Gluten Free

[minniegidget]

I'm sailing with a friend in Feb 2024. She has done a few cruises before but not since she has been gluten free. Can you tell me  your experience in the buffet and MDR. I have done many cruises but never paid much attention to the menus for gluten free.

Thanks for your help.

[beg3yrs]

Princess is excellent at serving passengers who require no gluten. There have been threads about this if you do a search.

 

DW has celiac so we know. Use the Cruise Personalizer to let Princess know in advance about the dietary restriction.

 

For the MDR, we find it's best to reserve the same table every night so we can have the same staff who will become familiar with dietary needs. The people at the desk will make exceptions for those with medical needs and take care of you. Go there as soon as you can during embarkation and make your needs be known.

 

Each night one of the Restaurant Managers (used to be call Head Waiters) will come by with the next day's menus. Your partner can choose meals in advance and the RM will arrange for the choice to me made gluten-free if possible, and usually it is. It works great! Even French Onion Soup will be made with a piece of gluten-free bread.

 

For the buffet, often items are labelled as gluten-free but not always. Ask for the Chef de Partie (or something like that) and he or she will take you through the buffet and let you know what you can and can't have. Always look carefully though. For instance, the bacon at breakfast sits on a layer of bread to soak up the drippings. Cross-contamination is a problem there. However, you can ask and they have bacon "down below" that hasn't been contaminated. By asking, problem solved!

 

You can often even partake of the Chef's Table and the specialty restaurants by asking in advance.

 

The Lido Deck grill's fries are done in a dedicated fryer - there's no cross-contamination issues so DW gets her fill of fries when cruising. They will clean the grill for you if you let them know so there's not cross-contamination from toasting regular buns. Sometimes gluten-free buns are available too. Gluten-free pizza is also available both on deck and at Alfredo's. Just ask!

[minniegidget]

17 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

Princess is excellent at serving passengers who require no gluten. There have been threads about this if you do a search.

 

DW has celiac so we know. Use the Cruise Personalizer to let Princess know in advance about the dietary restriction.

 

For the MDR, we find it's best to reserve the same table every night so we can have the same staff who will become familiar with dietary needs. The people at the desk will make exceptions for those with medical needs and take care of you. Go there as soon as you can during embarkation and make your needs be known.

 

Each night one of the Restaurant Managers (used to be call Head Waiters) will come by with the next day's menus. Your partner can choose meals in advance and the RM will arrange for the choice to me made gluten-free if possible, and usually it is. It works great! Even French Onion Soup will be made with a piece of gluten-free bread.

 

For the buffet, often items are labelled as gluten-free but not always. Ask for the Chef de Partie (or something like that) and he or she will take you through the buffet and let you know what you can and can't have. Always look carefully though. For instance, the bacon at breakfast sits on a layer of bread to soak up the drippings. Cross-contamination is a problem there. However, you can ask and they have bacon "down below" that hasn't been contaminated. By asking, problem solved!

 

You can often even partake of the Chef's Table and the specialty restaurants by asking in advance.

 

The Lido Deck grill's fries are done in a dedicated fryer - there's no cross-contamination issues so DW gets her fill of fries when cruising. They will clean the grill for you if you let them know so there's not cross-contamination from toasting regular buns. Sometimes gluten-free buns are available too. Gluten-free pizza is also available both on deck and at Alfredo's. Just ask!

Thank you so much. Its  really nice to know that they go out of their way. My friend will be happy.

[calvin31]

52 minutes ago, beg3yrs said:

Princess is excellent at serving passengers who require no gluten. There have been threads about this if you do a search.

 

DW has celiac so we know. Use the Cruise Personalizer to let Princess know in advance about the dietary restriction.

 

For the MDR, we find it's best to reserve the same table every night so we can have the same staff who will become familiar with dietary needs. The people at the desk will make exceptions for those with medical needs and take care of you. Go there as soon as you can during embarkation and make your needs be known.

 

Each night one of the Restaurant Managers (used to be call Head Waiters) will come by with the next day's menus. Your partner can choose meals in advance and the RM will arrange for the choice to me made gluten-free if possible, and usually it is. It works great! Even French Onion Soup will be made with a piece of gluten-free bread.

 

For the buffet, often items are labelled as gluten-free but not always. Ask for the Chef de Partie (or something like that) and he or she will take you through the buffet and let you know what you can and can't have. Always look carefully though. For instance, the bacon at breakfast sits on a layer of bread to soak up the drippings. Cross-contamination is a problem there. However, you can ask and they have bacon "down below" that hasn't been contaminated. By asking, problem solved!

 

You can often even partake of the Chef's Table and the specialty restaurants by asking in advance.

 

The Lido Deck grill's fries are done in a dedicated fryer - there's no cross-contamination issues so DW gets her fill of fries when cruising. They will clean the grill for you if you let them know so there's not cross-contamination from toasting regular buns. Sometimes gluten-free buns are available too. Gluten-free pizza is also available both on deck and at Alfredo's. Just ask!

Agree with all of this. My wife is celiac and has had nothing but positive experiences dining on Princess. Be sure they put their gluten allergy in the OceanNow app ahead of time too. 

[minniegidget]

48 minutes ago, calvin31 said:

Agree with all of this. My wife is celiac and has had nothing but positive experiences dining on Princess. Be sure they put their gluten allergy in the OceanNow app ahead of time too. 

Thank you

[NavyVeteran]

11 hours ago, beg3yrs said:

Princess is excellent at serving passengers who require no gluten. There have been threads about this if you do a search.

 

DW has celiac so we know. Use the Cruise Personalizer to let Princess know in advance about the dietary restriction.

 

For the MDR, we find it's best to reserve the same table every night so we can have the same staff who will become familiar with dietary needs. The people at the desk will make exceptions for those with medical needs and take care of you. Go there as soon as you can during embarkation and make your needs be known.

 

Each night one of the Restaurant Managers (used to be call Head Waiters) will come by with the next day's menus. Your partner can choose meals in advance and the RM will arrange for the choice to me made gluten-free if possible, and usually it is. It works great! Even French Onion Soup will be made with a piece of gluten-free bread.

 

For the buffet, often items are labelled as gluten-free but not always. Ask for the Chef de Partie (or something like that) and he or she will take you through the buffet and let you know what you can and can't have. Always look carefully though. For instance, the bacon at breakfast sits on a layer of bread to soak up the drippings. Cross-contamination is a problem there. However, you can ask and they have bacon "down below" that hasn't been contaminated. By asking, problem solved!

 

You can often even partake of the Chef's Table and the specialty restaurants by asking in advance.

 

The Lido Deck grill's fries are done in a dedicated fryer - there's no cross-contamination issues so DW gets her fill of fries when cruising. They will clean the grill for you if you let them know so there's not cross-contamination from toasting regular buns. Sometimes gluten-free buns are available too. Gluten-free pizza is also available both on deck and at Alfredo's. Just ask!

Good comments. I have a couple of observations to add. I have traveled with my sister-in-law, who is gluten-free but not celiac (so a little cross-contamination is not a problem for her).

I don't think it is that important to get the same wait staff each evening, because you are ordering from the Restaurant Manager (aka Head Waiter). I do believe it is easier if you eat in the same MDR so you are dealing with the same Restaurant Manager each day.

In the buffet, cross-contamination can definitely be a problem. If you are sensitive enough that it could be a problem for you, ask the chef to serve your plate from the kitchen. Even if things are not contaminated when placed on the buffet, passengers may switch serving utensils from one dish to another.

[minniegidget]

1 hour ago, NavyVeteran said:

Good comments. I have a couple of observations to add. I have traveled with my sister-in-law, who is gluten-free but not celiac (so a little cross-contamination is not a problem for her).

I don't think it is that important to get the same wait staff each evening, because you are ordering from the Restaurant Manager (aka Head Waiter). I do believe it is easier if you eat in the same MDR so you are dealing with the same Restaurant Manager each day.

In the buffet, cross-contamination can definitely be a problem. If you are sensitive enough that it could be a problem for you, ask the chef to serve your plate from the kitchen. Even if things are not contaminated when placed on the buffet, passengers may switch serving utensils from one dish to another.

Good things to remember