Dinner Reservations

[mymollysue]

My husband and I have a Spa Balcony on hold for Jan. 2011. We have never done freestyle cruising before so we are concerned about getting reservations to the various restaurants. Given the size of this ship and the number of people on board, we are wondering if it is going to be difficult getting reservations. Any word as to how they are going to handle this? We also read somewhere that Norwegian may be implementing a pre-booking package for their restaurants but when I called Norwegian, they know nothing about it. Does anyone know anything about this? Thanks!

[sjbdtz]

Sorry, but I think we'll have to wait until the ship exists to understand how reservations will work.

Don't forget that there are so many venues that the ship's population will be well-distributed.

I don't expect it to be problematic.


Let's do some quick arithmetic:

4000 passengers / 15 venues for dinner = 267 per night, per venue.
This doesn't count those who may order Room Service, or Butler Service.


The Epic Club, as an example is likely one of the smaller restaurants due to being reserved for the Suites & Villas.... but it's a 150 seat restaurant.

So if they did 2 turns per night, they could feed 300 people at capacity.

I would "guess" that the larger Manhattan Room & Taste are probably 300 seat venues, minimum. If they each do 2 seatings, minimum, then there's 1200 people right there. Plus they can probably each do 3 seatings in a night.



Also, it's only the specialty restaurants which require reservations, not the MDRs. Just walk-up, for next-available-table service.

[FLAHAM]

Don't take the seats/times I want. I will send you a list a few weeks before my cruise.

Neil/Miami

[CanadianTwosome]

I agree with Sjbdtz; NCL has been designing ships based on the Freestyle concept for quite a while now, so all of that experience will have gone into determining the capacity of the dining venues. They've got a really good idea of how to distribute the seating so that - on average - everyone can be accommodated without issue. Of course, 'on average' means that ''most' of the time, everything will run smoothly. During the few times of the year when the ship has the most people, there will be waiting; it's like Friday and Saturday nights at land venues. By the same token, during the times of year when the ship has fewer than average passengers, there will be no waiting for anyone - this is how it always is for us.

That brings me to the other very important thing I wanted to mention. You're travelling in January, which means no summer crowd, no Christmas crowd, no spring break crowd - it's off season. Whatever the capacity of the venues, they'll all be easier to get into (whether making reservations or not) as a result. Our last two cruises were in January, and we walked in to every meal without so much as a 'One moment please...' :)

[CanadianTwosome]

I forgot to mention - I am also aware of the buzz about possibly being able to pre-pay for specialty restaurants. My understanding when I saw the quote that was posted on the NCL board was that you could prepurchase packages that included a certain number of meals, but that the reservations themselves would be made once on board.

[mymollysue]

Thanks for clarifying! We can't wait until 2011!

[AFT_LOVER]

All balcony folks have 48 hours in advance for dinner reservations over the phone or in person with the reservationist who is near the Atrium. On 2 past sailings we got BOGO dinners on sea days.

First restaurant I want is Cirque du Soleil's tent. $15 PP which is loads better than Vegas' $100 PP ticket. Excited also for their boss who goes into space with the Russians next year.

My husband and I have a Spa Balcony on hold for Jan. 2011. We have never done freestyle cruising before so we are concerned about getting reservations to the various restaurants. Given the size of this ship and the number of people on board, we are wondering if it is going to be difficult getting reservations. Any word as to how they are going to handle this? We also read somewhere that Norwegian may be implementing a pre-booking package for their restaurants but when I called Norwegian, they know nothing about it. Does anyone know anything about this? Thanks!

[pokeypoke]

All balcony folks have 48 hours in advance for dinner reservations over the phone or in person with the reservationist who is near the Atrium. On 2 past sailings we got BOGO dinners on sea days.

First restaurant I want is Cirque du Soleil's tent. $15 PP which is loads better than Vegas' $100 PP ticket. Excited also for their boss who goes into space with the Russians next year.

I'm just wondering, since the Epic only has balcony and inside cabins (no ocean view only cabins) will they keep or change the all balcony guests have 48 hours in advance reservations? When the Epic finally sets sail, I bet there will be many changes made to proceedures that already exsist on the other NCL ships. I thought I read somewhere that you had to reserve or get a ticket (free of charge) to see the Blue Man Group because the Epic Theater only holds so many people.

[sjbdtz]

All balcony folks have 48 hours in advance for dinner reservations over the phone or in person with the reservationist who is near the Atrium. On 2 past sailings we got BOGO dinners on sea days.

First restaurant I want is Cirque du Soleil's tent. $15 PP which is loads better than Vegas' $100 PP ticket. Excited also for their boss who goes into space with the Russians next year.


Umm....it is NOT, NOT, NOT....Cirque du Soleil who will be on board. It is a group / troupe called Cirque Dreams.

They are not the same company.

This is Cirque Dreams: http://www.cirqueproductions.com/



This is Cirque du Soleil: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ovo/tickets/toronto.aspx?d3

[AFT_LOVER]

and they were quite good, but much missing for long time Cirque followers. So that explains the inexpensive tickets.

I also was told that another major act to be added to Epic Theatre later this year.

Umm....it is NOT, NOT, NOT....Cirque du Soleil who will be on board. It is a group / troupe called Cirque Dreams.

They are not the same company.

This is Cirque Dreams: http://www.cirqueproductions.com/



This is Cirque du Soleil: http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/en/shows/ovo/tickets/toronto.aspx?d3

[travelingla]

Originally Posted by sjbdtz http://boards12.cruisecritic.com/images/buttons/viewpost.gif (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=21114323#post21114323)
Umm....it is NOT, NOT, NOT....Cirque du Soleil who will be on board. It is a group / troupe called Cirque Dreams.

They are not the same company.

This is Cirque Dreams: http://www.cirqueproductions.com/ (http://www.cirqueproductions.com/)

Thanks for that clarification! I was totally missing the 'play on words' there -- seems that would be an infringement on the 'real' Cirque name.........but at any rate -- for $15 I am sure it is worth it and will be delightful!

[AFT_LOVER]

you have 48 hour reservation window, so book for 2 days. Just pick up the phone to call the reservationist for your dining reservation. OR visit her/him at the Atrium area where she will have her desk & computer to enter everyone's day & time.

Also, on 2 cruises last year we got BOGO meals on sea days. So we will not know about it on Epic til we sail. It is in the Dailies, so be sure to read it thoroughly daily, since that is where the annoucement is. Getting Le Bistro for $25 per couple was a dream...... and it was our anniversary. We will do it again with the Romance Package to be sure we get to dine there again for our 31st anniversary.


My husband and I have a Spa Balcony on hold for Jan. 2011. We have never done freestyle cruising before so we are concerned about getting reservations to the various restaurants. Given the size of this ship and the number of people on board, we are wondering if it is going to be difficult getting reservations. Any word as to how they are going to handle this? We also read somewhere that Norwegian may be implementing a pre-booking package for their restaurants but when I called Norwegian, they know nothing about it. Does anyone know anything about this? Thanks!

[J18ktleo]

I just booked the Epic and it's our first NCL cruise although we've done many cruises with other lines. So...my questions are (of course) related to what I can't find in any of the info I've read...i.e. how much we pay for onboard that we may not be used to?
Are all the restaurants other than MDR for a fee?
And some of the shows?
What are the hidden costs we may not be used to (other than sodas, drinks, spa, blah, blah, blah!)

Thanks for the info...my info list is growing!;)

[CanadianTwosome]

I just booked the Epic and it's our first NCL cruise although we've done many cruises with other lines. So...my questions are (of course) related to what I can't find in any of the info I've read...i.e. how much we pay for onboard that we may not be used to?
Are all the restaurants other than MDR for a fee?
And some of the shows?
What are the hidden costs we may not be used to (other than sodas, drinks, spa, blah, blah, blah!)

Thanks for the info...my info list is growing!;)

There actually are no 'hidden costs'. When you say 'other than sodas, drinks, spa, blah, blah, blah' you're pretty much addressing everything on NCL that has a fee - just like all the other mainstream cruise lines. From my experience, NCL doesn't charge for anything that other lines don't. Since most other lines now have at least one surcharge restaurant, NCL's not even the only line that charges for that. What they do offer are more choices; instead of one or two surcharge dining venues, they have 10 (or whatever it is on Epic!).

Now, that being said, not ALL the dining venues are surcharge outside of the MDR. There are two dining rooms considered the 'main' dining rooms; on Epic they are Taste and the Manhattan Room. Also included are the indoor and outdoor buffets, the 'neighborhood bar/fast food' venue (which also provides late night service), a pool grill, and of course, room service.

Pay venues are:
La Cucina (http://www.epic.ncl.com/the-experience/dining/la-cucina/)
Italian / Tuscan
Cagney's Steakhouse & Churrascaria (http://www.epic.ncl.com/the-experience/dining/cagneys/)
Steakhouse
Teppanyaki (http://www.epic.ncl.com/the-experience/dining/teppanyaki/)
Japanese Hibachi
Wasabi (http://www.epic.ncl.com/the-experience/dining/wasabi/)
Japanese Sushi / Sake Bar
The Epic Club (http://www.epic.ncl.com/the-experience/dining/the-epic-club/)
Private Indoor Dining for Courtyard Guests
Shanghai's (http://www.epic.ncl.com/the-experience/dining/shanghais/)
Chinese American
Spiegel Tent (http://www.epic.ncl.com/the-experience/dining/spiegel-tent/)
Entertainment Dining
Le Bistro
French Bistro

The Epic Club is for suite passengers only, but all other venues are open to all passengers. My personal opinion is that the pay venues are worth every penny, but I also believe wholeheartedly that you need not visit any of them at all because the included fare is always pleasing as well. :)

None of the shows incur a fee, including the Blue Man Group on the Epic. From what I understand, the Ice Bar will have a cover charge, but it will include a drink, so it's more of a 'drink minimum'.

[J18ktleo]

Canadian Twosome,
You are Awesome! thank you so much! I am very excited about the Epic as I've always wanted to do a BRAND NEW SHIP and haven't ever managed to book far enough in advance but this time I did and so it'll be very cool.
I'm really looking forward to all the different themes on the Epic, it looks like Vegas on the water (which is where I sitting right now, in my office in Vegas!) and that'll be so fun. We've always done such 'low key' ships...Epic looks like fun and entertainment and all kinds of things we have never seen before!
Thanks again...guess I'll be reading your reviews as we're going in January!

[CanadianTwosome]

Canadian Twosome,
You are Awesome! thank you so much! I am very excited about the Epic as I've always wanted to do a BRAND NEW SHIP and haven't ever managed to book far enough in advance but this time I did and so it'll be very cool.
I'm really looking forward to all the different themes on the Epic, it looks like Vegas on the water (which is where I sitting right now, in my office in Vegas!) and that'll be so fun. We've always done such 'low key' ships...Epic looks like fun and entertainment and all kinds of things we have never seen before!
Thanks again...guess I'll be reading your reviews as we're going in January!

You're welcome. :) I know exactly how you feel! While I was posting the info earlier I was marvelling at the fact that we're booked on a ship that isn't even completed yet! I'm hoping to keep a little 'cruise diary' on the laptop while we're on board, so unless I'm just having too darned much fun, my review will be up in plenty of time before your cruise - all good, of course!! :)

[AFT_LOVER]

as with any other cruiseline. But now you get cappucino, espresso or latte at breakfast, lunch or dinner & a the buffet anytime for FREE. Not $4 a cup like on RCCL, Princess, and others even for their highest level sailers.

[njhorseman]

as with any other cruiseline. But now you get cappucino, espresso or latte at breakfast, lunch or dinner & a the buffet anytime for FREE. Not $4 a cup like on RCCL, Princess, and others even for their highest level sailers.


Thats's not new for NCL. You've been able to get espresso, etc. in the dining rooms for yeras, and the newesr ships (such as the Gem) have cappucino machines in the buffet too.