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Unlimited Dining Package on Navigator of the Seas


janderson

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Can anyone tell me how this works with the Unlimited Dining Package on Navigator?  Is there hours (such as only evening meal) that it works?  Are there any restaurants that we can't go to including getting the $35 credit (Playmakers, Johnny Rockets ect.) it states you get at the ala carte restaurants?  We thought we had this purchased with our travel agent but through a misunderstanding we did not get it.  The other people in our party are confused so I would just like a definitive answer to tell them from someone who has had it on our specific ship.

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2 minutes ago, janderson said:

Can anyone tell me how this works with the Unlimited Dining Package on Navigator?  Is there hours (such as only evening meal) that it works?  Are there any restaurants that we can't go to including getting the $35 credit (Playmakers, Johnny Rockets ect.) it states you get at the ala carte restaurants?  We thought we had this purchased with our travel agent but through a misunderstanding we did not get it.  The other people in our party are confused so I would just like a definitive answer to tell them from someone who has had it on our specific ship.

I have had it on Navigator and have it again in 2 weeks. Its very easy. As soon as you board the ship go to any restaurant and make your dining reservations. The restaurants are open from I believe 5:30 PM- 9:30PM.. Playmakers and Johnny rockets have different hours and don't require reservations so just look in the cruise planner for those times.. So Chops, Hooked, and Jamie's Italian are all covered by the package just make your reservation and go. Izumi you still need a reservation for but you get $35 a person worth of food. Playmakers you also get $35 worth of food per person. Johnny rockets I am not sure because I don't like it so I didn't eat there lol. The package is fun.. I love Oysters so I like going to Hooked seafood at 5:30 for Oysters and then I make an 8:00 reservation at Chops and eat there. With the Unlimited package you are able to do this and its fun. Also anytime a restaurant is open for lunch you can also use the package.. Again not all restaurants are open for lunch so you have to check the daily planner but if its open you can absolutely eat there.. 

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I have also done the UDP on Navigator.  

Specialty dining is not required on a cruise.  Your cruise fare includes several venues such as the Windjammer (buffet), Cafe Promenade (sandwiches and pizza) as well as the main dining room for a full sit down meal service.  

I recommend trying the options that are included as part of your cruise fare for you first cruise.  If there is a special occasion you can consider specialty dining to mark the occasion and make it special, otherwise simply enjoy that which you already paid for. 

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2 hours ago, janderson said:

In your opinion is it worth getting the package because the quality of food is higher or it is more for the novelty of going to a "specialty dining"?  None of us have been on a cruise so we don't know what to expect for main dining room food quality vs. the specialty restaurants.

Whether it is worth it really depends on if you want to pay to have the going rate to have access all the food options on board for no additional charge.  Take a look at the menus and see what really piques your interest.  You may find there's only one specialty restaurant that draws you in..then just only splurge and eat at that one and enjoy the complimentary stuff.  Playmakers is ala carte to begin with and is priced comparatively to what you would pay at a typical sports bar on land.

I would say main dining room food quality is along the lines of what you might get at a banquet.  It's produced in large quantities so the quality lends itself to that.  They do offer steak and seafood selections in the main dining room, so you don't have to eat at Chops for steak or Hooked for seafood.  But steak in the MDR is like getting a steak at Applebees whereas Chops can sometimes be more comparable to at least an Outback steak, if not the higher-end steakhouses.  

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4 hours ago, janderson said:

@AGSLC5 In your opinion is it worth getting the package because the quality of food is higher or it is more for the novelty of going to a "specialty dining"?  None of us have been on a cruise so we don't know what to expect for main dining room food quality vs. the specialty restaurants.

Well this is a very personal question. I have been on 70 cruises 45 of them on Royal Caribbean. I personally think the included food on Royal Caribbean is awful. Years ago it was good but in my opinion it has become awful. Now other people including people on this blog Love it. But since you asked me my opinion I will tell you I think the included food is awful and I buy an unlimited dining package for every cruise. 

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Seeing this offered as well for my Feb Navigator sailing, but to me for a short cruise not worth the extra dollars.  Agree with others that it depends what you like.  We're young to middle aged active cruisers, I don't like to over plan my day, I don't want a bunch of reservations out there and I certainly don't want to stand in line at guest services on this short sailing at all, for any reason, period.  We always take late seating dining in the main dining room, in my experience the main dining room gets a lot of criticism it frankly doesn't deserve from all angles.  Some people think it's way too formal and structured and other people don't think it's formal or good enough, it's been put in a really tough spot over the years.  I think the food is perfectly fine.  It's not wonderland every night, but it's fine.  On our full week on Symphony earlier this year we planned ahead with reservations before sailing for hooked seafood, which was fine food but not amazing and slow service- not worth the upcharge and 150 central park which was amazing and worth every penny but very quiet and intimate, in my opinion if we did unlimited dining every night I would miss the company of our group and the fun stories of what did you do today, etc.

For me, if we end up at playmakers or johnny rocket's then great, so be it and we'll just pay a couple bucks.  But there are so many other great options for cruising, the added on boutique type restaurants are really for longer cruises with more time to plan things out.  I want my 4 day to be a quick easy getaway, ultimate drink package, morning simple room service, then pool time, el loco fresh (which was awesome on symphony and is getting great reviews on navigator) relax, late seating Main dining room because I don't want to have to go down and get ready for dinner at 3:30 pm or just do buffet for dinner, cafe promenade is always there for late night snack or simple lunch and all of these are included, but that's just me.  It's still free enterprise, you can spend as much money as you want and RC will certainly take it....

 

 

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35 minutes ago, dr martini said:

Seeing this offered as well for my Feb Navigator sailing, but to me for a short cruise not worth the extra dollars.  Agree with others that it depends what you like.  We're young to middle aged active cruisers, I don't like to over plan my day, I don't want a bunch of reservations out there and I certainly don't want to stand in line at guest services on this short sailing at all, for any reason, period.  We always take late seating dining in the main dining room, in my experience the main dining room gets a lot of criticism it frankly doesn't deserve from all angles.  Some people think it's way too formal and structured and other people don't think it's formal or good enough, it's been put in a really tough spot over the years.  I think the food is perfectly fine.  It's not wonderland every night, but it's fine.  On our full week on Symphony earlier this year we planned ahead with reservations before sailing for hooked seafood, which was fine food but not amazing and slow service- not worth the upcharge and 150 central park which was amazing and worth every penny but very quiet and intimate, in my opinion if we did unlimited dining every night I would miss the company of our group and the fun stories of what did you do today, etc.

For me, if we end up at playmakers or johnny rocket's then great, so be it and we'll just pay a couple bucks.  But there are so many other great options for cruising, the added on boutique type restaurants are really for longer cruises with more time to plan things out.  I want my 4 day to be a quick easy getaway, ultimate drink package, morning simple room service, then pool time, el loco fresh (which was awesome on symphony and is getting great reviews on navigator) relax, late seating Main dining room because I don't want to have to go down and get ready for dinner at 3:30 pm or just do buffet for dinner, cafe promenade is always there for late night snack or simple lunch and all of these are included, but that's just me.  It's still free enterprise, you can spend as much money as you want and RC will certainly take it....

 

 

just so you know if you get the Unlimited dining package you don't have to stand in line at guest services at all.. You simply go to any restaurant and make reservations it literally takes 5 min but I totally understand all your other points. I just think the food on Royal is awful lol. 

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4 hours ago, AGSLC5 said:

just so you know if you get the Unlimited dining package you don't have to stand in line at guest services at all.. You simply go to any restaurant and make reservations it literally takes 5 min but I totally understand all your other points.

 

HOWEVER ..... IF you are in a grand suite or above, your concierge will email you about 7 to 10 days before the cruise ....... you can reply to that email and tell them you have the unlimited dining plan and give them the nights and times you’d like to eat dinner at each restaurant and they will make the reservations for you.  That’s the only way to get specialty restaurant reservations BEFORE the cruise with the unlimited dining plan.

 

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3 minutes ago, ChrisK2793 said:

 

HOWEVER ..... IF you are in a grand suite or above, your concierge will email you about 7 to 10 days before the cruise ....... you can reply to that email and tell them you have the unlimited dining plans and give them the nights and times you’d like to eat dinner at each restaurant and they will make the reservations for you.  That’s the only way to get specialty restaurant reservations BEFORE the cruise with the unlimited dining plan.

 

Yes and that really is an awesome perk. I have a suite in January for my birthday and I am going to take advantage of this perk. 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...
4 hours ago, CruisinForABruisin said:

How many times can you use the $35 a la carte? We'd love to be able to do sushi a few times throughout the cruise 

As many as you like..you.can drop in for $35 worth of sushi for pre-dinner and then go to Chops for dinner if you like..and drop into Playmakers for dessert and get another $35 worth of food.

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