Dollars and Dining: Is speciality Dining Worth The Splurge?
Specialty dining has become a big part of the cruise experience in recent years.
Cruise lines promote these restaurants as elevated dining experiences, offering themed venues, premium ingredients and a more personalised level of service.
But with these restaurants costing extra on top of your base cruise fare, many passengers ask the same question:
Is specialty dining actually worth it?
During our cruises with Royal Caribbean we’ve tried several of the specialty restaurants. Some delivered fantastic experiences, while others were interesting but perhaps not something we would rush to repeat.
Here’s our experience of some of Royal Caribbean’s most popular specialty dining options.
Chops Grille Key Lime Pie
What Makes Specialty Dining Different?
Specialty restaurants charge an additional cover fee, so expectations are naturally higher than in the main dining room.
While the standard dining onboard Royal Caribbean is already very good, specialty restaurants aim to offer something a little more exclusive.
Typically you can expect:
more personalised service
a slower, more relaxed dining pace
themed restaurants with unique menus
a quieter atmosphere compared to main dining
In our experience, the waiting staff in specialty restaurants often have more time to interact with guests, making the overall experience feel more personal.
That said, service can still vary slightly between ships and sailings depending on the crew onboard.
Chops Grille Menu - A speciality dining restaurant by Royal Caribbean
Chops Grille: Royal Caribbean’s Classic Steakhouse
Chops Grille is Royal Caribbean’s signature American-style steakhouse and is available on many ships across the fleet.
The restaurant usually operates for dinner each evening and often opens for lunch on sea days.
The typical menu includes:
appetisers
soups and salads
steak and seafood mains
side dishes
desserts
Usually you select one item from each course, although we’ve often had additional sides brought to the table. There’s a lot of food here, and it’s all excellent quality.
Some of our favourite dishes include:
Tuna Tartare
Black Pepper Bacon
Filet steak
Lamb entrée
And for dessert? Key Lime Pie is a must.
Chops Grille remains one of our favourite specialty restaurants and is one we would happily return to again.
Izumi: Royal Caribbean’s Japanese Dining Experience
Izumi offers a very different style of dining.
This Japanese-inspired restaurant focuses on:
sushi
sashimi
nigiri
Asian-inspired small plates
The experience is typically structured as a four-course meal, usually including:
one starter
two mains
one dessert
There is also a kids menu available, which makes it a great option for families travelling with children.
Some standout dishes during our visit included:
prawn firecracker spring rolls
snow crab sushi rolls
salmon dynamite roll
Dessert options include the classic mochi ice cream, although chocolate lava cake is also available for those wanting something more familiar.
The service at Izumi was excellent and the staff were particularly great with the kids.
While Chops Grille is my personal favourite, Anna prefers Izumi.
Mochi Ice cream - Izumi Royal Caribbean
Wonderland: The Most Unusual Dining Experience
Wonderland is perhaps the most unusual specialty restaurant onboard Royal Caribbean ships. Inspired by Alice in Wonderland, the restaurant focuses on imaginative dishes and theatrical presentation.
Expect unusual menu items such as:
Liquid Lobster
Bone Marrow
Caviar-based creations
The experience is designed to be playful and experimental, with dishes that often look very different from traditional restaurant meals.
Magical Mushroom Garden - Wonderland
If you enjoy adventurous food, Wonderland can be a fun and memorable experience. However, if you prefer more traditional dining, it may not be the best choice.
On our first visit the restaurant definitely delivered the wow factor, although we did feel that some of the novelty might fade if you visited multiple times.
The service on our most recent visit was still good, but not quite at the same level we had experienced previously.
If you’ve not done Wonderland before, it is definitely worth a try. However, if we had to choose again (as we’ve visited twice), we would probably return to Chops Grille or Izumi.
How Much Does Specialty Dining Cost?
Pricing varies depending on:
the ship
the restaurant
the type of dining package purchased
On our most recent cruise we purchased a three-restaurant dining package, which worked out at roughly: £330 for two adults
Children’s cover charges are significantly lower depending on age. For our family of four, the average cost came to around £30 per person per meal.
When Should You Buy Specialty Dining?
Royal Caribbean often offers discounted specialty dining packages before the cruise through the cruise planner.
These deals can sometimes provide good value.
However:
if restaurants don’t sell out before the cruise
additional offers may appear once onboard
If there is a specific restaurant you really want to try, it’s usually safest to book it before your cruise when a good price appears.
Can You Use a Drinks Package in Specialty Restaurants?
Yes.
If you have purchased a Royal Caribbean drinks package, it can be used in specialty restaurants as long as the drinks fall within the package limits.
Passengers on the premium drinks package will usually have the widest choice available.
Final Thoughts: Is Specialty Dining Worth It?
If you enjoy food and want a more relaxed dining experience during your cruise, specialty restaurants can absolutely be worth trying.
They offer:
a quieter atmosphere
more personalised service
unique menus and themed restaurants
For us, the three-meal dining package offered the best value, allowing us to experience multiple restaurants during the cruise.
However, the main dining room on Royal Caribbean ships is still excellent, so specialty dining should really be viewed as an optional extra rather than a necessity.
Related Reading on Team Five Travels
👉 Royal Caribbean Drinks Packages Guide