I knew this cruise aboard the Carnival Glory was going to be wonderful, but just didn’t know quite how wonderful! The time from stepping aboard the ship and meeting with the Maître d to stepping off the ship was beyond fabulous! The entertainment, the food, the excursions, and the serenity among so many other things were just a dream. So begin clicking and scrolling away to get a feel of this cruise aboard the Carnival Glory in all of its glory!!
Our family was so excited for months for this cruise! There were 8 of us and my oldest daughter Meg decided family t-shirts were in order. So she designed and printed them! So cute……CRUISE. EAT. SLEEP. REPEAT. We were ready!! We loved the Carnival Glory. I hope you enjoy our review of this very fun ship!
I was able to meet with the Maître d between 1-3 p.m. on the first day shortly after we got on the ship. He was extremely kind and completely understood the severity of Celiac Disease and how important it was to avoid cross-contamination. One of the Hostesses, Alex, was the next one I spoke with. She relayed to me how seriously they take cooking gluten-free food and that they wanted me to completely relax and know I was going to be in good hands the entire week. Well……I could have cried, but I just hugged her tightly instead! It’s the little things that really are the BIG things! Can you tell how happy I was?
I ordered my initial dinner for the first night right then and there. From the appetizers to the soup to the main course and then dessert! WOW! I knew it was going to be some good food for ME!!! And it was!!! Just Glory-ous!!
The first night’s dinner did not disappoint. In fact, it was so good, I couldn’t wait until the next night. Gluten-Free Sweet and Sour Shrimp with fried rice, Carnival Chocolate Melting Cake WITH vanilla ice cream! I brought my own Gluten-Free Tamari Sauce with me from home. San-J gave me an adorable carrying container along with travel sauce packets at the Atlanta Gluten-Free Allergen Friendly Expo. How handy they were!!!
Our waiter Gideon, for the week of this cruise, gave me the menu for the next night, so I could order what exactly I wanted. It was then prepared ahead of time, just for me in the galley where 3 chefs were working hard just for ME! Our 2 hour dinner time, was delightful! EVERY night! We didn’t miss one meal in the main dining room. It’s just that good!!!
Our destinations for the week were San Juan, St Thomas, Dominican Republic, and Grand Turk at Turks and Caicos. We had just beautiful weather at each port of call. Excursions are available at each stop or you can just enjoy a quick stroll off the ship and get right back on to enjoy the peace and quiet of an abandoned ship! No lines while getting lunch!
When I was one of the few people on the ship during our stop at Amber Cove, I decided to check out the Blue Iguana Cantina. Gluten-free corn tortillas that are warmed on a separate grill just for gluten-free, the shrimp and chicken are added by the cooks as well as the other toppings.No cross-contamination! The watermelon was in a common area, but because not many people had dug into it yet, I helped myself! I did not get sick in the slightest! It was a delicious lunch!
We enjoyed touring the 16th Century Castillo San Felipe del Morro Fort in San Juan. So interesting and has beautiful views of the sea and city. Be sure to bring a camera to get some great shots while touring the northeastern-most point of the islet. The fort was designed to guard the entrance to the San Juan Bay and defend the Spanish colonial port city of San Juan from seaborne enemies.
Somehow, I received a FREE manicure coupon in my stateroom! So I made an appointment to take care of that! Honestly, it was the best manicure I have ever received. My nails looked perfect. They definitely go the extra mile with the Spa as well! It was awesome!
St Thomas was a fun stop. We rode a taxi over to Maegan’s Bay for a beach day. It’s a $14 per person cab ride fee (each way!) and then a $5 entrance fee into the beach park. We brought our beach towels from the ship and enjoyed hanging out on the beach for several hours. If you prefer, you may rent chairs when you arrive at the beach.
This is my youngest daughter Kate and niece Chels! Full day in the sun and getting stung by jellyfish in knee-deep water. The water is gorgeous!! don’t you think?
Check out this big guy! I discovered this iguana when walking around on Magen’s Bay. He was about 2 feet long. Pretty cool, huh?
Grand Turk was so much fun! The kids and Uncle Tim decided to try out the Flowrider! What a hoot! Our family was really quite good and held their own. It wasn’t terribly busy so everyone kept getting turns over and over pretty quickly. This really was a fun excursion to sign up for.
Oh my goodness….the Guy Fieri Burger Joint was a gluten-free paradise! Check out these fries and yummy burgers. The bun was pretty good, just not super moist. But better than a lettuce wrap that’s for sure. And Guy’s Secret Sauce is even gluten-free! A worker at the Burger Joint told me to just make eye contact with him when I wanted a burger and he would prepare mine in the back of the line. Which is what exactly happened! Look at the melted cheese and the juicy burger. It was a highlight!
An autographed table in the Guy Fieri Burger Joint Area! Fun!
Care to get off the ship for a bit and have some quiet time to catch some rays or swim? So pretty! Just another excursion to choose from!
Okay, this is honestly the BEST macaroni and cheese I HAVE EVER HAD! I let everyone at our table taste it, and no one could tell it wasn’t gluten-free! So cheesy and creamy and ‘hello bacon’!!! Super hot when it was delivered to my place setting! Which means it was not just sitting there for a while. Poured into the bowl and taken right out to the dining room! LOVED IT!!
One of my favorite dishes for dinner! It’s gluten-free Chicken Milanese with charred lemon and sautéed green beans. The salty taste from the olives went so well with the sautéed onions and crunchy crust! It was fabulous!!!
And just another delicious dessert…..Gluten-Free Apple Cobbler! Warm, full of cinnamon and apples! The crumb topping on the top was perfect!
