Gluten Free Food Availability

[richarduk]

Do Celebrity stock gluten free basics such as bread and pasta etc for general use without having to pre-order? If so does this include at the oceanview café buffet?

 

When I've sailed HAL it's been very difficult to obtain such items unless you either pre-order or at least request it specifically the day before.

 

Thanks.

[upwarduk]

Do Celebrity stock gluten free basics such as bread and pasta etc for general use without having to pre-order? If so does this include at the oceanview café buffet?

 

When I've sailed HAL it's been very difficult to obtain such items unless you either pre-order or at least request it specifically the day before.

 

Thanks.

 

Not sure about the Ocean View cafe, but a year ago ( March 2012) on our Century cruise, we shared a table with a man who required Gluten free.

He & I pre ordered our food every night. ( I require dairy free)

We then took a 2 day cruise from Amsterdam to Southampton. In the 6 months, the menus had changed and all evening menus had symbols on certain recipes, ie Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Sugar free and Dairy free. The same was the case on Eclipse in March of this year.

I pre ordered every evening however, mainly so that the kitchen could make me a 'special desert' (they also made them for our gluten free table companion)

The Maitre'D even organised my food when we were on the Captain's Table on the 2 nd formal night on our last cruise. He kept leaning over the balcony and checking with me via hand signals that everything was o.k

 

I would certainly take the time to enquire about the Ocean View cafe. I tend to eat there at lunch time and rely on meats and salads.

 

As you can see we were on a ship from each Class of Celebrity vessels, so the menus are obviously common to the Celebrity fleet.

[Tiggertastic]

A lady asked the pasta station and he made it especially for her just said that she would have to wait a few minutes as they make it fresh

[cruisestitch]

See this thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1818836&highlight=gluten+free

 

And do a search of this board using the terms "gluten free" and you will find many, many other threads, too

[wallie5446]

My wife is Celiac, there is a form we faxed in to have it noted on our booking. Downloaded the menu's and all have the symbols to the side. We were still asked to let the MDR staff know.

[Essiesmom]

I was on Infinity recently, with the new menus with the symbols. I asked the waitress what made a chicken entree crispy, and she said it was breaded. I asked how it could be gluten free if it was breaded, and she said for a couple of years, everything breaded is done with gluten free bread crumbs. One night, a couple next to us needed gluten free, and she said she had not pre-ordered because when she looked at the menu the night before, so many of the items were gluten free she decided to wait. EM

[KJMAN]

We sailed on Solstice last July. I am coeliac and noted the menus have changed and now have symbols. This gave lots more options without the need to preorder. However, the desserts were a little lacking. Towards the end of the cruise I was advised to order a gluten free dessert the night before. This didn't always work as our waiter often came out with the wrong dessert. As for the oceanview café, it was a bit hit and miss. The Maitre D' showed me around the food stations on the first day but I felt his knowledge of gluten was a little restricted. You can order gluten free pizza and pasta but I did have to give them a days notice and then wait while it was cooked. The pasta was fine but my experience with the pizza was - try it once and stick with the pasta!

Gluten free bread is readily available at the bread stations but just be careful, it needs to be refreshed or toasted. Some servers tried to toast it in the normal toaster not realising the issue of cross contamination. If you ask they can take it into the kitchen and use a designated toaster. They will also serve gluten free bread in the dining room if you ask.

Another tip, if you like pancakes you must visit Bistro on five. It is a small dining area that does delicious pancakes. They have a separate recipe for gluten free pancakes and have a dedicated machine for gluten free. They are delicious. There is a 5$ cover charge for this but they serve soup, paninis (not gluten free) and desserts all included for this one price. Another tip, on Brunch day they offer regular pancakes as part of the brunch. They did not have gluten free so I asked and a waiter disappeared and returned with a pancake from the bistro - may depend on who you ask!

Happy eating!

[Jane2357]

Wow - the timing of this post is amazing. I'm waiting on the results of my tests, should know this next week - at best I'm gluten intolerant or worse Celiac. I've just been feeling so ill lately and while it will be nice to have answers - my mind is having a hard time grasping the differences this will make in my life!

 

My question would be this - we are booked for 14 nights in Feb. - an S1 with anytime dining. Would it now be better for me to switch to a set dining time so that my wait staff would be consistent and be of better help to me? I get that there are now symbols to help order gluten free but then I see others that do some pre-ordering.

 

What do you do about specialty dining? Should I stop by the day before and ask for help? We hope to at least try Blu one evening (space permitting) - from here on out would I be better off booking Aqua as I hear they do a great job with gluten free?

 

Feeling very over whelmed at the moment :(

[wallie5446]

Jane,

It is good you are getting a firm handle on this. We have cruised since 1987 and my Wife always thought the pain was from wonderful food and eating to much of it. The Celiac was confirmed after a 2003 cruise, and we went 5 years without going again. So much has changed, no longer do Chef's think it is in your head, they know.

 

Just make sure your booking is noted 'Gluten Free', follow the instruction about letting the DR staff know when you get on ship, and you will have the most wonderful time!

 

The staff on the Mariner, Freedom, and the Ruby Princess were outstanding, and friends have told us that Celebrity is even better.

[Jane2357]

Jane,

It is good you are getting a firm handle on this. We have cruised since 1987 and my Wife always thought the pain was from wonderful food and eating to much of it. The Celiac was confirmed after a 2003 cruise, and we went 5 years without going again. So much has changed, no longer do Chef's think it is in your head, they know.

 

Just make sure your booking is noted 'Gluten Free', follow the instruction about letting the DR staff know when you get on ship, and you will have the most wonderful time!

 

The staff on the Mariner, Freedom, and the Ruby Princess were outstanding, and friends have told us that Celebrity is even better.

 

Thank you so much for the encouragement! I've got so much to learn but am thankful that it can be managed. I'll make sure to send in the special request form and will also make it know as I order.

[cruise5526]

Jane2357

When we use a Specialty Dining restaurant, I stop in the day/evening before and talk to the chef. I do this as a courtesy to them so they're not scrambling the following evening, but also to make sure they can accommodate me. Last cruise the chef was very accommodating; I did choose my meal the night before and he made the necessary sauces for the meal gluten free for me. It made for a wonderful evening with friends to celebrate the end of the cruise. Stopping in to talk to the chef took maybe 10 minutes but was well worth it.

[scrapthat]

I was just on an Alaskan cruise at the beginning of June. My sister required gluten free and it was never a problem. Even the Bistro on 5 made her gluten free crepes. Everyone was very accomodating.

[lynaberdeen]

I too am gluten free and found X to be very accommodating. I found doing the 'traditional dining' rather than select was less stressful as having told my waiter on the first night he always made sure there was gluten free bread on the table for me as well as an individual butter to ensure no crumb contamination!! With the new menu symbols I found it really easy to order and in the ocean view cafe always found plenty to eat - although I avoided the g free bread - which alto you had to ask for it wasn't the nicest!! It will take a big of getting used to but hopefully a change in diet will make you feel better. Enjoy the cruise and let us know how you get on. Lyn

 

 

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