R U Punished for buying Sushi in a package?

[Happytime22]

I thought I read somewhere that you ONLY get 4 slices in rolls if you buy the Izumi ahead of time in a lunch or dinner package BUT get the normal 8 if you just go and pay while on board?

[robmtx]

"Punished?"

They're going to make you walk the plank!

 

I've never been given different amounts of food based on when I booked a meal. There's the a la carte option and the full dinner option where you pick all your courses. 

Maybe that's where the confusion comes in.

 

 

[Happytime22]

So if you buy the 'lunch' for Izumi, BEFORE you r onboard... the amount of food is the same amount as if you just walked in and bought the food onboard?  (The only thing my sons appear to care about is the number of slices in the rolls).

Edited August 8, 2023 by Happytime22
spelling

[DrProfessor]

We usually get the dining package (UDP), and when we go for the sushi side, the dining package includes 2 large "items" and 1 small, if I remember correctly.

 

One thing they warned us about up front - with the dining package, a sushi order counts as a "large" item AND they informed us that instead of 8 pieces, the UDP only includes 4 pieces per order - so I think there is something to Happytime22's question.  I didn't look at it is as a punishment, but I did note that it is apparently different than buying a la carte.

[Happytime22]

16 minutes ago, RCFirstTimer said:

We usually get the dining package (UDP), and when we go for the sushi side, the dining package includes 2 large "items" and 1 small, if I remember correctly.

 

One thing they warned us about up front - with the dining package, a sushi order counts as a "large" item AND they informed us that instead of 8 pieces, the UDP only includes 4 pieces per order - so I think there is something to Happytime22's question.  I didn't look at it is as a punishment, but I did note that it is apparently different than buying a la carte.

Thanks for the info.  We had UDP on Oasis last time and had no reductions.  This time, on Symphony in Aug 2024, plan to buy 3 Dinner-package (will use at 150 and Hibachi) and MAYBE four lunch Izumis for the boys... but not if it's at a penalty.

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, Happytime22 said:

So if you buy the 'lunch' for Izumi, BEFORE you r onboard... the amount of food is the same amount as if you just walked in and bought the food onboard?  (The only thing my sons appear to care about is the number of slices in the rolls).

I think with the lunch you get 1 small and 2 large options. Plus dessert. I have it booked with both legs on b2b next month. For me I'm ok if only 4 pieces, but idk either. He can order 2 different sushi with the lunch. Plus soup or whatever. I'm doing soup, tempura veggies and shrimp, sushi and dessert. 

[Happytime22]

I just noticed that the Dinner or Lunch on the RCL site are the same price ($35.99), and have identical menus, except for one called lunch and one called Dinner.  Each lists the 'Rolls' as having 8 pieces!

Both menus say :

What's Included

• Start off with one (1) small plate, like Miso Soup or Pork Gyoza Dumplings.
• Pick your choice of two (2) large plates from a selection of signature rolls, sushi & sashimi, flavorful bowls of ramen and more.
• Top it all off with one (1) delicious dessert like mochi ice cream offered in a variety of flavors.

So I have to assume that they WILL serve 8 pieces and print and and save the menu when I buy it (as once before RCL changed the ala carte allowance on me and when I showed them what it was when I bought it... they reimbursed me to that level)

 

[bigmoose7563]

2 hours ago, robmtx said:

I've never been given different amounts of food based on when I booked a meal. There's the a la carte option and the full dinner option where you pick all your courses. 

Maybe that's where the confusion comes in.

 

 

This is correct. With the unlimited package you are buying the "combo meal" 1 small plate, 2 large plates and a dessert. You may also sub out the dessert for an additional small plate as the desserts are not great. They value this "combo meal" at about $35. Yes the rolls are a bit smaller.

 

But if you were to buy a la carte then small plates are $9, large plates are $13-17 each and dessert is $5.  You can decide which is best option for you.

 

To have some context I'm a big guy and I have never left Izumi nothing but stuffed.

 

 

[Happytime22]

Just looked at the Symphony sailing going on right now and the 8-piece Rolls are either $13 or for the chefs type $18 per.

Since that is what they care about, not the soup or desert... better just having them get it on the ship than a prepaid option....Thanks all.

PS:  Just hope the price does not go up in the future

[watcher_62]

In any "package" purchased ahead of time (3 night, 5 night, UDP) that gets you the 1 appy, 2 main and 1 dessert pp, you will get only 4 pieces/roll (5 for futomaki). You only recieve 8 pieces when you order the roll a la cart.   

[RFerrington]

7 minutes ago, bigmoose7563 said:

With the unlimited package you are buying the "combo meal" 1 small plate, 2 large plates and a dessert.

This is the best explanation I have yet read re: this issue.  Thanks for making it super clear.  I hate that they have cut the "large plate" rolls down from 8 to 4 but honestly, it is enough for me.

 

Honestly, I have forgotten...have they also cut the number of pieces of sashimi (like they did with the nigiri/rolls) ?  Dan is a sashimi-eater and I prefer nigiri so I can't recall how much of the sashimi he got last time.

[Happytime22]

When we had the UDP on Oasis in 2022... they only offered us 'ala carte' at Izumi?  $20 if I recall correctly.

The boys eat once early (spending about $18) then went again later in the day, getting the same.

Has the number of times you can go on the UDP, per day, changed to only once?

[firefly333]

5 minutes ago, Happytime22 said:

When we had the UDP on Oasis in 2022... they only offered us 'ala carte' at Izumi?  $20 if I recall correctly.

The boys eat once early (spending about $18) then went again later in the day, getting the same.

Has the number of times you can go on the UDP, per day, changed to only once?

Yes its once per day per person. Everyone was doing their $20 or whatever the allowance is and then just starting another $20 tab and closing the first tab out. 

[Happytime22]

11 minutes ago, firefly333 said:

Yes its once per day per person. Everyone was doing their $20 or whatever the allowance is and then just starting another $20 tab and closing the first tab out. 

Kinda thought they would catch on......

[KSprite01]

2 hours ago, Happytime22 said:

Kinda thought they would catch on......

Too bad they didn't just impose a 3 hr rule between orders. As it is, I think you get the $20 credit only once a day, so you can't go to playmakers for lunch and izumi for dinner, which is probably cheaper for them than if you went to somewhere else than playmakers. But also - what's really the difference between doing a few rolls at Izumi and going to 2-3 different specialty restaurants (which is permitted) instead? 

[RFerrington]

16 minutes ago, KSprite01 said:

you can't go to playmakers for lunch and izumi for dinner

I don't believe that this is the case.  I believe the "once a day" rule is per venue...so unless I'm mistaken, you can go to each of the ala carte venues once per day.

[Rusty_lock]

5 minutes ago, RFerrington said:

I don't believe that this is the case.  I believe the "once a day" rule is per venue...so unless I'm mistaken, you can go to each of the ala carte venues once per day.

That was my experience. On Odyssey I went to the english pub for lunch and did dinner at Playmakers.    

[KSprite01]

2 minutes ago, Rusty_lock said:

That was my experience. On Odyssey I went to the english pub for lunch and did dinner at Playmakers.    

Good to know, thanks.

[ATLgirl15]

This makes absolutely no sense and I would agree you are being penalized.  Let’s do the math (Based on my Harmony sailing next month using the Royal app).  The combo (1 small, 2 large, 1 dessert) is $39.99.  If you ordered this a la cart it would be about $44 (average small $9 + $15 rolls x 2 + $5 dessert) so it appears there is a slight discount for the bundle.  BUT if the rolls are half the size then it’s actually only $29 ($9 + $7.50 x 2 + $5).  So buying the combo actually costs you more!  And I don’t understand why with the UDP you can go to Chops or 150 Central Park and $65 value is included but at Izumi they give you a smaller portion worth $29?  i do appreciate the tip to swap a small plate for dessert though.

[firefly333]

14 minutes ago, ATLgirl15 said:

This makes absolutely no sense and I would agree you are being penalized.  Let’s do the math (Based on my Harmony sailing next month using the Royal app).  The combo (1 small, 2 large, 1 dessert) is $39.99.  If you ordered this a la cart it would be about $44 (average small $9 + $15 rolls x 2 + $5 dessert) so it appears there is a slight discount for the bundle.  BUT if the rolls are half the size then it’s actually only $29 ($9 + $7.50 x 2 + $5).  So buying the combo actually costs you more!  And I don’t understand why with the UDP you can go to Chops or 150 Central Park and $65 value is included but at Izumi they give you a smaller portion worth $29?  i do appreciate the tip to swap a small plate for dessert though.

And hibachi is a $15 surcharge over the price of chops but people do it anyway. And not everyone doing the meal will order sushi, let alone 2 sushi. 

 

If you booked direct, before the cruise in the past few months price was 28.99 discounted from 35.99 up to now 35.99, discounted from 39.99 on all of mine. I plan on 1 plate of tempura. I booked direct so as I understand it, full sized sushi. .. I hope. I'll know in a month what they are doing for sure. Booked, direct. X 2. 

 

This only affects if you booked a pkg right? Udp or the 3 meal. 

Edited August 12, 2023 by firefly333

[ATLgirl15]

We have the UDP on our upcoming cruise for the first time.  Last cruise we paid at Izumi and the server was great - he said just tell me what you want and I’ll figure out how to bill it the best way.  I think we paid for 1 combo and 1 small plate for the 2 of us.  He must have subbed out a small for dessert automatically.

[JessyCruises]

The issue is not the UDP.  What is happening is if you buy the $34.99 Prix Fixe your large plates will only have 4 rolls each.  If you were not to get the Prix fixe and just got say two Futomaki, those would still be 8 rolls each

 

[seasidemama]

On 8/8/2023 at 9:47 AM, Happytime22 said:

I just noticed that the Dinner or Lunch on the RCL site are the same price ($35.99), and have identical menus, except for one called lunch and one called Dinner.  Each lists the 'Rolls' as having 8 pieces!

Both menus say :

What's Included

• Start off with one (1) small plate, like Miso Soup or Pork Gyoza Dumplings.
• Pick your choice of two (2) large plates from a selection of signature rolls, sushi & sashimi, flavorful bowls of ramen and more.
• Top it all off with one (1) delicious dessert like mochi ice cream offered in a variety of flavors.

So I have to assume that they WILL serve 8 pieces and print and and save the menu when I buy it (as once before RCL changed the ala carte allowance on me and when I showed them what it was when I bought it... they reimbursed me to that level)

 

 

I can confirm, if you opt for the pre fixe it is now half rolls for the "large plates". This from a July 2023 sailing. It's also been mentioned on many boards so I'm assuming it's across the entire fleet and not ship specific. According to the cruise planner, if you don't want the pre fixe, you have the option of buying a la carte with a $39.99  credit.

 

 

*For ships with this venue, Izumi Sushi is a prix fixe menu or $39.99 food credit

 

[seasidemama]

6 hours ago, firefly333 said:

And hibachi is a $15 surcharge over the price of chops but people do it anyway. And not everyone doing the meal will order sushi, let alone 2 sushi. 

 

If you booked direct, before the cruise in the past few months price was 28.99 discounted from 35.99 up to now 35.99, discounted from 39.99 on all of mine. I plan on 1 plate of tempura. I booked direct so as I understand it, full sized sushi. .. I hope. I'll know in a month what they are doing for sure. Booked, direct. X 2. 

 

This only affects if you booked a pkg right? Udp or the 3 meal. 

 

We bought direct, off the cruise planner at $35.99 for July and were served half rolls for our
"large plates". You only get full rolls if you purchase a la carte.

[mike123abc]

On my Allure sailing last month with the UDP, I was told I could have either the 1/2 or full for my large plates.  I got the full and was not charged extra.