Cruising offers a unique vacation experience, and one of the highlights is often the variety of food available onboard. However, for those with food allergies or specific dietary needs, navigating dining options can be challenging. Fortunately, many cruise lines are increasingly accommodating these requirements, ensuring that all guests can enjoy their meals without worry.
Cruise lines can cater for a variety of dietary needs (Marc Shoffman)
The food on a cruise can significantly enhance your holiday experience. However, for individuals with food allergies or dietary restrictions, meal options may be limited and pose a challenge. Many cruise lines have begun to address these concerns, providing a range of dining options that cater to various dietary needs.
It’s common to find vegetarian and vegan choices available in the onboard buffets and main dining menus of most ships. Crew members typically inquire about allergies prior to taking your order, ensuring you can enjoy meals that are safe for you.
Oceania Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, and Holland America Line are praised for their extensive plant-based menus. P&O Cruises’ Arvia features a plant-based specialty restaurant called Green & Co Feat. Mizuhana, while Norwegian Aqua boasts a complimentary veggie venue named Planterie. Aida Cruises even provides its own gluten-free restaurant called Schonkostbar.
Cruise lines such as Virgin Voyages have delicious vegan options (Marc Shoffman)
Other cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruises, also accommodate kosher, halal, and coeliac diets. Passengers are generally advised to notify the restaurant manager at the time of booking to arrange meal options or discuss their dietary requirements upon boarding.
Some cruise lines and travel operators provide specialized sailings focused on particular dietary needs. Below are some of the most notable options available.
Vegan
The tour operator Vegan Travel regularly charters vessels for river and ocean cruises offering gourmet vegan cuisine. Passengers can unwind and explore without the stress of meal planning, as the onboard food and beverages—wine included—are entirely vegan. Additionally, they organize vegan-friendly excursions at various ports for guests wishing to indulge in local cuisines.
Upcoming itineraries include a nine-night Seas of Sicily cruise departing from Valletta, Malta, on July 16, with stops in Palermo and Messina. Aboard the MS Monet, which accommodates just 56 guests, prices start at €3,299 (£2,467) per person for an oceanview cabin.
Cruise ships are lining up to help guests with dietary needs (Marc Shoffman)
Coeliac
Coeliac Cruise, founded by dietary expert Maureen Basye and travel agent Connie Saunders, organizes coeliac-friendly voyages for guests with gluten sensitivities.
They collaborate with cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Oceania, and AmaWaterways to provide dedicated food and beverage teams, along with specialized gluten-free menus and snacks on board. All gluten-free items are prepared in a controlled environment, which includes a gluten-free kitchen in the main dining area. Furthermore, all fried foods are cooked in separate gluten-free fryers.
While many 2026 dedicated coeliac cruises are already booked, a four-night Bahamas cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas still has availability. This sailing includes stops in Nassau and the private island CocoCay, with fares starting from $1,499.06 (£1,121) for a balcony cabin.
Kosher
Maintaining a kosher diet while cruising can present its challenges.
Cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, MSC Cruises, and Princess Cruises provide pre-packaged kosher meals, which often need to be ordered before boarding. Guests may also have concerns regarding the utensils and dishes used.
Some travel companies have arranged kosher cruises, where they ensure that one dining area is designated solely for kosher meals, adhering strictly to religious guidelines.
For instance, Fresh Kosher Cruises offers kosher meals onboard Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas during a round trip from Rome, departing on August 16, 2026. An interior cabin for two adults costs $4,917 (£3,676), with the kosher food option adding another $1,982 (£1,481), totaling $6,899 (£5,158).
Royal Caribbean is good at catering for dietary needs (Marc Shoffman)
Halal
Like kosher meals, halal options can be requested on certain cruise lines, including Celebrity Cruises and Disney. However, it’s often necessary to arrange these in advance.
Alternatively, Aroya Cruises offers a 100% halal-certified dining experience across more than 15 onboard restaurants. The ship is completely alcohol-free and includes prayer rooms and mats in every cabin.
Aroya operates cruises around the Red Sea, Arabian Gulf, and the Mediterranean, with fares for a one-week Mediterranean cruise departing from Turkey on August 1 starting from £657 per person.
In conclusion, whether you follow a specific diet due to health reasons or preference, a variety of cruise lines are making strides to ensure that your dining experience is enjoyable and accommodating. With options ranging from vegan to kosher, travelers can confidently set sail knowing there are delicious meals waiting for them onboard.
