It's about to become easier to book restaurant reservations on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
Royal Caribbean passengers with the Ultimate Dining Package (UDP) may soon be able to book specialty dining reservations in advance.
Historically, being unable to make specialty dining reservations until embarkation day was the biggest draw of the UDP. Now, Royal Caribbean is rolling out a feature allowing passengers to make all their reservations before paying for the package through the Cruise Planner.
Nicole Pantalena first shared the update in the Royal Caribbean Dining Facebook group, saying, "The website now allows you to make all reservations for the UDP at [the] time of purchase!!"
Pantalena clarified that she's on the December 2 sailing on Allure of the Seas, as other users didn't see any changes to their Cruise Planner. She also stated that she couldn't make reservations for the UDP in advance for her Anthem of the Seas cruise next year.
Adam Balaban commented he was able to access the new reservation portal; however, he is also sailing onboard Allure of the Seas in December, indicating this feature may just be a test on Allure.
There's no official word on this new feature, nor when other ships may have the option.
Before adding the package to the cart, the new booking portal would allow passengers to make reservations for each day of the cruise, eliminating the need for a courtesy reservation on the first night.
Read more: How does specialty dining work on Royal Caribbean?
This new feature makes it significantly easier to get reservations instead of running around on embarkation day to make them.
Change announced last year
While brainstorming potential ways to make the embarkation day experience easier, Jay Schneider, Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President and Chief Product Innovation, explained that they'd be making all of Royal Caribbean's dining packages reservable through the website, so passengers wouldn't have to worry about making reservations on day one.
Rather than rushing onboard and heading to a specialty restaurant to confirm their dining plans, guests can make their reservations from the comfort of their homes, allowing them to have the same experience as passengers who book individual reservations.
Not only does this make embarkation day more relaxing, but it gives cruisers with the UDP more options for dining times, as they're typically stuck choosing leftover reservations.
In addition to reducing guests' "angst," the change will help improve the flow of traffic in public areas onboard. Schneider's team discovered there's "a lot of heavy lifting" in the Royal Promenade, and by letting passengers make UDP reservations online, that's one less booth they'll have to visit.
Read more: Royal Caribbean will make specialty restaurants reservable pre-cruise if you have a dining package
What is the Ultimate Dining Package?
Royal Caribbean's Ultimate Dining Package lets guests eat at specialty restaurants for brunch, lunch, and dinner each day of their cruise. Instead of booking each reservation separately, it's typically more economical to purchase the UDP, especially if you plan on dining at multiple specialty restaurants throughout your cruise.
With the UDP, you won't have to worry about paying for restaurants with cover charges, as nearly every eatery is included in the cost. Note that certain restaurants have an upcharge, such as Izumi Hibachi ($15), Chef's Table ($49.99), and Empire Supper Club ($130).
Some specialty restaurants have á la carte menus, meaning you only pay for what you order, rather than a set charge for a multi-course meal.
Depending on the restaurant, you'll receive a pre-determined food credit. At Izumi Sushi, for example, you're given $39.99, $20 at Playmaker's, and $10 at Izumi in the Park.
The UDP doesn't include premium items in the Main Dining Room, the Taste of Royal experience, Celebration Table, or Chops Grille premium cuts.
Moreover, the price varies based on factors like the length of your cruise, itinerary, and ship. For example, the UDP costs $174.99 per person on my upcoming Vision of the Seas sailing and $302.99 on my Icon cruise in March 2025.
There's no penalty for canceling and rebooking the package if you notice the price drops before your cruise, similar to the Deluxe Beverage Package.
