Half of couple doesn't want specialty dining due to health reasons

[davidfsjr]

Hi,

 

I haven't seen this here before I apologize if it has been discussed.

 

My wife would be interested in the dining package but I a medically unable to eat enough food to justify the cost/value. Can she get the dining package alone? Can I join her in the specialty restaurant? What do I eat?

 

Thanks for any info on this, I called and they said it would be a shipboard decision, which isn't much help.

[Merion_Mom]

Hi,

 

I haven't seen this here before I apologize if it has been discussed.

 

My wife would be interested in the dining package but I a medically unable to eat enough food to justify the cost/value. Can she get the dining package alone? Can I join her in the specialty restaurant? What do I eat?

 

Thanks for any info on this, I called and they said it would be a shipboard decision, which isn't much help.

 

Any one person can purchase a dining package. Pairing is not required.

 

Would you really just sit and watch her eat?!?!? Or would you want *something*?

[daze6399]

There is (to my knowledge) nothing preventing one person in a cabin from reserving dining in specialty restaurants without the other(s) so she should be able to get the dining package, or make reservations to eat in any of the specialty venues on board.

 

As for yourself, I confess I do not know, you maybe able to work something out with the venues or food and beverage manager for a reduced cost meal, with a smaller selection, or something.

 

Hopefully there will be someone able to better answer your question here.

[marti315]

Unfortunately the specialty dining that has a fixed price wont "sell" you a side dish. If you ask in advance and explain your situation they may just bring an extra side or something small and not charge you but there is no guarantee. niceness goes a long way in this.

 

You might want to try an A la Carte venue such as Izumi or Sabor on oasis (but i hear Sabor is going to a fixed price soon on Oasis also)

[Paulette3028]

Hi,

 

I haven't seen this here before I apologize if it has been discussed.

 

My wife would be interested in the dining package but I a medically unable to eat enough food to justify the cost/value. Can she get the dining package alone? Can I join her in the specialty restaurant? What do I eat?

 

Thanks for any info on this, I called and they said it would be a shipboard decision, which isn't much help.

 

To my understanding a cruiser can purchase any dining package for the specialty restaurants. Your wife could go to the specialty restaurant of her choice and you could have dinner in the MDR. Asking the specialty restaurant to 'serve you' as if you were eating in the MDR, would seem out of the norm, since their food service prep is probably located separate from the MDR galley (in some way). You wouldn't simply want to be 'watching her dine', I suspect.

 

Perhaps reach out to rcldining@rccl.com. They are the department in the Royal HQ that handles Food and Dining Services.

[vacationlover_mn]

I am also medically able to not eat much at all... Here is my experience:

- I still go to the specialty dining occasionally. I tell the waiter I don't eat much. I still pay full price- I think of paying for the experience and the small bites of yummy food. The waiter is concerned when I don't eat much :) I say, don't worry, the food was great, I just don't eat much.

- I still go to the MDR. I tell the waiter I don't eat much. I order everything I want, but only eat a bite or so of each. The waiter is concerned when I don't eat much :) I say, don't worry, the food was great, I just don't eat much.

- The head waiter comes over eventually and sees that I have not eaten all of my food. He is very concerned. I say, don't worry, the food was great, I just don't eat much.

 

:)

[cb at sea]

Or, you could simply say you have a medical condition that prohibits you from eating more than a taste...then, they won't keep bothering you about it!

[Havingfun2010]

There are many things that my wife can't do, but I do. (food isn't one of them). With everything we do, we will pay for stuff she can't do, or 100% enjoy. The idea is that you are together doing it together. She might have to wait for me to finish, or explore, or do an activity and she watches. I might have to walk slower, or take a longer route. The idea is we still are together.

 

So with dinner, if she wants to enjoy the dinner, I recommend that you accept the fact that you will need to pay for it, and nibble on the food, and enjoy what you can. The cost is just a fact of life sometimes that you must sacrifice with.

 

Personally, I wouldn't pay all that money for food on the ship, when it's free in the MDR. Maybe one restaurant but not a dining package.

[Paulette3028]

I am also medically able to not eat much at all... Here is my experience:

- I still go to the specialty dining occasionally. I tell the waiter I don't eat much. I still pay full price- I think of paying for the experience and the small bites of yummy food. The waiter is concerned when I don't eat much :) I say, don't worry, the food was great, I just don't eat much.

- I still go to the MDR. I tell the waiter I don't eat much. I order everything I want, but only eat a bite or so of each. The waiter is concerned when I don't eat much :) I say, don't worry, the food was great, I just don't eat much.

- The head waiter comes over eventually and sees that I have not eaten all of my food. He is very concerned. I say, don't worry, the food was great, I just don't eat much.

 

:)

 

I think you handle your situation wonderfully......but I am guessing, that the OP doesn't want to pay the full amount for the Specialty dining that he won't be able to fully enjoy. I look forward to meeting you when we sail together on Harmony, next week.

[Paulette3028]

There are many things that my wife can't do, but I do. (food isn't one of them). With everything we do, we will pay for stuff she can't do, or 100% enjoy. The idea is that you are together doing it together. She might have to wait for me to finish, or explore, or do an activity and she watches. I might have to walk slower, or take a longer route. The idea is we still are together.

 

So with dinner, if she wants to enjoy the dinner, I recommend that you accept the fact that you will need to pay for it, and nibble on the food, and enjoy what you can. The cost is just a fact of life sometimes that you must sacrifice with.

 

Personally, I wouldn't pay all that money for food on the ship, when it's free in the MDR. Maybe one restaurant but not a dining package.

 

What I have highlighted of your response is beautiful....the rest is very much part of life.....and enjoy what you can participate in....for as long as you can do it together!

[vacationlover_mn]

Paulette- less than a week to go, yay!!! You'll get to watch me completely offend the waiter by "not cleaning my plate". You might also observe "wife slipping food onto husbands plate". :)

 

 

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[crookedhalo]

I virtually never finish my entire appetizer, entree and even dessert. It's become a game for DH and I. He will ask me what I'm thinking of ordering and then go "I was between (insert my order) and this - so I will order this knowing that I'll get most of yours as well;)". Only time this doesn't work for him is lobster. Those nights I don't even order appetizer etc. Just give me lobster:D.

 

To the OP - depending on what your wife likes in the specialty restaurants, some of it is available in the MDR as an upcharge item (steaks primarily) so that might be another option to explore.

[ColoradoGurl]

I think this is a situation where either your wife needs to make a sacrifice of not going to the extra fee restaurants because it isn't something that works for both of you, or you have to pay money for something you don't want because it is something that your wife wants. One of you has to sacrifice. I think it's a bit odd and unkind for your wife to even consider this, but maybe she was hoping they wouldn't charge you.

 

I don't have a medical condition that causes me to eat less, I just naturally don't eat a lot and think the serving sizes at every restaurant I have ever been to are way too big for a normal (unstretched by overeating) human stomach. I have never finished a meal and I am never able to eat my dinner if I've already eaten salad and an appetizer, and I also get waiters asking if I didn't like the food, and I just tell them it was too much food. It's not a big deal, but I also don't expect to be charged less because I only ate 1/3 of what everyone else eats. I just pay full price and either take the food home with me, or let them throw it out and chalk it up to the cost of eating out. I've never asked for, or expected a discount because I don't overeat.

 

 

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[lucymorgan]

Sometimes the specialty restaurants have cooking classes where you pay for one person to take the class (friends and family are allowed to watch) and then the person is allowed to share the food with their family and friends.

 

I took an IZUMI sushi class on Navigator. We each made a huge platter of sushi (with family/friends watching) and then IZUMI served each family/friend group the results for lunch (with full table service). It cost $30 for the class. It was a lot of fun. IZUMI even gave us the remainder of what we had made to take away.

 

There was also a pasta making class from Giovannis.

 

If your wife is interested in cooking, this might work for you.