Our Gluten Free Experience on the Carnival Dream

[Mzsnap]

Not allowed, you can't bring un packaged food into port. It can introduce harmful things to the environment. Your best bet is to bring pre packaged items from home that she can eat that is what we did for my son that has a dairy allergy (and a very picky one year old!). At one of the ports they even had a dog sniffing all the bags going off the ship.

 

 

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[Mzsnap]

I'm thinking that the dogs at Port may have been sniffing for, ugh, leafy green "vegetables"?!?!

 

 

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[tea4ular]

I don't require a GF diet, but also found the GF toast at breakfast to be incredibly delicious! I ate it every morning on my last trip. I wasn't aware it was house made. Yum!

[SadieN]

I'm thinking that the dogs at Port may have been sniffing for, ugh, leafy green "vegetables"?!?!

 

 

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They do that also. Actually had a drug dog sniff us getting onto a Princess ship.

[horsegal]

I'm thinking that the dogs at Port may have been sniffing for, ugh, leafy green "vegetables"?!?!

 

 

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It was for food, the dog even signaled that there was food in my bag , it was all packaged stuff so it was fine but we were stoped.

 

 

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[horsegal]

Um, I don't think this is true. We always take sandwiches from the ship onto the ports and have never been told we can't do so. What could it possibly introduce into the environment?! It's food, not Roundup.

 

 

It can introduce bugs that are not native to the area which then can wipe out all kinds of stuff, it has happened to many areas and can be devastating to the area. There are a lot of signs and announcements on the ships that you are not allowed to bring food off the ship, signs are also in the port area. Many people will say they have brought food with no problem but it is against the law for a good reason.

 

 

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[arpie05]

Several years ago when my food allergies were quite severe - they made me Gluten free Egg Free Chocolate Chip cookies. They were not as good as the regular ones they serve which is a fav but they were good - very much like a short bread w chocolate chips. They were a very white cookie so I'm not sure which GF flour they used (rice?).

[arpie05]

We always take sandwiches from the ship onto the ports. I don't understand why you wouldn't be able to.

 

The FUN Times always say not to take food off the ship as does the CD when you dock in the announcements. People will take pre-packaged cereals (and there are many GF choices) - prepacked bars or other snacks from home for emergency.

[tasmith09]

We leave next Friday on the Vista (Jan 28) and Shelby is excited for her third cruise. ...I'll be sure to post about the Vista's GF experience!

!

 

 

How did it go??? We are on the vista next January for the first time with kids and our daughter (will be 3) has a gluten sensitivity we need to accommodate. Can she eat the french fries from Guys? I'm hoping she'll be old enough to understand that we have to decide what to eat the day before... it's always challenging when they don't understand why they can't eat what everyone else is.

 

 

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[L&J]

Sorry for the delay -- didn't see this! Our Vista trip was great fun! The Southern ports are new to us and the weather was fabulous. To the GF experience....

 

Breakfasts were like on past cruises - she stuck to bacon, hashbrowns, sausages, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, bananas and GF toast.

 

Shelby LOVED Guys burgers and fries and ate them probably most days for lunch. Guys Pig and Anchor had lots for her to choose from like pulled pork, chicken, beef, etc. I had emailed Guys earlier to inquire about her options and was told the meat was safe, but they wanted us to double check about sides once onboard. It was busy, so we just gave her a plate of meat. The ice cream machines got a work out once again.

 

Dinners were in the dining room 7 out of 8 nights because we feel it's safer than the buffet. She orders her dinners during the previous nights' dessert service. Meals start with 2 slices of yummy bread and her own butter dish. The starters she chose were fruit cup, ceasar salad, 4 season salad, cold soups, chicken tenders. Entrees included spring chicken breast, salmon cakes, filet mignon, lamb, tenderloin, etc. My picky little eater even wanted to try ox tongue (which tasted like roast beef!) Basically, she was given the menu and could pick almost anything from it. Her desserts were more limited than the rest of the meal was. She had ice cream, sherbet, cheese cake, chocolate melting cake, key lime mousse....she did just fine despite the limited options.

 

To be honest, we don't worry anymore about cruising on a Celiac diet. Sadly, it's harder to feed her here during school birthday parties and soccer team gatherings! I love that we don't have to think about it on vacation :)

 

I hope the rest of you have positive experiences too!

Laurel

[SadieN]

How did it go??? We are on the vista next January for the first time with kids and our daughter (will be 3) has a gluten sensitivity we need to accommodate. Can she eat the french fries from Guys? I'm hoping she'll be old enough to understand that we have to decide what to eat the day before... it's always challenging when they don't understand why they can't eat what everyone else is.

 

 

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This is my basic how to handle an allergy onboard post.

 

 

We travel with a group that combined has allergies to peanuts, treenuts, shellfish, egg whites, chocolate, MSG and liquid dairy. Only had issues with 'user' error, no issues with Carnival. If you have a nut allergy, know that Carnival classifies seeds as nuts.

 

If you have an odd allergy contact Special Needs before your cruise. If you have a 'normal' allergy no need to do so.

 

https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/special-needs/dietary-needs.aspx

 

See the Hostess at embarkation when the Maitre 'd has hours. Hours will be in the FunTmes, usually starting around 1pm. The hostess will take that night's order. Each night the hostess or your waiter will bring you the next day's MDR menu-breakfast, brunch/lunch and dinner. If deciding between two entrees, order both. For brunch don't hesitate to order a breakfast and lunch if you want to eat both meals in the MDR.

 

For room service, they cannot make special for you but they can tell you the ingredients. No special area so there is always the possibility of contamination

 

Buffet is a minefield. Ask the Hostess or the Head Lido Chef or the Food and Beverage crew in the officer whites. DO NOT ask the line cooks or those serving desserts. They mean well but do not know the full recipes. Cross contamination is always a possibility.

 

Onshore--- we bring allergy cards. I made our own but you can buy some at selectwisely.com.

You can only bring off commercially prepared food. We bring cereal bars, boxes of cereal, bottled water, hard candy etc.

Many ports will check. Some will do a physical search, others use dogs. You do not want the cute Labrador to sit next to you. I've had them alert on my Lemonheads.

 

Kids clubs have a form to fill out. There are some snacks served at times. The younger kids meet up at the dinner buffet certain nights. Ask the counselors what's on the menu.

[tasmith09]

Thank you for the update!! Does anyone have an idea how ordering the night before will work with your time dining?

 

 

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[Carleeb12]

I was hoping someone on this thread would be able to tell me what gluten-free options can be found on the Lido deck on the first day. My mother-in-law is gluten-free and she has never been on a cruise before. I think we understand how it will work in the dining room, but I know when we first get on the boat, we will need to eat on the Lido Deck. Are servers readily available to ask what items are gluten-free, or do you guys know of some things off the top of your head that are gluten-free so we won't have to search out a server? Maybe like something in the deli or something? Also, does the deli use the homemade gluten-free bread, or is that just in the dining room? If you eat at the punchliner brunch, do you just ask your server when you order what options are gluten-free, or is that done the night before as well?

[ladyd11933]

It works the same way for anytime dining, you order the night before.

[SadieN]

Thank you for the update!! Does anyone have an idea how ordering the night before will work with your time dining?

 

 

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When you give the hostess your folio/cabin number the order slip is printed out. The hostess gives this to your waiter, who then confirms your order. Our only issue has been, at times the special order arrives before the other orders.

[tasmith09]

When you give the hostess your folio/cabin number the order slip is printed out. The hostess gives this to your waiter, who then confirms your order. Our only issue has been, at times the special order arrives before the other orders.

 

 

Thank you! Don't see the order coming early as being a problem for us, since it's for our toddler anyway :)

 

 

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[L&J]

I was hoping someone on this thread would be able to tell me what gluten-free options can be found on the Lido deck on the first day. My mother-in-law is gluten-free and she has never been on a cruise before. I think we understand how it will work in the dining room, but I know when we first get on the boat, we will need to eat on the Lido Deck. Are servers readily available to ask what items are gluten-free, or do you guys know of some things off the top of your head that are gluten-free so we won't have to search out a server? Maybe like something in the deli or something? Also, does the deli use the homemade gluten-free bread, or is that just in the dining room? If you eat at the punchliner brunch, do you just ask your server when you order what options are gluten-free, or is that done the night before as well?

 

If you are on a ship with Guys Burgers or Pig N Anchor smokehouse, those will be open on the first day. That's when we tried the smokehouse to beat the crowds. If you prefer the buffet, we were told to stick to the chicken breast, potatoes, rice, steamed veggies and fruit. Avoid the carving station because the marinades and sauces are not always safe. They sometimes have a basket of GF bread out and you can ask if you don't see it. The Vista also had an awesome salad bar on the Serenity deck. They customize your salad with a ton of different options, which you pick out similar to a Subway shop. Don't forget the pizzeria has a GF crust too. I've never tried the deli so can't comment on that. Room service had GF bread too. She didn't try to wok options because I'd bet the soy sauce is not safe and it's such a busy place that we didn't want them to have to wash pans before her order.

 

When you pre-order tomorrow's dinner in the dining room, you can also place your order for breakfast at that time (only if you plan on eating in the MDR for breakfast). When you check in at the desk upon arriving at the dining rooms, they'll find your order sheet and give it to your server.

Enjoy!