UDP worth it on the Anthem?

[LivLove2Cruise]

I have been going back and forth about purchasing the UDP package on the Anthem.  This is my first time back on RCCL in over 16 years. I am just traveling with my daughter. She loved the speciality dining on NCL and took full advantage of all the speciality resturants in 2019. I think if we were sailing on an Oasis class ship  I may feel differently, but I think the 3 night dining package would suffice. If she is in the mood for sushi (which I know she will) we can just pay for it. Any thoughts?

[alohayall]

The menus probably haven’t changed significantly (if at all) in the MDRs. Have you looked at the menus and figured out what you would eat?  On my upcoming cruise, there are a few nights where nothing on the nightly offerings interests me. And that’s not from too many repeat cruises.

 

I thought the MDRs in NCL Encore were actually pretty good, and the Specialty Restaurants even better (best cruise food for me, other than pizza).  
 

I’m trying to keep expenses down, but better food sounds enticing - I think it even includes pub food. And lunches.

 

Good luck decision making. And happy cruising.

[Sunshine3601]

It is difficult to answer what type of food you want and what your vacation budget is.  Imo Anthem has great choices that are included in your fare, Main dining room open for breakfast and lunch everyday and lunch on sea days, solarium bistro open for all meals, most days, buffet at Windjammer open all meals, sorrento pizza open all day and late nights, cafe 270 open for breakfast and lunch, not sure about dinner, parks cafe has light snacks and sandwiches, deserts all day and night.

Specialty restaurants are Chops steakhouse, Jamie's italian, Wonderland for unique experience and Izumis.

Maybe try the 3 night dining package and you get a credit to use towards sushi at Izumi or do 1 night at chops, 1 at Jamie's and 1 at Wonderland and pay separately for Izumis.

Plus they have onboard specials/sales that you might get to use at Izumi.

Or do you want to each meals at specialty dining for lunch and dinner every day? 

Only you can decide if worth it.

Take a look at menus online.  

 

 

[Sunshine3601]

7 minutes ago, alohayall said:

 

I’m trying to keep expenses down, but better food sounds enticing - I think it even includes pub food. 

I dont think pub food is included in UDP.

[RFerrington]

We always purchase the UDP but that is b/c we are very familiar with the MDR options and generally prefer specialty dining.  If you have not sailed on Royal for 16 years, I think the MDR menus actually HAVE changed since then so you might want to check them out, first.

 

We find plenty of options for the UDP so it is a must for us.

 

Also remember that with the UDP you will have the option to dine in specialties for lunch whenever the restaurant(s) is open and with many more sea days out of Bayonne than with a normal Caribbean cruise, that will give you lots of lunch opportunities.

[LivLove2Cruise]

Thank you everyone. I had no idea I could look at the menu in the MDR beforehand.  That will definitely be helpful in making a decision. 

[alexgtp]

I always purchase the UDP.

 

On our recent Anthem sailing for NYE , I regretted that decision.

 

Anthem IMHO does not have enough specialty restaurant's to make the price worth it.

 

-Izumi - limited menu and no Teppenyaki

-Wonderland, is something you only do once in your life

-Chop's a must do on every ship

-Jamie's is 2nd rate to Giovanni's. 

-JR , i mean how many times can you do this on 1 sailing..LOL

 

-No Playmaker's

-No Hooked

-No CP 150

-No Portside BBQ

-No Teppenyaki

 

 

 

 

[yogimax]

I guess I'm different but I figured I already have paid for food in the MDR.  Add that implied cost to the extra charge for the specialty restaurants and it doesn't make sense to me.

 

That said, we will occasionally use the BOGO on the first two nights or the lunch special (especially at Chops).

 

 

[Starry Eyes]

Not a comment about Anthem specifically, just a general thought when deciding.  Besides looking at menus, the other things to consider are atmosphere and (hopefully) service.  I’m not complaining about the MDR and usually eat there , yet I realize some people just do not like the large room with so many tables close together.  So the specialty restaurants may be more their style.  Other people find it too noisy or have trouble hearing companions.   Different strokes.  Anyway, certain people really want the dining packages even if the MDR menu are non objectionable.

 

[atxcarter]

2 hours ago, alexgtp said:

I always purchase the UDP.

 

On our recent Anthem sailing for NYE , I regretted that decision.

 

Anthem IMHO does not have enough specialty restaurant's to make the price worth it.

 

-Izumi - limited menu and no Teppenyaki

-Wonderland, is something you only do once in your life

-Chop's a must do on every ship

-Jamie's is 2nd rate to Giovanni's. 

-JR , i mean how many times can you do this on 1 sailing..LOL

 

-No Playmaker's

-No Hooked

-No CP 150

-No Portside BBQ

-No Teppenyaki

 

 

 

 

Thanks for pointing this out - we will be sailing on Anthem this NYE and I have debated maybe doing the 3 night package...but as you lay it out I find I don't feel as strongly about it given what isn't on the ship.

[SConnolly]

Struggled with this decision too.

 

Any recent cruisers  know if Anthem has been allowing you to use your D+  bogo for the 1st 2 nights and then have the 3 night dining package kick in so you have 5 nights.  Has not been a problem on Oasis class but then more dining options. 

 

Had  purchased the 3 night for our upcoming cruise in March hope to do above, then the UDP came way down so switched, now 2nd guessing as we don’t care for Wonderland and no Sushi, allergic to seafood. 

 

Currently in a JS so we might get to avail of coastal 1 night or two.  There are  items in the main dining room we like too.😜

Appreciate  any insight.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[yvonnedb]

We didn't feel it worthwhile to get the UDP for Anthem due to the lack of options. I'm good with paying for Chops & Jamie's with discounts - we wouldn't eat anywhere else anyway (other than JR). If UDP was free/included in the trip, we'd just go to those two more often. 

 

So it really depends on what you're wanting to eat and how often?

[nferr]

On 2/16/2022 at 11:42 AM, alexgtp said:

I always purchase the UDP.

 

On our recent Anthem sailing for NYE , I regretted that decision.

 

Anthem IMHO does not have enough specialty restaurant's to make the price worth it.

 

-Izumi - limited menu and no Teppenyaki

-Wonderland, is something you only do once in your life

-Chop's a must do on every ship

-Jamie's is 2nd rate to Giovanni's. 

-JR , i mean how many times can you do this on 1 sailing..LOL

 

-No Playmaker's

-No Hooked

-No CP 150

-No Portside BBQ

-No Teppenyaki

 

 

 

 

I kind of agree. I just did UDP on an 11 night Anthem cruise with six sea days. So the $253 price was good considering how many lunches and dinners are possible. BUT - not enough choice. I'm not big on sushi, I ate twice in Izumi and that was enough. I liked Wonderland a lot but really it's a once or twice a cruise type of thing. Which pretty much left Chops and Jamies the only choices. And it was always only one or both of these that were open for lunch. So I ended back at one of them again for dinner. It grew old although the service and food were fine.

[LisaandRob]

Mixed drinks are $13 each, beers are like $7.95. I guess it depends on how much you drink.