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After dinner Mom and I went to the ice skating show on the ship which was so impressive. Mom went to bed and I went...to late night for more buffet french fries, pizza, and hanging out with Phil and Sirena. Overall, cruising is a great way to explore the world without worrying about getting glutened. Your cruise ship will always provide safe meals for you, albeit it will take time and effort to make it happen. Going on a cruise but have celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, or following a gluten-free diet for medical or health reasons?
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We ate dinner at 7 pm and wanted to enjoy the shows and entertainment afterward. To eat more food a few hours after dinner (and dessert) proved much too challenging for me and my husband. Celiac Cruise passenger, Kaylee Blumenfeld, took a behind-the-scenes tour of the ship. She spotted several areas inside the non-dedicated gluten-free kitchens that prepared gluten-free food in dedicated spaces. Because our group ate all meals exclusively in the Solarium Bistro, this cruise was a more casual experience than my prior cruises.
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One was the Main Dining Room (Deck 5), and the second was the left-hand side of the Windjammer Cafe on Deck 11. These areas offered 100% gluten-free food that was made in a dedicated gluten-free kitchen. Each of these areas had a large sign out front indicating this was a "Gluten-Free Zone". We were all also given wristbands to wear for meals that said "Celiac Cruise VIP" and someone would check you in as you arrived.
Happily Accommodated: Traveling Gluten-Free
Celiac Cruise now offers cruises to the Caribbean and Mexico, as well as cruises to Alaska and even Europe! I know many people who are going on the Europe Cruise this fall for a gluten-free Oktoberfest experience, which is so exciting! To see all of their current sailings, please visit the Celiac Cruise website. I enjoyed a 7-day Royal Caribbean cruise on the Freedom of the Seas.
( You Can Try Other Dining Experiences
All of the ships in the line employ specialist head waiters and chefs to manage special dietary requests, and they’ll coordinate with you about the options available. The dedicated gluten-free menus will take the guesswork out of ordering. Carnival also offers Menu Mate, which is a food ingredient program that helps accommodate guests that have food allergies. In the Main Dining Room, the evening meal will have a “featured gluten-free” menu that includes an appetizer, entree and dessert. In the past, although Carnival offered gluten-free options, the icons and notes on the menus were not consistent. There is good news for those people as all cruise lines, without exception, now offer gluten-free meals.
When I disclosed my food issues, I wished someone on the cruise staff had given me a standard procedure form. It took too many meals and incidents to understand how to pre-order all my meals, not just my dinner. As I understand it, Royal Caribbean has a special kitchen prep area that is dedicated gluten-free where all my meals were prepared safely for me. Offer clearly labeled gluten-free meals every night in the dining hall.
All of her previous buffet experiences had consisted of asking for a chef and waiting a long time for our food to be prepared safely in the back. Out of that struggle, she had this fabulous (and crazy) idea that those with celiac disease could have a safe gluten-free experience without the worry and burden that typically accompanies gluten-free travel. For smaller river cruises in Europe, there is ZERO gluten on the ship. Celiac Cruise charters an entire AmaWaterways ship for its 100% gluten-free sailings on the rivers of Europe. We encountered many people in the same “boat” as us diet-wise, so naturally, friendships ensued. We made friends at Celiac Cruise events and even chatted with fellow passengers over meals.
(8) They “mystery shop” various venues to ensure the staff is getting gluten-free right even when they don’t know the Celiac Cruise staff is watching. “It’s scary to put your name on something that requires you to trust other people. This is why training happens again and again, and the ingredients are checked again and again.
Gluten-Free Vacations - Celiac Disease and Gluten-Free Diet Support - Celiac.com
Gluten-Free Vacations.
Posted: Tue, 20 Dec 2016 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Right now, it’s only a $100 per person refundable deposit to hold your spot, with final payment due no later than December 1, 2021. This gives you time to plan ahead while still offering a risk-free commitment during these uncertain times. If booking outside companies, choose tour providers with a large number of excellent reviews and a guarantee to get you to the ship or transfer you to the next port. Many are the same vendors that Royal Caribbean uses and are adept at getting guests back to the ship on time. Celiac Cruise sailings on Royal Caribbean give you significantly more budget flexibility. From Royal Suite Class on a Greek Isles cruise (splurge) to an inside cabin on a 5-day Bahamas cruise (affordable), you’ll see options for every budget.
Keep in mind, that once you are outside the dedicated gluten-free space, you will need to self-advocate. However, you’ll receive the usual Royal Caribbean allergy protocols. Plus, all Royal Caribbean kitchen staff has been trained by the Celiac Cruise team prior to sailing, so celiac awareness is heightened.
The desire for a worry-free vacation appears desirable to all demographics. Because of opposing views on foods like oats and wheat starch, you won’t find anything made with either ingredient on a Celiac Cruise. If you haven’t had Holidaily beer before, you’re in for a real treat! I, however, am spoiled because one of the Holidaily tap rooms in Colorado is located five minutes away from my house. He said that only one member of a family of 18 needed to eat gluten-free, but all joined the Celiac Cruise experience so they could be together. Total Travel found me a fantastic deal on a flight (flying first class for under $200 per person), and they directed me to suggested hotels in Seattle I could stay in.
Imagine, a dedicated gluten-free kitchen, a travel posse of about 200 travelers who “get it” and make you feel normal, no asking questions, no vetting ingredients, no over-planning, and no worry. Similarly, Celiac Cruise started with the dream of a mom, Maureen Basye, whose son, Peter, was diagnosed with celiac disease, followed by her husband’s diagnosis. The company has served 5,000 people since its inaugural year in 2020, and 15% of its cruisers are repeat customers. Susan Batterton’s daughter, Janie, has celiac disease, and they sat next to me while dining one night.
Another cruise line that caters to its passengers gluten free needs, is MSC.MSC has partnered with the Italian Celiac Association to create an extensive gluten-free menu. Famous for providing luxurious cruises, Seabourn Cruise Lines guarantees your gluten-free needs are met by arranging a variety of gluten-free pastries, and even breadsticks. Since Carnival has a large fleet of ships and is noted for being a famous commercial cruise line, they are adequately stocked all the time for gluten-free cruisers. Now the whole family can experience new places and make lasting memories without the anxiety that accompanies menu options that may or may not be truly gluten-free. You can explore places like the Caribbean, Greece, Alaska, the Danube River and Amsterdam. All a prospective cruiser has to do is to make the request in advance and give the cruise line notification prior to their sail date.
Though Azamara is a small cruise line, they can provide the necessary accommodations for gluten-free cruisers. Specify your gluten-free orders the night before, they can make pancakes, waffles, and other items. During breakfast, you will not be limited with their pastry spread such as muffins, toast & pancakes. To keep up with their awesomeness, they also prepare gluten-free donuts. Disney theme parks have earned a successful reputation when it comes to accommodating special dietary needs, and Disney cruises did not fall far from the tree. Like any other cruise line, it is crucial to notify them in advance, at least 35 to 65 days in writing, depending on the particular cruise you’ll be booking.
These two areas are where I ate my meals every day or got late night snacks. Besides these areas, and the designated area on the private island of Coco Cay, the other dining environments were shared spaces. While they could accommodate your gluten-free needs, the assumption here is that it's not a dedicated space, so the risk of cross-contact is there. Celiac Cruise is a unique travel company partnering with cruise lines like Royal Caribbean and Amawaterways offer a dedicated gluten-free experience.
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