If you're planning to splurge on a specialty restaurant or two during your Royal Caribbean cruise, the 3-Night Dining Package is worth a close look. Priced between $95 and $150 per person before an 18% service charge — depending on the ship, sail date, and demand — it covers three specialty dinners and almost always costs less than booking those same restaurants individually through the Cruise Planner.
Buying the package before you board is the smart move on two fronts: you'll lock in a better price and be able to pre-reserve your preferred restaurants and dining times online rather than scrambling at the reservations desk on embarkation day. Royal Caribbean also lets you cancel and rebook pre-cruise add-ons up to 48 hours before sailing with no penalty, so if the price drops, you can snag the lower rate. As a real-world example, a 3-Night package on Legend of the Seas was listed at roughly $195 onboard but just $135 when purchased in advance.
Most popular specialty venues are fully covered — think Chops Grille, Wonderland, Giovanni's Italian Kitchen, Hooked Seafood, and 150 Central Park — along with a 40% discount on wine bottles under $100 and 20% off bottles priced higher. The package is dinner-only, though, and several venues carry an upcharge on top of the package price: Izumi Hibachi adds $15 per guest, the Chef's Table runs $50, and the Empire Supper Club requires an additional $130. Guests using the package at Izumi Sushi will also receive a prix fixe menu rather than the full à la carte selection.
For families, it's worth noting that children ages 6 to 12 qualify for child pricing, while kids 5 and under can be added to any specialty restaurant reservation for just $15 — often cheaper than purchasing the package for them outright. The writer notes that for newer, restaurant-heavy ships like Icon of the Seas, three nights may feel a little light, while the Unlimited Dining Package can feel repetitive on older, smaller vessels with fewer specialty options.
This breakdown comes from Royal Caribbean Blog, where writer Elizabeth Wright covers the 3-Night Dining Package in full detail.
