Fewer Speciality Dining on new bookings

[WYB!]

Hello,

 

I was just wondering if anyone else noticed NCL decreased the number of Speciality dining days now offered on new bookings (March 2016)?

 

About a month ago (February 2016) I had been looking at various NCL cruises.

 

Previously for a 10 day cruise you, if you wanted the UDP you had 5 speciality dining nights & For 9 - 7 days you had 4 speciality dining nights.

 

Now as I look around on a 10 day cruise you have 4 speciality dining nights & For 9 - 7 days you had 3 speciality dining nights.

 

On a previous cruise I had signed up for 2 future cruises selecting 2 packages (UDP and $50 credit on shore excursions)

 

I'm wondering if my pre-selected amenties packages (which include 4 nights UDP will transfer if and when I select another 7 night cruise) or will it be reduced to 3?

 

Safe travels.

Edited March 20, 2016 by Cwipes

[casofilia]

NCL switches and swaps what it offers as incentives. It looks as if they have changed what they are offering for new bookings. Be thankful you got what you did when you did and that they are still offering something. They could just as easily cut out that as an offering all together. If you are unhappy with what they are now offering you can always wait to see what they will be offering next month or the month after.

[LrgPizza]

There are some that think promos will stay exactly the same until the end of time, and some that are smart and realize that promos can and do change. I am smart, so I realize they change. I'm glad they change, because I remember when I used to get just $50 OBC, and now I get the beverage package. Life is good.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[garnet115]

Hello,

 

I'm wondering if my pre-selected amenties packages (which include 4 nights UDP will transfer if and when I select another 7 night cruise) or will it be reduced to 3?

 

Safe travels.

 

 

If you locked in a promo on board as part of the cruise next program, you will get what you booked, not the new offering. That is the point of the program: incentivize people to book at the current offer because they don't know when it will change.

[hawkeyetlse]

The dining perk has changed every few months since Freestyle Choice / Free at Sea began in December 2014. Like all of the perks, it has lost value over time (fewer meals and/or increased service charge for the same number of meals).

 

The maximum value was in April 2015, when they were still offering the full UDP for the entire cruise, with included service charge, for everyone in the cabin. For a 7-day cruise, this perk was theoretically worth $119 + 18% = $140.42 per person (for up to 8 guests).

 

Now for a 7-day cruise, you get a 3-meal SDP with service charge not included, so the value is $69 per person (and only for 2 people).

 

It doesn't matter if you're smart or stupid, those are the facts for everyone. You can complain about the lost value, or you can say that the current offer is still better than nothing. Or you can do both. But the current offer is the only one that's on the table now, so it doesn't make much sense to compare it to what you could have gotten a year ago, or even a week ago. It only makes sense to compare what you can get right now with what you can get from another cruise line right now, or what you can get from NCL with what you think they might offer later on if you wait. But if you're looking to cruise in summer 2016, I think the fares/deals will only get worse…

[Sissaaaaaa]

Hello,

 

I was just wondering if anyone else noticed NCL decreased the number of Speciality dining days now offered on new bookings (March 2016)?

 

About a month ago (February 2016) I had been looking at various NCL cruises.

 

Previously for a 10 day cruise you, if you wanted the UDP you had 5 speciality dining nights & For 9 - 7 days you had 4 speciality dining nights.

 

Now as I look around on a 10 day cruise you have 4 speciality dining nights & For 9 - 7 days you had 3 speciality dining nights.

 

On a previous cruise I had signed up for 2 future cruises selecting 2 packages (UDP and $50 credit on shore excursions)

 

I'm wondering if my pre-selected amenties packages (which include 4 nights UDP will transfer if and when I select another 7 night cruise) or will it be reduced to 3?

 

Safe travels.

 

Yes, NCL has recently reduced the perks, again.

 

If you booked on board under the Cruise Next program, you can change your cruise one time and keep your amenities. If you booked anywhere else, then any change to date or cabin category will result in a new booking under whatever the current promo is.

[WYB!]

Yes, I booked under the Cruise Next program while onboard but I'm not sure how the number of UDP would translate to as I'm not planning on sailing the corresponding number of sail days that I've been booked.

 

Also I'm wondering, would it have been possible to select 2 UDP instead of 1 UDP and 1 Shore excursion package? Has anyone ever asked?

[Demonyte]

No, it's not possible. Promos can not be customized.

 

Also, one can't get UDP anymore, the current dining package is SDP. Those two have different terms so the name used here really does matter (there are still people here with UDP from previous promos or purchased before it was discontinued).

[hawkeyetlse]

Yes, I booked under the Cruise Next program while onboard but I'm not sure how the number of UDP would translate to as I'm not planning on sailing the corresponding number of sail days that I've been booked.

I think that's something you have to ask NCL. It seems like relatively few people have been tempted by CruiseNext Ultimate, and this is the first time they have reduced the number of SDL meals included with the dining perk (and this only happened in the last few days), so you may well be the first person on CC to encounter this situation. Edited March 20, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[WYB!]

As of March 2016 from the T&C on ncl.com

 

Specialty Dining Packages:

Sail Length/Meals

5-9 Nights/3 meals

10+ Nights/4 meails

 

Guest is responsible for 18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Specialty Dining Package prior to cruise.

18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Specialty Dining Package are included when booking through the Australia office.

Packages are based on a per meal basis.

Applicable to guests 1-2 on the reservation.

Food Republic, Carlo's Bake Shop items, The Bake Shop, Ice Cream Bar, Gelato, specialty items in the Asian restaurant, Chef's Table, Special Occasion/Holiday menus (New Year's, Christmas, etc.), Jazz Brunch, Wine Lovers and Murder Mystery lunches, and beverages are not included as part of the Specialty Dining Packages.

You may choose to dine in the following venues as part of your Specialty Dining Package for the corresponding upcharges: The Supper Club ($15), For the Record ($15), Ocean Blue ($15), Bayamo ($15), Cirque Dreams & Illusionarium ($10 regular seats/$15 premium seats/$35 VIP seating on BWY, Sushi Bar ($7), Pincho Tapas Bar ($7), & Raw Bar ($7).

Specialty Dining Packages include one main course per person at Cagney's and Le Bistro restaurants. Additional main courses will be charged at $10.00.

There is no minimum or maximum to the number of meals that can be redeemed in a day, however each meal is counted towards the package.

[happy cruzin]

As of March 2016 from the T&C on ncl.com

 

Specialty Dining Packages:

Sail Length/Meals

5-9 Nights/3 meals

10+ Nights/4 meails

 

Guest is responsible for 18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Specialty Dining Package prior to cruise.

18% gratuities & service charges on the retail value of the Specialty Dining Package are included when booking through the Australia office.

Packages are based on a per meal basis.

Applicable to guests 1-2 on the reservation.

Food Republic, Carlo's Bake Shop items, The Bake Shop, Ice Cream Bar, Gelato, specialty items in the Asian restaurant, Chef's Table, Special Occasion/Holiday menus (New Year's, Christmas, etc.), Jazz Brunch, Wine Lovers and Murder Mystery lunches, and beverages are not included as part of the Specialty Dining Packages.

You may choose to dine in the following venues as part of your Specialty Dining Package for the corresponding upcharges: The Supper Club ($15), For the Record ($15), Ocean Blue ($15), Bayamo ($15), Cirque Dreams & Illusionarium ($10 regular seats/$15 premium seats/$35 VIP seating on BWY, Sushi Bar ($7), Pincho Tapas Bar ($7), & Raw Bar ($7).

Specialty Dining Packages include one main course per person at Cagney's and Le Bistro restaurants. Additional main courses will be charged at $10.00.

There is no minimum or maximum to the number of meals that can be redeemed in a day, however each meal is counted towards the package.

 

 

Yes - the decrease to 3 meals from 4 is just one of the reasons I'm REALLY glad we booked the Epic when we did!

 

Not a fan of the wi-fi and shore excursion perks - so we were hanging out kinda waiting to see if there would be "better" promos offered. But decided we'd be safer to book what we know and then deal will it if there was something really great.

 

So...at this point we are happy campers!