Unlimited Dining Package

[MICruser]

I purchased the package for an upcoming cruise and just have a few questions.  If I purchased the package online before the cruise, can anyone confirm it includes tipping?  Also, is it true that we can order seconds if desired at any of the specialty restaurants we go to?  

[Ourusualbeach]

9 minutes ago, MICruser said:

I purchased the package for an upcoming cruise and just have a few questions.  If I purchased the package online before the cruise, can anyone confirm it includes tipping?  Also, is it true that we can order seconds if desired at any of the specialty restaurants we go to?  

Yes it include the gratuity.  seconds of appetizers and desserts are no problem.  second entrees...may vary by ship and restaurant.

Edited March 3, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[MICruser]

Would that be true at Portside BBQ and Playmakers?  For example, if my husband wanted to order additional wings, would he be able to get them?

[smakl]

Playmakers and Portside BBQ have a credit (I believe $35) per person per visit.  

[MICruser]

I think I read that the credit is $20 at these two restaurants, but I wondered if we exceeded the amount would they let us reorder?

[Ourusualbeach]

6 minutes ago, MICruser said:

I think I read that the credit is $20 at these two restaurants, but I wondered if we exceeded the amount would they let us reorder?

Credit is $20 per viisit.  a 3 meat dinner is $15.99 you can probably add an extra meat for $3 or $4.  Tons of food.

[MICruser]

okay, great.  Thank you!  For those that have purchased it in the past, what was your experience?  We are cruising on Oasis.

[Longhorn Cruiser]

Savor the savings with the Unlimited Dining Package! For one low price, you can enjoy multiple entrees and visit multiple specialty restaurants every night of your sailing. And as an added perk, this unlimited package also applies to lunch at specialty restaurants on sea days. Plus, enjoy a discount of 40% off bottles of wine under $100 and 20% off bottles above $100 while dining in specialty restaurants.

A courtesy reservation will be made for the first night of your cruise based on your preferred dining time. You will receive your courtesy reservation confirmation in your stateroom on the first day of your cruise. All additional reservations or changes to your courtesy reservation must be made once onboard at any specialty restaurant.

For restaurants with a la carte pricing, you’ll receive a $35 food credit, with the exception of Port Side BBQ and Playmakers which will be $20.*

For ships with these venues, Teppanyaki/Izumi Hibachi is included, with a $10 surcharge, which will be charged onboard.*

[Ourusualbeach]

6 minutes ago, MICruser said:

okay, great.  Thank you!  For those that have purchased it in the past, what was your experience?  We are cruising on Oasis.

Loved Portside BBQ.  We had the UDP at Christmas and went there nearly everyday for lunch.  One day we went again at 4:00 for a snack as we had a 9:00 dinner

[Tulsacoker]

2 hours ago, MICruser said:

okay, great.  Thank you!  For those that have purchased it in the past, what was your experience?  We are cruising on Oasis.

Love it and have it on our upcoming Oasis cruise. Yes you can get multiple entrees and multiple visit each day. Nice thing is try each and see what you want to visit another day on the cruise. Th only one that cost some extra is Hibachi. there is a $10 charge. Tipping is included "so they say" but you will get a zero dollar check at the end and there will be a space if you want to tip additionally  

[thrifty99]

We were able to get anything we wanted as far as multiple appetizers, entrees, or desserts when on Harmony last September.  We never had 2 entrees each, but one dinner the 2 of us could not decide on 3 entrees and the waiter said he would bring out all 3. Izumi Hibachi was included and then $4 extra if you wanted a 2nd meat. It looks like they are now charging $10 for that from the comments above.

 

What we liked is you can also go to a restaurant for a 2nd visit later in the night for something small if you like.  For example, we had an early (5:30) dinner at 150 Central Park and really liked an appetizer and dessert so we made another reservation towards the end of the evening to go back and just have those 2 items.  

[taglovestocruise]

6 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Yes it include the gratuity.  seconds of appetizers and desserts are no problem.  second entrees...may vary by ship and restaurant.

We were told by our waiter in Jamie's that a service charge is included with the package and not the gratuity that is included when purchasing onboard. The waiter said they receive about $3.00 and another $3.00 goes into the tip pool. If anything is added to the bill or left on the table it is for them to keep. Our waiter in Jamie's said that all waiters in Jamie's then pool everything left as a tip.  Do you know if the waiter was right or just angling for a better tip.  We always have a package and always leave a extra $10.00 for the meal. 

[karenemily]

My husband typically ordered  more than one entree but it's been a couple of years since we were on a ship with speciality restaurants. We were never charged extra for his extra entrees. The last ship we were on was Oasis and we did a meal plan. 

[Ourusualbeach]

25 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

We were told by our waiter in Jamie's that a service charge is included with the package and not the gratuity that is included when purchasing onboard. The waiter said they receive about $3.00 and another $3.00 goes into the tip pool. If anything is added to the bill or left on the table it is for them to keep. Our waiter in Jamie's said that all waiters in Jamie's then pool everything left as a tip.  Do you know if the waiter was right or just angling for a better tip.  We always have a package and always leave a extra $10.00 for the meal. 

When I purchase it the website says gratuity included.  I go with that.  We leave about the same ($5pp) if service and food is good but how they pay their employees out of what I paid is up to them and not me.  

 

Whats the cost of Jamies?  About $40. If they are getting $6 ($3+$3) that’s 15%...not far from 18%....sounds like a gratuity to me. 

[taglovestocruise]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

When I purchase it the website says gratuity included.  I go with that.  We leave about the same ($5pp) if service and food is good but how they pay their employees out of what I paid is up to them and not me.  

 

Whats the cost of Jamies?  About $40. If they are getting $6 ($3+$3) that’s 15%...not far from 18%....sounds like a gratuity to me. 

Thanks, I think you are becoming the new Bob. 

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, taglovestocruise said:

Thanks, I think you are becoming the new Bob. 

Those shoes can never be filled.  

[trey420]

About the credit, can you use that 35 bucks at playmakers for lunch and still use your udp for dinner?  Also can that 35 dollars be used at chops like if I wanted that 20 dollar seafood tower?

[Ourusualbeach]

15 minutes ago, trey420 said:

About the credit, can you use that 35 bucks at playmakers for lunch and still use your udp for dinner?  Also can that 35 dollars be used at chops like if I wanted that 20 dollar seafood tower?

No.  The $35 is only for a la carte restaurants.  Chops includes the cover charge but not any of the extra fee items. 

 

You can absolutely got to Playmakers ($20 not $35) at lunch and go to Chops for dinner. 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Ourusualbeach

[Tree_skier]

1 hour ago, taglovestocruise said:

Thanks, I think you are becoming the new Bob. 

 

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Those shoes can never be filled.  

Who has that much time! Bob was amazing.

 

Edited March 4, 2020 by Tree_skier

[rsuther223]

Does anyone know what is on the children's menu? Thanks.

[Erik101]

10 hours ago, MICruser said:

For those that have purchased it in the past, what was your experience?  We are cruising on Oasis.

For me, it’s not worth it and I base it on two reasons: 

 

1. You won’t be able to choose the dining times with the UDP until you get to the ship.  This is an issue for me since I eat dinner between 6 and 6:30pm.  Since those times are considered prime, it doesn’t interest me to rush to guest services on embarkation day just so I can get my preferred dining time.  My mind is at ease knowing my reservations are set prior to boarding. 
2.  We stay in a grand suite and we go to Coastal Kitchen once or twice during the cruise.  It doesn’t make any sense for us to get the UDP if we’re taking advantage of the suite amenities.  

[Coralc]

5 hours ago, karenemily said:

 The last ship we were on was Oasis and we did a meal plan. 

 

It sounds like WeightWatchers Karen. 

[trey420]

3 hours ago, Coralc said:

 

It sounds like WeightWatchers Karen. 

I was thinking of dorm life and picking out a meal plan.

[Baggies58]

Hi All, thank you for all your help so far.

 

We are on our first cruise ever for our 40th Wedding Anniversary, traveling from Dublin, Ireland for an Alaskan Cruise on the Serenade Of Seas late August.

 

We were thinking of UDP as we think it might be more romantic and flexible regarding times. Having never done a Cruise before,  we have no idea what the Main Dining Room/Windjammer is like, is it worth paying the extra ?.  Some would say, it is like paying for food twice as it is already included in the price or is that the wrong way to look at it ??.

 

Also, am I correct in saying that at any time, if we just wanted an entree early, we could go back later for desert or something light. Am I also reading it right, that we can even change venue on the same night ??

[karenemily]

5 hours ago, Coralc said:

 

It sounds like WeightWatchers Karen. 

Yep... hubs calls it the see food plan. As in see food, eat food. Cruise calories don’t count! 😂