Do you make reservations for MDR?

Never been on NCL before so I am excited to try the whole free style thing and always have a table alone for my SO and I! We are traveling on the Pearl. Do you need to make reservations nightly or can you just show up? Is there usually a long wait if you just show up?

Showing up at a later time usually have a short wait, if any, and has an increased chance of getting a nice spot for a table with your SO.

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we always make a standing reservation at 7pm. that way we are guaranteed to eat somewhere, at 7, and still make the 9pm show. usually pretty easy to show up earlier if things change, or call and change it to later.

we always make a standing reservation at 7pm. that way we are guaranteed to eat somewhere, at 7, and still make the 9pm show. usually pretty easy to show up earlier if things change, or call and change it to later.

Thank you-one more question-when/where do you make the reservations? Can you do it prior to boarding or do you have to go somewhere on the ship?

Never made reservations. Just show up. You can ask for a table for 2, or share. Does get busy right after the shows.

No. Absolutely no need.

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I only make a reservation for the MDR if we cruise on a special time of the year. For example for a Holiday cruise I reserved a table for Christmas day from MDR. We went all out that day anyway. Wore long evening dresses etc so didn't want to wait and wanted still MDR as it was more festive than the speciality restaurants.

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Last time I sailed NCL, they didn't allow reservations in the MDR on the Spirit, but I was able to get a table for two at Windows most nights by 6pm with no or a very short wait. The couple of times we wanted a slightly later dinner and there was a wait at Windows, the second MDR had only a 5 minute wait and we were sat quickly.

For my upcoming BA trip, I put a standing reservation for 5:30 in the Manhattan room for all 4 nights I don't have a specialty reservation, just to have something. I plan on possibly changing it to 6 or 6:30 though, if I can, when waiting to board using the iConcierge app.

Thank you-one more question-when/where do you make the reservations? Can you do it prior to boarding or do you have to go somewhere on the ship?

90 days before your sailing (100 if you are in a suite/haven), you can make the reservations for specialty and MDR on NCL.com. You can also make/change reservations once you check in at the port and are within the wifi range using NCL's iConcierge app on your phone. Additionally, you can go up to the reservations desk at the pier, the reservations desk on the ship, any of the interactive ship maps around the ship, or your stateroom TV to make dinner reservations.

90 days before your sailing (100 if you are in a suite/haven), you can make the reservations for specialty and MDR on NCL.com. You can also make/change reservations once you check in at the port and are within the wifi range using NCL's iConcierge app on your phone. Additionally, you can go up to the reservations desk at the pier, the reservations desk on the ship, any of the interactive ship maps around the ship, or your stateroom TV to make dinner reservations.

Hmm, we are 86 days out of our December 30 Pearl sailing and MDR reservations are not yet up; specialty dining has reservations up, though. NCL Dining Reservations and Customer Service agents on the phone were not sure why the MDR reservations are not open yet. Check back, they say.

Harold

Had no problems getting into MDRs without reservations... we did have a problem ever getting into O'Sheehan's for lunch, though!

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We eat at about 5.45pm and have never had a real problem getting settled by 6pm so we can eat and my wife can get to the show before time to get a decent seat. There is that wait as they "short staff" till the main staff group go on duty at 6pm it appears to me.

I'm on the Spirit now and they won't take my reservation of 8 for 7pm at the casual MDR Gardens and we had to wait 45 minutes the first 2 nights. It was only after I mentioned how silly it is did guest services mention that I could have a 7pm reservation for 8 at the Windows MDR.

Reservations, restaurant manager and hostess all refused me but didn't tell me about Windows.

Hmm, we are 86 days out of our December 30 Pearl sailing and MDR reservations are not yet up; specialty dining has reservations up, though. NCL Dining Reservations and Customer Service agents on the phone were not sure why the MDR reservations are not open yet. Check back, they say.

 

Harold

Same here; I am 44 days out of my sailing and checked but there is no way to make reservations online as of now. Chances are on the ship we won't be bothered but it is just the two of us so we can always have a drink while we wait :)

As a group of 4-6, who always cruise on Dawn Class or Jewel Class ships, we never had problems getting seated in the MDR at 5:30.

We choose this time so that we can make the 7pm show, or other entertainment around that time.

First time with NCL. With a group of 17, what should we do in regards to the MDR?

For 2 people - no. For 17 - probably a good idea.

31 days out now on Pearl and online MDR reservations are still not available. The phone reps I reach are all surprised about this and yesterday's rep reached a supervisor who relayed that the denial might be an unexpected technical/IT glitch rather than a policy. A quick call-back from NCL earned me successful phone reservations in MDR for our group of 8.

I'm on the Spirit now and they won't take my reservation of 8 for 7pm at the casual MDR Gardens and we had to wait 45 minutes the first 2 nights. It was only after I mentioned how silly it is did guest services mention that I could have a 7pm reservation for 8 at the Windows MDR.

Reservations, restaurant manager and hostess all refused me but didn't tell me about Windows.

We are a family of 7, we have never made reservations or waited for tables in the larger dining rooms, much harder in the smaller casual ones.

For a larger group make a reservation . If you are unable to make the reservation online, give your pcc a call. Your pcc will be more than happy to help you out .

It's been two years since I have sailed on an NCL ship. Do they still hand out the buzzers? Or if you have to wait, give you a coupon for a free drink at the bar?

First time with NCL. With a group of 17, what should we do in regards to the MDR?

If you are on one of the larger ships, Escape for sure, has a private area in the main dining room for larger groups. Check it out as soon as you board. Don't know about the smaller ships. What ship will you be on?

My last two NCL cruises have been over holidays so I've made reservations for Christmas dinner and Thanksgiving dinner.

I also make a reservation for sea days, at least the first one.

I make the reservations online before sailing for a MDR. I typically select 7-7:30pm and go to a late show.

We always make reservations but if I need to make any changes or cancel I do so on ship.