danoconnl

we did UDP on Odyssey in March of 2022, we really enjoyed it. We enjoy the specialty dining but thats a personal preference. I compare the MDR to applebees and the specialty rest to chains like McCormick and Schmidts or Coopers Hawk. When we were on in March every specialty rest was included, Playmakers, and Giovannis Wine Bar(this is the food in the bar, not the rest., thats alwas included) as well. I'm not sure that is still included, it's hit and miss from ship to ship. Dan

I feel pretty confident that the answer is yes, but I wanted to make sure that on embarkation day, if we go to mason jar for lunch that we can make our dining reservations for the week for all of the specialty restaraunts as well(I know we can at chops, giovannis and izumi). Our 1st priority on embarkation day is our dining reservations for the. week, but I think we'd also like to start at mason jar instead of windjammer since I've heard what a mess it can be on embarkation day there. Dan

That is a must, we made the mistake of not having it until our last night on our last cruise. Wont make that mistake again, Dan

its what I expected Thanks Dan

Unlimited Dining package, the apps in the wine bar that are ala carte Thanks Dan

Are you able to use the UDP in the wine bar? we were on Odyssey but I've heard you can't on Wonder Dan

We ate lunch and dinner on Odyssey on our march 2022 sailing. The food was pretty good. I'm not sure we'll do it other than late night pizza when on Wonder next March. So many other places and we've got really good Italian here in St. Louis in a community known as "The Hill", so we are spoiled. Dan

thank, not sure if we'll do it but I could see us getting a 5:30 or 6 reservation and then going there for pizza(and maybe dessert) at 9:30 Dan

Sorrentos vs Giovannis isn't even close. And we aren't getting the UDP for the pizza 🙂 Dan

well, theres a 9:30 reservation that we can snag, I guess I should have defined late 🙂 Dan

we've got the UDP on our cruise in March on Wonder. We enjoy the late night pizza but like different things. Wife loves mushrooms, I can't stand them. We don't need a whole pizza for each of us, so can you order a half meat lovers and half mixed mushroom like I would at a local pizza joint? Thanks Dan

What time did you board, and how long did it take you? Also, did you have any issues getting the times you wanted? what times were you looking for? Thanks Dan

well you are circumventing the rules. You are paying a reduced price for the specialty rest. and for getting that reduced price you are giving up the ability to make reservations before you board. You are creating paperwork for Royal to fulfil your cancelation. I believe that royal sells only so many packages and reservation so that they can deal with capacity issues and you are using that capacity twice. Dan

We'll see you there in '24, We've cruised many St Patrick days and the festivities are a bit underwhelming compared to what we see her in st louis(and I know many other cities) Dan O'Connell

yeah, it sucks how it is so inconsistent. We had it on odyssey march of 21 and it includes the wine bar, the pub food, everything. Now we're going on wonder next and it doesn't include the wine bar i've been told. Why playmakers and not the wine bar? I think from what I have gathered, it's whomever is in charge of dining on the ship Dan

its more about wasting extra money if the weather isn't good. Dan

how late can you wait to cancel coco cay? Last time we cruised our stop in coco cay was a miserable weather day(but not so bad that it would have been cancelled by Royal, imagine low 70's and overcast/drizzling all day) and if I had spent money on the beach club or anything else it would have been a waste. We've got a cruise coming up and I doubt I'll splurge for anything, but I might, and I was wondering what the cancellation policy is. Thanks Dan

Thanks for the responses, we're not sailing until next March but I had watched a video witch sparked the question. We'll be uber-ing from a hotel a few miles away, Looks like we'll plan for a 9:45/10 arrival time. Dan

We've never departed from Port Canaveral. In doing research for our Wonder cruise, it seems to me that getting on the ship early happens alot. I'm reading watching people on the ship as early as 10:30 and alot before 11. We get on the ship as soon as we can to start our vacation, but at everglades or miami, the earliest we've ever been on a ship is11:15, and a few times after 12(not a lot of cruises, once a year for the last 8 years). So is Port Everglades that much more efficient or that less crowded with ships that I should expect to be on the ship early? If I get a 10:30am boarding time, should I plan on getting to the port at 9:45? 10am? Like I said, we want to get on the ship as early as we can and start our vacation(without paying a suite or key price :-)) Thanks Dan

can you use the OBC in the cruise planner before the cruise departs, or it is truly "on board" credit. Dan

I think if they just removed towels/belongings until 9:30 or so it would solve half the problems. I'm usually up pretty early(8am'ish) and find chairs for us where we want to be. So many chairs that just sit with towels on them until after 10 or 11. We are usually in the chairs all day except for breakfast(we'll eat lunch in our chairs), and we make sure to be back in 30 minutes. Dan

we have the UDP for our next cruise. last time it was $20 but it was pretty much unlimited, they just started a new tab. Now it's $20 per day but it's confusing if its per restaurant or total per day. Is that per restaurant(so you have $20 to spend at playmakers and izumi) or is it $20 at izumi and $20 at playmakers each day. I sitll don't think we spent more than $20 per day anyway, but I could see us trying to do a bit more, like take out from playmakers for lunch or johnny rockets, and then campfire cookie after dinner(discovered this way too late on our last trip).. Also, if you know, do you have to use all $20 in one trip, or can it be $10 in the morning and $10 at night. Thanks Dan

So Im thinking of buying the refreshment package now, and the DBP later(while cancelling the refreshment package) as a way to lessen the blow of paying for it all at once(~1100 for our cruise). Not that I don't have the money, I just hate laying it all out at once. Some of you may say I'm being stupid(just save the money, or does it really matter, etc..). Is there any issue with this plan. I know I won't get the refund right away, but I figure it'll be close enough. Dan

I was curious if anyone has done much specialty dining without a reservation and how long they had to wait if they got served at all. We'll have reservations, but sometimes plans change or your modd changes, or the 1st time wasn't very good so you really don't want to go back, but it's day 4 and there isn't anything available on day 7. Just curious if anyone has experience, we've only done it once way back when it was like $8 additional to eat at the specialty place on voyager of the seas back in 2000(cant remember the name) Dan

was the hassle that the times you wanted weren't available? We had the UDP on our last cruise and we are planning to get it for our next cruise on Wonder. Just wondering what the specific issues were. Thanks for the review Dan