Le Bistro

[1smudslide]

The last cruise I ate in Le Bistro with the sdp and was only allowed one appetizer. It was the first time this happened to me and Cagneys still allowed more than one. Has anyone been recently and know what the current rule is. We even had the manager come over and he said one app was it. I normally got the mushroom soup and the oysters, but didn't get the soup. I might just pay this time since I have some obc

[purpletequila]

It’s all a crap shoot as crazy and unfair as that may seem. Totally depends on who you get but generally speaking, they allow multiple apps and one entree.

[1smudslide]

I was always allowed multiple before. This was the first time I was told I couldn't have multiple, and I'm going on the same ship next week

[WashyWashyHappyHappy95]

I was always allowed multiple before. This was the first time I was told I couldn't have multiple, and I'm going on the same ship next week

 

This is not a stated restriction under the SDP terms & conditions.

 

Which ship?

[WashyWashyHappyHappy95]

This is even more egregious considering one of the apps was soup. Like they'll miss an extra bowlful over the course of an entire evening. It's not like you asked for a quadruple order of the mussels.

[casofilia]

We will be unhappy if we are not allowed multiple appetizers of deserts if we want them. I accept that we are only allowed one main.

[RaiderDuck]

When we sailed on the Jewel last Christmas, we were told that the SDP allowed us one appetizer, soup, entree and dessert each. I'll be interested to see if the Star has the same policy.

[psac]

It definitely doesn’t say anything in terms and conditions or FAQs. Only additional extra entre charges.

 

https://www.ncl.com/specialty-dining-package/faq

[BSR]

It’s all a crap shoot as crazy and unfair as that may seem. Totally depends on who you get but generally speaking, they allow multiple apps and one entree.

Agree with you. Never had a problem getting multiple apps along with one entree.

 

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[Tiggertastic]

Escape last month we were only allowed 1 appetiser, 1 entree and 1 desert but in la cucina it was either 1 salad/soup or one appetiser not both. As we don't eat desert we negotiated 2 appetisers instead however star in July we could have anything we wanted.

 

 

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[phissy]

Sailed on Pearl last month. Had Dining package and Platinum dinners. Two things to keep in mind. Platinum does state restrictions on each course. Waiter did say, we could order more than one and winked saying he would let it slide. Not necessary, plenty of food already.

Dining package only restricted entre to one. . We were told we could order one from each section. Apps, Salads and then soup. One of each and one entre. Only hang up was they lost track of our dinners. Was told we were be charged for our last dinner in LeBistro. Asked hostess to double check because we had also had Plat dinners. During dinner, she came to table and confirmed we had one more on package.

[BirdTravels]

I was always allowed multiple before. This was the first time I was told I couldn't have multiple, and I'm going on the same ship next week

 

You hear this a lot on different ships. The waiter recite what they are told.

 

Personal experience is to ignore them. Order what you want. We always orde “extra”’apps and have NEVER been charged.

 

If we saw a charge, we Re ready to talk to the restaurant manger and up to the hotel director. And we would be willing to pay 5 bucks for an extra app.

 

We sail 4-5 times a year with SDP and have a broad base of experience at different specialty restaurants.

[swedish weave]

I was,restricted in LeBistro last year after several years of enjoying my Platinum dinners.

 

This is Del Rio's,way of telling us we were not wanted on NCL after more than 50 cruises on NCL.

 

The stupidity of this restriction is that we can have whatever we want in the MDR or the buffet.

 

I have complied with NCL's wishes and my last few cruises have been on,other lines. I have one more booked on NCL, and the next three are on other lines.

[newmexicoNita]

I am sure it depends on the wait staff that night. We have never been restricted. I did ask if I could have a salad and appetizer instead of dessert on 2 different cruises. Both cases they had no problem and when dessert time came they asked what I wanted. So it is a hit or miss I guess.

[dexddd]

I posted the restrictions we had on our last two sailings soon after we sailed but what is posted above on restrictions is what we had on Gem.

 

Different waiters in Cagneys over two nights given different restrictions.

[vince_g]

When we sailed on the Jewel last Christmas, we were told that the SDP allowed us one appetizer, soup, entree and dessert each. I'll be interested to see if the Star has the same policy.

 

My last time on Breakaway, the Hostess at Ocean Blue stated before she seated us, that under the SDP you are allowed 1-1-1. That was ok, as it turned out to be more than enough.

 

Cagney's was ok with more than 1 appetizer, and would probably be ok with more than 1 dessert, but neither of us had any room left for a dessert.

[1smudslide]

This is not a stated restriction under the SDP terms & conditions.

 

Which ship?

 

The Dawn

[WashyWashyHappyHappy95]

My last time on Breakaway, the Hostess at Ocean Blue stated before she seated us, that under the SDP you are allowed 1-1-1. That was ok, as it turned out to be more than enough.

 

Cagney's was ok with more than 1 appetizer, and would probably be ok with more than 1 dessert, but neither of us had any room left for a dessert.

 

How long ago did you sail? Did you ask to speak to a manager? That policy is literally not stated anywhere. Individual NCL restaurants can't just make it up as they go. If you're limited to anything besides one entree, then that needs to be explicitly stated in the T&C. Otherwise I'm taking this all the way up to the hotel director.

[ColeThornton]

How long ago did you sail? Did you ask to speak to a manager? That policy is literally not stated anywhere. Individual NCL restaurants can't just make it up as they go. If you're limited to anything besides one entree, then that needs to be explicitly stated in the T&C. Otherwise I'm taking this all the way up to the hotel director.

 

Wave your finger at him and give him a stern talking to!

[Doug R.]

I was,restricted in LeBistro last year after several years of enjoying my Platinum dinners.

 

This is Del Rio's,way of telling us we were not wanted on NCL after more than 50 cruises on NCL.

 

The stupidity of this restriction is that we can have whatever we want in the MDR or the buffet.

 

I have complied with NCL's wishes and my last few cruises have been on,other lines. I have one more booked on NCL, and the next three are on other lines.

 

Is being restricted to one app really a good reason to abandon what was obviously a beloved cruise line or was this the culmination combined with other factors?

[NMLady]

I was always allowed multiple before. This was the first time I was told I couldn't have multiple, and I'm going on the same ship next week

 

Print out a copy of the Terms & Conditions and take it with you to show server/manager. You definitely can have multiple.

[psac]

Print out a copy of the Terms & Conditions and take it with you to show server/manager. You definitely can have multiple.

 

I have it saved as a picture on my phone now, but when the time comes, the question would be whether or not it would be worth the agita to fight so many levels up. Since we’re in the Haven, worse case maybe I would just order and pay for it and then bring it to the concierge and see what they can do.

 

To the point, the cruise time should be fun, not spent arguing over $10 in apps. It doesn’t make for good customer service or encourage return visits.

[swedish weave]

Is being restricted to one app really a good reason to abandon what was obviously a beloved cruise line or was this the culmination combined with other factors?

 

I have studied FDR's history, and have seen the changes he has made in NCL. I don't like the direction he is taking NCL (remember Renaissance) so have decided to move on.

Some of my crew member friends have also left NCL recently.

It is not the same company I used to enjoy doing business with.

Edited October 11, 2017 by swedish weave

[Some Schmoo]

I found the following detail for the “free dinner” reward in the Latitudes Rewards section for Platinum and above. I have yet to find any such limitation in the specialty restaurant Terms and Conditions section for paying and promo package customers.

 

5 Benefit entitles each guest to one appetizer, one entrée and one dessert of your choice. Entrée items up to $20 are covered. For items over this amount, an upcharge will be added to your onboard account. Entrée item Côte De Boeuf Pour Deux in Le Bistro, is a shared dish and will be treated as two entrées. No restaurant substitutions, Names vary by ship. Restaurants not available on all ships.

[psac]

I found the following detail for the “free dinner” reward in the Latitudes Rewards section for Platinum and above. I have yet to find any such limitation in the specialty restaurant Terms and Conditions section for paying and promo package customers.

 

5Benefit entitles each guest to one appetizer, one entrée and one dessert of your choice. Entrée items up to $20 are covered. For items over this amount, an upcharge will be added to your onboard account. Entrée item Côte De Boeuf Pour Deux in Le Bistro, is a shared dish and will be treated as two entrées. No restaurant substitutions, Names vary by ship. Restaurants not available on all ships.

 

It sounds like the restaurant staff and management at some of the specialties are just assuming the SDP works the same way, without that being the case from an official written standpoint.