Question about dining package

[Marga]

Hi,

I have never booked a dining package before and was looking at the prices today. It says on the RC site  

• For restaurants with a la carte pricing, you’ll receive a $35 food credit, with the exception of Port Side BBQ and Playmakers which will be $20.

So when you book a dining package you don't actually get to eat where ever you want, whatever you want? $35 per person does not sound like a lot.  Do you pay a surcharge for the rest?

Maybe I'm missing something? 

[AshleyDillo]

You do get to eat anywhere that you would like. 

Some specialty restaurants charge a per person cover charge and with the UDP you will not have to pay that cover charge.  There may be some items on the menu with an upcharge, and those aren't included, but otherwise it covers most of the menu. 

There are restaurants that have an a la carte menu, which means it's like a normal restaurant on land where you pay per item that you order. 

The best example of this is Izumi sushi which has menu prices for all of their items.  If you visit there with the dining plan you will be able to order up to $35 per visit.  Now that is PER PERSON with the dining plan.  So if you go into Izumi sushi with 2 adults on the dining plan you can order together up to $70 worth of food.  Remember, this is PER VISIT as well.  So you can visit every single day of the cruise, even go for lunch and dinner, and each time you will get that $35 credit.  The $20 at Portside and Playmakers gets you a LOT of food at menu prices and again, that's per visit.

[CGTLH]

56 minutes ago, Marga said:

So when you book a dining package you don't actually get to eat where ever you want, whatever you want?

No, you can eat wherever you want and whenever you want. Only catch would be time open and reservation availability.

56 minutes ago, Marga said:

$35 per person does not sound like a lot.

In the case of Izumi $35 can cover a lot. Most sushi rolls are in the $12 range. 

Order of goyza, shrimp wonton soup, and the most expensive roll is a little bit under the $35 limit. Nothing says you can't come back later except for availability. Worst case, ask if you can do a to-go order.

Also remember the coverage is accumulative. Worst case if you go over only the difference has to be paid.

56 minutes ago, Marga said:

Do you pay a surcharge for the rest?

No surcharge for any of the fixed price venues. Chops, Wonderland, Giovanni's, Jamie's, and several others. Except if anything on the menu has a surcharge. Great example would be the seafood tower at Chops.

[ChrisK2793]

9 hours ago, Marga said:

Hi,

I have never booked a dining package before and was looking at the prices today. It says on the RC site  

• For restaurants with a la carte pricing, you’ll receive a $35 food credit, with the exception of Port Side BBQ and Playmakers which will be $20.

So when you book a dining package you don't actually get to eat where ever you want, whatever you want? $35 per person does not sound like a lot.  Do you pay a surcharge for the rest?

Maybe I'm missing something? 

If there are 2 of you eating at Izumi, I guarantee you’ll be stuffed even without using the entire $70 that you’ll be allowed to spend for 2 people.  That’s $35 per person just for the food ….. drinks are separate.  Even when I went on a cruise in 2019 without my spouse and with just my at the time 8yo son …… he ate off the kids menu for $10 and I wasted a lot of my food for $35 because I couldn’t eat it all 

 

 

[Marga]

Thank you for the advice! 

[BarbieBell]

Question about the Unlimited Dining Package - when I booked it required selecting a time, does that mean that’s the only time we can make reservations at the various restaurants?  Also can we make reservations for the various restaurants  now online, or do we have to wait until we are onboard?

[JimnKathy]

28 minutes ago, BarbieBell said:

Question about the Unlimited Dining Package - when I booked it required selecting a time, does that mean that’s the only time we can make reservations at the various restaurants?  Also can we make reservations for the various restaurants  now online, or do we have to wait until we are onboard?

You still have to wait until you get onboard to book the rest of your specialty restaurant reservations. You'll find a lot of flexibility in regards to getting reservations as long as it's no more than 4 people in your group. The crew is very accommodating in terms of figuring out ways to keep guests happy.

[BarbieBell]

Thanks so much

[Kurtp13]

I have a question.  What if we used the package for lunch and dinner, then wanted some bar snacks later at Playmakers, Portside or Vintages.  Or maybe Johnny Rockets (I've done a few late night burgers on my trips).   Would the package cover these extra visits?    I've seen people describing progressive dinners where they get different portions of the meal at different restaurants.   I assume it would work the same way.  

Are any island (Coco Key or Labadee) special spots included?

 

 

 

[wordell1]

45 minutes ago, Kurtp13 said:

I have a question.  What if we used the package for lunch and dinner, then wanted some bar snacks later at Playmakers, Portside or Vintages.  Or maybe Johnny Rockets (I've done a few late night burgers on my trips).   Would the package cover these extra visits?    I've seen people describing progressive dinners where they get different portions of the meal at different restaurants.   I assume it would work the same way.  

Are any island (Coco Key or Labadee) special spots included?

 

 

 

Yes to Q1

No to Q2 - most food on the islands is free for all.  The Beach Club at Coco Cay does include a gourmet lunch with admission but it is not included in the UDP.

[AshleyDillo]

3 hours ago, Kurtp13 said:

I have a question.  What if we used the package for lunch and dinner, then wanted some bar snacks later at Playmakers, Portside or Vintages.  Or maybe Johnny Rockets (I've done a few late night burgers on my trips).   Would the package cover these extra visits?    I've seen people describing progressive dinners where they get different portions of the meal at different restaurants.   I assume it would work the same way.  

The package covers any specialty restaurant whenever it is open.  Order some Izumi sushi to go, grab some nachos from Playmakers to bring to the Aquatheater show, as long as they're open you can eat.  I've visited CP150 and Chops in the same night (although I only did a takeout order for Chops for my evening visit).  You can even schedule multiple reservations for yourself in the app in the same evening.  

[Kurtp13]

I've never been but isn't Captain Jacks on Coco Cay a paid venue?   That would not be included?

[WAAAYTOOO]

30 minutes ago, Kurtp13 said:

I've never been but isn't Captain Jacks on Coco Cay a paid venue?   That would not be included?

Cap'n Jacks is a strange fish.  It doesn't cost anything to go there, but the food does cost extra $$ and, at least Pre-COVID, that cost was not covered by the UDP.  I could never understand this.  It would be one thing if the food at Cap'n Jack's was some kind of Michelin-level fine dining but it's chicken wings for goodness sakes.  I wonder if Cap'n Jack's is included for Star Class.  I have never asked that question.

[Shari]

I have a question about the UDP.  The main dining room offers some steaks and lobster for an up charge would these items be included in the UDP?

[AshleyDillo]

45 minutes ago, Shari said:

I have a question about the UDP.  The main dining room offers some steaks and lobster for an up charge would these items be included in the UDP?

They unfortunately are not. The upcharge items in the specialty restaurants are also not included.

[Shari]

11 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

They unfortunately are not. The upcharge items in the specialty restaurants are also not included.

thank you.

 

[parkyy2k]

If you get the 3/7 night speciality dining package can you go the same restaurant more then once? 

[WAAAYTOOO]

14 minutes ago, parkyy2k said:

If you get the 3/7 night speciality dining package can you go the same restaurant more then once? 

Yes

[bgprice47]

We have a group of 10 traveling on Oasis in October. Want to celebrate my brother's birthday with dinner at Izumi Habachi. 4 people in the group have the UDP. If we make reservations for all 10 people in cruise planner, would the cost be refunded to those 4 with the UDP once on board?? 

[AshleyDillo]

9 hours ago, bgprice47 said:

If we make reservations for all 10 people in cruise planner, would the cost be refunded to those 4 with the UDP once on board?? 

Yes.  It may require straightening it out with Guest Services, but it will be refunded as OBC. They may still charge $10 for those on the dining plan. 

Quote

For ships with these venues, Teppanyaki/Izumi Hibachi is included, with a $10 surcharge, which will be charged onboard.*

 

[PaulRC]

Is it difficult to get reservations?  Has anyone purchased the UDP and not been able to get a seat at the specialty restaurants?  Does this happen often?

 

Thanks 

[Ampurp85]

@PaulRCI would venture to guess that at the moment choice reservations will be filling up fast. So the difficulty would be higher. As it stands the Windjammer is not open for dinner due to reduce capacity. The MDR is split to accommodate the mix of (un)Vax pax. Plus the people who are currently cruising are most likely seasoned vets and are excited to be back cruising. Also many of those cruisers have lots of OBC and/or saved funds from cancelled vacations. This means that specialty dining is on and popping.

[bgprice47]

On 7/3/2021 at 9:27 PM, AshleyDillo said:

Yes.  It may require straightening it out with Guest Services, but it will be refunded as OBC. They may still charge $10 for those on the dining plan. 

 

Thanks

[ChrisK2793]

On 7/6/2021 at 11:05 AM, PaulRC said:

Is it difficult to get reservations?  Has anyone purchased the UDP and not been able to get a seat at the specialty restaurants?  Does this happen often?

 

Thanks 

You want to go to an open specialty restaurant and make all your dinner reservations as soon as you get on the ship, or you may only be left with terrible seating times.

also, if you happen to be in a Grand Suite or better, the concierge will email you a week before the cruise, you can email them back with the dates and times you want to eat at each restaurant and they will make the reservations for you 

 

[dandi799]

This is a very specific question, and I know that things might be different with the restart, but I am on the first Symphony sailing (8/14), and am going to have to make my UDP reservations right after boarding. I’m thinking there will be a big line at the podium in the promenade. Does anyone know what speciality restaurants I might be able to go to in order to make those reservations after boarding? Thank you!!

[AlmondFarmer]

Any specialty restaurant that is open has access to reservation system. 
I write out my requests and hand them to someone able to make reservations. I wait for verification. Eventually reservations will show up as events on the App calendar. 

[dandi799]

8 minutes ago, AlmondFarmer said:

Any specialty restaurant that is open has access to reservation system. 
I write out my requests and hand them to someone able to make reservations. I wait for verification. Eventually reservations will show up as events on the App calendar. 

Thank you! I guess I am wondering which specialty restaurants are typically open right when you board.  

[WAAAYTOOO]

1 hour ago, dandi799 said:

Thank you! I guess I am wondering which specialty restaurants are typically open right when you board.  

BC Chops or Giovanni's/Jamies were usually open for lunch on embarkation day but who knows if any of them will be open after the restart.

[dandi799]

24 minutes ago, WAAAYTOOO said:

BC Chops or Giovanni's/Jamies were usually open for lunch on embarkation day but who knows if any of them will be open after the restart.

Thank you! I will start there! I will report back with how things go! I appreciate it!

[AshleyDillo]

2 hours ago, dandi799 said:

Does anyone know what speciality restaurants I might be able to go to in order to make those reservations after boarding? Thank you!!

We have luck usually with the Central Park restaurants, so just go to see which are open and walk into the podium. Typically several of them are open to make reservations. I've also been able to do it through the app once connected to the ship's wifi.

[dandi799]

18 minutes ago, AshleyDillo said:

We have luck usually with the Central Park restaurants, so just go to see which are open and walk into the podium. Typically several of them are open to make reservations. I've also been able to do it through the app once connected to the ship's wifi.

Oooh, that is good to know! If we have to wait a bit to board, I can try to see if I can do it on the app. Thank you!!

[AshleyDillo]

13 minutes ago, dandi799 said:

Oooh, that is good to know! If we have to wait a bit to board, I can try to see if I can do it on the app. Thank you!!

No clue if you have to be officially "dinged" in onto the ship before the app kicks in to allow it, but I noticed I could use the app and make reservations while I was waiting for another person in my party to make our reservations at the podium in Giovannis when I was last on Oasis.

[AshleyDillo]

Also Izumi hibachi for some reason wasn't bookable through the app in my case. In fact at the podiums they had to call down to Izumi to make the booking as if they didn't have access to that particular reservation system either.

[JimnKathy]

On 7/29/2021 at 9:20 AM, AlmondFarmer said:

Any specialty restaurant that is open has access to reservation system. 
I write out my requests and hand them to someone able to make reservations. I wait for verification. Eventually reservations will show up as events on the App calendar. 

Giving them hand-written requests is a great time-saving idea. 

[Wanderer]

On 7/29/2021 at 5:20 PM, AlmondFarmer said:

Any specialty restaurant that is open has access to reservation system. 
I write out my requests and hand them to someone able to make reservations. I wait for verification. Eventually reservations will show up as events on the App calendar. 

I will definitely try that out! Handing down my written request and sitting down and having some nice drink while waiting booking process to be made. Sound like a good way to start a cruise! 

[Linda R]

I am hoping the App will work for dining reservations.  Then I can relax someplace and make my reservations.  But I do have a list beforehand  so I know what I prefer for times, etc.  Happy sailing to all!