Christmas Speciality Holiday Dinner - already booked at lower prices

[RedDevil]

We are D+ but don't cruise at Christmas so this is a new one for us.

 

Sailing Explorer this Christmas and back in April we booked our meals at Chops for Christmas Eve & New Years Eve, at the regular price (about $49). Having just looked on my cruise planner now I see they have added a Special Christmas Holiday Dinner for those days (& Xmas Day) for $99 per person.

 

Our current booking is still showing in the calendar and we have no communication from Royal of any changes (I wouldn't have had a clue without randomly checking the sale today). What will happen here? The fact we booked so early to ensure our preferred times , have had no comms from them saying anything is changing, are we good to assume they will honour our current reservations? OR do people have experience from previous years of being told nearer the time "tough luck, we've cancelled your reservation but you can rebook at $99 each if there's any tables left".

[taglovestocruise]

2 hours ago, RedDevil said:

We are D+ but don't cruise at Christmas so this is a new one for us.

 

Sailing Explorer this Christmas and back in April we booked our meals at Chops for Christmas Eve & New Years Eve, at the regular price (about $49). Having just looked on my cruise planner now I see they have added a Special Christmas Holiday Dinner for those days (& Xmas Day) for $99 per person.

 

Our current booking is still showing in the calendar and we have no communication from Royal of any changes (I wouldn't have had a clue without randomly checking the sale today). What will happen here? The fact we booked so early to ensure our preferred times , have had no comms from them saying anything is changing, are we good to assume they will honour our current reservations? OR do people have experience from previous years of being told nearer the time "tough luck, we've cancelled your reservation but you can rebook at $99 each if there's any tables left".

You booked early and got a bonus xmas gift, enjoy. 

[Morecruisesplz]

3 hours ago, RedDevil said:

We are D+ but don't cruise at Christmas so this is a new one for us.

 

Sailing Explorer this Christmas and back in April we booked our meals at Chops for Christmas Eve & New Years Eve, at the regular price (about $49). Having just looked on my cruise planner now I see they have added a Special Christmas Holiday Dinner for those days (& Xmas Day) for $99 per person.

 

Our current booking is still showing in the calendar and we have no communication from Royal of any changes (I wouldn't have had a clue without randomly checking the sale today). What will happen here? The fact we booked so early to ensure our preferred times , have had no comms from them saying anything is changing, are we good to assume they will honour our current reservations? OR do people have experience from previous years of being told nearer the time "tough luck, we've cancelled your reservation but you can rebook at $99 each if there's any tables left".

Same situation for us on Symphony last holiday cruise. We had Christmas and New Years Eve booked. On 1st night the head waiter came to our table to ask if we realized there was a $100 upcharge on those days. We told him we did not and the increase was crazy high. He said "No problem,  I will cancel your reservations for those 2 evenings." So do not assume your reservation will be honored at the usual price. Sorry!

[ARandomTraveler]

59 minutes ago, fredmdcruisers said:

Same situation for us on Symphony last holiday cruise. We had Christmas and New Years Eve booked. On 1st night the head waiter came to our table to ask if we realized there was a $100 upcharge on those days. We told him we did not and the increase was crazy high. He said "No problem,  I will cancel your reservations for those 2 evenings." So do not assume your reservation will be honored at the usual price. Sorry!

What if you have the unlimited dining package? I'll be on a thanksgiving cruise and haven't seen anything marketed as being a specific holiday dinner, but if they do have one, am I going to be able to use my dining package on thanksgiving, or will they charge me additional money at the restaurant?

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, ARandomTraveler said:

What if you have the unlimited dining package? I'll be on a thanksgiving cruise and haven't seen anything marketed as being a specific holiday dinner, but if they do have one, am I going to be able to use my dining package on thanksgiving, or will they charge me additional money at the restaurant?

You cannot use your udp for any of the restaurants offering the special holiday dinners so this excludes Chops, 150CP  and Jamies/Giovannis.

 

Not sure about Thanksgiving buy it has been excluded Christmas Eve, Christmas day and NYE.

 

If the restaurant is not offering a special holiday dinner you should be fine. 

[cruisefoodie1946]

It has happened to us, for two straight years, udp is not good for Christmas and nye on 150 Central and Chops

[twinmommy08]

Sorry to bring this back up. I have the same question.
 @RedDevil what happened with your speciality dining reservations for Christmas and New Years Eve? Did they honor the time and price you paid? 
 

Researching for my Xmas cruise on Adventure this year 🙂 

Edited January 12, 2023 by twinmommy08

[RedDevil]

23 hours ago, twinmommy08 said:

Sorry to bring this back up. I have the same question.
 @RedDevil what happened with your speciality dining reservations for Christmas and New Years Eve? Did they honor the time and price you paid? 
 

Researching for my Xmas cruise on Adventure this year 🙂 

Yes they honoured the time and price for Christmas Eve for us (we decided to change our plans for New Year’s Eve).

 

Not sure if it was cos Christmas Eve was day1 for us, or just nobody wanted to pay the $99 for the “special holiday meal” , but Chops was very very quiet that night, almost empty, so their attempted price increase for other guests seemed to backfire for them. But we were happy with the price we got and they didn’t ask for anything extra from us 

[shellunderwater]

Pre-covid, we sailed over Christmas and New Years.  We bought our Chops meal before the increased price came out.  They honored it, but we didn't get the enhanced menu and split of Champagne.  We got normal menu, others got special menu.

 

 

[twinmommy08]

21 hours ago, RedDevil said:

Yes they honoured the time and price for Christmas Eve for us (we decided to change our plans for New Year’s Eve).

 

Not sure if it was cos Christmas Eve was day1 for us, or just nobody wanted to pay the $99 for the “special holiday meal” , but Chops was very very quiet that night, almost empty, so their attempted price increase for other guests seemed to backfire for them. But we were happy with the price we got and they didn’t ask for anything extra from us 

 

Thank you so much for replying! I'm glad it worked out. 

[swoopy2110]

On 8/17/2022 at 9:31 PM, fredmdcruisers said:

Same situation for us on Symphony last holiday cruise. We had Christmas and New Years Eve booked. On 1st night the head waiter came to our table to ask if we realized there was a $100 upcharge on those days. We told him we did not and the increase was crazy high. He said "No problem,  I will cancel your reservations for those 2 evenings." So do not assume your reservation will be honored at the usual price. Sorry!

Quite poor they did that. If they've offered it at that price to you initially, they should be honouring it.

[Morecruisesplz]

On 8/17/2022 at 1:09 PM, RedDevil said:

We are D+ but don't cruise at Christmas so this is a new one for us.

 

Sailing Explorer this Christmas and back in April we booked our meals at Chops for Christmas Eve & New Years Eve, at the regular price (about $49). Having just looked on my cruise planner now I see they have added a Special Christmas Holiday Dinner for those days (& Xmas Day) for $99 per person.

 

Our current booking is still showing in the calendar and we have no communication from Royal of any changes (I wouldn't have had a clue without randomly checking the sale today). What will happen here? The fact we booked so early to ensure our preferred times , have had no comms from them saying anything is changing, are we good to assume they will honour our current reservations? OR do people have experience from previous years of being told nearer the time "tough luck, we've cancelled your reservation but you can rebook at $99 each if there's any tables left".

2022 on Oasis they refused to honor previous reservations at lower prices. Pay the $100/pp or move the reservation.