Cruise lines have long offered beverage packages to make it easy for passengers to pre-purchase the drinks they plan to enjoy while onboard the ship. Now, some cruise lines are offering specialty dining packages, too.
Some
cruise ships, especially newer and larger ships, have a dozen or more specialty
restaurants, which often charge extra fees for their high-end dining. These extra
fees can be quite affordable individually, but if you want to dine at a
different specialty restaurant every evening of your cruise, the individual
fees can add up. As with beverage packages, specialty dining packages –
especially when purchased in advance of your cruise – can be a help to staying within
your cruise budget.
Let’s take
a look at a few cruise line dining packages:
Norwegian
Cruise Line offers a specialty dining package that lets you select the number
of specialty meals you want to enjoy during your cruise, with savings of about
$10 per meal. The exact specialty restaurants available vary by ship, but those
covered by the specialty dining package include American Diner; Cagney’s
Steakhouse; Food Republic, which specializes in the fusion of global cuisines;
Le Bistro, which offers sophisticated French fare; Los Lobos; Moderno
Churrascaria; celebrity chef Geoffrey Zakarian’s Ocean Blue; Pincho Tapas Bar;
Q Texas Smokehouse; and Sushi and Teppanyaki.
MSC
Cruises has a variety of dining package options that, when purchased in advance
of your cruise, can save you up to 35% on specialty restaurant fees. You can
choose from packages that cover the extra fees at one, two, or three different specialty
restaurants. Depending on your ship, these restaurants may include L’Atelier
Bistrot; Kaito, which features sushi, sashimi, and tempura; Butcher’s Cut, which
serves mouthwatering steaks; Hola Tapas Bar; Ocean Cay Seafood; and Asian
Market Kitchen.
Royal
Caribbean’s specialty dining packages can save you up to 40% on specialty
restaurant fees. You can choose a package that sets you up to dine in three
different restaurants; or, one that gives you unlimited opportunities for
specialty dining, as well as discounts on bottles of wine. Again, the selection
of restaurants depends on your ship, but may include Samba Grill, a
Brazilian-style steakhouse; Izumi, where sushi is the star; Giovanni’s Italian
Kitchen; Portside BBQ; Wonderland Imaginative Cuisine; Sabor; Chops Grill; and Jamie’s
Italian from celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
Ask Anita,
your professional travel advisor, to help you choose a cruise line and
specialty dining package that can save you money and get your taste buds
dancing.
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