Lactose Intolerance

[Cruisingirl2012]

We just learned that our daughter is lactose intolerant and I'm wondering if I should notify Celebrity of this or should I just wait to advise the MDR on the first dinner night? For smoothie drinks and other milk base drinks, will they have almond milk available if requested?

 

Thanks

[stevea36]

We just learned that our daughter is lactose intolerant and I'm wondering if I should notify Celebrity of this or should I just wait to advise the MDR on the first dinner night? For smoothie drinks and other milk base drinks, will they have almond milk available if requested?

 

Thanks

 

from first hand experience:

 

1- notify the special needs department (contact whomever you booked thru to get the correct method).

2- make sure that the maitre'd and you wait staff know of the issues. They will recommend items that do not have lactose in them

3- the do have almond milk, soy milk, and even lactose free cow's milk onboard.

 

make sure that you read up on lactose. Depending on her actual case, she may be able to have some hard cheeses, etc.

 

Enjoy your cruise... there are plenty of lactose free options available. (Btw, be sure to ask at the ice cream bar if the sorbets are actually lactose free.,. some are, some aren't)

 

I am marginally lactose intolerant (I can have hard cheeses, butter, etc.). The folks at café al Bacio even made me lactose free frappachino type drinks!!

 

Steve

[redcupr]

We just learned that our daughter is lactose intolerant and I'm wondering if I should notify Celebrity of this or should I just wait to advise the MDR on the first dinner night? For smoothie drinks and other milk base drinks, will they have almond milk available if requested?

 

Thanks

 

Stock up on Lactaid tablets (or the Costco equivalent). I developed an intolerance to lactose in my 20's, took me five years before I found out about lactaid tablets. Changed my life...back to ice cream, cheese, milk... Just take a tablet before eating a dairy item and you're good. Drinking a giant milkshake might be too much for the Lactaid to mitigate, but anything else can be taken care of by the Lactaid.

[deelastcre]

Make sure that you have your TA put in a Dietary Request for lactose free meals. I enjoyed my specialty coffee with lactose free milk onboard Eclipse.

[jayoldschool]

Timely article today:

 

http://jezebel.com/adults-should-not-be-drinking-milk-1685033047

[miched]

read the FAQ section on Celebrity's website and fill out the special needs form. I would also make a copy to take with as proof that you filled one out.

 

happy cruisng 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[Cruisingirl2012]

I just placed a call to Celebrity and got through right away. The agent added a note to our reservation! Special meal request. Thanks for all the great info.

[miched]

I just placed a call to Celebrity and got through right away. The agent added a note to our reservation! Special meal request. Thanks for all the great info.

 

I would still make a request on the special needs form and make a copy. I have had problems with a few things that the agents tell me. One was that they would match a price offered by another TA and also give me the gratuities that the other TA includes. This was when you could pick your perk and you only got one. I choose the drink pack and the Celebrity Rep said that he talked to his boss and they would cover the gratuities by giving me the extra SBC to cover it. I asked for it in writing and he said they couldn't do that. I asked how do I prove that I am getting it and was told that it will show up on board.

 

I asked so what happens when on baord and it is not there? Kept getting the double talk and fancy dancing and because it was within 60 days of booking I transferred it to the TA that offered and included the gratuities on the invoice.

 

I told the TA about the issue and was told that Celbrity can't promise stuff like that and that the Personal Planner was a deceitful liar. A month before the cruise I called that Celebrity Personal Planner and he was no longer employed.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌞

[Mr. Click]

Follow up with your medical professionals about Lactaid and see if it is right, safe for your child. My wife started using it years ago on advice of her doctor and it sure makes eating and enjoying a lot easier, especially when it comes to ice cream and the like. She now uses the Costco equivalent and we save a fair amount of money that way. She never leaves the house without.

[cruzzzinma]

Although I always do a special needs request for my husband's dairy allergies, I've never run into anyone who actually had the information. Speak with your servers. They can almost always adjust entrees to leave out the dairy. Desserts are almost impossible except for sorbet and apple pie.

 

We had an exceptional experience with our servers in Blu the first time we sailed in Aqua Class. JP would over the menu with my husband as soon as he sat down. Unfortunately, we've never duplicated that experience.

 

Some people bring their own almond, rice or soy milk. Cafe Al Bacio had passenger provided/labeled containers in their fridge on a cruise we took last Spring.

[D350024]

Make sure that you have your TA put in a Dietary Request for lactose free meals. I enjoyed my specialty coffee with lactose free milk onboard Eclipse.

 

Finally compelled to make my first post on here.

 

Don't do this. Don't request lactose free meals. Not only will it be a pain (choosing meals the day before) but what you end up with will be significantly less exciting than the regular meals. One of the women at our table had a fairly severe milk allergy, and as accommodating as the kitchen staff were (preview of the menu, special preparations) it still left a lot of things off the table for her. Just bring Lactaid tablets, they're not expensive, they take up virtually no room, and they work. If you're just discovering that she's lactose intolerant then it suggests it's not been a particularly severe problem up 'till now (this isn't something that starts overnight). She'll be fine with Lactaid.

 

Further, almond milk, silk, rice milk, et al are all poor substitutes for milk. If she's new to lactose intolerance then she's used to the good stuff :P Cereal, smoothies, you name it — all inferior without milk — all super super disappointing. When you can, reach for the lactose-free milk (will be on hand), but don't fuss with it further.

 

You really don't even need to cut out all milk. Most of us can tolerate small amounts to moderate amounts of dairy without problem. I only intermittently buy lactose-free milk, and never have problems with regular milk in coffee or tea (I wouldn't eat a bowl of cereal without lactaid mind you). Some things seem to hit harder than others: ice cream and cheesecakes are tough. Even lactaid can't help with a huge portion. Weirdly, i find chocolate versions of both to be easier to handle, i've read that cocoa can increase your body's ability to process the lactose by a significant amount — too lazy to confirm that now though. Her mileage will vary :)

 

Often yoghurt is listed as something to avoid — but good yoghurt usually has lactase in it, which will help break down the lactose. Just skip the low & zero-fat versions (they're gross anyway) and head for the greek yoghurt :D

 

She'll have a lot more fun if she's not worried about pre-clearing what she's eating with someone — and the only way to be sure is to take charge of it yourself.

 

Have fun! :D

 

P.S. ignore the BS "adults shouldn't be drinking milk" rhetoric. Yes, humans are the only species to continue to drink milk into adulthood — but we're also the only species to sail around the globe in enormous hotels. Relax.

Edited February 13, 2015 by D350024

[Cruisingirl2012]

Finally compelled to make my first post on here.

 

Don't do this. Don't request lactose free meals. Not only will it be a pain (choosing meals the day before) but what you end up with will be significantly less exciting than the regular meals. One of the women at our table had a fairly severe milk allergy, and as accommodating as the kitchen staff were (preview of the menu, special preparations) it still left a lot of things off the table for her. Just bring Lactaid tablets, they're not expensive, they take up virtually no room, and they work. If you're just discovering that she's lactose intolerant then it suggests it's not been a particularly severe problem up 'till now (this isn't something that starts overnight). She'll be fine with Lactaid.

 

Further, almond milk, silk, rice milk, et al are all poor substitutes for milk. If she's new to lactose intolerance then she's used to the good stuff :P Cereal, smoothies, you name it — all inferior without milk — all super super disappointing. When you can, reach for the lactose-free milk (will be on hand), but don't fuss with it further.

 

You really don't even need to cut out all milk. Most of us can tolerate small amounts to moderate amounts of dairy without problem. I only intermittently buy lactose-free milk, and never have problems with regular milk in coffee or tea (I wouldn't eat a bowl of cereal without lactaid mind you). Some things seem to hit harder than others: ice cream and cheesecakes are tough. Even lactaid can't help with a huge portion. Weirdly, i find chocolate versions of both to be easier to handle, i've read that cocoa can increase your body's ability to process the lactose by a significant amount — too lazy to confirm that now though. Her mileage will vary :)

 

Often yoghurt is listed as something to avoid — but good yoghurt usually has lactase in it, which will help break down the lactose. Just skip the low & zero-fat versions (they're gross anyway) and head for the greek yoghurt :D

 

She'll have a lot more fun if she's not worried about pre-clearing what she's eating with someone — and the only way to be sure is to take charge of it yourself.

 

Have fun! :D

 

P.S. ignore the BS "adults shouldn't be drinking milk" rhetoric. Yes, humans are the only species to continue to drink milk into adulthood — but we're also the only species to sail around the globe in enormous hotels. Relax.

 

Good information! Thank you! I will check out the lactaid pills at Costco.

[Gonzo70]

Finally compelled to make my first post on here.

 

Don't do this. Don't request lactose free meals. Not only will it be a pain (choosing meals the day before) but what you end up with will be significantly less exciting than the regular meals. One of the women at our table had a fairly severe milk allergy, and as accommodating as the kitchen staff were (preview of the menu, special preparations) it still left a lot of things off the table for her. Just bring Lactaid tablets, they're not expensive, they take up virtually no room, and they work. If you're just discovering that she's lactose intolerant then it suggests it's not been a particularly severe problem up 'till now (this isn't something that starts overnight). She'll be fine with Lactaid.

 

Further, almond milk, silk, rice milk, et al are all poor substitutes for milk. If she's new to lactose intolerance then she's used to the good stuff :P Cereal, smoothies, you name it — all inferior without milk — all super super disappointing. When you can, reach for the lactose-free milk (will be on hand), but don't fuss with it further.

 

You really don't even need to cut out all milk. Most of us can tolerate small amounts to moderate amounts of dairy without problem. I only intermittently buy lactose-free milk, and never have problems with regular milk in coffee or tea (I wouldn't eat a bowl of cereal without lactaid mind you). Some things seem to hit harder than others: ice cream and cheesecakes are tough. Even lactaid can't help with a huge portion. Weirdly, i find chocolate versions of both to be easier to handle, i've read that cocoa can increase your body's ability to process the lactose by a significant amount — too lazy to confirm that now though. Her mileage will vary :)

 

Often yoghurt is listed as something to avoid — but good yoghurt usually has lactase in it, which will help break down the lactose. Just skip the low & zero-fat versions (they're gross anyway) and head for the greek yoghurt :D

 

She'll have a lot more fun if she's not worried about pre-clearing what she's eating with someone — and the only way to be sure is to take charge of it yourself.

 

Have fun! :D

 

P.S. ignore the BS "adults shouldn't be drinking milk" rhetoric. Yes, humans are the only species to continue to drink milk into adulthood — but we're also the only species to sail around the globe in enormous hotels. Relax.

 

Great first post; completely agree.

 

Lactose intolerance is not an allergy and is extremely common (actually the norm in adults) - according to the NIH (http://ghr.nlm.nih.gov/condition/lactose-intolerance) 65% of adults worldwide are lactose intolerance (in some countries 90% of people, in the US about 25% of adults). Lactose intolerance by adulthood is actually "normal" and it is those that have no difficulty digesting lactose that are in the minority!

 

Unless an unusually severe case, no need to alert the ship. A lactose intolerant person consuming lactose does no significant harm, just some very temporary GI discomfort. Lactose pills help some people, so that is definitely good to try. I generally stick with lactose free milk when consuming milk (though find some brands taste horrible compared to normal milk whereas others are only mildly different - especially when mixed with cereal rather than consumed on it's own).

 

Best to experiment with what foods cause your daughter sufficient discomfort as to warrant avoiding them prior to your vacation and see which foods (and in what quantities) cause little-to-no distress. It is not like an allergy while ingesting even a small quantity of the substance can potentially create a serious adverse reaction - in most people who are lactose free a small quantity of lactose has no discernible impact on one's well being and even accidentally ingesting a large quantity (or intentionally as is the case sometimes when I am craving pizza or ice cream) has just a very short term impact that passes on it's own with no risk of harm other than short-term discomfort (i.e. upset stomach, cramps, bloated feeling, nausea, gas and/or diarrhea).

 

With time your daughter will learn what foods trigger unpleasant symptoms for her and in what quantity she can eat of these foods without incurring adverse symptoms. She will also learn timing; i.e. you are better off consuming pizza are big bowl of ice cream when you will have easy access to a bathroom for the next couple of hours than if you are about to leave on an excursion or be outside for a while.

[fleckle]

Stock up on Lactaid tablets (or the Costco equivalent). I developed an intolerance to lactose in my 20's, took me five years before I found out about lactaid tablets. Changed my life...back to ice cream, cheese, milk... Just take a tablet before eating a dairy item and you're good. Drinking a giant milkshake might be too much for the Lactaid to mitigate, but anything else can be taken care of by the Lactaid.

 

Follow up with your medical professionals about Lactaid and see if it is right, safe for your child. My wife started using it years ago on advice of her doctor and it sure makes eating and enjoying a lot easier, especially when it comes to ice cream and the like. She now uses the Costco equivalent and we save a fair amount of money that way. She never leaves the house without.

 

...Don't request lactose free meals. Not only will it be a pain (choosing meals the day before) but what you end up with will be significantly less exciting than the regular meals...... Just bring Lactaid tablets, they're not expensive, they take up virtually no room, and they work. If you're just discovering that she's lactose intolerant then it suggests it's not been a particularly severe problem up 'till now (this isn't something that starts overnight). She'll be fine with Lactaid....

She'll have a lot more fun if she's not worried about pre-clearing what she's eating with someone — and the only way to be sure is to take charge of it yourself.

As another who is lactose intolerant, I agree that Mr. Click, redcupr and D350024 and Gonzo have all given you excellent advice.

 

It is so much easier just to handle the problem yourself and eliminate the bother of submitting special needs forms or the nuisance of needing to discuss your food choices with ship employees each day.

 

The whole idea of going on a cruise is to relax and enjoy yourself, not be obsessed worrying about the contents of everything you may eat or drink.

 

Besides, even if you should bother to fill out special forms and spend time in food discussions with employees each day on the ship trying to determine what is acceptable to eat, you would still need to contend with the lactose intolerance off the ship on port days, as well as at pre-cruise and post-cruise locations.

 

 

While there are other serious health problems that really do require this type of obsession with everything that one eats or drinks, fortunately lactose intolerance is not one of them.

 

But as previously stated, do discuss this with your child's medical professional rather than relying on any advice here on this board, in case she has any additional condition of which we are unaware that may make her situation more complicated than ours.

 

 

Edited February 13, 2015 by fleckle

[Cruisingirl2012]

I didn't ask for medical advice on this board! My question was pretty basic.

[melsdt]

I don't think anyone mentioned that the MDR menus indicate which items are dairy free. I was dairy free on my last cruise, not because of lactose intolerance but because my son had a milk/soy protein intolerance as an infant. Since I also do not eat soy, I brought my own container of Almond milk for when I had coffee in the room. I didn't notice Almond Milk available anywhere on the ship. But that was last year, so maybe they have added it.