Tag Archives: main dining room

Carnival Cruise Line Raises Food Prices, Makes More F&B Changes

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Carnival Cruise’s iconic Whale Fluke Photo Credit Spacejunkie2 (Flickr)

Citing inflation, higher fuel prices and supply chain challenges, in an effort to cut down on food waste, Carnival Cruise Line is making a number of food and beverage adjustments.

In a letter sent to booked guests, Carnival cited food supply chain challenges that have been further complicated by global politics and a “myriad of laws regarding how we should source products and how crops and animals are farmed and handled.”

Carnival said it had reached a point with its food costs where it must take a modest but specific action.

Changes:

  • Steakhouse prices increased to $48 per person from $42.
  • Prices are speciality dining restaurants on select ships will increase, with Carnival citing rising food costs.
  • In the main dining room, the free lobster will continue to be offered on cruises lasting six days or more but will be moved to the second elegant evening.
  • Free 24/7 ice cream is being trimmed back to set hours.
  • Guests ordering the third entrée in the main dining room will see an additional $5 charge.

The company noted that for sailings departing through Dec. 31, speciality dining reservations paid in advance will be charged the current price, but reservations made onboard will be subject to new prices.

Royal won’t retrofit ships for Dynamic Dining

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Royal Caribbean International has decided not to install its Dynamic Dining concept on the Oasis, Allure and Harmony of the Seas, as it once planned to do.

The concept, which splits the main dining room into four smaller themed restaurants, will be limited to ships that have been designed from the beginning to accommodate it, Royal said in a statement.

Currently, the Quantum class ships, including the Quantum of the Seas and Anthem of the Seas, are the only ones predesigned for Dynamic Dining.

Dynamic Dining originally also meant elimination of fixed dining times, but Royal later added a “classic” option with early and late seatings.

Royal had already converted the main three-deck dining area on Oasis of the Seas into single restaurant spaces on each floor.

Guests on the Oasis, Allure or Harmony who have already preselected the classic option for their upcoming cruise will be assigned to either early or late seating to match their original choice of time. Guests who have selected the “choice” option will be assigned to the My Time Dining program, Royal said.

Royal Caribbean to alter new dining format

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Royal Caribbean International will make its first major change to the Dynamic Dining concept introduced on Quantum of the Seas.

When Quantum’s sister ship, Anthem of the Seas, debuts in April, guests will have the option of choosing Dynamic Dining Classic, which will have many of the attributes of eating in the main dining room on other Royal Caribbean ships.

Royals new dining option video

The classic option allows diners to choose an early seating and sit at the same table every night. Guests will also be served by the same waiter and assistant waiter throughout the cruise. They will rotate through the four complimentary restaurants on Anthem and will find their table in the same location in each restaurant nightly, said Royal Caribbean President Michael Bayley.

Bayley disclosed the new wrinkle in Dynamic Dining at a travel agent event aboard Freedom of the Seas on Saturday.

He said Royal Caribbean has had “some struggles” implementing Dynamic Dining since it debuted on Quantum in November. Older guests in particular have not taken to the new format, he said.

Dynamic Dining scraps the large main dining room, and traditional early and late seatings, for smaller 430-seat restaurants with different themes and cuisines.

Guest ratings have slowly improved for Dynamic Dining to the point where they are equal to or better than the fleet average, Bayley said.

“We really want to make this concept work,” Bayley told the agents, “and we’re very close to making it successful.”