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How to Navigate All-Inclusive Vacations With Food Restrictions – Alli Allen quoted in Conde’ Nast Traveler Article
There’s no doubt about it: Traveling with a dietary restriction can be stressful. This is especially true when you don’t have much control over what’s being served, like on a cruise, at an all-inclusive resort, or on a safari.
I should know. As an ulcerative colitis (UC) sufferer and an avid traveler, avoiding my triggers—gluten and certain nuts—is not always easy away from home. While I do my best to plan ahead, there have been moments when I’ve resorted to a bag of chips or a handful of rice crackers for dinner on a trip because I had no other options.
This is far from a unique experience. One study found that 30% of people with inflammatory bowel diseases like UC and Crohn’s limited their travel, and up to 40% said that their condition impacted their choice of destination. Those dealing with food allergies face similar struggles, with 42% restricting the number of vacations they take due to dining-related fears, one survey found.
While getting away may feel overwhelming, the good news is vacationing with dietary restrictions is doable—even on an all-inclusive trip. While there are extra considerations to think about as you plan, dietary restrictions don’t need to hold you back from seeing the world. Here are a few insider secrets to make the process less stressful.
Book with companies that excel at accommodating dietary restrictions
Many resorts, cruise lines, and expedition companies can accommodate dietary restrictions, but some do it better than others. That said, it’s worth doing some extra digging to see how flexible the ones you’re interested in really are and what precautions they’ll take to ensure your safety.
If you’re planning a cruise, consider booking with Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Disney, Princess, Holland America, and MSC. According to cruise critics and the travel experts we spoke with, these are among the more accommodating cruise lines for individuals with dietary restrictions. “Cruise ships are usually very good at accommodating food allergies, intolerances, and special diets,” says luxury travel advisor and Condé Nast Traveler travel specialist Alli Allen. “Plus, they offer various restaurants, including specialty dining, that can make it a bit easier to find suitable food.”
For example, Disney Cruise Line has gluten-free, vegetarian, no-sugar-added, and dairy-free options on their table-service restaurant menus, and can accommodate guests who need to avoid soy, fish, eggs, peanuts, and other common allergens. Another standout is Princess Cruises, which is reputed to be particularly accommodating for people who eat gluten-free, with several online forums noting that they offer gluten-free pasta, pizza, and bread onboard and are sensitive to the needs of individuals with celiac disease.
Similarly, most global all-inclusives and hotel chains with half- and full-board options have allergy management programs and will do their best to accommodate complex dietary restrictions. However, if you’re particularly nervous about your needs being met, Condé Nast Traveler travel specialist Mark Allvey, CEO of Untold Story Travel, suggests booking a stay at a wellness resort. “Brands such as Six Senses, which has properties all over the world, and Chiva-Som in Thailand are particularly accommodating. Nutrition is central to the guest experience, so whether you’re gluten-free, vegan, or low-sodium, you’ll be in very safe hands.”
One thing to note: No matter what type of trip you’re taking, be sure to give your accommodation at least 45 days’ notice before your trip, especially if your dietary restrictions are complex or your food reaction is severe. This is especially true for safari lodges, Allen says. In her experience, most are quite accommodating; however, since they’re often located in remote areas, obtaining alternative ingredients requires extra time and planning.
Keep nonperishable staples stocked
Allocate some space in your suitcase for nonperishable, ready-to-eat staples. For me, these include individual packets of plain oatmeal, roasted chickpeas, and dried fruit bars. While you may not be able to survive entirely on snacks from home, it’s nice to know you have something to eat if a meal or snack winds up being a bust and there’s nothing safe for you to enjoy.
To make sure your supply doesn’t dwindle, identify and star supermarkets on your route in Google Maps so you can stock up on “safe” foods periodically throughout your trip. This is something I often do while traveling, and it can be a real lifesaver. Although this may not be possible on a safari, land excursions on cruises and day trips at all-inclusive resorts are often a great opportunity to replenish your supply of nonperishables.
Scope out safe options
Even if you’ve planned your entire trip to a tee, at some point you may wind up somewhere unexpected and need to get something to eat. The best way to ensure the threat of this doesn’t prevent you from enjoying your trip is to have a plan in place.
Allen recommends leveraging online resources, such as HappyCow, Find Me Gluten Free, and AllergyEats, to find options that accommodate your specific dietary restrictions, and then keeping a list or an annotated map handy. I do the latter; my Google Maps is full of starred restaurants all over the globe, almost all of which have a few gluten-free options. If you think you’ll need to grab food at an airport or another stopover destination during your trip, it’s smart to do the same before your trip.
On a related note, if you have to be particularly careful about your diet, it’s best to avoid street food—even if it seems to fit your dietary restrictions. The smell and sight of this local fare can be appealing, but the dishes could easily be contaminated with ingredients you need to avoid.
Take extra precautions if you don’t speak the local language
Although many resorts, cruise lines, and expedition companies cater to guests from all over the globe, you can never be too careful to ensure things don’t get lost in translation when discussing food restrictions or allergies with servers and other hospitality workers.
To play it safe, Allen suggests printing cards in the primary local language of your destination that state your restriction and severity to show to the staff when you dine. Google Translate can be a helpful tool as you whip these up ahead of your trip. Although you may not need these day-to-day, they may come in handy if you’re dining away from your accommodations.
Google Translate also has a photo function, which can translate text from images of ingredient labels and menus. While it doesn’t get it right 100% of the time, this feature is enormously helpful for identifying no-go foods and allergens in non-English-speaking countries.
Be consistent with your medication
This probably sounds like an obvious one, but if you’re someone who has dietary restrictions because of a medical condition like me, make sure to stick to your doctor-recommended regimen and bring extra medication to account for potential travel delays.
When you’re exploring a new place or adjusting to a new time zone, it can be easy to skip doses or be less consistent with your medications, leading to symptoms. If you’re concerned about missing any doses or need to adjust your medication schedule due to your travel plans, sync up with your doctor ahead of your trip. They can provide recommendations to help you avoid potential side effects and health issues while you’re away.
If you use an EpiPen or antihistamine to treat food allergies, it’s important to bring an adequate supply and to bring them on day trips and shore excursions. While you may be able to be more relaxed at home, it’s better to be safe than sorry in a less predictable environment.
Whether you’re packing your bags for a multi-destination cruise or an all-inclusive resort, traveling with dietary restrictions is possible. However, planning is key to ensuring that you have safe options and enough food to fuel your travel adventures.
Travelista Alli 