Going on the Oasis with Food Allergies-Anyone been through this?

[HBCohio]

My family an I have already cruise with our youngest on the Allure. After booking for October we discovered that he has a pleathera of food allergies. Milk, wheat, peanuts and eggs. Has anyone had to deal with this while on a RCl cruise?

[cb at sea]

Yep....you won't be the only one! Simply contact RCI's "special needs" dept....they will assist you in making sure that the allergic one isn't exposed to the allergens and has plenty of food choices!

[XLRATION]

My wife has several food allergies also. On our last cruise she contacted RCI and they noted it on her reservation. They also advised her to inform the MDR waiter.

Any dishes in Windjammer etc. that she was unsure of she just asked an available cook if certain foods were used in the dish and explained she had allergies. They were always able to answer her or confirm it with another chef. In the MDR we mentioned it to the head waiter the first couple of nights and then he remembered after that.

 

My suggestion would be to definitely contact RCI and have them direct you since your child has such a broad range of allergies to pretty common foods used to cook with.

 

I hope this helps and everything works out for you on the cruise.

[Dinkachu]

I have severe shellfish allergies and there are tons of shellfish on the boat, but I have never had a problem. Special Needs notification, as mentioned above, is important. I was given the Main Dining Room menus a day ahead so the staff could make sure I was safe. I don't eat off of the buffets after we found a shrimp in a beef stir fry. (RCCL can't keep guest from transferring utensils and cross-contaminating in the buffets, so we eat in the MDR or J Rockets for breakfast). I also carry two epi-pens and benadryl in my purse at all times just in case. And, I bring a few snacks from home that I know are safe for times when I just don't want to track down a safe snack.

Enjoy your cruise!

[ebhs79]

Thanks for posting this! I'm going on the Oasis with my son who has some non-standard allergies and I've been worrying myself sick about the times we will be seaparated on the cruise. He's 12, and thinks he knows everything, but I'm worried that he won't stop and think every time he eats. I'm going to eat all major meals with him, but I'm sure that he'll be grabbing snacks during the day. I'm going to make sure that he carries his epipen and benadryl with HIM - so that if we're apart, he still has it. Also, our TA suggested that we do fixed time dining in the MDR so that our waiters would get to know him and his allergies. My boy is allergic to tree nuts, fruits with pits, flaxseed, rye, sunflower seeds, and salmon.

[Sugar*Magnolia]

My son is allergic to nuts. As others mentioned, contact special needs at RCI. They will have someone meet with you on board and arrange for you to see the main dining room menus the night before each dinner. They will also have someone go around with you through the buffet to explain the food choices.

[HBCohio]

Thank you guys!!! This was a big help!!! We have already contacted special needs! I am glad it helped other also! THe bad part about my son is that he is breast fed still (only 1 yro) because he is allergic to milk so my wife is on the same diet!!!

[Bakincakes]

Be VERY careful in places like the WJ.

 

I've seen cross contamination in that area by pax who use tongs in a dish with nuts, for instance, and then use the same tongs in a salad area and then leave the tongs there. Another pax, with allergies, could come behind them and use the contaminated tongs to get their salad.

 

People without allergies don't think about that kind of cross contamination.

[gcuecruise]

Be VERY careful in places like the WJ.

 

I've seen cross contamination in that area by pax who use tongs in a dish with nuts, for instance, and then use the same tongs in a salad area and then leave the tongs there. Another pax, with allergies, could come behind them and use the contaminated tongs to get their salad.

 

People without allergies don't think about that kind of cross contamination.

 

This is very importnant. Although with all of the allergies the OP lists I am sure he/she is aware of this. But still important to state.

 

We have three nut allergic daughters and one who is allergic to nuts, egg, dairy, shellfish, fish. Baked goods are tough. Poor thing mostly had Jello for dessert. There was soymilk, available in the WJ for her. We notified RC before we arrived but our MDR waiter did not know a thing about it the first night. We explained everything to him and the head waiter. They were great about it and kept an eye on the menu to help us pick food for her.

[gcuecruise]

Thanks for posting this! I'm going on the Oasis with my son who has some non-standard allergies and I've been worrying myself sick about the times we will be seaparated on the cruise. He's 12, and thinks he knows everything, but I'm worried that he won't stop and think every time he eats. I'm going to eat all major meals with him, but I'm sure that he'll be grabbing snacks during the day. I'm going to make sure that he carries his epipen and benadryl with HIM - so that if we're apart, he still has it. Also, our TA suggested that we do fixed time dining in the MDR so that our waiters would get to know him and his allergies. My boy is allergic to tree nuts, fruits with pits, flaxseed, rye, sunflower seeds, and salmon.

 

I completely agree with NOT doing My Time Dining with allergies. Your waiter WILL get to know you and help out avoiding allergens in the early or late dinner setting in the MDR. In My Time Dining you will likely have a different waiter every night.

[poolwife]

I have had My Time Dining and you can actually request and reserve the same waiter and time each night after the first night. We did this last January on the Allure. It worked real well.

[gcuecruise]

I have had My Time Dining and you can actually request and reserve the same waiter and time each night after the first night. We did this last January on the Allure. It worked real well.

 

I never knew this! Thanks.