Earlier this year, I changed my way of eating and began to follow the ketogenic way of eating. I have successfully navigated both Walt Disney World (October 2018 blog ) and Disney Cruise Line. I shared my experiences at Walt Disney World in my last blog post. I recently had the opportunity to enjoy the Disney Cruise Line on two different cruises, both on the Disney Dream.
On the first cruise, I did not add my dietary needs prior to being on board. I discussed my specific needs the first night of the cruise. Our server was incredibly accommodating and truly went above and beyond. I am not a fan of seafood and have found that many chicken dishes contain seasonings or ingredients that fall outside of my eating choices. However, every evening there were beef options. Even when the side choices were not within my specific needs, they accommodated my requests with ease. During this cruise, I did dine during the second seating. I found their ability to accommodate much easier. Although I do enjoy alternative sweeteners, I was not able to determine the type of sweetener used in the sugar free items. I chose to not sample any of the sugar free items and had coffee at the end of my meal as an alternative.
On the second cruise, I did call ahead of time to add my dietary needs. Then once onboard, I went to meet with a cast member to review the menus and ensure they had the specific items I needed to avoid on the list. They did ask if I had an allergy and I was very honest that this was not allergy related. However, I did share with the cast member that if I eat certain items, I notice swelling in my hands and feet along with some GI effects. During this time, the cast member also discussed what options I could have for breakfast and lunch. He even offered to have a special meal prepared for Castaway Cay. Upon entering the dining room the first night, the head server came to my table and discussed the restrictions. Please note, once you have a restriction listed, they MUST adhere to that restriction. During this cruise, I did dine during the first seating. I felt rushed and did not feel the same ease of accommodations as I did on my first cruise.
The Disney Cruise Line does allow guests to bring certain food items onboard. I did bring my preferred alternative sweetener with me, as well as heavy cream (in single serve containers) without any issue. I did learn that the Cove Coffee Shop could provide heavy cream; however, coffee items there would have been at an additional charge. To learn more about what items are permitted visit here. My next blog post will include the different food options and locations that I enjoyed.
If you or anyone in your travel party have a food restriction or a specific need, please share that with your Me And The Mouse Travel Specialist. They will assist you in navigating those needs. Once onboard, please ensure you share your needs with you server.