Dietary requirements

[catperson02]

My daughter is practically a vegetarian (she eats most fish and will occasionally fancy a burger) she is also allergic to almonds and peanuts. I have found that Celebrity seem unable to include both on my booking confirmation. She was listed as having the nut allergy but not the vegetarianism so I called and they duly added the vegetarian bit but the nut allergy vanished.

I will call back and get the nut allergy re-included as this could have massive implications but I will probably just speak to the restaurant on our first nigh about the vegetarian part. Has anybody done this or do I need to give them more notice to provide her with the vegetarian menu?

[mosholu]

Celebrity offers a separate vegetarian menu. You have to ask for it when you are seated. Most people do not know it even exists. It is a small menu which lists new items for the day as well as the vegetarian options on the regular menu. There are appetizers and main courses.

There are also fish options - everyday there is salmon plus one or two other fish choices.

[upwarduk]

Have you filled in a 'Special Needs' form?

This should have been supplied to you by your TA.

I have a Lactose intolerance ( dairy)

I also go see Maitre 'D in the Dining room during embarkation afternoon, to check that he has my needs documented. At this time I am allowed to pre order that night's meal.

[az_tchr]

Letting special needs department know in advance is good, but telling the waiters in the dining room is absolutely necessary. They can handle it easily. With a special need diet suggest MDR regular seating as you will have same waiters each night and not need to explain things over and over.

[catperson02]

Thanks. I have booked fixed dining for this very reason. Celebrity emailed me a special requirements form when they discovered she is also a sleep walker. The rep said she thought they could give me an alarm for the cabin door to warn me if she goes wandering. I generally wake before she gets out of the door (apart from one memorable time in Switzerland) and anyway the door slamming wakes her and she just knocks to be let back in! I also usually notify guest services so they can let the security camera people know. I will add her dietary needs to this form. I will also call them again to make sure the information is put back on our booking.

She certainly keeps me on my toes!

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

As a vegetarian who is much closer to vegan than your daughter, the one peice of advice I would give you is to remind your waIters daily about your daughter's diet restrictions. Furthermore when in doubt about a food item, pass it by.

 

For the sleepwalking, travel stores sell a door alarm that you stick at the base of the door. It goes off if someone opens the door. It is intended to keep intruders out, but it would surely work as well to keep your daughter in.

 

Here is a link to various hotel door alarms and lock guards.

 

https://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/catalog/hotel-safety.html

 

Amazon.com also sells various similar devices. You might also check luggage stores.

Edited March 13, 2016 by Gangway Style

[Doctor G]

On a cruise last year one of my table mates was extremely limited in what she would eat. Each night the waiter brought her the next day's menu, and she would order what she wanted to eat for the following night. On a few nights they provided her with food not on the regular menu. As far as I know she did not arrange this ahead of time.

 

Carolyn

[GUT2407]

Mrs Gut has never had an issue on any line with her weird and wonderful dietary requirements. Talk to the maitre'd or more importantly (in our experience your waiter) if there is nothing on the menu that works, ask.

[lahlah57]

As a vegetarian who is much closer to vegan than your daughter, the one peice of advice I would give you is to remind your waIters daily about your daughter's diet restrictions. Furthermore when in doubt about a food item, pass it by.

 

For the sleepwalking, travel stores sell a door alarm that you stick at the base of the door. It goes off if someone opens the door. It is intended to keep intruders out, but it would surely work as well to keep your daughter in.

 

Here is a link to various hotel door alarms and lock guards.

D

https://www.corporatetravelsafety.com/catalog/hotel-safety.html

 

Amazon.com also sells various similar devices. You might also check luggage stores.

 

This is an excellant idea for you to purchase door alarms for all trips. Do not see it as the cruiselines responsibility.

[Cruise Raider]

While I have no food allergies... I do not eat red meat either and only really eat a lot of veggies and fish with an occasional piece of white meat chicken. I have never ever ever had an issue finding something that suits my tastes onboard. I especially love the stir fry stations in the buffet ... both the Asian and the Italian. Even in the dining room, never had an issue on Celebrity.

The nut allergy is more concerning than finding a non-meat option. They will take care of her if you just talk to the head waiter or maître 'd.

[cb at sea]

Her allergies come 1st...especially since she can and will eat meat....so the vegetarian thing is simply a daily choice. Plenty of veggies aboard! Contact Special needs about the allergies.

[allentownahoy]

Not every Celebrity ship has a separate vegetarian menu. I wish it did. I have only seen such a thing on Holland America. What Celebrity ships have this?

[Keith1010]

You have gotten wonderful input.

 

Do let the special needs department know.

 

After you board try to speak with either the Maitre D' or the Executive Chef.

 

And do also speak wit the waiters.

 

Keith

[upwarduk]

On a cruise last year one of my table mates was extremely limited in what she would eat. Each night the waiter brought her the day's menu, and she would order what she wanted to eat for the following night. On a few nights they provided her with food not on the regular menu. As far as I know she did not arrange this ahead of time.

 

Carolyn

 

Last cruise, I was told my our waiter that I could choose anything I fancied on the menu and it would be cooked for me in the 'specials' kitchen. In other words, they would cook it without the addition of any dairy.

I was always provided with a sweet course, that was a special!

Edited March 14, 2016 by upwarduk

[GordonJasmine]

Does Blu on Eclipse have a vegetarian menu? If so, is it different every night like the regular menu or is it the same every night? Thanks!

[Jamk9398]

I am so glad to hear Celebrity works with allergies. My daughter has a dairy allergy and we are sailing on the Silhouette in a couple weeks. I assume they offer everything, including dessert, etc. I always feel guilty when the rest of the family is enjoying a delicious dessert while she is unable to eat it.

[ghstudio]

Does Blu on Eclipse have a vegetarian menu? If so, is it different every night like the regular menu or is it the same every night? Thanks!

 

Yes, blu has a vegetarian menu and I believe it changes each day. We traveled with a Vegetarian and she had different meals every night in Blu.

[RCKM43]

You can notify special needs department, but they did not always have our information passed along. Do not rely on your server. They often did not know what was in foods. When you get on board go to the maitre'd and tell him about your restrictions. Then every night the assist maitre'd should come to your table with the next day's menus. If they don't come, hunt them down. They sat with my daughter and went over the menu with her. Some things they could alter, others they offered to make off menu items specifically for her. She could order specific things for lunch and breakfast in the MDR. They offered to send breakfast by room service. In the buffet we were given our assist maitre'd's pager. We could page him or find another assist maitre'd in the buffet. They are the ones you need. They will walk you through the buffet and bring you a special plate if nothing fits your needs. She might be better in the aqua spa. They were excellent about grilling a plain piece of tuna or salmon, (you said she eats fish). Just ask for the manager when you go over there. As long as you are willing to wait a few minutes they were very accommodating. I found some assist maitre'd 's were more helpful than others. We only had one that we had to really hung down. The rest really bent over backwards to make our experience easier. If she doesn't have anything too complicated I bet they would be willing to make her some off menu items. They made my daughter some amazing fruit soups and sorbets. Luckily for us she has outgrown all but her shellfish allergy, but at the time she was allergic to dairy, chocolate, strawberries.

[catperson02]

Thank you for all your input. I have spoken to Celebrity again today and this time I actually got someone who seemed to know what he was talking about! Apparently they can only put one dietary requirement on the booking so the nut allergy has gone there. They cannot put the vegetarianism there too so he has added this to the notes. I will certainly go to the restaurant on our first day to check that they have been notified of her dietary needs.

I am sure that she will not be short of things to eat and it is reassuring to hear how Celebrity has managed others dietary needs.

[MIA2CHI]

In my experience Celebrity handles food allergies better than any other line I have sailed. In my traveling party we typically have a vegetarian, lactose intolerant, and a life threatening shellfish allergy. On our last sailing we noted things with the special needs department and also visited the dining room right as we boarded. Everyone was accommodated, some nights we ordered our meals ahead sometimes we didn't. I also had the most delicious dairy free desserts, so have no worries the dining room will take care of you.

[Celebrity Cruises]

My daughter is practically a vegetarian (she eats most fish and will occasionally fancy a burger) she is also allergic to almonds and peanuts. I have found that Celebrity seem unable to include both on my booking confirmation. She was listed as having the nut allergy but not the vegetarianism so I called and they duly added the vegetarian bit but the nut allergy vanished.

I will call back and get the nut allergy re-included as this could have massive implications but I will probably just speak to the restaurant on our first nigh about the vegetarian part. Has anybody done this or do I need to give them more notice to provide her with the vegetarian menu?

 

We can accommodate most special dietary requirements in our main dining room where there is a greater degree of control over the production and service of special meals. Unfortunately, due to the limitations of the Specialty Restaurants' galleys, we cannot customize the offerings in these locations.

 

Please contact our Access Department at (866) 592-7225 for further assistance.

[kevinyork]

My daughter is practically a vegetarian (she eats most fish and will occasionally fancy a burger) she is also allergic to almonds and peanuts. I have found that Celebrity seem unable to include both on my booking confirmation. She was listed as having the nut allergy but not the vegetarianism so I called and they duly added the vegetarian bit but the nut allergy vanished.

 

I will call back and get the nut allergy re-included as this could have massive implications but I will probably just speak to the restaurant on our first nigh about the vegetarian part. Has anybody done this or do I need to give them more notice to provide her with the vegetarian menu?

 

 

I'm lost. A vegetarian that likes burgers. I accept there are other allergies but a vegetarian that likes burgers is NOT a vegetarian, they are just difficult!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Music Cruiser]

There is no magic required here. The MDR offers a vegetarian menu on request.

[Adidas4fun]

Thank you for all your input. I have spoken to Celebrity again today and this time I actually got someone who seemed to know what he was talking about! Apparently they can only put one dietary requirement on the booking so the nut allergy has gone there. They cannot put the vegetarianism there too so he has added this to the notes. I will certainly go to the restaurant on our first day to check that they have been notified of her dietary needs.

I am sure that she will not be short of things to eat and it is reassuring to hear how Celebrity has managed others dietary needs.

 

You really can relax and be happy. They will do their utmost to meet your needs. And as per normal various people will insist on set dining and fixed waiters and so forth but as other posters have noted they will still do an excellent job on very short notice. It simply isnt a good look for them to be the cause of an unwell and very unhappy guest.

[Algebralovr]

It will be fine.

When you get on board, go to the MDR and speak with them right away. Let them know about the allergies. It helps if you have a written out list for them to take with them or copy down.

 

Each day, the allergy sufferer will pre-order their meal(s) for the next day.

Our daughter found she would often be easily fed in the buffet at the egg station, so she generally didn't worry about breakfast. She simply walked up to the egg station, said that she needed them to cook her egg with butter rather than the oil in a clean skillet and she would them watch them wash the skillet and start it with butter with a separate utensil. No big deal.

 

Our DD has been well fed on Celebrity Cruises.

BTW - we call her "Allergy Girl" and say her allergies are her super power. They require that she eat "real food" rather than the crap that is often served. She is allergic to soy, rice, nuts (both tree nut and peanut), melon, apple, orange, eggplant and shellfish. If they can feed her, they can feed anyone! They even made her fresh crepes from scratch in the Bistro on 5 when they found that the crepe mix had an allergen in it!