When deciding on the perfect luxury cruise, picking the perfect destination is obviously going to be top of the agenda. After that, it’s all about the cuisine, your accommodations and finding the right ship. Whether at home or on a luxury cruise vessel, what we eat and the places in which we live and sleep are important to us. If we suffer from allergies, even more so.
Food allergies
Food allergies are a fact of life and as much a part of the culinary world as restaurant reservations, celebrity chefs and Michelin stars. Just as you would expect any luxury restaurant to be accommodating to your needs, culinary staff on luxury cruise lines are similarly clued up and informed. Here’s a look at what the luxury cruise lines offer by the way of food allergy-friendly cruising.
Azamara Club Cruises
The line offers a Special Needs Form, which you can fill in online. You’ll need to email this to Azamara at least 40 days before you sail. Once on-board, make sure you meet with the restaurant manager to let him know about your allergy. He will then ensure that a note is made of your condition so every time you check in it is flagged up.
Crystal Cruises
Crystal Cruises’ Customer Service Team must be notified if you have a food allergy. Do this at least two weeks before you set sail. Once on-board, though this information will have been relayed to the kitchen staff, it’s a good idea to remind your server before each meal.
Oceania Cruises
When booking your sailing with your Cruise Concierge be sure to tell them about your allergy. This information will be passed on to Oceania, so staff will be alerted each time you check in to one of your ship’s dining rooms, so food allergy-friendly cruising will always be possible.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Regent request that you contact their Operations Team by email at least 90 days before you travel to let them know about your allergy. This information will be logged and passed on to the ship’s staff. It is always worth reminding your server about your allergy before each meal though.
Seabourn
Make sure you complete a Special Requirements Information Form available online and forward it via email to the relevant department. The line does not specify an exact time, but it’s a good idea to submit at least two weeks before you set sail. On the first day of your cruise, you’ll be approached by a member of the dining staff, who will make personal arrangements to cater for your allergy.
Silversea Cruises
When it comes to food allergy-friendly cruising, Silversea require 75 days of notice in order to be prepared for allergy suffers. If travelling with Silversea, you should complete a Guest Information Form at least 75 days before you sail and send it to the line via email. On the first day of your cruise a member of the dining staff will speak to you directly to ensure everything is in order.
Hypoallergenic cruising
Allergy-friendly cruising isn’t just about food, though. ‘Hypoallergenic’ is a term referring to something which causes fewer allergies, usually used in relation to such conditions as asthma as well as pet and dust allergies. While pet allergies are unlikely to cause a problem on luxury cruise ships, a good night’s sleep is a vital component of cruising comfort and an allergic reaction to dust is one of the biggest culprits when it comes to ruining a satisfying rest.
In the luxury cruising world, Crystal Cruises is a line leading the way when it comes to awareness of allergies. The line has introduced a number of hypoallergenic accommodations in the form of its Deluxe Pure Staterooms. Theses state-of-the-art rooms are designed in partnership with PURE Marine Solutions to eliminate 99.9 per cent of impurities from the air. Great news for those suffering from dust allergies and for those with asthma, the rooms ensure a quality of air ideal for people suffering from respiratory issues. The rooms’ air systems are completely disinfected, served by an air purifier and contain allergy-friendly bedding, too.
All luxury cruise lines offer high-quality bedding, such as Egyptian cotton, which produces little or no lint, making it perfect for those with dust allergies. If you’re embarking on a Silversea Cruise, your butler will be on hand to offer you a choice of pillows, including hypoallergenic ones and you’ll be able to choose a selection of hypoallergenic bathroom amenities, too. Seabourn cruisers can also choose the sensitive skin option when it comes to toiletries.