Strange Dining Package Pricing

[BillRR]

For my upcoming seven-night Symphony Jan 12, 2019 cruise, I tried to book theUltimate Dining Package online via Royal’s Cruise Planner formy reservation. This yielded Royal’s Web page that showed the price as $24a night (should total $168 for this seven-night cruise) and also as $203 total.I called Royal and asked how to buy Ultimate Dining Package at the advertised$24 a night price, as I did not want to pay $203.

 

After half an hour of hemming and hawing I was told that this was becausegratuities were added. I told Royal that I wanted to buy the Package thatincluded gratuities, as described on their Web site for the advertised price of$24 a night. I was told that Royal would not let me buy the Ultimate DiningPackage for $24 a night.

 

I then asked how much the gratuities amounted to and was told 18%. I pointedout that the discrepancy between $24 a night and $203 total was over 26%, not “just”18%.

 

I was then told that this was because taxes and fees would also be added. Iasked for the amount of taxes and fees that were being added and was told thatI would not be told that. To verify, I asked if it were true that taxes andfees were being added to the advertised $24 a night price and that Royal wouldnot disclose what they were. I was told that was correct.

Result: I know that Royal has priced this at $24 for myspecific sailing and that they will not let me buy this for less than$203, or $29 a night - but I don’t know why. Are we sure that the Captain ofthe Concordia is in jail and not running online pricing or call centersat Royal?

Solution: I was then able to book a Five Night Dining Package for $115 ($23a night) without any unexplainable surprise markup. The terms and conditions asto what is included are exactly the same for both the Five-Night Dining Packageand the Ultimate Dining Package (except for the night-count, of course). Also, don’t forget to book Solarium, if applicable to your cruise, as it was free forme and did not have any half-hidden surprise markup.

[kcteach12]

So, your cruise is not until January of 2019 and you are able to buy the packages? Our cruise is in August of 2018 and every time I go to the site, it tells me that I am not able to buy at that time. I hope this is not a computer glitch.

[BillRR]

It seems one never knows with Royal's Web site. I guess all you can do is try again and/or call them. Good luck.

[nelblu]

I get the same pricing for our Feb. 2, 2019 ($203 per) asyou've described. If it includes the 18%, it totals $198.24($24x7X1.18) for only a difference of less than $5.00. I thinkit's a snow job as I've never been charged any taxes & fees for the specialtydining. If the grats. is included in the $203, it's well worth itas I believe, you get lunch on sea days included in this package.

[BillRR]

Good points, but sea-day lunches (just three on my cruise) do not mean much to me. The 40% you get on wine under $100/bottle in the Ultimate Package may be a bigger benefit.

[Merion_Mom]

There are no taxes and fees unless you are in the Mediterrranean and paying VAT.

 

RC seems to be "rounding up"in an odd manner.

 

As stated, it should be $198 because they ARE now adding 18% gratuity to all specialty restaurants.

[ravensbad]

In the past the advertised price for dining packages has always included gratuitues. When I bought the 5 night dining package last year for the Serenade it was $100 each and that was exactly what I was charged, $200 (and it included gratuities). In fact, Royal states on their own website that gratuities are included with all cover charges and specialty dining packages:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/specialty-dining-package-gratuity

 

I just went to my cruise planner to test and both a 5-night dining package and the ultimate dining package were available for the advertised price and no additional charges. This seems like a combination of a bug on the Royal website (shocking, I know) and a customer service rep who has no idea what they're talking about (another shocker, who would have guessed).

 

edit:

 

As stated, it should be $198 because they ARE now adding 18% gratuity to all specialty restaurants.

 

That's interesting, I hadn't heard that. According to the link I put above that's not true but it certainly wouldn't be the first time their website is out of date. If it is true, it's not showing up for my cruise in the cruise planner at all.

[ValerieJo]

So, your cruise is not until January of 2019 and you are able to buy the packages? Our cruise is in August of 2018 and every time I go to the site, it tells me that I am not able to buy at that time. I hope this is not a computer glitch.

 

Yesterday I booked the BOGO package for our March 2019 cruise and was not charged the additional 18%. It is my understanding that the additional 18% does not take effect until January 1.

[BillRR]

Just as Ravensbad reported, there was no added charge for gratuities nor anything else when I bought the Five Night Dining Package for $23.00 per night($115 total) today.

[CruisinCons]

I have a cruise coming up in May 2018 and not only cannot book dining, I cannot book most drink packages. I have the deluxe alcohol package and the Evian water package. That's it. My October 2018 sailing I have all packages available to buy, including coffee cards.

[Merion_Mom]

RC is, as usual, unclear about when the policy goes into effect, but they are DEFINITELY adding 18% to specialty restaurants now. There is a huge thread about it. Perhaps you missed it.

 

It's right on the front page:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2559371

[ravensbad]

RC is, as usual, unclear about when the policy goes into effect, but they are DEFINITELY adding 18% to specialty restaurants now. There is a huge thread about it. Perhaps you missed it.

 

It's right on the front page:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2559371

 

Yea, I missed it. I read through the whole thread and I'm still confused because it appears that people are reporting the charge being added in the restaurant, not in the pre-purchase price online. So what I'm seeing in the cruise planner fits with this (no extra charges in the cruise planner) but does not fit with what the OP was seeing. So which is it? I've already booked and paid for the BOGO package for my April cruise, am I going to show up on the ship and suddenly have a bill when I eat in the specialty restaurant that I wasn't expecting (and like I said, everything I can find online still says it is included and as far as I'm aware they haven't officially announced anything)? If so I will gladly cancel my package and eat in a free venue. Honestly, this change is shocking to me considering how much people complain about getting pestered to buy specialty dining when they're on board. If they had such trouble selling the restaurants you wouldn't think they would make it MORE expensive...

[BillRR]

Definitely says gratuity included online and in receipt given when I bought Five Night Dining Package today for Symphony Jan 12, 2019.

[LMaxwell]

There are better explanations for failures and ineptness in this thread than you will get over the phone from them directly. Save your money and the aggravation.

 

edit: saying people here have better logic than the company, not that anyone here is an example of ineptness.

[BobNoxious]

If I get the ultimate dining package in 2018, and if they add 18% to my cost, then i will NOT tip the head waiter/ assistant water, etc.. in the main dining room with my normal RCCL tips. I will only tip room service then. I wont be using the main dining for other meals, and I want my monies going to the waiters that serve me - not some waiter who never sees me once in the main dining room. I refuse to tip twice for the same meal.

[nelblu]

If I get the ultimate dining package in 2018, and if they add 18% to my cost, then i will NOT tip the head waiter/ assistant water, etc.. in the main dining room with my normal RCCL tips. I will only tip room service then. I wont be using the main dining for other meals, and I want my monies going to the waiters that serve me - not some waiter who never sees me once in the main dining room. I refuse to tip twice for the same meal.

 

 

I agree, if you book the ultimate package you, most likely, will not step foot in the MDR. I think, RCL should allow the flexibility to opt out of the daily portion of the automatic grats. associated to the MDR. There was a thread that estimated the breakdown of the daily grats. between, cabin, MDR staff & others. Maybe you can adjust the daily amount downward for the MDR piece.

[Merion_Mom]

If I get the ultimate dining package in 2018, and if they add 18% to my cost, then i will NOT tip the head waiter/ assistant water, etc.. in the main dining room with my normal RCCL tips. I will only tip room service then. I wont be using the main dining for other meals, and I want my monies going to the waiters that serve me - not some waiter who never sees me once in the main dining room. I refuse to tip twice for the same meal.

 

 

 

Will you be eating breakfast, lunch or snacks?

 

 

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[actuarian]

There are no taxes and fees unless you are in the Mediterrranean and paying VAT.

 

RC seems to be "rounding up"in an odd manner.

 

As stated, it should be $198 because they ARE now adding 18% gratuity to all specialty restaurants.

 

They charge by the day and the daily charge is rounded up to the next dollar. $24 x 1.18 = $28.32, rounded up to $29. $29 x 7 = $203.

 

Since this used to cost $168, gratuities included, it looks like a 20.8% increase, although it would not surprise me if the cruise line pocketed that extra 2.8% rather than distributing it to the servers. However, I always used to tip an additional $10 per person per dinner ($5 per lunch) so my real cost was $238+lunch tips before they made this change. This was because I always assumed that the "included gratuities" were a pittance. Now I am not sure what I will do about adding additional gratuities.

[BobNoxious]

Will you be eating breakfast, lunch or snacks?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Breakfast = room service (tip+charge)

Lunch = on island all days except when on sea day = ultimate dining package

Snack = sorrento or possibly windjammer

[RenaeG]

After reading this I just checked and I can book dining for my March 2019 Symphony cruise..... crazy given that it's so far out. Can anyone tell me if 150 Central Park is included in the multi night dining package?

 

 

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[js]

So, your cruise is not until January of 2019 and you are able to buy the packages? Our cruise is in August of 2018 and every time I go to the site, it tells me that I am not able to buy at that time. I hope this is not a computer glitch.

 

Ditto! I'm sailing Allure in August, how about you?

I can purchase the alcohol package but waiting and hoping for some kind of sale but as of yesterday, I cannot

yet purchase any dining.