Bliss Celiac Options

[NightOne]

Going on the Bliss in 30 days and it will be my first time on NCL. I have already filled out my form and sent it to the special needs department indicating I need a gluten free diet at all times. I will meet the restaurant manager when I board to figure out dinners and breakfasts. I prefer to order my meals the day before so I will be doing that for breakfast and dinner the next day.

 

However, I am curious about lunches and what other specific things are options for celiacs onboard.

 

1. Do they have lunch in the MDRs every day? Do you order this the day before too? Same options if not?

 

2. What specifically can a celiac order from Margaritaville for lunch? I heard Volcano Nachos might be an option but I not sure and need feedback.

 

3. Obviously the buffet is off limits but are there any other food stations around the ship that have celiac safe options? (Pizza place, burgers,snacks, ice cream, etc.)

 

Any other info you have on non-dinner time food options for celiacs would be great. (or even dinner too) :)

 

Thanks

[NightOne]

Wow, no one. 😞

[mjkacmom]

We’ve cruised 4 NCL ships  with Dd who has celiac, it was great. She would order her breakfasts and dinners the night before, she would call before leaving our cabin to let them know where she was dining (usually the buffet for breakfast), and her food was delivered right to her. The MDR’s are open for lunch on sea days, but you can still order ahead for lunch on port days and have it delivered to the buffet. They do have gf pizza you can order from room service, or ask at the buffet, but you might want to give them extra time.

 

Dd was 14 on her last cruise, first time she ever had eggs Benedict (which she enjoyed). They even fetched her some flourless chocolate cake from a specdinjng room a couple of nights.

[NightOne]

7 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

We’ve cruised 4 NCL ships  with Dd who has celiac, it was great. She would order her breakfasts and dinners the night before, she would call before leaving our cabin to let them know where she was dining (usually the buffet for breakfast), and her food was delivered right to her. The MDR’s are open for lunch on sea days, but you can still order ahead for lunch on port days and have it delivered to the buffet. They do have gf pizza you can order from room service, or ask at the buffet, but you might want to give them extra time.

 

Dd was 14 on her last cruise, first time she ever had eggs Benedict (which she enjoyed). They even fetched her some flourless chocolate cake from a specdinjng room a couple of nights.

 

Do you know where specifically in the buffet you ask for GF pizza?

 

So far it looks like lunch options without advanced planning are very slim.

[mjkacmom]

25 minutes ago, NightOne said:

 

Do you know where specifically in the buffet you ask for GF pizza?

 

So far it looks like lunch options without advanced planning are very slim.

To be honest, I don’t. On the last cruise, we never saw our kids for lunch, just breakfast and dinner, but on the first day the special dining manager should find you at the MDR after you board for lunch, and it’s a great time to ask questions.

[BalconyGal]

23 hours ago, NightOne said:

Going on the Bliss in 30 days and it will be my first time on NCL. I have already filled out my form and sent it to the special needs department indicating I need a gluten free diet at all times. I will meet the restaurant manager when I board to figure out dinners and breakfasts. I prefer to order my meals the day before so I will be doing that for breakfast and dinner the next day.

 

However, I am curious about lunches and what other specific things are options for celiacs onboard.

 

1. Do they have lunch in the MDRs every day? Do you order this the day before too? Same options if not?

 

2. What specifically can a celiac order from Margaritaville for lunch? I heard Volcano Nachos might be an option but I not sure and need feedback.

 

3. Obviously the buffet is off limits but are there any other food stations around the ship that have celiac safe options? (Pizza place, burgers,snacks, ice cream, etc.)

 

Any other info you have on non-dinner time food options for celiacs would be great. (or even dinner too) 🙂

 

Thanks

I have celiac and pretty much exclusively cruise now.  Mostly on NCL. 

 

When you board the ship go to the main dining room for lunch not the buffet.  Inform them you have a special diet.  They will send the special diet coordinator to take your order, possibly the maitre'd on larger ships.  After you eat they will give you the menu for dinner and you will order for that night.  

After dinner they will ask you to order for the next day.   And you will do that every evening for the length of the cruise. 

They can pretty much make anything you want as long as they have advanced notice. 

The buffet is fine.  You will look for one of the supervisors they will be wearing tall white hats and they will walk you through the safe options.  You can order pizza at the pizza counter.  You will need to give them 15 mins or so.   They will have gf pasta, buns, bread, muffins, cake. 

 

Anything else?  And don't worry NCL does gluten free right.  You will be very happy. 

[rhiannon35]

I agree with the other posters. I don't have celiac but a pretty bad gluten sensitivity -- as in extreme headaches, fatigue and an overall terrible feeling if I eat anything with gluten. NCL is excellent in accommodating special diets.

I eat lunch at the buffet every day, but since I'm a vegetarian, I just have salad and fruit, which obviously is safe. Oil and vinegar dressing. However, a couple of times I've wanted a sandwich, and the buffet server will go to where they keep GF food and bring back bread that's kept separate from other foods. 

 

Also -- a warning about the nachos. Usually nachos don't bother me, as they are GF. On the Getaway a few years ago, I had nachos one night, and felt "glutened" the next day. I was OK by afternoon, so didn't make a connection. Had more nachos for a snack late afternoon and by that night I got all the usual symptoms except worse. I know it was the nachos, because I didn't have any after that and was fine the next day and the duration of the cruise. I have never had nachos again on an NCL cruise after that experience -- I figure even if they are GF, there was something causing that reaction in me. You might want to be very careful with nachos on NCL. 

[NightOne]

I won't eat at the buffet. Just too much cross contamination in play.

 

So no one here with celiac has eaten at Margaritaville?

[ceeceebat]

I've been on 2 cruises with NCL, both times all the food staff were EXTREMELY helpful in helping me plan and select food even if i hadn't ordered in advance.  We were on the dawn both times so i'm unsure if it was just because it was a smaller ship, but I never had any issues with cross contamination.

[marci.levy]

My Dad, myself and my daughter all have Celiac.  My Dad has cruised with Norwegian before, but this is our first time on the Bliss.  My daughter fell in love with the gluten free options on the RCI Anthem of the Seas a couple of years ago, especially the crepes!  I see they have a crepe station on the Bliss.  Does anyone know if they have gf crepes?   We are sailing on the Bliss in August 2020 and she's very excited about going, already asking questions about the food.  Thanks!

 

[jmh3791]

I doubt the crepes are GF, at least they weren't on the Jewel.  I'm not celiac, but have a sensitivity.  The buffet is really good with cross contamination, so you may be fine having lunch there.  I was assigned a Chef at the buffet who would help me with lunch  options there.   But check with the dietary specialists when you get on board.  They are very helpful!  Also, they won't be prepared for you the first night, so you might do well to hit Cagney's or Moderno that night as they have their own kitchen and more GF choices than the MDR.   

 

A lot of times the cheese sauce they use to make nachos will have gluten in it, so the nachos may not be an option unless you do it without the cheese sauce.   

[mjkacmom]

13 hours ago, jmh3791 said:

I doubt the crepes are GF, at least they weren't on the Jewel.  I'm not celiac, but have a sensitivity.  The buffet is really good with cross contamination, so you may be fine having lunch there.  I was assigned a Chef at the buffet who would help me with lunch  options there.   But check with the dietary specialists when you get on board.  They are very helpful!  Also, they won't be prepared for you the first night, so you might do well to hit Cagney's or Moderno that night as they have their own kitchen and more GF choices than the MDR.   

 

A lot of times the cheese sauce they use to make nachos will have gluten in it, so the nachos may not be an option unless you do it without the cheese sauce.   

I’ve never seen gf crepes in the buffet, but they would be contaminated anyway being cooked with the regular ones. However, we’ve made them at home by thinning out gf pancake mix, just ask the dietary manager. You can order your dinner for the first night ahead of time, just have lunch in the MDR after you board, and the manager will come to your table.

[BirdTravels]

On the Bliss, as any other ship, dietary needs Is a top priority of the galley. There is a separate galley used to prepare foods for people with allergies. And every menu item has a description to remind servers of potential problems. 
 

Edited November 2, 2019 by BirdTravels

[AmR87]

You will be totally fine.

 

I have been on a few NCL sailings and I have celiac.  I eat better on the ships than I do at home.  🙂 

 

They seriously take care of you so much.  One tip, if you get a good server on your first night in the MDR, tip them well.  I have found that when I have done that, they have gone out of their way to bring me GF food.   

 

One server on the Dawn would even come find me every morning at the breakfast buffet to bring me a plate of GF treats.  It was amazing!

[hallux]

On 11/1/2019 at 6:51 PM, jmh3791 said:

Cagney's or Moderno

Bliss doesn't have Moderno, I believe that venue on the Bliss is La Cucina.

 

As noted - the servers are VERY conscious about asking for food allergies when presenting the menus in all of the venues.

[SMS2]

I was just on the Bliss 10/27 sailing.  While I don't have food allergies, I was asked if I have any food allergies as soon as I sat down at MDRs (Savor & Manhattan for me) and specialty restaurants (Le Bistro, La Cuicina, & Cagney's).  I don't recall being asked at The Local (just don't remember).  So that should help also, but given how attuned they are to food allergies, you should be ok if you don't preorder.

 

[joejoe 59]

On 11/3/2018 at 6:24 AM, BalconyGal said:

I have celiac and pretty much exclusively cruise now.  Mostly on NCL. 

 

When you board the ship go to the main dining room for lunch not the buffet.  Inform them you have a special diet.  They will send the special diet coordinator to take your order, possibly the maitre'd on larger ships.  After you eat they will give you the menu for dinner and you will order for that night.  

After dinner they will ask you to order for the next day.   And you will do that every evening for the length of the cruise. 

They can pretty much make anything you want as long as they have advanced notice. 

The buffet is fine.  You will look for one of the supervisors they will be wearing tall white hats and they will walk you through the safe options.  You can order pizza at the pizza counter.  You will need to give them 15 mins or so.   They will have gf pasta, buns, bread, muffins, cake. 

 

Anything else?  And don't worry NCL does gluten free right.  You will be very happy. 

That's great info Thank's. 

Will be very helpful next year when I cruise ncl.

We usually cruise Princess in Australia & never had a problem with Gluten free food options.