Heidi BucoloScroll down to watch our video summarizing all of the details of Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package!
Beginning April 12, 2019, Royal Caribbean introduced a new dining option allowing cruisers to enjoy multiple specialty restaurants during their cruise for one set price. Get all the details of this inclusive dining option in our complete guide to Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package (2022).
Complete Guide to Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package (2022)
What is the Unlimited Dining Package on Royal Caribbean?
Royal Caribbean offers 4 different types of dining packages:
- Chops +1 (Not offered on 10+ night sailings)
- 3-Night Package (Not offered on 3 to 5-night sailings)
- 5-Night Package (Only offered on 10+ night sailings)
- Unlimited Dining Package
Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package allows cruisers to enjoy multiple specialty restaurants every night of their cruise for one low price. With this package, guests can also enjoy lunch at specialty restaurants on embarkation day and sea days.
Yes, in theory, you can dine at more than one restaurant on any given evening of your cruise pending availability. Also, there is no limit to the number of times you can dine at a specialty restaurant.
As an additional perk, you will receive a discount of 40% off bottles of wine under $100 and 20% off bottles above $100 while dining in specialty restaurants.
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Royal Caribbean Unlimited Dining Package Details
Cruisers can book the Royal Caribbean Unlimited Dining Package pre-cruise using the online Cruise Planner. You might even be able to score a deal if you time your purchase with a cruise planner sale or promotion.
Gratuities are included in all dining packages that are purchased pre-cruise. However, dining packages purchased onboard will have an 18% gratuity added to the purchase price.
When purchasing Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package before your cruise, the cruise line will automatically make a courtesy reservation for you for the first night of your sailing. However, you will need to make the remaining reservations once onboard the ship. You can also make any changes to this courtesy reservation once onboard the ship.
Unfortunately, Unlimited Dining Package reservations are subject to availability, and popular specialty restaurants do book up quickly. With that said, we suggest you make your remaining reservations immediately upon boarding the cruise ship.
Remember, other cruisers who are not using this dining plan still have the ability to make reservations at these specialty restaurants pre-cruise.
This is the biggest disadvantage of Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package. Competitor lines do allow you to make reservations before you board even with a dining package.
Cruisers must book Specialty Dining Packages at least two days prior to boarding. These specialty dining packages may not be available for every sail date. Further, they are limited and can sell out.
Similar to a beverage package, cruisers must purchase the Unlimited Dining Package on Royal Caribbean for the entire length of the cruise. The pricing for the package does vary based on cruise ship, time of year, and itinerary.
Though, unlike a beverage package, not everyone in your stateroom needs to purchase a dining package. However, cruisers can not share these packages.
Royal Caribbean dining package refunds must be processed on the first day of the voyage and are non-refundable after the first use.
When dining at a specialty restaurant, children between the ages of 0-5 are complimentary. Children ages 6-12 are $10 per child. Though, children must order from the kids menu.
What’s Included in the Unlimited Dining Package?
Cruisers can use the Unlimited Dining Package at most restaurants found onboard Royal Caribbean cruise ships, including the brand new Mason Jar on Wonder of the Seas.
For restaurants with a flat fee cover charge, this dining package entitles cruisers to all the starters and desserts they wish to order. Restaurants like Chops Grille or Hooked Seafood do charge additional fees for a second entrée.
For restaurants with a la carte pricing, you’ll receive a $35 food credit. Portside BBQ, Playmakers, and Giovanni’s Wine Bar are the exceptions, as you will only receive a $20 food credit. Honestly, this credit is enough for a 3-course meal at these casual specialty dining options.
Teppanyaki and Izumi Hibachi are included in Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package; however, there is an additional $10 surcharge, charged at the time of dining.
Premium items such as the seafood tower or upgraded steaks at Chops Grille will have an up-charge. These items are noted in the restaurant’s menu or you can always clarify with your server before ordering.
Additionally, Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package is not valid for premium experiences including Chef’s Table, Wine Pairing Dinners, Taste of Royal, and Mystery Dinner Theater.
Further, the Unlimited Dining Package does not include alcoholic beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, or specialty drinks like smoothies unless you also have a beverage package.
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Is Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package Worth It?
We did an analysis of Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package on a 3-day Navigator of the Seas cruise back in 2019.
Booking the package pre-cruise at sale pricing, we saved over 50% by having the meal plan versus paying out of pocket for our dining experiences. We would say that was a good deal!
Now, would we have dined at all those specialty restaurants if we didn’t have the Unlimited Dining Package, probably not.
While we have not used the Unlimited Dining Package on a 7-day cruise yet, this package was available for $217 per person for our recent Wonder of the Seas cruise. This equates to around $31 per day. Of note, the package did sell out before the actual sail date.
If you plan to dine at a specialty restaurant each evening, this would be a good deal as the prices for individual specialty restaurants run well upwards of $40+ each. This is of course to say that you are able to secure reservations for a specialty restaurant each day once you are onboard the ship.
While specialty restaurants do book up quickly, we were told that some reservations are reserved exclusively for those with dining packages. Though, our recommendation would still be to make your reservations immediately upon boarding the ship.
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Comments
Do you think Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package is a good value? Do you usually dine at specialty restaurants during your cruise? Drop us an anchor below to share your experiences using the Unlimited Dining Package on a Royal Caribbean cruise.
17 comments
Rowena Rossi
I am Cruising with my two granddaughters on wonder of the seas, one is nine the other is 12. Do they have to eat from the kids menu in the main dining room? What is on the kids menu?
StoneyBrookJohn
We just booked a 2023 Spring transatlantic cruise and added the Unlimited Dining Package.
The Overview section reads: “… For one low price, you can enjoy multiple entrees and visit multiple specialty restaurants every night of your sailing.” No where does it state that you are only allowed one entree at any of the specialty restaurants.
The What’s Included section reads:
– Unlimited visits to speciality dining restaurants every night of your sailing and lunch on sea days.
– For restaurants with a la carte pricing, you’ll receive a $20 food credit.
– For ships with these venues, Teppanyaki/Izumi Hibachi is included, with a $10 surcharge, Chef’s Table is included, with a $49.99 surcharge, and Dadong is included, with a $35 surcharge. These will be charged once onboard.
This means that Chef’s Table is included (albeit with a surcharge).
Under Important details and advisements:
– A courtesy reservation will be made for the first night of your cruise based on your preferred dining time. You will receive your courtesy reservation confirmation in your stateroom on the first day of your cruise.
– All additional reservations or changes to your courtesy reservation must be made once onboard at any specialty restaurant.
– Not valid for premium experiences including: Wine Pairings Dinners, Taste of Royal, Mystery Dinner Theater and Holiday Celebration Dinners
– Child pricing applies to children between the ages of 6-12. Children ages 0-5 are complimentary. Children must order from the kids menu.
Harry Rebbert
I purchased the Unlimited Dining Plan for the November 19th, 2020 sailing on Independence OTS a 7 day cruise. The prearranged dining on the first night of the cruise shows on the calendar as the third day of the cruise instead of the first. One description of the plan indicates it is for every day of the cruise but another description indicates it’s for 5 days. My interpretation of the conflicting information from Royal Caribbean is the Unlimited Dining Plan I purchased is for 5 nights and not everyday of the cruise. In addition, the prearranged dining will be the third day of the cruise not the first day of the cruise. I have emailed Royal Caribbean for an explanation but after 2 weeks I have yet to receive an explanation. Do you know of an explanation for the conflict of information? I still like and will continue to sail with Royal Caribbean.
Nikita
Were you able to find out the difference? I have exactly the same conundrum…
MK
Be cautious of prices: there’s not a ton of info out there about the Unlimited dining package, so this article has been helpful. The price above is what they’re calling their 55% off Black Friday/Cyber Monday price: I can’t imagine how much they’re trying to charge for this when it’s not on sale. Feels like a scam to me that they’re calling it a promotional price…
Mike
I have a upcoming cruise in June 2020 on Symphony of the Seas and want to purchase the unlimited dining package, but it’s not showing up in my cruise planner. Only shows 3 day package
Stephanie
I was able to book the dining package for my February sailing in November. So it should show up around 90 days before your sail date.
Mel
Is tapas from Vintages included?
Mel
Is tapas from Vintages included?
Beth Phillips
Is the coastal kitchen included in unlimited dining pkg
DB
Coastal Kitchen is a complimentary restaurant reserved for suite guests.
Gary Scaturro
Courteous do Diamond + member get a discount to go to the Coastal Grill or in buying a Restaurant pkge.
Joan Kolba
I don’t want to purchase anything when the included meals are just fine. Another way for R C to make more money! ?
Joan Kolba
I don’t want to purchase anything when the included meals are just fine. Another way for R C to make more money! ?
Ann Marie
Generally do NOT purchase dining packages. I am a frequent RCCL cruiser (about 4 times a year) and am planning on trying this on my next cruise and possibly on 2 more which are already booked. So far, seems not to be offered on my upcoming ships/dates, perhaps because they are longer itineraries ?
Andrew Hsueh
Apprently appetizers are not unlimited anymore. According to our server at Chops Grill.