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

Gluten-Free Naturally: https://glutenfreeforlife1.blogspot.com

Gluten-Free Travel:  https://glutenfreeinflorida2.blogspot.com

FaceBook:  http://www.facebook.com/glutenfree.inflorida

Gluten-Free for Life is a section 501(c)3 charitable organization.

All gifts and donations are tax deductible in accordance with law

"A Copy of the Official Registration and Financial Information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll-free within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state."  

1-800-Help-Fla (435-7352)  Www.Floridaconsumerhelp.Com

Gluten-Free Travel

Gluten-Free Travel

VACATION RENTALS:  From screened huts in Peru, to mobile homes in Florida, log cabins in Tennessee, thatched cottages in Ireland and even a castle in Scotland; Vacation Rentals are a great way to go!  They come in absolutely every size, shape and location you can imagine, from dirt cheap to as extravagant as you can dream, there are very few limits. They're easy enough to find if you can Google.  In the U S use the key words "Vacation Rental" and the location you're interested in.  Outside the U S use the key words "Self Catering" along with the country you want to search.

We have one rule when we travel…we never eat, shop, or explore anything we could do at home. That means when we shop for Gluten-Free food we stick to locally available as well.  And it’s a lot easier than you’d expect if you eat real food…fresh fruits, vegetables & proteins. I’ve also found that countries outside the U S are truly much more Gluten-Free safe than I had imagined. 

MEAL PLAN/SHOPPING LIST:  I always seem to travel with a troop…anywhere from 4 to 40 people…so it’s always wise to have a basic shopping list planned out.  About a month before leaving we begin discussing food of course :-)  Meals are planned around my specific needs and everyone else’s likes and dislikes. Yes, we do eat out when we travel.  But we also love to eat in as well.  I travel with some incredible cooks who love exploring the local cuisine. I will admit spending time with people who love food as much as I do really makes the trip so much more enjoyable.  And we all love to immerse ourselves in the local culture which means local food as well. Thankfully, my travel buddies are not big fans of processed foods…so that makes planning and shopping for real, whole foods that much easier.  If you check out the local stores online you can often find out which brands are safe or offer GF options available in that area.

BREAKFAST:  I never leave the house without eating a good hearty breakfast first. Others may stop and eat whenever, wherever they want...for me it's not so easy so I make certain I'm prepared for my day. So first on the list are potatoes, onions, eggs, sausage, bacon, salt & pepper. If you cook the meats first, then you don’t need to worry about the oil/butter.  Otherwise olive or coconut oil is always on our list…we never use anything else.  Everyone seems to love my GF pancakes so those go on the list as well with either real maple syrup (if it’s available) or local jams or fruit preserves. If the pancake mix might present a challenge I’ll pack my own in the suitcase…just in case.

LUNCH/SNACKS:  We never plan lunches, but we do like to keep something on-hand just in case.  Generally it’s some local cheese, perhaps some deli-meats or roasted chicken, plenty of fresh fruit and chips of some sort.  We don’t even bother with the bread or condiments…we don’t truly need them.  Snacks…don't forget stuff that’s not too tender and can easily be thrown into a backpack or purse for the day. Protein bars, dried fruit, hard cheese, nuts; and trust me I’m not the only one who goes looking for them. It’s easy enough to find everything GF and others don’t even know the difference.  Stay away from the chocolate though…if it’s a warm day you’ll regret it.

One thing we’ve learned is that GF potato chips are pretty much available wherever we’ve traveled. My daughters and friends all know this.  And potato chips are the one food I know I can eat without any tummy upset. So when we’re out and about and everyone is stopping to enjoy a snack or lunch and we find there is absolutely nothing available for me; someone will show up with a bag of chips and a cold drink and I’m a happy camper :-) It doesn’t matter what they may be eating, I’m safe and in the company of some amazing people.  I don’t ask for anything more.

DINNER:  This is always a planned event, whether we shop and make it at the house, or find a restaurant in our travels where we can all stop and enjoy a great meal. I’m grateful that my travel mates will search for a place where I can enjoy my meal with them. We discuss this before we even begin to pack.  If it’s going to be 7 nights we may plan on eating out for 1-3 meals and cooking at the house for the rest.  We always leave 1-2 nights with no dinner planned because we’ve discovered left-overs have a way of making it into the fridge and those become lunch or dinner quickly. 

We try to stay away from processed foods...UNLESS...we find something particular to the location that is clearly marked Gluten-Free. Normally, I don't eat that sort of thing at home, but on vacation or a break I love to indulge and try new things. And if they all decide to do a pizza night like we did in Portugal then I’ll raid the fridge and find something interesting to enjoy. I think that night I ended up with fresh fruit, local goat cheese, cookies and wine.  I shared the wine. They all had Portuguese Pizza…it was an interesting twist.

THE HOUSE:  Many of these Vacation Rentals will provide some of the basic items needed for our stay…trash bags, soaps, paper goods, some non-perishable cooking supplies…those are a big help.  Not all rental houses provide things like that.  Many are stripped clean after each renter and it’s up to the renter to scramble for supplies that first day. Honestly, houses that are stripped like that are a huge disappointment. 

And the best part? My own kitchen!  Traveling Gluten-Free can be a real challenge at times and I love being able to prepare my own meals on occasion, on my own terms without worrying about someone else’s carelessness.  Generally, the kitchens are pretty clean and neat.  There is NO maid service but they do have a cleaning crew go through the house from top to bottom before you move in and then again after you move out.  So the kitchens have never really been a problem for me.  The first thing we do upon arriving is inspect the house, find our bedrooms and begin making a note of items we’ll need to shop for.  Usually tops on the list are soaps & paper products for the kitchen, bath and laundry.

I check out the kitchen.  Glass is my friend!  I love finding glass and ceramic dishes, glasses, cups, bowls and baking pans!  When in doubt…wash it out!  Plastic gets shoved to the back of the shelf…I don’t like using it.  Pots & pans take a ton of abuse so I inspect them closely.  Scratches, dents, unknown burnt bits…those get shoved to the back of the shelf as well.  If I have to, I’ll purchase my own trusty fry pan to use while I’m there and then simply leave it behind when I’m gone.  I absolutely dislike aluminum…but if needed I’ll sacrifice my dislike and purchase aluminum baking/roasting pans and foil…simply to protect myself.  I’ve also been known to convert the entire kitchen to disposables if absolutely nothing in the kitchen is safe to eat from.

Can this get expensive?  Perhaps.  But not so much when you consider my share of renting the house can be as little as $15.00 a night!  You probably won’t find any hotel that cheap…and if you do you might not want to walk outside alone. And if eating unsafe food puts me into a hospital in a foreign country…well, I don’t think that's very cost effective either.  So I consider the costs for my Gluten-Free safety and put that right into the travel budget too. House, Food, Gas & Car Rental all get put into the same budget and shared by everyone.

When we’re shopping we generally don’t get much that’s not Gluten-Free because we’re always out and about nearly every day and everyone can indulge to their hearts content.  Here are some of the basics we shop for, you'll need to adjust according to your needs - Bacon, Bath Soap, Broth, Butter, Chicken, Chips, Coffee, Conditioner, Creamer, Deli-Meats, Dish Soap, Dried Fruit, Eggs, Fresh Fruit, Fresh Vegetables, Garlic, Hamburger, Hand Soap, Hard Cheese, Juice, Laundry Soap, Milk, Nuts, Oil, Onions, Paper Towels, Pepper, Potatoes, Protein Bars, Rice, Salt, Sausage, Tea, Toilet Paper, Tooth Paste, Trash Bags, Shampoo, Snack Bars, Sugar, Water. 

CarolAnne Le Blanc

Gluten-Free Naturally: https://glutenfreeforlife1.blogspot.com

Gluten-Free Travel:  https://glutenfreeinflorida2.blogspot.com

FaceBook:  http://www.facebook.com/glutenfree.inflorida

Gluten-Free for Life is a section 501(c)3 charitable organization.

All gifts and donations are tax deductible in accordance with law

"A Copy of the Official Registration and Financial Information may be obtained from the Division of Consumer Services by calling toll-free within the state. Registration does not imply endorsement, approval, or recommendation by the state."  

1-800-Help-Fla (435-7352)  Www.Floridaconsumerhelp.Com