Diamond Plus BOGO - later in the week

[wolfganghowell]

We are sailing this fall with friends and are doing Jamies on Thursday.  We won't be doing a specialty restaurant until then.  Is the BOGO still limited to the first two nights or are we able to use it that night?  We are in a GS so I could ask the concierge but I don't want to be "that guy" and put them in an awkward situation if it's still only to be used the first two nights.  Would love to save the money but I'm also a "rule follower."  😉

[molly361]

The answer seems to vary by ship and sometimes even by sailing.  I was able to do it on the Wonder three weeks ago but someone else tried same ship the week before and was told no.  

[yogimax]

Flip a coin.  It could go either way.  Don't worry about asking the concierge.  That's why they are there.

[firefly333]

19 minutes ago, wolfganghowell said:

We are sailing this fall with friends and are doing Jamies on Thursday.  We won't be doing a specialty restaurant until then.  Is the BOGO still limited to the first two nights or are we able to use it that night?  We are in a GS so I could ask the concierge but I don't want to be "that guy" and put them in an awkward situation if it's still only to be used the first two nights.  Would love to save the money but I'm also a "rule follower."  😉

I booked one night 1 and 2nd night 4. .. my night 4 mysteriously got changed to a late unacceptable time night 2 I was saying on my allure thread. No notice .., just noticed it on the app or id have totally missed the change. Theoretically yes.

[Husky1987]

I'm sure YMMV.  In every one of our cruises as D+, my wife and I have been able to use the second one later in the week.

[Jetdriver787]

The rules are that you have to book it and use it on one of the first 2 nights of the cruise. On Rhapsody last year they weren’t too fussed. On Anthem this year they stuck rigidly to the letter. 
 

Im not really sure why they do this? Spreading it out would seem to be a lot more sensible and likely to generate additional (albeit discounted) revenue.

 

D+ users of the offer will likely be very familiar with the restaurants and more likely to pay extra with more flexibility on timings.

[sjb317]

46 minutes ago, molly361 said:

The answer seems to vary by ship and sometimes even by sailing.  I was able to do it on the Wonder three weeks ago but someone else tried same ship the week before and was told no.  

We are currently on Wonder and have been able to do it.😂

 

Sherri🙂

[HicksRA]

Just go and pay on the first day and ask if you can reserve it for a later night. I haven’t been turned down yet, but as others have said, YMMV. 

[2chiefs]

Flexibility of rules is probably dependent on bookings. If bookings are low, more flexibility. Just thinking out loud.

[Rackham]

1 hour ago, Jetdriver787 said:

The rules are that you have to book it and use it on one of the first 2 nights of the cruise. On Rhapsody last year they weren’t too fussed. On Anthem this year they stuck rigidly to the letter. 
 

Im not really sure why they do this? Spreading it out would seem to be a lot more sensible and likely to generate additional (albeit discounted) revenue.

 

D+ users of the offer will likely be very familiar with the restaurants and more likely to pay extra with more flexibility on timings.

 

Historically, nights 1 and 2 have the fewest specialty dining reservations. The D+ and up offer is there to assist Royal in driving bookings when they'd normally have tables avaliable. 

[taglovestocruise]

We booked for later in the week on Ovation and Quantum last year.  We were told we needed to pay on day one or two but could reserve for any night. On Quantum we booked for nights 7 and 9.  

[jamon]

What is the cost of dinner at Chops on the Wonder??????

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, Rackham said:

 

Historically, nights 1 and 2 have the fewest specialty dining reservations. The D+ and up offer is there to assist Royal in driving bookings when they'd normally have tables avaliable. 

 

That's why they used to have "First Night, Done Right" where night 1 was BOGO for everyone, regardless of status. We took advantage of that almost every cruise when it existed.

 

Now that I'm finally approaching D+, I'm hoping to have the success most people do with regards to booking any night they want. We'll have a plan A and a plan B depending on the answer we get when the time comes.

Edited September 22, 2023 by OCSC Mike

[RFerrington]

Just of Freedom today.  We booked Chops on day 1 and both paid full price.  Then, we ate at Giovanni’s on night 4 for $-0-.  Worked great.

Edited September 22, 2023 by RFerrington

[firefly333]

4 hours ago, wolfganghowell said:

We are sailing this fall with friends and are doing Jamies on Thursday.  We won't be doing a specialty restaurant until then.  Is the BOGO still limited to the first two nights or are we able to use it that night?  We are in a GS so I could ask the concierge but I don't want to be "that guy" and put them in an awkward situation if it's still only to be used the first two nights.  Would love to save the money but I'm also a "rule follower."  😉

I mentioned my 5 pm time Wednesday got changed to 745 pm monday with no notice to me. I just saw this post from the lady I shared a table with... .beware. started this week she said.

 

"FYI, Royal has just begun enforcing that Diamond Plus specialty dining must used night 1 or 2 ONLY, which of course means one cannot get to MDR for formal night  dinner. I suggested the Loyalty Ambassador  to the pass that on to her bosses that they at least let us use it night 3 as an option."

[meadowlander]

Used my bogo on Oasis recently. Dined on nights 2 & 6, was charged on night 6 not night 2. I do not think that is standard practice but that was experience using bogo for the first time.

[wolfganghowell]

Very good, thanks for all the answers.  I'll probably make the request and emphasize that if it's not allowed, we understand and are perfectly fine.  "never hurts to ask".  Yeah, I know they vary by ship and even by who you ask,  Royal is consistent in their inconsistency!  🙂

[RFerrington]

I have found that it’s best not to ask for permission.  We just book and pay full price the first night and book our second freebie night whenever we want it.  Every time I’ve “asked” I’ve gotten a “no” but when I just do it….it works out fine.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, wolfganghowell said:

Very good, thanks for all the answers.  I'll probably make the request and emphasize that if it's not allowed, we understand and are perfectly fine.  "never hurts to ask".  Yeah, I know they vary by ship and even by who you ask,  Royal is consistent in their inconsistency!  🙂

My complaint was I was allowed to book later in the week and then my reservation got changed and I was not notified, just happened to catch it in the app.

 

The quote above is from someone else onboard who it seems also had issues after it was booked. 

[katiel53]

On 9/22/2023 at 2:19 PM, firefly333 said:

I mentioned my 5 pm time Wednesday got changed to 745 pm monday with no notice to me. I just saw this post from the lady I shared a table with... .beware. started this week she said.

 

"FYI, Royal has just begun enforcing that Diamond Plus specialty dining must used night 1 or 2 ONLY, which of course means one cannot get to MDR for formal night  dinner. I suggested the Loyalty Ambassador  to the pass that on to her bosses that they at least let us use it night 3 as an option."

I have to disagree that with the policy of only being able to use the BOGO on nights 1 or 2, it means one cannot do formal night in the MDR.  On my Wonder of the Seas cruise 10/8, the first formal night is night 3 instead of night 2.  I think some other cruises/ships have changed the formal night to a sea day which is day 3 in many cases.

[OCSC Mike]

8 minutes ago, katiel53 said:

I think some other cruises/ships have changed the formal night to a sea day which is day 3 in many cases.

 

This isn't new for ships with a port day on day 2.

[TPA2005]

Allure Sep 10-17. Two of us in Crown Loft and two in Grand Suite. Told No at a couple restaurants then asked Concierge if he could help. He made a call and it was still No.

 

Average 7 cruises per year and this was the first time we were not able to book/pay on day one or two and use it later in the cruise.

 

We'll try again on upcoming cruises and see what happens.

Edited September 25, 2023 by TPA2005

[OCSC Mike]

22 minutes ago, TPA2005 said:

Average 7 cruises per year and this was the first time we were not able to book/pay on day one or two and use it later in the cruise.

Blame me. It’s only fitting that RC would start enforcing the rules when I got to 7 pts from D+. Appreciate you reporting your results.

[lovelife]

On Wonder week before last.  We were not allowed to use our BOGO any days but one and two. ☹️ 

[molly361]

4 minutes ago, lovelife said:

On Wonder week before last.  We were not allowed to use our BOGO any days but one and two. ☹️ 

And I WAS allowed to use mine night 2 and night 7 on the 8/27 Wonder sailing.  Weird