Philip Pirrip

Thank you very much for asking for me! There is no uniformity on the boats in regards to this issue and thus it presents many challenges. I do appreciate you taking the time to ask. Kim

Hello Hank, Thank you SO much for all the time you spend helping us experience Japan along with you! Your blogs are amazing! This may be a big ask but I am a celiac and I have had a great experience on a month long trip on the NA Fall 2021. However this past Fall 2022 not such a great food experience on the Rotterdam with my Celiac issue and I am not speaking of flavor, etc, just the access to GF food that is safe. We are planning on your same trip next year for 6 weeks on board the Westerdam and I am extremely concerned about the availability of gluten free foods and snacks etc because I know they source food from where they are sailing. Would it be too much trouble for you to ask a maitre d in the lido what the availability is like and is there a tiny GF section. We have had this trip planned since we got off the Rotterdam and I am getting nervous enough to back out. ANY help you can send me would be heaven sent! Kim from OH

I have Celiac Disease and was on the Rotterdam from mid september to the end of October 2022 (3 star mariners). I can say that it was way, way more difficult than the previous long trip we took on Nieuw Amsterdam Fall of 2021. I was having a very rough time finding food in the Lido and found myself waiting in very long lines because they had the very small section of GF food on the same line as ice cream. So you can only imagine how frustrating that would be! They even had most of their cut up fruit bowls placed next to and under bread. My third day on board I waited on line to talk to someone at guest relations so I could have someone contact me from dining as to how I would navigate my lunches and breakfasts. No one ever contacted me! So for another three weeks I just had salad and fruit while in the Lido. I did go up to NY deli one day for a GF pizza which ended up being made with waffle mix so the dough was soft and sweet. Four weeks in I met another lady with my same issue who after us discussing having both have the same problems she was able to talk to the head lido maitre d at a four star invited wine tasting. After that I was told I could order my meals the day before through my DR waiter and the maitre D brought my meals over to me at a designated time at the Lido Buffet. I sat in same place in Lido so he could find me. The year before was so smooth and seamless that I figured this last trip would be easy but I was wrong. The Nieuw Amsterdam was set up differently and their section of GF food was in a place where there was hardly ever a line and the staff seemed to be WAY more accomodating. Both boats had the same GF foods available but it was just way more difficult to access it as easily on the Rotterdam than NA. They always say from HAL it is no problem but with us going on long cruises it would be very nice to have an actual dining point person to talk to (ie ombudsman) at the beginning of the cruise to find out how best to navigate their procedures. Luckily I love fruit and salads but I don't want to have that as my only food at lunch and breakfast daily. I don't usually go on CC but my husband saw your message and I wanted to answer you. I hope this helped. I would say go up to a person with epaulettes in the Lido and ask them at the beginning of your cruise perhaps during a non rush hour time. I hope some or all of this helps. Good luck.