Ask for substitutions at dinner

[happy cruzer]

dig deeper about the gluten free request. that responce just looked like a cya answer.

 

They will accomodate you with the stores on hand but they can't promise gluten free pasta, I don't think that store that. So you will need to order something besides pasta. that's my take on what they are trying to tell you.

[Poomah]

I have found CCL to be very accomodating when it came to food requests. DIL has severe, multiple food allergies. Staff consulted with her each day and her dining experience was lovely. She was able to find plenty on the Lido for breakfast and lunch.

 

Point is - keep asking, even if you have to go as high as the head chef. CCL does their best to provide great service. Oh - the cruise DIL was with us was a spring break cruise with over 900 kids on board - talk about the chef being challenged?!?!?!?:eek:

[ChefSusan]

I have never cruised before and was wonderinabout asking for substitutions or asking for an item w/o one of the iitems. example: I was looking through some sample menus and found things that sounded great but would have 1 thing in it that I can not stand like mushrooms..Can you ask for it w/o mushrooms or is that a no no. Do they already have things plated since they are serving so many people s it would be a big deal or be offensive to the chef to do that. Just curious so I don't make an a$$ out of myself asking for that. Also I am a side dish girl. You can give me the best main dish but I will love the potato or veggie with it over the meat. Can you order just extra sides and not the main meat or vice versa for my DH.

I am severely allergic to mushrooms, and when we sailed on Legend, they did not have any problems leaving them off anything I ordered that had them included as an ingredient. I had also let our TA know this, and she alerted Carnival to this prior to us sailing.

 

Side note: nothing is pre-plated - this allows for substitutions of menu items. If your ship offers it, I HIGHLY recommend that you take the galley tour the last day of sailing. You can learn a great deal about food service on a cruise ship!

 

I believe that you can order just side dishes and no protein.

 

As for the gluten-free question, best to find out directly from Carnival if they have any items on their menu that do not have gluten in them. Might be hard to accomplish this, but there's no harm in asking.

 

I have never heard of anyone bringing their own boxed foods for the food service staff to cook - sorry, I am not buying that. Check with someone higher up at Carnival.

[firefly333]

I have never heard of anyone bringing their own boxed foods for the food service staff to cook - sorry, I am not buying that. Check with someone higher up at Carnival.

 

me either. The poster said someone told him to bring his own food....and he translated that into, they would agree to cook whatever he brought .... sounds like that poster is jumping to conclusions and needs to reclarify this.

 

PS same poster that is bringing boxes of gluton free pasta says he might bring a couple of gluton free pizza crusts too... sounds like he is thinking they will make a pizza from them?? That poster definetely needs to reclarify, as they arent going to cook this stuff for you from scratch like that ... unless you are cooking it in a microwave yourself in the buffet somehow.

[Bobba22]

Hi All,

 

On our last cruise, our tablemates were a lovly couple with two charming little girls. Th youngest was about 10 and was a very picky eater. She requested a special dinner the first night and our waiter had no problem in delivering her request. Each night she ordered the same thing and the waiter already knew she would and had it ready for her.

 

BOB;)

[rkbeaux08]

I agree with UpStateCruizer my husband also doesn't like sauces and gravies. Never had a problem of them not putting it on whatever. Some veggies he want eat and we have had waiters ask him if he would like a bake potato or an other salad,etc. And then there was one waiter didn't ask if he wanted to substitute he would just bring him 2 deserts. Which we also thought was so funny. The first time he brought him 2 deserts my husband face was priceless. He then told him he wanted to make sure he was not going away hungry. Yea, like that happens on a cruise ship.

[RizzoLee]

As said, it never hurts to ask - there's a pasta dish at night that's served with caviar. After my first cruise, I've asked that it be removed with mixed results.

 

My DH asks for a plate of okra every cruise, and usually gets it.

 

When they changed the menus in 2005, I disliked the amount of meat each plate had, and the scrawny portions of veggies. I asked for double orders of the side every evening - woohoo, 8 baby green beans instead of 4, lol. Unfortunately, they also brought the orders of things I don't eat, and I felt so bad because the server appeared hurt when I didn't eat it all (stewed tomatoes - the potatoe on top was yummy though!). I've also ordered 2 mains just so I could have the veggies from the 2nd main!

 

I've had really, really helpful fun servers, and others that you could tell they roll their eyes behind your back, lol. And we're really not that bad, I swear!

[katiel53]

Like i said this is our first cruise and we WILL have a great time regardless. I was just hoping for a little better response than what we got. We will be prepared just in case. We will hope for the best. She loves shrimp and they have a suchi bar on board ( which she also loves ) so she won't go hungry. And yes we will be talking to our waiter the first night of the cruise.:)

 

I find this email absolutely ridiculous. A friend of our sailed on Glory and she has celiac disease and they prepared gluten free food for her. I think that if you just contacted guest services, they don't have a clue. I would be sure to contact special needs and talk to them about it. If your email was sent to special needs and they answered as you posted, what a sorry excuse for special needs.

 

I would once again try special needs as well as talk to the Maitre D' upon boarding the ship. I am sure your wife is not the only one with this problem. Another thought would be to write to John Heald on his blog. He will be able to get good info for you. This is a way to his blog and at the end there is a place for comments. At the beginning of your comment, be sure to write please reply. You will need to sign up to receive his blog so you can see what he is writing to you. Good luck.

 

http://johnhealdsblog.com/

[Drew B]

Like i said this is our first cruise and we WILL have a great time regardless. I was just hoping for a little better response than what we got. We will be prepared just in case. We will hope for the best. She loves shrimp and they have a suchi bar on board ( which she also loves ) so she won't go hungry. And yes we will be talking to our waiter the first night of the cruise.:)

 

Be aware that what they consider a sushi bar may not be what you are expecting (and that your wife loves). Each night, they have 3 options available. One is all vegetable and the other two have some kind of COOKED fish. There is no raw fish served, and you don't get to order whatever you want (save from the three choices).

 

I'm a huge sushi fan, but by that, I mean raw fish. I have no interest in the "sushi" that Carnival serves...

[ehfl]

If I don't care for something, I just don't eat it. I wouldn't ask them to change the recipe for a single serving, when they are trying hard to feed thousands in a short period of time. I'm always willing to at least try whatever they have. I woudn't avoid something simply because of a single ingredient.

[cruzenagain]

In our experience we have found that the staff has always been more than happy to help with our dietary needs. They are helpful with everything from suggestions to holding sauces. The staff always seems to be aware that there is a medical need at our table even when we do the anytime dining.

[bplazo]

I can always find something on the menu that I like without asking them to change something.

[jame_g]

Seems like it's easier to ask for something extra, an additional portion, an additional side, than to ask for something to be removed.

[Gater Girl]

I am not on a diet..I get plenty to eat on a cruise..but I too, do not like sauces or gravy. On our last cruise, I ordered the Coq au Vin..and it was swimming in what looked like to me...brown sauce. I did not eat it. I was thinking..chicken...cooked with spirits..and the spirits cooking away..leaving..chicken. wrong. I am reading that one can request ..no sauce..no gravy...and Carnival will honor that request? That would be wonderful. I am not allergic to anything.

 

And the remark about the vegetables being such a tiny portion of the menu hit home too. The first cruise DH and I made was in the early seventies. We went on NCL's Skyward and Sunward. I saved the Menu they gave me as a gift. There were five main entrees..each night. Vegetables were listed seperately and ordered seperately. They were also brought around by a server during dinner. They had up to five choices..potatoes, rice, beans, broccoli, different choices each night. The FOOD.WAS FABULOUS. THE SHIPS TODAY..ARE MUCH BETTER. THE FOOD IS NOT. It would be cheaper for Carnival to have more vegetables..larger portions...and more pasta things. I have always been ashamed to order from the Children's menu..but I would love to have Spaghetti and meatballs one night as a choice. Real spaghetti and meatballs..are hard to make..and thus a treat. The fried chicken Carnvial serves on it's American Day in the Lido buffet..is to die for..and I was born and raised in the Deep South. Why is that not on the dinner menu..for one night at least? Their ribs are delicious. The short ribs...buried in gravy. I could not eat them. And I did not go hungry. I eat enough of their delicious bread to choke a horse.

 

I have found some ..many..of the dishes served for Lunch..in the Dining Rooms on Sea Days and such..are better than entrees served in the Evening. I had a bread pudding..with white sauce..for Lunch one day..that was very good. Bread Pudding is big in the South..and that was very good.

 

I think Carnvial does a fantastic job for breakfast. I cannot imagine anything one could not get..waffles, pancakes, eggs..fresh if you go to the omelet station...fruit..boiled eggs ( love that!) toast..sometimes..little biscuits...coffee is bad but they have a Coffee for pay in the back...My grades for food on Carnival...

 

..Breakfast on Carvival....A+

Lunch on Carnival..............A

Dinner on Carnival..............C

Pizza...............................A++

Grill.................................A+

Fish and chips...................A++

Ice Cream...it always looks nasty....F

HAL hand serves the ice cream in the Lido deck...A+

Room Service.....................A+

 

Cruising.in general..............A+

[yogi2929]

Like i said this is our first cruise and we WILL have a great time regardless. I was just hoping for a little better response than what we got. We will be prepared just in case. We will hope for the best. She loves shrimp and they have a suchi bar on board ( which she also loves ) so she won't go hungry. And yes we will be talking to our waiter the first night of the cruise.:)

 

 

Somewhere is a Gluten-free thread. If I remember correctly the posters would contact the cruiseline and bring some of their favorite things just in case. Here's one thread of many. I used 'Gluten Free' for the search.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1009936&highlight=gluten+free

 

And here is the list from my search-

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/search.php?searchid=14315301

 

Also check in the disability forums. They will tell you how to do things.

[najnelle]

I am celiac. Last cruise, two years ago, they accomodated me very well. I had to order my food the night before for the next day. I thought the gluten free bread was pretty good. Once they know you, they go above and beyond to serve you. The first night I ordered the grilled chicken and vegetables. At lunch and breakfast, I just ordered carefully. I know what I can eat and steer clear of meals with sauces and gravies. I will contact either guest services or someone in the dining room as soon as we board and let them know on our trip in November.

[Rosefloater]

We will be sailing in Oct on our first cruise. My wife is allergic to wheat. I e-mailed to ask if they could accomidate her and they suggested that she bring her own food :eek:. We will bring a couple of boxes of gluten free pasta and maybe a pizza crust. But come on a lot of people are allergic to wheat. You would think they could handle that for the price of a cruise.

Met a woman on the Elation in March who was on a gluten free diet. She had special meals prepared for her when she requested them and said they were delicious. She did make arrangements before sailing and had no problem.

[tea4ular]

I (and my daughter) have been known to make meals out of the side dishes. One night our waiter was so adorable, he excitedly came to our table and announced there was "little buckets" of mac & cheese (a side to the meat being served)!

 

On every cruise, I have found the servers to bend over backwards to accommodate when and where they could.

 

I think many times it's in the delivery of the request. :p

[Illinoisgal]

me either. The poster said someone told him to bring his own food....and he translated that into, they would agree to cook whatever he brought .... sounds like that poster is jumping to conclusions and needs to reclarify this.

 

PS same poster that is bringing boxes of gluton free pasta says he might bring a couple of gluton free pizza crusts too... sounds like he is thinking they will make a pizza from them?? That poster definetely needs to reclarify, as they arent going to cook this stuff for you from scratch like that ... unless you are cooking it in a microwave yourself in the buffet somehow.

 

I took my sister on her first cruise and she has celiacs. We let them know in advance and they told her to bring pasta what not. they did in fact cook her pasta , made GF bread and made special sauces for her. They made what they could but she was asked to supplement with gf product

[sistermerm]

We will be sailing in Oct on our first cruise. My wife is allergic to wheat. I e-mailed to ask if they could accomidate her and they suggested that she bring her own food :eek:. We will bring a couple of boxes of gluten free pasta and maybe a pizza crust. But come on a lot of people are allergic to wheat. You would think they could handle that for the price of a cruise.

 

Call Carnival's Guest Access Department Ext 70025.... they can set up gluten-free meals:)

[shipty2]

Side note: nothing is pre-plated - this allows for substitutions of menu items.

 

 

According to Brian David Bruns author of Cruise Confidential everything is pre plated. The waiters just pick up the plated food and deliver it you.

[MamaParrotHead]

According to Brian David Bruns author of Cruise Confidential everything is pre plated. The waiters just pick up the plated food and deliver it you.

 

That and every cruise show I've ever seen that shows miles of plates with food on them in the galley.

[Flynlo]

Unfortunately, you usually can't. Everything is already plated, and the waiter is running back and forth just to get the regular orders out. You may find a waiter occasionally who would be willing to bend over backwards, but it would be a hardship for him/her and would probably impede the service that all of his tables receive. I'd recommend against that.

 

That makes no sense! You do TIP the waiter for a reason. Tell Him NO mushrooms, he is there to serve YOU!

[Drew B]

That makes no sense! You do TIP the waiter for a reason. Tell Him NO mushrooms, he is there to serve YOU!

 

Well, I hope I'm not at one of that waiters other tables, having to wait an extra 15 minutes for my food because he's running around dealing with a "special order". The waiter does MORE than enough to earn a tip, even simply serving dishes as described...