Gluten Free?

[mbiggers]

Hello, Going on the  Silver Nova in January. I’ve searched this forum and can’t find anything about how Silversea handles Gluten Free diets. Do you pre-order? How are the baked products? Do they make everything onboard or purchase pre-made products? Is the staff well trained regarding GF? I’ve found that it is very helpful to have one person in charge of special diets.

Thanks! 
Michele

 

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, mbiggers said:

Hello, Going on the  Silver Nova in January. I’ve searched this forum and can’t find anything about how Silversea handles Gluten Free diets. Do you pre-order? How are the baked products? Do they make everything onboard or purchase pre-made products? Is the staff well trained regarding GF? I’ve found that it is very helpful to have one person in charge of special diets.

Thanks! 
Michele

 

I’m currently on the Dawn, and certainly at the buffets and in the Arts Cafe there are gluten-free items labelled. I think the menus mention gluten-free, but I can’t be certain. 

[wristband]

I just left Shadow's World Cruise.  True, buffets at lunch and breakfast provide a separate table with gluten-free baked goods (bread, pastry).  But there was nothing in either buffets' entree "line" where pasta, pancakes, pizza, wraps, sushi, soups, other carb choices were on offer.

 

I did not see gluten-free items on menus for the sit down restaurant - except breakfast in The Restaurant had gluten-free toast available.  My sense was the staff is not trained in GF offerings as I heard others ask and were politely turned down.  You might request while onboard a menu of gluten-free options.  If this is critical, I would nail it down well before embarkation.

[gnome12]

I dined tonight with someone who is gluten intolerant. It is on her record, and the waiter went over the menu items with her and told her what she could eat. 

[Port Power]

8 hours ago, mbiggers said:

Hello, Going on the  Silver Nova in January. I’ve searched this forum and can’t find anything about how Silversea handles Gluten Free diets. Do you pre-order? How are the baked products? Do they make everything onboard or purchase pre-made products? Is the staff well trained regarding GF? I’ve found that it is very helpful to have one person in charge of special diets.

Thanks! 
Michele

 

I have coeliac disease and am currently on Silver Wind. I have been on Dawn and Muse as well, and the system is the same. There is a gluten free menu in each restaurant for lunch and dinner that has been ticked or crossed where applicable.  You can ask to see the next night’s menu, too, so that you can order your preference to be made gluten free.  I occasionally pre-order a soufflé.  The majority of soups and sauces are gluten free. There is at least one GF dessert every night, not always shown on the menu.

 

At lunch in La Terrazza, the chef will happily make a GF version of the daily stir fry out in the kitchen.  Others are jealous of my freshly made meal!  Generally I don’t like buffets, but the chef will come out and tell me what is or isn’t suitable.  If going to La Dame, I see the maître d’ the night before to ensure I can really enjoy the night there.

 

GF bread is bought in.  I always ask for bread to be “well toasted” when I order poached eggs with toast on the side.

 

There are few GF baked items. No pastries in Arts Cafe. There is a biscuit or macaroon each day.  For me, Arts Cafe is no good for breakfast or lunch. I am also lactose intolerant, so don’t eat yoghurt.  My main complaint is that are no Gaf crackers to eat with cheese.  “Rice crackers” are actually thick rice cakes!  Next time I will bring my own Sakata!  I don’t know why a thin GF dry cracker is not stocked?

 

On boarding day, there is a note to meet the chef in Atlantide at a certain time to discuss your diet.

 

When you arrive at the dining venue, you are asked your suite number.  That shows up in the waiter’s iPad that you have coeliac disease or whatever dietary restriction.  I still request that GF be added to the notes of my order as a double check.

 

Please ask if I can help you further.  Carol

[mbiggers]

Thanks everyone, especially Carol for describing your personal experience. We cruise 4-6 X per year on various lines, but this will be our first time on Silversea. I’ve found that Seabourn, Oceania and Viking Ocean handle it fairly well. You always get the menu the night before and they’ll make a version of whatever you want. Even with them I’ve been known to spend port time going to a grocery store to buy crackers, cookies and bagels.

Thanks again,

Michele

[goofysmom99]

3 hours ago, Port Power said:

Please ask if I can help you further.  Carol

Any GF hamburger buns?  Or will I be able to readily find 2 slices of GF toast for the bun?  Sometimes you just want to eat with your hands like everyone else!  

[Port Power]

2 hours ago, goofysmom99 said:

Any GF hamburger buns?  Or will I be able to readily find 2 slices of GF toast for the bun?  Sometimes you just want to eat with your hands like everyone else!  

Yes, there are GF buns at The Grill.

 

There is also two or three varieties of GF pasta.

[sillyyak]

Hi , I am also a Coeliac we were on the Whisper in Alaska last year  our first Silversea cruise  but not our first cruise.I found knowledge from waitstaff a bit hit and miss.

At the start of the cruise I had a meeting with the Chief and was assured that there was no need to preorder as every Menus in all the restaurants would have many options available and that staff would be aware of my dietary requirements as all waitstaff have a IPad with details on it. I will say that I had no problems with what I ate and no issues with cross contamination .I did find it repetitive to have to explain at every meal that I was a coeliac only twice did staff members mention on seating us that they were aware of my dietary requirements .

Like “Port Power “ I automatically check that they have made note of Coeliac Gluten Free meal .
  I found the Grill very difficult to eat at other than plain grilled meat or fish with a plain baked potato I was told by staff that nothing else was safe for me to eat. I did manage to get some butter for the potato .No offer of bread.😞 we only ate there once over our 12 days on board

I will say that we got the impression that a lot of the staff were new and were learning on their feet.

Our Butler was brilliant and arranged gluten free canapé’s  some of which were made with gluten free water biscuits or wafer crackers ,which were missing from the restaurants.
Lucky we shared a table with the hotel manager one evening and by magic the crackers appeared in the restaurants when I needed them 🙂

My one big tip would be ask if you don’t like the options available they will do the best to prepare something. We dined in La Dame one night and I was told that the only dessert available to me was a fruit platter. This was beautifully served and very nice but not a dessert in  my mind ( if it doesn’t have chocolate it isn’t dessert). Next time we dined there I asked if they could find me something more interesting the resulting dessert looked fantastic and tasted great but wasn’t on the menu 

I will say that I always travel with some gluten free supplies with me but only had to use them  when off the ship. The one booked excursion with included lunch did provide a very nice gluten free option but I was prepared just in case🙂

I hope this helps reassure you that you won’t starve on board 🤣

[mbiggers]

Thanks everyone, especially Carol and siilyyak for describing your personal experiences. We cruise 4-6 X per year on various lines, but this will be our first time on Silversea. I’ve found that Seabourn, Oceania and Viking Ocean handle it fairly well. You always get the menu the night before and they’ll make a version of whatever you want. Even with them I’ve been known to spend port time going to a grocery store to buy crackers, cookies and bagels.

I gave up gluten about 15 years ago (kicking and screaming) in a desperate attempt to deal with Crohn’s. Fortunately avoiding gluten really helps. I don’t worry about cross contamination like people with Celiac, so I know I won’t starve, but I do have an expectation of eating well and being spoiled on a cruise. Like you, sillyyak, my motto has always been “If it’s not chocolate it’s not worth the calories.” In addition to a fruit plate I absolutely gag when presented with Flan, Panna cotta, or tapioca. 🤢 On pre-bankruptcy Crystal the contrast was particularly acute. I remember the Sunday brunch with the most beautiful food, and about the only thing I had was a deviled egg. Plus, terrible GF bread. 
Looking forward to trying Silversea!

Thanks again,

Michele