Matt Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 http://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2015/05/20/royal-caribbean-offering-ultimate-dining-package-specialty-restaurants Anyone going to buy it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Nope, might do one Specialty Dining night on any given cruise (and usually only because the TA throws a freebie on the account), no interest in paying to eat every night when the MDR is already there :) If I ever do a Q class, possibly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnK6404 Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 Not at this point... we probably look to go to specialty dining 2-3 times per cruise (for 7 or 10 night cruises)... we like the MDR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 I'm considering it for the Allure in 2017. Given the number of dining choices, it may be worth the upgrade to a variety of restaurants especially if they keep the kid's price at $8 as my son will likely dine with us some nights depending on the restaurant. Ultimately, though, I'd have to do the math. Given the current discount of 30%, I'm not sure it's that great of a deal unless they do away with that discount. My only fear is that such a package will make getting reservations harder, especially in the more expensive restaurants, as people try to maximize the value of the package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnK6404 Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 I'm considering it for the Allure in 2017. Given the number of dining choices, it may be worth the upgrade to a variety of restaurants especially if they keep the kid's price at $8 as my son will likely dine with us some nights depending on the restaurant. Ultimately, though, I'd have to do the math. Given the current discount of 30%, I'm not sure it's that great of a deal unless they do away with that discount. My only fear is that such a package will make getting reservations harder, especially in the more expensive restaurants, as people try to maximize the value of the package. Very true... if this becomes popular it may be harder to make reservations... DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted May 21, 2015 Report Share Posted May 21, 2015 No, I will not be purchasing the specialty restaurant package. I do not even take advantage (if it IS actually an advantage) of the 30% off or the BOGOF D+ benefit. I see no point in paying for food in a specialty restaurant when there is [GOOD] "free" food in the MDR (of course I realize that the food in the MDR...and everywhere else on the ship...is not "free". We have all paid for it as part of our cruisefare.) and everywhere else around the ship. I know that makes me sound like I'm just cheap, but truly I am NOT ! When we are in a suite (which is most of the time, for us) we just have our MDR food brought to our room in the evenings. I tell you, there is nothing better than enjoying your dinner on the balcony with the port of call disappearing into the evening, behind the ship. I would MUCH rather tip the waiter who brings my dinner $20 than pay more than that for a dinner in a specialty restaurant that is, IMO no better than whatever they are eating in the MDR. With FEW exceptions, I always enjoy my dinner JUST as much in the MDR as I have, in the past, at any of the specialty restaurants. The notable exception is Izumi b/c you simply cannot get that menu anywhere else. ...and to be honest, I don't know how Izumi is going to work with that new restaurant package since Izumi is an ala carte restaurant. I doubt they will have unlimited dining at Izumi as part of the package. ...and when you dine in your room you do not have to make small talk with the people sitting near you or answer the same question 50 times from the waiters about how your day was or what you did that day. I know they are just doing their jobs and being friendly but that truly becomes tedious after a couple of days. My guess is that, if the dining package is popular, they WILL do away with the 30% discount...and I also concur that if the dining package becomes popular the specialty restaurants will fill up more so than they are currently. Truly, I find them nearly empty most of the time. I'm sure this discount package is a way of trying to change that. Of course, they did themselves NO favors when they raised the price at Chops to $35 pp. I can eat at a steakhouse for that out in town ! BAD decision, IMO As RCCL attracts new cruisers or cruisers from other lines they will know no better and accept that they are paying for their food twice. I'm sure that's what RCCL is hoping...but not me. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AGSLC5 Posted May 22, 2015 Report Share Posted May 22, 2015 I would absolutely buy it! I think the MDR food has gone way down hill except for the food on Quantum that to me was very good. If they offer this on the Allure Group Cruise I will be all over it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocLC Posted May 22, 2015 Report Share Posted May 22, 2015 Waaaytoo, you make some good points. I also agree that some of the specialty restaurants are starting to hit a price point that makes it hard to justify dining there given that you've already paid for your dinner. Let's assume that a dinner costs Royal $15 to produce, then any meal I pay extra for should, in my opinion, have this value built in to the cost/savings. Thus, if Chops is $35, I should be getting a $50 meal out of that experience. And while I enjoyed Chops on the Jewel at $24 per person on the first night, I'm not sure it was worth $39 given that I can go to a local resort and have all you can eat Maine lobster and prime rib carved to order for that price. Now for a steak restaurant, it's still a good value if you add in all of the courses and sides, but the value does diminish with every price increase. Of course, if you eat in the MDR and Chops for dinner on the same night, then you're really making out value wise. :) Is there a standing invitation to join you for dinner on your balcony? We had a penthouse on NCL for my son's first cruise when he was just about to turn two. Having dinners on the balcony was great especially given his age. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jticarruthers Posted May 22, 2015 Report Share Posted May 22, 2015 If you would ordinarily eat at the specialty restaurants regularly its a great deal. If you really aren't interested in the specialty restaurants , nothing to see here <-- me If you are on the fence and thought it was a bit pricey and weren't really sure, your more likely to try it now, so this is probably where RCI is hoping to pick up a bunch of people that will pay for the package and give it a try when ordinarily they might not have. DocLC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WAAAYTOOO Posted May 22, 2015 Report Share Posted May 22, 2015 Doc, you are always welcome to join us when we have the extra large balcony and dinner table outside. Even with suites that's a rare amenity. The Royal Family Balcony on the Freedom was the ultimate ! I have never had a suite on an Oasis class so maybe that's more prevalent but so far, the Royal Family Suite on the aft was pretty great. Join us ANY time. We have one of the newly added Grand Suites (Aqua Suite area) on the aft on the Allure in Feb. If you're going on the Blog Group cruise come and see us ! I think JTI has it just right. If you are already a fan of eating at the specialty restaurants then this is going to be a value for you. If not, nada. AGSLC5 and DocLC 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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