Hale

We did the UDP on the Vision last week (New Year’s Cruise). We always buy a three or four night specialty dining package on a seven night cruise because it changes things up a bit but there were no dining packages but the UDP available at all for this New Year’s cruise. We went to Chef’s Table one night and alternated eating dinner in Chops and Giovanni’s; we ate lunch once in Izumi’s.

We, too, found it a bit boring. While there are enough entree choices (beef/fish/chicken/vegetarian), they need to create more variety in soups/salads. I suggested to an officer, (he came into the Diamond Lounge for coffee one morning and struck up a conversation with us) that a little change they could make for these restaurants is add a soup of the day/salad of the day option. Very easy to do and may alleviate some of the “sameness” each evening.

As someone mentioned earlier, NCL seems to have mastered the art of flexible dining. We have sailed with them many more times than with Royal and dining on an NCL ship has never seemed as “hectic” as it is with Royal. Bottom line — we will not purchase a UDP again but, when available, will buy four or five night dining packages (depending on cruise length)and the Chef’s Table; this will give us a (somewhat) similar feeling as to choosing restaurants on a land vacation.

Thanks! Hmmm, just checked, I couldn’t remember the last RCL holiday cruise we took; it seems that it was over a decade ago. Over the years since we have taken Celebrity, Oceania, NCL and Princess and all offer same packages as non holiday cruises. Good to know, we will not be taking RCL holiday sailings any more. 

We’re sailing on Vision for the New Year’s cruise out of New Orleans. We are doing the Chef’s Table on New Year’s Eve but also want to purchase a dining package but none s offered. First time I have seen this—we have three other cruises booked on other RCL ships next year and all are offering the dining packages. Is this new just for a New Year’s cruise (we take New Year’s cruises every year and have been able to purchase them)? Is it just for Vision - we were on a non holiday Vision cruise last year and had one? Anyone on any other ship at New Year’s experiencing this?