Mariner 3 night with Unlimited dining plan?

[SAmome]

I did read the terms but I'm confused.  A 3 night has NO at sea days.  When board the Playmakers, Bamboo Room and Johnny Rockets are open.  Can you use the plan after 5pm, but not before, for those venues?  It mentions specialty restaurants for lunch on at sea days.

 

Mariner doesn't seem to have a sushi option, only Hibachi, when it comes to reservations in the cruise planner.  Is that now included without an upcharge for dinner?  Recent compasses do describe it as 5:30-10pm Hibachi & sushi.  Could ultimate dining plan users have several getting hibachi but one or two that prefer (or have allergy issues and picky about oils) that orders sushi at the hibachi table?

 

 

[ElectricBallroom]

Mariner does have sushi. We had Ultimate Dining for our four night, we got dinner every night at Chops or Jamie’s, plus $35 a person to use at al a carte restaurants. I ate 75 bucks in Sushi myself. 

 

I regret buying the package. Two dinners in each of the restaurants was boring and we felt like we had to use it, since we’d paid extra. I miser the MDR. 

[SAmome]

7 hours ago, ElectricBallroom said:

Mariner does have sushi. We had Ultimate Dining for our four night, we got dinner every night at Chops or Jamie’s, plus $35 a person to use at al a carte restaurants. I ate 75 bucks in Sushi myself. 

 

I regret buying the package. Two dinners in each of the restaurants was boring and we felt like we had to use it, since we’d paid extra. I miser the MDR. 

 

Did they have tables such that a group of 6 could have sushi?  We'd actually prefer that but I picture it easier to get hibachi reservations, even with an upcharge.

 

In the planner they only allowed reservations for Hibachi and someone mentioned a bar that maybe sat 5 or 6 but often used for sushi making and sounded like having a sushi dinner there would be difficult to reserve.

[ElectricBallroom]

There were a handful of hibachi tables, but sushi was just at the bar. We showed up and out our name in and they asked us to wait in the adjacent lounge. When the bar was empty, we asked if they forgot about us. Then we were sat. Sushi is first come -first served. 

 

If I go Royal again, I won’t spend a dime in any specialty restaurant. 

[molly361]

People seem to be getting lunch on embarkation day

[SAmome]

47 minutes ago, molly361 said:

People seem to be getting lunch on embarkation day

I'm guessing those with the Key will get the Jamie's embarkation lunch (Chops not showing as open for embarkation lunch on recent compasses.)

 

But, if unlimited dining plan purchasers could use Bamboo room, JRs or Playmakers as boarding lunch options, that would be a nice perk.

[twangster]

I have a 3 night Navigator cruise booked.  UDP is $79.  To me it's not worth it.

 

The sushi is just okay although some of it isn't.  If you have ever had an opportunity to eat at a nice steakhouse, Chops won't impress.   That pretty much sums all Royal specialty dining.  Just okay.  If the UDP was $40 on a 3 night sailing that would be one thing but $79 is too much money for what you get - mediocre food.  

 

Royal has been very vague about venues like Playmakers or The Bamboo Room and the UDP.  We all know Royal phone agents routinely get it wrong or just guess at an answer.  One ship may allow Playmakers and Bamboo food, another might not.  It's not addressed in the terms and conditions. 

 

I've had the wings in Playmakers and the sliders in The Bamboo Room.  While good, they alone can't justify the UDP assuming they will be included.  Why Royal can't just put them in the terms and conditions so we can see what we are getting is strange.  Their absence from the verbiage suggests they may not always be included just like JR has not always been included in the old UDP that uses the same verbiage.  On Symphony they told me that JR is not a "specialty restaurant" therefore the old UDP doesn't work there.  On other ships it was included in the old UDP.  Absent of an official policy each ship makes their own policy.

[vanelli56]

Just wanted to see if anyone has had definitive results using the new UNLIMITED dining package at the questionable eateries such as playmakers. 

We are going on a short 3 night cruise on Mariner in about 2 weeks... and we are torn between getting the unlimited dining package. We've done Chops and Izumi (both hibatchi and sushi) on oasis. So, on mariner ots we would like to try jamie olivers and play makers ( I love wings and sliders). While we know that Jamies is def. a specialty dining and would honor the UDP, playmakers is still up in the air. While it seems that RCI customer service folks say it will be included... online reviews are still lacking one way or the other. If we can get positive confirmation from folks on here one way or the other for all the locations they were able to use or not use the new package, that would be greatly appreciated. 

[Colorado Babe]

Specialty dining has become a disappointment lately.  I did do the Ultimate Dining Pkg on the Mariner a few weeks ago.  You only get lunch on Sea Days and to be honest "Jaime's Italian" was a big disappointment.  I will never do the Ultimate Dining Package again.  It was not worth it.  The food in the Windjammer was as good as the specialty dining in my opinion.

[John&LaLa]

Any updates on Unlimited Dining for 3 day Mariner.  Been a month since the last things posted here.

 

Is Jaimie's available/included for lunch on boarding day? There are no true sea days, but it's in the planner

Chop's is listed as a choice on boarding day for Key passengers, but not in planner

Can you grab something at Johnny Rocket's?

Can you get something at Playmaker's?

No lunch at Chop's?

No lunch at Izumi?

Any trouble securing reservations?

 

Also, Chop's get's added to lunch list for the 4 day. Obviously Chops and Jaimies are eligible on the true sea day. Correct?

 

Thanks

Edited May 31, 2019 by John&LaLa

[LMaxwell]

Unlimited means nothing.  It's 3 days.  Breakfast is breakfast.  Coco cay is coco cay; you aren't eating on the ship in Nassau anyways.  Why get crazy over 3 dinners? 

[vanelli56]

20 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

Any updates on Unlimited Dining for 3 day Mariner.  Been a month since the last things posted here.

 

Is Jaimie's available/included for lunch on boarding day? There are no true sea days, but it's in the planner

Chop's is listed as a choice on boarding day for Key passengers, but not in planner

Can you grab something at Johnny Rocket's?

Can you get something at Playmaker's?

No lunch at Chop's?

No lunch at Izumi?

Any trouble securing reservations?

 

Also, Chop's get's added to lunch list for the 4 day. Obviously Chops and Jaimies are eligible on the true sea day. Correct?

 

Thanks

Jamie's for lunch was no problem right after boarding once they opened.  

Made reservations for each night at the chops host stand, no problem.  

Didn't try Johnny rockets. 

Playmakers was no problem using the package,  just let them know when you order food, as it didn't not pop up automatically on their screen.  

 

[John&LaLa]

15 minutes ago, vanelli56 said:

Jamie's for lunch was no problem right after boarding once they opened.  

Made reservations for each night at the chops host stand, no problem.  

Didn't try Johnny rockets. 

Playmakers was no problem using the package,  just let them know when you order food, as it didn't not pop up automatically on their screen.  

 

 

Thank you very much, I appreciate the information