Unlimited dining - is it worth it?

[SuzD123]

6 minutes ago, tagpsu said:

We canceled but could reschedule. It was $199 per person ($398 total). Do you think that will come down in price or is that good?

Completely understand.  We have never done UDP before and do enjoy the speciality restaurants,.  Yes...food is a very subjective topic, but we got a rate of $175/pp, so decided to try for our upcoming Allure sailing.  Still not inexpensive, but we've decided to hang tight and if a better deal comes along (Black Friday maybe?) we might cancel and rebook for the lesser amount. 

 

As for us...we consistently enjoy Chops and have had very good meals at Giovanni's Table and Sabor on other ships so we're looking forward to trying a few others in addition to our favs. 

[tagpsu]

5 minutes ago, SuzD123 said:

Completely understand.  We have never done UDP before and do enjoy the speciality restaurants,.  Yes...food is a very subjective topic, but we got a rate of $175/pp, so decided to try for our upcoming Allure sailing.  Still not inexpensive, but we've decided to hang tight and if a better deal comes along (Black Friday maybe?) we might cancel and rebook for the lesser amount. 

 

As for us...we consistently enjoy Chops and have had very good meals at Giovanni's Table and Sabor on other ships so we're looking forward to trying a few others in addition to our favs. 

Have never been to Giovanni’s. Would like to try Jamie’s. Sabor sounds good too. I think Chops must have just been eh on Enchantment for us and that was only the steak. Everything else fantastic and we ate there twice. 

$175 is better price. Good idea to watch for Black Friday. 

Bummed we paid $52 pp for deluxe bev pkg and missed the sale. Wonder if there will be a sale before we sail (lol) and we can get the better price. 

[mommyof2monkeys+princess]

We're doing the unlimited dining now on Allure. Tonight was the first night.  We did hibachi and the biggest selection was our choice.  We had so much food! It was so good.  They even had yum yum sauce.  So far the dining plan is looking worth it to us.  We're have about 4 cruise days so we have lunch options as well. 

[mommyof2monkeys+princess]

[lovescats5]

We will be booking the UDP on Liberty in March because we are from NV and a buffet is a buffet and you get pretty tired of them.  The specialty restaurants seem more like you are on vacation.  Just wish Liberty had a CK.  We always enjoyed the CK on Oasis and Anthem.

[tagpsu]

12 minutes ago, mommyof2monkeys+princess said:

We're doing the unlimited dining now on Allure. Tonight was the first night.  We did hibachi and the biggest selection was our choice.  We had so much food! It was so good.  They even had yum yum sauce.  So far the dining plan is looking worth it to us.  We're have about 4 cruise days so we have lunch options as well. 

Good to know. Hibachi did look really nice to us too. 

[tagpsu]

9 minutes ago, lovescats5 said:

We will be booking the UDP on Liberty in March because we are from NV and a buffet is a buffet and you get pretty tired of them.  The specialty restaurants seem more like you are on vacation.  Just wish Liberty had a CK.  We always enjoyed the CK on Oasis and Anthem.

 

I do like the specialty restaurants but also want to check out CK more than once. 

[crusinthrough]

4 hours ago, tagpsu said:

We are sailing HOTS in December. We have grand suite (first time in grand suite). We bought unlimited dining today but wondering if we should cancel. Would CK and MDR be good and maybe just do one, possibly two, specialty restaurants? We’ve been to Wonderland on the Anthem. Are there any other must do restaurants? Just not sure we did the right thing. Thanks in advance. 

 

Lunch is also included in UDP.  The lunch menu in CK is limited.  If remember correctly there are two lunch menus that are rotated throughout the week.  

1 hour ago, tagpsu said:

We canceled but could reschedule. It was $199 per person ($398 total). Do you think that will come down in price or is that good?

 

I saw the price at $124 pp on the Oasis in December during the Black Friday Sale.  The lowest sale price I have seen on HOS is $175 pp.  

[tagpsu]

3 minutes ago, crusinthrough said:

The lunch menu in CK is limited.  If remember correctly there are two lunch menus that are rotated throughout the week.  

This is definitely good to know. Thank you. 

We figure in port would probably not be doing lunch on ship. However, I like options and variety. 

Hope we Catch sale. Black Friday May be issue though since cruise leaves Dec 1. Would they sell to me that close to cruise? 

[crusinthrough]

Just now, tagpsu said:

This is definitely good to know. Thank you. 

We figure in port would probably not be doing lunch on ship. However, I like options and variety. 

Hope we Catch sale. Black Friday May be issue though since cruise leaves Dec 1. Would they sell to me that close to cruise? 

 

The cruise planner use to close 3 days before sailing.  I think now it's one day before sailing.  You should be good. 

[tagpsu]

1 minute ago, crusinthrough said:

 

The cruise planner use to close 3 days before sailing.  I think now it's one day before sailing.  You should be good. 

Oh great. Thank you. 

[Ourusualbeach]

55 minutes ago, crusinthrough said:

 

The cruise planner use to close 3 days before sailing.  I think now it's one day before sailing.  You should be good. 

 

54 minutes ago, tagpsu said:

Oh great. Thank you. 

Not sure that is fleet wide yet.  It was launched as a test   I believe there are still ships that close 3 days prior to sailing.

Edited July 15, 2019 by Ourusualbeach

[crusinthrough]

12 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

 

Not sure that is fleet wide yet.  It was launched as a test   I believe there are still ships that close 3 days prior to sailing.

 

I think HOS is one of the ships that closes 1 day before.  I was recently on the HOS and remember this.  The only thing  could find online is this article. 

 

https://cruisefever.net/royal-caribbean-changes-cut-off-date-for-pre-cruise-purchases-on-8-cruise-ships/

[Casino Comp Chick]

4 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

 

Lunch is also included in UDP.  The lunch menu in CK is limited.  If remember correctly there are two lunch menus that are rotated throughout the week.  

 

I saw the price at $124 pp on the Oasis in December during the Black Friday Sale.  The lowest sale price I have seen on HOS is $175 pp.  

 

I got the $126 price on the Anthem on Cyber Monday and that was the cheapest the dining plan had gotten for 10 months from when I booked so make sure to check that day also. 

[parrotfeathers]

With CK i wouldn't do the unlimited dining.  Heck I wouldn't do it at all.  I don't mind the MDR on ships that don't have CK.  Meeting "interesting" people at tables for 6 or 8 is entertainment in and of itself.

[tagpsu]

8 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

 

Not sure that is fleet wide yet.  It was launched as a test   I believe there are still ships that close 3 days prior to sailing. 

Oh I will have to check. I'm hoping ours has the new 1 day way and there is a big sale LOL.

[tagpsu]

8 hours ago, crusinthrough said:

 

I think HOS is one of the ships that closes 1 day before.  I was recently on the HOS and remember this.  The only thing  could find online is this article. 

 

https://cruisefever.net/royal-caribbean-changes-cut-off-date-for-pre-cruise-purchases-on-8-cruise-ships/

Thank you so much!

[tagpsu]

1 hour ago, parrotfeathers said:

With CK i wouldn't do the unlimited dining.  Heck I wouldn't do it at all.  I don't mind the MDR on ships that don't have CK.  Meeting "interesting" people at tables for 6 or 8 is entertainment in and of itself.

LOL so true. It's funny you said that. My husband and I talked about this and we both enjoy meeting other people. I guess with CK, we are seated privately?

The last 2 cruises we were on, we knew the people at our table (ie, group cruise for wedding and group cruise for organization we support). In December, it's just the 2 of us. We are looking forward to meet and mingle and to meeting others, plus obviously enjoying ourselves. We've never been to St. Maarten, but we have been to San Juan and CocoCay. We purposely picked an itinerary with 3 cruise days so we could spend more time on the ship.

Funny, we were on a cruise with our children in July 2001 (Explorer of the Seas), and the wife/mom of the family at our table was just awful; actually that whole family was not pleasant. That was one of the experiences in which one wishes they could switch tables LOL.

But we still like meeting people.

[molly361]

I would not do it if I were in a GS but I would (and am) do it if in a lower category cabin that did not have CK access

[ryano]

If it goes down to 175.00 again for my upcoming cruise, we have decided we are going to jump on the deal.

 

The more I read about how far down the quality of the "included in fare" food has gone over the last few years, the more it seems "worth it" to me.  Especially at 25.00 per night per person.  

Edited July 15, 2019 by ryano

[Cruise a holic]

14 hours ago, tagpsu said:

We canceled but could reschedule. It was $199 per person ($398 total). Do you think that will come down in price or is that good?

Seems like a fair price- typically 7 dinners and a couple of special lunches so a good deal.

[ryano]

It went back down to 175.00 per person so we jumped on it for our H.O.T.S. September 1 cruise.  I just dont see how you can go wrong at 25.00 per person per night for cooked to order "specialty dining" food.  I cant wait for the experience!   

[AshleyDillo]

15 hours ago, tagpsu said:

We canceled but could reschedule. It was $199 per person ($398 total). Do you think that will come down in price or is that good?

 

It goes on sale for $175 a lot..I would wait to see if you can catch it at that price.  Otherwise, since you have access to CK, I would save it for another trip when you don't.

[mickeygirl78]

I'm going on the Harmony in October.  Some of the people I'm traveling with wanted to do the 3 night package, which has held steady at $99.  After seeing the UDP on sale for $175 we decided it was worth it, for only $75 more then the 3 night, we get an extra 4 nights dinners, 3 sea day lunches and embarkation day lunch (which I've read many have been able to get with the UDP on Harmony).  I thought it was a great deal.  Especially since Hibachi isn't included with the 3 day plan but is with UDP. 

 

I've gone on cruises and not done any specialty dining and was perfectly fine.  This trip is special and we wanted to make the food special, so that's why we're spending the extra.  I'm planning to eat at Chops dinner x2, Central 150 x 2, wonderland, Izumi Hibachi, Jamies dinner.  Then lunches at Chops & Jamies.  We don't do sushi, so skipping the Izumi regular and most in our group don't do Mexican so skipping Sabor. 

 

Good luck with your choice.  I will be sure to do a review of what I thought of the food after my cruise.

[Cruise a holic]

1 hour ago, ryano said:

It went back down to 175.00 per person so we jumped on it for our H.O.T.S. September 1 cruise.  I just dont see how you can go wrong at 25.00 per person per night for cooked to order "specialty dining" food.  I cant wait for the experience!   

Also, if the price does go down- all you have to do is cancel and rebook- a simple call will work- or do on-line.