How good is HAL with special dietary needs?

[ProfTW]

My TA always notifies HAL about my food issues. Some ships are great, some are dreadful. I have never gotten the email TechnoBill mentioned. We're doing 22 days on the Zuiderdam in the spring. I'm taking backup food just in case, but certainly not enough for 22 days.

It is encouraging to hear that others have had great success with special diets.

 

Thanks debdiva. As to the form, we booked directly with HAL and received it automatically (It appears that the computer system sends it when one indicates "food allergies" during the booking process). I searched the HAL website and here is the same form we received:

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/assets//cruise-vacation-planning/SRI_Form.pdf

 

You can fill it out and either fax it back or email it to the address listed at the bottom.

Safe and happy sailings!

[CaliforniaAC]

Thanks CaliforniaAC - this sounds very encouraging. The process appears very similar to our Princess Cruise other than it was always the Headwaiter on Princess that came to our table every evening.

Enjoy you upcoming Noordam and Caribbean Princess cruises!!!:)

 

You're welcome! And, thank you, yes, we will have a great cruise! Side note... DH also likes the gluten free pizza they make on Princess.:)

[ProfTW]

Hello All,

Thank you to everyone for your advice. In the Fall I said I would report back about our experience on the Eurodam and food allergies and I have been feeling a little guilty for not having done so (in case someone was waiting to hear). Unfortunately, we were unable to go on that cruise (life happens) so I really don't have anything to report.

 

We are hoping to get on the Westerdam this summer and give HAL a try with our son and his severe allergy. If we go, I will definitely report back.

 

Happy and Safe Sailing to Everyone!

[debdiva]

Just back from 22 days on Zuiderdam. Vegetarian service prompt, flexible. It was everything our earlier experience was not. Now, I can say special diets should be fine in the MDR. I even found goodies in the Pinnacle.

[sevenseasnomad]

Highly allergic to mushrooms/mushroom powder & MSG. My body looks upon any of these items as poison and works to get rid of them as quickly as possible, so I spend a night or morning in the bathroom if I ingest any of these things.

 

HAL has worked very hard to assure that I not only don't get these items, but that the kitchen pans are not cross-contaminated. I've never had any problem. They did insist that I order the night before, which was sometimes not appealing, since I'd just finished dinner when I would be presented with the next night's menu. This last cruise, I asked if I could order the next evening at the same time DH was ordering that night's dinner. That solved the problem very nicely.