Unlimited dining is it worth it?

[mommyof2monkeys+princess]

We are sailing next month on Allure.  I am wondering if paying the $175 a person is worth it for the unlimited dining?  

[Clarea]

Not to me.

[RFerrington]

We always get the UDP and enjoy eating at the specialties much more than the MDR these days.  For longer cruises and on ships with few specialty options it could get redundant. We did a 12 night on Grandeur last Christmas and I will say that the few options there got pretty boring but for Allure I think it would definitely be worth it.  It is to us, anyway.

[The Scurvy Pirate]

As it includes lunches on sea days, you also have to consider how many times you will be able to actually use it.  So, if there are a lot of ports then you can't use it as frequently.  The ability to do multiple restaurants a night is nice, especially if you want to get an appetizer or desert at one restaurant and eat a meal at another.   When I looked at it, taking into consideration access to the Coastal Kitchen (was in a JS) and formal nights, the 3 night package made more sense than the unlimited...

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, mommyof2monkeys+princess said:

We are sailing next month on Allure.  I am wondering if paying the $175 a person is worth it for the unlimited dining?  

 

Definitely depends on the ship. Allure is a good ship for it

[John&LaLa]

6 minutes ago, The Scurvy Pirate said:

As it includes lunches on sea days, you also have to consider how many times you will be able to actually use it.  So, if there are a lot of ports then you can't use it as frequently.  The ability to do multiple restaurants a night is nice, especially if you want to get an appetizer or desert at one restaurant and eat a meal at another.   When I looked at it, taking into consideration access to the Coastal Kitchen (was in a JS) and formal nights, the 3 night package made more sense than the unlimited...

 

There has been a lot of confusion on the ability to do multiple venues over the course of an evening,  or even the same venue again.  Most have reported only being able to secure one reservation a meal.

 

I guess if I was going to try it, I'd make reservations for the entree and just show up for apps or dessert. Either way seems to be a logistical nightmare for the venue

[mommyof2monkeys+princess]

Thanks for the opinions.  Hubby and I were going back in forth.  Since we already spent so much for us to get in the grand suite.  I am of the opinion that we will spend more so should get the package.  Dh was undecided but saw my logic.  We love sushi and are major foodies.  Our dining out category at home is insanely high.  Our kids are use to hibachi at least monthly and that is on the ship too.  I can't imagine we will just still with the free once we get on board.  It is $875 for us.  Our itinerary has us sailing alot as well.  It is a week cruise Sun-Sun with only 3 ports and one of the ports we leave at 2pm and the other two leave at 5pm so the rest of the time on the ship.   

[John&LaLa]

1 minute ago, mommyof2monkeys+princess said:

Thanks for the opinions.  Hubby and I were going back in forth.  Since we already spent so much for us to get in the grand suite.  I am of the opinion that we will spend more so should get the package.  Dh was undecided but saw my logic.  We love sushi and are major foodies.  Our dining out category at home is insanely high.  Our kids are use to hibachi at least monthly and that is on the ship too.  I can't imagine we will just still with the free once we get on board.  It is $875 for us.  Our itinerary has us sailing alot as well.  It is a week cruise Sun-Sun with only 3 ports and one of the ports we leave at 2pm and the other two leave at 5pm so the rest of the time on the ship.   

 

Downside to pkg is you can't get reservations in advance. Upside to your situation,  is you should be ab to e to have suite Concierges get your reservations the week before. 😉

 

Enjoy the Hibachi

[mommyof2monkeys+princess]

11 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Downside to pkg is you can't get reservations in advance. Upside to your situation,  is you should be ab to e to have suite Concierges get your reservations the week before. 😉

 

Enjoy the Hibachi

Awesome for the advise about the suite concierge!  We have 2 sons that graduated high school so this is their graduation present so the thought is adding all the unlimited (did the drink package as well) so we can go have a good time and know it is all paid for already.  This is our first time doing suite level we are usually ocean view types LOL.  

 

I called in and was very tempted to pay the difference for the Aqua theater room but it end up being just under $2600 more and that was just more than I knew I could get dh to go for.  

[rjgdjg]

We just did it recently on the Allure and my advice is: bring your appetite. It's a lot of food. And we never did the lunches.

 

The upsides:Having better food and better service every night.

The downsides: Working the meals around the shows is a challenge, no longer have the option to just get a casual dinner at Windjammer if you feel like it (of course, you still can, but you've paid for specialty dining), it's a long meal

 

Also, we found that it helps if you have a wide palate and are willing to eat in many of the restaurants. Otherwise, you'll find yourself going back to the same restaurant night after night. - Musing About Cruising

Edited June 21, 2019 by rjgdjg

[Joseph2017China]

1 hour ago, John&LaLa said:

 

There has been a lot of confusion on the ability to do multiple venues over the course of an evening,  or even the same venue again.  Most have reported only being able to secure one reservation a meal.

 

I guess if I was going to try it, I'd make reservations for the entree and just show up for apps or dessert. Either way seems to be a logistical nightmare for the venue

Sorry, but why would you want to eat dinner two times in one night for a full sit down meal?  Why would you want to only have apps, and than eat again later for dinner?  I had it recently, on a 12 day cruise with 7 specialty restaurants to choose from.  I can't say I ever wanted to have two dinners with the amount of food served.  But if you really did want something later in the evening, you can always stop at Izumi. 

 

It's not a logistical nightmare for the venue.  They take your reservation and you show up.  They sit you, you order a bowl of Broccoli, eat it and say goodbye.  Your reservation later, you get a steak.  Later on still, you stop in and see if you can be seated just for a key lime pie. 

 

It's a logistical nightmare for the person, who has to plan all this eating, instead of just sitting down and enjoying the dinner once.

 

If a lot of packages are sold, they limit one reservation per night, but you can still go to any restaurant and they will sit you, if by chance a person just came in for a bowl of broccoli and opened up a table you will be seated. 

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Joseph2017China said:

Sorry, but why would you want to eat dinner two times in one night for a full sit down meal?  Why would you want to only have apps, and than eat again later for dinner?  I had it recently, on a 12 day cruise with 7 specialty restaurants to choose from.  I can't say I ever wanted to have two dinners with the amount of food served.  But if you really did want something later in the evening, you can always stop at Izumi. 

 

It's not a logistical nightmare for the venue.  They take your reservation and you show up.  They sit you, you order a bowl of Broccoli, eat it and say goodbye.  Your reservation later, you get a steak.  Later on still, you stop in and see if you can be seated just for a key lime pie. 

 

It's a logistical nightmare for the person, who has to plan all this eating, instead of just sitting down and enjoying the dinner once.

 

If a lot of packages are sold, they limit one reservation per night, but you can still go to any restaurant and they will sit you, if by chance a person just came in for a bowl of broccoli and opened up a table you will be seated. 

 

I have no idea why, but Royal markets it as unlimited. Here are some guesses on why

a) bariatric patient who can only eat small amounts at one time ( I read of that one)

b) get apps before going to an early show

c) you really like to eat a lot

d) because you can

 

I still feel it is a logistical problem for the venues. If they sell to 20-30 couples that want to do this, they have to turn a lot more tables in any given night. And it could easily be more. They really don't do 30 minute table reservations so you can get the bacon app in Chops. Once they seat you, you can stay as long as you want. Probably why they are resisting letting people do multiple reservations in advance.

 

As far as the customer, good luck just showing up between shows and expecting a seat

 

FWIW, I booked it for Laura on Mariner June 28. She like Izumi. I'll see if she ever goes more than once a night. But I doubt it

[springfire]

We will have Unlimited dining on the Allure for our September cruise.  We will make all our dinner reservation when we get on the ship but we will also see if any of the specialty restaurants will allow us to enjoy an appetizer before a show.   Royal seems to be advertising the Unlimited dining in a way that we should be able to do this.  We will find out in September.

[mommyof2monkeys+princess]

I have a wrestler 19 yr old son, an 18 yr old son who doctors say needs to gain weight and a daughter who is in the cheer gym about 15+ hours a week - THEY CAN EAT!!!  My grocery bill and dining out bill are about double or more most other families with teens LOL.  So my family could very easily want a 5pm dinner and then a 9pm dinner.  Then there is me who should work at losing weight but I sit and watch my kids but then eat along with them HAHAHAHAA

[socialworker]

We purchased the "Unlimited Dining Package" because we're celebrating our 30th anniversary and my husband loves to try all the different restaurants on the Allure.  Last year, same ship, we bought the 3 night package, but we ended up paying "full price" for some of the others he wanted to try.  When we were considering the unlimited package, we actually did the math and for us it will save $.

[rockwallroses]

We thought it was a great value at $175 per person on Allure---we loved it.  Going to Sabor for lunch and our choice of restaurants was so fun.  Thankfully, our server at Giovanni's recommended their Filet Mignon.  She said it was the best on the ship, wow was she correct.  It was way better than what we had at Chops.  Gave her a nice tip !! 

[Iamcruzin]

On 6/21/2019 at 1:36 PM, Joseph2017China said:

Sorry, but why would you want to eat dinner two times in one night for a full sit down meal?  Why would you want to only have apps, and than eat again later for dinner?  I had it recently, on a 12 day cruise with 7 specialty restaurants to choose from.  I can't say I ever wanted to have two dinners with the amount of food served.  But if you really did want something later in the evening, you can always stop at Izumi. 

 

It's not a logistical nightmare for the venue.  They take your reservation and you show up.  They sit you, you order a bowl of Broccoli, eat it and say goodbye.  Your reservation later, you get a steak.  Later on still, you stop in and see if you can be seated just for a key lime pie. 

 

It's a logistical nightmare for the person, who has to plan all this eating, instead of just sitting down and enjoying the dinner once.

 

If a lot of packages are sold, they limit one reservation per night, but you can still go to any restaurant and they will sit you, if by chance a person just came in for a bowl of broccoli and opened up a table you will be seated. 

To me it doesn't make sense financially to break up the courses. Even if you eat 3 different courses in 3 restaurants it's sill one full meal. It's not like the drink package where  you need to drink a certain amount you break even or come out ahead.

[cb at sea]

You can eat in the buffet, then go to dinner in the dining room, then get snacks later...all without ANY "dining plan" at all!

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, rockwallroses said:

We thought it was a great value at $175 per person on Allure---we loved it.  Going to Sabor for lunch and our choice of restaurants was so fun.  Thankfully, our server at Giovanni's recommended their Filet Mignon.  She said it was the best on the ship, wow was she correct.  It was way better than what we had at Chops.  Gave her a nice tip !! 

 

Coastal Kitchen makes a nice filet

[John&LaLa]

54 minutes ago, Iamcruzin said:

To me it doesn't make sense financially to break up the courses. Even if you eat 3 different courses in 3 restaurants it's sill one full meal. It's not like the drink package where  you need to drink a certain amount you break even or come out ahead.

 

It's  not like you pay extra for unlimited, it's just the way it is now.

 

There used to be a beer and wine drinking pkg a few years ago, now it's just everything

Edited June 25, 2019 by John&LaLa

[StlGal]

Does anyone know if the UDP covers the cost for tapas at Vintages on Harmony?  Yes, I know it's not technically tapas anymore as the food is from Jaime's, but I couldn't find another word for it... snacks? light apps?  Anyway, I'm sure that you you get my point.  🙂

 

Thanks!

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, StlGal said:

Does anyone know if the UDP covers the cost for tapas at Vintages on Harmony?  Yes, I know it's not technically tapas anymore as the food is from Jaime's, but I couldn't find another word for it... snacks? light apps?  Anyway, I'm sure that you you get my point.  🙂

 

Thanks!

Vintages is not included

[Clarea]

7 hours ago, StlGal said:

Does anyone know if the UDP covers the cost for tapas at Vintages on Harmony?  Yes, I know it's not technically tapas anymore as the food is from Jaime's, but I couldn't find another word for it... snacks? light apps?  Anyway, I'm sure that you you get my point.  🙂

 

Thanks!

 

Vintages is not considered a specialty restaurant.

[molly361]

It's worth it if the price is right.  We enjoyed not having all the loudness and hub bub of the MDR last year on the Oasis.  We have it again for this December.  Don't think it's worth $199 pp but it was worth the $125 and $150 we paid for last year and this year.

[countess5]

We always purchase the UDP when sailing Royal, $175 PP is a bargain compared to our up coming Celebrity cruise which is $299 PP and they only have three restaurants! We sailed Explorer in the South Pacific this past winter and they only had three restaurants but for $175 it was worth it, not $299. Not sure where X thinks they can charge $299 PP and people like or are willing to pay this. I know, some people will. Give me the selection of restaurants that is on Oasis or Ovation class and maybe the $299 PP would be more palatable! 

 

Cheers!🍸