Please describe your recent gluten-free dining experience on NA.

We will be cruising on NA in May (Alaska) with a Celiac. How accommodating is HAL? For example, is gf pizza available at NY Pizza? Buns or lettuce wraps at the Dive-in? Special rolls at Lido? Should we visit guest services when we board to discuss her needs? I would appreciate reading your experiences! Thanks!

I've never noticed any gluten-free options on offer. Call ships services to see if something can be done

We will be cruising on NA in May (Alaska) with a Celiac. How accommodating is HAL? For example, is gf pizza available at NY Pizza? Buns or lettuce wraps at the Dive-in? Special rolls at Lido? Should we visit guest services when we board to discuss her needs? I would appreciate reading your experiences! Thanks!

I was on the NA 2 weeks ago. I am not celiac but am gluten intolerant. My travel agent notified them in advance that I needed to eat gluten free. There is GF pizza crust available. There are gluten free buns at the dive in. There is a section in the Lido that has gluten free breads, bagels, etc... they have gluten free pasta too. Please note that cross contamination is not a major issue for me but would be for a celiac so I can’t speak to how well that is handled in the Lido. I only ate in the dining room in the evening. They will give you the following nights menu so that you can pick what you want and they will make it gluten free. The first night the waiter recommended GF options for me.

For dessert the creme brûlée is gluten free and is really good. They are very used to handling allergies so you should not have any problems. I didn’t go to any specialty restaurants but I am sure there would be no issues there either.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

We sail in the spring and I too am GF. Good to hear they have some items.

I was on the NA 2 weeks ago. I am not celiac but am gluten intolerant. My travel agent notified them in advance that I needed to eat gluten free. There is GF pizza crust available. There are gluten free buns at the dive in. There is a section in the Lido that has gluten free breads, bagels, etc... they have gluten free pasta too.

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Gluten free pasta on the NA:

I was on the NA 2 weeks ago. I am not celiac but am gluten intolerant. My travel agent notified them in advance that I needed to eat gluten free. There is GF pizza crust available. There are gluten free buns at the dive in. There is a section in the Lido that has gluten free breads, bagels, etc... they have gluten free pasta too. Please note that cross contamination is not a major issue for me but would be for a celiac so I can’t speak to how well that is handled in the Lido. I only ate in the dining room in the evening. They will give you the following nights menu so that you can pick what you want and they will make it gluten free. The first night the waiter recommended GF options for me.

For dessert the creme brûlée is gluten free and is really good. They are very used to handling allergies so you should not have any problems. I didn’t go to any specialty restaurants but I am sure there would be no issues there either.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Thank you! :hearteyes: This is the exact kind of info I was looking for. I've been reading recent threads here about how great the HAL food is and how much people love the Dive-In burgers and dogs and I was really starting to worry about my daughter. None of the menus seem to indicate that GF options are available upon request. I will notify HAL in advance, (it's already indicated on the reservation, but I will make an extra call as we get closer to sailing to make sure they have it underlined!) and also go directly to guest services upon boarding to reiterate her needs.

Do you happen to know if the french fries at the Dive-In are GF? I think they should be, as I don't believe they fry anything else in that fryer...as long as the potatoes aren't specially treated with some gluten-full substance.

Gluten free pasta on the NA:

 

This is the most gorgeous photo I have seen on this board yet! Thanks!

This is the most gorgeous photo I have seen on this board yet! Thanks!

Also, the pasta bar in the lido is very good. They fix one gluten free pasta at lunch and one at dinner. You can then request all the add-ons; sauce, veggies, etc.

At breakfast in the lido, in the same area as the pasta bar I think, you can request pancakes. They make them one at a time in clean pans just inside the attached kitchen area. There are bagged breads to pick from also. Bagles, muffins, cookies. They will toast them for you in a separate toaster. It does take extra time. Sometimes you have to request more than once. It may be that not everyone is trained to gluten-free. They sort of drift off with a vacant look. But after one day they recognize you and are more helpful.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Forums mobile app

I am gluten intolerant. The pizza is great. I hadn't had pizza in 5 years. Always verify when you pick up that it is gluten free. The crusts are square. Two times at pick-up they were regular and had to be remade. Making the gluten free ones square is a great save. Enjoy.

Also, the pasta bar in the lido is very good. They fix one gluten free pasta at lunch and one at dinner. You can then request all the add-ons; sauce, veggies, etc.

At breakfast in the lido, in the same area as the pasta bar I think, you can request pancakes. They make them one at a time in clean pans just inside the attached kitchen area. There are bagged breads to pick from also. Bagles, muffins, cookies. They will toast them for you in a separate toaster. It does take extra time. Sometimes you have to request more than once. It may be that not everyone is trained to gluten-free. They sort of drift off with a vacant look. But after one day they recognize you and are more helpful.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Forums mobile app

I'm so happy to hear about the fresh-made pancakes! I know my daughter will be totally into that. I'm happy the pizza is delicious. It's so hard to find good GF pizza!

My sister is Celiac and a 4-star Mariner, and we've sailed together several times. HAL can be very accommodating, but you also have to do your part and be watchful; as other posters have said, you have to verify. And as the previous poster said, some staff seem to be better-trained or more aware than others, so just be persistent.

If you notify HAL before you sail, they will send you a general disability form to complete, to indicate the food allergy. Once on-board, they will tell you to go see the dining room manager, mainly just to review.

For dinner in the MDR, you will get the next night's menu at the end of your meal, and the celiac person will make their choices in advance. The dining stewards also bring GF bread each night. We've also eaten in the Tamarind and the Pinnacle Grill, which have GF selections.

For lunches, my sister usually eats the daily "food of the world" and selects appropriately. I've never seen her get a Dive-In burger or dog, so I can't comment on that. I doubt that the Dive-In fries are GF, as they appear to be coated with something to make them crispy, but you should definitely ask!