Would you pay extra for speciality dining or stay with main dining?

[thefog]

I swear they are really trying to up sell,menus in dining room have downgraded in my view.

[firefly333]

What's wrong with treating yourself a few times. I didnt used to but now I've been adding a meal or two at pay restaurants.  Or bogo which I get as D+. 

 

I know already I hate italian night in Mdr. Went once on b3b and still hated it lol. Go and find something else seems ok to me. 

[Mum2Mercury]

We are happy with the food included in the cruise ticket.  Our philosophy is that we'd rather eat the meals we've already paid for /save the money for a meal out at home.  

 

We always check the MDR's menu ahead of time, and -- if we don't see anything that grabs us -- we'll enjoy dinner in the Windjammer.  

[wreckem2013]

People spend a fortune on drink packages not sure why people don’t see the dining packages the same way.

 

If a ship has 4 or more different specialty restaurants I always get the UDP.  3 or less I just do a 3 night package.

 

 

Edited January 10 by wreckem2013

[TheDawg79]

I always book specialty dining for sea days. Don’t know why, it’s just what I do and it’s tradition at this point

[birdofsong]

We only do specialty restaurants for special occasions.  I really don't have a problem with the MDR food.

[shofer]

The food on our last Jewel cruise was so mediocre, we found the WJ to be a better option.  I think I may opt for some specialty dining on my next cruise.

[MommaBear55]

We have been getting dining packages ever since the new menus started. We eat an occasional dinner in the MDR, but the rest of the time it's in specialty restaurants 

[JeffT237]

We had been moving towards more speciality dining well before the pandemic.  We just enjoy the food and atmosphere more than the MDR food and experience.  We typically purchase the 3 night dining package and almost always get a speciality dining voucher for another dinner from our TA.  The remaining nights we decide when we get onboard with either the MDR or Solarium Bistro.  In all our cruises we've yet to do a dinner in the WJ.  

[CaribbeanCrushed]

We will book a specialty restaurant if there is something we are celebrating during the cruise. 

[George C]

On my last 3 rccl cruises all oasis class we had dinner in suite restaurant twice lol other meals were in specialty, we now just buy UDP , I do find food and service superior.

[time4u2go]

It sounds like of people are doing exactly what the cruise line hopes they will do.

[Another_Critic]

If I can eat my own cooking at home, I can certainly eat MDR food.  🙃

[RFerrington]

We normally purchase a 3-day dining package plus our BOGO (1 each) so that we typically only have 2 nights to do MDR or WJ on a 7 night cruise.  I really dislike the Welcome Aboard menu so we will use one of our BOGO for night #1.  In general I usually choose Italian night and Royal night (lobster) as my 2 MDR options and the rest are specialties.  

[zebra36]

Until recently I have never purchased any specialty dining. With the MDR menu changes I have gone with a few days for lunch, booked when they are offering % off, with this option and just do the WJ for diner on the days when I really do not care for the MDR selections.

[Jam0610]

We always buy the 3 night package, when offered. Have the Voyager booked for 5 nights in February. Will eat dinner 4 nights in specialty restaurants. Italian twice. Skipping one night since it is the Super Bowl. Pretty sure we will end up eating Pizza after several (many) drinks.

[loman]

I tough it out and go to MDR every night. Im taking one for the team .🙂

[Bead Pirate]

Have not eaten in the MDR in at least 5 years. Always in specialty or suite venue...

[cublet]

Hello,

 

Since the loss of Portofino's there is no specialty restaurant I would pay extra for.

 

Regards,

 

Cublet

[Cruiser 5452]

We stick to the MDR for dinner, but we seem to eat lunch at the specialty locations.  You can get a fantastic lunch for a great price many times, plus we don’t have to fight for a table in the windjammer.  Lunch in the MDR is also very good and much more peaceful.

[flamingos]

If we do specialty dining, we do the cheaper lunch option on a sea day.  

[JeffT237]

10 hours ago, time4u2go said:

It sounds like of people are doing exactly what the cruise line hopes they will do.

 

In your opinion what exactly are the cruise lines trying to do here? Purposely lower the quality and quantity of the included food options to force passengers to spend more on speciality dining?  

[time4u2go]

3 minutes ago, JeffT237 said:

 

In your opinion what exactly are the cruise lines trying to do here? Purposely lower the quality and quantity of the included food options to force passengers to spend more on speciality dining?  

Yes.

[fpcruiser]

Main Dining. We did Chops once and it was a really bad experience. The food was fine.

[RFerrington]

I agree that specialty dining for lunch is one of the few bargains left anywhere on Royal.  I hope nobody from headquarters reads this....LOL...but the lunch specialty dining is still a bargain....especially with the recent sales (which have now ended).