Escape Nov 21 :) UDP

[kajasmin]

I've asked this before, but now that some people are on the ship-- I booked in January when I got the Ultimate Dining package before all this ala carte nonsense... have you been able to use it as you were told? Or have you had to pay the upcharges?? Slightly worried!

[rdmadm12]

I also had the same concerns! We are sailing the week of Thanksgiving with the same UDP. I actually called and asked NCL about this since we have never sailed with them before and since they made changes. The representative advised that UDP will not be affected by this. You just can't use it at Bayamo or the other Jose Garces place. You can use it everywhere else for dinner.

[kajasmin]

Thank you!

[SeaWatcher65]

I also had the same concerns! We are sailing the week of Thanksgiving with the same UDP. I actually called and asked NCL about this since we have never sailed with them before and since they made changes. The representative advised that UDP will not be affected by this. You just can't use it at Bayamo or the other Jose Garces place. You can use it everywhere else for dinner.

 

 

Don't forget that UDP gets you 25% discount off the a la carte price at Bayamo.

[KeithJenner]

I've asked this before, but now that some people are on the ship-- I booked in January when I got the Ultimate Dining package before all this ala carte nonsense... have you been able to use it as you were told? Or have you had to pay the upcharges?? Slightly worried!

 

 

Yes

[Ranger719]

It's not 25% off a anymore....Bayamo and the Supper Club are now a flat $15 fee ( plus tax = $17.70) for those who have the UDP

[SeaWatcher65]

It's not 25% off a anymore....Bayamo and the Supper Club are now a flat $15 fee ( plus tax = $17.70) for those who have the UDP

 

Did you hear this from live reports? Some people booking dining with UDP for future cruises were getting 25% off Supper Club, some charged $15 plus gratuity for Bayamo... but who knows when on the ship. $15 would be better for UDP.

[Ranger719]

I have a January 30th cruise on the Escape....I have the UDP....I booked all my dining and show reservations several weeks ago, Bayamo and the Supper Club both came up as $15 ( plus tax )....

I will also be on the Getaway in 3 weeks ... Back in August when I made my reservations the Illusionarium was 25% off ( with the UDP )....but when I checked several weeks ago the Illusionarium showed up as $15 for my cruise ( with UDP)....called NCL and they said they would refund the difference... No refund ever showed up and it wasn't worth it to go through that discussion with them again

[wildheart82]

I just booked The Supper Club for my Feb. 6th cruise on Escape and it came up $53.00 for 2 :confused: I have the old UDP, booked in March so it should be coming up $35.40 for 2 like Bayamo. I went ahead and paid it so I wouldn't lose it, but I will be calling tomorrow to try and get it corrected.

[SeaWatcher65]

I just booked The Supper Club for my Feb. 6th cruise on Escape and it came up $53.00 for 2 :confused: I have the old UDP, booked in March so it should be coming up $35.40 for 2 like Bayamo. I went ahead and paid it so I wouldn't lose it, but I will be calling tomorrow to try and get it corrected.

 

The $53 would be the 25% discount. Report back on what NCL does. Thanks! I did have an NCL phone rep tell me the UDP was changing to $15 for Bayamo and For the Record instead of 25% off but who knows... the NCL phone reps say one thing, the terms on NCL's web site says something else, and what people are charged on the web site varies too.

[hawkeyetlse]

I just booked The Supper Club for my Feb. 6th cruise on Escape and it came up $53.00 for 2 :confused: I have the old UDP, booked in March so it should be coming up $35.40 for 2 like Bayamo. I went ahead and paid it so I wouldn't lose it, but I will be calling tomorrow to try and get it corrected.

I assume the regular price for Supper Club is $30, right? So like SeaWatcher65 said, $53-something is for two people with a 25% discount and 18% service charge.

 

If you got the UDP as a free booking perk in March, what you are technically supposed to get is: first night performance free, otherwise no discount whatsoever on entertainment dining.

Ultimate dining package:

[…] Entertainment based dining is excluded (Cirque shows, Second City Lunches, Nick Breakfasts, Wine Lovers, Illusionarium).

[…] Entertainment based and Chefs Table dining will not be discounted.

[…] Guests who chose the UDP can reserve the embarkation day performances at no additional cost.

If you are interested in the embarkation day performance, you should fight for these terms, otherwise I wouldn't bother mentioning that you have the "old UDP" in this situation, there is no advantage to you.

 

The current terms of the UDP say you get a 25% discount:

A 25% discount applies to all a la carte and entertainment based dining and select Specialty Restaurants (Not included in the Ultimate Dining Package).

This seems to be what the website is giving you. There is nothing to correct, because that is what you are supposed to get.

 

Only people who have the SDP are supposed to be able to reserve for $15:

You may choose to dine in the following venues as part of your Specialty Dining Package for the corresponding upcharges: The Supper Club ($15), …

A lot of people who have the UDP are reportedly seeing this pricing in their Explore & Plan. That is a very good deal (50% discount) and I doubt that NCL really intended to offer it, so jump on it while it lasts.

[wildheart82]

Talked to an NCL rep. today. She said that they would honor the terms if I was booked on Breakaway or Getaway for the shows listed in the terms for embarkation day. But since I'm booked on Escape, and the Supper Club was not listed in the terms it does not apply.

 

Then she said, is there anything else I can help you with? Lol, nope, guess not.

[wildheart82]

I assume the regular price for Supper Club is $30, right? So like SeaWatcher65 said, $53-something is for two people with a 25% discount and 18% service charge.

 

If you got the UDP as a free booking perk in March, what you are technically supposed to get is: first night performance free, otherwise no discount whatsoever on entertainment dining.

 

If you are interested in the embarkation day performance, you should fight for these terms, otherwise I wouldn't bother mentioning that you have the "old UDP" in this situation, there is no advantage to you.

 

The current terms of the UDP say you get a 25% discount:

 

This seems to be what the website is giving you. There is nothing to correct, because that is what you are supposed to get.

 

Only people who have the SDP are supposed to be able to reserve for $15:

A lot of people who have the UDP are reportedly seeing this pricing in their Explore & Plan. That is a very good deal (50% discount) and I doubt that NCL really intended to offer it, so jump on it while it lasts.

 

Thank you so much for this thorough post on my question. It really helped me word my question to the NCL rep.

[hawkeyetlse]

Thank you so much for this thorough post on my question. It really helped me word my question to the NCL rep.

I'm sorry it didn't help you get the free show, though :( I just wrote in another thread that they might claim that the terms don't apply to the Supper Club show because it isn't mentioned explicitly. Very disappointed to see that confirmed here.

[lawyerchica86]

So I'm new to NCL and all, but my husband and I are booked on the Nov 21st sailing of the Escape and we have the 7 day SDP. It looks like we can book the Supper Club for $17.70 per person. It sounds like other people were trying to book at this price, but couldn't. Just throwing it out there that we seem to be able to book 2 tickets for $35.40.

[LrgPizza]

So I'm new to NCL and all, but my husband and I are booked on the Nov 21st sailing of the Escape and we have the 7 day SDP. It looks like we can book the Supper Club for $17.70 per person. It sounds like other people were trying to book at this price, but couldn't. Just throwing it out there that we seem to be able to book 2 tickets for $35.40.

 

 

You are also using one of your 7 meals, which probably isn't a big deal, since it's a 7 night cruise, but you will end up paying more than if you'd purchased the 6 night SDP then paid for the show outright. If it were me, I'd book Supper Club at regular price, then use a day of your SDP to pay the small upcharge to enjoy Pincho Tapas for lunch one day. You can get your money's worth there.

[punkincc]

I just booked The Supper Club for my Feb. 6th cruise on Escape and it came up $53.00 for 2 :confused: I have the old UDP, booked in March so it should be coming up $35.40 for 2 like Bayamo. I went ahead and paid it so I wouldn't lose it, but I will be calling tomorrow to try and get it corrected.

 

Our family group has both the UDP and SDP among us. Those with the UDP were charged exactly the same as those with the SDP, for both the Supper Club and Bayamo, $15 plus gratuity. I wonder if the difference in whether or not people are getting a 25% discount or the flat upcharge depends on the date the UDPs were purchased. There was a change in the terms and conditions in July. Our UDP was purchased after that date, yours was purchased before that date.

[lawyerchica86]

You are also using one of your 7 meals, which probably isn't a big deal, since it's a 7 night cruise, but you will end up paying more than if you'd purchased the 6 night SDP then paid for the show outright. If it were me, I'd book Supper Club at regular price, then use a day of your SDP to pay the small upcharge to enjoy Pincho Tapas for lunch one day. You can get your money's worth there.

 

Thanks! We didn't even think about that as an option.

[SeaWatcher65]

Our family group has both the UDP and SDP among us. Those with the UDP were charged exactly the same as those with the SDP, for both the Supper Club and Bayamo, $15 plus gratuity. I wonder if the difference in whether or not people are getting a 25% discount or the flat upcharge depends on the date the UDPs were purchased. There was a change in the terms and conditions in July. Our UDP was purchased after that date, yours was purchased before that date.

 

I'm not sure that will make a difference. What you will actually be charged... will be charged when you are on board the ship. The NCL web site collects some $$$ up front when making reservations depending on if you have SDP or UDP or no plan.

 

When on board the ship, be sure to tell the restaurant if you are using your SDP or not so your account is charged correctly. And be sure to check your onboard account. With all the changes NCL is making, I expect I'll have to spend some time checking charges and making at least one trip to the customer service desk.

 

I reserved For the Record dinner show on line and was required to pre-pay full price as expected. Then after that was confirmed, I logged back in and added the 3-day SDP and some other specialty restaurants. When I looked at payments under my reservation, the system automatically changed to show $17.70 paid for the dinner show and applied some of the money I paid $17.70 toward Bayamo when I have no intention of using the SDP for the dinner show or Bayamo. Instead, I will be using it for Teppanyaki, Cagneys, and LeBistro where there will be more savings.

 

I think there is a difference between what we are required to pre-pay and what will actually be charged when on board the ship. When I'm at the restaurant, I'll tell them that I'm NOT using the SDP and they will make the full charge to my onboard account so I can use the SDP for other specialty restaurants where there really is savings.

 

With UDP, I'm still not sure what it covers with the dinner show and we probably will not know for sure until we get reports later this week and next from people actually on the ship.

Edited November 11, 2015 by SeaWatcher65

[punkincc]

I'm not sure that will make a difference. What you will actually be charged... will be charged when you are on board the ship. The NCL web site collects some $$$ up front when making reservations depending on if you have SDP or UDP or no plan.

 

When on board the ship, be sure to tell the restaurant if you are using your SDP or not so your account is charged correctly. And be sure to check your onboard account. With all the changes NCL is making, I expect I'll have to spend some time checking charges and making at least one trip to the customer service desk.

 

I reserved For the Record dinner show on line and was required to pre-pay full price as expected. Then after that was confirmed, I logged back in and added the 3-day SDP and some other specialty restaurants. When I looked at payments under my reservation, the system automatically changed to show $17.70 paid for the dinner show and applied some of the money I paid $17.70 toward Bayamo when I have no intention of using the SDP for the dinner show or Bayamo. Instead, I will be using it for Teppanyaki, Cagneys, and LeBistro where there will be more savings.

 

I think there is a difference between what we are required to pre-pay and what will actually be charged when on board the ship. When I'm at the restaurant, I'll tell them that I'm NOT using the SDP and they will make the full charge to my onboard account so I can use the SDP for other specialty restaurants where there really is savings.

 

With UDP, I'm still not sure what it covers with the dinner show and we probably will not know for sure until we get reports later this week and next from people actually on the ship.

 

Not sure what you are saying re the dinner show. This is how it has worked for us. Once you have paid either the regular admission or the $15 plus gratuity if you have a dining package, there is no further charge. It is a set menu and it is included in your admission, either $35 or $15.

 

If you have an SDP or UDP, you will pay nothing additional at Cagneys, Le Bistro, La Cucina, Moderno and Teppanyaki. If it is venue with a package upcharge, like Bayamo, and you have SDP, you will be charged the $15 upcharge at the time of the booking and will pay nothing beyond that on the ship. I guess the question is how some UDP packages will be handled, flat up charge only, or 25% discount on what you actually order a la carte. Our UDP passenger was charged the flat $15 upcharge, so we have already paid roughly $20 plus $15 for that dinner, and we are certainly not going to pay a la carte prices on top of that!

 

If you don't want to include the dinner show in your package, you can let them know on board and they will adjust the charges. The price without dining package is virtually the same as with one ( $20 + $15 up charge) so not much difference in what you would pay either way, except of course that it allows another night to use elsewhere.

 

Maybe we are both saying the same thing, but not sure.:). No one should have to work this hard to figure out dining and entertainment plans.

[hawkeyetlse]

Maybe we are both saying the same thing, but not sure.:).

I think you are saying the same thing. But it should be made clear that since the dinner show costs about the same with or without the SDP, then you should definitely not use up one meal of the SDP for that booking. You get no advantage and you lose the advantage of a discounted meal somewhere else.

 

It would be quite a nightmare to implement the SDP fully in the online reservations system (i.e. make people indicate which reservations are coming off the SDP and which ones they want to pay for separately), especially since (aside from entertainment dining) they don't actually know who you are booking for, just the number of people. Plus you can't make modifications yourself, so one mistake or change of mind and you're on the phone to NCL anyway.

 

So they do the nice thing and let you book ahead of time and they give everyone the benefit of the SDP for that booking (either no charge or reduced charge). This also happens to be the simplest way for them to do things, but it's easier for the customer, too.

 

The only problem is that once you are on board, NCL has to remember what you have already paid (if anything), and hopefully this matches up with what you remember paying, or have a record of paying (if anything).