Ultimate Dining Package Questions

[sammyreddog]

Sailing soon on Symphony.  Two questions:

 

• Has anyone had difficulty making reservations at any of the specialty restaurants once on board (because you can't do it beforehand with the UDP)?
  • if yes, which restaurants were the most difficult to reserve?
• Do you need to make reservations to go at lunch?
• How does the UDP work a the a Lacarte  venues like Playmakers and Izumi?

Thanks all!

[JezzaC]

I have had package twice and haven't had issues with the times I wanted for restaurants. I also booked lunches at the same time  - but have to say the restaurants were all pretty empty during lunch so I wouldn't say those are mandatory in that sense. You can book those as well on board if you want to. For a la carte restaurants you receive 30USD credit per meal.

[sammyreddog]

7 minutes ago, JezzaC said:

I have had package twice and haven't had issues with the times I wanted for restaurants. I also booked lunches at the same time  - but have to say the restaurants were all pretty empty during lunch so I wouldn't say those are mandatory in that sense. You can book those as well on board if you want to. For a la carte restaurants you receive 30USD credit per meal.

 

Thank you!

[smplybcause]

I have a question too. For a 7 day cruise is it just 7 dinners and the however many lunches you have sea days? Meaning I couldn't on a port day go to Sabor at like 5pm and just have apps as a snack and then go and eat a full dinner at 8:30 at Chops.

[George C]

Credit was 35 per person on my last cruise for Izumi which we loved

Edited November 14, 2018 by George C

[seabeew]

Just on sea days, but we could use it on embarkation day on Oasis. 

[seabeew]

In my experience, it’s $35 pp on Oasis class, (maybe also on Quantum class) and $30 pp on  other classes.

[George C]

Was also 35 on navigator a year ago.

[Pitbull1130]

1 hour ago, George C said:

Credit was 35 per person on my last cruise for Izumi which we loved

Can you use the 35 at Izumi and pay the extra 10 for Hibachi?   thanks  

[RFerrington]

3 hours ago, smplybcause said:

For a 7 day cruise is it just 7 dinners and the however many lunches you have sea days? 

Yes.  As others have suggested, there is usually at least 1 restaurant that is open on embark day and we have always been able to eat lunch at that restaurant as part of the UDP.

 

 

3 hours ago, smplybcause said:

I couldn't on a port day go to Sabor at like 5pm and just have apps as a snack and then go and eat a full dinner at 8:30 at Chops.

That's correct.  You could not eat at Sabor at 5PM and then again at Chops at 8:30.  Lunches only count during the hours that they are open for lunch - usually noon - 1:30 or 2:00.

[Clarea]

16 hours ago, Pitbull1130 said:

Can you use the 35 at Izumi and pay the extra 10 for Hibachi?   thanks  

 

No, the dining package excludes hibachi, no credit given.

[JezzaC]

22 hours ago, sammyreddog said:

 

Thank you!

 

And I stand corrected, ala carte is 35USD credit, don't know where I remembered 30USD. 🙂

[George C]

55 minutes ago, JezzaC said:

 

And I stand corrected, ala carte is 35USD credit, don't know where I remembered 30USD. 🙂

I do remember 30 a few years ago.

[dada2199cc]

Was $35 at Izumi on Serenade in 2017 for sure.

[handbellplayer]

5 hours ago, Host Clarea said:

 

No, the dining package excludes hibachi, no credit given.

Last week we were allowed to use UDP on Oasis for the Hibachi at Izumi - we had to use it the first night, though.  And there was no extra charge when we ordered from the $49 menu.

[katiel53]

37 minutes ago, handbellplayer said:

Last week we were allowed to use UDP on Oasis for the Hibachi at Izumi - we had to use it the first night, though.  And there was no extra charge when we ordered from the $49 menu.

Although the fine print for the dining packages states it can't be used at Hibachi, I think Oasis has been allowing it on the first night if they don't have a lot of reservations.

 

We tried to use it on Allure the times we've been on there, but were always told no.  I have also heard that on occasion on Harmony it was able to be used on night 1.  

 

I am going to ask when we sail on Harmony and again when we go on Allure next summer.  Maybe we will be lucky as some others have been.

[LauraLL]

Additional question for this thread.   Many people have indicated they did not have an issue making reservations at their requested times once on board.  How large was your group for the reservation?  I have a group of 6 people and I am wondering if that will complicate it a bit.  Truth be told, I'm an obsessive planner and not sure i can wait to make the reservations on board for 6 people.  I want to make sure we can squeeze in the shows as well.

[Clarea]

35 minutes ago, LauraLL said:

 ... Truth be told, I'm an obsessive planner and not sure i can wait to make the reservations on board for 6 people.  I want to make sure we can squeeze in the shows as well.

 

Then you may want to pay full price for specialty dining so you can make your reservations pre-cruise.

[katiel53]

7 hours ago, LauraLL said:

Additional question for this thread.   Many people have indicated they did not have an issue making reservations at their requested times once on board.  How large was your group for the reservation?  I have a group of 6 people and I am wondering if that will complicate it a bit.  Truth be told, I'm an obsessive planner and not sure i can wait to make the reservations on board for 6 people.  I want to make sure we can squeeze in the shows as well.

There were 4 of us when we were on Allure.  We did make reservations for the 5 nights plus the night from our travel agent as soon as we were onboard.  There was a podium set up near the Pub that had someone taking reservations.  The person doing so asked for my cellphone and took a picture of the reservations so we would have a record of them immediately.

 

If you feel better making the reservations before boarding, keep in mind you will be paying more as you will be billed full price for the restaurants.  We had no problems at all, so for our next Allure cruise we are doing the Ultimate dining package, so will do the same again.

[jwb3843]

Does anyone happen to know if there is a specialty restaurant open on embarkation day on the Brilliance ofthe Seas?

[George C]

1 hour ago, jwb3843 said:

Does anyone happen to know if there is a specialty restaurant open on embarkation day on the Brilliance ofthe Seas?

Check cruise planner , most ships have chops open for lunch , it should show there .

[Clarea]

1 hour ago, jwb3843 said:

Does anyone happen to know if there is a specialty restaurant open on embarkation day on the Brilliance ofthe Seas?

 

There is a Briliance  review thread with Compass scans active right now:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2607518-a-brilliant-review-with-menus-and-compass/

[vacationlover_mn]

On 11/14/2018 at 11:36 AM, seabeew said:

Just on sea days, but we could use it on embarkation day on Oasis. 

I hope we can do this on Symphony 🙂

[vacationlover_mn]

I wonder if we could use the credit at Playmakers?