UDP- help!

[kajasmin]

Ok, so I had no idea there were changes for the Escape. We booked our cruise in Jan 2015.... at the time we got all 4 of us free Ultimate Dining Package. I've booked our dinners and at the time, everything was covered. Now I read online that the several restaurants are ala carte and now we only get 25% off.... Frustrating that they change something after we'd already picked (I may have picked something different, ya know?)

Is this the case? Are those of us who got this in January when the conditions were different somehow "grandfathered" in? I will call but sometimes calling isn't helpful at all...

Thanks for your thoughts.

[3kidsncats]

There has been a lot of discussion about this, and reported variance as to how it is being handled once actually onboard. There was an NCL press release, which indicates that people with UDP will get what they arranged at time of booking, rather than the newly announced ala carte scenario.

Without rehashing all the back and forth of previous threads, I personally expect the original terms to be honored on our January cruise -- booked roughly the same time as yours. I guess time will tell.

[kajasmin]

Thanks. I hadn't been on the board and was just looking for Escape pictures and stumbled upon it. The terms and conditions are very very vague :( We sale on 11/21- super excited but now worried about our food! I have Celiac disease so I already worry about food much more than a normal person! lol :)

[sixesandeights]

[quote name='kajasmin']Ok, so I had no idea there were changes for the Escape. We booked our cruise in Jan 2015.... at the time we got all 4 of us free Ultimate Dining Package. I've booked our dinners and at the time, everything was covered. Now I read online that the several restaurants are ala carte and now we only get 25% off.... Frustrating that they change something after we'd already picked (I may have picked something different, ya know?)

Is this the case? Are those of us who got this in January when the conditions were different somehow "grandfathered" in? I will call but sometimes calling isn't helpful at all...

Thanks for your thoughts.[/QUOTE]

The UDP covers the main specialties. It is true that 3 will be a la carte, but with the UDP that does not matter. You will get to eat there without paying extra. The escape DOES have other places that serve a la carte food that is not covered by the UDP such as the tapas bar, but those were never included in the UDP. Additionally there is a new specialty called Bayamos that is not included with the UDP, but again this was always the case. Nothing has changed for you as of now.

6&8

[3kidsncats]

[quote name='kajasmin']Thanks. I hadn't been on the board and was just looking for Escape pictures and stumbled upon it. The terms and conditions are very very vague :( We sale on 11/21- super excited but now worried about our food! I have Celiac disease so I already worry about food much more than a normal person! lol :)[/QUOTE]

So double stress on the topic! Hopefully it's all smooth and easy by the time we get there. So many changes this year; I'm sure the staff onboard is struggling trying to manage all the different packages. I would be pro-active onboard when ordering, to make sure you get meals that meet your dietary needs. One disadvantage of freestyle -- you don't have the same waiter for every meal necessarily. I'm sure they will take good care of you, and help assure you can eat without triggering any issues with the Celiac.