<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Many thanks to all who replied.  Due to volume of responses, I will post separate summaries on cruising, plane travel and port visits.
 
A few recommended trying to contact the cruise line a week or so ahead of time to verify that they are prepared to provide GF food.  When I tried to take this advice, I got no response to a call or email for one week, then finally got ahold of someone who said they do have a record in their computer that my son is slated to eat GF; however they never know until the day of departure exactly which requested items will be available.  I did fill out the standard GF diet form a month ago, but this only covered requests for grain products—pastas, breads, pancakes, muffins, pizza crusts, cereals.  So I also sent a separate email, at the suggestion of the ship coordinator, that included requests for other non-grain GF items such as ketchup, maple syrup, hot dogs, corn dogs, chicken tenders, brats, pepperoni for the pizza, etc…
 
Quite a few people traveled on Celebrity and Holland America.  All found the main dining room staff familiar with celiac and prepared to accommodate special diets.  Some recommended finding the restaurant manager/service manager/Maitre D/dining room supervisor/head waiter as soon as they boarded or got their room; others spoke with the head waiter the first night once seated for dinner.  All found the staff familiar with celiac and prepared to accommodate special diets.  However, some mentioned that the assistants to the waiter are the weakest link and that it’s important to double check with whoever delivers the food that everything is, in fact, GF and not mixed up with someone else’s food.
 
People either chose menu selections that looked safe and then checked with the waiter who checked with the chef, or they asked the waiter for recommendations.  After each dinner, the waiter brought the next night’s menu so the celiac could pre-select the next night’s  meal and staff could be prepared to make it GF.
 
Most people mentioned that they stayed at their same assigned table with the same waiter all week, so the continuity was helpful.
 
Some recommended sticking with the main dining room for all meals.  Others used room service to get GF bagels and muffins for breakfast that they would either eat in the room or bring along to the buffet to supplement the eggs, fruit, etc… One brought her son’s own GF cereal in individual serving size ziplock bags for breakfast, though I will note that the Holland America told me I could only bring food aboard that was in factory sealed packages.
 
Several recommended selecting lunch for the next day at the Lido or casual dining deck, such as a GF pizza base that they can finish there.
 
Re: buffet—lunch can be difficult because it is buffet (this person apparently only had buffet as an option at lunch), and found they had to press to talk with the a chef and was not always able to do so, in order to have him identify GF choices.  If not, look for meat being cut by a chef, salads that have no croutons, veggies not in broth, fresh fruit.
 
Someone mentioned that there is always ice cream, 
 
Several people did pack GF food from home, but nobody ever needed it on the cruise itself.  People did sometimes use their own GF food for plane travel and outings in ports (separate summaries to follow).
 
Based on all the responses, I feel fairly confident enough that I don’t plan to pack food for the cruise itself.  Thanks again everyone!
 
Dawn Pilney
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