Is there an extra charge for gluten-free on NCL??

[anastasia3939]

I am cruising on the NCL Pearl in May. I e-mailed the access desk and they sent me a list of gluten free products I could pre-order for my cruise. I am wondering if they charge extra for these products?? I emailed this question to the access desk and have recieved no reply :(, so I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with this. I'd hate to order a bunch of food and then have hundreds of dollars added on to my cruise bill.

Thanks in advance for any help!!

 

(I'd also appreciate any tips fellow NCL GF cruisers could give me!)

[mpk218]

I am cruising on the NCL Pearl in May. I e-mailed the access desk and they sent me a list of gluten free products I could pre-order for my cruise. I am wondering if they charge extra for these products?? I emailed this question to the access desk and have recieved no reply :(, so I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with this. I'd hate to order a bunch of food and then have hundreds of dollars added on to my cruise bill.

Thanks in advance for any help!!

 

(I'd also appreciate any tips fellow NCL GF cruisers could give me!)

 

No charge . NCL is very acomidating when it comes to food issues. ;)

Edited March 5, 2010 by mpk218

[rickechambers1@aol.com]

I'd hate to order a bunch of food and then have hundreds of dollars added on to my cruise bill.

 

...but OK to order a bunch of food if it adds hundreds of dollars to NCL's bill?

 

While I'm sure that they will assist, just thought that was an interesting perspective to consider only your financial impact.

[newmexicoNita]

I am cruising on the NCL Pearl in May. I e-mailed the access desk and they sent me a list of gluten free products I could pre-order for my cruise. I am wondering if they charge extra for these products?? I emailed this question to the access desk and have recieved no reply :(, so I'm wondering if anyone here has experience with this. I'd hate to order a bunch of food and then have hundreds of dollars added on to my cruise bill.

Thanks in advance for any help!!

 

(I'd also appreciate any tips fellow NCL GF cruisers could give me!)

 

unless things have changed very recently, no there is no charge..

 

Nita

[NCL_Cruiser]

Oh Rick...

 

I don't think that was what she meant, at all. It was a very legit question, and I'm sure she just wanted to know what to expect. And I'm sure it won't be adding hundreds of dollars to anyone's bill. :cool:

 

...but OK to order a bunch of food if it adds hundreds of dollars to NCL's bill?

 

While I'm sure that they will assist, just thought that was an interesting perspective to consider only your financial impact.

[anastasia3939]

...but OK to order a bunch of food if it adds hundreds of dollars to NCL's bill?

 

While I'm sure that they will assist, just thought that was an interesting perspective to consider only your financial impact.

 

 

 

Obviously, I meant are they going to charge me $20 for a $5 box of cereal. Sort of like how all cruise lines charge $10 for a $4 drink. I'm asking for budgeting and planning purposes. Thanks for all of the replies from the people who knew what I was asking!!

[VonChap]

...but OK to order a bunch of food if it adds hundreds of dollars to NCL's bill?

 

While I'm sure that they will assist, just thought that was an interesting perspective to consider only your financial impact.

 

From someone who is Gluten Free, I really dont like your comment. While you are enjoying the pizza, burger and hot dog buns, pasta, sauches, the bread basket and many, many more items...what should those of us who are allergic to gluten do? Sit there and not eat much?

 

Thank goodness that NCL does offer a shopping list of Gluten Free products for those with celiac disease. AND we sail with them at least twice a year because they are the only cruise line who offers such a wide variety of GF food. They get A LOT of business from celiacs because everyone talks about them at the celiac support groups and boards. I think a few dollars for some gluten free pasta for celiacs is a great marketing program!

[CruisenGoddess]

While I was on the Jewel last November, it was a nightmare for me and GF Food. I had pre-ordered through the access desk, but on board was another experience. I only had 3 items actually on the ship from the list I ordered with and those weren't available until the last night of the cruise. This was a nightmare cruise for me and waking up in the middle of the night with severe hunger pains is not fun. I even had them tell me in the main dining room there was nothing on the menu I could have and to go to the Garden Cafe!

 

Make sure you see the Restaurant Manager - do not listen to them that you only need to see a Maitre'D - that didn't work for me at all and by accident on the last night of the cruise I actually got to meet the Restaurant Manager and told her my story - she was horrified and made the last day so much better.

 

Also each day ask for the next days menu and pre-order your meals - they can do anything on the menu in GF.

[VonChap]

While I was on the Jewel last November, it was a nightmare for me and GF Food. I had pre-ordered through the access desk, but on board was another experience. I only had 3 items actually on the ship from the list I ordered with and those weren't available until the last night of the cruise. This was a nightmare cruise for me and waking up in the middle of the night with severe hunger pains is not fun. I even had them tell me in the main dining room there was nothing on the menu I could have and to go to the Garden Cafe!

 

Make sure you see the Restaurant Manager - do not listen to them that you only need to see a Maitre'D - that didn't work for me at all and by accident on the last night of the cruise I actually got to meet the Restaurant Manager and told her my story - she was horrified and made the last day so much better.

 

Also each day ask for the next days menu and pre-order your meals - they can do anything on the menu in GF.

 

I am so sorry that you had that experience. I had the same thing happen on an RCI cruise. I was starving the entire week. I have only had wonderful experiences with NCL. As of last year, they always have GF bread and pasta--even if you dont order it.

 

My PCC with NCL must put a bold statement on my reservation because my phone starts ringing in my cabin as soon as we arrive. It is usually the F&B Manager asking if I need anything. If you have a PCC, make sure that they also put a note on your reservation about GF.

 

Also, I make sure to join the Cruise Critic Roll Call and go to the Meet & Greet. One time, I did have to mention that part of my GF order was missing--it was found before the end of the M&G. On my cruise next month, there are three of us with Celiac on the Roll Call. We have been busy already talking to NCL about some special meals.

[emnsmom]

My husband is gluten free and we did advise the cruise line ahead of time and sent back our requests. We also got permission to bring on gluten free beer :)

 

Never have we received such incredible service! He was able to pre order his dinner and lunch every night in order to ensure that his food was gluten free. When we did the behind the scenes tour we went right into the fridge and freezer that contained all the gluten free product. There was another woman on the tour that had no idea that NCL would have or could have accommodated he dietary needs. It was on that behind the scenes tour that we learned that NCL prepares their own chicken wings for the Blue Lagoon. They normally dredge them in flour before frying them. After we saw the cooks preparing the wings we were able to request some to be left gluten free and my husband enjoyed his plate of wings every night from that day on. He was also able to pre order a gluten free pizza at lunch. Ted on the NCL Sun was amazing in making sure my husbands food was never contaminated. Make sure you let the right people know and you should be fine.

[VonChap]

My husband is gluten free and we did advise the cruise line ahead of time and sent back our requests. We also got permission to bring on gluten free beer :)

 

It was on that behind the scenes tour that we learned that NCL prepares their own chicken wings for the Blue Lagoon. They normally dredge them in flour before frying them. After we saw the cooks preparing the wings we were able to request some to be left gluten free and my husband enjoyed his plate of wings every night from that day on. He was also able to pre order a gluten free pizza at lunch.

 

Who did you contact about bringing the GF beer on board? I read another post where someone pre-ordered GF Red Bridge but you had to order a case in advance.

 

Also, did you go to Blue Lagoon and just say that you wanted to order some GF wings or did you talk to someone else about pre-ordering them.

 

A cold beer and some wings would be great!

[AFT_LOVER]

He made large print Daily for my husband who is legally blind. Then I met a Celiac disease person who brought some food just in case. He got the Hotel Director who then got the Exec Chef who came & brought her to his area. He has a list of GF foods in stock. So she can order what she wants with every meal. He made what she wanted with everything in it that was safe. He even check with a bartender if he had Budweiser GF beer. When told no at every port they were out looking for it.

 

She saw me next day & was so greatful. I told her to join us here to talk to others just like her.

 

May I ask what is GF? Since others may not know that they could be too.

[VonChap]

 

May I ask what is GF? Since others may not know that they could be too.

 

GF=Gluten Free

You will start seeing GF on food boxes as it has become a universal code for Gluten Free products.

 

Those that have celiac disease can not eat gluten. Celiac disease is an auto-immune disorder and not really a food allergy. But if you have celiac disease your body can not process gluten--wheat, barley, rye and for some people oats. It is not a contagious disease but one that is most often hereditary. ( Those of us with celiac just find it easier to say we are "allergic to gluten" as that makes more sense to others instead of talking about an auto-immune disorder)

[emnsmom]

We spoke with the Maitre'd as soon as we got on board and he was exceptional. He would check in with us at every meal. He even reprimended a server that brought my husband ice cream with a cookie on the side. Gluten free is clearly a popular request and the experienced servers knew their stuff. When we mentioned the possibility of GF wings he went and checked with the ktichen staff and made sure that they could do it for us.

 

When I was emailing special services regarding the products that we wanted on board I asked about bringing on beer. They asked how much my husband would be bringing on and what brand. They sent my husband a letter giving him permission to bring on "six bottles of Red Bridge gluten free beer to treat his medical condition". :) Still makes me laugh when I think about the letter!

 

Even if you eat at the buffet you can talk to a server about getting gluten free product. For example, if you are grabbing an omelet at the buffet if you mention that you would like gluten free bread or pancakes someone will be able to get it for you. There are different levels of service staff and I think the guys in the blue jackets were the ones that would take care of special requests for us.

 

I know that everyone's experience is different, but we had a a great gluten free experience with NCL.

[AFT_LOVER]

I am, Latose Intolerant so I call you Gluten Intolerant. I stay away from milk, cheese & other dairy products since I blow up from my rear sending gallons in seconds.

 

I can be very painful in my stomach to throat but I do not puke. If I have a cheeseburger I will fart for hours, so I go for a walk around my home, so I am close to a toilet just in case.

 

So they make me yogurt based Italian noodles on Princess & NCL. I am told to mix yogurt with dairy to help tolerate it.

 

I see GF on packages more & more, so people are coming out talking about it as normal event since other are allergic to peanuts, fish, just about anything.

I applaud Budweiser for creating a GF Beer. Now wait for others to join in. But ships have to purchase it for you. So keep calling & writing.

[VonChap]

We spoke with the Maitre'd as soon as we got on board and he was exceptional. He would check in with us at every meal. He even reprimended a server that brought my husband ice cream with a cookie on the side. Gluten free is clearly a popular request and the experienced servers knew their stuff. When we mentioned the possibility of GF wings he went and checked with the ktichen staff and made sure that they could do it for us.

 

When I was emailing special services regarding the products that we wanted on board I asked about bringing on beer. They asked how much my husband would be bringing on and what brand. They sent my husband a letter giving him permission to bring on "six bottles of Red Bridge gluten free beer to treat his medical condition". :) Still makes me laugh when I think about the letter!

 

Even if you eat at the buffet you can talk to a server about getting gluten free product. For example, if you are grabbing an omelet at the buffet if you mention that you would like gluten free bread or pancakes someone will be able to get it for you. There are different levels of service staff and I think the guys in the blue jackets were the ones that would take care of special requests for us.

 

I know that everyone's experience is different, but we had a a great gluten free experience with NCL.

 

 

I agree, we have had wonderful GF service on NCL. We only cruise with them now because of that service.

 

They have even brought me GF buns to the pool side BBQ so that I could have a burger and a hot dog with a group of friends.

 

Wings and Beer! Thanks for that information! I am sailing out of Miami in November and am going to send the Special Needs Dept about the Red Bridge Beer. Love that beer.

 

Thanks for the tips!

[VonChap]

 

I applaud Budweiser for creating a GF Beer.

 

I applaud them too! :D

 

If you are sailing from a US port, you can pre-order a case of GF Red Bridge beer. You have to pre-pay for it. So I am always looking for anyone in our Roll Calls who wants to share a case of GF beer. We would love for NCL to stock the Red Bridge beer.

[BalconyBreeze]

This post has me very excited about our upcoming cruise. My son has simliar allergies. How do you go about meeting with the restaraunt manager? The part about those chicken wings sounded so great! :)

[CaptData]

I have a speical diet too. I have never been charged extra. I see the menus one day early and pre-order so that it can be made the way I need it made. I always contact Sp services prior to cruise at least 60 days out if possible.

 

My daugter is like you and they have always had her stuff on board when we arrive.

 

Now a warning, if you take a tour that includes a snack or meal this will not be gluten free in most cases. So watch what tours you take and just make sure that you can get back on the ship in time for your meals.

[VonChap]

This post has me very excited about our upcoming cruise. My son has simliar allergies. How do you go about meeting with the restaraunt manager? The part about those chicken wings sounded so great! :)

 

Make sure that your reservation with NCL is marked with your allergy. When you arrive, go to the guest services desk and tell them that you would like to be contacted by the Food and Beverage Manager.

 

I usually eat embarkation lunch in the MDR and ask to speak to the Maitre 'D as soon as I arrive at the MDR. They usually get the ball rolling with a GF lunch and then provide the menu for that night's dinner. You can still eat in the Speciality Restaurants. Just tell the Maitre D where you would like to eat and they will get that menu and let that restaurant know in advance.

[VonChap]

Now a warning, if you take a tour that includes a snack or meal this will not be gluten free in most cases. So watch what tours you take and just make sure that you can get back on the ship in time for your meals.

 

Something New: You can now let the Excursion Dept know that you are using a ships excursion and that you have a food allergy. They will let the tour operator know. (This is only for tours that already provide food)

 

I received a call from my PCC about this last week. He also asked me to make notes on my Greek Isle excursions as to what was provided. I told him that since I didnt know about this special assistance, I had already booked private tours in the Greek Isles and discussed with those guides my needs. He asked that I send him notes of what companies I used and what they provided me for GF food. As soon as I get back from the Gem's first Greek Isle cruise, I plan to send my PCC all the details of who I used as guides and if they found or provided GF food. So, NCL is listening.

[BalconyBreeze]

Thank you very much...I will follow your lead in meeting with the correct parites!

[cruznut1111]

Hi All -

 

I'm the little trouble maker that got the Redbridge ball rolling. Just got off the Dawn today with 3 bottles of my case remaining.

 

The Dawn was a bit slow getting it to me - un-iced - on the afternoon the day after we boarded, but it worked out.

 

I was just spoiled by the Star having a six-pack iced and waiting when we first opened the cabin door in Jan.

 

In between those we were on the Jewel. Only ate a couple meals, but no problem getting them GF. Cherylynn is still the maitre 'd at Le Bistro and she is really on the ball when it comes to GF.

 

I was delighted to hear that a line (NCL?) let someone take on a six-pack. I would have preferred to do it that way and have more variety in my alcoholic treats. (I bet my bar bill would have been higher too!)

 

I didn't get a list of GF foods ahead, but on the Star and Dawn met with the Special Diets maitre 'd and had all my meals plannned through them. I had great spaghetti bolognese night before last - YUM. Gusti and Anil had me going for foods I wouldn't have even considered possible. I even had taquitos and crispy fried calamari.

 

Drooling yet?:D

[VonChap]

Hi All -

 

 

I was delighted to hear that a line (NCL?) let someone take on a six-pack. I would have preferred to do it that way and have more variety in my alcoholic treats. (I bet my bar bill would have been higher too!)

I even had taquitos and crispy fried calamari.

 

Drooling yet?:D

 

I am going to try to get the six-pack permission slip for my Pearl and Epic cruises! :)

 

Which restaurant made you the crispy fried calamari?

 

And how much did you pay for the case of Red Bridge?

 

Thanks!

 

Kim

[Allipotter]

No extra money.. They will treat you very well. As others have said.

Go to Customer Service desk, as soon as you arrive onboard. Tell they what you need,

and they will match you up with a food service Officer. From that point on, you will think your a King or Queen. Plus, they constantly check on you for each & every meal, to see if you are enjoying your meal. I went thorgh this with NCL, and we wanted to take the Rep Home...