Unlimited Dining on Harmony

[thrifty99]

I just sent an e:mail to the executive offices and will post when I get a response.  Here is what I sent:

 

Dear Mr. Bayley,

 

There appears to be much confusion on one of your products, the Unlimited Dining Package.  At the below link, it describes it very specifically:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/booked/dining-packages

UNLIMITED DINING PACKAGE 

"Savor the savings with the Unlimited Dining Package! For one low price, you can enjoy multiple entrees and visit multiple specialty restaurants every night of your sailing. And as an added perk, this unlimited package also applies to lunch at specialty restaurants on sea days. "

 

The problem is your Restaurant / Dining managers don’t seem to be up to speed on this product and / or there is no consistency in how the program is being implemented.  We were on Harmony of the Seas in September and had no problem going to 2 restaurants on the same night.  We did not have full meals, but after an early dinner one night we wanted to have an appetizer / dessert later in the evening at a 2nd Specialty Restaurant.  It was no problem.  But someone we know is on Harmony this week (with a new Restaurant or Hotel manager allegedly) and was told they could not eat at 2 specialty restaurants the same night.  In addition, people are being told they cannot have multiple entrees at a meal.

 

Here is the message from someone I know on the Harmony of the Seas this week:

"I called the Dining Manager and he didn't believe me that the fine print on the Unlimited package says you can dine multiple restaurants in one night. He told me he has to pay his cooks and there's no way he can accommodate multiple dining visits in one day for everyone that has that package. I told him that's not what the fine print says on the official site and he invited me to meet him at Central Park to show him the fine print.

 

Fast forward he didn't end up meeting me, but he sent his assistant manager and I showed him the fine print. He agreed the fine print state you can dine multiple restaurant per night but says there is a mistake with the fine print online. He agreed to honor the package just for my cabin and that was the end of it."

 

We enjoyed the Unlimited Dining Package in September and have 4 cruises planned already in 2020.  We don’t want to purchase the Unlimited Dining Package if we have to argue on board to get what your description of the package states… "you can enjoy multiple entrees and visit multiple specialty restaurants every night of your sailing”.

 

Please confirm that the package should include multiple entrees if one desires (we did not ever order multiple entrees) and that you can visit multiple specialty restaurants every night if you desire.  If this is not the case, then you need to stop advertising it as such on your website. 

 

Also, please educate your restaurant managers on your ships about how this product works.  A cruise can be ruined when you sell something and then the staff onboard does not know how it works.  No one wants to spend a cruise debating with the restaurant staff.  

 

I look forward to hearing back from someone in the Executive Offices who can get this resolved so we know if we should purchase the Unlimited Dining Package in the future.  

[wendyam76]

We were on the Oct 13th Harmony sailing with the UDP. Had embarkation lunch at Jamie’s. Dinner at Hibachi and just had to pay the extra $4 for two proteins. Several times had chips, salsa and guacamole at Sabor late afternoon (they ended up joking with us they were keeping a table for us!) and then dinner elsewhere. One night we had this at Sabor, dinner at Solarium (stupid decision but we had enjoyed it the previous year) and then dessert at Jamie’s all with absolutely no fuss. I hate confrontation so having to deal with the issues present cruisers are having would have driven me nuts. All the restaurants we were at understood the plan - wonder how they feel about the new HD directives? 

Wendy 

[Dcun201]

Thank you @thrifty99 for emailing them.  I hope we get a response back from them soon.  Do you guys know who the director for Harmony was? Was it Mark the one that does the entertainment show every night?

[seabeew]

52 minutes ago, Dcun201 said:

Thank you @thrifty99 for emailing them.  I hope we get a response back from them soon.  Do you guys know who the director for Harmony was? Was it Mark the one that does the entertainment show every night?

Marc Walker was the cruise director. I don’t know the name of the Hotel Director.

[thrifty99]

No response yet. The Executive Offices are probably asking themselves “what is the Unlimited Dining Package?”  

[GEORGIEGIRL]

NO. The executive offices are probably asking UDP??? We don't call it the "Unlimited Drink Package" anymore...:)

[budmeister]

Here are the executive office emails, in case anyone ( or everyone!) wants to email concerns.

 

Executive Contacts

Primary Contact
Carlos Jimenez
Senior Manager, Guest Experience – Executive Office
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
carlosjimenez@rccl.com

Secondary Contact
Aurora Yera–Rodriguez
AVP, Guest Experience
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
ayera-rodriguez@rccl.com

Chief Executive
Michael Bayley
President and CEO
1050 Caribbean Way
Miami, FL 33132
mbayley@rccl.com

[later]

A little off subject but we had the package on a b2b2b2b on Mariner and ate at the Hibachi 6 times and were told 2 protein was included and weren’t charged.  At the end of the night we also had sundaes at playmakers and were not charged.
 

it seems that the interpretation is up to the hotel director.

[Cruise a holic]

36 minutes ago, later said:

A little off subject but we had the package on a b2b2b2b on Mariner and ate at the Hibachi 6 times and were told 2 protein was included and weren’t charged.  At the end of the night we also had sundaes at playmakers and were not charged.
 

it seems that the interpretation is up to the hotel director.

Is playmakers in the Casino?  They serve sundaes?  

[Clarea]

9 minutes ago, Cruise a holic said:

Is playmakers in the Casino?  They serve sundaes?  

 

Not in the casino.  On the Royal Promenade on Mariner.

[Cruise a holic]

50 minutes ago, Host Clarea said:

 

Not in the casino.  On the Royal Promenade on Mariner.

Thanks- never sailed on Mariner!  Stick to the Oasis class.

[molly361]

Just now, Cruise a holic said:

Thanks- never sailed on Mariner!  Stick to the Oasis class.

I think they are putting them on the Boardwalk on Oasis class ships replacing Sabor

[mickeygirl78]

Wow, I was on Harmony w/ the unlimited dining plan on 10/13 and it was great.  I would have been very upset with the way yours worked.  I didn't want multiple visits but we did do sabor late afternoon for snacks a couple times before our dinners without issue.  We got Izumi Hibachi w/ only the $4 up charge if we wanted two proteins.  It is awful that people don't know what to expect in advance.  I had heard things on other ships about the Hibachi fluxuating rates, so I had gotten it in writing from Royal about it being covered for one protein - I printed it and brought it with me incase they tried to charge more (luckily they didn't).  I'd suggest anyone going in the future bring lots of print outs with them just incase. 

[Dcun201]

21 minutes ago, mickeygirl78 said:

Wow, I was on Harmony w/ the unlimited dining plan on 10/13 and it was great.  I would have been very upset with the way yours worked.  I didn't want multiple visits but we did do sabor late afternoon for snacks a couple times before our dinners without issue.  We got Izumi Hibachi w/ only the $4 up charge if we wanted two proteins.  It is awful that people don't know what to expect in advance.  I had heard things on other ships about the Hibachi fluxuating rates, so I had gotten it in writing from Royal about it being covered for one protein - I printed it and brought it with me incase they tried to charge more (luckily they didn't).  I'd suggest anyone going in the future bring lots of print outs with them just incase. 

Yea this was my first Royal Caribbean cruise so moving forward I would definitely bring all my printouts of the packages I bought. I guess a new HD came on board after your sailing because the whole policy changed within two weeks.

 

Well I just got a response from RCI on FB here is their clarification on the Unlimited Dining Package -

 

Royal Caribbean International With the Unlimited Dining Package. guests can dine in any restaurant on their sailing as many times as they like based on availability. Packages include service charge and food portion only for dinner and, when available, lunch service.

[tomservo]

22 minutes ago, Dcun201 said:

Yea this was my first Royal Caribbean cruise so moving forward I would definitely bring all my printouts of the packages I bought. I guess a new HD came on board after your sailing because the whole policy changed within two weeks.

 

Well I just got a response from RCI on FB here is their clarification on the Unlimited Dining Package -

 

Royal Caribbean International With the Unlimited Dining Package. guests can dine in any restaurant on their sailing as many times as they like based on availability. Packages include service charge and food portion only for dinner and, when available, lunch service.

 

That does seem to confirm everyone's understanding of how the package is supposed to work. Maybe you could request a refund for the package since you did not receive what you paid for?

[Dcun201]

14 minutes ago, tomservo said:

 

That does seem to confirm everyone's understanding of how the package is supposed to work. Maybe you could request a refund for the package since you did not receive what you paid for?

I tried asking for future on board credits but got shot down because the manager did approve my request albeit on my 4th day of sailing though.  I was just more mad about the experience I had.  No one on vacation especially on a cruise wants to get denied to a restaurant while you out with your significant other.  It was a little embarrassing for me to argue with the host manager in front of my wife and have all other dining patrons looking at you.  

Edited November 12, 2019 by Dcun201

[Ren1216]

3 hours ago, Dcun201 said:

Royal Caribbean International With the Unlimited Dining Package. guests can dine in any restaurant on their sailing as many times as they like based on availability. Packages include service charge and food portion only for dinner and, when available, lunch service.

This still sounds (to me) like exactly what you thought you bought.  And how the rest of us also understood it -- Unlimited visits, food portions only (not drinks).  Dinner and Lunch when available.  No mention of a daily restriction.  Am I missing something in the new description??

[cruisegirl1]

6 hours ago, molly361 said:

I think they are putting them on the Boardwalk on Oasis class ships replacing Sabor

Yes-on symphony. Nice bar-we often went there for an  evening drink.  
m

[cruisegirl1]

I have a question about the unlimited dining package. I never purchased a package, and probably won’t. I do want to ask those who have had the package, on a seven night cruise , by the 4th or 5th day, aren’t you tired of all the food?  I know you can just order appetizers but honestly, the few times I’ve tried to “eat light“ at a specialty restaurant,   I was simply not successful. Especially, as often the servers will bring your food you didn’t even order.  I can’t imagine eating in a specialty restaurant every night, and then some times lunch AND dinner or more. 

 
How do you handle all that food 

thanks

 

m

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, cruisegirl1 said:

I have a question about the unlimited dining package. I never purchased a package, and probably won’t. I do want to ask those who have had the package, on a seven night cruise , by the 4th or 5th day, aren’t you tired of all the food?  I know you can just order appetizers but honestly, the few times I’ve tried to “eat light“ at a specialty restaurant,   I was simply not successful. Especially, as often the servers will bring your food you didn’t even order.  I can’t imagine eating in a specialty restaurant every night, and then some times lunch AND dinner or more. 

 
How do you handle all that food 

thanks

 

m

By the end of the week we were in a food coma.  We only went for dinners and one lunch at Sabor.  No way we could eat at Chops or Giovannis and then go for dinner as well.  

 

We have it again on our Oasis Christmas cruise and are looking forward to trying Portside Bbq and Playmakers for lunch.

[thrifty99]

25 minutes ago, cruisegirl1 said:

 

 How do you handle all that food 

We decided if we want to do more Specialty Dining we have to hit the track / gym each day. It is a good balance. Without the morning workout it would be too much food for us. 
 

The past couple of cruises I’ve felt much better doing a morning 5k. Nice to not finish the week 5+ pounds heavier!!!

[budmeister]

7 hours ago, Dcun201 said:

 

 

Well I just got a response from RCI on FB here is their clarification on the Unlimited Dining Package -

 

Royal Caribbean International With the Unlimited Dining Package. guests can dine in any restaurant on their sailing as many times as they like based on availability. Packages include service charge and food portion only for dinner and, when available, lunch service.

Was it an instant message? I tried to find it on their FB page, but could not.

[Dcun201]

Yeah it was through my FB instant message, I can post screen shot of my whole convo if you like. 

 

 

Here are the screens of my convo.

Edited November 13, 2019 by Dcun201

[budmeister]

Thanks!

[thrifty99]

Here is the response I received today:  

 

“Thank you for contacting the Executive Office of Royal Caribbean International. On behalf of Mr. Bayley, President & CEO, I am pleased to respond to your email.

 

I am disappointed to hear that your friend, who is currently onboard Harmony of the Seas, had some troubles using their Unlimited Dining Package. I can confirm that guests can dine in any restaurant on their sailing as many times as they like based on availability. Playmakers is also now included and available to choose in the package. Izumi Sushi and Playmakers are considered a la carte venues and guests will be given a $35 food credit each time you dine. I have made sure to pass this information along to our shipboard staff on Harmony of the Seas to ensure that this has been made aware. I apologize if you are concerned about your upcoming sailing but rest assured, the Unlimited Dining Package allows you to dine in multiple venues as long as there is availability.

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to contact us. We look forward to welcoming you back onboard Majesty of the Seas in January of 2020.

 

Sincerely,

 

Javier Perdomo

Royal Guest Experience Management

Executive Team