Within the past two years, Royal Caribbean has made multiple dining changes that are helping to reshape and simplify the line's food experience.
Dining is a central part of any cruise vacation. Whether you enjoy the vast options of the buffet, indulgent three-course meals in the Main Dining Room, or intimate specialty restaurants, a lot of your decisions revolve around when and where you're going to eat.
Not only that, but mealtime serves as a built-in social time, where you gather with friends and family to reconnect, talk about the day's activities, and plan the rest of your time on board.
As such, small tweaks to menus, seating times, or better reservation systems can feel significant when planning a cruise. Cruises are all about convenience, so any well-thought-out update isn't just about the food itself — it's about making your vacation flow as smoothly as possible.
Introduced a third seating time in the dining room
Historically, Royal Caribbean offered two traditional dinner times on its ships, seating guests around 5:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. Although the traditional seating worked for many, others thought the times were either too early or too late.
Consequently, in 2024, the cruise line added a third dining time to fit other passengers' schedules, ensuring that dinner remained a convenient and enjoyable part of the daily cruise experience. The exact time of the extra seating depends on the ship and itinerary, but it typically starts between 6:45 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
While My Time Dining lets guests choose when they want to eat each night, the third traditional seating offers a middle ground for those who still enjoy having the same wait staff but want something more flexible.
According to Royal Caribbean's Senior Vice President of Food & Beverage, Linken D'Souza, the change was made to give cruisers "more choice and variety and flexibility for their vacation."
"We're just trying to create more convenience, variety, and options for our guests," he said during an exclusive interview with Royal Caribbean Blog.
He added that early tests of the new third set dining time were overwhelmingly positive, with cruisers giving the seating higher ratings than the early, late, and My Time Dining options.
Read more: Royal Caribbean introduces third dining time
Added a feature to pre-book specialty restaurants with dining packages
Specialty restaurants are popular add-ons on Royal Caribbean cruises — from the classic Chops Grille to interactive hibachi experiences, indulgent Italian feasts, and more.
Many cruisers prefer the specialty experience over the Main Dining Room, citing the intimate vibe, higher-quality food, and personalized service as making the meals more memorable.
With the cruise line's dining packages, guests can now enjoy specialty meals without the hassle of paying for each experience separately.
In the past, one of the major caveats with the packages was that you had to wait until you were on the ship to confirm your reservations.
Now, however, you can pre-book specialty restaurants for the Unlimited Dining Package, along with the 3-Night Dining Package, on the Cruise Planner. This means you do not have to scramble to the reservations desk on embarkation day!
You can make reservations for dinner or lunch (when available). Plus, the online portal indicates all available dining times, blocking out those that are fully booked.
Read more: Royal Caribbean extends a fix to a huge dining package problem
Began charging no-shows at restaurants
On a similar note, with specialty restaurants being in such high demand, the cruise line implemented a policy to cut down on last-minute cancellations caused by no-shows.
In Sept. 2024, Royal Caribbean sent an email to travel agents informing them that it had plans to begin charging for no-shows at its specialty dining restaurants.
"We will be implementing charges for no-shows at specialty dining reservations across the fleet. Our goal is to preserve these limited seats for clients eager to experience our exclusive, limited-capacity dining options. By encouraging guests to honor their reservations, we aim to enhance the overall experience," the notice read.
Modifications to the reservation are not allowed within 24 hours of the scheduled dining time. According to the cruise line's website, cancellation fees start at $25 per person and increase to $50 for restaurants like the Empire Supper Club, Lincoln Park Supper Club, Chef's Table, Royal Railway, and Izumi Hibachi, where seating is more limited.
Read more: Royal Caribbean will now charge for no-shows at specialty restaurants
Simplified how cruisers can request a dining change
Most recently, Royal Caribbean made it easier for guests to change their preferred dining time through its website.
Previously, you had to either call the cruise line or your travel agent, which could be time-consuming. Now, with just a few clicks online, it's easier than ever to move from the early seating to the late seating.
You can also request to change from one of the traditional seatings to My Time Dining, giving you the option to choose when you'd like to eat each night (and vice versa).
If an option is full, such as the early seating, you can select the box to be put on the waitlist. Should a spot open up, the system will update to reflect the change.
To access the new dining change feature, you must first log in to your Royal Caribbean account on the website. From there, navigate to your upcoming cruise and click "Manage Reservation," followed by "Room and Guests."
Your current dining selection will appear under "Preferred Dining Time." However, you can easily click “Edit” to choose a new time or put yourself on the waitlist for your preferred option. Note that if you booked through a travel agent, you may still have to contact them to change the dining time on your cruise.
Read more: Royal Caribbean simplifies dinner planning with website update
