Gluten free on NCL. How easy to accommodate?

[jtvmi77]

Hello all-

 

We have cruised on NCL many times, but only recently, my spouse was diagnosed with celiac and has to follow a gluten-free diet.  We always enjoyed the midship pub in the Breakaway class ships (Eclipse, etc.), and we tend to do most of our eating there and the buffet (or at least we did).  Does anyone know if there are regular GF options in these two locales?  I would imagine we could inform the dining room/specialty restaurant staff of the dietary requirement, but just for more casual eating, is it easy to find gluten-free options, or not so much?  

[Diane67B]

My sister has celiac disease and she is very happy with the gluten free choices on NCL. Just call before you sail and they will put it on your stateroom file. When you book any specialty dining restaurants it will be there. We visited the restaurants on the first day and they made a special gluten free menu meal for my sister. Easy peasy. She even found lots of options from the buffet. Happy sailing!!

[Brooklyn1119]

We just got off the Breakaway last week and there were notes up on the walls in the buffet letting you know that gluten free alternatives were available and to ask an employee. Same with alternative milk choices. They weren't very obvious signs, I didn't even notice until about 3 days into the cruise. Enjoy! 

[GeezerCouple]

34 minutes ago, jtvmi77 said:

Hello all-

 

We have cruised on NCL many times, but only recently, my spouse was diagnosed with celiac and has to follow a gluten-free diet.  We always enjoyed the midship pub in the Breakaway class ships (Eclipse, etc.), and we tend to do most of our eating there and the buffet (or at least we did).  Does anyone know if there are regular GF options in these two locales?  I would imagine we could inform the dining room/specialty restaurant staff of the dietary requirement, but just for more casual eating, is it easy to find gluten-free options, or not so much?  

 

DH was diagnosed quite late in life with severe celiac disease, so we've had to make sudden adjustments.

 

As someone else mentioned, notify NCL.  Best if you contact their Access Desk (special needs), as they are quite used to these situations.

We've also had to work with them for a different food allergy, and they assigned someone to meet with me to help me select the next day's menu in case something needed special preparation.  (Note:  This meant that I wasn't restricted to "whatever happened to fit my dietary needs.  We've found this to be the case on most cruise ships.  Nice!)

 

And always ask if there is a GF substitute in case there's something "not advertised" 😉

If you want to plan ahead for the next day, they can sometimes make a special GF version of a special dish.  (If you ask for that, please don't be a "no show", so they will continue to offer that for others!)

 

What we always do whenever dining out *anywhere* is the remind the waitstaff when we are seated, and then again when the order is taken, and then AGAIN when it is served... "This is the Gluten Free dinner roll, correct?"

Better safe than sorry.

They (all food prep people) do try very hard, but the bottom line with any serious allergy is to doublecheck.

NCL has a special kitchen arrangement to help avoid cross-contamination when there are food allergies.  So your main job is to make sure they know, and then they can do their part.

And be sure to let them know if "cross contamination" is an issue, so they will take special care in the food handling.

 

One thing is nice, everywhere.  There has been so much call for GF food for quite a few years now that there are usually very tasty GF options for most things.  (Some years ago, this would have been much more of an issue, especially taste-wise in some cases.)

 

We've found that sometimes if we tend to eat in the same place, the waitstaff will be very good about remembering.  We've occasionally had waitstaff almost rush over to get the GF dinner rolls on the table with the regular ones as we are being seated.  And these days, with everything computerized, it's likely they'll have it flagged by the time you are seated anyway.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

GC

 

 

[hallux]

Something I've learned from the past decade of my sister in-law being a diagnosed Celiac 'sufferer' is that it's something you have to be vigilant about.  As suggested - make sure it's on your file by contacting the special needs department.

 

Something I've learned about both RCI and NCL after sailing with someone with food allergies - both lines take them VERY seriously.  On RCI they were vigilant about bringing the next night's menu so she could select what meal she wanted prepared special for her (pretty much ANY meal was available and they would do it up for her as needed) and then they would always confirm when seated that there was the food allergy, who it was and confirmed the order from the previous night.  On NCL the experience was similar, and I noticed the MDR manager hanging around the table with the paper filled out the previous night with the food order, confirmed it and confirmed the person with the allergy.  It's all tied to your room.  They were also vigilant about bringing the next night's menu, including if a specialty dining venue was where we were eating the next night.  NCL servers were VIGILANT about asking everyone at the table if there were any food allergies, every. single. time...

 

I suggest going to one of the MDRs shortly after embarking (maybe go for lunch) and also make your meal selection for dinner that night.

 

I would be cautious of the buffet.  I'm not sure how well they can prevent cross-contamination there, especially on the serving utensils used by others after touching possible gluten food on their own plates.  Yes, once you've purged your system of gluten, something as simple as someone touching a regular piece of bread then touching silverware or serving utensils prior you touching them can set off a reaction.  My mom has a complete set of "GF" cookware for when my brother comes with the family (porous surfaces such as teflon, nylon or silicone could cause a problem if they've had non-GF food prepared on or with them).

[CILCIANRQTS]

Just off the Pearl.

The wait staff asked first thing at EVERY meal if there were any allergies in our group.

Even better if you ask for the same waiter in the dining room each meal, as they seem to remember allergies - if not specifics, that there ARE allergies.

Agree with above advice to notify NCL before cruising, and it will pop up on everyone’s computer.

[janice2348]

1 hour ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

DH was diagnosed quite late in life with severe celiac disease, so we've had to make sudden adjustments.

 

As someone else mentioned, notify NCL.  Best if you contact their Access Desk (special needs), as they are quite used to these situations.

We've also had to work with them for a different food allergy, and they assigned someone to meet with me to help me select the next day's menu in case something needed special preparation.  (Note:  This meant that I wasn't restricted to "whatever happened to fit my dietary needs.  We've found this to be the case on most cruise ships.  Nice!)

 

And always ask if there is a GF substitute in case there's something "not advertised" 😉

If you want to plan ahead for the next day, they can sometimes make a special GF version of a special dish.  (If you ask for that, please don't be a "no show", so they will continue to offer that for others!)

 

What we always do whenever dining out *anywhere* is the remind the waitstaff when we are seated, and then again when the order is taken, and then AGAIN when it is served... "This is the Gluten Free dinner roll, correct?"

Better safe than sorry.

They (all food prep people) do try very hard, but the bottom line with any serious allergy is to doublecheck.

NCL has a special kitchen arrangement to help avoid cross-contamination when there are food allergies.  So your main job is to make sure they know, and then they can do their part.

And be sure to let them know if "cross contamination" is an issue, so they will take special care in the food handling.

 

One thing is nice, everywhere.  There has been so much call for GF food for quite a few years now that there are usually very tasty GF options for most things.  (Some years ago, this would have been much more of an issue, especially taste-wise in some cases.)

 

We've found that sometimes if we tend to eat in the same place, the waitstaff will be very good about remembering.  We've occasionally had waitstaff almost rush over to get the GF dinner rolls on the table with the regular ones as we are being seated.  And these days, with everything computerized, it's likely they'll have it flagged by the time you are seated anyway.

 

Enjoy your trip!

 

GC

 

 

I have sailed twice with NCL being gluten and dairy intolerant. I second what @GeezerCouplesaid here. My only caveat would be to avoid the buffet if your wife has Celiac, unless the kitchen makes her food to order. There is too much chance of cross contamination if you try to wing it.  I was restricted to the main dining room and specialty restaurants as they couldn’t guarantee ingredients in other venues.  I had a wonderful dinner in Teppanyaki! 
Be extra cautious on your first day.  My account was not noted with my dietary restrictions.  It was quickly sorted, but always double check what you are being served. Never assume they have it right!

 

Enjoy your cruise!

[jtvmi77]

So, you guys felt pretty limited to MDR and specialty restaurants for meals?  I hate to say "limited"; I know there's plenty to eat there.  We tend not to like "ordeals" when eating, though.  If that makes sense?  It was handy to be able to eat at O'Sheehan's for burgers, wings, etc.  Or the buffet (esp. for breakfast).  But, I understand that we have to be more diligent and selective about where we eat on the next one.  It's still much easier to find GF-friendly options on a cruise than on many land vacations.  

[hallux]

O'Sheehan's or The Local (same venue, different ships) should be fine as long as they're aware of the allergy or dietary concern.

 

As I noted in my previous reply - knowing what I know from what my SIL went through the buffet is a possible risk, more due to 'contamination' from the serving utensils.  You might be able to ask a crew member or your travel companion to assist with serving to mitigate that risk, but there's still the serving portion of the serving utensil that is possible (speaking of serving eggs or bacon here as there may not be GF-specific locations for those even though they are likely 'naturally' GF).

[GeezerCouple]

18 minutes ago, hallux said:

O'Sheehan's or The Local (same venue, different ships) should be fine as long as they're aware of the allergy or dietary concern.

 

As I noted in my previous reply - knowing what I know from what my SIL went through the buffet is a possible risk, more due to 'contamination' from the serving utensils.  You might be able to ask a crew member or your travel companion to assist with serving to mitigate that risk, but there's still the serving portion of the serving utensil that is possible (speaking of serving eggs or bacon here as there may not be GF-specific locations for those even though they are likely 'naturally' GF).

 

First, IS there a "cross-contamination" problem?  That isn't always a concern, but when there is, it can be pretty serious of course.  Let them know *either* way.  It may affect what they can do for you or how they do it.

 

As for the Buffet, ask your "contact person" on the ship or the manager that first day, as early as possible.  Get a contact name from them for someone you can ask for IN the Buffet.  That person can probably get you what you want from platters/bakeware/etc., that has not yet been set out.  Or they may have a special GF amount of that already prepared for any GF cruisers.

Again, this is not anything new for NCL.  Discuss any of these concerns at the beginning of the cruise or as concerns occur to you.  (It's unfortunate when someone complains at the end of a cruise but never expressed the concern to "the powers that be" while on board, when something may well have been possible to "fix" the situation.  This type of "problem" - GF diets - can almost always be solved, in some cases with a bit of advance planning.

 

For example, NCL once offered to make a special/separate pot of soup, without a particular ingredient.  Then they'd give me my portion (or two!), and add the rest back into the main vat.  I thanked them, but told them I decided not to bother with it.

Point is, they really do try.  They just need to know what it is they are supposed to try!    One thing they usually (!?) can't do is read minds, although occasionally it seems that they can do that, too... 😉

 

Enjoy!

 

GC

[jkrislc]

We were able enjoy the buffet and the pub on NCL despite celiac. In the buffet, we simply asked the chef to walk us through and let us know which items were safe to eat. They would also custom prepare items like pasta and GF pizza. In the pub, the selection was a bit more limited unless you ordered in advance. However, I was able to get a burger on a gluten-free bun and my wife often enjoyed the bun less rueben as she isn't crazy about GF bread. The nachos were also an option, but they had to make an accommodation by removing one of the ingredients. 

 

Generally speaking, they do a good job overall particularly if you can order in advance. While they can accommodate you on the fly, your options will be much more limited than if you preorder.

[jtvmi77]

Good info, everyone.  Thanks.  

 

She doesn't have such a keen sensitivity so as to worry too much about cross-contamination (I know some folks really do).  Ideally, it's of course good to avoid it, but we can be a bit more relaxed there.  I will make a note in the reservation and make sure we are in touch with dining staff onboard. 

 

Edited May 31, 2022 by jtvmi77

[janice2348]

22 minutes ago, jtvmi77 said:

Good info, everyone.  Thanks.  

 

She doesn't have such a keen sensitivity so as to worry too much about cross-contamination (I know some folks really do).  Ideally, it's of course good to avoid it, but we can be a bit more relaxed there.  I will make a note in the reservation and make sure we are in touch with dining staff onboard. 

 

If your wife has Celiac disease, even a small amount of gluten can cause serious digestive issues and can cause damage to the small intestine. This is beyond just being “ gluten free”.  Just to be safe,  you should contact the special needs department and let them, as well as in any food venue, know that your wife has celiac.  They will be much more vigilant.  I was gluten free for many years ( due to IBS) and wrote a blog about it also. NCL does a great job of accommodating gluten issues.  But you also have to be aware.  Being sick on a cruise from eating the wrong thing is not fun. Been there!  You can still have a wonderful cruise.  Just be mindful.  

[mjkacmom]

My daughter was diagnosed at 7, they are fantastic. We note it on our reservation, and have always had the dietary manager show up to our table on embarkment lunch. My daughter would always pre-order breakfast and dinner, just had to call when we were on our way and let them know where we’d be eating. Our family liked the buffet for breakfast, and my daughter’s breakfast was delivered to her there. Pancakes, waffles, toast, French toast, eggs Benedict - eats better on cruises than at home. For dinner they could either modify items, or she could have pretty much anything she wanted. She was 14 on our last cruise and made the phone calls herself. We are a family of 7, never made a reservation, never waited for a table, usually had the same waitstaff.

[P_Mcruisers]

In 1998 Celiac suddenly erupted/flared up. It took 3 years for a correct diagnosis. By that time I, at 5' 10"  lost more than 30 lbs. and weighed 125 lbs.

I immediately cut out all wheat, oats, rye and barley and began to recover within days. So I am very  very careful to this day. 

NCL has been very good with my requests  and questions. As I have never had any problems on board numerous cruises.  

 

 

 

[jtvmi77]

I made a request and they added it to our file, so hope that will work out.  Thx, all.  

[FLcruisergrl]

Our daughter has celiac. We’ve found NCL to be very knowledgeable in GF vs. Celiac, cross contamination, etc. With pre-planning, they literally make her anything she wants. The night we ate at Le Bistro, she had the cheese rolls from Moderno (naturally GF), fettuccine Alfredo from La Cucina, and dessert from Le Bistro!

[Diane67B]

On 5/30/2022 at 5:31 PM, jtvmi77 said:

So, you guys felt pretty limited to MDR and specialty restaurants for meals?  I hate to say "limited"; I know there's plenty to eat there.  We tend not to like "ordeals" when eating, though.  If that makes sense?  It was handy to be able to eat at O'Sheehan's for burgers, wings, etc.  Or the buffet (esp. for breakfast).  But, I understand that we have to be more diligent and selective about where we eat on the next one.  It's still much easier to find GF-friendly options on a cruise than on many land vacations.  

Just my two cents…my sister has been celiac since early childhood and loves the buffet on Norwegian. She has never felt sick after eating. Happy sailing!

[KKB]

I just discovered this handy form!

https://ncl.secure.force.com/AccessDeskForm/