Cruising on HAL with food allergies

[Idahomom4]

Hi there. My husband and I have just went on the Oosterdam and now would like to take our 2 younger daughters, 13 & 15, on the Mexican Riviera cruise. My 13 year old has serious food allergies (peanuts, tree nuts, fish & shellfish) and I'm wondering if anyone here has any experience cruising HAL with food allergies? I know to avoid the buffet and to let them know of food allergies in advance of the cruise but would like to hear from anybody that has experience with cruising with food allergies.

 

Normally when we travel we either stay with family or are camping so we don't have to worry about dining out (exception being Disney World and they are top notch when it comes to food allergies!). Would love to take her on a cruise, but I'm very concerned about dining on a cruise. Thanks for you help!:)

[uppitycats]

You've pretty much covered the basics: let the special needs department know of the specific allergies she has, and avoid buffets. Also avoid "incidental" food offerings:

 

someone on this site some time ago recounted that he had his child with him at a bar on board, and the bar had "snacks" in bowls. They tried some..and found his child suffering a severe allergy -- not to the food that was in the bowl, but perhaps to food that had been in the bowl previously. Like, the server had taken an empty bowl of peanuts, and refilled it with some other mix (which didn't contain nuts). There was enough residue in the bowl to cause the childs reaction.

 

Once you've notified the special needs department of the allergy issue, they'll meet with the child (and parents) each day and go over the menu, letting them know what is in each dish for the next day, and making what modifications they can with the dish so that the child can eat safely.

 

It will restrict you to the main dining room for most meals (unless you can get assurances that they'll help you discern what is available elsewhere!), but it is do-able.

[TracieABD]

Know that some of the waitstaff may not understand the urgency of your situation, so make sure that you mention it everytime and every meal. Many of the salads had nuts on them, as did many of the desserts.

 

Best of luck! Safe travels to you and your daughters.:)

[Idahomom4]

Thank you TracieABD & uppitycats for taking the time to reply.:) Yes, cross contamination is something we take very seriously and I know that she would only be eating in the MDR and we'd probably do at least one dinner in the Pinnacle. Tracie, the waitstaff not understanding the seriousness of her allergies is exactly what worries me.

[cruisinggranmama]

Thank you for posting this. My granddaughter has the same serious food allergies. We take her to restaurants all the time but we always, always talk to the waiter/ess and the manager the first time at the restaurant and then always mention the allergy at every meal out.

 

I would assume it would be the same for each meal on a cruise. She is only 7 now so we will wait for another couple of years to try a cruise with her.

 

And you are so right about Disney World. They did a great job and she was so thrilled when one day she could have the cake and ice cream which she can never have at any restaurant.

 

We find restaurants are getting more aware of cross contamination issues.

 

Good luck and travel safe.

[cruzn single]

I am sure that it should be handled differently with a child, but I had a wonderful experience on HAL with my shellfish allergy. Between my husband and me, we are very careful in restaurants and on cruises. However, one evening I ordered something, and the waiter told me NO, I couldn't have it! He knew of the shellfish allergy (he also had one) and knew that the sauce had a shellfish base. I will forever be grateful to the waiter. But, I realize that not everyone will have such an experience with allergies, but I would mention it to your waiter, and I for one, would definitely opt for a fixed dining time with the same waiter.

[airlink diva]

I know on one of my HAL cruises, one of my tablemates had allergies to a certain item (can't recall).

Every night the head waiter would come by the table to give her a copy of the next night dinner menu to assist her on meal selections. He also came by the table nightly to make sure everything was ok.

She mentioned that her TA made note on her reservations and when boarding she also checked with the head waiter once on board to make sure everything is in order.

[realnurse2]

I have a severe nut allergy and have cruised many times with HAL. Be proactive in your approach and monitor her meals carefully. YOU should inform Hal before you cruise and they will pass on the info to the ship. Let the Dining room manager know when you go to eat the first day. Let your waiter and assistant know as well. Try and avoid a table with other than your family as this cuts down the possibility of error. Most likely your daughter will have to choose her meals the day before so it can be prepared in a seperate area of the galley. Avoid the buffet line ! Too much chance of cross-contamination and possible language barrier in a busy area. If you aren't completely sure anywhere on the ship concerning food, ask! There can be items hidden in foods you don't expect. The staff are excellent but the onus is on you to avoid what she cannot eat. It may sound like a hassle but you don't want her vacation ruined with an allergic reaction.Hope everthing goes well on your cruise!

I would highly reccomend Disney cruise lines ; they are excellent and are used to all sorts of allergies when you let them know. They make the child (or adult) fell safe and even try and make them something special to eat so they don't feel deprived.