The first day on the ship, before we even left the port I was happy to see there was a taco bar. I seriously could eat Mexican food every day, but when I asked about Corn Tortillas I was told they didn’t have any – only flour. Later when I spoke with Chef de Cuisine Trevor I was told they do have them, just ask for them at the Deli or find a Sous chef to assist me.
Despite the early frustration with food options the rest of the week went extremely smoothly. Part of this was thanks to Violeta, one of the Junior Hostess. Every evening Violeta would come to our table and take my order for the next night, as well as breakfast or brunch if we were at sea the next day. Each meal order noted my food allergies and were given to the chefs to prepare separately from any ingredients that may cause problems with my allergies.
Every night we joined our group at a large table for dinner. This is probably the only time we could guarantee seeing everyone from our party. The menu changes every night and not only features great appetizers, main courses and desserts but also a “didya” option – food you may have wanted to try in the past but may have been too afraid to. Your Didya choices may be sushi, alligator, shark or something completely different.
We had a fantastic serving crew, and having a chef prepared every night is a treat. It is definitely something I love about cruising, that and the fact that it’s already included in your price when you book! But remember dining out when you cruise doesn’t always have to be at the main dining room. On the Carnival Sunshine you can make reservations at Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse, or Ji Ji Kitchen. You can stop in Cucina del Capitano or Havana Bar. Or visit the Lido Deck for Guy Fieri’s new place Guy’s Burger Joint, more traditional food inside, visit the Deli, or Pizzeria Del Capitano or even hit the dessert bar or Sweet Spot.
While some of the smaller venues may not sound like they have gluten free options you can find Gluten Free tortillas and bread at the Deli and even get grilled sandwiches. Grab a corn tortilla and head over to the Taco stand to get your own giant taco. Cucina del Capitano has gluten free pasta options and you can even enjoy a (bun-less) burger at Guy’s Burger Joint – and the fries were safe! I even heard there was a gluten free option at the Pizzeria but never ventured over there.
The cost of cruising may seem high at first, but when you take into account all that is included the price is extremely low. Besides not having to do dishes or cook for a full week, I had the piece of mind of healthy and gluten free options. It is seriously one of my favorite parts of being on a cruise. Who wouldn’t want to have a chef prepared meal every night? You don’t even have to be gluten free to enjoy that wonderful perk!
Thanks for the post on this! Rachelle was telling us how easy it is to eat gf. Sounds a lot like Disney. I just talked to the chef before hand and they made me whatever I wanted. I bored the breakfast chef because i only wanted French toast every morning. I’m really starting to think about taking a small cruise. My sister snagged a really great deal and didn’t need visas or anything. The hubby and kiddo are clamoring for a cruise soon.