Specialty, dining, Royal Caribbean question

[Grayden1097]

Hi,

We are sailing on Royal Caribbean, quantum of the seas, 12 April 2023, and then enchantment of the seas, 30 April 2023. We were looking at the specialty dining restaurants and the packages, but I have a question around what the inclusions are.
It states on the inclusions for the 3,5, 10 day specialty packages..” for à la carte pricing, you will receive a $20 food credit”

I rang Royal Caribbean today and had a customer service rep who really had no idea. My question was if we are paying for example $300pp for a 3 night specialty dining package and the restaurants we are going to are all à la carte –  does that mean we would only receive $20 towards those meals and have to pay the rest of the bill ourselves on top of the speciality package rates? This makes no sense as it would mean you’re paying $300 per person for 20×3 dining’s which equals $60 so it wouldn’t be worth your while. He said yes that is what it meant that you would only receive $20 credits for any restaurants with  the à la carte, but he had to go away put me on hold and was reading up on it so he actually had no product knowledge.

 

Can anyone please advise – it doesn’t make sense you would pay $300pp for a dining package and only get $60 in credits and you had to pay the rest yourself? The rep had to be wrong but it doesn’t explain what is meant in the inclusion about the $20 credit. Many thanks

Edited March 23, 2023 by Grayden1097

[Blur]

I think most people who get the 3 night dining package wouldn't waste it on one of the a la cart dining places?

 

Just pay a la cart for the a la cart places and use the 3 night package at the regular places like chops?  Also the 3 night dining package should be like 108pp not 300pp so def check that.  300pp sounds like the ultimate dining package.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Blur

[Merion_Mom]

17 minutes ago, Grayden1097 said:

Hi,

We are sailing on Royal Caribbean, quantum of the seas, 12 April 2023, and then enchantment of the seas, 30 April 2023. We were looking at the specialty dining restaurants and the packages, but I have a question around what the inclusions are.
It states on the inclusions for the 3,5, 10 day specialty packages..” for à la carte pricing, you will receive a $20 food credit”

I rang Royal Caribbean today and had a customer service rep who really had no idea. My question was if we are paying for example $300pp for a 3 night specialty dining package and the restaurants we are going to are all à la carte –  does that mean we would only receive $20 towards those meals and have to pay the rest of the bill ourselves on top of the speciality package rates? This makes no sense as it would mean you’re paying $300 per person for 20×3 dining’s which equals $60 so it wouldn’t be worth your while. He said yes that is what it meant that you would only receive $20 credits for any restaurants with  the à la carte, but he had to go away put me on hold and was reading up on it so he actually had no product knowledge.

 

Can anyone please advise – it doesn’t make sense you would pay $300pp for a dining package and only get $60 in credits and you had to pay the rest yourself? The rep had to be wrong but it doesn’t explain what is meant in the inclusion about the $20 credit. Many thanks

 

On the Quantum, your restaurants will be Wonderland, Jamie's Italian, Chops, and Izumi.  You won't be limited to $20 at any of them.  That pricing refers to some restaurants which are not on the Quantum, so no need to discuss them.  🙂 

[Grayden1097]

Hi there,

Thanks for that :-). So how do you know which restaurants are à la cart and which aren’t? Quantum has– Chops, Jamie’s, Izumi, which has a surcharge, winter Wonderland, and Solarium bistro. We assume that all of these would be ordering off the menu therefore would only get the $20 credit?

Really appreciate any advice. – BTW just had a look in the five day. Specialty package is AU$307 not the three day, sorry.

 

thinking for chops Grill where you can get steaks and lobster would these not be ordered off a menu in à la carte fashion because these would presumably cost quite a lot more if it wasn’t all covered? Thanks 🙂 

Edited March 23, 2023 by Grayden1097

[Merion_Mom]

2 minutes ago, Grayden1097 said:

Hi there,

Thanks for that :-). So how do you know which restaurants are à la cart and which aren’t? Quantum has– Chops, Jamie’s, Izumi, which has a surcharge, winter Wonderland, and Solarium bistro. We assume that all of these would be ordering off the menu therefore would only get the $20 credit?

Really appreciate any advice. – BTW just had a look in the five day. Specialty package is AU$307 not the three day, sorry.

 

They aren't.  None of them.  That's why I told you that it won't affect you.

[Merion_Mom]

4 minutes ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

They aren't.  None of them.  That's why I told you that it won't affect you.

To expand:

Solarium Bistro is complimentary for all.

 

Izumi only has a surcharge for Hibachi, which Quantum doesn't have.

 

 

[Merion_Mom]

8 minutes ago, Grayden1097 said:

 

 

thinking for chops Grill where you can get steaks and lobster would these not be ordered off a menu in à la carte fashion because these would presumably cost quite a lot more if it wasn’t all covered? Thanks 🙂 

 

Ok, you added this.  There is an optional upcharge for lobster at Chops.   That would not be covered by your package.  But everything else is.

[Grayden1097]

Okay, thanks for that – so the customer rep  definitely gave me the wrong information as I told him what ships we were on.

 

Have you been on enchantment of the seas? We are doing a transatlantic on that cruise for 15 days, After our 17 day, transpacific on quantum and we are looking at a specialty dining package for that one too, but wanted to use it only if it was worthwhile financially and we weren’t paying extra other than the expected surcharge restaurants

[Merion_Mom]

Just now, Grayden1097 said:

Okay, thanks for that – so the customer rep  definitely gave me the wrong information as I told him what ships we were on.

 

Have you been on enchantment of the seas? We are doing a transatlantic on that cruise for 15 days, After our 17 day, transpacific on quantum and we are looking at a specialty dining package for that one too, but wanted to use it only if it was worthwhile financially and we weren’t paying extra other than the expected surcharge restaurants

 

OH MY LORD, DO NOT BUY A DINING PACKAGE ON ENCHANTMENT.

 

Enchantment has ONE, count 'em, ONE restaurant:  Chops.  That's it.  Chops.  Nothing more.  Nada.  Zilch. Bupkis.  Not even Johnny Rockets.  JUST CHOPS.

 

😄 

[Grayden1097]

Do you happen to know the approx extra cost for the lobster? Can’t see it anywhere on RCCL.  Thanks you’ve been really helpful 

[LilBlackDress]

56 minutes ago, Grayden1097 said:

Do you happen to know the approx extra cost for the lobster? Can’t see it anywhere on RCCL.  Thanks you’ve been really helpful 

Approximately $17 - $27 USD

[Blur]

11 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

To expand:

Solarium Bistro is complimentary for all.

 

Izumi only has a surcharge for Hibachi, which Quantum doesn't have.

 

 

Izumi is normally ala carte you can pay per item or take out but there is a pre-fix set menu you can pay to get like one appetizer, 2 main items (sushi rolls) and 1 dessert.

 

Like merion mentioned, chops, wonderland, and Jamie's is not ala carte so there is one price you pay for the meal which if you add up all the meals separately should be cheaper for the 5 night package.

Edited March 23, 2023 by Blur

[Merion_Mom]

45 minutes ago, Blur said:

Izumi is normally ala carte you can pay per item or take out but there is a pre-fix set menu you can pay to get like one appetizer, 2 main items (sushi rolls) and 1 dessert.

 

 

 

Yes, you can order a la carte, but the fixed price dinner is $34.99.  (or included with dining package). One small plate, two large plates, one dessert.   And there's a little secret:  You can "trade in" dessert for a second small plate.  😄 

[Blur]

1 minute ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Yes, you can order a la carte, but the fixed price dinner is $34.99.  (or included with dining package). One small plate, two large plates, one dessert.   And there's a little secret:  You can "trade in" dessert for a second small plate.  😄 

Yup.  But it's usually not worth wasting a 3 or 5 night dinner meal on it since it's usually way cheaper than chops, Jamie's, or wonderland.  I'd recommend just using those 3 for the night dinners and if they are really interested in izumi just pay separately ala cart (one of the few places that list prices for each item).

[red_summer]

Just wondering if we need to pay additional tips if we have the UDP?

[Dewaldcruiser]

18% is already added onto the UDP so no extra tip is required at any of the specialty restaurants.  If the server was very good, I usually add $5 or $10 as well. but that is a personal preference only.

[Grayden1097]

17 hours ago, red_summer said:

Just wondering if we need to pay additional tips if we have the UDP?

What does UDP mean?

[renza]

45 minutes ago, Grayden1097 said:

What does UDP mean?

Unlimited dining package