UDP and new oasis restuarants

[bobkins40]

I am just trying to make sure I understand the unlimited dining and the new $ restaurants on Oasis

Can I only go to Portside BBQ on Sea days ?

with unlimited dining I can go to dinner at any of the restaurants all week...

but with Portside,  sushi, playmakers ($20),  & johnny rockets-  I get $35 credit  but only on sea days for lunch ?

Edited November 27, 2019 by bobkins40

[Clarea]

The UDP only covers lunch on sea days.  However, if any of those restaurants are open for dinner, the UDP will cover it.

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, Host Clarea said:

The UDP only covers lunch on sea days.  However, if any of those restaurants are open for dinner, the UDP will cover it.

 

UDP is actually kind of interesting. 

Laura was able to use it on port days once Johnny Rockets and Playmakers opened around 2pm. This was Mariner in June. Nassau and Coco Cay

 

U is for Unlimited😉

Edited November 27, 2019 by John&LaLa

[molly361]

12 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

UDP is actually kind of interesting. 

Laura was able to use it on port days once Johnny Rockets and Playmakers opened around 2pm. This was Mariner in June. Nassau and Coco Cay

 

U is for Unlimited😉

Someone just off the Mariner 3 day stated that they could use them for lunch on all 3 days as well.  Not sure which restaurants they went to.

[bobkins40]

that is why I got confused- I assumed that the fancier restaurants like chops are only open on sea days for lunch- but with all the new choices like that bar and grill type venues if it still held true !

 

looking at the menus I think playmakers is going to be a common lunch for us

[BNBR]

On Symphony, it's NOT only sea days.  I had lunch at Playmakers and Rockets on port days, no problem at all.  Same with embarkation. All over the ship they take the dining package, anytime of day, any day.  I'd bet Oasis is the same.  I think they advertise sea days, not because it's restricted port days, but because RCCL thinks it sounds like a bonus as more specialty spots are open sea days.

[BNBR]

17 minutes ago, bobkins40 said:

that is why I got confused- I assumed that the fancier restaurants like chops are only open on sea days for lunch- but with all the new choices like that bar and grill type venues if it still held true !

 

looking at the menus I think playmakers is going to be a common lunch for us

 

As mentioned in my previous post, UDP works fine on port days at rockets.  Playmakers didn't open until 2 and the UDP worked there just fine as well on a port day at 2.

[John&LaLa]

1 hour ago, BNBR said:

On Symphony, it's NOT only sea days.  I had lunch at Playmakers and Rockets on port days, no problem at all.  Same with embarkation. All over the ship they take the dining package, anytime of day, any day.  I'd bet Oasis is the same.  I think they advertise sea days, not because it's restricted port days, but because RCCL thinks it sounds like a bonus as more specialty spots are open sea days.

 

Our upcoming Allure TA has 12 nights and 11 sea days. The meals end up costing about $12.50 each

[discru]

11 hours ago, molly361 said:

Someone just off the Mariner 3 day stated that they could use them for lunch on all 3 days as well.  Not sure which restaurants they went to.

That was probably me... on the Mariner. We ate at Chops for lunch on embarkation, then Chops again for lunch for Nassau port day, then had lunch at Jamie’s on CocoCay day. 

[vtroach]

I purchased UDP at the current lowest price for my next cruise, but I am really torn to keep it because I may be too inflexible in my dining plans. If anyone catches my drift, the UDP is a supply and demand marketing promotion for Royal where the price for UDP is indeed priced right so the demand is high; however, Royal knows that everything about the package is limited so the supply is lower than we anticipate. The available dining opportunities and food in inventory are both limited. Royal is banking that as availability diminishes quickly on board, we will have to accept reservations for their less desirable restaurants and times. Does anyone with prior experience have any other tips or tricks to address the limited nature of the UDP other than being very flexible or being first to book on embarkation day?

[BNBR]

1 hour ago, vtroach said:

I purchased UDP at the current lowest price for my next cruise, but I am really torn to keep it because I may be too inflexible in my dining plans. If anyone catches my drift, the UDP is a supply and demand marketing promotion for Royal where the price for UDP is indeed priced right so the demand is high; however, Royal knows that everything about the package is limited so the supply is lower than we anticipate. The available dining opportunities and food in inventory are both limited. Royal is banking that as availability diminishes quickly on board, we will have to accept reservations for their less desirable restaurants and times. Does anyone with prior experience have any other tips or tricks to address the limited nature of the UDP other than being very flexible or being first to book on embarkation day?

 

That was a tough read....  We had no problem getting every day and time we wanted by booking embarkation day.  If you are against that, then just walk in and try and get a table.  We had no problem getting a table a couple of times without reservations.  So just go make your most probable reservations embarkation day, and if you change, then try to walk in and get a table if unable to secure another reservation.

[AshleyDillo]

You can use the package at any of the covered restaurants any time that that restaurant is open. Currently on board Oasis right now. You do need to make reservations for Chops, Giovanni's, 150 Central Park, and Izumi Hibachi as they usually don't have walk-ups room for dinner, but they may at lunch.  The rest you should be able to walk in and they will have space available.

[BNBR]

5 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

You can use the package at any of the covered restaurants any time that that restaurant is open. Currently on board Oasis right now. You do need to make reservations for Chops, Giovanni's, 150 Central Park, and Izumi Hibachi as they usually don't have walk-ups room for dinner, but they may at lunch.  The rest you should be able to walk in and they will have space available.

 

On Symphony now.  Sea day.  We got turned away from Hooked without a reservation for lunch, she looked hard trying to get us in, but both Chops and Jamie's could accommodate.  We ate at Jamie's.  Did Izumi sushi last night with no reservation, no problem.  I wouldn't personally do the package if you don't want to reserve most meals, but it's possible to walk in.  Interestingly, we found lunch at the specialties much more crowded than dinner.  And reading your comment, you, like us, would have thought the opposite.  We'll make lunch reservations next time, too.

Edited November 28, 2019 by BNBR

[AshleyDillo]

4 hours ago, vtroach said:

Does anyone with prior experience have any other tips or tricks to address the limited nature of the UDP other than being very flexible or being first to book on embarkation day?

It's much easier with a smaller party, but making reservations and sticking with them for the entire week when you board is the best way to guarantee you have a seat somewhere for dinner every night.  You do have to be flexible in that you may need to change up which restaurant on which day based on availability.  You can get on the ship at 11am usually and then make your reservations.  We did on Oasis this past Sunday and were able to make 7-730 reservations every night.  I was also able to make extra reservations on the app once I was on the ship's wifi.  

[AshleyDillo]

2 minutes ago, BNBR said:

And reading your comment, you, like us, would have thought the opposite.  We'll make lunch reservations next time, too.

 

We just figured we would do the pay specialties here like Portside BBQ, Izumi sushi, Playmakers and Johnny Rockets for lunch and not a more drawn out meal kind of place.  So we didn't even look at lunch reservations for Oasis. 

 

But having experienced Symphony, I know for sure I would have made lunch reservations for that one.  We showed up right when they opened for the very first lunch of the sailing and were turned away initially because we didn't have reservations. 

 

I would like the package a lot better if they would understand when I tell them I really only want one specific item and don't need to go through the rigmarole of the entire three-course dining process. Going to the specialty restaurants is such a time suck.  I'm more interested in the food than the atmosphere and dining experience.  Too bad I have to go Star Class to really get that..and even then it only really works as delivered room service.

[BNBR]

31 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

 

We just figured we would do the pay specialties here like Portside BBQ, Izumi sushi, Playmakers and Johnny Rockets for lunch and not a more drawn out meal kind of place.  So we didn't even look at lunch reservations for Oasis. 

 

But having experienced Symphony, I know for sure I would have made lunch reservations for that one.  We showed up right when they opened for the very first lunch of the sailing and were turned away initially because we didn't have reservations. 

 

I would like the package a lot better if they would understand when I tell them I really only want one specific item and don't need to go through the rigmarole of the entire three-course dining process. Going to the specialty restaurants is such a time suck.  I'm more interested in the food than the atmosphere and dining experience.  Too bad I have to go Star Class to really get that..and even then it only really works as delivered room service.

 

We were in and out of lunch in about 30 minutes today.  And in fact, our waiter even gave us 2 bottles of wine to take back to the room since we have drink package, which I'm pretty sure doesn't include bottles...  Our experience with the UDP has been really stellar so far.

[retire2cruise55]

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