Dining package disaster

Last week my family and friends were on Gateway. We all had SDP as part of our promo and got nice dinner on the first night at Le Bistro...

But on the third night once we tried to book a dinner we got "all specialty restaurants booked for this sailing". It was a surprise, since passing by we can see lots of empty tables, but service desk girl was firm - all booked, no reservations possible, anywhere, anytime..

Only option we got is come at 5-30 , get rejected and wait for half an hour for them to see what no one came and get the table this way. And it was not only us - usually it was about 10-20 people waiting like it, with half empty restaurant in sight and "all booked " in response.

That was disappointing...I have sailed with NCL before many times and it was never an issue to book restaurant in short notice. Actually before we always booked after seeing MDR menu and deciding. we don't care for it tonight.

I am not sure what is the reason - fault in their reservation system, to many SDP offered as a promo... not sure.. But this was not a good experience at all..

Second part of it - waiters were all trying to say " you can have only 2 appetizers with it and 1 desert". If continue to push - they were doing "only for you one time I will break rules" thing. Really ?

I checked online again and rules on the SPD says only additional entries have cost.

Our last time on breakaway there was a free dining special. We did not have this and I didn't know about booking online. We booked in the terminal before boarding and so glad we did as there were so many complaining they could not get resies except for 9:00. Don't see how they can give a perk then not have it available. If you must reserve ahead then what does the "Free Style" stand for?

Our last time on breakaway there was a free dining special. We did not have this and I didn't know about booking online. We booked in the terminal before boarding and so glad we did as there were so many complaining they could not get resies except for 9:00. Don't see how they can give a perk then not have it available. If you must reserve ahead then what does the "Free Style" stand for?

There are a finite number of tables, and it appears many choose the free package. Try finding a dining reservation the day of during free dining promotions at WDW. Now you do need to book ahead of time.

Remember the annoying pool waiters always asking if you want a drink? With the UBP, they are a thing of the past.

Our last time on breakaway there was a free dining special. We did not have this and I didn't know about booking online. We booked in the terminal before boarding and so glad we did as there were so many complaining they could not get resies except for 9:00. Don't see how they can give a perk then not have it available. If you must reserve ahead then what does the "Free Style" stand for?

we did not want to book in advance. We like to pick dinner place based on menus and feeling..

but "beg and wait" approach is not relaxing either..

There are a finite number of tables, and it appears many choose the free package. Try finding a dining reservation the day of during free dining promotions at WDW. Now you do need to book ahead of time.

 

Remember the annoying pool waiters always asking if you want a drink? With the UBP, they are a thing of the past.

you know, both Le bistro and Cagney's were half empty all the time, regardless "fully booked " claim.

We were coming at 5-30 , waiting to get seated, leaving about 8 - and some tables were empty all the times continuously. I would say both places were filled at 2\3 most, may be half tables..

That is terrible news. The room may seat, say 100, but they only have staff for, say 50, so the room is half full yet the room is full!! Looks like the F&B manager needs to be taken to task about.

we did not want to book in advance. We like to pick dinner place based on menus and feeling..

but "beg and wait" approach is not relaxing either..

I agree with you. This is why it's free style dining. But it appears to not work that way.

Unfortunately,it seems to be the way it is now, but I agree, very disappointing.

We used to enjoy deciding each day where and when we wanted to eat, truly freestyle! Two trips ago on the Gem, we tried to do that and were unable to get very many reservation even using the Concierge. Even the passengers in the Garden Villa couldn't get dining reservations! We did comment on it to the F&B Manager and he blamed the free dining packages and said that the restaurants couldn't handle it.

So now, we pre-book everything. It takes away from the free-style experience, but at least we're not scrambling onboard or disappointed.

I agree with you. This is why it's free style dining. But it appears to not work that way.

There also would be hold backs for the 2 upper tiers that do have priority. Although the room looks "empty". service and kitchens only can serve so many. I asked about this several years ago, and the set up was never to have a crowded looking dining area. One opinion perhaps?

As a solo sailor, I was planning on using my Platinum Latitudes benefit to get four free meals, two in Cagney's and two in La Cucina on my Mexican Riviera cruise in April. (This is based on the "dinner for two" principle and my only being "one".) It sounds like I'm going to have to get everything booked the exact moment I board the ship or I'll be screwed along with everyone else. I hope the Cruise Next manager will be at her work station when I board. As with so much with NCL anymore, it's two steps forward and one step back.

We were on the Getaway last week also. Reservations at the specialty restaurants were tough to come by, yet it was true they were always at least half-empty. We wanted to go to Moderno one night. The day before we went, the earliest reservation we could get was 8:30. At 7pm, we dropped our daughter off at the club at 7pm (because for some reason they close from 5-7pm...but don't get me started on that) and decided to go straight to the restaurant to see if maybe they could get us in a little earlier. They sat us immediately as the place was half-full at the most. We went to La Cucina a couple of nights later...less than half-full again even though completely booked. What I think is happening with the (free - with promos) dining packages, people are reserving multiple specialty restaurants per night well in advance and then deciding at the moment which one they will go to.

Our upcoming Gem cruise will be the first since the SDP has been so widely implemented. We are like GoldMom and always liked not having to have reservations....I am hopeful that given we tend to eat later, that we won't have the same issues. <fingers crossed>

They need to have a "We'll hold your table for 15 minutes policy" and stick with it.

We have learned to book a reservation in advance for every night of the cruise at a time that we would generally dine at home. We cycle through the MDRs and the specialty restaurants. At least that gives us a plan and a place to eat, and we are not subject to odd dining times or stand by openings. Reservations can always be cancelled if we change our minds. It's especially important on the larger ships that house more passengers. As NCL has started to give away the SDP for "free", we have noticed more people in the specialty restaurants. It is true that it does take away from the Freestyle concept, but we would rather have a plan for our long anticipated cruise than be disappointed when forced to dine @5 or 10pm.

They need to have a "We'll hold your table for 15 minutes policy" and stick with it.

They said they have it.. but hostess always insisted on waiting full 30 minutes before giving away table

It is still freestyle dining for me. I do make my reservations ahead of time, but, as freestyle says, I can eat when I want, where I want and with whom I want.

Absolutely agree.

People read freestyle as meaning you can decide what you want to do at short notice and be able to do it. That isn't how it works in practice (and I don't think that is ever how it was meant to be, but that is a different discussion).

Rightly or wrongly, what freestyle actually means in practice is that you decide your schedule. The choice of where and when to eat is yours, as is what entertainment to see and when to dress up (if at all), but you may have to plan it to make the most of it.

That is what I have always understood freestyle to mean, but regardless of whether that was the original intention or not, that is how it works now.

Our upcoming Gem cruise will be the first since the SDP has been so widely implemented. We are like GoldMom and always liked not having to have reservations....I am hopeful that given we tend to eat later, that we won't have the same issues. <fingers crossed>

Just reserve for each night ahead of time and cancel as it goes.

We actually saw lady who came to Cagney's at 6pm and told she has La Cusine reservations for 9pm..amazingly for us - she was seated right away..

As a solo sailor, I was planning on using my Platinum Latitudes benefit to get four free meals, two in Cagney's and two in La Cucina on my Mexican Riviera cruise in April. (This is based on the "dinner for two" principle and my only being "one".) It sounds like I'm going to have to get everything booked the exact moment I board the ship or I'll be screwed along with everyone else. I hope the Cruise Next manager will be at her work station when I board. As with so much with NCL anymore, it's two steps forward and one step back.

The FAQs address this:

Can I still split the dinner for two vouchers if I am a solo traveler (two meals for one person)?

No, this benefit is delivered as two dinners for two per stateroom. Solo travelers get two dinners for one. You cannot split the voucher in to two separate vouchers and redeem the dinners on two separate evenings. The benefit is only if there are two guests dining on the same visit.

I've also dealt with the empty restaurant situation. We tried to get in to LaCucina 1 night and were told there was nothing available. We had the concierge call and he was told there was nothing available. We walked by and asked for a table and got seated immediately. We were there for almost 2 hours and were the only occupied table.

Absolutely agree.

 

People read freestyle as meaning you can decide what you want to do at short notice and be able to do it. That isn't how it works in practice (and I don't think that is ever how it was meant to be, but that is a different discussion).

 

Rightly or wrongly, what freestyle actually means in practice is that you decide your schedule. The choice of where and when to eat is yours, as is what entertainment to see and when to dress up (if at all), but you may have to plan it to make the most of it.

 

That is what I have always understood freestyle to mean, but regardless of whether that was the original intention or not, that is how it works now.

I could have booked restaurants in advance and even book specialty on each night of the cruise

but we are getting in "musical chair" kind of game here . They are out of spots on day 3, which means booking in advance for me just make someone else with SDP to stand and wait ...

may be they don't have enough waiters

may the their reservation logic is faulty..

..but it really does not work well..

I could have booked restaurants in advance and even book specialty on each night of the cruise

 

but we are getting in "musical chair" kind of game here . They are out of spots on day 3, which means booking in advance for me just make someone else with SDP to stand and wait ...

may be they don't have enough waiters

may the their reservation logic is faulty..

..but it really does not work well..

Most likely it's the final choice..."D. All Of The Above"

As a solo sailor, I was planning on using my Platinum Latitudes benefit to get four free meals, two in Cagney's and two in La Cucina on my Mexican Riviera cruise in April. (This is based on the "dinner for two" principle and my only being "one".) It sounds like I'm going to have to get everything booked the exact moment I board the ship or I'll be screwed along with everyone else. I hope the Cruise Next manager will be at her work station when I board. As with so much with NCL anymore, it's two steps forward and one step back.

As mentioned above, you only get the one meal at each, but why not book online before boarding to avoid having to rush to do it when you get onboard?

I could have booked restaurants in advance and even book specialty on each night of the cruise

 

but we are getting in "musical chair" kind of game here . They are out of spots on day 3, which means booking in advance for me just make someone else with SDP to stand and wait ...

may be they don't have enough waiters

may the their reservation logic is faulty..

..but it really does not work well..

If their reservation logic was so far out then we would be getting threads like this all the time. Unless people are keeping quiet about it (which is unlikely on this forum) or most people are getting to use their dining credits.

I haven't seen any evidence to suggest that there aren't enough reservations available for all the SDPs they are giving away or selling. Add in the ad hoc, pay as you go diners and there is the likelihood of having trouble if you leave it too late, but it isn't hard to get reservations if you have the package and don't leave it to the last minute.

I've also dealt with the empty restaurant situation. We tried to get in to LaCucina 1 night and were told there was nothing available. We had the concierge call and he was told there was nothing available. We walked by and asked for a table and got seated immediately. We were there for almost 2 hours and were the only occupied table.

I hope you confronted the Maitre d' about that and also spoke with the F&B Manager. That is not good enough and someone needs to be held accountable.