After 15 Royal Caribbean cruises, I finally splurged on the Unlimited Dining Package.
Although part of the allure of cruise vacations is the complimentary dining that's included in the base fare, I've found that specialty restaurants typically have higher-quality food and a more intimate setting. Plus, I cruise so frequently that the dining room has begun to lose its appeal.
So, my partner and I decided to purchase Royal Caribbean's Unlimited Dining Package for our weeklong vacation on Icon of the Seas. As the largest cruise ship in the world, she's filled from bow to stern with specialty dining options, including Izumi Sushi and Hibachi, Hooked, Pier 7, Chops Grille, and more.
The Unlimited Dining Package wasn't just about indulging in better food. It was about the variety, atmosphere, and service. For example, we had the flexibility to dine at multiple specialty restaurants per day, allowing us to explore more of the ship's culinary options.
Making our reservations was easy thanks to Royal Caribbean's new feature that allows guests to book their specialty dining package reservations in advance, rather than once onboard. Even after booking, we could easily make changes through the Cruise Planner, adjusting restaurants and reservation times as needed.
As our cruise neared, we looked forward to tender lobster at Hooked, flavorful Italian classics at Giovanni's, and fun interactive meals at Izumi Hibachi.
However, by the end of the voyage, we didn't feel as satisfied as expected. Instead, we felt burnt out. The pressure to "get our money's worth" meant we ate more than we usually would on a cruise. Dinner began to feel like something we had to check off a to-do list, rather than something we were looking forward to on vacation.
Here's why I wouldn't purchase the Unlimited Dining Package again — even as someone who is a fan of specialty restaurants on cruise ships.
It's not all-inclusive
Certain restaurants have an upcharge, even if you purchase the Unlimited Dining Package. For example, to eat at Izumi Hibachi, you must pay an extra $15 per adult.
Because hibachi is one of our favorite meals at home and on a cruise ship, we made reservations to eat at Izumi twice during our 7-night cruise, resulting in $60 of upcharges.
Other restaurants come with similar caveats. Royal Railway, for instance, is not included with the Unlimited Dining Package and requires an upcharge of $50 per adult and $25 per child.
Chef's Table, the cruise line's multi-course dinner hosted by a chef and sommelier, also comes with an upcharge of around $50 per person.
Similarly, Royal Caribbean's relatively new Izumi Omakase experience costs an extra $60 per person, even if you've purchased the Unlimited Dining Package.
The most expensive upcharge is for Empire Supper Club, a premium, reservation-only dining experience that blends an eight-course tasting menu with craft cocktails and live jazz paired to each course.
Even with the Unlimited Dining Package, guests must pay an additional $130 per person to dine there. However, the onboard price costs $200, just $70 more than the upcharge with the dining package.
Depending on which restaurants you want to eat at, you may be better off booking each individually, especially if there's a good pre-cruise sale on Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner. There are no discounts on the upcharges for the specialty restaurants, as they're paid once onboard the ship.
Additionally, certain menu items aren't included with the Unlimited Dining Package, including Chops Grille's Iconic Cuts and the broiled Maine lobster. The latter costs around $25 (after the mandatory service charge), while the price for Chops' Iconic Cuts varies from $16.99 to $39.99.
It's too much food on a weeklong cruise
Overall, we found that eating at specialty restaurants for 7 nights in a row was too much food for us — our eyes were definitely bigger than our stomachs! The first few nights were exciting, but we began to feel sluggish and overly full by the middle of the cruise.
One sea day, we pushed ourselves even more, indulging in a multi-course brunch at Pier 7 ahead of our dinner at Chops Grille.
Although both meals were delicious, the constant indulgence in heavy meals left little room for snacking. This was disappointing at CocoCay when I couldn't eat as many coconut shrimp as I wanted at Hideaway Beach!
Read more: Royal Caribbean menus: Main dining room, specialty restaurants & more
It also made it difficult to fully enjoy each meal, especially during the second half of the trip. By that point, dining felt like a commitment.
At $665.48 per two people, the Unlimited Dining Package on the world's largest cruise ship broke down to nearly $100 per night. As such, we felt a lot of pressure ot maximize each meal to get our money's worth. Had we wanted to save money, we could have eaten in the buffet, the Main Dining Room, or other included venues!
Some ships have limited specialty restaurants
Sailing on Icon of the Seas meant we didn't have a shortage of restaurants to choose from. However, older vessels don't have nearly as many specialty dining options.
While Icon boasts more than 20 dining venues, including new concepts like the Empire Supper Club and Pier 7, older Royal Caribbean ships have just a handful of specialty restaurants, typically limited to staples like Chops Grille, Giovanni’s Table, and Izumi Sushi.
For example, Vision of the Seas, a Vision Class ship launched in 1998, features four specialty restaurants: Izumi Sushi, Chops Grille, Giovanni's Table, and the Chef's Table. The latter has an upcharge, too. On a weeklong cruise, eating at the same specialty restaurants can quickly start to feel repetitive.
A 3-night dining package would meet our needs better
Next time, we'd likely consider a 3-night dining package, rather than the pricey unlimited one. Because there's so much food included in the base fare — ranging from the buffet to fast-casual bites and Main Dining Room — spending nearly $700 on specialty dining felt wasteful, especially since we didn't enjoy the package as much as expected.
Not only are the 3-night packages more affordable, but they also offer more flexibility without the pressure to plan your entire cruise around dining reservations or big meals. Additionally, if you're on an older ship, you'll have fewer restaurants to cross off your list, so you may not want to pay to eat at the same venues over and over.
Ultimately, the Unlimited Dining Package is a great way to indulge in the ship's best culinary offerings. However, it's not the right fit for me. I'd prefer a smaller package so I could enjoy specialty restaurants — while leaving room for coconut shrimp.
