Dining with allergies

[seasidemama]

Hi all,

I know there is a lot of info on these boards. Looking to see if there is any recent tips/advice as to free dining options outside the main dining room.

We will be traveling with a teen who has multiple allergies (mainly nut/plant based allergies no dairy/gluten allergies etc.). Will we be limited to the main dining room or is there accommodation available at the windjammer/park cafe/Sorrento's/breakfast room service etc. Looking at two cruises - Adventure as well as Oasis.

 

Thanks!

[firefly333]

Liberty always had a gluten free sandwich you could choose. The WJ has a gluten free area.

[seasidemama]

1 minute ago, firefly333 said:

Liberty always had a gluten free sandwich you could choose. The WJ has a gluten free area.

thanks - but her allergies are not gluten based they are nut/plant based.

[Tree_skier]

When you go into the windjammer for the first time ask to speak with the chef.  They are more than accommodating with this.  Explain the allergies and they will tailor something for her everyday. 

 

My granddaughter has gluten, dairy and soy allergies and they were great at accommodating her in the buffet.  

[seasidemama]

23 minutes ago, Tree_skier said:

When you go into the windjammer for the first time ask to speak with the chef.  They are more than accommodating with this.  Explain the allergies and they will tailor something for her everyday. 

 

My granddaughter has gluten, dairy and soy allergies and they were great at accommodating her in the buffet.  

 

Thank you.

[PNW Traveler]

I have allergies also.  The chef in the Windjammer will walk me around the various serving stations and islands pointing out items that I can eat.  Sometimes it takes a bit of patience when the Windjammer is busy. 

[D4]

You can ask to speak to the chef at any restaurant.  We recently spent 2 weeks on Oasis.  I talked to the chef about my food allergy at El Loco Fresh (free Mexican food) and then ate lunch there everyday.

[bjlbbk]

Touch base with your head waiter in the MDR as well. They can help put in special orders for you in advance for the MDR as well as other venues. I am gluten intolerant and our head waiter stopped by to see me every evening on our last cruise to help me plan for the following day. I would order dinner for the following evening and he would always ask what or where I planned to eat breakfast and lunch the next day to place any orders I might want for those meals too. I used to think I was limited to what was already marked as GF on the menu, but learned they would help adapt other items as well if I asked. I was able to enjoy GF French Toast at the windjammer on a couple occasions and they made me GF lobster mac n cheese at Hooked. Don't be shy to ask for help....it made a  huge difference in my overall dining experience. Just wish I had learned that lesson a lot sooner!

[D4]

I also bring my favorite packaged snacks in my carryon for the airports/flights and in my checked luggage to eat during the cruise. 

[cruiselvr04]

It does take some patience to dine with allergies.  Most of the time the people in the windjammer are helpful but sometimes if they are really busy it’s harder.  They have made the DH special stir fry for instance.  He’s allergic to onion and garlic which is in just about everything.  He can’t have sauces or gravies.  We always talk to the maitre d in the MDR.  And of course our waiter.  They try but it is hard when they are serving so many at a time.  We have better luck in the speciality restaurants most of the time. He goes the day before or early in the day to discuss his allergies.  Some chefs are great and make him GREAT food.  Others can’t seem to improvise and his meal is less then stellar.  

He’s on meds and is really careful.  But a big goof up could end him up in medical on IV fluids and ruin the trip.  We rarely eat anything on shore.  
 

Good luck.  Just know it’s also up to you to be careful and wise with choices. 

[cindivan]

We have two kids, now 24 and 25 who have severe nut allergies and have cruised with them a couple times a year on average when they were younger. We inform RC in advance, then tell our MDR waiter. One of the big things for us is to always tell them we only want the white bread rolls for all of us at every dinner. That makes it so much easier than the bread selection that comes along with all the cross-contaminated bread.  And as a plus we all get super warm tasty rolls 

 

In the MDR our kids will order for the next night in advance. 
 

The other restaurants have been good in general as long as you let them know when you are seated. Except, buffets. Ugh. No thanks for us. My then 16yo son who is very aware of his allergies and safety required spent most of the day in the infirmary because something was either labeled incorrectly or cross-contaminated.   Not necessarily RC fault, who knows what people do with utensils. 

[seasidemama]

Thank you everyone! Great information and help!

[Longhorn Cruiser]

We recently traveled on the Wonder with someone with food allergies.  All of the restaurants were very accommodating .  Submit this form before the cruise:
https://www.royalcaribbean.com/resources/guest-special-needs

 

We spoke to the MDR Head Waiter when we boarded and he was already aware of the allergies.  He was able to help us with all of the restaurants we went to.  Best plan is to order one day in advance wherever you are going to eat.