?

[Froufie]

I am not gluten intolerant, just sensitive. A little gluten doesn't affect me. But last October, my first cruise, I was very concerned about being able to eat anything. I was SO pleased to find out that it was Way easier to eat GF on a cruise than at home even. The waitstaff will bend over backwards to let you know what you can get GF, and other than the GF bread brought to the table each night (eh) everything was delicious. Another lady at our table was gluten AND lactose intolerant, and she usually had several good options to choose from also. As for GF, LF, sugar free, nut free, 😱 What's left?

 

yes not much 'fun' left for me LOL (and I am (was?) a definite foodie LOL).

 

Nice to know they can 'customize' as required - will be interesting to see what they can come up with - otherwise I am easy to please and as mentioned I am sure I won't go hungry!!! (anxious to try out the gluten free pizza and pasta as well!)

[SadieN]

We have other allergies (peanuts, treenuts, shellfish, egg whites) but the procedure is the same for all of them....

 

See the Hostess when the Maitre 'd has hours during embarkation. Hours will be in the FunTmes, usually starting around 1pm. The hostess will take that night's order. Each night the hostess or your waiter will bring you the next day's MDR menu-breakfast, brunch/lunch and dinner. If deciding between two entrees, order both. For brunch don't hesitate to order a breakfast and lunch if you want to eat both meals in the MDR.

 

For room service, they cannot make special for you but they can tell you the ingredients. No special area so there is always the possibility of contamination

 

Buffet is a minefield. Ask the Hostess or the Head Lido Chef or the Food and Beverage crew in the officer whites. DO NOT ask the line cooks. They mean well but do not know the full recipes. Cross contamination is always a possibility.

 

Onshore--- we bring allergy cards. I made our own but you can buy some at selectwisely.com.

You can only bring off commercially prepared food. We bring commercially prepared things, bottled water, hard candy etc.

Many ports will check bags. Some will do a physical search, others use dogs. You do not want the cute Labrador to sit next to you. I've had them alert on my Lemonheads.

 

Kids clubs have a form to fill out. There are some snacks served at times. The younger kids meet up at the dinner buffet certain nights. Ask the counselors what's on the menu.

Edited October 8, 2016 by SadieN

[sixb0nes]

My husband did gluten free on the Conquest in Aug. Like others said we went to the dining room on the first day and ordered for that night. He ordered each night for the following night. He enjoyed most of his meals and agreed that the bread was better toasted. He had some sandwiches from the deli which he did not like - ham/cheese and Ruben and ended up not finishing either. He ordered gluten free pizza and enjoyed it. Did gluten free guy's burger and wished he had just ordered the burger without the bread. We ate in the dining room for breakfast buffet (pancakes ordered the night before) and those were a hit. Most lunches were at the BBQ joint which was really good. Desserts were ice cream, WMCC and some pudding type deserts. He definitely did not go hungry but didn't gain a lb. Me on the other hand had an extra 5. :eek:

 

What I found was that we ended up eating every night except one in the MDR. I found the flexibility of eating where ever, when ever was lessened as we were worried about eating at the buffet. Overall he enjoyed the experience.

[Froufie]

GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES - never even thought of that! That is awesome - so if you order for breakfast/seaday brunch - do you have to tell them what time you will be there? How does that work (cold? reheated pancakes? LOL)

[SadieN]

GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES - never even thought of that! That is awesome - so if you order for breakfast/seaday brunch - do you have to tell them what time you will be there? How does that work (cold? reheated pancakes? LOL)

 

 

Pancakes don't take long to cook. The batter is premade. They'll start cooking when the order is punched in.

[MMastell]

I have Celiac and Carnival handles Gluten Free better than Celebrity, HAL or NCL.

 

Ordering the night before is not a big deal. If you order the night before they can make many dishes with gluten, gluten free. Sure does expand the menu options.

 

If you can have gluten but are just trying to limit the amount I would just use common sense and understand the foods that have gluten in them and the ones that do not and go from there. Please don't make waiters or staff jump through hoops if you can tolerate gluten. I.E. having the dining room staff prepare special meals for you and then having the red velvet cake for dessert. It sort of ruins it for people who are truly gluten free. Waitstaff don't take things as seriously when they see this type of thing.

 

Enjoy your cruise,

Mike

[BruceGDC]

Been GF for a number of years and unfortunately added low FODMAPs a couple of years ago. Carnival is ALWAYS great on navigating that minefield with me. The MDR staff is great by setting up the next nights dinner each night and most dishes can be tailored. The GF pizza is tolerable, but I discovered last trip that in the morning the blue iguana serves arepas - which are corn meal based and gluten free. Quickly became my favorite. The buffet tends to be hit or miss to figure out though - language barrier with the chef's, but there's usually a good batch of items that aren't gluten - although cross contamination on a buffet is always an issue...

 

Hope you have a very enjoyable cruise!

 

 

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[Froufie]

I have Celiac and Carnival handles Gluten Free better than Celebrity, HAL or NCL.

 

Ordering the night before is not a big deal. If you order the night before they can make many dishes with gluten, gluten free. Sure does expand the menu options.

 

If you can have gluten but are just trying to limit the amount I would just use common sense and understand the foods that have gluten in them and the ones that do not and go from there. Please don't make waiters or staff jump through hoops if you can tolerate gluten. I.E. having the dining room staff prepare special meals for you and then having the red velvet cake for dessert. It sort of ruins it for people who are truly gluten free. Waitstaff don't take things as seriously when they see this type of thing.

 

Enjoy your cruise,

Mike

 

I agree wholeheartedly - I would never take advantage of this and most definitely would not pre-order and have them make special meals for me especially as I think I can probably find enuf to eat on the regular menu.

 

Mostly affected by the lactose actually and having a dessert other than fruit (and as mentioned even some of those are not allowed) would be excellent - so I would ask them perhaps to make something for me?

 

Been GF for a number of years and unfortunately added low FODMAPs a couple of years ago. Carnival is ALWAYS great on navigating that minefield with me. The MDR staff is great by setting up the next nights dinner each night and most dishes can be tailored. The GF pizza is tolerable, but I discovered last trip that in the morning the blue iguana serves arepas - which are corn meal based and gluten free. Quickly became my favorite. The buffet tends to be hit or miss to figure out though - language barrier with the chef's, but there's usually a good batch of items that aren't gluten - although cross contamination on a buffet is always an issue...

 

Hope you have a very enjoyable cruise!

 

 

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Thanks for the info and good wishes - I am sure I can manage around the buffet and now excited for the gf pancakes and arepas at blue iguana as breakfast options - will definitely check them out (altho I do like my morning oatmeal) - it's those yummy little cinnamon buns I will have to try and avoid!!!:eek:;)

[sixb0nes]

GLUTEN FREE PANCAKES - never even thought of that! That is awesome - so if you order for breakfast/seaday brunch - do you have to tell them what time you will be there? How does that work (cold? reheated pancakes? LOL)

 

We just showed up whenever. We told the hostess that we preordered the night before due to allergy. They keep your order based on your cabin number. I wonder if they do waffles too? He ordered whatever he wanted from the menu for the next day and the majority of the time he received what he ordered but it was substituted if they could not make it gluten free. This usually happened with desserts. He tried to order everything. I give him an A for effort😀. We have been doing the special ordering for awhile as my older son is allergic to cashews and pistachios.

[NightOne]

Keep in mind that the frozen special drinks are off limits as they are not GF.

 

Please elaborate.

 

Where did you learn this?

[Froufie]

We just showed up whenever. We told the hostess that we preordered the night before due to allergy. They keep your order based on your cabin number. I wonder if they do waffles too? He ordered whatever he wanted from the menu for the next day and the majority of the time he received what he ordered but it was substituted if they could not make it gluten free. This usually happened with desserts. He tried to order everything. I give him an A for effort😀. We have been doing the special ordering for awhile as my older son is allergic to cashews and pistachios.

 

Thanks - but I am wondering what if I pre-order the pancakes the night before (for dining room breakfast) but for some reason sleep in or change my mind - or friends invite me to eat elsewhere? don't want to cause extra work or be 'ungrateful' if they have prepared something for me - I guess because I am on vacation I really don't want to have to make commitments as to where and when I will eat? LOL - time to destress and relax!;);) - so might not feel comfortable pre-ordering special stuff!

[AussieOmni]

Thanks - but I am wondering what if I pre-order the pancakes the night before (for dining room breakfast) but for some reason sleep in or change my mind - or friends invite me to eat elsewhere? don't want to cause extra work or be 'ungrateful' if they have prepared something for me - I guess because I am on vacation I really don't want to have to make commitments as to where and when I will eat? LOL - time to destress and relax!;);) - so might not feel comfortable pre-ordering special stuff!

 

 

So me and my wife are vegan and similarly pre-order. Never had an issue with this, they won't prep until you are in, they're just making sure they have something you can eat.

 

 

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[DebJ14]

If you are GF do not get omelets from the omelet station made with the egg stuff they ladle onto the pan. It is not GF.

 

Go to the MDR and ask for the omelet, or scrambled eggs, made with fresh eggs.

 

I had a conversation with special needs in Miami and this was one of the things the lady warned me about

[sixb0nes]

Thanks - but I am wondering what if I pre-order the pancakes the night before (for dining room breakfast) but for some reason sleep in or change my mind - or friends invite me to eat elsewhere? don't want to cause extra work or be 'ungrateful' if they have prepared something for me - I guess because I am on vacation I really don't want to have to make commitments as to where and when I will eat? LOL - time to destress and relax!;);) - so might not feel comfortable pre-ordering special stuff!

 

We pre-ordered one night for dinner and didn't show. I don't think they make it ahead of time but basically make it to order when you show up. I agree about the being on vacation type of thought - I like to eat whenever I am hungry and go with the flow. The thing about the buffet is that there is room for cross contamination and the menu changes - the dining room was a guarantee so we ate there 7 out of 8 nights. As long as you know what your main go to's are - pizza, deli) and ask a lot of questions at the buffet, you can go with the flow and be on 'vacation'. Also if it makes any difference, we do anytime dining so went when we wanted.

[SadieN]

Thanks - but I am wondering what if I pre-order the pancakes the night before (for dining room breakfast) but for some reason sleep in or change my mind - or friends invite me to eat elsewhere? don't want to cause extra work or be 'ungrateful' if they have prepared something for me - I guess because I am on vacation I really don't want to have to make commitments as to where and when I will eat? LOL - time to destress and relax!;);) - so might not feel comfortable pre-ordering special stuff!

 

 

Pre order. It's better safe than sorry. Life happens.

 

Also, if for whatever reason you didn't eat dinner in the MDR, make a trip to the MDR and place your next day's order with the hostess.

[wantocruisemore]

If you are GF do not get omelets from the omelet station made with the egg stuff they ladle onto the pan. It is not GF.

 

Go to the MDR and ask for the omelet, or scrambled eggs, made with fresh eggs.

 

I had a conversation with special needs in Miami and this was one of the things the lady warned me about

 

You can ask them to use fresh eggs and clean pan and they will. We do that with our DD who has to have gluten free.