Ultimate dining package price vs individual reservations

[colesc15]

I've noticed on my upcoming Icon sailing and upcoming Wonder sailing in early 2024, the unlimited/ultimate package has gone up about $60 a person. Wonder is coming in around $330 a person before gratuity compared to the $274 it hovered at for months. Icon is a little more than that. What I've noticed though is the individual pricing of the restaurants appears to be about the same. For example, chops at $58.99 per is right about what it's been for years not. By paying for 7 different restaurants individually, you aren't saving more than like $30 by doing the package anymore, plus you get the ability to reserve slots now vs online.

 

I understand lunches isn't factored in, but let's be honest, lunch and dinner at a speciality in the same day is so much food. 

 

I would have expected the individual prices to go up as well. Anyone else in agreement that the package isn't that great of a deal anymore and just doing individual seems like the best route? 

[firefly333]

Lunches were hovering at 34.99 with 15% off. Now the same ones are hovering at 39.99 with only 10% off. Maybe not much to you but up $7 in a month or so. I personally like lunches. 

 

Izumi with UDP sushi cut from 8 pieces to 4. 

 

I'd bet more than you think do eat lunch with UDP. 

[Hutcha]

They learned from their drink package pricing, putting everyone in the same dilemma. They raise the price until people stop buying it.

[jean87510]

1 hour ago, colesc15 said:

I've noticed on my upcoming Icon sailing and upcoming Wonder sailing in early 2024, the unlimited/ultimate package has gone up about $60 a person. Wonder is coming in around $330 a person before gratuity compared to the $274 it hovered at for months. Icon is a little more than that. What I've noticed though is the individual pricing of the restaurants appears to be about the same. For example, chops at $58.99 per is right about what it's been for years not. By paying for 7 different restaurants individually, you aren't saving more than like $30 by doing the package anymore, plus you get the ability to reserve slots now vs online.

 

I understand lunches isn't factored in, but let's be honest, lunch and dinner at a speciality in the same day is so much food. 

 

I would have expected the individual prices to go up as well. Anyone else in agreement that the package isn't that great of a deal anymore and just doing individual seems like the best route? 

I honestly would never get udp again unless 1.  Oasis and Quantum class, 2.  $20-23 pp/d without tips factored in.  

 

I enjoyed it on the Allure last October as we had a great price and used it a lot.  I also had it on the Radiance last May 2022 with another great price and only because of Samba.

 

We just purchased 2 lunches and 1 dinner at Izumi for our upcoming 7 day Grandeur cruise and that's enough food for us intermittent fasters.  

Edited June 6, 2023 by jean87510

[ARandomTraveler]

Individual restaurant prices have gone up by about $5/person at all the restaurants in my cruise planner. UDP went up $100/person.

 

I chose to book individual restaurants this time around because I felt forced to only eat at specialty last time in order to make it worth the money, and it was way too much food, and too much of my vacation hours spent having to sit at restaurants. By paying out of pocket for 4 meals, I saved more than half the cost of the UDP. 

[cruisegirl1]

I expect individual restaurant prices to climb.  
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[colesc15]

2 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

Individual restaurant prices have gone up by about $5/person at all the restaurants in my cruise planner. UDP went up $100/person.

 

I chose to book individual restaurants this time around because I felt forced to only eat at specialty last time in order to make it worth the money, and it was way too much food, and too much of my vacation hours spent having to sit at restaurants. By paying out of pocket for 4 meals, I saved more than half the cost of the UDP. 

Agree. The last cruise is the first time we didn't have the udp in a long time and it was SO nice not having to spend 2 hours every evening in a restaurant. And I didn't feel overly stuffed every night from food. 

[LilBlackDress]

I just looked at my Cruise Planner for Feb 2024 on Oasis... If I did 7 nights with no lunches Individually I would be paying over $75 pp more than the current rate of the UDP.  

The UDP has skyrocketed over the last 60 days. The prices since Feb (when they were first loaded into the planner) $260>$225>$260>Memorial Sale $287>$327>$346>$387>$327

The 3-night package has stayed about the same... 

[LilBlackDress]

2 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

I chose to book individual restaurants this time around because I felt forced to only eat at specialty last time in order to make it worth the money, and it was way too much food, and too much of my vacation hours spent having to sit at restaurants. By paying out of pocket for 4 meals, I saved more than half the cost of the UDP. 

Was the 3 Night package the same as 3 individuals? 

[taglovestocruise]

25 minutes ago, LilBlackDress said:

Was the 3 Night package the same as 3 individuals? 

3 night package runs around $110, 3 full price could be as high as $180.00.

[LilBlackDress]

1 hour ago, taglovestocruise said:

3 night package runs around $110, 3 full price could be as high as $180.00.

 ARandomTraveler  said that they bought 4 individual dinners, which is why I was asking them if it was the same as the 3 night package. 

 

 

[firefly333]

I'm thinking they know the UDP is getting so high and dont care if fewer buy it, because more and more are treating themselves to individual pay restaurants as the service and choices slip elsewhere. 

 

I do think more and more are buying selected restaurants. Demand is there and they max out spending and capacity at the restaurants. 

[ARandomTraveler]

4 hours ago, LilBlackDress said:

Was the 3 Night package the same as 3 individuals? 

 

4 hours ago, taglovestocruise said:

3 night package runs around $110, 3 full price could be as high as $180.00.

 

2 hours ago, LilBlackDress said:

 ARandomTraveler  said that they bought 4 individual dinners, which is why I was asking them if it was the same as the 3 night package. 

 

 

The 3-Night package was going for $124.99 ($41.66/meal). After the recent price hike, it's now going for $131.99 ($44/meal).

 

I got a good deal on the hibachi a few months ago when they had it listed for $28.99, and I also booked the hot pot for $28.99. The other 2 restaurants were $57.99 and $50.99, for a total of $166.96.

 

So I paid $34.97 more for 4 dinners than it would have cost for the 3 day package (which is charging $44/meal, so the way I did it was cheaper).

 

However, I guess if I cancelled my 2 most expensive dinners ($50.99 + $57.99 = $108.98) and then bought the 3-night package for $131.99 ($23.01 more) I'd get a 5th meal. It might be worth paying $23.01 more dollars to get an extra meal (I'm on a 12 day cruise so I could easily spread these out). I might do that 🤔.

 

 

Edited June 7, 2023 by ARandomTraveler

[LilBlackDress]

8 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

 

 

The 3-Night package was going for $124.99 ($41.66/meal). After the recent price hike, it's now going for $131.99 ($44/meal).

 

I got a good deal on the hibachi a few months ago when they had it listed for $28.99, and I also booked the hot pot for $28.99. The other 2 restaurants were $57.99 and $50.99, for a total of $166.96.

 

So I paid $34.97 more for 4 dinners than it would have cost for the 3 day package (which is charging $44/meal, so the way I did it was cheaper).

 

However, I guess if I cancelled my 2 most expensive dinners ($50.99 + $57.99 = $108.98) and then bought the 3-night package for $131.99 ($23.01 more) I'd get a 5th meal. It might be worth paying $23.01 more dollars to get an extra meal (I'm on a 12 day cruise so I could easily spread these out). I might do that 🤔.

 

 

I was looking at the D+ BoGo and DH doing the BoGo and then we did the 3 night package we can cover 7 nights. But it would be about $40 more pp than the UDP and we wouldn't get lunch or late night at Playmakers