21 Cruise Dining Upsells Passengers Say Weren’t Worth It

21. The First Specialty Dinner Before Trying Included Food

There is a certain logic in booking a special dinner as a nice start. But doing so on the assumption that the main dining room will let you down is an entirely different proposition. The restaurant included in the fare might have the menu you like better, a more attentive server or a quieter table.

Put in at least one night there before putting down more money, barring a venue that is essential to the trip. That brief interlude is all the basis needed to judge any upcharge later on.

20. An Unlimited Dining Package On A Port-Heavy Sailing

An unlimited package appears very generous. Then again, three late returns from port can be at odds with set dinner hours. A package has a way of making dinner obligatory when a casual affair and an early night are more to your liking.

Do the math on the evenings you will actually be onboard, not the calendar days. While sea-day lunches can be worth it for some, one must note that participation and hours at the venues are not uniform.

It is the same kind of itinerary-first thinking that applies to many cruise purchases first-timers make too early.

19. A Multi-Meal Package With Awkward Reservation Times

When the times offered by a discounted package run counter to a headline show, a planned evening in port or sailaway, the value diminishes. Before considering the advertised percentage a saving, check on reservation access.

The line may assign the first booking under some packages and the in-demand spots fill up fast. If the timetable means you are having meals you would not otherwise pick, then the discount has made the choice for you.

18. The Chef's Table If You Dislike Long Fixed Menus

For the food-oriented traveler, the Chef’s Table is hard to resist: a fixed pace, several courses with explanations and perhaps some paired drinks make for a complete evening.

Those who chafe at set menus, have dietary needs or have a show to get to may find it overpriced and drawn out. Find out how long it runs and the policy on substitutions. One should pay for the format of the meal, not the prestige of the room.

17. Hibachi When The Show Is Not Your Thing

At the hibachi or teppanyaki, you are paying for a communal table and a bit of theatre as much as the food. This is fine for groups and children who are there for the show, but poor value for anyone wanting a quick bite or a quiet word before entertainment.

See if your package covers these experience-driven restaurants in full; some will still put an additional charge or restricted credit on the bill.

16. A Steakhouse Night That Mirrors The Main Dining Menu

A specialty steakhouse will have a more subdued room and larger cuts of meat with better pacing, but do not expect a wholly different meal. Look at both menus.

Should the included restaurant be serving what you want for the evening, the surcharge is for ambience rather than a substantive upgrade in food. Some passengers will appreciate the experience and put in the money; others would just as soon have it ashore.

15. The Premium Lobster Or Steak Supplement

You may find premium lobster, sushi or steaks sitting next to the regular menu in the main dining room. It is a tempting upsell since no change of venue is required.

But ask yourself if the included entree does not already suit you and factor in any service charges the line may impose. The supplement is sensible if that particular dish is a must, not because the label “premium” is appealing after a day in port.

14. A Second Entree Bought From Fear Of Missing Out

There was a time when ordering two entrees was an innocent tradition on a cruise. Now some lines will charge for extras or limit them and policies are subject to change.

If you are hungry, share a taste or go for a smaller portion, or head to a casual spot later on. The food facts that change cruise dining expectations tend to be of more use than attempting to sample the lot in one go.

13. A La Carte Sushi Without Checking The Package Credit

A la carte can give the impression that a dining package is without limits. In fact it may be good for only a set credit, one visit or certain items.

Price out the rolls you would order and read the rules. You could be out less for a modest lunch by paying for it outright than by using a dinner credit. Such details reveal the flexibility of the package and keep surprises off the final account.

12. The Dessert Shop After A Full Dinner

After the buffet has become old hat, the branded desserts, gelato and milkshakes are an attractive buy, particularly when hunger is not an issue. Resist the urge and walk past. The included venues have their own soft-serve and pastries to satisfy the craving.

A paid treat is justified on occasion, but as a daily addition to a trip already heavy on food it is not so compelling, once you are aware of the less obvious ways cruise-ship food is prepared and served.

11. Pizza Delivery When Pickup Is Steps Away

Then there is the matter of late-night pizza. The counter may include it while delivery comes with a fee. Hardly worth it when the pizzeria is but a deck or two away.

There is a certain convenience to going for pickup; one can put in an order and have a fresh pie without the wait in the cabin. But after a tiring day out or if mobility is an issue, delivery makes sense of it all. View it as buying that ease, not as some other kind of meal.

10. Paid Room Service For A Small Snack

It is easy to put a romantic spin on room service. A sandwich on the balcony has its appeal until you add up the item costs, the beverage tab, the tip and the delivery fee. Take a look at the menu first.

You will find some lines still put out complimentary continental fare but put a price on anything else. When timing, privacy or illness are factors, room service is worth the cost. For a simple snack though, the cafe on board will be fresher and faster.

9. A Branded Breakfast That Mainly Sells The Photo

The right family will remember a character or themed breakfast. Do not let the atmosphere and the photos fool you into thinking the food is any more special than it is. Find out who is actually looking forward to it.

An adult may be booking on nostalgia only to find the children want to eat and be at the pool. If you are there for the interaction and the picture, consider it entertainment and price it accordingly. If it is about the breakfast, the included restaurant is the better option.

8. A Premium Coffee Package For One Morning Cup

You will only get value from a coffee package if you are in the habit of buying coffee. A latte in the morning does not cut it when regular coffee and tea are already on offer in the dining rooms.

Tally up your sea days and port mornings and note any exclusions at licensed cafes. The cruise habits veteran passengers still disagree about guide takes the same view: put a price on your routine, not the more caffeinated version of yourself you might imagine on vacation.

7. Fresh Juice For A Traveler Who Sleeps Through Breakfast

Access to the juice bar and fresh-squeezed options has a wholesome ring to it. The hours of operation tend to limit that to the breakfast and lunch crowd, so late risers are out of luck.

See what is on the schedule and whether you would really opt for juice over water or coffee. A nice drink on the day you embark is no indication the package will be worth it for the week.

6. A Soda Package When Included Drinks Are Enough

Most mainstream lines put out their own iced tea, lemonade, water and the like, making soda an optional extra rather than a necessity. Be realistic about how many fountain drinks you put away and check on cup requirements and room service rules.

For those who do not make much of a habit of it, paying per can is cheaper and spares you the temptation to overindulge to make the package worthwhile.

5. Bottled Water Delivered To The Cabin

If you are not fond of ship water or need it for medication and excursions, a cabin water package is handy. It is also how you end up with a lot of bottles left behind at disembarkation.

Figure out what you need for your excursion days and see if your plan or refill stations cover it. Do not be seduced by the unit price on the largest pack if you are not going to use them. Buy for the need of the day.

4. A Nonalcoholic Package For A Light Drinker

A refreshment bundle of mocktails, soda and premium coffee can seem like a good deal given the variety. Put an honest day on paper and you will see that venue exclusions and port time can curb your usage.

If the idea is a post-dinner latte and a mocktail by the pool, you may as well pay for them and keep your flexibility.

3. A Full Alcohol Package On A Port-Heavy Itinerary

Alcohol packages are hard to defend when you are ashore from breakfast to dinner in port, yet you are paying for them anyway. They are easier to swallow on a sea day. Run the numbers for each person, service charges and the like.

Do not assume the vacation setting means you will drink more. Such restraint will help you avoid a few first-timer cruise habits experienced passengers notice. Run those figures alongside these pre-cruise checks travelers commonly forget while you can still cancel.

2. The Premium Spirits Upgrade When House Brands Suit You

Moving up a tier gives you top-shelf spirits and a wider ceiling for drinks, but only if you intend to order them. Compare the brands and limits to what you normally have in mind.

Minibar items and room service are often still off limits even with the premium tag. The base package is fine if it covers what you have planned.

1. A Wine Package Without A Bottle-A-Night Plan

Wine bundles are for the traveler who knows he will be opening several bottles. They do not forgive a change of taste or a port night cutting into dinner when only one is drinking.

Inquire on storage for any left over and check for duplicate discounts. Go with the quantity that fits. The best upgrade is one that aligns with what you were going to have anyway.

Make sure to run your next purchase by our guides to cruise add-ons passengers often misjudge, boarding-day mistakes and cruise rookie mistakes that trip up first-timers.