Dinner Reservations

[tammi0916]

Hello!

I know that NCL is freestyle cruising and no set dinner times as with other lines but I have read a couple of posts that say they made reservations for dinner?

 

Can this be done in the main dining room or is it only for the pay resturants? If you can - when and how can you do this? We are in an Owners Suite (first time on NCL) so would this be something our concierge would do or can we do it?

 

Thanks so much!!

 

~Tam

[jdvmd]

Hello!

I know that NCL is freestyle cruising and no set dinner times as with other lines but I have read a couple of posts that say they made reservations for dinner?

 

Can this be done in the main dining room or is it only for the pay resturants? If you can - when and how can you do this? We are in an Owners Suite (first time on NCL) so would this be something our concierge would do or can we do it?

 

Thanks so much!!

 

~Tam

 

Specialty restaurants. Being in a suite, you can make reservations 55 days before sailing. For regular cabins, it is 45 days. You can call the pre-sailing concierge.

[weltek]

You can make them in the MDR (at least on the Star last week), and if you have a group, I highly recommend it. Our suite-guest friends had their concierge make the reservations (both Aqua and Versailles MDRs) for us most nights. I didn't have much luck as a non-suite guest getting anything prior to 8 p.m., so finally quit trying!

[tammi0916]

You can make them in the MDR (at least on the Star last week), and if you have a group, I highly recommend it. Our suite-guest friends had their concierge make the reservations (both Aqua and Versailles MDRs) for us most nights. I didn't have much luck as a non-suite guest getting anything prior to 8 p.m., so finally quit trying!

 

 

Great! Thanks so much for the information!

 

Tam

[eventamy]

We will be on the Dawn in June to Bermuda. We will be a party of 10 with 4 seperate cabins, my parents will have a suite. Our plan is to have the concierge for my parents' suite make the reservations for us. Most nights will be in the MDR, on night with the Teppanyaki for all of us and one night for my husband and I at Le Bistro. I know my married brother will leave his son with us one night too so he and his wife can go on a date as well.

[dexddd]

We will be on the Dawn in June to Bermuda. We will be a party of 10 with 4 seperate cabins, my parents will have a suite. Our plan is to have the concierge for my parents' suite make the reservations for us. Most nights will be in the MDR, on night with the Teppanyaki for all of us and one night for my husband and I at Le Bistro. I know my married brother will leave his son with us one night too so he and his wife can go on a date as well.

 

Teppanyaki has limited seating so your best bet is to reserve in advance of the cruise.

[markf]

I will be in a suite and recd the information to make reservation prior to sailing.

What I discovered is they want you to pay for the reservation as well.

I found that to be totally ridiculous and not in the spirit of being accommodating--I asked them to charge my on board account--They responded by sayoing they will forward the request to the Concierge and would not confirm the reservation without payment--Talk about starting off on the right foot!!!!!

[dexddd]

I will be in a suite and recd the information to make reservation prior to sailing.

What I discovered is they want you to pay for the reservation as well.

I found that to be totally ridiculous and not in the spirit of being accommodating--I asked them to charge my on board account--They responded by sayoing they will forward the request to the Concierge and would not confirm the reservation without payment--Talk about starting off on the right foot!!!!!

 

They started the ability to pre-book specialty restaurants in the last year and they also put in the requirement to pre-pay via cc at the same time. Not saying that is right or wrong, just telling how it was rolled out.

[rvsullivan]

NCL only pre books about 25-30% of total dining options on line. Since day one, if you want to pre book you pay in full in advance. Since there is always availability after you board, you can wait till then and use OBC for your dining. Please read the details of refunds for pre booked meals also, some have been very upset that they could not get a refund back to their credit card and had to take an OBC. We never pre book and have always been able to dine at a time we wanted on every cruise.

[markf]

I am going to wing it and book on board --since I am a platinum memeber and have a suite --I assume I will have no issue--but I think they should re think their policy of pre reserve and payments--I relaize it helps their cash flow --but it is not the sign of a first class operation

[tammi0916]

I am going to wing it and book on board --since I am a platinum memeber and have a suite --I assume I will have no issue--but I think they should re think their policy of pre reserve and payments--I relaize it helps their cash flow --but it is not the sign of a first class operation

 

 

I think we will do the same for pay resturants. Especially since I am not sure of our plans and we are planning on doing alot in Bermuda on our own so I don't want to be tied to a specific date just yet and we have OBC from our booking. I would rather keep my money until I get on board!

 

I think we should be able to get in (we are only planning on going to the hibachi) since we are in an owners suite and can be flexible with the night.

 

Thanks for all the great info!

 

~Tam

[Demonyte]

I am going to wing it and book on board --since I am a platinum memeber and have a suite --I assume I will have no issue--but I think they should re think their policy of pre reserve and payments--I relaize it helps their cash flow --but it is not the sign of a first class operation

 

I don't agree because as stated, only a small partition of the seating is available for pre-booking (to allow people not using computers to be able to make reservations too) and if people could do any bookings they want in advance for free, the allocated seating would be gone immediately because people would book several seatings/nights "just in case".

 

Having access to the concierge means that you can have any reasonable reservation you want, so booking onboard is even less of a problem.

 

You can't book the whole cruise without paying it in advance, can you? ;)

[markf]

Booking a crusie and paying for it--is different than paying now for dinners--at least that is my spin on it