Gluten Free Meals and Snacks

[sunny_stace]

I'm about to sail away on my first ever cruise in a couple of weeks (on the Dream) and I have recently been put on a gluten free diet due to a healthy issue.

DCL seems to have a marvelous reputation when it comes to accommodating dietary needs so I'm not worried, however I was wondering if anyone had any recent experiences or pictures they could share of some of your favourite dishes and menu items that were gluten free? Any tips or insight would be much appreciated! Thank you!

 

[clten]

They do have an excellent reputation and will give you all the guidance you need in getting gluten free meals and snacks. (DCL was the most food-stress-free vacation of my friend's life since she was diagnosed w/Celiac.)

The first thing you should do though is to contact Special Services (either call or e-mail) to let them know that you will need gluten free. They have limited storage onboard and knowing in advance how many people are sailing with special dietary needs helps they keep an adequate supply. If you don't let them know, they will still be able to accommodate you (there are meals that they regularly make that are gluten free - marked on the menus) but may run out of special items like pizza, cookies or other snacks if there are others that are eating gluten-free but haven't advised DCL of their dietary restrictions.

 

[phinz]

@Dug720 could probably give you her pointers. I know she is gluten-free.

 

[sunny_stace]

They do have an excellent reputation and will give you all the guidance you need in getting gluten free meals and snacks. (DCL was the most food-stress-free vacation of my friend's life since she was diagnosed w/Celiac.)

The first thing you should do though is to contact Special Services (either call or e-mail) to let them know that you will need gluten free. They have limited storage onboard and knowing in advance how many people are sailing with special dietary needs helps they keep an adequate supply. If you don't let them know, they will still be able to accommodate you (there are meals that they regularly make that are gluten free - marked on the menus) but may run out of special items like pizza, cookies or other snacks if there are others that are eating gluten-free but haven't advised DCL of their dietary restrictions.

Thank you! Yes, I did call in to make the notation a couple of days ago and the CM I spoke to was happy to help but wasn't sure of any offerings they may have on the ship so I thought I would reach out the lovely, helpful folks of the Dis! I hadn't heard tell of gluten free pizza as a potential item so that is very exciting to see!

 

[Dug720]

I don’t have any specific pictures, but yes. They are excellent.

As has been stated, get it on your reservation NOW. They order based on the number of self-reported people plus a small extra percent, but if there are a LOT more people than that who are eating gluten-free they can run out of bread and the like.

I ate in the MDR and Cabanas and Palo and had wonderful experiences in each place. Yes! They can do the chocolate soufflé at Palo dinner. Yes! They can do the chicken parmesan at Palo brunch. Yes! They can do chicken fingers and fries at Cabanas. Yes! They can do a pizza on deck. Yes! They can do Mickey waffles at breakfast!

I’m sure there are some things they cannot do (the soufflé in the MDR is one), but if it is possible, they will do it.

But do get it on your reservation now.

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

Starting the first night, your serving team will bring out the menu for the next night. A lot of the regular meals can be prepared Gluten Free if you ask ahead. They did this for my wife every night. Plus since none of the GF dessert options appealed to her, but she likes fruit, they brought out big bowls of different fruits every night at dessert time for the whole table. It made her feel special. She too said that this was the easiest week of GF dining that she ever had.

They will also ask you if it is a Gluten Allergy (absolutely NO gluten) or a Gluten sensitivity (a little here and there is acceptable) and then advise you accordingly so that you don't risk anything you shouldn't

 

[sunny_stace]

Thank you so much for the reassurances and experiences! Since I'm traveling with a small group from work I will admit I was a little worried about messing things up for the whole party...I'm glad to know it will truly be an easy accommodation!

 

[cgolf]

If DCL still does the embarkation lunch in a mdr, you can ask to preorder your first nights meal. I have done this in the past, and it really helps out the servers and your meal is delivered at the same pace as everyone else at the table that first night.

 

[Dug720]

If DCL still does the embarkation lunch in a mdr, you can ask to preorder your first nights meal. I have done this in the past, and it really helps out the servers and your meal is delivered at the same pace as everyone else at the table that first night.

Or you can order the already GF options the first night and your meal still comes out at the same time. My parents are not GF and there was never an issue with timing - even the first night.

 

[kuhltiffany]

Things have changed a lot (we just got off the Fantasy). You no longer have to pre-order or warn the staff, they are quite used to GF now. All menus now have GF options marked on them, and if you don't like the dessert option, there is a Chef's Choice available. They have GF cookies and pizza available on the pool deck too. Much easier than the first time we cruised 6 years ago!

 

[cgolf]

Things have changed a lot (we just got off the Fantasy). You no longer have to pre-order or warn the staff, they are quite used to GF now. All menus now have GF options marked on them, and if you don't like the dessert option, there is a Chef's Choice available. They have GF cookies and pizza available on the pool deck too. Much easier than the first time we cruised 6 years ago!

The reason to preorder is that most times they can make non gluten free options on the menu as gluten free. The only thing they haven’t been able to make me is beef Wellington. They even made fried chicken for me at lunch, I did request this the night before.

This is why I ask at lunch on embarkation day, so I have more options available to me. In the past they have had gluten free doughnuts in the buffet for breakfast.
, just need to ask. Any other questions I can help out with let me know. I have at least 8 DCL cruises doing GF.

 

[Shanti]

I'm about to sail away on my first ever cruise in a couple of weeks (on the Dream) and I have recently been put on a gluten free diet due to a healthy issue.

DCL seems to have a marvelous reputation when it comes to accommodating dietary needs so I'm not worried, however I was wondering if anyone had any recent experiences or pictures they could share of some of your favourite dishes and menu items that were gluten free? Any tips or insight would be much appreciated! Thank you!

We've sailed with my gf son on three Disney cruises (Magic, Fantasy & Dream). Here are a few tips:
1. Tell DCL you are gluten-free well in advance of the cruise.
2. Listen to & heed the servers' advice for the best gf meals each night in the MDR.
3. Preorder your gf meals for the next night (they'll encourage this & it does seem to help). Specifically inquire about gf desserts for the next night. Gf desserts are a weak spot on DCL, but they are capable of bringing in off-menu gf desserts, at least on the Dream-class ships. Make it clear the night before that a good gf dessert (not just a dish of plain ice cream) is a priority for you.
4. You can special order a gf pizza on the pool deck anytime they're open.
5. Don't let them pre-order a special gf meal for Castaway Cay (they'll really pressure you to do this, but I advise you to resist). We've tried this twice, and twice we endured long waits for tasteless "special-made" gf food on Castaway Cay as a result. If your gf diet is very strict, I recommend just having lunch onboard on CC day. If your gf diet isn't too strict, I recommend just choosing low-gluten items from the Castaway Cay buffet.

 

[Dug720]

We've sailed with my gf son on three Disney cruises (Magic, Fantasy & Dream). Here are a few tips:
1. Tell DCL you are gluten-free well in advance of the cruise.
2. Listen to & heed the servers' advice for the best gf meals each night in the MDR.
3. Preorder your gf meals for the next night (they'll encourage this & it does seem to help). Specifically inquire about gf desserts for the next night. Gf desserts are a weak spot on DCL, but they are capable of bringing in off-menu gf desserts, at least on the Dream-class ships. Make it clear the night before that a good gf dessert (not just a dish of plain ice cream) is a priority for you.
4. You can special order a gf pizza on the pool deck anytime they're open.
5. Don't let them pre-order a special gf meal for Castaway Cay (they'll really pressure you to do this, but I advise you to resist). We've tried this twice, and twice we endured long waits for tasteless "special-made" gf food on Castaway Cay as a result. If your gf diet is very strict, I recommend just having lunch onboard on CC day. If your gf diet isn't too strict, I recommend just choosing low-gluten items from the Castaway Cay buffet.

Honestly they are a weak-spot on RCCL as well. I just about wept for joy the night I had a Pavlova option on my 12-night Brilliance cruise because the merengue at least crunched a little. Everything else was a mousse or panna cotta. Or ice cream.

 

[kuhltiffany]

DH just pre-orders a GF burger, then handles the rest of the meal by himself

We've sailed with my gf son on three Disney cruises (Magic, Fantasy & Dream). Here are a few tips:
1. Tell DCL you are gluten-free well in advance of the cruise.
2. Listen to & heed the servers' advice for the best gf meals each night in the MDR.
3. Preorder your gf meals for the next night (they'll encourage this & it does seem to help). Specifically inquire about gf desserts for the next night. Gf desserts are a weak spot on DCL, but they are capable of bringing in off-menu gf desserts, at least on the Dream-class ships. Make it clear the night before that a good gf dessert (not just a dish of plain ice cream) is a priority for you.
4. You can special order a gf pizza on the pool deck anytime they're open.
5. Don't let them pre-order a special gf meal for Castaway Cay (they'll really pressure you to do this, but I advise you to resist). We've tried this twice, and twice we endured long waits for tasteless "special-made" gf food on Castaway Cay as a result. If your gf diet is very strict, I recommend just having lunch onboard on CC day. If your gf diet isn't too strict, I recommend just choosing low-gluten items from the Castaway Cay buffet.

 

[cgolf]

Honestly they are a weak-spot on RCCL as well. I just about wept for joy the night I had a Pavlova option on my 12-night Brilliance cruise because the merengue at least crunched a little. Everything else was a mousse or panna cotta. Or ice cream.

To be fair to both cruise lines, desserts in general are tough with GF flour. It took us a quite a while to find flour combos that don’t give you that off flavor, best description I got is a light metallic taste. We still don’t do a lot of cakes at home. Maybe this is away to tell me to cut out some sweets Just had some trader joe GF cupcakes today and while the frosting was amazing, the cupcake was just super dry.

The Pavlova is our favorite dessert, but it wasn’t on our 4 night Brilliance trip

 

[phinz]

Honestly they are a weak-spot on RCCL as well. I just about wept for joy the night I had a Pavlova option on my 12-night Brilliance cruise because the merengue at least crunched a little. Everything else was a mousse or panna cotta. Or ice cream.

Yeah. I'm a bit filled with trepidation regarding vegan options on the Oasis of the Seas for New Years...

 

[Dug720]

To be fair to both cruise lines, desserts in general are tough with GF flour. It took us a quite a while to find flour combos that don’t give you that off flavor, best description I got is a light metallic taste. We still don’t do a lot of cakes at home. Maybe this is away to tell me to cut out some sweets Just had some trader joe GF cupcakes today and while the frosting was amazing, the cupcake was just super dry.

The Pavlova is our favorite dessert, but it wasn’t on our 4 night Brilliance trip

But there ARE places that do awesome GF cakes and cookies, so it can be done.

I'd be happy with flourless chocolate cake.

THIS beauty is the off-menu gluten-free dessert at The BOATHOUSE at Disney Springs...

I could do that every day for a week-long cruise!

 

[Dug720]

Yeah. I'm a bit filled with trepidation regarding vegan options on the Oasis of the Seas for New Years...

I don't know how the behemoths of the seas do, but I know when I was in Alaska on the Radiance there was a vegan couple in our group and they pretty much had the chef surprise them every night and their food looked (and reportedly) tasted awesome. Several of us were pondering being vegan for the week because it looked better than our stuff. LOL. Of course that was in the MDR every night at a fixed time...so if there is no set MDR or if you're not eating in it/them (not sure how they are set up) I'm not sure how it would work. (I do MTD when I'm on RCCL - but I make a reservation for the same time every night and they have been able to put me at the same table with the same staff, so it's like fixed dining without the awkward being seated with others thing - and at a nice time in between the two fixed times.)

 

[hdnyc]

I'm not the original poster, but thanks so much for all of the comments on this thread!!! Very helpful info!!

 

[Starwind]

But there ARE places that do awesome GF cakes and cookies, so it can be done.

I'd be happy with flourless chocolate cake.

THIS beauty is the off-menu gluten-free dessert at The BOATHOUSE at Disney Springs...

I could do that every day for a week-long cruise!

The cake [itself, not with the fancy presentation and other items] closely resembles what I most often got for dessert on my DCL cruises. I am not GF, but due to my allergies, which include dairy, often end up with bakery options that are also GF.

On one cruise they actually brought me a box of Namaste chocolate cake mix to make sure it was ok for them to use. Namaste is top-10 free, including GF. Not sure if that is the mix they always use for the mini chocolate cake-thing they make me, but at least on that sailing it was what they used.

I usually ask for "chef's choice" for dessert. I get chocolate cake with chocolate sauce; chocolate cake with raspberry sauce; chocolate cake with chocolate and raspberry sauce; a chocolate mousssy thing; a strawberry moussy thing (very yummy). All of it is dairy, peanut, tree nut, and seafood-free, and most or all of it also GF.

SW