What has been your experience making dietary requests day of on Cunard?

[abdullahhoneymoon]

My husband and I will be sailing Cunard for the first time aboard Queen Anne. Neither of us consume pork or alcohol, and he has a few VERY dire allergies, which we have reported to Cunard. 

 

However, he has some minor allergies which, if they do bother, can be handled with a simple OTC pill as they are less severe. Because of this, depending on how bad his allergies have been lately, he may or may not avoid some of his other trigger allergies. I'm wondering whether it's easy to ask the restaurant staff to leave off a particular ingredient in a dish, if it otherwise meets his dietary needs.

 

Myself, I am lactose intolerant but hesitate to report it as a full on "allergy" to Cunard, because it's not. I can tolerate all cheeses and most fermented dairy foods. It's really just milks and creams which will upset me. To that end I am wondering if you've seen lactose-free dairy milk on board. To each their own, but I personally do not enjoy nut milks at all, and would hate to resort to them during afternoon tea... I'd rather take the stomach ache! 

 

TIA.

[Poole Boy]

Just let Cunard know in advance and then your waiter on the ship, for this to work best you would be better with fixed dining , rather than use open dining

[exlondoner]

4 hours ago, abdullahhoneymoon said:

My husband and I will be sailing Cunard for the first time aboard Queen Anne. Neither of us consume pork or alcohol, and he has a few VERY dire allergies, which we have reported to Cunard. 

 

However, he has some minor allergies which, if they do bother, can be handled with a simple OTC pill as they are less severe. Because of this, depending on how bad his allergies have been lately, he may or may not avoid some of his other trigger allergies. I'm wondering whether it's easy to ask the restaurant staff to leave off a particular ingredient in a dish, if it otherwise meets his dietary needs.

 

Myself, I am lactose intolerant but hesitate to report it as a full on "allergy" to Cunard, because it's not. I can tolerate all cheeses and most fermented dairy foods. It's really just milks and creams which will upset me. To that end I am wondering if you've seen lactose-free dairy milk on board. To each their own, but I personally do not enjoy nut milks at all, and would hate to resort to them during afternoon tea... I'd rather take the stomach ache! 

 

TIA.

Don’t know about milk, but for the mildish allergies, get them to show the next days’ menus the night before, then you can choose what you want, and, if necessary, they will make the necessary adjustments. They do this a lot, and in fact, as they know about the allergies, will probably automatically offer you the menus. This is one of the things they are pretty good at handling.

[Liberal_Baggie]

They are good with advance warning but dire at basic understanding of what modern life is like. We found Vegan cake labeled with eggs as an ingredient. We found them out using Cooking fat as Vegan spread. We found that the Oat milk they buy doesn't foam for Oat milk Coffees.

My strong advice is go straight to the Matradee always go to the same waters same table and explain your need and he will ensure that the staff get it. But on the first day your going to be in trouble as there is no communication from Cunard to the ship its all just words. Cunard's staff  training and buying of vegan products is woeful. 

[Victoria2]

Dare I say, Vegan is generally a life style whereas dire allergies are most definitely health issues.

 

I have a mild shellfish intolerance but I manage that myself by limiting the amount I consume [a real hardship for me!] but I would hope Cunard shoreside, when informed of issues mentioned by abdullahhoneymoon, would be sure to cascade the info up to the relevant ship  and I would expect the hotel staff concerned to be very careful once informed.

 

I would follow the belt and braces approach though and make the restaurant and thus the M'd one of the first ports of call ion embarkation.

 

 

[Liberal_Baggie]

Oh be aware that Cunard do not follow through on communication. We have written to The Chief chief, Produce buyer/Manager and the Hotel manager on QM2 Not a single reply....Nowhere near good enough Cunard.

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Dare I say, Vegan is generally a life style whereas dire allergies are most definitely health issues.

 

I have a mild shellfish intolerance but I manage that myself by limiting the amount I consume [a real hardship for me!] but I would hope Cunard shoreside, when informed of issues mentioned by abdullahhoneymoon, would be sure to cascade the info up to the relevant ship  and I would expect the hotel staff concerned to be very careful once informed.

 

I would follow the belt and braces approach though and make the restaurant and thus the M'd one of the first ports of call ion embarkation.

 

 

Certainly, at least sometimes, Cunard shoreside manage to communicate with the ship. I have known (and overheard) people approached at lunch by the m d’h on the first day, and detailed discussions ensuing and notes being made. So, while shoreside may not have communicated details, they have certainly communicated the need for attention.

[Victoria2]

17 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

Certainly, at least sometimes, Cunard shoreside manage to communicate with the ship. I have known (and overheard) people approached at lunch by the m d’h on the first day, and detailed discussions ensuing and notes being made. So, while shoreside may not have communicated details, they have certainly communicated the need for attention.

We have observed  that, too which makes me think shoreside does communicate if not the details, the need to ensure issues are looked at.

Obviously, not all the time but I would have thoughtvmatters of health which can have dire consequences, can't be ignored.

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

We have observed  that, too which makes me think shoreside does communicate if not the details, the need to ensure issues are looked at.

Obviously, not all the time but I would have thoughtvmatters of health which can have dire consequences, can't be ignored.

Quite, nobody would want the restaurant to have to deal with a passenger with anaphylactic shock at the first meal. Still less would the passenger want to run such a risk.

[Host Hattie]

1 hour ago, Liberal_Baggie said:

They are good with advance warning but dire at basic understanding of what modern life is like. We found Vegan cake labeled with eggs as an ingredient. We found them out using Cooking fat as Vegan spread. We found that the Oat milk they buy doesn't foam for Oat milk Coffees.

My strong advice is go straight to the Matradee always go to the same waters same table and explain your need and he will ensure that the staff get it. But on the first day your going to be in trouble as there is no communication from Cunard to the ship its all just words. Cunard's staff  training and buying of vegan products is woeful. 

Did you have a bad experience after your positive one in December?

 

 

 

[rog747]

56 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Did you have a bad experience after your positive one in December?

 

 

 

Coughs loudly LOL,
 

Re the OP's post, of which I have great empathy -- A person who has very limiting Health Allergies to eating various Foods, does, as such has to mitigate carefully his risk to eating in a ''mass catering'' confine such as a Cruise Liner. 
It's very hard, if you get it wrong, you can end up really not well.

 

I have to mention the Poster who expresses their disdain at Cunard's Vegan response to 'modern life'...

To eat ''Veggie'' or to eat ''Vegan'', or to 'Go Vegan' (all are purely Personal and/or Lifestyle choices) is not really fitting as Cunard handling the criteria for a Guest here in the OP, who has very limiting acute Food Health Allergies.

FYI -
The only milk that will nicely foam for your Flat White or a Cappuccino is Full Fat Cows Milk.
Just Saying...

 

 

Edited January 25 by rog747

[Liberal_Baggie]

Host Hattie it was overall a brilliant cruise and I was thinking about writing up a report. But Cunard have work to do on staff training and purchasing of Vegan foods..and communication.

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Liberal_Baggie said:

Host Hattie it was overall a brilliant cruise and I was thinking about writing up a report. But Cunard have work to do on staff training and purchasing of Vegan foods..and communication.

Yet you specifically said how ‘great Cunard had been sorting your vegan requests’. This seems rather contradictory.

[Liberal_Baggie]

Oh dear... Yes they are if you give them time in the Main restaurant .

[Pushpit]

10 hours ago, abdullahhoneymoon said:

However, he has some minor allergies which, if they do bother, can be handled with a simple OTC pill as they are less severe. Because of this, depending on how bad his allergies have been lately, he may or may not avoid some of his other trigger allergies. I'm wondering whether it's easy to ask the restaurant staff to leave off a particular ingredient in a dish, if it otherwise meets his dietary needs.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic and I hope you have a good time on board. Some of the crew members and wait staff are Muslim so they will understand the pork / alcohol issue. There are plenty of non drinkers on board, self included. And if this is a honeymoon too, then Mabrouk!

 

For the allergens - are they mainly on the so called FSA Top 14 Allergen list? If so then the senior wait staff in the restaurants have a separate menu, where these Allergens are specified - you normally choose this in advance, the night before. So when you have your evening meal you put in for what to have the next night. On top of that, some dishes which aren't usually too problematic - grilled salmon, roast or grilled chicken breast, steaks - are always available, even if you don't see them listed. As for leaving things out, that depends a bit. The food is done in batches and so you can't (for example) ask for an ingredient to be removed from say a sauce. But you can ask for a dish to be served without that sauce, or with the sauce on the side.

 

I did put all the menus for a 7 night crossing on QM2 in December 2023 into this thread, and I also took photos of every single meal (lots and lots of food!). QV and QE in Britannia are quite similar to QM2, and so you can work through those menus to see if you will be able to dodge around the options without having to worry.

 

For lactose intolerance then from what I know the quality of (say) oat or almond milk varies tremendously, as does the amount of sugar they put in them. Onboard there is goats milk, soya milk and unsweetened almond milk. It may need to the staff to find  You can simply take some packs of your own milk if necessary but there is an email address for specific products:

diets.reservations@carnivalukgroup.com

 

The thing about milk replacement I can totally understand, but maybe have a think about bringing your own preferred brand with you and a handy sized dispenser to tip into your tea and coffee as you go around the ship. I'm not lactose intolerance but work for the NHS in a related area and I'm amazed at the vast difference in quality of non lactose milk - from pretty good to quite shocking!

 

The other factor is that the chefs and wait staff have to deal with thousands of passengers every week - they do have a lot of experience in this space and so on every sailing there are going to be a number of people with allergies or intolerances.

[Liberal_Baggie]

Costa coffee /Starbucks and most cafes that want to stay in business do great oat milk coffee. The brand of Oat milk on board QM2 is not a barista blend that works well. Thats a Cunard purchasing decision and its madness.  

[Victoria2]

27 minutes ago, Liberal_Baggie said:

Costa coffee /Starbucks and most cafes that want to stay in business do great oat milk coffee. The brand of Oat milk on board QM2 is not a barista blend that works well. Thats a Cunard purchasing decision and its madness.  

Luckily, madness or not, Cunard will not stand or fall by the taste of its oat milk.

[Winifred 22]

My daughter has never had any problem getting fresh lactose free milk in Britannia restaurant at Breakfast. It even came in a sweet little glass bottle. In November on QM2.Also during afternoon tea in Queens Room. She had to wait a few minutes but she didn’t mind. 

[elmsliebev]

19 hours ago, Winifred 22 said:

My daughter has never had any problem getting fresh lactose free milk in Britannia restaurant at Breakfast. It even came in a sweet little glass bottle. In November on QM2.Also during afternoon tea in Queens Room. She had to wait a few minutes but she didn’t mind. 

My husband is lactose sensitive - like the OP he's ok with most cheese and kefir etc, but milk and cream are an issue. On QE in 2022 there was no problem getting lactose free milk in the MDR or the bars such as the Commodore Club and Cafe Carinthia. We also requested lactose free milk in the cabin and kept in the fridge. 

The maitre d came round each day in the MDR with the following day's menu to discuss the options. 

Finally I can recommend the Premium alcohol free drinks package, we made great use of it! 

[jaypo63]

I'm vegetarian and GF and never had any issues,one waiter even offered to get me gf scone for the high tea. We go in Queens grills and they can't do enough for you,although the butler kept giving me fish canopies,politely told him and it was sorted very quickly 

[shippmates]

I have a no added sugar diet and have never had an issue with this on the QM2.  I do let the cruise line know when I book my sailing.  I go to the dining room as soon as I get on board to follow up but it has always been noted.  The first evening I just tell the wait staff and they are able to accommodate my needs.  I am always given the menu the night before.  Most meals can be made to suit your needs and if not they will tell you that the chef could not make that choice as needed.  They do an amazing job with my needs.

[Zeg]

NCL asked me every meal if I had any allergies. Cunard not once!  

[Victoria2]

 

1 hour ago, Zeg said:

NCL asked me every meal if I had any allergies. Cunard not once!  

 

and that's an issue because?

 

Surely, if that problematic, you will make sure your allergies are known before eating anything onboard?

 

Having been informed, staff do not have to ask every time. Anything serious, irrespective of my informing Cunard before boarding, I would inform them at the first opportunity and then know that information was 'on my notes'.

 

I have a slight intolerance of shell fish. It's up to me to tell the wait staff if I wanted to. Allergies or less than mild intolerances, I wouldn't be choosing any kind of freedom dining. I would ensure I had the same wait staff  who will be aware of my 'issues' and to do that, Club Dining would be my safest and sensible option. 

 

 

 

[Winifred 22]

1 hour ago, Zeg said:

NCL asked me every meal if I had any allergies. Cunard not once!  

You notify Cunard before them beforehand and then there is no need to be repeatedly asked  again the same question by the same waiters.  I am always asked when booking if I have any allergies that Cunard need to be aware of. If I did have any allergies I would take on the responsibility of checking everybody who needed to know was aware and what provisions were in place  myself and not wait to be  asked. 

[exlondoner]

3 hours ago, Zeg said:

NCL asked me every meal if I had any allergies. Cunard not once!  

And did you have any allergies? If so, surely they would know because you would have notified them.