Chops Grille on Royal Caribbean typically costs $59–$69 per person for dinner, though prices vary by ship class and sailing date. Lunch (where available) runs $25–$35 per person, and pre-cruise booking can save you 20–30% off onboard pricing.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Chops Grille is Royal Caribbean's flagship steakhouse, and it's one of the most popular specialty dining venues in the fleet. The problem? The price has crept up significantly since 2022, and many cruisers are shocked when they see the current onboard menu prices versus what they expected to pay.
How Much Does Chops Grille Actually Cost?
The baseline dinner price at Chops Grille runs $59–$69 per person on most Royal Caribbean ships as of 2025. That's not per couple — that's per head, before gratuity (which is typically included, but always confirm). On newer, larger ships like Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas, prices skew toward the higher end of that range. On older mid-size ships, you'll find the lower end.
Lunch service (available on select sea days on some ships) is a genuine bargain by comparison.
| Meal / Option | Price Per Person | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Dinner (onboard price) | $64–$69 | Standard 2025 pricing on Oasis/Icon class |
| Dinner (pre-cruise online) | $45–$55 | Book via Royal Caribbean website before sailing |
| Lunch (sea days, select ships) | $25–$35 | Not available on all ships |
| Chops Grille Dining Package (3 restaurants) | $105–$135 total | ~$35–$45 per venue — best value if you plan to do 3+ specialty meals |
| UDP (Ultimate Dining Package) | $25–$55/person/day | Covers Chops + all specialty restaurants for entire cruise |
Bottom line: If you're paying full onboard price at the door, you're overpaying. Pre-cruise booking almost always saves you $10–$20 per person minimum.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
Key Factors That Drive the Price
Ship class matters a lot. Icon of the Seas and Wonder of the Seas command premium Chops pricing. Older Vision or Radiance class ships are noticeably cheaper — sometimes $10–$15 less per person for the same meal.
Itinerary and sailing dates. Holiday sailings (Christmas, New Year's, Thanksgiving) tend to see prices at the top of the range. Repositioning cruises and off-peak sailings are your best bet for lower specialty dining costs.
How and when you book. Royal Caribbean runs promotional specialty dining sales fairly regularly — 20–30% off is common in the 60–90 day window before sailing. Set a price alert or check back frequently after booking your cruise.
Dining packages vs. à la carte. If you're planning to eat at Chops plus one or two other specialty restaurants (say, Giovanni's or Hooked Seafood), a dining package almost always wins on price. The 3-night specialty dining package typically works out to $35–$45 per venue — that's a meaningful discount versus booking each separately.
What's included. Chops Grille dinner includes your appetizer, entrée, sides, and dessert. Upcharge items (premium cuts like a bone-in ribeye or lobster tail add-ons) can tack on another $15–$30 per person if you're not paying attention to the menu.
Photo: Royal Caribbean International
How to Get the Best Price at Chops Grille
Book before you board — always. Log into your Royal Caribbean cruise planner as soon as your cruise is booked. Specialty dining prices are almost always lower pre-cruise than they are once you're on the ship. The onboard "walk-up" price is the worst deal available.
Watch for sales in the cruise planner. Royal Caribbean runs Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and random flash sales on specialty dining throughout the year. Prices can drop 20–30% for a day or two. If you see it, book it — you can usually cancel and rebook if something better comes along.
Consider the dining package math. Planning 3 or more specialty dinners? Run the numbers. The 3-night package at $105–$135 total vs. three individual Chops dinners at $55+ each pre-cruise — the package usually wins by $30–$50 per person.
Book lunch instead of dinner. On ships that offer Chops lunch on sea days, you're getting essentially the same steakhouse quality for roughly half the price. Same kitchen, same staff, smaller crowd. This is the single best value hack at Chops Grille if your itinerary allows it.
Skip the premium add-ons. The standard Chops menu is genuinely excellent without upselling yourself into a $90+ per-person meal. The included filet mignon is legitimately good — you don't need the bone-in ribeye supplement to have a great meal.
Use a Crown & Anchor discount if you have one. Higher-tier loyalty members (Diamond and above) occasionally receive specialty dining discounts or onboard credits that can offset the cost. Check your benefits before you sail.
Is Chops Grille Worth the Price?
For a special occasion dinner or if you're genuinely missing a quality steakhouse experience after a few days of main dining room meals — yes, Chops Grille at $45–$55 pre-booked is defensible. The filet is properly sourced and properly cooked, the sides are generous, and the service is a genuine step up from the MDR.
At $69 walk-up on Icon of the Seas? That's harder to justify when land-based steakhouses of equivalent quality charge similar prices without the captive-audience markup. Pre-book, watch for sales, and consider the lunch option if it's available on your sailing.
Want to see exactly how specialty dining fits into your total cruise budget before you sail? Run your numbers through CruiseMutiny — it breaks down every cost category so you know what you're actually signing up for before you hand over your SeaPass card.