CanHardlyWait Posted September 10, 2023 Report Share Posted September 10, 2023 Not many people doing dining on this trip. Crew keep walking up to tables in the Windjammer and saying there is plenty of open reservations for dinner. Apparently as of noon Izumi had availability for any night this trip. They keep going up to people while there eating and pushing specialty restaurants and getting very negative responses. LOL. Folks don't want the hard sell while they are eating. I think they might be topping out at $60 plus per person. Even MDR had lots of tables at 6pm yesterday. Very Windjammer crowd this trip. RCIfan1912 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanHardlyWait Posted September 10, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 10, 2023 Probably should have posted under dining. Just random observation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooter6251 Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 6 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said: Probably should have posted under dining. Just random observation. For many years, I have never looked at the "Dining" posts, so I appreciate it being here. Quite interesting since we will soon be on the Mariner. More useful than all the beverage package posts. Just my opinion. Mary Sue and RCIfan1912 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFCruise Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 6 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said: Crew keep walking up to tables in the Windjammer and saying there is plenty of open reservations for dinner. I've never seen this before, and to be completely honest. I would be terribly annoyed if crew members were coming to me, while eating or whatever, to try and push a sale. It's one thing to put a stand in the entrance of the Windjammer, but coming up to guests is another thing completely. Mary Sue and RCIfan1912 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brdjnr Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 Crazy that Izumi has availability, that usually goes quickly. We were on Mariner a couple of weeks ago (great ship), and ate Chops 2x and Izumi once. Izumi was full full, Chops was first night but not last night. We are on her again next month. We have decided to eat MDR every night. It was good enough and the cost of specialty dining has reached the tipping point for us. WAAAYTOOO, TessFromFlorida and Mary Sue 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanHardlyWait Posted September 11, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 2 hours ago, brdjnr said: specialty dining has reached the tipping point I think this is becoming true for more folks. Was thinking about Jamie's for tonight (plenty availability as of 10am) but it's $54.99 pp plus 18% gratuity. That's a lot for chicken parm. Most Chops, Izumi are $63 pp. I think $49 is my tipping point. Didn't like last night's MDR menu (based on past experience) and happily spent $19.99 on filet mignon. Worth $20 bucks. Wouldn't be worth $63. brdjnr, WAAAYTOOO and TessFromFlorida 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27th Lady Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 I agree. We once bought a UDP on Mariner but when we came back a second time stuck with the MDR. Not enough variety to be tempted to pay what they are currently asking and the MDR was pretty good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geezer Of The Seas Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 The MDR has become like EFFY on the Royal Promenade??????? Passenger demographic, the Visa Card is running out of credit limit, who knows? Or perhaps RCCL (and others) are finding there's a ceiling to onboard spending? Then again, here on land, never thought I'd see the day one could drop $20 or more at a fast food joint...............for 2!!!! 27th Lady 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xaa Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 2 hours ago, CanHardlyWait said: I think this is becoming true for more folks. Was thinking about Jamie's for tonight (plenty availability as of 10am) but it's $54.99 pp plus 18% gratuity. That's a lot for chicken parm. Most Chops, Izumi are $63 pp. I think $49 is my tipping point. Didn't like last night's MDR menu (based on past experience) and happily spent $19.99 on filet mignon. Worth $20 bucks. Wouldn't be worth $63. I agree, they are pushing it. I'm glad to see demand subsiding a bit. I have some cruises booked on other lines and on one, the steakhouse is $39 and the Italian joint $35 and that includes the gratuity in the cover charge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beaker Posted September 11, 2023 Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 We did the package on Mariner back in January. Will not make that mistake again on a ship that limited in the offerings. Certainly didn't feel like we got any value there. Chops was decent, Izumi was nowhere near as good as last year on Harmony, and Jamie's was just plain not good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanHardlyWait Posted September 11, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 1 hour ago, Xaa said: I agree, they are pushing it. I'm glad to see demand subsiding a bit. I have some cruises booked on other lines and on one, the steakhouse is $39 and the Italian joint $35 and that includes the gratuity in the cover charge. $30 something seems much more reasonable. I think after $50 people really start mentally comparing to what they can get back home. Xaa 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CanHardlyWait Posted September 11, 2023 Author Report Share Posted September 11, 2023 Another example. It's 425pm and Izumi Hibachi (Which has limited seating to begin with) has availability tonight and every night this week. That says something. Again, it is a VERY Windjammer crowd this week. LOL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ampurp85 Posted September 12, 2023 Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 Mariner is a ship where specialty dining isn't great. The UDP is a waste as there are three specialty restaurants and JR. The Izumi is good but the quality at Jamie's and Chops leaves a lot to be desired. Another thing is that spending has been curb. Royal has priced the extras so high that specialty dining will be the first to go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27th Lady Posted September 12, 2023 Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 I can’t imagine the 4000 per day cabanas are far behind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Babsy47 Posted September 12, 2023 Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 My fall 2024 cruise still shows the $4000 cabana. That really is nuts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OCSC Mike Posted September 12, 2023 Report Share Posted September 12, 2023 6 hours ago, Babsy47 said: My fall 2024 cruise still shows the $4000 cabana. That really is nuts! What's interesting is for my June Wonder cruise, we had a Beach Club cabana so we were looking out at some of the OTW cabanas and there were plenty empty. They were up near $4000 as the cruise approached (maybe $3799) and the prices never dropped. It seems Royal would rather sell fewer at a higher price rather than bring the price down and fill them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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