Dining Package Reservations Question

[Rcf53]

I am booked on a RCL cruise that sails months from now and I am considering purchasing one of the dining packages. However, I noticed that while passengers who purchase specialty restaurant dining individually may make their date/time reservations months in advance, passengers who purchase the dining package can only make the first reservation ahead of time and must wait until they are onboard to make the remaining reservations. RCL reps I have spoken to have told me that there “should be” plenty of slots left when I board, but it seems to me that by the time I get there all of the favorable reservations will be long gone. The dining packages may give you a bit of a discount, but at the risk of having to deal with the leftover dates and times, and perhaps risk being shut out of certain restaurants. Am I missing something?

[SpeedNoodles]

I've never had trouble booking specialty dining once I get on the ship.   I just make it the first thing we do.  We may not get our absolute first choice of times, but we always get something close.

[Rcf53]

I guess that’s my point. Committing to multiple speciality dining restaurants by purchasing the dining package should give you at least the same opportunity to get your absolute first choice of times. Instead, they put you behind everyone who has made single purchases and pre-selected their times for months. Doesn’t seem quite fair. 

[Xaa]

1 hour ago, Rcf53 said:

I guess that’s my point. Committing to multiple speciality dining restaurants by purchasing the dining package should give you at least the same opportunity to get your absolute first choice of times. Instead, they put you behind everyone who has made single purchases and pre-selected their times for months. Doesn’t seem quite fair. 

Think about it this way.  Paying full price for each specialty dining restaurant allows you to choose your reservation time in advance of the group that buys their specialty dining at a bulk package rate.

They seem to intend the packages to allow them to fill the restaurants around the full price diners.

[MaryCS62]

2 hours ago, Rcf53 said:

I guess that’s my point. Committing to multiple speciality dining restaurants by purchasing the dining package should give you at least the same opportunity to get your absolute first choice of times. Instead, they put you behind everyone who has made single purchases and pre-selected their times for months. Doesn’t seem quite fair. 

The dining package is cheaper than reserving individually, so the trade-off is getting a better price for possibly less than desirable times.

[AndyPandy]

2 hours ago, Rcf53 said:

I guess that’s my point. Committing to multiple speciality dining restaurants by purchasing the dining package should give you at least the same opportunity to get your absolute first choice of times. Instead, they put you behind everyone who has made single purchases and pre-selected their times for months. Doesn’t seem quite fair. 

Well no, the package has a big discount, so it’s not on par price wise. The UDP is there to fill up the remaining available slots, so RCCL and their staff are kept busy, but you pay less than those booking individually. It’s a bit of a lottery, but as many say, they still get the slots they want.

[Ryan79]

You are picking what you want…..a heavy discount with the package or peace of mind of getting your exact time, day & restaurant by paying separately. Each option has upsides and downsides. Luckily YOU get to pick which option you want based on what is important to YOU. It’s 100% fair for RC to let you choose what is more important to you. For me personally, I choose peace of mind. Saving a few bucks was more important to you. What’s so unfair about that? No one is forcing your hand.

[Rcf53]

Well, then it is as I thought. The dining package is nothing more than RCL trying to sell the remaining, and very probably undesirable dinner slots at a discount. Chops at 4pm anyone? They sure make it sound like a major perk, and then put the bad news in small print on the third bullet.

What I really didn’t appreciate is the RCL reps I spoke to. The first told me I could select my preferred times on the app after I purchase the dining package… wrong. The second told me there would probably be plenty of desirable slots left by the time I board… probably wrong. The third very reluctantly admitted the package policy is not to pre-sell slots aside from the first. I wonder how many other ways I have been misled? We shall see. 

[SpeedNoodles]

That's a bit hyperbolic.   I've never had to choose a time like 4pm or 9pm.  I've always been able to book between 7pm-7:30pm.  I don't know if I'd call those undesirable to most people. 

[Xaa]

53 minutes ago, Rcf53 said:

Well, then it is as I thought. The dining package is nothing more than RCL trying to sell the remaining, and very probably undesirable dinner slots at a discount. Chops at 4pm anyone? They sure make it sound like a major perk, and then put the bad news in small print on the third bullet.

What I really didn’t appreciate is the RCL reps I spoke to. The first told me I could select my preferred times on the app after I purchase the dining package… wrong. The second told me there would probably be plenty of desirable slots left by the time I board… probably wrong. The third very reluctantly admitted the package policy is not to pre-sell slots aside from the first. I wonder how many other ways I have been misled? We shall see. 

It will be fine.  You got to select a time for night 1 or 2 when you booked right?  That just leaves the rest to fill in.  While I would love a 4PM CHOPS, they aren't quite open yet.

It's normal for you to feel how you are feeling now, but you will most likely get a schedule you like and enjoy your package.

The "bad news" is in the exact same sized print along with all of the other details.

Now that you know what you know, there is no fee to cancel it if it doesn't suit you any longer or keep it if you think you can make it work

 

[Atlantix2000]

1 hour ago, Rcf53 said:

Well, then it is as I thought. The dining package is nothing more than RCL trying to sell the remaining, and very probably undesirable dinner slots at a discount. Chops at 4pm anyone? They sure make it sound like a major perk, and then put the bad news in small print on the third bullet.

What I really didn’t appreciate is the RCL reps I spoke to. The first told me I could select my preferred times on the app after I purchase the dining package… wrong. The second told me there would probably be plenty of desirable slots left by the time I board… probably wrong. The third very reluctantly admitted the package policy is not to pre-sell slots aside from the first. I wonder how many other ways I have been misled? We shall see. 

Only a percentage of restaurant inventory is sold pre-cruise.  They have to hold time slots for people with packages and for people that want to book on board (and for the people that have no idea you can do anything ahead of time!).  With a package, you can still get good dining times as long as you take care of it soon after boarding.  If you wait until after everyone else books their reservations (like day 2), then, yes, you will have to settle for whatever is left.  But this isn't unique to a cruise ship restaurant.  If you want Mother's Day Brunch reservations at noon, you can't wait until the day before or you'll be disappointed too.

[Rcf53]

Thanks Atlanix2000. That makes sense. You would think the RCL staff I spent a grand total of 90 minutes with on the phone would know these things! I’m still not sure that with 5400 passengers I will get the slots I want since we have certain days and times targeted for personal reasons, and because we prefer 8pm which is pretty much what 90% of people on that cruise will prefer. I need to give it some thought, but good info like the one in your post gives me more than I had before. Much appreciated. 

[Xaa]

23 minutes ago, Rcf53 said:

and because we prefer 8pm which is pretty much what 90% of people on that cruise will prefer.

I'm not sure if that's a cruise specific reason, but early (5:30) dining fills up before the late seating almost universally.  I would cancel if I thought only 8PM slots would be left.

[SpeedNoodles]

1 hour ago, Rcf53 said:

, and because we prefer 8pm which is pretty much what 90% of people on that cruise will prefer.

The most popular and difficult-to-get times are between 6-7.   I would not assume that 90% of the people on the cruise want to eat at 8pm.

[Rcf53]

I consider 5:30 a late lunch! I’m not looking for the early bird special  

All kidding aside, every cruise I have ever been on (like most land based restaurants) have had a very high demand for the 8pm time slots. Particularly on port days when many tours return late in the day and departure is 6pm. After the day’s activities, a bath, and a before dinner cocktail 8pm is almost rushing it sometimes. The cruise I’m referring to is transatlantic and there will be few or no kids so generally adults sailing without children will opt for a later dinner hour.