Gluten-Free Travel, Cruising

Cruising Gluten-Free

When you live a Gluten-Free lifestyle traveling or eating out can be a bit tricky. Food becomes a real challenge. I’m the sort of person who accepts responsibility for me. I’m the only person responsible for my disease; I can’t blame that on anyone else. When others are preparing my food I’m cautious, I’m careful, but I don’t expect them to fully understand, or care, about my needs and I certainly don’t expect them to take responsibility for me. They may prepare my food but no-one forces me to bend my elbow and open my mouth. I accept those risks and forge bravely ahead in search of my next great vacation!

Cruising can one of the simplest, most cost effective ways to travel. And if you follow a Gluten-Free lifestyle it can also be the safest way to go. I’ve been cruising for 30 years now and I’ve been on most of the cruise lines at least once. They all do things a bit differently, but over the years they’ve certainly learned how to do Gluten-Free with class.  And price-wise you can’t beat a cruise – a warm comfy bed, food nearly 24-hours a day, extraordinary entertainment, swimming pools, hot-tubs, dancing, library, movies, games, activities – all generally included in the price of your ticket. There are tons of ways you can spend your money once on board, but you don’t have to. If you only take advantage of all the complimentary options available you can still have an incredible vacation. PLUS…if you’re Gluten-Free you’ll be assigned an incredible Food Hero (my words, not theirs) to take care of you.

As soon as you book your cruise contact them online or by phone and speak to their Special Needs Customer Service.  Let them know right away about your dietary restrictions. They may have a form they’ll want you to fill out…or they may just take your information over the phone. But let them know you’ve booked your cruise and that you’ll need to eat Gluten-Free.  Every ship that I’ve ever been on has a dedicated, Dietary Restriction, kitchen with dedicated chefs and staff. If you eat in the Main Dining Room your food will always come from that kitchen. If you eat anywhere else on-board your food may come from that kitchen, or a secondary restricted area kitchen.

On the very first day of your trip, once you’ve gotten through all that boarding hoopla, all your bags will be taken away from you and you’ll be welcomed onto the ship. But you won’t be allowed into your room right away. So everyone heads up to the Lido Deck for some food and entertainment while waiting.  This will probably be the riskiest 60-90 minutes of your entire cruise experience. But don’t panic yet! Even the Lido Deck Buffet can be navigated with a bit of caution.  Iced Tea, Water, Lemonade, Hot Tea and Coffee are all complimentary and generally pretty safe. Everything on the Buffet is also complimentary…so take your time. I’ll normally hold the table while everyone else fills their plates first. They’re always much faster than me…so I wait…and watch to see what’s available. There’s almost always fresh fruit, cheese, deli meat, hard boiled eggs, lots of simple, basic options. I usually take mine from an undisturbed area or the back of the platter. That first day I don’t even bother with the hot food options. Everyone is just crazy busy so I like to wait until I can talk to someone who’s not overwhelmed with people. Once that first day rush is over don’t be afraid to ask to speak to a manager or chef. They’ll be better able to guide you to safe options you can enjoy.

Once you’ve been allowed into your rooms at some point they’ll deliver your bags.  You’re allowed to pack things non-perishable if you want. I did that the very first time I cruised. I ended up taking it all back home with me when the cruise was done. So I’ve never bothered since. Now it’s just one box of protein bars so that I can carry one with me when we leave the ship. That’s it…I’ve never needed more. So unpack your bags, settle into your room and go explore the ship! It’s no secret that food is a major part of any cruise. And you’ll find tons of places to try…from tiny little coffee or sushi spots, casual BBQ or grill areas, mile long buffets, pizzerias, ice cream parlors, bakeries, all the way to formal dining and dating rooms. Most of it is complimentary, but be certain to ask before ordering. And not all of it is off-limits to Celiac’s or Gluten Intolerant. On many ships you’ll be able to find dedicated fryers, GF buns, pizza, cookies, breads; you name it, nearly all of it complementary. I’ve even purchased some tasty GF cupcakes straight from the bakery. They were a bit expensive, but so worth it. And don’t think you’re alone in your Gluten-Freeness. If the ship has 2,000 passengers then there are at least 20 others in the same boat with you; s0 don’t be shy, ask!

That first night you’ll want to eat in the Main Dining Room just so you can meet your own, personal, Food Hero. Nearly everything is complementary except for soda and alcohol. I prefer the Dining Room for dinner and breakfast anyway because I find the food is fresher and much better prepared.  PLUS…I have my Hero available to me. Generally the dress code for the Main Dining Room is business casual or better. That means no flip-flops, bathing suits, shorts or t-shirts for dinner.  In the morning they tend to be much more casual but they still discourage flip-flops and bathing suits. When you arrive at the Dining Room let them know who you are and that you’ll be eating Gluten-Free. They’ll be expecting you, but it’s nice to put a face to your name. Chances are you’ll all be escorted to your table and introduced to your Wait Staff. Every table has assigned Wait Staff, anywhere from 2-4 people depending on the size of the table. It’s one of the reasons I prefer to sit at the same table each night. Because when they know who you are they’ll be able to take better care of you. I can’t guarantee it will happen on every cruise line…it has on every one that I’ve ever been on…but this is where you’ll be introduced to your Food Hero for the cruise.

Food Heroes (often a Head Waiter or Maitre D') are specially trained in many types of dietary restrictions and they’re very familiar with all the menu items and many of the ingredients. That first night you’ll receive the menu along with everyone else. Lately, many ships are now clearly marking GF and DF choices right on the menu. Your Hero will guide you to choices that are available and already safely prepared just for you. Often times it’s as much as 50% of the menu choices. Every night they have standard ‘comfort’ choices available for the less adventurous. Then they have Starters – usually soups or hors d'oeuvres.  They often have Didja’s for the more adventurous – such as frog legs, shark, alligator, snails and such. Main course choices cover everything from vegetarian to beef. And all of that is followed by some of the most decadent deserts you’ll ever find. And the menu changes every night.

When everyone has finished their meal, and you’re all enjoying dessert and coffee, your Hero will bring out the menu for the next evening. It varies from ship to ship – some have a selection of choices, others will make anything safe on the entire menu. They always ask me not to share the menu with anyone at the table; they love to keep the element of surprise for what’s next. You’ll also be asked if you’ll be eating breakfast at the Dining Room. Don’t worry if your plans change last minute…they simply want to be prepared for you should you show up for a meal. There are so many other food options available that you can try…I’m simply spoiled by the quality of the food in the Dining Room.

Unfortunately, when you leave the ship to explore one of the port stops you won’t be able to take your Hero with you. Grab one of those protein bars that you packed and enjoy your day. Many ports frown on you bringing fruit off the ship. You’re allowed to return to the ship and leave again as often as you want while in port so going back for a quick snack or lunch is super easy. If you’re going on an excursion you’ll probably want that protein bar and something to drink. I’ve often eaten at the port stops or on excursions but I’m also super careful. I have my Triumph Dining Cards in several languages so they always go with me. Several of the larger ships also have privately owned port stops and those are much easier to navigate food wise. Everything they need is brought to shore from the ship so that you’ll not only have plenty of food and drink available, but you’ll also have the ships staff available for questions. They do this a lot at privately owned beaches and small islands. Again, nearly everything is complementary except for soda and alcohol.

CarolAnne Le Blanc

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