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Yes, you can request special meals on MSC Cruises. The cruise line makes efforts to accommodate a range of dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, halal, food allergies, intolerances, and certain medical or infant-related food needs.
However, special meals are not something you should arrange at the last minute. MSC Cruises advises guests to provide dietary information when booking or at least 30 days before sailing. Some specific requests, such as kosher meals and halal products, also have advance-notification requirements.
For guests with serious food allergies or medical dietary requirements, advance planning is particularly important. MSC recommends using its Accessibility & Medical Request Form and then confirming the dietary requirement with the appropriate dining staff after boarding.
This guide explains what special meals are available, how to request them, what happens onboard, and what guests with allergies or strict dietary restrictions should know before sailing.
MSC Cruises offers several types of dietary accommodation. Availability can vary by ship, itinerary, and the specific requirement, so it is important to make the request before your cruise.
Common options include:
MSC states that vegetarian and vegan-friendly dishes are included in its buffet and main restaurant offerings. Gluten-free meals are also available in the main restaurants on most ships.
The safest approach is to notify MSC Cruises before your departure rather than waiting until you arrive at the ship.
Guests with special dietary needs should complete the relevant Accessibility & Medical Request Form.
MSC advises guests to provide this information at the time of booking or at least 30 days before sailing. Late requests may not be guaranteed because the cruise line needs time to make the necessary arrangements.
When completing the request, provide specific information rather than simply saying that you need a "special diet."
For example, explain whether you require:
If you have a food allergy or intolerance, identify the specific ingredient or ingredients that must be avoided.
MSC's dietary information covers the major recognized allergens, including gluten, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, crustaceans, fish, molluscs, dairy, eggs, mustard, celery, lupin, and sulphites/sulphur dioxide.
Submitting the request before the cruise is only part of the process.
MSC asks guests with allergies or dietary requirements to report their needs to Reception/Guest Services and/or the Maître d'hôtel in the Main Dining Room after boarding and before consuming food or beverages.
This is especially important if your requirement is related to an allergy or medical condition.
The dining team can then discuss suitable choices and explain how meals will be handled during the cruise.
Yes. Vegetarian options are incorporated into MSC Cruises' main restaurant and buffet offerings.
The cruise line states that its dining-room menus include vegetarian options, while vegetarian-friendly dishes are also available in the buffet.
For many vegetarian travelers, this means a separate special meal may not always be necessary. Instead, you can select suitable vegetarian dishes from the available menu.
Nevertheless, if you have additional restrictions—for example, vegetarian plus a severe dairy or egg allergy—it is better to notify MSC before sailing.
Yes. MSC Cruises offers vegan-friendly dishes as part of its onboard culinary offerings.
The cruise line says vegan-friendly dishes are incorporated into the buffet and main restaurant menus.
If you follow a strict vegan diet, tell MSC in advance. You should also speak with the dining staff after boarding so they understand that you need meals prepared without animal-derived ingredients.
This is particularly useful if you are concerned about ingredients that may not be obvious from a menu description.
Yes. MSC Cruises offers meals made with gluten-free ingredients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the main restaurants on most of its ships.
Guests with gluten sensitivity or coeliac disease should notify MSC in advance and speak with the dining supervisor onboard.
MSC's gluten-free offering is not identical across every ship.
On MSC Armonia, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera, and MSC Lirica, MSC says guests have a more limited selection of pre-packaged gluten-free snacks, such as biscuits, croissants, sponge cakes, and muffins.
Guests with coeliac disease or significant gluten sensitivity should therefore discuss their needs with MSC before choosing a ship.
MSC identifies the main restaurants as the preferred location for handling special dietary requirements because there is greater control over meal preparation and service.
The buffet may offer suitable choices, but guests with serious allergies or strict dietary requirements should not assume that an apparently suitable buffet item is completely protected from cross-contact.
Yes. Kosher meals may be available on MSC Cruises, but they are different from the standard vegetarian or vegan options.
MSC describes its kosher offering as pre-packaged breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The cruise line currently lists an additional charge of €25/$30 per person per day, although guests should confirm the applicable price for their sailing because charges and availability can change.
Kosher meals can be consumed in the main restaurants.
MSC says kosher meals must be booked at least 30 days before the ship's departure.
If kosher meals are essential to your trip, do not wait until embarkation.
When making the request, also mention any allergies or additional food restrictions because the kosher meal selection may be limited.
MSC Cruises may provide halal products, including halal beef, lamb, and poultry, when requested in advance.
The cruise line advises guests to make the request at least 30 days before departure.
A late request may not be guaranteed.
If halal food is an important requirement for your trip, include it in your pre-cruise dietary request and confirm it with the dining team after boarding.
Yes. MSC's Accessibility & Medical Request Form includes a low-sodium diet among the special dietary requirements that guests can request.
Guests who require a medically important restriction should provide the information before sailing and discuss it with the onboard dining team.
Do not assume that a dish described as "light," "healthy," or "wellness" is automatically low in sodium. MSC's buffet includes a Wellness Corner, but guests with a medically necessary sodium restriction should still confirm ingredients and preparation with staff.
Yes. MSC Cruises makes efforts to accommodate food allergies and intolerances.
However, guests with allergies need to take the request seriously and communicate it at multiple stages.
MSC specifically asks guests to:
MSC states that the main dining rooms are best equipped to handle food requests and reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
No. MSC states that it cannot completely eliminate the possibility of accidental cross-contamination during food preparation.
This distinction is important for guests with severe allergies.
Even when the cruise line has been informed, travelers should not assume that a meal is completely free from allergen exposure without confirming the preparation process with the appropriate staff.
MSC also recommends that guests with known allergies bring prescribed emergency medication as directed by their physician.
Generally, yes.
MSC specifically recommends its main dining rooms for guests with food allergies and other dietary requirements because there is greater control over the preparation and service of special meals.
The buffet offers a wide range of food, which can be convenient, but buffet service can make cross-contact harder to control.
For example, serving utensils may be used around multiple dishes, and ingredients can be difficult to verify simply by looking at a prepared item.
If you have a medically significant allergy, speak with the dining supervisor rather than relying only on buffet labels.
Some dietary-friendly choices are available at the buffet, including vegetarian and vegan-friendly food.
However, MSC advises that the main dining rooms are better equipped to accommodate most special dietary requirements. The cruise line also says it cannot guarantee the absence of cross-contamination at the buffet.
Therefore, travelers with serious allergies should favor the main dining room and communicate directly with the dining team.
Yes, certain food can be blended onboard for medical reasons or for infants.
MSC specifically lists blended food as a special food request.
If you require blended meals, make the request before sailing so the onboard team can understand what is needed.
Parents traveling with infants should also discuss feeding requirements before departure rather than assuming that every type of infant food preparation will be available.
In certain circumstances, yes.
MSC states that guests may bring factory-sealed special food onboard following written approval from the company. The products should have their original labeling and comply with applicable food-labeling requirements.
There are important restrictions.
MSC says:
If you need to bring specialized food, obtain written approval before traveling.
Dietary planning becomes more complicated when a meal is included during a shore excursion.
MSC advises guests to communicate their allergy or special dietary requirement to the appropriate staff when booking a tour that includes a meal.
Guests with significant allergies should be especially careful about eating ashore because MSC cannot necessarily provide the same level of dietary control at an external restaurant or excursion venue.
MSC also specifically advises guests with allergies or intolerances visiting its private islands or private beaches to consider taking their meals onboard in the main dining room, where dietary requests can be better accommodated.
A severe allergy requires more planning than simply selecting a dietary preference.
2.After boarding:
MSC says the risk of accidental cross-contamination cannot be completely eliminated, even with preventive measures.
It depends on the type of meal.
Vegetarian and vegan dishes are incorporated into the normal dining offerings, so they are not generally treated as a separate paid meal service. Gluten-free meal options are also available within the main restaurant offering on most ships.
Kosher meals, however, may carry an additional charge. MSC currently lists €25/$30 per person per day for pre-packaged kosher breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Because pricing and availability can vary, confirm the cost applicable to your particular sailing before departure.
You should not rely on making the request for the first time after boarding.
MSC asks guests to provide special dietary information at booking or at least 30 days before sailing. The company says late notification can prevent it from guaranteeing the requested accommodation.
You should still speak with the dining team after boarding to confirm your requirements.
In other words, the best approach is:
Request before sailing → confirm after boarding → discuss individual meals with dining staff.
The more precise your request, the easier it is for the dining team to understand what you need.
Instead of writing:
"I need special food."
Give information such as:
If you have multiple restrictions, list each one separately.
For example, a guest may need both gluten-free and dairy-free meals. Providing both details helps the dining team plan appropriately.
MSC's specialty restaurants are separate from the main restaurant dining service, and their menus and availability vary by ship.
Guests with dietary restrictions should not assume that a specialty restaurant can automatically provide the same accommodation as the main dining room.
MSC recommends the main restaurants for handling special dietary requests, particularly allergies, because they provide greater control over the production and service of special meals.
If you want to dine at a specialty restaurant while following a strict diet, ask the restaurant and onboard dining team about your specific requirements before ordering.
MSC offers children's menus across its ships, and the cruise line says it caters to vegetarian and gluten-free diets as well as a variety of other dietary requirements.
Parents should still report a child's allergy or medical dietary requirement before sailing.
If an infant requires blended food for medical or feeding reasons, MSC allows guests to request food to be blended onboard.
For infants with specific medical or nutritional needs, parents should plan ahead and confirm exactly what the ship can provide.
Do not wait until embarkation. MSC recommends submitting dietary information at booking or at least 30 days before sailing.
Clearly state whether your need is a preference, intolerance, allergy, religious requirement, or medical restriction.
Visit Reception/Guest Services and speak with the dining team.
MSC identifies the main dining rooms as the best-equipped locations for special dietary requests.
Buffet food can involve cross-contact. Always ask staff if you have a serious allergy.
If an excursion includes food, tell the appropriate staff about your dietary requirement before the excursion.
Guests with known allergies should bring their prescribed emergency medication as directed by their physician.
Gluten-free offerings and other dietary services can differ between ships, so check the details for your particular vessel.
Yes. MSC Cruises accommodates several dietary requirements, including vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, halal, low-sodium, allergy-related, and certain medical or infant food requests.
MSC recommends notifying the cruise line at booking or at least 30 days before sailing. Some requests, such as kosher and halal options, specifically require advance notification.
Yes. Vegan-friendly dishes are incorporated into MSC's buffet and main restaurant culinary offerings.
Yes. Vegetarian options are available in the main restaurants and buffet.
Yes. MSC offers meals made with gluten-free ingredients for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in the main restaurants on most ships.
Kosher meals may be available as pre-packaged breakfast, lunch, and dinner for an additional charge. MSC currently lists €25/$30 per person per day and requires booking at least 30 days before departure.
Halal beef, lamb, and poultry may be available when requested at least 30 days before departure. Availability should be confirmed for the specific cruise.
MSC makes efforts to accommodate food allergies and intolerances. Guests should report allergies before sailing and again to the dining team after boarding. However, MSC cannot completely guarantee the absence of cross-contamination.
MSC does not guarantee that buffet food is free from cross-contamination. Guests with significant allergies are advised to use the main dining room, where dietary requests can be better controlled.
In certain circumstances, factory-sealed special food may be brought onboard with written approval from MSC. Homemade food is not permitted, and onboard staff are not authorized to store, cook, or heat guest-provided food.
Yes. MSC allows guests to request certain food to be blended onboard for medical reasons or for infants.
Yes. MSC asks guests with dietary requirements or allergies to confirm their needs with Reception/Guest Services and/or the Maître d'hôtel in the Main Dining Room after boarding and before consuming food or beverages.
MSC Cruises can accommodate many common dietary requirements, making cruising possible for guests who need vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, kosher, halal, low-sodium, or allergy-conscious meals.
The most important step is early communication. Submit your dietary requirement when booking or at least 30 days before departure, and clearly explain any allergies or medical restrictions. Once onboard, confirm the request with Guest Services and the dining team.
For serious allergies, the main dining room is generally the better choice because MSC says it provides greater control over special meal preparation. At the same time, guests should understand that the cruise line cannot completely eliminate the risk of cross-contamination.
With advance planning and clear communication, you can make your dietary needs known before the cruise and give the onboard dining team the information needed to provide appropriate meal options.
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