Coeliacs and Princess in Australia

Just a quick question if anyone with this disease has had issues with Princess based in Australia. I am taking a child with it on the Diamond Princess. I have sussed out as much information as I can about what do to for food and to make sure it is gluten free.

I am wondering if anyone here who has it or knows people who have the disease have used the buffet, managed to get gluten free bread to make custom hamburgers at the Trident Grill (I know they have an oven for pizza and gluten free pizza).

I am just after first hand accounts so that I can be more prepared.

OK, you got me. I was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease in 2010 and since then have continued to cruise, generally with Princess and P&O UK and one with Celebrity and Cunard. Been a while since I cruised with Princess from Australia, but last Princess cruise was on Island Princess last year from LA. Thus I am fairly up with dietary issues such as gluten free on the ships.

So the Horizon Court buffet on Diamond, would be much the same as the other Princess ships. Foods in the buffet are not generally labelled gluten free, now and again they are. So if in doubt you will have to ask a buffet supervisor, or ask one of the cooks if you see them there, not the servers or other workers there. In particular check re gravies, stews, curries etc as to thickeners, you don't want regular flour in there, for therein lies the gluten protein that makes us sick. Always plenty of salads, fruit, vegetables, jellys etc, they should all be ok.

Breads: Princess ships do have GF bread, some ships make it on board and/or bring it on, just ask the servers or supervisors in buffet. They often have a separate toaster for GF bread to avoid cross contamination. Often GF bread rolls and cakes are available, again, ask. Re GF breads for making burgers at Trident Grill, the grill did not have any GF bread, but I got some from Horizon Court at Breakfast and took it to the grill and they made my burger with it, no problems, as they did not have GF burger rolls.

Yes GF Pizzas were available, just preorder and come back in 30 minutes. At the complimentary ice cream bar, they have little paper cups or dessert bowls plus spoons for the ice cream as the

cones contain wheat. I am an ice cream monster and never had issues with Princess ice cream anywhere on ship.

On my first cruise as a Coeliac I saw the Food and Beverage Manager, on the Ruby I think it was and asked him nicely for a list of the cold meats and their allergies. I got a big list delivered to my cabin by the F&B Dept, listed all the bacon, cold cuts, sausages, frankfurts etc. All fine no gluten. You could try and do that with Diamond.

At afternoon tea in MDR, see a supervisor and they will get some GF sandwiches and cakes, no problem. In the MDR for dinner, advise Princess in advance via Special Diets on your cruise personaliser. On your first night at dinner a head waiter will come along and give you the menu for next nights dinner, later on they come back and take your order. They can adapt most dishes, i.e. gf sauces and gravies, gf pasta to your needs. That is the main reason we do traditional dining in the MDR, the HW and my waiters get to know me, but I don't make a big deal of it.

If you are going on a shorex with a meal included, let the shorex staff know in advance, they will let the tour operator know, they do their best, but not always achieveable. Thus we don't do many tours with meals, a bit difficult with food.

Sure we miss out on a lot of good tucker, and on the ships I miss out on the English Pub Lunch, battered fish etc, but we survive, I can assure you I am not fading away to a shadow.

So the golden rule is 'Ask.' Hope this helps and you both enjoy the cruise.

My daughter isn’t coeliac but is gluten intolerant (lactose also) she has found it fairly easy to comply with her dietary requirements.

Has always been able to get Glut free bread and so far has never had a dish that she was assured as GF only to then find that it wasn’t.

Thanks for the input.

I am sure he will be very happy for a 10 year old to go on and have pizza and all the fun foods on decks.

I was hoping the Trident Grill could make him hamburgers but know that may be impossible as if we did manage to source the gluten free bread elsewhere on the ship, they have a habit of warming the regular burger buns on the hot plate which could lead traces of gluten on anything else that is cooked there.

I personally will not be taking him on shore excursions that is up to others in the group.

We are a large group this time and have anytime dining just so we can either turn up together and eat or not eat depending on the situation.

The afternoon tea may be the best option for him because he will likely have that and may end up in bed early if it is anything like at home.