Royal Caribbean Makes a Confusing Dining Change

Changing its main dining room menus is only part of the cruise line's efforts to revamp passengers' eating experience.

Royal Caribbean (RCL) - Get Free Report has just about finished rolling out a massive change to its core main dining room experience. 

This wasn't a tweak; it was a complete overhaul of the daily menus for the main dining room, and it had the potential to anger longtime customers.

Two major changes were made. 

First, each night took on a theme like "Welcome Aboard," "Italian," "Mexican," or "French." Not every dish on the new menu conforms to the theme, but many do, with some other selections mixed in for people who might not be happy with the featured cuisine.

DON'T MISS: Royal Caribbean Confirms Huge Main Dining Room Menu Change

That's a big change, but it's not the one most likely to anger people. In addition to changing the rotating items on its main dining room menus, Royal Caribbean has also dropped the so-called classics section of its menu. That section offered familiar favorites -- think New York strip steak and spaghetti bolognese -- that appealed to pickier eaters.

Dropping the classics section also means that some favorite appetizers, including shrimp cocktail, escargot, and French onion soup, which used to be offered every night, are on the menu only on select evenings. It was a big change that affects most passengers.

The cruise line has also made a change to one of its popular premium restaurants, Izumi Sushi. The change isn't obvious (or advertised) but it's likely to anger certain passengers. 

Royal Caribbean Changes a Premium Dining Experience 

Royal Caribbean cruise ships offer meals in the main dining room, the Windjammer buffet, and select other onboard eateries as part of your basic cruise fare. 

The cruise line also offers a number of added-fee premium restaurants on its ships. Passengers can opt to dine at those eateries on an individual basis or by purchasing a dining package.

In most restaurants onboard, a single price covers your meal. In Chops steakhouse, for example, a single fee covers an appetizer, soup, salad, main entree, side dishes, and dessert (and you can generally order as many appetizers/soups/salads as you want). That's how most onboard restaurants work -- with Izumi's sushi/Japanese menu being an exception.

There are essentially two sides to Izumi. One includes hibachi tables, where chefs cook your meal in front of you for a single price. The second section -- which ranges from a full dining room on some ships to just a sushi counter on others -- serves a mix of sushi and hot Japanese favorites like ramen, teriyaki, gyoza, and more.

The sushi side of Izumi offers two pricing options. You can elect to pay a la carte or opt for a fixed price option that costs $34.99. And that's where Royal Caribbean has made a sneaky change that could anger longtime customers or parties where some people get the fixed-price option while others order a la carte.

Here's How Royal Caribbean's Izumi Has Changed

People ordering off the fixed-price menu can select one small plate, two large plates, and a dessert. They order off the same menu as people dining a la carte, so you would assume each dish they order would be the same. That used to be true, but that has changed when it comes to sushi rolls.

A key part of the large-plates menu (which also features a sushi sampler, various bowls, and some hearty ramen options), sushi rolls used to come with eight pieces whether you ordered it a la carte or as part of the fixed-price menu.

That has changed -- without any mention on the menu. People who order a roll as part of the fixed=price menu are now getting a four-piece portion while a la carte diners still get eight. This change has generally made the fixed-price option not worth it compared with ordering a la carte based on the volume of food.   

This creates some interesting math for consumers. The fixed-price menu may end up costing less than ordering the same items a la carte, but the person ordering a la carte gets twice as much sushi for their money.

If you opt for non-roll choices as your large plates, the fixed-price menu remains a good value, but for sushi roll fans, a la carte may be a better value.