Eating gluten-free is a challenge on a daily basis. The challenge is even greater when eating anywhere outside your home. This is my experience as a gluten-sensitive individual. If you are planning on taking a cruise and live a gluten-free lifestyle then Virgin Voyages Cruise Line may be your answer.
I’ve been on 2 different cruises with them and on both they were consistent with their awareness of my gluten-free lifestyle. They ask if you have any food allergies when registering and confirm at each restaurant/place you eat. This is the most at ease you will ever feel ordering gluten-free. Any restaurant you go to on the ship will identify or ask if you are gluten-free. You will appreciate then confirming because the last thing you need is someone making a mistake and ruin your entire vacation. It’s not often restaurants/places take it as serious as they do.
Now let’s talk about the variety of options available. They have a vast amount of options to choose from. Every restaurant has a few options available on their menu. If something is not available gluten-free, they will bring you something specific for you and let you know that it is specific for YOU. Some foods can be adjusted to be gluten-free food and they gladly do it. Every single restaurant has gluten-free food options but the ones that have more options than others are Pink Agave (Upscale Mexican), Gunbae (Korean BBQ), and The Dock/ The Dock House (Mediterranean). The Galley is a large area filled with a bakery, pastries, burgers, tacos, sushi bar, soup and salad stand, 24-hour American diner and variety of on the go snacks. They did not have a large amount of baked goods or pastries available as gluten-free. That was something I wish they had more of but they did consistently have at least 2 or more glute-free food desserts available. That being said, there are still so many things available for the gluten-free individual like gluten-free food such as pizza, pasta, bread, soups, sauces, etc. You will most definitely never be hungry with all the options available…
Now it’s great that there are so many gluten-free food options but how do they taste???? Well the food is phenomenal!!! Almost everything is made to order, including smoothies. Things like pastries are pre-made for good reason. That would just take to long…. All the food is top-notch quality and preparation. The flavors and presentation are Michelin Star level on several dishes. Everything I tasted was divine and I think you will love it.
In our experience we only had one fluke with the food. My mother had chicken on our 2nd night and she got sick. She was vomiting, fever one night and diarrhea the remaining 5 days. So her experience was unfortunately not as great as mine.
If you are debating on a cruise line and are gluten-free, Virgin Voyages may be your answer…. Hope this is helpful to my gluten-free food people!!!
