Specialty Dining Cancellation Fee?

[NLH Arizona]

I wonder if you request to change the time but keep it on the same day within 24hrs if you still get pinged the $15? If you the daily and see something you want to see etc?

I would doubt you would be charged, because you are changing not cancelling.

[lucywestie]

They need to make it easier to cancel reservations though. I booked mine online last week for our December Jade cruise but we wanted to change a date. But to do that I have to phone in, I cannot do it online which makes no sense to me in this day and age.

[itchief]

You are entitled to your opinion but it does not matter to me if NCL profits from this. What matters is that more people will be able to enjoy their cruise by eating at times they prefer.

 

This will continue in other ways to increase revenue for NCL. Airline ancillary revenue is in the multi-billion dollar range each year now for all airlines, excluding Southwest. NCL is going to jump on this bandwagon and make money. I think NCL Latitudes Platinum members will get a break and others will pay just like airline frequent flyer programs. I think you will see baggage charges, fees for preferred group numbers at boarding, reservation charges for dinners and show. Just look at how the airlines have gone out and done it. Do you know what kind of benefits high level frequent flyers get, upgrades for free, best seating in coach for free, airline club access, free food and drink on the plane. All things most people pay for. Ancillary revenue is the new trend.

 

Senior corporate leaders are all about making Wall Street happy, the stock price, not the customer. It is the trend within the travel industry and it will continue.

[hawkeyetlse]

I don't think you need to explain ancillary revenue to anyone who spends time on the NCL board (although people usually use another phrase for it around here). But I don't think you can say (as you did) that this cancellation penalty is only about increasing revenue and has "nothing to do with" discouraging late cancellations/no-shows at specialty dining venues. Why can't it serve both purposes?

[TQuila]

Well, this is actually a bit frustrating as someone who actually shelled out cash to buy the specialty dining package. So now, I basically have to potentially choose between reserving in advance and potentially missing an activity I would have liked to do, or not reserving, which could possibly lead to either not being able to use my PAID package, or having to wait around forever for a table? Or waiting until 9:30 to eat, by which time I'll have already filled up at the buffet or O'Sheehans with "just a snack to tide me over"?

 

With those choices in mind, is the seating capacity for the various specialty dining options posted anywhere? I know Teppanyaki has limited seating, but we aren't planning to eat there. What about other venues? Are there any that are significantly riskier to not reserve in advance?

[NLH Arizona]

Well, this is actually a bit frustrating as someone who actually shelled out cash to buy the specialty dining package. So now, I basically have to potentially choose between reserving in advance and potentially missing an activity I would have liked to do, or not reserving, which could possibly lead to either not being able to use my PAID package, or having to wait around forever for a table? Or waiting until 9:30 to eat, by which time I'll have already filled up at the buffet or O'Sheehans with "just a snack to tide me over"?

 

Just wondering. What were you going to do prior to this policy being announced?

[TQuila]

Just wondering. What were you going to do prior to this policy being announced?

 

Was planning to reserve, and then cancel/reschedule as needed after seeing the dailies. Now it sounds like I'm risking a penalty if I do that. Not loving the idea of paying for a meal I might not get to eat, and getting to pay a fee on top of it...

 

Maybe I'm overreacting, but we haven't tried specialty dining previously, and I'm under the impression that if you want a decent seating time, you really need to reserve it.

[hawkeyetlse]

Was planning to reserve, and then cancel/reschedule as needed after seeing the dailies.

In the past, they have always made a distinction between cancelling and rescheduling. If you ask them to modify the time/date, they do not treat that as a cancellation. Also, you can get the Daily by 6pm the day before, so that should be around 24 hours before any dining reservations you may have for the following evening.

[NLH Arizona]

Was planning to reserve, and then cancel/reschedule as needed after seeing the dailies. Now it sounds like I'm risking a penalty if I do that. Not loving the idea of paying for a meal I might not get to eat, and getting to pay a fee on top of it...

 

Maybe I'm overreacting, but we haven't tried specialty dining previously, and I'm under the impression that if you want a decent seating time, you really need to reserve it.

I would go ahead and make your reservations (note embarkation day would not be an issue even if you cancelled) and when you board the ship ask if you would be charged if you stayed with the same specialty restaurant, the same night but changed the time due to activities on the ship. If they say yes, which I highly doubt, you would have more than enough time to cancel the dinner for the second night.