Jun 21, 2026
Travelers with celiac disease and gluten intolerances often face challenges finding food they can enjoy — especially on cruises, where the on-ship buffets make up a bulk of the cruise price. But one company is changing that with the world’s first-ever completely gluten-free ocean cruise: Celiac Cruise.
In partnership with luxury liner Oceania Cruises, Celiac Cruise’s Oceania Vista will hit the open seas in 2028, sailing from May 31 to June 12. The ship will travel across the British Isles to England, Ireland and Scotland.
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“On a lot of cruises, you have to pre-order your food the night before [if you’re gluten-free],” Maureen Basye, the founder of Celiac Cruise told Travel+Leisure. Her husband and son both struggle with the autoimmune disease that triggers symptoms like digestive issues, joint pain, and headaches from gluten exposure. “You have to make a big fuss and talk to the server and maître d.”
“We want people to be able to go on vacation and not have to constantly be thinking or worrying [about their food],” Basye added.
An estimated one in 133 Americans, or about 1% of the population, has celiac disease. But research shows that the prevalence in the U.S. might actually be much higher. Up to 6% of Americans also have non-celiac gluten sensitivity, meaning that gluten-containing products can cause unpleasant symptoms.
Now, these Americans have cruise options that specifically cater to them.
The beginnings of Celiac Cruise
Basye founded Celiac Cruise with Total Travel & Events CEO Connie Saunders in 2018 after seeing first-hand how difficult it was for her husband and son to travel, even aboard cruise ships that offered gluten-free options.
In 2020, Celiac Cruise partnered with Royal Caribbean for their first-ever cruise, buying out a dining room on board for just over 500 guests. Celiac Cruises has since offered over 30 cruises through Royal Caribbean, AmaWaterways and Oceania Cruises.
Saunders also told Travel+Leisure that “people have cried on these cruises because they’ve never seen a buffet where they can eat everything.”
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Every sailing trip includes access to a private dining liaison or maître d’, which means that many guests have the opportunity to meet the culinary team, as well. There are also onboard medical centers staffed by licensed professionals should ocean cruisers need any medical attention.
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More than food alternatives
Celiac Cruise’s river cruises are already completely gluten-free. But the Oceania Vista launching in 2028 will be the first ocean cruise of its kind, offering 11 gluten-free-friendly restaurants and absolutely no gluten-containing products on board.
“While Oceania Cruises has long offered gluten-free options across our fleet, working with the Celiac Cruise team deepened our understanding of the celiac community and the unmet need for a truly seamless travel experience,” Nathan Hickman, the SVP and chief sales officer for Oceania Cruises, told Travel + Leisure. “Their deep passion and expertise helped us design and to ultimately deliver what will be a first-of-its-kind, fully dedicated gluten-free voyage.”
The Celiac Cruise team also works alongside the Celiac Disease Foundation to run training sessions about celiac disease and gluten-free safety for the cruise ship’s crew.
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AnnaMarie is a weekend editor for Moneywise.
