Gluten Free and a few other questions

[Surfgirl]

Hello! I've never sailed the Windstar line before, and am thinking about booking the St Thomas trip for next month.

 

1. The person I travel with has celiac, which means she requires a gluten free diet. Do they make accomodations for people with those kinds of dietary needs?

 

2. We'll be flying in from the NY area. Should we stay overnight in St. Thomas to be sure we don't miss the sailing? What time do you need to arrive to the ship by?

 

3. Is bottled water available on board?

 

I've sailed Windjammer Barefoot Cruises and the big cruise lines.. this will be my first experience on Windstar. Thanks for any comments and advice.

[6rugrats]

1. Why not contact Windstar directly with your dietary concerns?

 

2. YES, fly in the day before. Your documents will say what time you may board; it's usually in the afternoon.

 

3. Of course you can get bottled water, but you will pay for it.

[Surfgirl]

I called Windstar, but the person I spoke with seemed unfamiliar with gluten intolerance. But thanks for your reply.

 

I was hoping someone who also had this dietary need would be able to give me some insight since gluten intolerance can be quite tricky. NCL, for example, has an entire prep area devoted to gluten-free to avoid cross-contamination. I wouldn't expect that on a small line like Windstar, but was just hoping to get some insight since the person I would be sailing with is very insensative and gets extremely ill.

[6rugrats]

Sometimes I think agents answering a phone should at least be able to access their own company webpage!! Special diets are addressed on Windstar's webpage. Note the 30 days in advance requirment. The Windstar kitchens are, of course, much smaller than on the larger cruise ships, so I think cross contamination would be a bigger problem. Here's what it says:

 

Special Diets

Low-sodium diet, vegetarian, low-cholesterol, salt or fat free and other special dietary needs can be accommodated if we are notified in advance. Our dining room staff will be happy to oblige your special needs. Just let us know your dietary preferences at the time of booking, and reconfirm with the dining room manager once you're aboard. We shall do our utmost to fulfill all requests, although agricultural and perishability restrictions may apply. (Please note: Special requests received less than 30 days before sailing may not be available.)

If you (or your travel agent) requested special meals at the time of your booking, please reconfirm this request with the Maitre d' after you board. If you have further questions or require additional information, please contact the Ship Services Department at 1-800-541-1576.

 

Try calling the number above and see if you can get more complete information.

[Surfgirl]

Thank you. I appreciate the help. The person I travel with is very self conscious about her dietary problem and hates the fuss, but just a tiny bit of gluten gets her violently ill.

 

I'll call and see what they say.