Zuki and I. My son cried after the last meal and gave her about 5 hugs. He said Someday.
Someday. I may see her again . She and Monicia were awesome.
But this post is about Gluten. Oh the dreaded word that makes many waitstaff cringe cringe cringe ... and my fear of a cruise and not really eating for 7 days or just eating green leafs.
I will say one of my concerns was my gluten free diet. I was pleasantly surprised and almost shocked at the help in getting tasteful foods. Even to the excited anticipation of french toast room service that is gluten free.
If you are cruising Royal Carribean, they say they handle gluten free, but this could be any level of "handle" which I am completely accustomed to and packed gfree snack bars and had plans of unseasoned salmon and salads. I am the one with the allergy so I never take that out on my waiters, family and friends. If there iis no food. It is okay. I will find something somehow. I knew it would be covered. So I was good to go either way. Boy was I pleasantly surprised.
The first night I sat at a fine dining restaurant on board at our appointed time. The menus came out and I paused. Went to take a peek and wow there was options clearly marked as gluten free. Within the starters and main course menu. Yeah! And they were prime rib and salmon and baked feta cheese salads. Just yum and at dessert there was also a few options to choose from.
At the end of the first meal, the head waiter came over introduced himself and we chatted for quite some time about my gluten allergy and my MIL's need for no salt. Every night before we left the table we were given the next days menu and we could choose then or some time that night and call it in. So fantastic. Really at first I was like how will I decide the night before? I just did. The menu changed nightly and it was super easy to do.
I, also, talked to the head waiter about how I would navigate the offshore experience. At 8 a.m., I received a gluten free sandwich from room service. And on the second day it was accompanied with gluten free french toast. Wow. My guys and I enjoyed it every morning before meeting everyone for breakfast. Then when at breakfast I would grab some simple items I knew safe. I had to fight for my banana tho in the a.m. very bizarre to travel to these countries that had so many bananas and fingerlings and not purchase them there. They were unbelieveably yummy. I began to pray for a fruit encounters while on our excursions that wasn't a cocktail. So yum.
A little info about taking food off the boat, it is entirely dependent on permission from the port. According to what I was told. If there was permission granted then I would get a sandwich. RC sent requests ahead to the port and handled all of that. And I didn't have to worry.
The bread on the boat was so yummy if anyone ever finds out the RC secret I would love it. I have never had such pleasing gluten free bread. So yum. I had two sandwiches a day to take on shore and couldn't eat them all. I was heartbroken to have to throw the extras away before getting off the boat.
All in all the food was excellent. The only meal I was not fond of was a try at a pasta meal. I know better. Any gluten free person knows that gfree pasta is a beast when serving it right. I was feeling on top of the world, but by the time I had sauce brought for the pasta it was cold and therefor concrete. So avoid the pasta and your gluten free palette will be so pleased.
However before that pasta was a baked feta and tomato salad. I am salvating thinking about it. It was one of my favs from the trip.
Every night I sat down to a plate with three or four types of breads waiting for me. It was heartbreaking to leave them to the trash when I could only eat so much. And I had to watch the roving hands of my son as he tried to sneak the best ones. Which I was also glad to share.
I highly recommend from first hand experience the Jewel of the Sea and their handling of gfree diet.
Enjoy!
Chris
Chris
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