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

Thanks to all who responded to my question about food options on a Norwegian
Cruise Line (NCL) trip to Alaska.  I received quite a few responses with very
helpful suggestions.  It appears NCL is not as helpful as some other lines in
this area;  Princess line had very good recommendations.  In any event, I am
thrilled to be going.  Beautiful Alaska will most certainly make up for any
less than wonderful food options I may have.

Here are some excerpts from the many responses:
Take own cereal and bread.  I always ordered two entrees that appeared to be
safe and ate the vegetables.  After I took off what  I could eat I passed the
plate for others to sample.

Immediately after you board ...speak to the head waiter.   Tons of fruit
available all the time.  Bring cereal.  If you eat eggs you are all set but
there were no GF cereals available.

Cruised on the SS Norway of Norwegian Lines ...spoke with someone at company
headquarters.  Really easy.  Can make anything plain, fabulous fruit buffet
for lunch.  Chef even made me 100% wheatfree muffins with my meals!

Send letter to your travel agent from your doctor, send a duplicate one to
[cruise line] keeping a third to take with you on the cruise.  Also CSA`s
Restaurant Card would be good to give to the chef.

Call NCL directly. Speak to supply and purchasing agent. Fax or mail him a
list of foods that you can eat. Send recipes for 1 bread, 1 muffin etc. they
will usually order the rice flour etc. if you give them enough notice.
...give this info to the head chef.

Probably dinner will be most difficult, it is normally a set meal, but with
four or five dishes to choose from.

Carry supply of EnerG packets of bread, vacuum packed two slices to a package;
they travel weeks without refrigeration.

On the Norway GF diet was provided minus the baked goods.  Buffet was harder.
Stay with the served meals for the trip.  Had fish, chicken, meat, veggies,
fruit.  Did not eat soups, brought own crackers and bread.  They kept bread in
the freezer.  Brought pasta and was served it two times when requested it.
Saw menu for the week the first night on board and picked what I wanted for
the week.  Only yogurt was yoplait and that is not GF.

I sent the following letter in advance to the ship as well as to the ship line

To whom it may concern:

I have reservations on (snip) The following are dietary restrictions I would
appreciate your assistance in helping me follow. I have an allergy to the
gluten in wheat, barley, rye and oats, known as Celiac disease.  This means
that I can have none of the above grains nor products made from their flours.
So I cannot eat bread, sandwiches, pancakes, gravies/sauces, pretzels, pasta,
crackers, cereal, croissants, noodle soups/thick chowders, cookies, cake or
pie.  Essentially no baked goods of the ordinary variety.  Additionally, I
cannot have products thickened with "starch", "modified food starch" or
"hydrolyzed vegetable protein" which are commonly wheat products.  These
include most commercial pasta sauces.  I cannot have regular soy sauce (and
therefore teriyaki) as, while it is made  from soy beans, it is fermented in
wheat.  Prepared foods with "caramel color" or "msg" are also forbidden as
they come from barley.  What I can eat are substitutes made from corn,
potatoes, rice and beans.  A substitute for oatmeal would be corn grits at
breakfast; rice or cream of rice instead of cream of wheat; rice cakes instead
of bread at meals; small rice cakes instead of wheat ones with cheese and
wine; a baked potato instead of a bulgur wheat entree; or tapioca instead of
bread pudding.  Sauces can be thickened with corn starch instead of wheat
flour.   Meats and vegetables can be prepared unbreaded before grilling or
frying or can be "breaded" with corn meal.   (snip) Thank you for your
cooperation.  I am sure you have passengers with special dietary needs all the
time and will be able to accommodate these restrictions

Bring letter from doctor that lists forbidden foods. Show to head waiter first
night. He would talk to me each night about the choices for the next day and
would consult with the chef if necessary.  Eat at buffet, stick with foods
sure to be gf - only use oil and wine winegar salad dressings. Chef  made me a
special dessert every night. He even made sure I could have corn starch
because he said he could make fancier desserts for me if corn starch was
allowed.  (Princess Line cruise)

Just returned from cruise on Norwegian Cruise Lines; horrible experience with
allergies alot easier to manage than the GF diet.  ...no one had any record
of our special food request.  Discovered when we were already at sea with no
recourse.  The chef would not come out to talk to me about my special needs,
so I ordered a steak which they pan-fried, steamed broccoli, and a plain
baked potato.  (snip) To avoid a similar situation, suggested calling
cruiseline, ask to speak to an executive in charge of these matters not just
a customer service rep.  ...explain this is a medical diet (not just a
personal preference) and that strict adherence is mandatory.  ...send a list
of allowed and not allowed foods.  ...include explanation of cross
contamination, ....insist contact person call you to go over it in detail and
answer any questions they might have.

Watch out for salad dressings, breakfast can be a real challenge... stick with
fruit. STAY AWAY FROM THE BUFFETS!

Royal Carribean: choice of several entrees.  ...talk to waiter, head waiter
and/or maitre'd at the first meal to explain the situation. Buffets alright
also, but be careful with contamination from utensils, etc

Have your travel agent notify the Line two weeks before sailing with a letter
from your doctor. They should lay in special flours etc Call the Line again
yourself. Insist that other Celiacs have been able to have cooperation on all
of the other Lines.

I bring my own cereal, instant soups, humus, chips, crackers, that may be
light so all I have to worry about is getting hot water.  They provide whole
fruit.  Be careful of yogurts.  Take a small cooler.  Porter will bring ice
for your chest to keep things cold.  Show your card to the head waiter and
explain your exact needs.  Princess ...they were fantastic.  The Alaskan
cruises specialize in FRESH fish and some fantastic smoked salmon

Linda
Canby, OR, USA