UDP- bait and switch

[IHateSnow!]

We just got off the Wonder with a party of 7.  We had the UDP. Here’s what we found:

 

1: we had plenty of a la crate credit for all of us for both playmakers and Izumi - we never paid extra anywhere.  
 

2: we had an impossible time getting reservations.  3 out of 6 days we were able to. Only 1 day was at a preferred (chops) restaurant and that was day 6 at 8:00 pm

 

3: making reservations in app was impossible.  We were on the ship at 11:30.  There were literally none available. Any day. 
 

4: a kind individual at mason jar helped me get Giovanni’s and Mason Jar.  The reservation desk at check in told me we were all set, and we were not.  
 

5: at all 3 experiences the restaurants were maybe 30% full.  Leading me to believe it’s a staffing issue.  Also, for a ship of 7k, the venues are exceptionally small. 
 

6: we were also told on 2 nights there were no my time dining reservations available. 
 

 

[molly361]

10 minutes ago, IHateSnow! said:

We just got off the Wonder with a party of 7.  We had the UDP. Here’s what we found:

 

1: we had plenty of a la crate credit for all of us for both playmakers and Izumi - we never paid extra anywhere.  
 

2: we had an impossible time getting reservations.  3 out of 6 days we were able to. Only 1 day was at a preferred (chops) restaurant and that was day 6 at 8:00 pm

 

3: making reservations in app was impossible.  We were on the ship at 11:30.  There were literally none available. Any day. 
 

4: a kind individual at mason jar helped me get Giovanni’s and Mason Jar.  The reservation desk at check in told me we were all set, and we were not.  
 

5: at all 3 experiences the restaurants were maybe 30% full.  Leading me to believe it’s a staffing issue.  Also, for a ship of 7k, the venues are exceptionally small. 
 

6: we were also told on 2 nights there were no my time dining reservations available. 
 

 

Also just off the Wonder and had the UDP.  I was onboard a bit before 11am and I could not get a hibachi reservation.  I got all others but I eat early.  I found the service at Hooked to be severely lacking.  Others not too bad but I agree about the short staffing.  I could not eat outside at Giovanni's the last night due to staffing issues.  This is just my opinion but I noticed a lot of staff wearing masks towards the end of the week so I wonder (no pun intended) if COVID was an issue.  I am going again this summer and think I will just make a couple of dining reservations before I leave instead of the package.  Never made it to Playmakers but did enjoy the sushi side of Izumi

Edited December 25, 2022 by molly361

[orville99]

On 12/4/2022 at 12:52 PM, CFIGuy said:

I said that’s fine, let me place a take out order instead, and that I didn’t mind a long wait. They said it wasn’t possible.

We do take out from Izumi on every cruise at least once. Their response sounds more like we don't have anyone available to do take out because we are swamped with our sit down guest orders. We have experienced that before, and asking for them to give it an hour or so before you will be coming to pick up your take out usually does the trick.

[Ourusualbeach]

20 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Also just off the Wonder and had the UDP.  I was onboard a bit before 11am and I could not get a hibachi reservation.  I got all others but I eat early.  I found the service at Hooked to be severely lacking.  Others not too bad but I agree about the short staffing.  I could not eat outside at Giovanni's the last night due to staffing issues.  This is just my opinion but I noticed a lot of staff wearing masks towards the end of the week so I wonder (no pun intended) if COVID was an issue.  I am going again this summer and think I will just make a couple of dining reservations before I leave instead of the package.  Never made it to Playmakers but did enjoy the sushi side of Izumi

On board yesterday at 10:40.  Had all.our reservations made by 11:00.  Was even able to get a table for 12 at Giovannis one night.  Had to go direcy to Izumi to make a reservation for Hibachi and there weren't many choices. My guess is that by 11:30 everything would have been booked. 

 

Didn't bother with Hooked as we weren't impressed on Symphony last March although I did book it for lunch.  

 

Great meal last night at Izumi, Hibachi is tonight. 

[molly361]

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

On board yesterday at 10:40.  Had all.our reservations made by 11:00.  Was even able to get a table for 12 at Giovannis one night.  Had to go direcy to Izumi to make a reservation for Hibachi and there weren't many choices. My guess is that by 11:30 everything would have been booked. 

 

Didn't bother with Hooked as we weren't impressed on Symphony last March although I did book it for lunch.  

 

Great meal last night at Izumi, Hibachi is tonight. 

I might just book sushi for a couple of nights pre cruise.  It's 28.99.  Have you seen it any lower?  I got Giovanni's lunch for my sea days for $13 incl tip last month.  

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, molly361 said:

I might just book sushi for a couple of nights pre cruise.  It's 28.99.  Have you seen it any lower?  I got Giovanni's lunch for my sea days for $13 incl tip last month.  

I hant paid attention to individual pricing since we always book the udp.  Giovannis sounds like a good price. 

[molly361]

12 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I hant paid attention to individual pricing since we always book the udp.  Giovannis sounds like a good price. 

Got it.  I thought for some reason that you went back to getting the 3 day one.  I sure ate a LOT😇  I even gave a Chops lunch reservation and just had some chips at El Loco Fresh one day

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, molly361 said:

Got it.  I thought for some reason that you went back to getting the 3 day one.  I sure ate a LOT😇  I even gave a Chops lunch reservation and just had some chips at El Loco Fresh one day

This will be the first time we've done lunches. Have Izumi, hooked and Mason Jar booked. 

[chiguypaul]

2 hours ago, IHateSnow! said:

We just got off the Wonder with a party of 7.  We had the UDP. Here’s what we found:

 

1: we had plenty of a la crate credit for all of us for both playmakers and Izumi - we never paid extra anywhere.  
 

2: we had an impossible time getting reservations.  3 out of 6 days we were able to. Only 1 day was at a preferred (chops) restaurant and that was day 6 at 8:00 pm

 

3: making reservations in app was impossible.  We were on the ship at 11:30.  There were literally none available. Any day. 
 

4: a kind individual at mason jar helped me get Giovanni’s and Mason Jar.  The reservation desk at check in told me we were all set, and we were not.  
 

5: at all 3 experiences the restaurants were maybe 30% full.  Leading me to believe it’s a staffing issue.  Also, for a ship of 7k, the venues are exceptionally small. 
 

6: we were also told on 2 nights there were no my time dining reservations available. 
 

 

This is fueling my concerns about our New Year’s Eve cruise on the wonder with our UDP. I am very concerned about not having a place to eat and my family furious with me because we re stuck at the windjammer. Our check in is at 1130 and we plan to arrive earlier just to get any chance to get ahead of any other people. I have not seen checkin times earlier than 1130 from others I talked with for this sailing on the wonder. 

[molly361]

1 hour ago, chiguypaul said:

This is fueling my concerns about our New Year’s Eve cruise on the wonder with our UDP. I am very concerned about not having a place to eat and my family furious with me because we re stuck at the windjammer. Our check in is at 1130 and we plan to arrive earlier just to get any chance to get ahead of any other people. I have not seen checkin times earlier than 1130 from others I talked with for this sailing on the wonder. 

I believe not all restaurants are available to use the UDP during the holidays.  @Ourusualbeach is onboard now and I believe he knows the policy

[Ourusualbeach]

38 minutes ago, molly361 said:

I believe not all restaurants are available to use the UDP during the holidays.  @Ourusualbeach is onboard now and I believe he knows the policy

Chops, Giovannis and 150cp cannot be booked for NYE. Not sure about NY day

[molly361]

1 hour ago, chiguypaul said:

This is fueling my concerns about our New Year’s Eve cruise on the wonder with our UDP. I am very concerned about not having a place to eat and my family furious with me because we re stuck at the windjammer. Our check in is at 1130 and we plan to arrive earlier just to get any chance to get ahead of any other people. I have not seen checkin times earlier than 1130 from others I talked with for this sailing on the wonder. 

 

6 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Chops, Giovannis and 150cp cannot be booked for NYE. Not sure about NY day

 

[Joseph2017China]

So wat was the Bait and Switch?

[mpdog42]

On 11/30/2022 at 5:00 PM, PhillyFan33579 said:

This is the second thread I have read in the last week where someone incorrectly applied the term bait and switch to RCI. If you don’t know what the term means, don’t use it. 

Or, In all fairness.....Turn the matter over to the FTC or the Attorney General of Florida...If they get a large number of reports, they will launch an investigation!!..If they find the reports creditable then what happens.... Happens!!

Edited December 26, 2022 by mpdog42

[firefly333]

2 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

So wat was the Bait and Switch?

You only get to eat once in ala carte like playmakers per day. It's one allowance per day not unlimited. 

[gerif]

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

You only get to eat once in ala carte like playmakers per day. It's one allowance per day not unlimited. 

So that’s deceptive advertising but not bait and switch. 

[SG65CB]

7 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

So wat was the Bait and Switch?

 

5 hours ago, firefly333 said:

You only get to eat once in ala carte like playmakers per day. It's one allowance per day not unlimited. 

 

Also that it is difficult or impossible to get reservations.

 

Everyone here says board early, make reservations for the week as soon as you board. But what about the people who don't board early or make their reservations as soon as they board? Their "Unlimited" Dining Plan appears to be very limited in that they can only get into the least popular restaurants at the least popular times, or cannot make reservations at all. Hardly "unlimited". It sounds like the package is oversold. 

 

 

[PWP-001]

18 hours ago, Joseph2017China said:

So wat was the Bait and Switch?

In a nutshell, the OP appeared by some of us who read her post to be all worked up after she read bad things on another less reliable site about UDP, but then I think she took her cruise, most likely didn't have the problem she made a fuss about, then was too embarrassed to return and set the record straight or say she was wrong.

 

So my take is she BAITED us with her emotional words and SWITCHED her tune when she boarded and found out she was wrong.

 

Other than that, the inaccuracies she worried about were NOT Bait & Switch by definition, though she unsuccessfully argued the contrary.