Food allergies

[metromover]

We are considering a first time cruise for family member with severe food allergies (peanuts and eggs).  How well does RC handle this?  I have been impressed with Carnival's offers to preorder meals and have seen Celebrity ask about allergies prior to servings.  I assume all lines pay lip service, but does Royal do anything special since they are family oriented?  Thanks!

[MommaBear55]

14 minutes ago, metromover said:

We are considering a first time cruise for family member with severe food allergies (peanuts and eggs).  How well does RC handle this?  I have been impressed with Carnival's offers to preorder meals and have seen Celebrity ask about allergies prior to servings.  I assume all lines pay lip service, but does Royal do anything special since they are family oriented?  Thanks!

Royal Caribbean is great with allergies. Send a message through Special needs, when you get onboard go directly to the Main Dining Room and remind them of the message. The first night, they will go over the next evening's menu to pick the allergy free foods you want. It will actually be served from a secondary serving station to avoid cross contamination. In the buffet, Windjammer, ask to speak to a chef, they will walk you around and show you directly what dishes are safe. If there is ANY concern about cross contamination, there will bring out a fresh dish. 

[Dewaldcruiser]

My wife has a black pepper allergy and we have contacted special needs as well as rci dining ahead of time without very good results.  Talking to the head waiter for your section in the main dining room the first night is by far the most effective route.  On the Liberty, he even took care of contacting the correct people at our booked specialty restaurants.  

 

Where we have had the biggest issue was when we had the UDP on the Symphony so we never talked to the main dining room head waiter.  There we went to the individual specialty restaurants to let them know of her allergy and none of them actually did anything in advance.

[death_star]

8 hours ago, metromover said:

We are considering a first time cruise for family member with severe food allergies (peanuts and eggs).  How well does RC handle this?  I have been impressed with Carnival's offers to preorder meals and have seen Celebrity ask about allergies prior to servings.  I assume all lines pay lip service, but does Royal do anything special since they are family oriented?  Thanks!

Having dealt with these 2 allergies on a few cruises they really do a great job. Along with helping you navigate the menus they will bring you special things especially if they know your interests (like vegan nut free chocolate chip cookies). As discussed you usually deal with the head waiter.

[DaniDanielle]

I have a tree nut allergy and Royal has been great.  I even had the pastry chef come out and discuss what desserts I could have.  If they are not sure about a food, they will not give it to you.

[lakelorain]

Our family has nut, shellfish, lamb, soy and cocoa butter allergies along with Celiac's(gluten free).  Never have a problem.  I notify them ahead of time and the first night the head waiter along with our 2 waiters meet with us to set up a routine for us.  Several times, the head of the gluten free kitchen came over and offered us a tour.

[metromover]

Thank you all for the words of support and suggestions.  Hope it is a go for us.

[CatLadyFemme]

Just wanted to chime in as well. I have celiac (gluten free, cross contamination sensitive), and have been on a number of RCCL cruises. I have never once gotten glutened, which is more to say for any non GF land restaurant (at least eventually). Am also vegetarian, which makes it way harder. I just got off the Allure, and ate like an empress all week. They were so attentive and so creative. Just be prepared to ask for things you want (if I didn’t know I could ask for flourless chocolate cake and almond cake, I would get stuck with berries nightly). Enjoy!