Specialty Dining Packages vs Individual Reservations

[Smay15]

Hi! My boyfriend and I are cruising on the Allure in April. This is my 7th time cruising with RCL and his first ever cruise. I'm a big fan of the specialty restaurants and there are several I don't want to miss. We currently have a 3 night specialty dining package but I'm nervous about the courtesy reservation on the 1st/2nd night plus waiting until the 1st day to book the remaining reservations. I really want reservations at Chops, Giovanni's and 150 Central and am beginning to wonder if I should cancel the dining package and do individual reservations to ensure we get the restaurants we want. Does anyone have experience with the dining packages? If so, is there flexibility in changing the first reservation and getting the reservations you want for the remaining nights? This is my first time cruising with the specialty package option so I'm not confident we will get what we want. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

[Clarea]

If you are flexible, and you are a party of two, you should be able to make your changes if you go to a specialty restaurant right after you board.

[Bean2010]

I'm worried about this too so i intend to head somewhere on embarkation and try to buy a package and book what I want.

[FreshOffTheBoat]

No need to worry about using the package. Just go to a specialty restaurant when you board and reserve all the restaurants you want. We do this every time and have never had an issue. If you book individually ahead of time you will be paying way more for the 3 restaurants.

[Cruisegirl6]

We always purchased individual reservations so I was guaranteed the time and date and restaurant I wanted to go to. This past October on the Oasis, I decided the Ultimate Dining Package was a great bargain and was back and fourth in my head should I buy or not....I decided to give it a try and see what happens. I had no problems whatsoever on getting what I wanted, in fact, we dined at Chops the first evening and didn't like it (as usual but I figured its a different ship let me give it a try) and changed our second reservation which was on day 5 there and with no problems was able to get what we wanted. On the Harmony we dined at Jaimie's the third evening and hated it and cancelled night six there and booked up another restaurant again with no problems.

 

We were assigned the first evening at Izumi, we don't eat that kind of food its full of sodium and we don't eat raw fish....again, no problems in getting what we wanted. We generally dine between 7:30-8:30 just so you know.

 

Purchase the Ultimate Dining Package and save yourself money!

[tullers]

Hi! My boyfriend and I are cruising on the Allure in April. This is my 7th time cruising with RCL and his first ever cruise. I'm a big fan of the specialty restaurants and there are several I don't want to miss. We currently have a 3 night specialty dining package but I'm nervous about the courtesy reservation on the 1st/2nd night plus waiting until the 1st day to book the remaining reservations. I really want reservations at Chops, Giovanni's and 150 Central and am beginning to wonder if I should cancel the dining package and do individual reservations to ensure we get the restaurants we want. Does anyone have experience with the dining packages? If so, is there flexibility in changing the first reservation and getting the reservations you want for the remaining nights? This is my first time cruising with the specialty package option so I'm not confident we will get what we want. Any input would be greatly appreciated!

 

You'll be fine, relax and enjoy your vacation. We had no issues with a party of 15 getting the nights and time we wanted once we were on board.

[Snit13]

Had dining package for Oasis last year. They had an area set up immediately to right on deck where we boarded. I went over, presented a printed copy of my reservation and got all of the restaurants I wanted on the nights I wanted and at the times I wanted. Not a problem at all but go there as soon as you board. I went before going to lunch. Enjoy. Wish all ships had the choices that are offered on the mega ships. Would never go near MDR if we had specialty restaurants available to book.

[katiel53]

We have had the 5 night dining package on our last 3 Allure cruises. Two of the three times there was a hostess for the packages and we told her what we wanted and she booked them for us.

 

We had no trouble with which restaurants or times we wanted.

 

The time in the middle there were people walking around trying to sell the restaurants and we told one man what we wanted and he made all the arrangements for the times and places we wanted.

 

We are going on Allure again in June and once again have the 5 night package and am not the least bit worried about getting our reservations for when and where we want.

[JustmySyd]

Hi

 

Wonder if you can use Dining Package for 150CP,.

Saw 150 menu $45 for 3 course

[BekkaW]

Hi

 

Wonder if you can use Dining Package for 150CP,.

Saw 150 menu $45 for 3 course

 

 

I have used the package for 150CP

[Clarea]

Hi

 

Wonder if you can use Dining Package for 150CP,.

Saw 150 menu $45 for 3 course

Sure, you can use it for all specialty restaurants except Chef's Table and any special dinners such as the Mystery Dinner.

[dadofjessie]

We just came back from a cruise on the Allure and there is no problem with making reservations for the specialty restaurants. We had the 4 night dining package and after lunch on board at the Park Cafe (Yum), we headed over to Central Park 150 and spoke with the staff there. They got on the computer system and made actual reservations for us at the restaurants we wanted at the time that we wanted. No problem. By the way, for the most most part the specialty restaurants were not full.