7 reasons to eat at specialty restaurants instead of the Main Dining Room on your cruise

Specialty restaurants on Royal Caribbean are not included in your cruise fare, but we think they’re worth the splurge.

With so much food included in your cruise fare, some passengers scoff at the idea of spending extra on specialty restaurants. After all, most specialty restaurant dinners cost around $50, and spending extra may seem silly when you can eat elsewhere for free.

Others, however, prefer the ambiance, food quality, and cuisine options at specialty restaurants, even if they come with an added charge.

Many first time cruisers are torn between whether they should dine at specialty restaurants or stick to complimentary venues like the Main Dining Room and Windjammer buffet. It’s hard to pass up the exciting specialty dining options, whether teppanyaki or New England-style seafood, but is it worth it?

Here are 7 reasons to eat at specialty restaurants instead of the Main Dining Room on your cruise.

More intimate atmosphere

One of the main reasons passengers choose to dine at specialty restaurants as opposed to the Main Dining Room is for the more intimate atmosphere. Generally speaking, dining at a specialty restaurant feels more like a refined restaurant on land whereas the Main Dining Room feels more like a banquet dinner.

Specialty restaurants are smaller in size compared to the Main Dining Room and have more curated theming and decor. Tables are typically further apart than in the dining room as well, allowing guests to have more privacy while dining.

Some specialty restaurants have outdoor seating as well. Jamie’s Italian on select Quantum Class ships has outdoor seating on the promenade deck whereas Chops Grille and the Italian restaurant on Oasis Class ships feature outdoor seating in Central Park.

There are few date nights more romantic than dining outdoors at Central Park while a guitarist plays classical music in the background. If you’re celebrating a special occasion or just want a romantic night out, dining outdoors can be an excellent option.

Wider range of cuisines

Royal Caribbean’s specialty restaurants offer a wide range of cuisines, from Brazilian to Japanese and barbecue.

In the mood for sushi? The only place to eat sushi, sashimi, ramen, and other Japanese favorites is at Izumi, which comes at an extra cost.

Likewise, if you’re craving southern American cuisine such as a classic po’boy or shrimp and grits, look no further than The Mason Jar on Wonder of the Seas.

Even though the Main Dining Room offers a themed menu each evening for dinner, they rarely offer the same cuisine found in specialty restaurants. The only nights that may feature cuisine similar to specialty restaurants is on Mexican night and Italian night, although there will be far fewer options compared to a specialty restaurant like Sabor or Giovanni’s Table.

Unique dining concepts

Many Royal Caribbean fans are familiar with Wonderland, the cruise line’s eclectic, whimsical dining experience inspired by the tales of Alice and Wonderland. Dining at Wonderland is worlds away from the Main Dining Room, and currently offers the most unique dining experience found at any Royal Caribbean restaurant.

Related: I paid $60 to eat at Royal Caribbean’s most bizarre restaurant

A restaurant like Samba Grill also offers a unique dining experience. This Brazilian churrasco restaurant offers all-you-can-eat meat in addition to a variety of appetizers, sides, and desserts.

When Utopia of the Seas launches in 2024, she will feature a restaurant designed like a “moving” train car, with screens transporting guests to far-flung destinations out the window. This type of dining experience is something that cannot be replicated in a complimentary venue on Royal Caribbean.

The cost is not exorbitant

In the grand scheme of a cruise vacation, spending extra for specialty dining will not add that much more to your overall vacation cost.

On my upcoming 9-night cruise, the Unlimited Dining Package, with gratuity added, is $334. Considering that dining is such an important part of the overall cruise experience, adding a little over $300 to the overall vacation cost for unlimited meals at specialty restaurants may be worth it for many cruisers.

Related: The Ultimate Guide to Royal Caribbean’s Unlimited Dining Package

Even if you don’t want the Unlimited Dining Package, you can usually find the 3-night dining package for around $120 with gratuity added. Considering that $120 is the cost of one shore excursion, eight cocktails, or half a spa treatment, it’s probably not a budget-breaker for most passengers.

You can also choose to book restaurant reservations individually. If you book specialty restaurants for lunch, you can find great deals. Many specialty restaurants are often half price at lunchtime and offer similar menus, meaning you can try a specialty restaurant for around $25.

There’s also the opportunity to dine at à la carte specialty restaurants. As opposed to a cover charge, these restaurants charge per-item, giving you more flexibility in how much you spend.

You can visit Playmakers and order $6 nachos for a snack or spend $19 on udon noodles at Izumi. There’s no rule saying you have to spend $50 every time you visit a specialty restaurant; à la carte restaurants can be an easy way to try different venues without breaking the bank.

You can use onboard credit

Speaking of not blowing your budget, did you know you can use onboard credit for specialty restaurants?

If you received onboard credit while booking your cruise, whether from a travel agent or booking promotion, you can put that credit toward specialty restaurants and dining packages.

Think of onboard credit as free money. You can use onboard credit to pay for drinks and souvenirs while onboard, or you can reserve items ahead of time on Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner website.

Related: Royal Caribbean onboard credit: How to get it and where to spend it the smart way

Booking specialty restaurants with onboard credit is a nice way to feel like your specialty restaurant meal is free, as you won’t pay anything extra for the dining experience. If you don’t have enough onboard credit to cover the entire reservation, you can pay the remaining balance with a credit card.

Better quality food

While food is subjective, many passengers find the food at specialty restaurants to be of higher quality than dishes in complimentary venues like the Windjammer and Main Dining Room.

Simply put, cooking for 5000 passengers is vastly different from cooking for a few hundred. Dishes in specialty restaurants are not cooked in mass quantities, allowing chefs to give extra attention to the dish before it’s served.

A great comparison between complimentary and specialty dining is with Italian food. You can find Italian food almost every day in the Windjammer and Main Dining Room, from chicken parmesan to pasta and pizza, but it won’t be nearly the same quality as Italian food at specialty restaurants.

And while ordering a strip steak in the Main Dining Room will be satisfying, it won’t usually be on par with the filet you can order from Chops Grille or Giovanni’s Table.

This isn’t to say the food in the Main Dining Room isn’t good, but specialty restaurants take cruise ship dining quality to the next level.

It makes your cruise more fun

Dining at the same venue for dinner each evening can get monotonous, even if you plan to switch between the Main Dining Room and Windjammer.

Booking specialty restaurants can help break up the day to day routine on a cruise and give you something extra to look forward to. Instead of eating in the Main Dining Room every evening, why not book a few lunches or dinners at specialty restaurants?

Even if you enjoy the food in the dining room, there’s nothing wrong with splurging in order to have more fun on a cruise vacation. When you look back on your cruise months later, you may not remember your fourth night in the dining room, but you will remember the fun you had dining at teppanyaki or Wonderland.

Like any cruise add-on, specialty restaurants are completely optional, but they can enhance your overall vacation experience.

Check out more cruise ship dining tips: