KEEPING KOSHER AND GOING GLUTEN FREE

One of the most difficult dietary restrictions to accommodate is a kosher diet because of strict requirements and regulations for food harvesting and separate kitchens for food preparation. Most lines will provide pre- cooked kosher meals and have a list of the kosher items available at each meal. Leibowitz also encourages guests to personally meet with the maître d’ to identify which items in the buffet area are also kosher. For example, “There are a wide variety of mainstream items like cereals, breads, and ice creams that are already certified kosher,” he says. MSC Cruises has obtained a certification to provide glutenfree menus worldwide in the main restaurants on most of its ships. In fact, the ships’ gluten-free galleys are completely separate from the main galleys in order to avoid cross contamination, and meals are prepared and stored in accordance with the Italian Celiac Association. Besides gluten-free menus at every meal, MSC will also provide gluten-free lunchboxes for excursions and visits to ports of call. However, most cruise lines can’t guarantee accommodating dietary restrictions while you’re off the ship, so if you plan to spend a day in port, it’s probably a good idea to bring suitable food with you.