Suite Room Service Gluten Free Ordering

[buc fan]

We are going on  Indy, staying in a Suite and DW was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

We have MyTime Dining but have read it is better if eating in Main Dining Room to change to scheduled dining.

I am not sure if we will change or not because we like some of the Specialty Restaurants.

 

As a Suite Guest, we can get Room Service off the Main Dining menu and may do that.

How well does Room Service do with Gluten Free ordering?

Or should we stick with the Wind Jammer?

Any recommendations for ordering?

Edited April 29 by buc fan

[smokeybandit]

I would switch to MDR, even if you also want to eat in specialty restaurants

I would not trust room service from the MDR for allergy-centric meals. Also, it really isn't that good since it often is cold when it arrives (not due to anyone's laziness, just the long trek to your room)

[DebJ14]

There are some items that are naturally gluten free, so you need to stick to those.  If newly diagnosed then you may not be aware.  Fresh eggs, plain meats (no gravy or sauces), steamed veggies, baked potato, salad (but always be firm about a GF dressing and no croutons) fresh fruit are all naturally gluten free.  I was diagnosed 17 years ago.  Many cruises since and I have been glutened twice on Royal, both times in the MDR and both on first nights.  However, I had my most positive experiences in the main dining room with waiters and head waiters that went out of their way to insure a good GF meal.  Because GF dinners in the MDR are ordered the night before, room service in a suite is probably not an option for dinner.  

 

You didn't say which ship.  Those with Coastal Kitchen may fare better.  On the older ships where suite guests have breakfast in one of the specialty restaurants, we have  fared OK.  We try to make a connection with the waiter the first day, explain our dietary needs and then try  to stick with that waiter for every breakfast, and if having dinner there, requested that person as our waiter so we did not have to go through the whole song and dance all over again.  Worked great on the AOS, but not on the VY.

 

Ships vary and so does their ability to handle gluten free.  Since Covid we had a horrible experience on the Adventure, except for our waitress at breakfast and one dinner in Giovanni's Table. The Windjammer had zero entrees or vegetables marked GF on the Adventure and, only a couple of desserts. 

 

 On the Voyager, the Main Dining room was great, but our dinner at Giovanni's Table was a disaster.  Breakfast at Chops was just ok.  We had multiple waiters in Chops at breakfast and they never remembered from day to day that we were gluten free and were always pushing the pastries.  For lunch in the Windjammer we stuck with salad every day.

 

We do get room service breakfast on the days we have an early excursion.  That has always been fine.  I always get bacon and eggs and coffee.  Hubby usually orders the GF toast.  I am allergic to yeast, so bread, even GF, is out for me.  I never order the scramble eggs from room service in case they give me the powdered eggs, which are often not GF.

 

We always go with scheduled dining in the MDR.  Our last cruise on the Voyager, our waiters had 3 tables of GF and went out of their way.  You need to notify special needs ahead of time so that the ship is notified.  They need to know how many GF people to expect, otherwise that have been known to run out of GF bread and pasta when they are suprised with larger than usual numbers.  special_needs@rccl.com is where you need to send the notification.  They always respond, first with an automated email and then a full explanation of how it is handled.

 

On embarkation day we check with our Maitre"D to make sure it is noted.  The head waiter usually comes over that first dinner for introductions and make sure to remind the waiters.  Also check with the head waiter and chefs in Windjammer and they will give you a tour of the GF options or they will make something separately in the back for you.

 

In the beginning it is really hard to have to be forceful and make your needs known.  Also, the longer you are off gluten the worse the symptoms of being glutened get.  She will have to take responsibility for herself.  My doctor always says, "When in doubt, do without."  

 

Also, research GF alcoholic beverages before you go so you can request a specific Vodka.  Rum and Tequila is always GF.

Edited April 29 by DebJ14

[smokeybandit]

5 minutes ago, DebJ14 said:

Ships vary and so does their ability to handle gluten free.  Since Covid we had a horrible experience on the Adventure, except for our waitress at breakfast and one dinner in Giovanni's Table. The Windjammer had zero entrees or vegetables marked GF, only a couple of desserts. 

 

 On the Voyager, the Main Dining room was great, but our dinner at Giovanni's Table was a disaster.  Breakfast at Chops was just ok.  We had multiple waiters in Chops at breakfast and they never remembered from day to day that we were gluten free and were always pushing the pastries.  For lunch in the Windjammer we stuck with salad every day.

I've been on Adventure a few times. No issues in the MDR, WJ or Chops breakfast.

[DebJ14]

If there are any GF snacks that your wife particularly likes, I would bring them.  Unfortunately, the suite lounge does not have an GF crackers to go with all the cheese they put out every night during the evening happy hours.  I bring a box of GF crackers and a few snack size baggies and slip them into my purse before heading to the suite lounge for drinks.  

[DebJ14]

23 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

I've been on Adventure a few times. No issues in the MDR, WJ or Chops breakfast.

My horrible experince on the AOS was in Feb 2023.  Previous sailings before Covid were fine on that ship.  Our recent good experience on the VY was in Jan. 2024.Horrible experience on the Navigator, but that was 2014 and several good experiences on the Voyager and Mariner back in 2009 and 2013, but I don't consider those.  Everything changed with the introduction of the new menus in Jan 2023.  Fingers crossed for next week on the Mariner.

Edited April 29 by DebJ14

[George C]

3 hours ago, buc fan said:

We are going on  Indy, staying in a Suite and DW was just diagnosed with Celiac Disease.

We have MyTime Dining but have read it is better if eating in Main Dining Room to change to scheduled dining.

I am not sure if we will change or not because we like some of the Specialty Restaurants.

 

As a Suite Guest, we can get Room Service off the Main Dining menu and may do that.

How well does Room Service do with Gluten Free ordering?

Or should we stick with the Wind Jammer?

Any recommendations for ordering?

If in a full suite ( grand suite or above) you also get breakfast in specialty restaurant normally chops. You will be charged for specialty restaurant, I would consider the UDP which allows all dinners in specialty and lunch on sea days. 

[orville99]

We always sail in GS, and DW has a gluten intolerance. MDR room service has yet to get her orders correct, spanning several cruises. We only risk the MDR room service perk when we know what she orders is always gluten free (Indian).

Edited April 29 by orville99

[mjkacmom]

4 hours ago, DebJ14 said:

There are some items that are naturally gluten free, so you need to stick to those.  If newly diagnosed then you may not be aware.  Fresh eggs, plain meats (no gravy or sauces), steamed veggies, baked potato, salad (but always be firm about a GF dressing and no croutons) fresh fruit are all naturally gluten free.  I was diagnosed 17 years ago.  Many cruises since and I have been glutened twice on Royal, both times in the MDR and both on first nights.  However, I had my most positive experiences in the main dining room with waiters and head waiters that went out of their way to insure a good GF meal.  Because GF dinners in the MDR are ordered the night before, room service in a suite is probably not an option for dinner.  

 

You didn't say which ship.  Those with Coastal Kitchen may fare better.  On the older ships where suite guests have breakfast in one of the specialty restaurants, we have  fared OK.  We try to make a connection with the waiter the first day, explain our dietary needs and then try  to stick with that waiter for every breakfast, and if having dinner there, requested that person as our waiter so we did not have to go through the whole song and dance all over again.  Worked great on the AOS, but not on the VY.

 

Ships vary and so does their ability to handle gluten free.  Since Covid we had a horrible experience on the Adventure, except for our waitress at breakfast and one dinner in Giovanni's Table. The Windjammer had zero entrees or vegetables marked GF on the Adventure and, only a couple of desserts. 

 

 On the Voyager, the Main Dining room was great, but our dinner at Giovanni's Table was a disaster.  Breakfast at Chops was just ok.  We had multiple waiters in Chops at breakfast and they never remembered from day to day that we were gluten free and were always pushing the pastries.  For lunch in the Windjammer we stuck with salad every day.

 

We do get room service breakfast on the days we have an early excursion.  That has always been fine.  I always get bacon and eggs and coffee.  Hubby usually orders the GF toast.  I am allergic to yeast, so bread, even GF, is out for me.  I never order the scramble eggs from room service in case they give me the powdered eggs, which are often not GF.

 

We always go with scheduled dining in the MDR.  Our last cruise on the Voyager, our waiters had 3 tables of GF and went out of their way.  You need to notify special needs ahead of time so that the ship is notified.  They need to know how many GF people to expect, otherwise that have been known to run out of GF bread and pasta when they are suprised with larger than usual numbers.  special_needs@rccl.com is where you need to send the notification.  They always respond, first with an automated email and then a full explanation of how it is handled.

 

On embarkation day we check with our Maitre"D to make sure it is noted.  The head waiter usually comes over that first dinner for introductions and make sure to remind the waiters.  Also check with the head waiter and chefs in Windjammer and they will give you a tour of the GF options or they will make something separately in the back for you.

 

In the beginning it is really hard to have to be forceful and make your needs known.  Also, the longer you are off gluten the worse the symptoms of being glutened get.  She will have to take responsibility for herself.  My doctor always says, "When in doubt, do without."  

 

Also, research GF alcoholic beverages before you go so you can request a specific Vodka.  Rum and Tequila is always GF.

The vast majority of hard liquor is gf, even whisky. The distillation process removes the gluten.

[DebJ14]

6 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

The vast majority of hard liquor is gf, even whisky. The distillation process removes the gluten.

According to my doctor not 100% is removed, so best to stick to naturally GF.  The government allows 20ppm to still call it GF.  Some of us are sensitive to that very small amount.

[smokeybandit]

6 minutes ago, mjkacmom said:

The vast majority of hard liquor is gf, even whisky. The distillation process removes the gluten.

But there's still a risk of cross contamination for those sensitive to it.  Also some flavored liquors can have ingredients added after the fact that have gluten.

 

[bjlbbk]

I can’t speak to room service but on my recent Oasis cruise the specialty restaurants were the best they had ever been with their attention to special dietary needs. The first question each server asked when first approaching our table was whether or not anyone had any dietary restrictions. Only one time (breakfast on the last day in the MDR) did they fail to ask but I had joined the table late that day so it may have just been overlooked. I can’t speak to MDR in general as that was the only meal we had there. I went to the Windjammer once for breakfast and was surprised they did not have a designated GF section on that ship (I was in a rush so didn’t bother to ask for any assistance and just went with what I knew was safe). Cafe Promenade did have some GF items available on most days (which had not been the case on my last few cruises). My experiences have been somewhat inconsistent over the years (even same ship) so each time I feel like I’m figuring out their system all over again. Overall I have had mostly positive experiences, but I also think I’ve gotten better at having realistic expectations and being willing to do with less in some cases (as much as I really want them to find a way to make me that yummy looking chocolate lava cake the ice cream will do just fine 🙂). I was encouraged though by how much more knowledgeable and helpful the staff seemed on Oasis. I even brought on board my own GF ice cream cones this time and when I brought one to the ice cream machine the server automatically changed his gloves before taking it from me without me even asking. I was impressed! Wish I had thought of doing that on previous cruises as that alone was a special treat!