Beware of the Omelettes and Scrambled Eggs on P&O, not gluten free.

For the information of Coeliacs like me..I was recently on Aurora/Oriana. Had the omelettes and scrambled eggs a couple of days, got ill. Queried same with Chefs, told the liquid egg mix in a carton, not fresh eggs in the shell was used to make omelettes/scrambled eggs in the buffet and MDR, the mix contains wheat as a thickener. One morning I did see the liquid egg cartons being poured into the metal containers at omelette station.

So Coeliacs/Gluten intolerants, beware.

Useful info. Thank you!

I really wish P&O would display the main allergens, especially if they are hidden. It wouldn't be too much trouble, especially as they stick to the same foods across the fleet. It would also make ordering of items so much easier in restaurants if there was a Wagamamas style menu showing allergens and whether the dish could be adopted to avoid them. Perhaps this wouldn't be necessary in the MDR (they generally just take off the offending food from your plate and you get what's left if you have an egg allergy lol - beef with no Wellington haha) but for things like the Glass House it would be fab and would avoid the waiters trying to guess what's in the food, they mean well but as an allergy sufferer I have to politely insist they check. Also it amazes me when I say I have an allergy to eggs that I get told I can't have numerous dishes as they contain milk, cream or other forms of dairy - then I have to explain I can eat those things. It's ok must of the time but occasionally the table is being held up because of it all. This isn't a P&O thing, lots of places struggle but those with the allergy books deliver a much easier and relaxed dining experience. I know the buffet is a difficult one but it's a minefield for allergy sufferers - ham salad all the way.

It's a legal requirement in the UK (and I believe Europe) for restaurants to have readily available a list of the main allergens that are present in individual dishes on the menu, so this should be possible on a ship. I do know however, that different countries have slightly different allergen lists so this might be the difficulty where supplies are taken in in different countries.

Believe it or not, certain allergies prevalent in one country almost don't exist in others, so there are often significant differences in what are viewed as allergens throughout the world.

Is this something new on P&O? I haven't cruised with them this year, but did last year and previous years. I am gluten intolerant and have never had a problem. In fact I have seen the chef in the buffet cracking eggs at the omelette station. May be more cost cutting? Something to watch next cruise. Thanks for the warning

Val

Thank you so much for posting this info!

My DH is coeliac and we're just about to go on our first long cruise with P&O.

DH tries to eat naturally gluten free as the additives in a lot of the GF breads etc don't suit him - so eggs for breakfast. I can see that he would have been really unwell and we wouldn't have tracked it down, so it would have been a miserable trip esp over Christmas and New Year.

Thank you again!

Thank you so much for posting this info!

 

My DH is coeliac and we're just about to go on our first long cruise with P&O.

DH tries to eat naturally gluten free as the additives in a lot of the GF breads etc don't suit him - so eggs for breakfast. I can see that he would have been really unwell and we wouldn't have tracked it down, so it would have been a miserable trip esp over Christmas and New Year.

 

 

Thank you again!

I have always found P&O to be very good with gluten free. Obviously the eggs issue appears to be a new thing.

The head waiter will make themselves known to you on the first night at dinner and give you the next days menus to pre order lunch and dinner. It might be worth raising the eggs issue at that time to get a definitive answer.

I would be interested to hear how you get on. Have a great cruise.

Val

It's a legal requirement in the UK (and I believe Europe) for restaurants to have readily available a list of the main allergens that are present in individual dishes on the menu, so this should be possible on a ship. I do know however, that different countries have slightly different allergen lists so this might be the difficulty where supplies are taken in in different countries.

 

Believe it or not, certain allergies prevalent in one country almost don't exist in others, so there are often significant differences in what are viewed as allergens throughout the world.

I wonder if the fact that the P&O ships are Bermuda flagged might that UK regulation does not apply?

It's a legal requirement in the UK (and I believe Europe) for restaurants to have readily available a list of the main allergens that are present in individual dishes on the menu, so this should be possible on a ship. I do know however, that different countries have slightly different allergen lists so this might be the difficulty where supplies are taken in in different countries.

 

 

 

Believe it or not, certain allergies prevalent in one country almost don't exist in others, so there are often significant differences in what are viewed as allergens throughout the world.

Good points!

Thank you so much for posting this info!

 

My DH is coeliac and we're just about to go on our first long cruise with P&O.

DH tries to eat naturally gluten free as the additives in a lot of the GF breads etc don't suit him - so eggs for breakfast. I can see that he would have been really unwell and we wouldn't have tracked it down, so it would have been a miserable trip esp over Christmas and New Year.

 

 

Thank you again!

Perhaps you could get the cooks to check the ingredients on the liquid egg cartons, some brands would have a non gf thickener, i.e. wheat flours others perhaps thickened with rice flour, maize starch which are fine for coeliacs. Or you might ask the omelette cook to get some fresh eggs.

No dishes on Aurora/Oriana in Sept/Oct this year in buffet or on menu in MDR were highlighted as GF. Of course I did notify the line in advance as others have said and ordered the meal from the headwaiter previous night, that worked out ok. In the buffet at lunchtime ask the cooks for a gf sandwich/cake/dessert, they can do that no problem.

I have sailed on Celebrity and their dishes on MDR menu are marked gf if applicable.

I normally cruise with Princess and their systems for gf are much the same as P&O UK, order the night before.

Like most coeliacs I don't want to make a big fuss of my diets, but you have to look after yourself.

Good luck with it and anjoy your cruise !!

May be more cost cutting? l

Can you explain "Costcutting" at an omlette station ??

Can you explain "Costcutting" at an omlette station ??

Sorry, could have worded it better. My point is that probably the cartons of liquid eggs are probably cheaper than fresh eggs. P&O (and other cruise lines) seem to be cutting back wherever they can to boost profits.

Val

Sorry, could have worded it better. My point is that probably the cartons of liquid eggs are probably cheaper than fresh eggs. P&O (and other cruise lines) seem to be cutting back wherever they can to boost profits.

 

 

 

Val

And it's a lot quicker and easier to store - taking up less space and not being fragile.

Plus it's always cheaper to add wheat to something to stretch it than whatever the original food was.

very important post, thanks. they need to be more careful with alergys

Plus it's always cheaper to add wheat to something to stretch it than whatever the original food was.

More a thickener to make the liquid egg beat better and make the omelettes set, and of course to make the liquid egg mix go further as you said. I have no doubt liquid egg in a carton is more cost efficient than real eggs in a shell when feeding the masses on a cruise ship.

So at the end of the day before you get your scrambled eggs and omelettes, ask the cook or MDR/Buffet supervisor to check ingredients on carton.

Many thanks for replies to this thread.

We spell it as omelette in UK and Australia, Americans spell it as omelet? Correct. ?