How to Stay Gluten-Free on Your Cruise

Whether you keep a gluten-free diet because you’re allergic to wheat or for the health benefits, you’ll find that just about every cruise line has stepped up its game in order to cater to you. The extent of the accommodations varies: Some lines offer a few simple gluten-free dishes, while MSC Cruises has partnered with the Italian Celiac Association to create an extensive gluten-free menu.

By Thomas Faddegon

Cruiseline.com

Here, our line-by-line guide to your choices:

Cruise Line	Overview	Contact
Azamara Club Cruises	Azamara can make meals gluten-free upon request, and some dishes — including soups and sauces — are already gluten-free. Meet with the restaurant manager every night to order dishes from the regular menu for the following day.	Email a completed Special Needs Form to the line’s Special Needs Department at least 30 days prior to sailing.
Carnival Cruise Lines	Discuss meal options with the head waiter on the first night of the cruise. Gluten-free bread, pasta, cake, pizza, and beer are all available onboard. When dining in the Lido restaurant, speak with the senior dining staff before hitting the buffet.	Dietary requests are handled onboard the ship.
Celebrity Cruises	Gluten-free dishes on the main dining rooms’ menus — like this sample one — are marked with special icons.	Complete this Special Needs Form at least 30 days prior to sailing.
Costa Cruises	Costa provides a full gluten-free menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the main dining room. Gluten-free basket lunches are also available for shore excursions, as are gluten-free minibar snacks.	Indicate your dietary preferences when you book.
Crystal Cruises	All dining venues have gluten-free selections, and most other meals can be prepared with substitutes. All Crystal ships bake their own gluten-free bread and make their own pasta.	Contact Crystal to obtain a Special Needs Form to be submitted 90 days prior to sailing, and confirm with the Customer Service Desk when you board.
Cunard Line	Cunard has special head waiters and chefs for dietary requests whom you may speak to when ordering. Gluten-free bread is always available, and separate sauces are made to accompany entrees. The line also stocks pre-made gluten-free bread rolls, cookies, pastas, biscuits, and cereals.	Let Cunard know when you book, and confirm your request with the purser’s desk when you board.
Disney Cruise Line	Disney can prepare most items on the menu using gluten-free ingredients. Waiters will be notified when you sit down to dinner and will inform you what options are available that night.	Inform the line’s Special Reservations Department using this Special Service Information Form at least 30 days prior to sailing.
Holland America Line	Prior to sailing, guests select their gluten-free options that will be provided during the cruise. Gluten-free options from the Gluten-Free Form are served in the main dining room, but all restaurants are able to prepare gluten-free dishes.	Notify the line using a Special Requirements Information Form 90 days prior to sailing.
MSC Cruises	MSC caters to gluten-free cruisers. The line’s dishes were developed with the Italian Celiac Association. Gluten-free menus are available for breakfast, lunch, and dinner on all restaurants aboard Preziosa, Fantasia, Orchestra, Poesia, Musica, Splendida, Magnifica, Preziosa, and Divina. Other ships have prepackaged gluten-free products.	After you book, fill out this Special Requirements Information Form online.
Norwegian Cruise Line	There is no gluten-free menu, but select dishes made with gluten-free flour are always available. You can discuss your options with your servers every night.	Contact the Access Desk before you book, as some requests may be easier to accommodate on cruises in certain geographical regions.
Oceania Cruises	A chef or restaurant manager will meet with you every night to review menus and select items for the next day. In many cases, gluten-free options can be provided without notice as well.	Let Oceania know about your dietary preference when you book.
Princess Cruises	The head waiter will meet with you every night to review the menu and select items for the next day.	Check the gluten-free option on the Cruise Personalizer.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises	A chef or restaurant manager will meet with you to discuss your preferences, review menus, and select items for the next meal. In many cases, gluten-free options can be provided at the time of the meal as well.	Email the line’s operations team at least 90 days prior to sailing.
Royal Caribbean International	Meet with the restaurant manager every night to discuss menu options for the following day. Most meals can be gluten-free upon request.	If you make your reservation at royalcaribbean.com, add your request to the “Update Personal Information” section. Or send an email request including your name, booking number, ship name, and sail date.
Seabourn Cruise Line	Chefs will work with you to identify gluten-free food and to plan meals; the ships stock gluten-free cookies, breads, cereals, and pasta.	Complete and email a Special Requirements Information Form.
SeaDream Yacht Club	In addition to offering the only complete raw food menu at sea (which is also gluten-free), SeaDream’s regular menus all have numerous gluten-free selections.	Notify the line through the Guest Registration Form.
Silversea Cruises	You can meet with the chef every night to review the menus and to discuss your meal options for the following day.	Let Silversea know about your allergies on the Guest Information Form at Silversea.com/MyVoyage at least 75 days before sailing.
Windstar Cruises	After boarding, you can discuss the gluten-free options with the maitre d’.	Fill out this Special Requirements Information Form at least 30 days before sailing.