Practical Tips For Cruising On The Royal Caribbean With Food Allergies

Are you wanting to embark on a cruise adventure, but you’re nervous about traveling with food allergies or with a disability? Well, cozy up with a cup of tea and let me share with you the top tips fro cruising with Royal Caribbean (or any cruise line) to inspire your adventurous, allergy-friendly journey.

Before I drop the deets (details) about tips for cruising with food allergies, all opinions in this piece are my own.

News alert: Cruising is officially back! While November is the transition for comfy snug weather and the beginning of the holiday season (hello Christmas markets), it also marked the day Royal Caribbean embarked on its first cruise from LA in over a decade. If you’re planning a visit to Southern California and love exploring the seas, consider adding a cruise to your bucketlist.

Feel free to jump ahead!

Fun facts about the Navigator of the Seas

Before setting sail on the Navigator of the Seas, here are a couple interesting things to know about the ship.

What to do before boarding

The Navigator of the Seas is one of Royal Caribbean’s most adventurous ships. Aboard you’ll find one of the longest water slides at seas called The Blaster, a hair drying bar, multiple hot tubs overlooking the water, and a colorful promenade lined with bars and a cute cafe.

You’ll also find Starbucks and Ben & Jerry’s to satisfy those coffee and ice cream cravings along the cruising route.

At first, when I was invited on as a guest to experience the Navigator of the Seas, I was hesitant to go. A couple months ago, I completely tore my Achilles and needed surgery. I couldn’t walk for months, and the pain from the surgery was excruciating. While the pain had subsided substantially, I couldn’t walk too far and I got tired pretty easily.

Fast forward to embarking day, I was pretty nervous about my dealing with pain management and traveling. While I’m not a novice to traveling with injuries … I still get nervous to travel.

This is a totally normal feeling.

Not to mention having food allergies can also make it daunting to travel. Nevertheless it’s completely doable and can be quite enjoyable once you feel prepared. If you’re new to navigating travel with food allergies, start here with these posts to help you feel more confident in planning:

• How To Juggle Food Allergies And Travel
• The Best Allergy-Friendly Travel Apps
• Easy Lunch Ideas To Pack On The Road

All that to say, if you’re nervous about cruising with a disability or food allergies, cruise lines make it tremendously easy to have a good time while also being highly accessible.

First, before you set sail and after you book your trip, alert the staff about your special needs via the guest special needs form. Tell them about any special diets, accommodations and anything else you need to make sure you have an amazing cruise experience. This is by far one of the most important tips for cruising with any special needs.

In addition, they have wheelchairs available at the entrance (free of charge) and will wheel you up to your stateroom.

The website says to alert them at least 30 days beforehand. However, my trip wasn’t booked that far in advance so I just let them know asap. I ended up in a stateroom with a balcony, but was instantly upgraded with an accessible stateroom with a balcony once I was on board.

It was a bit stressful changing rooms, but totally worth it the extra space and comfort. Thus, the sooner you can let them know, the better.

Here’s a photo of what a stateroom with a balcony looks (left) like versus an accessible stateroom with a balcony (right). There are no steps in the bedroom or the bathroom, including the shower. Everything is flat. When using the balcony, just make sure to let down the latch so its a ramp instead of a step out onto the balcony.

What it’s like + tips for cruising during the pandemic

Grabbing your own food at a buffet might be a thing of the past. At least on cruise ships it is! I’ve been on a cruise before (hello Carnival) and really enjoyed my cruising experience to the never-ending beaches of the Bahamas.

However, that was pre-COVID, and now there are some big differences. Below you’ll find exactly what to expect and the best tips for cruising so you can adjust your expectations accordingly.

Self-service buffets are a thing of the past

While the gigantic buffets draw countless tourist to cruise the sea and indulge, the way to get your food has changed. As you enter the dining commons (this doesn’t apply to specialty restaurants), you’re greeted by servers who highly encourage you to wash your hands at the hand washing stations. Most people gladly wash their hands, but there are some who refuse.

Don’t be that person. If you refuse, note that you will have a server chasing you down with a bottle of hand sanitizer in the most elegant yet “don’t spread your germs” kind of way.

As you head toward the buffet lines, a different server will hand you a clean plate and a clean utensil pack. Here you’ll find aesthetically pleasing food with various delightful options ranging from American, to Indian, to whatever cuisine is being highlighted that day.

Note, you’re not allowed to grab your own food and all the food is plated by a server. The only exceptions are grabbing fresh pressed juices and fruit fries. Everything else, including grabbing a cup of coffee or tea, is done for you.

Onboard entertainment is fire

Whether you disembark at the port or plan to stay on the boat, expect to have some fire onboard activities. Not only did I find this to be the case on the Navigator of the Seas, but the global cruising industry says this will be a big trend across all cruise lines.

Some of the best entertainment aboard was the surfing simulator, an escape room, a hair blow dry bar, the upper deck hot tub (great for watching the sunsets) and the ice skating show. These were my personal favorites, but that’s not all you’ll find on the ship. Some other options include the casinos, bars, night club, enlarged pool deck, water slides, a three story bar, cupcake classes and various other classes.

You have to book most of your experiences in advance

The next big change is you must reserve in advance any show you’d like to see. Previously, if you saw a showtime that fit into your day you could just show up, but now you can’t. You have to book these shows in advance via the cruise app, which the crew reminded us often.

Although, this wasn’t heavily enforced since the ship was only one-fourth occupied.

I’m sure this varies across cruise ships, but these tips for cruising are great to keep in mind when planning.

Vaccinated or un-vaccinated

This has become a pretty controversial topic and I’m not here to say what you should do. I’m just reporting what it was like on the cruise ship regarding vaccination status.

With that in mind, according to the staff about 99% of people were vaccinated on the ship.

Before you can board you the ship, you do have to show proof of a negative COVID test taken no more than 2-3 days out and proof of vaccination. This can vary across cruise ships.

Side note: Double check the CDC for current info about cruising.

Masks requirements

The question of the hour — do you have to wear your mask? Well, this depends on the cruise line and what country you are visiting.

On Royal Caribbean this wasn’t enforced after you boarded and while you were on the boat. However, when we disembarked in Ensenada, Mexico (it’s optional to get off here), masks were required to leave and reenter the boat.

Shorter sailings

Frankly, I was shocked that Royal Caribbean was offering 3-day cruises, but after the year we’ve had … it makes complete sense. Due to Covid-19, shorter sailings is a newer trend for cruise lines as trips over seven days aren’t recommend.

I’m still a tad weary of being bunked up on a boat for over a week with strangers. Plus, I’ve been sick sea before, so taking an expedition with shorter sails is my preference.

If you’re prone to sea sickness, here are a couple things I recommend packing:

The best part about shorter sailings is you really get to experience all the boats amenities and activities, especially if you don’t get off at the destination. My top tips for cruising on a shorter sailing is to get there early on embarkation day so you can enjoy the full day aboard. I made the mistake of coming late and it made a huge difference. I felt like the trip was cut short because I didn’t board until closer to 5:00 pm and I wasted the first day.

Don’t be like me.

If you’re planning to taking a 3-4 day cruise, get there early.

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Roundup of tips for cruising with food allergies

Here are some of the top travel tips for cruising to help you feel confident and safe when traveling.

1. Alert the staff beforehand

This is by the far one of the most important things to do when booking a cruise. Letting the staff know beforehand about your food allergies, food preferences, or any other physical accommodations you need before you set sail creates for a safer experience.

Each cruise line has a different time table about how far out you need to alert the staff. For Royal Caribbean cruises, its recommended to give the crew members a 30 days heads up.

2. Ask the restaurant managers before you eat

Before you indulge in the amazing and unlimited food aboard the ship ask the staff if it’s allergy-friendly approved. It’s best to ask the restaurant manager or the head chef, but if you can’t find them ask any server in the dining areas. They’ll be able to ask for you or point you in the direction of who to ask.

Also, keep reminding the servers and restaurant managers about your food allergies while on board. I did this and it made a huge difference. Some restaurant managers even went out of their way to recommend food items for me to eat, and would bring me different food options they thought I’d enjoy. They were extremely kind!

3. Read the labels

Any foods that are naturally free of the top 8 allergens is labeled. You’ll see dishes with a gluten-free, vegan, or vegetarian labeled underneath the name of the dish. Those dishes are typically safe to consume, but I always double check with the restaurant manager.

4. Dine at the specialty eateries

Not feeling the dining halls? Consider dining at the special eateries found on board. Aboard the Navigator of the Seas you’ll find several special dining options. The standouts I found that were excellent for diners with food allergies were:

• Chef’s Table
• Hooked Seafood
• Izumi Sushi
• Chops Grille

Each of the restaurants listed above were able to make gluten-free and dairy-free options while I dined at the restaurant. However, the best advice I would give is to check the restaurant beforehand (you can find this on your cruises website) and again tell to your server.

If you’re lucky, they may even bring you a secret specialty dish!

This happened to me on my last night of the cruise and the waiter surprised me with a allergy-friendly decadent dessert. It honest made my night! The lesson here is kindness goes far, you never know what someone is going through so spread kindness wherever you travel.

5. Pack an allergy kit

The first thing thrown into your suitcase should be an allergy kit. Seriously, throw that in asap. Inside your kit pack everything you need in case of emergencies, cross-contamination, and travel snacks for when you’re hungry. I won’t go into detail into exactly what I put in my allergy kit, but you can read the specifics here.

6. Download allergy-friendly food apps for off-shore excursions

Travel apps and food apps are the best for using off-shore. Whether you’re stateside or adventuring through a foreign country, apps can really help you find safe food choices and build confidence while traveling.

One of the best travel apps for food allergies, particularly those with gluten-free allergies is Find Me Gluten Free. It’s database is gigantic and it easily discovers safe restaurants for travelers with gluten allergies to dine at.

I’ve used this app countless times in Europe and the U.S, and I’ve never had any issues with it. In some countries the database is smaller, so it’s best to play around with the app before you travel to a new destination.

On the other hand, if you don’t find a ton of options, don’t let the lack of options discourage you. Pack snacks, bring your food staples, and eat more raw plant based options such as fresh fruits and vegetables.

For more allergy-friendly travel apps, read through this post — Best Travel Apps For Travelers With Allergies.

7. Buy travel insurance

Splurging on travel insurance is another one of the top tips for cruising. It’s always a good idea and is especially handy when you’re traveling overseas. Having it keeps you prepared for those (knock on wood) emergencies when your away from home.

If an emergency happens and you’re rushed to the hospital, travel insurance will cover it. Need to visit the doctor or buy some medicine…the insurance has your back. Travel insurance has saved our butts countless occasions and is an easy way to protect your health while traveling.

8. Buy & pack allergy-friendly snacks

All cruises come loaded with copious amounts of food. There’s vegan food, gluten-free options, dairy-free alternatives and much more aboard a ship. Although there’s countless options, I’ve found it’s always best to come prepared with snacks just in case.

This comes in handy especially if you’re planning to get off the ship. Shop on Amazon for pack-able allergy-friendly snacks and throw them in your suitcase to eat while you’re off or on the boat.

Note that nobody ever complains about having too many snacks, so go crazy!

9. Book shore excursions that fit your needs

Keep your special needs in mind when booking your off-shore excursions, but don’t let it stop you from trying those adventurous excursions you’ve been eyeing. If you have food allergies and want to do a guided tour, know that most tours include lunch or dinner. Ask the staff to double check the food being served and ask if it’s possible to accommodate your needs. The same goes for traveling with a disability.

Whether you’re planning to spend 24 hours in Ensenada, or 24 hours in a different city — booking your excursions earlier is one of the best tips for cruising to help you feel more prepared and confident in your trip. If you’re planning to take this exact cruise, Royal Caribbean’s 3-day cruise to Ensenada, here’s a list of excursion and activities in to choose from.

Personally, I prefer exploring on my own terms for a more intimate experiences with the land and locals. This gives me more control over the food I eat and partaking in accessible adventures.

For cruisers with food allergies you can bring food from home, or use travel apps to help you find gluten-free or vegan local dining options.

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I was a guest of Royal Caribbean and was invited onto their preview sailing of Navigator of the Seas. All opinions are my own. See their official website for more information on cruising.

Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links. That means I will receive a small commission on the purchase at no additional cost to you. Thanks for your support friend!

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