Allergies

I have never been on Norwegian, but am thinking of giving it a try. Can anyone tell me if they have any experience dealing with food allergies in the dining rooms? How accommodating would you consider NCL to be on this issue? Thank you.

They deal with food allergies on every single sailing of every single ship.

We were on the Escape this past September. I'm not sure if this is the norm, but the waiters that took our orders asked us at each meal if there were any food allergies they needed to be aware of. Since I have some food intolerances I was really pleased about this.

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Excellent, contact the special needs department ahead of time, you will meet with someone during embankment lunch. There is a separate kitchen for food allergies. Dd has celiac and has been on 3 NCL cruises. She preorders dinner and breakfast every day. You can also just ask your server what is safe on the menu. Dd liked to order pretty much whatever she wanted.

The blase (and tongue-in-cheek) answer is they haven't killed my husband or kid yet, and we are Platinum. I would suggest you provide YOUR allergies, though; I have seen some doozies! Our allergies are mostly avoidable at the big tourist places.

Thank you for these prompt replies. It is comforting to see there are programs in place for these things. I am allergic to all LEGUMES. Soy, peanuts, chick peas, beans, peas & string beans are recognizable items to most people. However, unrecognizable additives are the frustrating part to deal with, such as guar gum & lotus bean gum, just to name a few. I am use to the pre-order process that has been mentioned in some posts & feel better in moving forward with possibly choosing NCL for our next cruise. Excited to try something different! Thanks for the wealth of information.

I have never been on Norwegian, but am thinking of giving it a try. Can anyone tell me if they have any experience dealing with food allergies in the dining rooms? How accommodating would you consider NCL to be on this issue? Thank you.

I have to add it too each reservation, but that is no big deal, but I have a shellfish allergy, that is the worst reaction. My allergies...on our first, most recent NCL cruise, the first night, the maitre d came over, talked with myself and our server, and made the pre order offer..I declined, because there is always another option...we also then asked for the same server the next night. She then after receiving our order, if my choice was questionable, she went and asked..only once did I have to change my choice.

Also went to teppanyaki (spelling sorry) where as soon as my salad was delivered by the assistant, it was whipped away again by the head, muttering shellfish allergy, and a new one was delivered.

I don't have many, about 7, but I cannot get away from them, unless I completely change everything about my diet, i don't need to at this point, as medication (Advil allergy/sinus is my friend), is still working. I also hate to be "trouble", so I just work around it. This most recent cruise was the first time that I listed the allergy, I have done it for the one we start next month and the one we have booked next year. When we booked next year's, I added it, as well as my father in laws, who has the same shellfish allergy

So bottom line, they were as watchful as myself, and accommodating...call and have them add it to your reservation..

When you contact the special needs department, they not only provide your allergy info to the dining staff, but also to shore ex staff. I have allergy to macadamia nuts, so this was a huge concern on our Hawaii cruise on the POA. Whenever we were on a shore ex that provided a lunch or snack, I was surprised to find out that a special lunch/snack was provided for me.

Echo the above. My son has a tree nut allergy. Epi-Pen. The MDRs were amazing for acknowledging his allergy every time we sat down. It took a few extra minutes for his food to arrive, but so worth it. We appreciated their care and observance.

If you care to partake in the buffet...that is an animal all in itself. We stayed away for precautionary reasons.

Fill out the form prior to boarding, and you will have no worries :)

I have always used the pre-order option, which has worked very well, except on my last cruise, where they kept serving me green beans on my plate. The first 2 times I pushed them to the side...the 3rd time, I said something. I also don’t want to be a problem, but I have learned to speak up, because I also want to enjoy my cruise. I tend to order everything plain, nothing fried, no sauces, because I don’t trust anything used where I can't see the ingredients. In the buffet I stick to salads, hard boiled eggs, oatmeal...I’m talking real basic foods. My heart goes out to those who need the epi-pen. I breakout in horrible hives, which is a burden, but not life threatening.

You can fill out the special needs form before travelling. A letter will be waiting for you to go see the maitre d who will talk through your allergies.

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Thank you for these prompt replies. It is comforting to see there are programs in place for these things. I am allergic to all LEGUMES. Soy, peanuts, chick peas, beans, peas & string beans are recognizable items to most people. However, unrecognizable additives are the frustrating part to deal with, such as guar gum & lotus bean gum, just to name a few. I am use to the pre-order process that has been mentioned in some posts & feel better in moving forward with possibly choosing NCL for our next cruise. Excited to try something different! Thanks for the wealth of information.

Yes very frustrating. While Soy is one of the so-called "Big 8" allergens, the other legumes you listed are not. And I feel you on the food additives, as many restaurant staff and managers may not know that certain additives may be derived from legumes leading them to tell you that a particular item is safe when it really is not. I am an adult who very recently has been diagnosed with a food allergy that is not one of the "Big 8". Can you comment on whether you booked your cruise and, if so, how NCL said they might be able to handle your allergy?

The crew is very aware and careful of food allergies. Every dish being served has a description to ensure that guests remain safe.

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NCL is seriously into taking care of any cruisers that have food allergies if you let them know beforehand by emailing or contacting the access desk.

I have allergies to seafood (crab/lobster) and certain nuts like peanuts, so they would prepare my food separately before any other food.

I have to look at the menu and to decide what to eat the next day if eating at a restaurant. If eating at the Garden Cafe, you are on your own.

The crew is very aware and careful of food allergies. Every dish being served has a description to ensure that guests remain safe.

 

 

 

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Thanks for posting. But even though this detailed placard lists quite a few more than the most common 8 allergens, it does not address my allergen which is very uncommon. My concern is how much experience the crew has with very uncommon allergens.

If you have logged your allergy with the Special Needs desk, your food allergy will pop up on screen when you scan in at any restaurant.

My mother and I both recorded food allergies ( not the same one). I may be off on this but it seemed like we both had black cloth napkins at dinner every night, while everyone else at the table had white. They never placed the white napkin from the table on our lap, they always switched it out. I’m not sure if it meant anything, but seemed like nonintrusive way to identify diners with allergies.

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I'm glad to see they make a distinction between crustaceans and mollusks. I'm allergic to one type but not the other. I usually just say I'm allergic to shellfish, and I'm careful not to order shrimp or lobster, but I was afraid they might refuse to serve me scallops or clams. I'll make sure to tell them my allergy is to crustaceans only.

I'm glad to see they make a distinction between crustaceans and mollusks. I'm allergic to one type but not the other. I usually just say I'm allergic to shellfish, and I'm careful not to order shrimp or lobster, but I was afraid they might refuse to serve me scallops or clams. I'll make sure to tell them my allergy is to crustaceans only.

Yes, good to know that they make that distinction. Just make sure that your server knows that 'crustacean' refers to shrimp, lobster, crab, and crayfish.

Yes, good to know that they make that distinction. Just make sure that your server knows that 'crustacean' refers to shrimp, lobster, crab, and crayfish.

If you've made your dietary needs known to staff, then it is VERY important to stress the allergy with the wait staff.

They are the ones who can screw it up severely, if they don't fully understand just what they need to ask for, double check, etc.

In our case, anything questionable, we'll have DH taste it first, or to be extra safe, just send it back if there might be something in error.

That's much more of a problem if cross-contamination is a serious problem.

In that case, I'd double check with Dining Room staff upon being seated, someone senior, to be safe, BEFORE ordering.

GC

I have always used the pre-order option, which has worked very well, except on my last cruise, where they kept serving me green beans on my plate. The first 2 times I pushed them to the side...the 3rd time, I said something. I also don’t want to be a problem, but I have learned to speak up, because I also want to enjoy my cruise. I tend to order everything plain, nothing fried, no sauces, because I don’t trust anything used where I can't see the ingredients. In the buffet I stick to salads, hard boiled eggs, oatmeal...I’m talking real basic foods. My heart goes out to those who need the epi-pen. I breakout in horrible hives, which is a burden, but not life threatening.

Hi bacm. I suddenly became allergic to crustacean shellfish in my early forties. :(

I get self-conscious about it and hate to be a problem to the waitstaff or my dining companions as well.

My initial allergic reaction was horrible hives all over my body. I went to an allergist, got allergy tests, and blood tests which confirmed immunoglobulin E antibodies to crustaceans in my system.

My allergist immediately prescribed an epinephrine auto-injector which I carry at all times.

I mention this because severe hives can be a precursor to anaphylaxis, which can be life-threatening.