Alright, you chose a cruise, you picked your stateroom, now the cruise line is asking if you want a dining package? What is it? What is included in the package? Do I need to upgrade to a-la carte dining? Is an unlimited drink plan worth it?
As for any all-inclusive, the food can be really hit or miss, but when you are stuck on a boat, without any other options, it is best to do you research before to understand the variety of fare offered, what dining setting, and inquire on their accommodation to dietary restrictions if you have any.
The variety of fare and the accommodation of dietary restrictions are quick and easy to find out. Reviews on YouTube, TikTok, or Instagram are great places to see what food is offered on board and get genuine opinions on the quality. For accommodations, a quick call to their customer service line would assist you with this if it is not clearly listed on the cruise dining website. For understanding the dining setting, this is more important to understand if refreshments are offered all day or only at specific times, and if there is dress code that you will need to pack for.
What is a Cruise Dining Package and What’s Included?
Most cruises include the basic dining package in the cost of sailing per person. Essentially this entitles you to dine at the cafeteria style restaurants and main dining. This also includes water, drip coffee, tea, and select juices.
Following the basic dining package, it is customary for cruise lines to allow you to either pay a-la carte or elect to purchase an upgraded dinging plan. For A-la Carte, soda, alcohol, or specialty dining would be paid for separately as you would at any normal restaurant, where you would have a price per item you order, and your credit card will get charged for the purchases. In contract, the upgraded dinging packages allow you to pay a premium flat rate for a larger selection. These dining package upgrades are for specialty dining, soft drinks, or wine and spirits.
Electing to upgrade specialty dining will allow you access to premium restaurants on board. This does not allow for unlimited access though. You will select the number of restaurant visits you want included which will determine the cost, and then those restaurants will have a set quantity of how much you may order.
To opt for drink upgrades it is split out by alcoholic and non-alcoholic. Non-alcoholic packages include name-brand soft-drinks such as Coca-Cola or Pepsi and can be chosen by sailors of any age. For Alcoholic beverages, most cruise lines have two categories, basic beer, wine and spirits or premium beer, wine and spirits. The difference is the variety of drinks offered. For the premium package, you will spend more, but it will include higher tier liquors, craft beers, and finer wines.
With the drink packages, there is a or two caveat though. When one adult guest (18 years or older on most cruise lines) chooses to opt for the beverage package, all adults in the same stateroom must purchase a beverage package. The cruise lines do this to ensure multiple guests are not drinking for the price of one. The second caveat is that the drinking age varies by cruise line. The age depends on what country the ship sails under, and they follow their laws and regulations. For example, if you are 18 years old from the United States but sailing under a European cruise line, you will be able to legally drink. The reverse is also true. If you are 18-year-old European sailing on an American cruise line, you will be unable to drink on that ship. This is made clear when booking though, so you will not be charged and unable to use the package.
Should I Purchase Specialty Dining Passes? Is an Unlimited Drink Package Worth It?
Yes and No. This ultimately comes down to your preferences and drinking habits. If you predominately drink soda and do not enjoy the taste of water, you may want to opt for the drink package.
Same goes for alcohol. If you and your companions pan on drinking many drinks aboard each day, then it may make sense to purchase the upgraded package. If you all only plan on drinking a glass or two of wine each night, then it is worth it to decide how many drinks you would need to consume to break even.
The average cost of a drink on a cruise line is $15, so if you plan on two glasses of wine at dinner each night on your 7-day cruise, you should expect to spend $180 as you will only be on board for 6 nights. If the drink package costs less than $180 per person for the length of the trip, it is worth paying for the upgrade. If the package is significantly more expensive, then you should not opt for the package upgrade.
The 3 Types of Cruise Dining
Cruise dining can be divided up into 3 categories: all-inclusive buffet, all-inclusive seated dining, and ala carte.
In each of these three tiers, the variety and quality of the food can vary greatly. For many ships though, you have the option of purchasing a particular number of a-la carte meals for a set discounted rate before you set sail. The difficulty is knowing how many, if any, you will want.
All-inclusive Buffet
This is what most people thing of now-of-days when someone says all-inclusive cruise. This is the large cafeteria style rooms with a plethora of seating and in the center of the room is a spread of food that caters to all dietary restrictions and cuisines.
As these tend to be made in larger batches, they sit out for longer and may not be as fresh when it is not peak eating hours. The upside is that there is nearly anything you can think of. Varieties of fruits, meats, cheeses, and sweets are available and replenished throughout the day, so no matter what time you are hungry, there is something to nibble on.
For full meals, they have cuisines that can range from traditional americana such as burgers and hotdogs, to freshly prepared sushi, or a warming Indian curry, all depending on the cruise line and day. These larger, more filling meals are available around during peak dining times in the morning, afternoon, and evening.
All-inclusive Seated Dining
If you are looking for a more formal seating arrangement but not looking to pay the hefty price that a la cart can bring, the all-inclusive seated dining would be best. Here, there is a prepared menu including appetizers, a selection of main courses, and dessert. These seated dining restaurants are also staffed with members knowledgeable of wine pairings and other libations which can be ordered and delivered to your table with dinner, unlike the buffet style. The difference between this and specialty dining is the prices are all-inclusive unless otherwise denoted.
I specify “otherwise noted” because some ships offer drinks that are outside your package for purchase, or even the ability to select steak or lobster for less than the price to dine in the specialty dining steakhouse.
Specialty Dining / A La Carte
Specialty dining encompasses restaurants that are not included in the meal fare built into the dining package price. These are typically specifically themed like French cuisine, Japanese cuisine, American Steakhouse, or Brazilian Steakhouse, which is contrary to the main dining. The benefit to dining here is the option for a wider selection of cuisine such as Japanese hibachi or Brazilian steak. These dining rooms are sometimes quieter as well adding to the ambiance. The drawbacks are the cost and convenience. If you plan on dining in one of the specialty restaurants, you have one of two options for payment.
First option, you can pre-select a specialty dining package. This includes a set number of visits to a specialty restaurant at a set price. This does not mean that the meals are endless with the specialty dining plan. The menu is still limited to a certain number of appetizers, entrées, sides, etc. per visit. Additionally, you typically cannot select a specialty dining plan within a certain period before dining.
The second option is that you can pay a-la-carte like any other restaurant ashore. If you pay a-la-carte, the prices will certainly be higher.
In my opinion, the specialty dining is not necessarily worth the cost. The food is typically not any different from what can be found in the all-inclusive seated dining, and the food that is different is not as high of quality you can find onshore for the price.
If you do decide to select a specialty dining plan, make sure you schedule all restaurant visits prior to boarding. Availability books up fast and the dining plan is non-refundable so if you cannot use all the visits you paid for, you lose the money spent.
All in all, I would decide on how much you plan to drink to decide which drink plan is best for you and, personally, I stick to the all-inclusive dining.
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