Using my own gluten free pasta in the Lido

[Krazy Kruizers]

I'm thinking Dungeness Crab for lunch on even numbered days and whole lobsters and caviar on odd days. Works for me. I worship the gods of the sea if anyone asks, which they can't ask anyway. Seattle can ship it all from Pike Place Market to my ship.

 

Love the idea!!

It works for me.

[Krazy Kruizers]

So -- if we want Smoked Salmon from Salmon, Etc. -- I can call Ship Services and they will get it for us???

I doubt it!!!

[chengkp75]

So -- if we want Smoked Salmon from Salmon, Etc. -- I can call Ship Services and they will get it for us???

I doubt it!!!

 

Moxie and Whoopie pies. Sorry, a Maine thing. Whole Maine lobster and fresh sea scallops.

[Typhoon1]

If HAL provides the food, I can deal with it.

 

Should you need a special diet contact Ships services. They will cook THEIR food for you. After all, you paid for it.

[celle]

And this is exactly why I am stating that you need to go thru Ship Services months in advance so they can get the item you want if they cannot I do know of cases that the passengers was able to bring on their own and met with the Culinary Manager with the product. I have seen this approved and actually a few more times with Celebrity. But it can be done as long as the ship is aware in advance. Even on NCL but they are strict with the request being at least 60 days in advance but they will do it they just need to also know what restaurants you may be dining in.

 

Please do not play judge and jury, let the OP go to HAL and get their answer, I know we all want to be the experts even me but I am stressing please allow Holland America to handle and give the final answer. This applies to all cruise lines and the answers may vary based on ship location and the ship itself. 99% of the time HAL will definitely come thru. I have yet to see HAL deny a request unless it was last minute but if you give them at least 60 to 90 days I have not seen requests denied. I have actually seen them come up with products I never thought they could or if it is not exactly what they wanted will let the OP know what they can provide. If not satisfactory I have seen OK of products to be brought on board to be prepared.

Holland America, no actually all the cruise lines have become very proactive for Vegan and Gluten Free products and menus and offer a wide variety of items they now offer BUT again the request must be made in advance with Ship Services. Those that book a last minute cruise 2 to 3 weeks before sailing cannot expect HAL to do this nor will they. But give them plenty of time and they will accommodate.

 

Lisa,

 

You're like a dog with a bone about this!

 

Yes, if the OP asks in advance as you suggest, he may well be able to have his own brand of gluten-free pasta on board, provided by HAL. Wouldn't that be done by contacting the Special Needs department in advance?

 

However, even if he does this, I think it most unlikely that he will be able to waltz up to the pasta station on a whim and have his pasta prepared for him then and there, even if it is on board.

 

Isn't it true that , like most special food requirements, it is necessary to order a particular dish in advance? For example, in the main dining room at the evening meal, people on special diets are often shown a menu or list of options for the following day and asked to select their dishes 24 hours in advance. (I know, because my daughter is vegan!)

 

It is the preparation of a special diet meal on the spot, for immediate consumption in the Lido, without prior notice, that is likely to cause a problem. I can just imagine the line of tetchy people waiting for their pasta while one special meal is being prepared. :eek:

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I'm thinking Dungeness Crab for lunch on even numbered days and whole lobsters and caviar on odd days. Works for me. I worship the gods of the sea if anyone asks, which they can't ask anyway. Seattle can ship it all from Pike Place Market to my ship.

 

As long as you are willing to pay the price HAL quotes you, you can pre order about anything. Some items they will not charge extra for but most they will. It is between you and Hal not everyone here on the CC board.

Trust me this has been requested ;)

[rafinmd]

I have not worked for HAL, but for another cruise line. I don't know if this refers to a cruise originating in the US or not, but let me put out the USPH guidelines about this.

 

While sealed, ready to eat food may be brought aboard, I am really not sure if food to be cooked, even in a sealed package would be allowed. And most certainly, you could not walk up and expect the staff to cook something that has not been in their custody. I will agree that you can make arrangements in advance for specific dietary needs, but to do so will most likely (in my experience, ymmv) require a medical note or some form of religious indication. While I am surprised that HAL would go out of their way to provide specific brands of food for single passengers, I won't argue that. And I won't argue that if you have made arrangements months in advance (so that HAL can notify their vendor and ensure that the food meets USPH requirements), and they have your pasta onboard, you could request it at the buffet, but I cannot believe they will accept food from you to cook. All food on USPH inspected ships must come from approved vendors.

 

Welcome to the HAL forum. I hope to see you post rarely, since your expertise seems to be most relevant when things go wrong, but I'm glad you have your eyes on things here.

 

Roy

[elycelynne]

Lisa- look on the bright side. At least you didn't ask if you could sing at the piano bar.

 

Would "angry villagers" be considered a large group cruise? :eek:

[mariner]

Here's my vacuumed sealed pig. Lechon anyone?

[sail7seas]

Have you had Lechon in San Juan? Delicious!!!! :)

[mariner]

My Filipino buddies have treated me to lechon on HAL

[richarduk]

Thanks for ALL the responses, however my question in some cases is being forgotten.

 

Seeing as everyone seems to have a view, I'll give my own:cool:

 

I wanted to bring shop packaged gluten free spaghetti. That's all. Not a nuclear device. Not fresh fish, or any other foods for that matter from ports.

 

As for the comments regarding that if HAL allowed me to bring such items, everyone would jump on the band wagon, that's just unrealistic. Mine is a health need. It's just pasta.

 

Here are the true facts of what SHOULD happen.

 

1. I turn up at the lido and ask for gluten free spaghetti

2. They retrieve it

3. They cook it in a separate pan of water

4 They give it to me, nobody else, no risk.

 

That's what SHOULD happen. However, I have had instances where HAL just can't deliver walk up gluten free pasta in the LIDO, hence the question about bringing my own. After giving in and ordering some the day prior to wanting it (how bizarre!), when I received it at the pasta station, it was NOT spaghetti, but penne. Most will agree they are a different experience. Although spaghetti was ordered prior to the cruise, they did not have it. Come on HAL! On a ship with that many people.

 

THIS is why I was asking about taking one packet of shop bought gluten free spaghetti in my checked baggage. I always take other gluten free bits and pieces for my needs and private/individual consumption.

 

It's not that I have an issue with making arrangements. I have no problem with requesting gluten free pasta via HAL in advance. My issues with them are that A) They did not provide the item B) Even if they did, I had to order it again the day prior wanting to eat it for lunch at the Lido. That's just unrealistic.

 

I totally get that there are rules and regulations. I am a food scientist and very aware of food safety. Trust me when I say that in this scenario there is 0% risk and any basically trained kitchen worker/chef will know that.

 

At the end of the day, I think I'll have a salad instead! Then again I might just take it with me. Maybe I'll get jailed and whipped by the food police, or one or two cruise critic members:D

[sail7seas]

Please let us know how it goes when you provide the spaghetti to them in Lido and request they cook it.

I am very interested how they handle it.

 

Best wishes..... I hope you are able to have them provide you gluten free spaghetti.

[Wakepatrol]

"And Then My Poor Meatball,It Rolled Out The Door"

[josie724]

So let me get this straight.....you want to be on a ship with 2000 other passengers and have your individual needs met on whim? Now if only 1% of said passengers had the same individual dietary needs you do and they all show up at the Lido with pasta in hand requesting it to be prepared right there and then, that would be 20 "special requests" on the fly.....Yeah that would be a sight,:eek: not to mention the other "regular" passengers just waiting on line to get regular food.

 

Just sayin'

[spacepotatoes]

Here are the true facts of what SHOULD happen.

 

1. I turn up at the lido and ask for gluten free spaghetti

2. They retrieve it

3. They cook it in a separate pan of water

4 They give it to me, nobody else, no risk.

 

That's what SHOULD happen. However, I have had instances where HAL just can't deliver walk up gluten free pasta in the LIDO, hence the question about bringing my own. After giving in and ordering some the day prior to wanting it (how bizarre!), when I received it at the pasta station, it was NOT spaghetti, but penne. Most will agree they are a different experience. Although spaghetti was ordered prior to the cruise, they did not have it. Come on HAL! On a ship with that many people.

 

THIS is why I was asking about taking one packet of shop bought gluten free spaghetti in my checked baggage. I always take other gluten free bits and pieces for my needs and private/individual consumption.

 

It's not that I have an issue with making arrangements. I have no problem with requesting gluten free pasta via HAL in advance. My issues with them are that A) They did not provide the item B) Even if they did, I had to order it again the day prior wanting to eat it for lunch at the Lido. That's just unrealistic.

 

That may be what you feel should happen but have you ever been on a cruise line where that does actually happen? I don't personally have experience with this but from regular reading of the HAL, Norwegian, and Carnival forums, all three of those lines require special requests to be made advance. Unless it's already a regular offering, and they do sometimes have gluten-free items out already, you can't just walk up on any of those lines and have something like this made on the spot. In all honesty, I think you are the one being a bit unrealistic here.

[sapper1]

When we had our tour of the QM2 last summer we visited their dining room that the people in the top suites use. (Forget the name of it). We were told that if passengers have a favourite recipe from home, they bring it along and the chef will prepare it for them.

 

Of course they are paying a premium price to be in that position so I guess that is my point. It is hard to expect that kind of personalised service on HAL. It would not be a hardship to get through a cruise without pasta, gluten free or otherwise. There are so many other choices.

 

Please don't think I am being snarky----just practical. Other posters have mentioned opening a can of worms. Well if you reported back here that your request for the cooking of privately purchased food was accommodated, the can would be well and truly opened. HAL would be inundated with requests and I suspect they know that.

 

I am rather partial to our local lobster. Now if I packed the little sucker in dry ice and-------------------:D:D

[Wakepatrol]

Is just wanting one hot dog

and getting behind Joey Chestnut,who's brought his own:mad:

[josie724]

Is just wanting one hot dog

and getting behind Joey Chestnut,who's brought his own:mad:

 

Now that would be a sight.....:D

[catl331]

Or even a fish that they caught on an excursion.

It seems to me like I've read about exactly that being done in AK. Maybe I'm just remembering posts asking if it could be done.

[RuthC]

It seems to me like I've read about exactly that being done in AK. Maybe I'm just remembering posts asking if it could be done.

Those days are long gone.

 

On our first Alaska cruise, on Royal Viking, my husband caught three great big salmon, and the chef prepared them for our dinner table.

I understand that once upon a time HAL did that, too. I understand the practice was stopped when a passenger started a ruckus because the fish being served were not the exact ones he had caught.

I don't know how he could tell the difference, and I don't know if the story is true. What I do know is that the question has been asked, and that is probably what you are remembering.

[sail7seas]

Those days are long gone.

 

On our first Alaska cruise, on Royal Viking, my husband caught three great big salmon, and the chef prepared them for our dinner table.

I understand that once upon a time HAL did that, too. I understand the practice was stopped when a passenger started a ruckus because the fish being served were not the exact ones he had caught.

I don't know how he could tell the difference, and I don't know if the story is true. What I do know is that the question has been asked, and that is probably what you are remembering.

 

 

 

That must have been such a wonderful evening. Very festive and so great of the Chef to cook that freshly caught salmon for you. Great memories.

[sapper1]

Those days are long gone.

 

On our first Alaska cruise, on Royal Viking, my husband caught three great big salmon, and the chef prepared them for our dinner table.

I understand that once upon a time HAL did that, too. I understand the practice was stopped when a passenger started a ruckus because the fish being served were not the exact ones he had caught.

I don't know how he could tell the difference, and I don't know if the story is true. What I do know is that the question has been asked, and that is probably what you are remembering.

 

Sounds like a fish story to me!!:D

[Krazy Kruizers]

When we had our tour of the QM2 last summer we visited their dining room that the people in the top suites use. (Forget the name of it). We were told that if passengers have a favourite recipe from home, they bring it along and the chef will prepare it for them.

 

Of course they are paying a premium price to be in that position so I guess that is my point. It is hard to expect that kind of personalised service on HAL. It would not be a hardship to get through a cruise without pasta, gluten free or otherwise. There are so many other choices.

 

Please don't think I am being snarky----just practical. Other posters have mentioned opening a can of worms. Well if you reported back here that your request for the cooking of privately purchased food was accommodated, the can would be well and truly opened. HAL would be inundated with requests and I suspect they know that.

 

I am rather partial to our local lobster. Now if I packed the little sucker in dry ice and-------------------:D:D

 

Queens Grill Suites

We stayed in one when we sailed on the QE2.

At breakfast we were shown the lunch and dinner menus and if there was something else we wanted -- granted. And we also chose the wine we wanted for dinner.

[richarduk]

I think a few people are not remembering something. First of all I have never seen a big queue, in fact even any queue at a pasta station. I think I had one person in front and one behind me once. That aside, as far as I have seen, everyone's pasta is cooked to order there and then. That's what I've seen on two ships. In those circumstances I don't see how that makes waiting times longer. Even if this did cause delays, that's HAL current strategy i.e. to go fetch your pasta, get a pan and cook it! So nobody is asking for anything other than how HAL want it. The question about bringing my own, if allowed, would actually speed up that process considerably. Like I've said already, I'll stick to salad!