<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>
More on the cruise experiences. Enjoy. Note the last comment on Carnival,
this was the only comment about Carnival.
Still have 14 more to post, the response was incredible and thanks so much
again. Janine
On both Holland America and Princess, we were not assigned a table for
breakfast or lunch. Only at dinner did we have our reserved table. We
made it a point to always ask to be seated in our head waiters section at
breakfast or lunch. (He isn't always assigned to his regular section as
many eat breakfast or lunch in the buffet, so about 1/2 of the dining
room is closed off then). Then he made sure that I got my pizza, bagel
or whatever I had ordered. Sometimes in port, the dining room is not
open and we had to eat in the buffet. Also, I ALWAYS bring my own
toaster. I get the cheapest, because it is the smallest, toaster and ask
the head waiter for enough bread at dinner so then I toast it and bring
it with me at breakfast. (Take some baggies with you). I don't trust
them toasting my bread in the kitchen. I take enough for breakfast and
lunch, and as I said, there's usually plenty of bread on the table at
dinner for me to take back to my stateroom for the next day.
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in regards to Holland America:
They sent me a list of GFfood items that they would order for me 3 months
in advance. Yes, I remember their saying only 2 per day. I checked the
ones that I wished - they never mentioned a thing after I got on the ship
about limiting me to 2 items per day. They always had bread on the table
for me when I arrived, even when I told them no. (I rarely eat bread for
dinner - and told them several times that I didn't want it, but they go
by rote - and it was always there!) I didn't order special things every
day. Each evening, usually between finishing the entre and dessert, the
head waiter brought me the next days lunch and dinner menus. Many days
they had a salad that I liked, or fish that I could eat for dinner, so I
didn't need anything special. Other days the menu looks just fair, and I
would ask for pasta with seafood sauce (if that was on the menu for the
other guys). There is so much food!!!! I'm sure I didn't use up
whatever I ordered. Incidentally, the blueberry muffins are to die for.
Unfortunately, I was so busy with the bagels and English muffins, that I
didn't try the muffin till near the end of the cruise. Be sure and try
them early on!!!
I had brought along GF crackers as we were spending 2 days before the
cruise in Rio. (Do you like Chebe bread? They had Chebe bread in Rio.
I used to know the Portuguese for Chebe bread, but I forgot! What a
thrill!!!) So, often if I had a salad, I would just bring along my
crackers. But I'm still sure no one will say a thing unless, of course,
you order a pizza, pasta, muffins and bagel daily. You'll get along
great, I'm sure.
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had a very positive experience with Celebrity Cruise Lines. Last July my
family and I went on a 7-day cruise to Bermuda. I did have to tell
Celebrity, about 90 days before the cruise, that I would require GF food.
They were very accommodating. They had special bread for me and if there
was nothing on the menu that I thought I could eat they were good about
preparing grilled chicken or a steak for me. This, of course, was in the
dining room. If you choose to eat at the fuffets, or other eateries, you
have to check things out on your own. I found that breakfast was easy if
you like scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit, etc. The buffet lunch was a bit
harder because I found they added sauces to the tomatos and other fresh
vegetables but most of the time I was able to find something to eat. If you
can find the person in charge of the buffet they can proabably arrange for
you to have GF food, too.
The best thing to do is to bring snacks with you; nuts, cookies, etc. in
case you can't find something you can eat. I also brought cereals in small
plastic bags and sometimes had breakfast in the cabin. You can order milk,
fruit and coffee/tea. At the time we took the cruise I had only been
diagnosed with CD for less than 2 months but I wasn't going to miss the
cruise because it was our 50th wedding anniversary. It all worked out very
well and we had a wonderful time. I didn't eat in port so I don't know how
you will fare away from the ship.
I am sure you will do very well because cruise ships are prepared for GF
passengers.
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We have had a wonderful experience on Holland-America and a WONDERFUL
experience on Princess. With Holland America, we had to switch tables as
the Indonesian head waiter really hadn't a clue about CD. We did end up
with a very knowledgeable head waiter, however, if I wanted a GF Pizza
for lunch, I had to order it the night before. If I wanted a GF bagel or
English muffin for breakfast, I had to order it the night before! All of
the GF items were delicious and I had no problems at all. On Princess,
(we were on 2 different cruises), and both times our head waiter was
Italian and fantastic! I don't remember their having GF pizza's when we
went, but that was several years ago - I'll bet they do now!!! Good
luck!
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I have been on 2 Carnival cruises (left out of New Orleans) since I have
been gf. I had no problems with the food. The chef and matri'd (sp?) were
very cooperative. I just had to let them know when I booked the cruise and
they gave me a number to call and set everything up.
When I went to dinner the first nite they gave me menus for the whole week
and told me to select whatever I wanted and the chef would either make sure
it was prepared gf or suggest another selection.
I truly had NO problems. I did not eat off ship.
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