Dining Package Reservations Will Now Be Available Pre-Cruise

[Newcruiser215]

Per the other website that I guess we're not allowed to post here. 

 

Royal Caribbean is experimenting with a new way to allow guests that purchase a specialty dining package to make reservations pre-cruise.

 

Guests have the choice to augment their cruise ship dining experience by spending extra on specialty restaurants.

There's an option to book individual restaurant reservations and pay for the cover charge to dine there, or buy a dining package that includes more than one restaurant at a discounted rate if you're willing to commit to more than one restaurant.

 

Up until now, guests that had booked a dining package had to wait until they got onboard the ship to make a reservation, and that created a pain point for them and added stress to the first day of the cruise as they would scramble once onboard to make reservations.

 

Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation Officer Jay Schneider confirmed the change while brainstorming ways to make the embarkation day experience easier, "all dining, including dining packages will be reservable so that guests don't have to do that on day one. And people who book the dining package can actually have the same experience as people who book a specialty restaurant."

 

There isn't an exact date, but he indicated they're aiming for right after the launch of Icon of the Seas in late January, "not quite for Icon's first arrival, but hopefully only a couple of days after."

 

t's part of a new dining system Royal Caribbean is devising for the three Icon Class ships and Utopia, "It's for our new dining system, which is currently coming for one, two, three and Utopia. And then we'll roll out to the rest of the fleet."

 

This would be a major improvement as up until now, guests that bought a dining package had to wait until they got onboard the ship to make a specific reservation. This meant they would have the last chance to grab a dining time, as well as add a task once onboard the ship to do instead of relaxing and enjoying the start of their vacation.

 

Royal Caribbean is already testing the option for those with a dining package to pre-book on one of its ships, Wonder of the Seas.

Don't worry, it's coming to the whole fleet, not just Icon.

 

[firefly333]

I saw this earlier and was going to post it but got distracted. Yes. Says supposed to start maybe a few days after icon launch. 

 

Good news for those booking discount packages.

 

I'm betting bogo for D+ now going to be harder to book times if everyone else can book before theh board. Hmm.

[NateUpNorth]

Certainty, planning and purchasing before sailing are all great ways to attempt to drive more dining package sales pre-sailing.

Also as @firefly333 mentioned, possibly also a way of reducing financial exposure to the BOGO D+ crowd.

Edited November 1, 2023 by NateUpNorth

[Newcruiser215]

I never understood why this hasn't always been a thing.  

[pcur]

This is great news!  I don't have to also pay for specialty restaurant lunch on embarkation day, and then request a refund because I have the UDP. 

 

Also, I don't have to burden whomever is at that restaurant's podium to book all my reservations for the whole cruise.  

[Newcruiser215]

10 minutes ago, pcur said:

This is great news!  I don't have to also pay for specialty restaurant lunch on embarkation day, and then request a refund because I have the UDP. 

 

Also, I don't have to burden whomever is at that restaurant's podium to book all my reservations for the whole cruise.  

Right! This seems like a win-win for everyone. 

[ValerieJo]

20 minutes ago, NateUpNorth said:

Also as @firefly333 mentioned, possibly also a way of reducing financial exposure to the BOGO D+ crowd.

 

This is what I was thinking as well.  Another way to chip away at the loyalty benefits?

Edited November 1, 2023 by ValerieJo

[ajtaylor29]

So glad to hear this! It's never made sense to make us wait....

[gmerick]

This is the incentive I need.  I will book a 3- or 5- meal package, and reserve specialty dining on sea days.  I hesitated until now due to the uncertainty and commotion of paying for an unspecified dining experience, then possibly finding no preferred restaurant availability once on board.  I'll not plan on specialty dining on port days, as I usually plan on reboarding close to scheduled departure.  On port days I cannot predict when I'll be ready to dine, or even if I'll be up to "fine" dining.

[OCSC Mike]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

I'm betting bogo for D+ now going to be harder to book times if everyone else can book before theh board. Hmm.

 

Naturally! Because this will undoubtedly be in effect on Wonder by June when I'll take my first D+ cruise. Kinda like how the Crown Lounge thing started just in time for my last 2 cruises as Diamond, lol. At least I had access last week.

 

Somehow I'll survive...

[nelblu]

1 hour ago, firefly333 said:

I saw this earlier and was going to post it but got distracted. Yes. Says supposed to start maybe a few days after icon launch. 

 

Good news for those booking discount packages.

 

I'm betting bogo for D+ now going to be harder to book times if everyone else can book before theh board. Hmm.

I agree.  I usually have to run to the specialty restaurant as soon as I board.

[PompeySailor]

Guess Bayley and his team do read the emails that get sent to them 

 

Happy Days!

[PompeySailor]

I hope when this kicks in - we are able to lock in times for UDP already purchased for sailings after Jan 2024. We have a few 

 

Finally something positive to come out of the RC hurt locker 👍🏻

Hopefully X Celebrity follow suit as the platform for the SW used is the same 

Edited November 1, 2023 by PompeySailor

[ValerieJo]

20 minutes ago, PompeySailor said:

I hope when this kicks in - we are able to lock in times for UDP already purchased for sailings after Jan 2024. We have a few 

 

Finally something positive to come out of the RC hurt locker 👍🏻

Hopefully X Celebrity follow suit as the platform for the SW used is the same 

We sail on Vision in January.  They’ve never posted any dining packages available for sale. I keep checking.  I was hoping for the 3 night and planned to use our D+ for 2 more nights.   Wondering if they are only going to offer this on the larger ships with more dining venues? 🤷🏻‍♀️

[cruisegirl1]

I thought I read that Wonder was already a test ship. We have a dining package for a January cruise  but can’t figure out how to pre book times. Anyone know? 
m

[molly361]

3 hours ago, Newcruiser215 said:

I never understood why this hasn't always been a thing.  

It wasn't a thing because the packages are sold at a discount so why should those get preference for booking over people that buy at full price

[molly361]

5 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

I thought I read that Wonder was already a test ship. We have a dining package for a January cruise  but can’t figure out how to pre book times. Anyone know? 
m

I have one for December and can't do it either although at $50 plus per day for me not gonna happen

[SG65CB]

This will make boarding day easier for a lot of people. 

 

Another benefit - currently people buy the package, then onboard they find out they can't get any decent reservation times because the packages were oversold. This way you'll be able to see in advance if all the preferred times are booked and cancel your package. 

[Jimbo]

3 hours ago, firefly333 said:

I saw this earlier and was going to post it but got distracted. Yes. Says supposed to start maybe a few days after icon launch. 

 

Good news for those booking discount packages.

 

I'm betting bogo for D+ now going to be harder to book times if everyone else can book before theh board. Hmm.

No harder then before, if you know how to book when using the BOGO before stepping onboard using the Cruiseplanner.

[PompeySailor]

29 minutes ago, ValerieJo said:

We sail on Vision in January.  They’ve never posted any dining packages available for sale. I keep checking.  I was hoping for the 3 night and planned to use our D+ for 2 more nights.   Wondering if they are only going to offer this on the larger ships with more dining venues? 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hi Val

Looks like Oasis/Quantum class and all the ICONS, before they roll out the rest of the fleet 

I see they mentioned Utopia as being next and Wonder will be the Guinea pig 

I will keep checking on ours 

Hopefully as someone is successful we will hear about it on cc or the other place 😉

Edited November 1, 2023 by PompeySailor

[firefly333]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

No harder then before, if you know how to book when using the BOGO before stepping onboard using the Cruiseplanner.

So you are assuming bogo can be pre booked? I didnt read that into what I read. 

 

Also idk if you read but in sept I was on allure and a fleetwide memo went out bogo can only be used night 1 and  night 2. I'd already booked night 4 and some genius changed my booking to night 2 very late without so much as a note in my cabin. Rcl is trying to crack down on bogo being used other nights. Now it sounds to me as if dining pkgs will be able to be prebooked. I'm not sure bogo is a dining pkg you can prebook. 

 

Would be nice if you are right, but imo this is a way to let those paying higher prices get first access to times, then loyalty booking. 

[PompeySailor]

1 minute ago, Jimbo said:

No harder then before, if you know how to book when using the BOGO before stepping onboard using the Cruiseplanner.

Agreed 

And I am proof your way works 😎

(only for two bookings though) 

💎 BOGO PCP for one 👍🏻

 

Will be nice with UDP to lock in all the lunches and dinners and actually not need any pre cruise tricks to get Izumi Hibachi before it is sold out onboard 

see all the times and reservations a week or month before boarding and no stress of doing last minute 

 

Royal listened and to me this is a big win win and a positive step in the right direction to keep the people spending extra money than needed happy 

[PompeySailor]

9 minutes ago, SG65CB said:

This will make boarding day easier for a lot of people. 

 

Another benefit - currently people buy the package, then onboard they find out they can't get any decent reservation times because the packages were oversold. This way you'll be able to see in advance if all the preferred times are booked and cancel your package. 

Spot on 💯 

[firefly333]

1 minute ago, PompeySailor said:

Agreed 

And I am proof your way works 😎

(only for two bookings though) 

💎 BOGO PCP for one 👍🏻

 

Will be nice with UDP to lock in all the lunches and dinners and actually not need any pre cruise tricks to get Izumi Hibachi before it is sold out onboard 

see all the times and reservations a week or month before boarding and no stress of doing last minute 

 

Royal listened and to me this is a big win win and a positive step in the right direction to keep the people spending extra money than needed happy 

 I prebooked izumi before boarding allure at a discounted price. Allure refused to use the discounted price. Said they would move it and then charge me full price. .. I'll believe it's a policy allowed and approved when I can do it. 

[PompeySailor]

9 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

 I prebooked izumi before boarding allure at a discounted price. Allure refused to use the discounted price. Said they would move it and then charge me full price. .. I'll believe it's a policy allowed and approved when I can do it. 

Makes no sense 

What you pay pre cruise is the price of entry regardless 

 

Or are you talking about applying a BOGO to that PCP price