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Unlimited Dining Package or Ultimate Dining Package


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4 hours ago, Matt said:

I mentioned buying this package for us on that cruise and she had a coughing fit thinking about 9 days of utilizing that package #FoodFatigue

LOL  I told my sister I would skip lunch in the Windjammer on port days and eat an early dinner and then "snack" dinner later LOLOLOL  Is filet mignon a snack?

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We have a reservation for "Mamma Mia" at 8pm on the first day of the cruise. If we buy BOGO, would we have enough time to have a nice dinner at a specialty restaurant and then be on time for the show? And when would we have to start standing in line for "Mamma Mia"?

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10 hours ago, Hava Y. said:

We have a reservation for "Mamma Mia" at 8pm on the first day of the cruise. If we buy BOGO, would we have enough time to have a nice dinner at a specialty restaurant and then be on time for the show? And when would we have to start standing in line for "Mamma Mia"?

If you make a reservation for 5:30 at a specialty restaurant and tell them you need to be out ASAP to catch a show they will make sure you get out on time.  Frankly, I find that you have a better chance of getting out quickly with specialty dining than you do with MDR.  I would think that dinner at 5:30 or 6:00 would get you out in an hour...maybe less.  Depending on where you want to sit, arriving 20-30 minutes before showtime will usually get you a decent seat.  If you want to sit right up front then you will have to be one of the first in line but for a seat in the middle lower section you should have no problem arriving 20 minutes beforehand.

As a general rule, the first show of the cruise tends to be the most crowded so it could be a bit more crowded on the first night but I don't think you will have any trouble getting in and out of dinner and to the theater in time to get a good seat.

Enjoy the show and enjoy your cruise !! AND welcome to the blog !

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On ‎4‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 12:56 PM, twangster said:

Interesting.  I hope that's the case.  

I wonder if it does anything at Perfect Day for the new dining venues that carry an additional cost.  On those 3 night Perfect Day cruises there are no sea days so you miss the lunch benefit.  

I thought about this too.  I am curious if the al a carte options would be included.  Hopefully we will know soon from Royal or based on someone's personal experience.

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Messaged with Tanya on RCCI FB page:   

I asked:  With the new Unlimited Dining Package is the a la carte options $35 per dining period or restaurant? Just wondering if you go into playmakers for wings...can you also go into Sabor for tacos later LOLOLOL

 

She said:  Hey, Penny! I think you're correct, but I'll do some research now to double check on this for you. Hang tight and I'll get back to you as soon as I have an answer. ? -Tanya

Thanks for your patience, Penny. Just to clarify, you can dine in any restaurant on your sailing as many times as you like based on availability. Specialty dining venues are also open for lunch on sea days with the exception for Johnny Rockets. So Izumi Sushi and Playmakers are considered a la carte venues. where guests will be given $35 food credit each time you dine. Hope this info helps!

 

****Have to say I love this news  :)

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2 hours ago, Pen said:

Messaged with Tanya on RCCI FB page:   

I asked:  With the new Unlimited Dining Package is the a la carte options $35 per dining period or restaurant? Just wondering if you go into playmakers for wings...can you also go into Sabor for tacos later LOLOLOL

 

She said:  Hey, Penny! I think you're correct, but I'll do some research now to double check on this for you. Hang tight and I'll get back to you as soon as I have an answer. ? -Tanya

Thanks for your patience, Penny. Just to clarify, you can dine in any restaurant on your sailing as many times as you like based on availability. Specialty dining venues are also open for lunch on sea days with the exception for Johnny Rockets. So Izumi Sushi and Playmakers are considered a la carte venues. where guests will be given $35 food credit each time you dine. Hope this info helps!

 

****Have to say I love this news  ?

This is consistent with what Zack told me over messenger.

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On 4/14/2019 at 1:42 PM, Baked Alaska said:

However, something just "doesn't smell right in the State of Denmark". Given that Holland America is starting to charge for a second entree (in the name of not wasting food, yeh right), is RCCL seemingly "giving" more away with the Unlimited Dining Package? Hmmmmmmm. . . 



I'm guessing the ultimate dinging package wasn't selling well, so they upped their game.

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5 minutes ago, alamode123 said:

I'm guessing the ultimate dinging package wasn't selling well, so they upped their game.

The other possibility is that it has sold too well at times and there were not enough dining venues for all the guests who bought packages.  Adding Playmakers, JR, Bamboo, etc helps to spread guests out for those oversold situations.

If I bought the UDP and was told "no restaurants available tonight, so eat in the MDR or Windjammer" I would not be very happy.

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6 minutes ago, twangster said:

The other possibility is that it has sold too well at times and there were not enough dining venues for all the guests who bought packages.  Adding Playmakers, JR, Bamboo, etc helps to spread guests out for those oversold situations.

I was just going by my experience last cruise. Most nights the specialty restaurants were half empty, some even moreso.

From my thinking at least, dinners will now be a specialty restaurant AND Playmakers, not Playmakers OR specialty restaurant.

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Just now, alamode123 said:

I was just going by my experience last cruise. Most nights the specialty restaurants were half empty, some even moreso.

From my thinking at least, dinners will now be a specialty restaurant AND Playmakers, not Playmakers OR specialty restaurant.

I think that depends on the ship.  On Symphony they oversell the restaurants.  

A dozen wings or a burger at PM and there is no way I'm eating in a specialty restaurant as well.  Way too much food.

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1 hour ago, twangster said:

A dozen wings or a burger at PM and there is no way I'm eating in a specialty restaurant as well.  Way too much food.

Amen...$35 at Playmakers goes a looooooong way.

If all the a la carte stuff really is included and you can visit multiple restaurants, the Ultimate gives me my favorite part of the Star Class experience.  I like being able to pick and choose single items rather than have a long fully involved meal.  And if I can sell them on giving it to me to go so I don't take up a seat in the restaurant, even better deal for me.

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38 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

And if I can sell them on giving it to me to go so I don't take up a seat in the restaurant, even better deal for me.

It will be interesting to see if this occurs.  My guess is that they will NOT allow you to take food out.  Seating availability is one of the limiting factors of this program and an expressed condition for denying your ability to dine.  I'm guessing that they are COUNTING on people not being able to get reservations willy nilly and so that will limit their liability in having to feed everyone 14 times a day.  Just a guess.  Plus the fact that they do not now permit takeout, to my knowledge.

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Anyone have confirmation about some of the questionable (a' la cart) places for the new 'Unlimited' package? Such as playmakers specifically? 

I love pub/bar food (sliders, wings, etc.)... and it seems that there are mixed reports scattered about, so would love to hear confirmation from anyone that has recently sailed since the new unlimited package has went into effect. We leave on Mariner of the seas in 15 days and trying to decide if we want to go with the UDP or not. 

 

Thanks

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15 hours ago, vanelli56 said:

Anyone have confirmation about some of the questionable (a' la cart) places for the new 'Unlimited' package? Such as playmakers specifically? 

I love pub/bar food (sliders, wings, etc.)... and it seems that there are mixed reports scattered about, so would love to hear confirmation from anyone that has recently sailed since the new unlimited package has went into effect. We leave on Mariner of the seas in 15 days and trying to decide if we want to go with the UDP or not. 

 

Thanks

I think we're still waiting on a field report from someone who's purchased the Unlimited since it came out.

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For me I think is the win-win for both Royal and cruisers. How much you can eat and you know everyone got to eat food somewhere on the ship either include or extra paid. One more benefit for Royal is for who that not get the drink package they might order drink too. So Royal get paid for the food and some drink and cruisers happy.

Anyway, I still have concerns. How Royal will handle reservations and how the crews that work in the specialty restaurant will handle this. I am sure will be more people buy the Unlimited package now.

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I just checked the cruise planner for our October trip & it's not there.  Although I did notice a couple weeks ago the old Unlimited Dining Package showed up, but I couldn't actually book it--just came up as no times available.  I don't know if they sold out or that was just something weird in the system, but doesn't look like I can get it on my sailing.  It's a short 3-dayer, so that might be a factor too.

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8 minutes ago, newcruiser2018 said:

We took the plunge and bought the Unlimited Dining on the Allure on 11/3.   The husband is looking forward to a nice meal, then heading to Playmakers to use the $35 A la Carte credit, and drink extra beer with the drink package and watching Monday night football.  ????

I am so sorry to tell you this.. Allure Doesn't have a Playmakers. IN fact it has no where to get Bar type food.. Now after its dry dock in 2020 the rumor is it will get playmakers but sounds like you will be on before then.. 

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46 minutes ago, newcruiser2018 said:

We took the plunge and bought the Unlimited Dining on the Allure on 11/3.   The husband is looking forward to a nice meal, then heading to Playmakers to use the $35 A la Carte credit, and drink extra beer with the drink package and watching Monday night football.  ????

Currently the only ships with Playmakers is Symphony, Mariner, Navigator, and Independence ... Oasis is rumored to get it during its dry dock in October but its still only a rumor

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28 minutes ago, newcruiser2018 said:

OH! He's about to be devastated, I'm not going to ruin it for him right now.

 

Yeah I'm sorry for the bad news. I wish Allure did have playmakers already. I have been there on Symphony and Mariner and its a really great spot.. I hope they end up rolling it out on all ships.

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25 minutes ago, Baked Alaska said:

We also received the email today, but I'm curious. We booked the Izumi Hibachi and also have the Unlimited Dining package. When or how do we receive the 20% discount, as there was no discount offered on the cruise planner.

As it seems that this was an attempt to answer some of the more common questions about the program, it’s surprising that they did not clarify the rules for Hibachi.  It would have been easy to mention it by name as they did with Playmakers.  <shaking my head>

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6 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

Not that this states anything surprising, but just got this email today.

unlimited.thumb.gif.0a347ea154c1a97958efc6c8d0a0b948.gif

I FIGURED IT OUT!!! RC is not offering 20% on dining experiences. They are offering 20% off on dinging experiences!

  • Savings on exclusive dinging experiences: 20% off when booking Chef’s Table and any Culinary Experiences onboard.
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14 hours ago, Baked Alaska said:

We also received the email today, but I'm curious. We booked the Izumi Hibachi and also have the Unlimited Dining package. When or how do we receive the 20% discount, as there was no discount offered on the cruise planner.

You get the 20% discount when you book onboard.  I would assume that the 20% is taken off the bill..so you're getting 20% off the onboard price..it may or may not have been cheaper in the cruise planner.  However, I was under the assumption that the hibachi was covered and reports back on CC are confirming that it is..so you wouldn't have to pay at all.

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3 hours ago, AshleyDillo said:

You get the 20% discount when you book onboard.  I would assume that the 20% is taken off the bill..so you're getting 20% off the onboard price..it may or may not have been cheaper in the cruise planner.  However, I was under the assumption that the hibachi was covered and reports back on CC are confirming that it is..so you wouldn't have to pay at all.

Hmmm. That's seems like a penalty (maybe not the right word) for booking on the CP.

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7 minutes ago, Baked Alaska said:

Hmmm. That's seems like a penalty (maybe not the right word) for booking on the CP.

When you book on the CP you are locking in your reservation, so you potentially end up not getting the discount because of that guarantee.  Kind of the same thing with the dining packages where you can't reserve ahead of time.  You're giving up the guarantee for a reduced price.  The CP planner price could very well end up being less than it is on board even with the discount..you never know when they will raise prices.

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On 4/12/2019 at 1:23 PM, tiny260 said:

Well, if I hadn't gotten it on Black Friday I probably would not have done it, but I'm still faced with a limited number of restaurants for a 9 day cruise, Chops, Jamie's, Izumi, Wonderland and I guess add Solarium Bistro and Vintages, I'm in a suite so add Coastal kitchen. My Wife will eat at 5 of those and even though we have been on Harmony, Wonderland is a toss up to her because we have yet to eat there.

Should have seen my bitter beer face when I bought her the drink package!!!

Will Wonderland now be included in the Package?  In the Ultimate Dining Package, Wonderland was NOT included.  

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On 4/12/2019 at 2:30 PM, WAAAYTOOO said:

The Ultimate (and now, Unlimited) DP on Oasis for our Dec. 1 cruise has been advertising $199 for many, many weeks.

We got the Ultimate (now, Unlimited) DP last Black Friday for $129 pp for our Alaskan Cruise in August on Ovation, so, it is a great deal for us.  

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