Food Allergies and the Maitre'D

[mjmcgove]

So i have severe food allergies and can't really be near seafood, i sail in april and was wondering if i can email or call ahead of time to try and get a table for 2, since it is my wife and i traveling, or is the only way to go in person on embarkation day.

 

if i can email, what should i include in the email other than my food allergies and my request? should i include my booking number?

[SadieN]

Anytime you call always give your confirmation number.

 

Contact Special needs if you have assigned dining.

No need to call if you have My Time Dining.

[RuthlessBoss]

So i have severe food allergies and can't really be near seafood, i sail in april and was wondering if i can email or call ahead of time to try and get a table for 2, since it is my wife and i traveling, or is the only way to go in person on embarkation day.

 

if i can email, what should i include in the email other than my food allergies and my request? should i include my booking number?

 

How did you handle it on Breeze??

[mjmcgove]

How did you handle it on Breeze??

 

 

 

I didn't, that's the scary part. I had 2 scares while on the breeze. That's why even though I'm still 150 some odd days out from this cruise, I want to nip it in the bud now. I was also YTD on breeze, whereas I'm Late Dining on Vista.

[jst]

You can e-mail the Maitre,d with your table request (about one to two weeks before your cruise) be sure to include the reason (in your case) and yes include your booking number.

I'm not sure if special needs on your reservation page has somewhere to list this, but you can also visit with the Assistant Maitre'd on the first day (usually at about 1:00p.m. in the

(My Time Dining Room). it's the same area they do table requests on that day. In your case don't wait on your table request, but just double check on your food allergy, this is when I always do my "No Salt" (which is no where as critical as yours). They will take care of you:)

[ScottsSweetie]

Hmm. You say you can't be "near" seafood.

 

Define near. Same table? 5 feet? 12 feet?

 

Some of the tables for two are just far enough apart from each other for you to slip in between to sit down. Not sure if that would be far enough for you.

 

What if the person behind you at their table is eating seafood?

 

I'm not trying to be contrary, just pointing out that all tables for two aren't equal, so keep that in mind.

Edited November 18, 2016 by ScottsSweetie

[RuthlessBoss]

Hmm. You say you can't be "near" seafood.

 

Define near. Same table? 5 feet? 12 feet?

 

Some of the tables for two are just far enough apart from each other for you to slip in between to sit down. Not sure if that would be far enough for you.

 

What if the person behind you at their table is eating seafood?

 

I'm not trying to be contrary, just pointing out that all tables for two aren't equal, so keep that in mind.

 

I was thinking the same thing. How can you control what people order?

[joepeka]

You can e-mail the Maitre,d with your table request (about one to two weeks before your cruise) be sure to include the reason (in your case) and yes include your booking number.

I'm not sure if special needs on your reservation page has somewhere to list this, but you can also visit with the Assistant Maitre'd on the first day (usually at about 1:00p.m. in the

(My Time Dining Room). it's the same area they do table requests on that day. In your case don't wait on your table request, but just double check on your food allergy, this is when I always do my "No Salt" (which is no where as critical as yours). They will take care of you:)

In addition to the earlier suggestion to contact the Special Needs department prior to departure, there is an option as part of online check-in to indicate any medical advisories for each guest on the booking. We've never had to use that but I believe it would be the place to indicate allergies.

Edited November 18, 2016 by joepeka

[ChrisOz]

YTD is also good with allergies. Makes no difference.

 

Once they know about you then you will appear in their system. At the entrance of the dining room, where you queue for seating, your name comes up on the computer screen.

 

But... you need to be proactive as well. This is NOT a perfect world after all!

 

Every step along the way ensure that they know about your situation.

 

And ALWAYS preorder your meals for the following day. Always.

 

If you don't? You run the risk of limited options when you sit down in the dining room.

 

One more thing. Yeah I know a lot of people just say that they have an "allergy" but it is really a dietary choice or quirk. On board they will treat your request as the serious kind.

Edited November 18, 2016 by ChrisOz

[Frick_&_Frack]

So i have severe food allergies and can't really be near seafood, i sail in april and was wondering if i can email or call ahead of time to try and get a table for 2, since it is my wife and i traveling, or is the only way to go in person on embarkation day.

 

if i can email, what should i include in the email other than my food allergies and my request? should i include my booking number?

 

DH had airborne and ingestion allergy to Shellfish. So, on nights that it was going to be prevalent in the Dining Room, we ate in the Steakhouse. He was actually unable to enter the Dining Room/walk through if too many people had shrimp/etc.

 

We would work it out for the Steakhouse so they knew and would place us in an area that would be more isolated from it in case others had ordered it. (Hot shellfish only - cold items such as shrimp cocktail did not set off the airborne allergy).

 

If it is the ingestion variety of allergy, then the other responses pretty much cover it (we always contacted Special Needs and immediately reconfirmed all upon boarding).

[tropicaledrink]

I have airborne almond allergies and what they did for me was make sure that we were at a table for two that was not in the middle of everything, and tucked away some. The Pride handled it the best and assigned us to a waiter who was well versed in the allergy issues.

 

Luckily, almonds aren't on the menu every night, and I know which nights I can't be at the almost touching tables for two.

[deborahjo]

Don't ask the maitre'd for help.

 

13 cruises and he has been helpful until recently. First of October discussed our food issues with his assistant. He was 0 help. Ask to speak to the maitre'd. He laughed in our faces in front of all the people at Guest Services lobby area.

 

File a complaint when we returned got a message and they could have cared less.

 

Guess if I had died he would have taken things seriously.

 

Good luck.

 

 

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[deborahjo]

Yes my problem is on my profile thru Special Needs Did not help.

 

 

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[DebJ14]

DH had airborne and ingestion allergy to Shellfish. So, on nights that it was going to be prevalent in the Dining Room, we ate in the Steakhouse. He was actually unable to enter the Dining Room/walk through if too many people had shrimp/etc.

 

We would work it out for the Steakhouse so they knew and would place us in an area that would be more isolated from it in case others had ordered it. (Hot shellfish only - cold items such as shrimp cocktail did not set off the airborne allergy).

 

If it is the ingestion variety of allergy, then the other responses pretty much cover it (we always contacted Special Needs and immediately reconfirmed all upon boarding).

 

How does eating in the Steakhouse solve that problem with shrimp cocktail and lobster being on the menu every night and being very popular?

[bakersdozen12]

Don't ask the maitre'd for help.

 

13 cruises and he has been helpful until recently. First of October discussed our food issues with his assistant. He was 0 help. Ask to speak to the maitre'd. He laughed in our faces in front of all the people at Guest Services lobby area.

 

File a complaint when we returned got a message and they could have cared less.

 

Guess if I had died he would have taken things seriously.

 

Good luck.

 

 

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With all due respect, why should this person not approach the maitre d' simply because you had a bad experience? It doesn't mean that they won't have a good one.

 

 

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[crusinpsychRN]

Don't ask the maitre'd for help.

 

13 cruises and he has been helpful until recently. First of October discussed our food issues with his assistant. He was 0 help. Ask to speak to the maitre'd. He laughed in our faces in front of all the people at Guest Services lobby area.

 

File a complaint when we returned got a message and they could have cared less.

 

Guess if I had died he would have taken things seriously.

 

Good luck.

 

 

I went to MDR first day on Magic last week and told the young lady I'm allergic to strawberries and would like the Platinum/Diamond food goodie to be a cheese plate or cookies. She said "so you don't want anything?" Huh? Told her 3 times. Never got the goodies. Called the next day and was told cookies would be sent right up. 1.5 later nothing. Called and was told the cook is baking them now. They were warm when I got them and very good.

 

In Special Needs area on line it says to discuss allergies with Maître d' first day. I've emailed in past, once it worked, twice it didn't.

[ButterflyGirly]

DD's name was flagged on the booking due to her peanut allergy when we sailed the Pride last month. I emailed the Maitre,d (Ken Byrne) 2 weeks before our cruise and he was very prompt in responding. He placed our table with what he considered his "best" wait staff team. I would have to agree with him, our head waiter Alfredo, along with Pedro and Allen, were wonderful about everything, including her allergy. Every evening after we were finished eating Alfredo would bring her the breakfast (or brunch if a sea day) and dinner menus for the next day. DD would choose her meals. For breakfast (or brunch) when we would check in at the podium of the MDR our cabin must have been flagged because they would know to look for her "ticket" and give it to our waiter.

 

When you email the Maitre,d be sure to include your cabin number also.

 

Cruising last year on the Victory was a completely different story, tried to get our head waiter to let her order the day before and he said it wasn't necessary. I should have been more adamant that it happen. Now I know how it is supposed to work and will not settle for anything less from now on.

 

Eating out with a life threatening allergy can be scary at times that is for sure.

[SadieN]

We travel with a group that combined has allergies to peanuts, treenuts, shellfish, egg whites, chocolate, MSG and liquid dairy. Only had issues with 'user' error, no issues with Carnival. If you have a nut allergy, know that Carnival classifies seeds as nuts.

 

If you have an odd allergy contact Special Needs before your cruise. If you have a 'normal' allergy no need to do so.

 

https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/special-needs/dietary-needs.aspx

 

See the Hostess at embarkation when the Maitre 'd has hours. 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 or those serving desserts. 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 cereal bars, boxes of cereal, bottled water, hard candy etc.

Many ports will check. 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.

 

 

 

 

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[imajavalover2]

How did they handle the dairy allergy? All I care about is having non dairy cream or almond milk for my coffee? Flying in so it will be hard to stop at a store to carry on ship with me.. any good advice?

 

 

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[stargate fan]

So i have severe food allergies and can't really be near seafood, i sail in april and was wondering if i can email or call ahead of time to try and get a table for 2, since it is my wife and i traveling, or is the only way to go in person on embarkation day.

 

if i can email, what should i include in the email other than my food allergies and my request? should i include my booking number?

We sailed with friends on Splendor in February. One of our friends has so many food allergies that the list of what she CAN eat is very short.

She contacted Special Needs before the cruise. Upon embarkation, we checked the time that the maitre d' was available at the dining room. She explained her situation and spoke with one of the assistants. She went through everything she could eat and all the items she was allergic to. The first night, we ate in the Steakhouse and all was well. The second night things got a little messed up so she ate the Cheerios she had brought for emergencies. It took another night to get everything right. The assistant reviewed every single menu with her. The chefs went out of their way to make everything perfect for her.

I should mention that we had Your Time Dining. Despite the two meals to get things right, we all had a fabulous trip and are sailing together again on Fascination next year.