Help with questions that I can't find answers to

[over50visits]

The menus in the main dining room are really impressive - they have thought up fancy names for their dishes, and they are "presented" quite nicely (nice tableware, food arranged nicely on the plates).

But...underneath it all the food is nothing exotic at all. They have a fish dish, a meat dish, perhaps a pasta dish, a chicken dish, usually each evening. So the setting is quite gorgeous, many of your fellow diners dress appropriately for an upscale restaurant, the waiters are quite well versed on describing the foods, the table setting (plates and silverware) is very nice. But don't think for a moment you're in a high end restaurant with exotic dishes. Good old American fare (or American versions of international fare), you'll like it all. And, if you're in the mood for steak and potatoes, they have that too.

 

[Momee]

On the food allergy specifically- one thing to keep in mind is how severe are your reactions? My husband is allergic to raw apples and raw carrots. If he accidentally eats a bite his throats starts to itch and he knows to stop eating whatever dish it is and then he takes an allergy pill (and usually is able to avoid it in the first place). If he ate a whole apple or carrot he'd have a severe reaction and stop breathing eventually but he gets a warning with one bite and couldn't eat enough to cause a strong reaction.

On our first cruise I marked it as an allergy and he was given a menu the night before and told he had to order then so his food could be specially prepared. For buffets he had to be escorted through the line by a chef. He thought it was way overboard for something that's really manageable and told me to never do that to him again.

DCL does a GREAT job handling allergies, but the flip side is that take it very seriously (which is fantastic for those with severe allergies and severe reactions). It might be a lot though for someone who needs to just avoid and wouldn't have a strong reaction with slight cross contamination.

Just our personal experience.

Side note: I have the same allergy with raw apples and carrots. (My allergy also includes watermelon, raw cherries, and a few other random fruits and vegetables.) People look at me cross-eyed if I say it out loud. It is totally manageable and I tend to stay quiet about it.
Look up Oral Allergy Syndrome- it tends to fit the symptoms.

 

[Twilight Terror]

I am a true country girl, my neighbors are Amish, and neither Palo or Remey interests me or my daughter. I have seen pictures of the menus for the normal three restaurants and the food seems to be a bit too “uppity” (sorry, do not mean to offend anyone by this comment) for my taste. I’ve read where we can order off the kids menu or just order appetizers. I’d be happy with just a normal steak and baked potato, without extra stuff added on top. Is this possible? Also, do they offer “normal” bread and rolls, or just “funky” type bread?

I feel you. We like 'plain' food too, and yes, sometimes, even the MDR foods can be too fancy for us (all the garnishes, sauces, combinations, etc), and sometimes it was easier to order off the lighter menu or make a request the evening prior to eating. We have found the dining room team to be very accommodating. This last trip, my sister and order ordered a jacket potato (baked potato), one with cheese and one with tuna. We ended up getting served three potatoes each, accompanied by a bowl of cheese and a bowl of tuna that was big enough to feed about six tables! So, it can be done. We have always found that it is good to go to dinner a little bit early on the first night and speak to your dining room team and explain.

Second question, I’m highly allergic to strawberries and I’ve read that they can work around this, however, will it be better if I DON’T let them know and just avoid them, like to do at home? I don’t want to be “babied” because of this, but don’t want my family to suffer or for me to have any reactions.

Do not hide the fact you have an allergy! You already said you are highly allergic; the last thing you want to do is end up having a severe reaction out at sea or in a foreign port which requires you to be airlifted or taken by ambulance to an unfamiliar hospital. Yes, they will acknowledge it and work around it, but they will not shun or disrespect you because of it. They are very accommodating and helpful in this area.

Enjoy your trip and time with the family!

 

[cruiser21]

2016 was an eye opening experience for me and I decided last Fall that you can’t put things on hold in your life and to live for every moment. With that attitude, I booked a surprise 3 night cruise on the Dream, for my 7 year old grandson and oldest daughter. I have been following the posts on this board and taking what I’ve read to heart. We are flying in the day before, staying at the MCO Hyatt, and booked Disney transportation to the port (I’m renting a vehicle after the cruise, since we’re staying a few extra days in Orlando). Just paid my cruise off, so now comes more questions I haven’t found answers to. I booked a one bedroom, concierge on the 12th floor. Concierge did contact me about special requests and the only request I had was to reserve a Cabana on Castaway Cay and inquired about MAYBE doing something special for my grandson’s birthday at the end of the cruise month. Here are a couple of questions… I am a true country girl, my neighbors are Amish, and neither Palo or Remey interests me or my daughter. I have seen pictures of the menus for the normal three restaurants and the food seems to be a bit too “uppity” (sorry, do not mean to offend anyone by this comment) for my taste. I’ve read where we can order off the kids menu or just order appetizers. I’d be happy with just a normal steak and baked potato, without extra stuff added on top. Is this possible? Also, do they offer “normal” bread and rolls, or just “funky” type bread? Second question, I’m highly allergic to strawberries and I’ve read that they can work around this, however, will it be better if I DON’T let them know and just avoid them, like to do at home? I don’t want to be “babied” because of this, but don’t want my family to suffer or for me to have any reactions. I appreciate any help y’all could provide. Again, I'm trying to find the answers to my questions from previous posts myself because I don't want to ask about things that have already been discussed before.

I would give the food a try. No big deal if you don't like it. I like it for about 3 nights and then I get tired of it. By the end of the cruise I'm ready to go out and get a good burger or some good Mexican food. I would tell them about your strawberry allergy. I've never even seen strawberries on a dcl ship. They do have a light fare menu. It's a little blah. I wish I could be more helpful. I don't cruise for the food. I'm not a big eater so it's not a huge deal to me.