Fussy eaters

Greetings cruisers, me again

Wow It’s amazing how time flies, 2 whole weeks since my last blog, anyways let’s talk about fussy eaters, but not only fussy eaters but those that have dietary needs, I for one am very lucky and the only couple of items I wont eat is, Marmite, liver and anchovies (is there any need for anchovies ever?) So I am very lucky, however there are many of you that do have allergies to certain foods or you are vegan or vegetarian. You guys do not need to worry on a cruise ship, these are all catered for, just last night I took a call from one of my customers who’s son can only eat crisps at the moment, her son is autistic and his dietary needs change all the time. I did call the cruise line and they noted this request, however once on board a quick chat to the cabin steward and I am sure a bowl of crisps will be delivered everyday to the cabin.

Most cruise lines are more flexible than any 5 star hotel chain and as always will bend over backwards to accommodate you, all you need to do is ask.

Allergies to food can come in a whole variety of shapes and sizes from wheat to nuts, from gluten free to dairy free, which makes dining somewhere new a tricky situation.

Whilst we can understand the temptation to book a land based holiday where you can control exactly what you order or cook, the truth of the matter is that cruise lines bend over backwards to cater for those with speciality dietary requirements. You just need to know what to do…

1- Do Your Research Before You Book

We know cruising is great for people with dietary requirements, which means other people know it, which means other people will have done it, which means they will have written reviews about it.

Reading what other peoples experiences were like and their tips and hints can be invaluable to planning your own cruise so spend a bit of time reading about your chosen ship first. You can start here with all of our expert cruisers’ reviews!

2- Make A Note On Your Reservation

The first step to a problem-free holiday is letting the cruise line know about any special dietary requirements you may have. This can (and should be) done the moment you’ve booked your cruise. You can note it online, call them direct or ask your specialist cruise consultant to take care of it for you.

Letting them know early means they’ll be able to order special food in just for you that will be stored on-board and used during your stay which is much better than picking through the menu hoping to find something you can eat (we understand your struggle!)

3- Introduce Yourself To The Maître d’

Once you get on-board, head down to the main dining room and introduce yourself to the maître d’! Although your requirements will have been noted on the booking already, it doesn’t hurt to double check.

You’ll also be able to discuss them in a lot more detail with them and putting a face to the name will guarantee you get that personal service that you deserve, putting your mind at rest!

4- Did You Know You Could Order Most Of Your Meals In Advance?

Going down this route can be a double edged sword; you can discuss the next night’s options with your waiter and put in an order so you know exactly what you’ll be getting, but this can mean the choices will be a little bland.

It’s better than trying to pick something off the menu that you think you’ll be okay with, but it does rather take the surprise out of the evening. You’ll have to decide which option makes the most sense for you- your call!

5- Try The Speciality Dining

Just because you’ve made arrangements in the main dining room doesn’t mean you have to eat there each night. If you’re worried catering for your dietary needs is making the food a little bland, why not make a booking in one of the speciality restaurants?

Discuss your needs with them when you make the booking and you’ll be fine! This is a great way to add a bit of excitement to your evening meals but remember; it’ll be worth the extra cover charge.

6- Avoid The Buffet!

The cruise lines will do their best to label all the food with allergy advice and the serving staff on hand will always offer their help, but for us there’s just too much risk of cross contamination in a buffet environment to make it a sensible choice.

Obviously it will depend on how severe your food allergy is, but our advice would be to stick to one of the main restaurants and skip the buffet completely. You can be safe in the knowledge that you are guaranteed to be eating something exactly to your requirements!

7- Don’t Forget About Room Service

Most people that are new to cruise assume that there’ll be an additional charge for room service. The odd cruise line will have a charge if you order over a particular time (normally around midnight), but on the whole it’s free so if you’ve special dietary requirements don’t ignore this option.

You can still call down to order something, you just need to explain your requirements and the kitchen will be happy to rustle you something up. No-one can turn down special treatment!

8- You Can Always Bring Your Own Snacks

Some food and drink you can bring on-board, but others (like alcohol) you can’t. If you want to pack a few treats for yourself however, treats that you know are fine for your dietary requirements, as long as they’re pre-packaged and sealed most cruise lines will be fine.

If you’re not sure you can always ring up and check (or again ask one of our specialist cruise consultants to do it for you). The information will always be available to you pre-cruise!

9- Expect The Best But Plan For The Worst

Hopefully all the preparation you’ve done will deliver you a smooth (and fantastic) cruise holiday but, just in case, it’s always best to plan ahead.

Make sure you stock up on any meds that you may use at home for when you get an upset stomach– a thousand miles out to sea isn’t the time you want to realise you haven’t bought anything with you.

All cruise ships have fully qualified doctors on-board but you do have to pay (and then claim it back on your insurance); just a little bit of forward planning will stop this from happening though.