Are Specialty Restaurants Worth It on a Cruise?

A specialty restaurant is worth considering when you want its menu or experience enough to pay the full extra cost. You do not need one to have meals included in your cruise fare. Read your ship's menus first; paying more does not guarantee that you will prefer the food.

Check what you already have

Disney includes its main dining and casual meals, while premium adult dining costs extra. Carnival lists Guy's Burger Joint as included on ships that have it and its steakhouse as an extra cost option. Virgin includes regular restaurant dining but charges for some premium additions. Check the actual venue and sailing rather than applying one line's rules to another.

See what food the fare includes before buying a dining package.

Compare the full cost

Use the checkout total, including applicable service charges, menu supplements and drinks. Royal Caribbean currently adds an 18% gratuity to specialty dining and dining packages except where prohibited by law. That is separate from daily crew gratuities.

Hypothetical example: a $60 cover with a 20% service charge costs $72 per person, or $144 for two. This is illustrative math, not Royal Caribbean's rate or a current restaurant quote. Two such dinners for two cost $288. A $240 package would save $48 only if it covers those same meals and all relevant charges, and you would otherwise buy both.

A discount on a wine bottle is not a discount on dinner. Read the actual offer, including exclusions and eligible nights.

Check package restrictions and availability

• Which restaurants and meals are covered?
• Are premium dishes, drinks or experiences extra?
• How many meals or visits do you get?
• When can you reserve, and can you get a suitable time?
• What happens if you cancel or do not use a meal?

Do not count unused visits as savings. If you only want one restaurant, compare a single reservation with the package.

What passenger accounts can tell you

Recent Reddit discussions about Royal Caribbean specialty dining contain both enthusiastic recommendations and reports that the upgrade was not worthwhile. Cruise Critic passengers also disagree about dining package value. These opinions can help you identify menus and experiences to investigate; they do not prove that specialty food is better on every ship.

For a first cruise, trying the included dining before committing to several paid meals is a reasonable option. For a celebration, one restaurant you want may be enough. If you have dietary requirements, discuss the menu and preparation with the dining team before paying; a surcharge is not a safety assurance. Our food allergy planning guide covers that preparation.