Win a Trip on the Celiac Cruise
And other gluten-free travel news to kickstart summer.
If you have celiac disease, food allergies, or any other medically necessary dietary restrictions, then you know that traveling can be pretty tricky.
It often requires researching restaurants in advance, buying plenty of snacks to pack with you, and maybe even cooking your own meals, depending on where you’re heading.
With the summer travel season officially in full swing, I put together a roundup of some news and information to help you find the perfect vacation destination and stress less while you’re away from home.
Enter Schär's Celiac Cruise Giveaway
One of my favorite gluten-free brands, Schär, is currently hosting its second annual Celiac Cruise Giveaway through Friday, May 31. One lucky winner will receive a complimentary cabin on a 2025 Celiac Cruise—so enter now!
Carl Borman, Senior Omnichannel Manager at Dr. Schär USA, shares the following with me about the brand’s exciting partnership with Celiac Cruise:
“At Dr. Schär, we are committed to providing delicious and safe gluten-free options for those with dietary restrictions. Our partnership with Celiac Cruise is a match made in gluten-free heaven—we make gluten-free dining accessible and mouthwatering for all, especially while on vacation. Together, we proudly offer our premium gluten-free products to passengers on their cruises, ensuring they can savor a worry-free and gratifying dining experience at sea. Our shared mission is to make gluten-free living simpler and more enjoyable for all. To celebrate Celiac Disease Awareness Month, we have teamed up with Celiac Cruise, The Celiac Disease Foundation, Holidaily Brewing, @PhilHatesGluten, and @GlutenFree.Dave to give away a cabin on a 2025 Celiac Cruise! This collaboration thrives because of our unwavering dedication to the celiac and gluten-free community. The success of last year's Celiac Cruise Giveaway fueled our excitement to host it again this year! Working with passionate and like-minded partners makes this collaboration truly exceptional—it's the complete package of travel, education, culinary delights, beverages, and engaging personalities. We are immensely grateful for the opportunity to give back to the celiac and gluten-free community!”
The Celiac Cruise, in partnership with Royal Caribbean International, AMAWaterways, and Oceania Cruises, allows you to enjoy your vacation without the fear of getting glutened.
It’s open to those with celiac disease, their families, and anyone interested in gluten-free travel. Throughout the year, Celiac Cruise offers a variety of trips, including Caribbean cruises, European river cruises, and Mediterranean cruises.
Each cruise is carefully planned so you can safely enjoy delicious gluten-free meals. There are also special onboard activities and educational seminars led by experts.
Have you been on a Celiac Cruise? I’d love to hear about your experience. I’m definitely considering taking one of the cruises next year. And good luck with the giveaway—the winner will be announced on June 4!
Traveling abroad with food allergies
My friend Kelsey is a reporter at Bloomberg and is currently on assignment in Mexico City. Kelsey has a peanut allergy and recently had an allergic reaction to a delivery meal and had to go to the hospital.
After recovering from this scary experience, she wrote this excellent guide to traveling with food allergies, including insights from medical experts on steps you can take to stay safe.
Whether you have food allergies or celiac disease, these tips can help you prep for a trip abroad and avoid getting sick while traveling.
Exploring global gluten-free eats without leaving home
One of my favorite gluten-free restaurants in Queens—The Thirsty Koala—closed a couple of months ago. It was one of the few celiac-safe spots I could reliably order food from or take friends to for brunch or dinner.
In the absence of this restaurant, I’ve been vetting other establishments in my home borough of New York City and trying to find some additional celiac-safe options.
Last week, I grabbed lunch with at TAP, a 100% gluten-free Brazilian café in Astoria (with other locations around New York City). We dined on pão de quiejo and other Brazilian specialties.
Earlier in May, I also hit up the Queens Night Market, an outdoor night market that’s held annually in the summer in Flushing Meadows Park. I hadn’t been to the Queens Market since before the pandemic (and before my celiac diagnosis).
I went in with low expectations and didn’t think there’d be many food options for me, but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I was able to eat! I noshed on sour cream and onion potatoes, mini arepas, Venezuelan cachapas, Persian stew, and Indonesian desserts.
Check out my full recap here:
Disclaimer: If you have celiac disease or food allergies and go to the Queens Night Market, then I advise you to ask your own questions before ordering food from any of these stalls and proceed with caution. While these stalls served only gluten-free items when I went, things can change—and everyone’s comfort level is different when it comes to eating at these types of outdoor food markets.
Gluten-free London picks
I’m getting ready to cross the pond and visit London for the first time ever. Naturally, I’m traveling to the UK for a very American reason—to see the Mets take on the Phillies in a baseball game!
In preparation for my trip, I’ve been researching gluten-free dining destinations. recently published two newsletters about London, and I’ve added her recommendations to my list.
Check out her review of Niche Gluten-Free Dining and all the best gluten-free fish and chip spots in London.
Gluten-free Los Angeles picks
I haven’t been to LA since 2022, but every time I read ’s monthly newsletter, I want to plan a trip back out there and try all the tasty gluten-free food available.
In her most recent newsletters, Noam highlights the latest and greatest gluten-free offerings in LA, including the Santa Monica location of Modern Bread and Bagel, gluten-free and plant-based Mexican food at Da Buena Planta in Silverlake, and gluten-free and dairy-free brunch options at Breakfast Republic’s Echo Park location.
Gluten-free Midwest picks
always has the best gluten-free recommendations for Michigan and other parts of the Midwest in the US. She recently shared a few new-to-her gluten-free businesses in Michigan as well as a guide to gluten-free Indianapolis.
Margaret also keeps readers up-to-date on gluten-free events happening in her region. I highly recommend subscribing to her newsletter if you haven’t already!
Córdoba, Spain: a leader in gluten-free travel
Condé Nast Traveler recently published an article on Córdoba, Spain, which aims to be a leader in gluten-free travel as celiac tourism grows.
Writer Rosa Marqués explains how the Celiac Association of Córdoba is helping put the city on the map as a gluten-free travel destination by advising restaurants and creating a process for recognizing gluten-free businesses.
The Celiac Association is also working with the tourism department at the University of Córdoba to develop a mobile app for celiac travelers, which you can use to search for gluten-free restaurants around key tourist spots. BRB—booking my trip now!
How to navigate work trips with dietary restrictions
I travel for work occasionally, and having celiac disease adds a whole new layer of stress into the mix. So, earlier this month, I put together a guide to managing dietary restrictions in a work setting.
I chatted with etiquette expert Suzy Lins for tips on speaking to your colleagues and event organizers and also shared some of the strategies that work best for me. If you have any work travel coming up this summer, then I hope you’ll find this guide useful.
Here’s a look at some of my gluten-free eats from the week of in-person meetings and conference I attended this spring:
Upcoming gluten-free expo
In early May, I went to the Wicked Gluten-Free Expo on Long Island and had a blast connecting with celiac content creators and gluten-free brands. I came away with a lot of delicious samples and also ideas for future newsletter content.
The next expo is taking place in Philadelphia on September 7, and I’m hoping to attend. Tickets go on sale in June, so make sure to follow Wicked Gluten-Free to stay updated if you’re interested in this event.
Where are you traveling this summer—and are you excited about the gluten-free options there? Drop a comment and let me know!
Thanks for the mention, Christina! I started compiling a list of more recommendations for your London trip and it was so long it turned into a whole post (out tomorrow!🙈) You're going to have the best time!
Christina, thanks for sharing this. Had no idea that Celiac Cruise exists. But there you have it! Hope you're well this week, Christina!