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Oceania Gluten Free--Not Recommended


appollo12345
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30 minutes ago, isbclarin said:

What you're saying about gluten free on Oceania concerns us.  The wife is a celiac and has had to eat gluten free for at least 25 years.  We are coming up on our first Oceania cruise and expected that we would be treated to good gluten free options as we have been on other cruise lines - Celebrity, Viking, Princess, NCL, Holland America.  Several of those lines now go to the trouble of labelling food selections in the buffets and menus with a GF symbol to save having to question the serving staff.  I'm surprised that with the way Oceania and its clientele rave about the food there would be as much attention paid to gluten free options as the regular options.  We hope we will not be disappointed.

 

Barbara and Bob

 

I’ve suggested labeling GF items on the menus, just as vegan items are, to O for years. I’ve also suggested that O stocks more gluten free products such as soy sauce. So far no success...

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2 hours ago, isbclarin said:

We always notify the cruise line directly about the diet and also visit the restaurant manager(s) when we board to make ourselves known.  As for gluten free baked items we have had really good ones on other lines that are baked on board.  The wife doesn't eat gluten free as a fad diet; she needs it to stay  healthy.

never implied otherwise

my friend is GF  & it does affect her if she has products with gluten

 

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We were on both Riviera and Nautica in June.  Wife cannot have either wheat or corn products.  The Oceania staff went of their way to guide her through the menu- provided each evening and turned in the next morning.  She did have the GF rolls made by Oceania and thought most were good, but that a seeded roll was excellent- but they didn't have that item every day.  Many times GF products have corn instead of the wheat which is not good for her, but when rice is used for the flower base, it is a very touchy operation, rolls made with rice flour can turn tuff very quickly- baked correctly and served warm they are very good.  More products are being developed for these sensitivities, like cauliflower crust pizza- which can be very good.

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My sister has celiac disease, and since she also has Downs syndrome and therefore is a poor historian, it went undiagnosed until her gastro symptoms became impossible to ignore.  She has a surgical  procedure performed wherein the gastroenterologist snipped a portion of her intentine lining, and finding it coated with unprocessed gluten, made the definitive call that it was indeed, celiac (aka, gluten intolerance).  We have cruised Princess and Norweigan with her, and her dietary needs were well handled.  Flourless choc cake, creme broule, fresh fruit, etc.  As well as good old meat and vegetables.  I hope this doesn't spoil your otherwise lovely vacation, and please don't pay any attention to people who state how they have 'read lots of information' about such and such, but really don't know what they are talking about.  Dr Google! - we all do it, but usually don't draw conclusions about other peoples' ills.  and to think it makes a whit of difference how many posts you have sent over the years!   Quality, not quantity.    But, as he says, he is bowing out anyway.  Good call!    

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On 7/15/2019 at 7:49 AM, Petoonya said:

I'm one of several others here believing you should be sure that your travel agent has notified O of your requirements. And definitely speak with the restaurant managers as soon as you board. We traveled with someone with celiac disease and he raved about the food.

+1

 

The food is really good, some of the GF baked goods not so much. Contact special service at O before the cruise to notify them of special requirements.

 

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On 7/14/2019 at 10:28 PM, LHT28 said:

not sure if Oceania makes GF baked goods  or has brought  in

 

I am celiac but am not a big dessert person. O has taken good care of me as described by others above. I suspect they make the gf dinner rolls onboard and purchase the "regular" gf sandwich bread. The most recent gf tea scones I had on-board (April 2019) were pretty hard but made an excellent delivery device for butter and jam lol. Separately, if you like soy sauce bring your own... 

 

On 7/15/2019 at 12:59 AM, StanandJim said:

The problem  is that for most of us, gluten is the very essence of what makes our  baked goods "good".   

It gives breads that soft yet chewy bite, rolls their crust  and pizza crust crispy.

Exactly! 

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1 hour ago, babysteps said:

Separately, if you like soy sauce bring your own... 

I'm glad you mentioned that.  I'd say if there's anything, when traveling, that you might not get then bring it with you.  We had Mexican American friends who traveled with jarred jalapenos.  We had an apt in Rio and we carried all manner of things.  I'd say if you have anything that causes diet restrictions then perhaps accept that you're not going to be as happy as you are at home.

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I'm going slightly off-topic but I've been known to take my favorite hot salsa to my local diner.  Now they carry decent salsa so I don't have to ... did I teach them something?  I have no idea!

 

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Last summer, at the last minute we decided to book a cruise on the Insignia. Our experience was so awesome, over all, we booked a b2b on board for the following summer.

I have celiac disease (gluten free since 4/2002) and when booking, though given short notice, I was told it was not a problem.

I usually shy away from buffets. However, at the Terrace the Maitre'D and/or the head chef would take me to each station and identify what was safe for me to eat. They also offered to make dishes GF separately for me that would have contained gluten on the buffet. For the gdr, I was given the menu the evening before and chose from what was offered. I was told if it couldn't be done gf, they would inform me. They even used a gf rice wrapper to make a type of spring roll. Upon embarking, I spoke to dining services and was told of the procedure and also I would be assured of  at least 1 gf dessert each dinner. This was followed with a phone call and the policies reiterated.

Admittedly, I don't eat or really like bread. I can't speak to that aspect. Also, the only disappointment was at afternoon tea.  I did let the chefs know that I enjoy spicy, flavorful food and can eat dairy. I have the DH form of celiac and very sensitive. I had no problem. 

I hope I have the same experience this time around. We booked early, had it noted and followed up at final payment time.  

FYI- for any who care: celiac disease is an autoimmune disease. According to the latest research, it may take different forms and  have many  symptoms. There is lots of misinformation out there. One reliable source-Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University.

 

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10 minutes ago, Fredalyn said:

One reliable source-Celiac Disease Center at Columbia University.

Thanks for giving that link.  There's an insane amount of wrong and/or anecdotal info that gets shared and share.  

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We have returned from our week on the Insignia, and I stand by what I first offered. Objectively and subjectively, it was not a good cruise for us. Others are likely to have a very different experience. I will freely admit that we did not know what to do, but once we did find out what to do, we still had many issues. Our butler was great, and really helped ensure the process went well. But even once we got the menus early, and were assured that everything will be okay, we were accidentally served gluten containing food three times. One time, the waiter went to remove the offending part (a cookie in ice cream), and then bring it back to my wife (wholly unacceptable). It was clear to us that the wait staff does not understand this issue, even though the chef does. And I did get sick even after going through their protocols. We subjectively did not find the food to be all that great, and that is our opinion alone. Palatability of food is a very subjective experience between all humans. I posted our experience so that those who are celiac or gluten intolerance (a real issue medically diagnosed with blood tests; I didn't have the upper GI so no actual celiac diagnosis) can make an informed decision. And the feedback from other reviewers provides them assistance as well. We are going to stick with Viking, American Steamboat (some of the best food we've ever had on a ship on those two), and Princess, all which we like, and all which handle this issue well. Bon Voyage.

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After significant GI tract issues, my Gastro specialist tested me for gluten sensitivity. There are procedures you follow and when followed, there are a few blood tests available from some laboratories that indicate gluten sensitivity. They were positive in my case and my shipboard eats on several cruise lines have been good. Yes, the sweets are an issue at times, but meat and veggies, etc. are normally quite good. I will soon find out whether Celebrity food is also good.

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