Dietary Restrictions?

[OurSlowSimpleTravel]

First time cruising NCL and wondering how dietary restrictions work without a set dining time?

 

Both my daughter and I have restrictions and she also has medical needs that make the dining room the best option for us but wondering how difficult it is to get meals we can eat. With other lines having a set dining time means they know when we are coming but my understanding is that there are no dining times with NCL. Do you still make reservations? Do you have different staff daily or will it be the same so they will understand your needs instead of repeating daily?

 

Any tips or advice?

 

Thanks!

[www3traveler]

Go to Norwegian's website all the way to the bottom to the Blue Section.  In the middle column under Cruising Essentials you will find "Accessible Cruising.

 

It will tell you how to link your dietary needs to your reservation number.  Your dietary will be loaded onto your room keycard.  You present your keycard to each restaurant (does not matter which one or what time) and your information will be printed out for the waiter to read.  The waiter can help you  make decisions.  You can also ask to speak to the Restaurant Manager or the Food and Beverage Director was you board the ship.

 

Very easy to do.  

 

You also may want to check the website for your particular ship and read about which restaurants on that particular ship.  That way you will know which restaurants are better for you and which you should avoid.

 

Welcome to Norwegian and enjoy your cruise.

[TheycallmeDrew]

15 minutes ago, OurSlowSimpleTravel said:

First time cruising NCL and wondering how dietary restrictions work without a set dining time?

 

Both my daughter and I have restrictions and she also has medical needs that make the dining room the best option for us but wondering how difficult it is to get meals we can eat. With other lines having a set dining time means they know when we are coming but my understanding is that there are no dining times with NCL. Do you still make reservations? Do you have different staff daily or will it be the same so they will understand your needs instead of repeating daily?

 

Any tips or advice?

 

Thanks!

My wife has difficult eating restrictions and it is the number one reason we cruise because they do it so well. 
 

1) make sure to list your needs as part of the reservation. There should be a form to fill out

2) when you get on ship, find where they are doing dining reservations. Go and ask for person in charge of allergies and ask to preorder your dinner 

3) at dinner tell your server at the end of the meal you have special needs and that you need to preorder tomorrow meals. They or the person in charge of allergies will bring you the next days breakfast lunch and dinner menus to preorder. 
 

My wife’s meals are made in a separate part of the kitchen and the only time she had an issue was when no one noticed the tea had soy in it and that was corrected right away. 
 

You can also preorder for the specialty restaurants. 

[Mosh and Me]

13 minutes ago, TheycallmeDrew said:

My wife has difficult eating restrictions and it is the number one reason we cruise because they do it so well. 
 

1) make sure to list your needs as part of the reservation. There should be a form to fill out

2) when you get on ship, find where they are doing dining reservations. Go and ask for person in charge of allergies and ask to preorder your dinner 

3) at dinner tell your server at the end of the meal you have special needs and that you need to preorder tomorrow meals. They or the person in charge of allergies will bring you the next days breakfast lunch and dinner menus to preorder. 
 

My wife’s meals are made in a separate part of the kitchen and the only time she had an issue was when no one noticed the tea had soy in it and that was corrected right away. 
 

You can also preorder for the specialty restaurants. 

Yes, I can’t have soy either and I know now to check the tea. 

[janice2348]

I’ve sailed on Norwegian three times with dietary restrictions. They took really great care of me.  They usually have a dedicated person that handles food allergies that will sit down with you. I was able to preorder all of my meals the night before. Just be aware that the first lunch/ dinner can be a bit of an adjustment on the part of the crew.  Be careful to let your waiter know about your dietary issues as the kitchen isn’t always informed on the first day.  If you have any issues in not getting what you need, contact the hotel manager.  Things ran pretty smoothly after the first day. I would definitely avoid the buffet. Too many chances for cross contamination.  

[Candy Apple 12]

I have started to ask for the next day’s menus at the start of dinner. That way I’m looking at a menu when I’m hungry and when everyone else at the table is looking at menus. This also saves me time at the end of the meal. I wish that this was the way the usually took the pre-orders. Who wants to order a full day of meals when you’re full from your meal?

[mjkacmom]

My daughter would order breakfast and dinner at dinner, we like to go to a MDR for lunch and the manager always came to our table to discuss dinner that evening. We never made reservations, my daughter would call him before we left our cabin to let him know where we would be eating. She just did the buffet with her new friends for lunch. She has celiac so she would just stick with obviously safe foods, or ask someone. She was 10 and 14 on our NCL cruises and loved the food options.

[hallux]

As others noted - make sure it's on your reservation.  When you board, go visit Taste or Savor, they'll show you the menu for that night's dinner and let you pick your meal to be made based on your needs, which you can explain to the person you talk to.  You might also try visiting the dining table where reservations are being made for other venues.  That should also trigger the dining room manager to come see you, make sure your waiter that night is aware of your pre-ordered meal (it should come up when you check in at the front to get a table).  At the end of the meal, be sure to ask for the menu for the next night, and if you want to do a specialty venue they can bring that menu for you to pre-order.  Once you've done it once they should know who you are and what you need every time, regardless of where you eat.

 

The pre-order was written on a carbon-copy form, which accompanied the food the following night.

 

I just sailed on the Joy and dined with someone that had a food allergy, this is what they did and everything was managed as needed.

[OurSlowSimpleTravel]

Thanks so much everyone!

[GeezerCouple]

We've found all cruise lines to be *very* helpful with dietary restrictions, and especially if there is any allergy problem.  (They don't want the bad outcomes, either!)

 

But one suggestion, if allergies are the problem:  ALWAYS double check and tell the waitstaff at each meal what the restrictions are.  "Better safe than sorry..."

 

GC