Nobody leaves a Royal Caribbean cruise hungry.
Even the smallest Royal Caribbean ships offer three meals a day in the main dining room, the all-you-can-eat Windjammer buffet, free light meals and snacks at various cafes, and near 24/7 pizza.
Related: Royal Caribbean quietly makes a major beverage change
On bigger ships, the choices get even more expansive. Oasis-Class ships add Park Cafe, which offers breakfast, lunch, and some late-night snacks, Boardwalk Dog House, a hot dog stand, El Loco Fresh. which offers Mexican, and select other venues.
Many experienced cruisers, however, enjoy the added-fee specialty restaurants on Royal Caribbean ships. On smaller ships that usually means Chops, a steakhouse, one of its multiple Italian restaurant concepts, and Izumi, a sushi/hibachi restaurant.
Larger ships have all those and then some. You can sail on an Oasis-Class ship and eat at a different specialty restaurant each night.
That's something a lot of people like to do, and to make that a little more affordable, Royal Caribbean offers the Unlimited Dining Package. At its core the UDP offer is simple and the cruise line explains it on its website.
"What's included? Specialty dining for dinner every night of your sailing and lunch on sea days."
That seems simple but it's actually complicated, and Royal Caribbean has now been making changes to account for new dining options.
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Image source: Royal Caribbean
A deeper look at Royal Caribbean's UDP
At most restaurants, the Unlimited Dining Package pays your cover charge. At Chops, for example, it includes as many appetizers and sides as you want along with an entree and a dessert.
Some restaurants, however, come with added charges.
"For ships with the following venues and experiences, these are included with an additional surcharge that will be charged once on board," the cruise line said on its website. They are:
- Izumi Hibachi/Teppanyaki — $15
- Wonderland by DaDong — $25
- Royal Railway: Adult — $50, Child — $25
- Chef's Table & Holiday Dinners — $50
- Izumi Omakase — $60
- Empire Supper Club — $130
Most of those are higher-end experiences, beyond traditional restaurants.
In recent years, however, Royal Caribbean has added some unique restaurants and it was always unclear how they were included in the unlimited package. In most cases, they weren't. The cruise line, for example, has never been clear about its nonreservation added-fee food options, aside from Playmakers sports bar.
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Unlimited Dining Package holders get a daily $20 credit at Playmakers.
Now, without actually telling anyone, the cruise line has added more restaurants to the Unlimited Dining Package, including a hot new concept that's only on Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas.
Royal Caribbean makes an Unlimited Dining Package change
A number of Royal Caribbean ships offer a la carte menus at bars that support some of their specialty restaurants. Giovanni’s Wine Bar, for example, appears on multiple ships and it does not require reservations.
Passengers can walk up, grab a seat, and order from a snacks and pizza menu. Previously, that was not included in the Unlimited Dining Package, but Royal Caribbean has fixed that.
"For ships with the following venues with a la carte pricing, you’ll receive a $20 food credit: English Pub, Fish & Ships, Giovanni’s Wine Bar, Playmakers, Portside BBQ, Trellis Bar, and Vintages. For Izumi in the Park, you’ll receive a $10 food credit. Credits are nonrefundable and can only be used once a day," its website says.
That's $20 at each of those venues each day.
In theory, this could lead to passengers eating lunch and dinners in sit-down restaurants and eating multiple snacks or secondary meals at a la carte locations.
It's more realistic to think that some people will swap out higher-priced meals at sit-down restaurants for a more casual meal here and there.
Related: Royal Caribbean bets its future on one big idea
So, this change gives passengers something they want while perhaps also saving Royal Caribbean a little money.
Izumi in the Park, which appears only in that Central Park location on Utopia and Icon of the Seas, offers to-go sushi and fresh-made bubble cone ice cream cones.
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