Question about Free Dining

[MooNGaTe27]

when we booked our cruise we were told we get 2 specialty diners . I wondering if that 2 per person I think it is ? If we do get 2 per person is Cagney's part of the free picks .The reason why I ask is because I'm trying to pre pick my reservations & for Teppanyaki it shows $ 0.00 but for Cagney's it says a la cart with no price ???

 

[gizfish]

If the specialty dining is one of the chosen free perks, that perk is per person.  (For instance, free internet is per cabin.)  You really should read the fine print about what the perk includes since there may be some things at some restaurants not included and some restaurants that may not included or are not totally free but are a percentage off.  That being said, Cagney's has always been one of the included restaurants.  For those paying, Teppanyaki is a fixed price restaurant while Cagney's is a la cart.

[dfilpus]

You will be charged Gratuity in advance for the meals.

[complawyer]

they are both part of the dining  package, as is moderno, la cucina, and le bistro.there should be no charge

[bonvoyagie]

If you are using your voucher it does not matter if the meal is a la carte or not it is covered (unless otherwise specified on the menu) You will get one appitizer, main course, and dessert. If you don't have the meal voucher you will be charged accordingly. The meal package is per person and you will have to pay the gratitutities on the price of the package - it is charged along with the cruise fare at final payment. 

[MoCruiseFan]

15 hours ago, dfilpus said:

You will be charged Gratuity in advance for the meals.

 

 

T&C for FAS are here -> https://www.ncl.com/termsandconditions/promotions

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by MoCruiseFan

[hallux]

5 hours ago, bonvoyagie said:

You will get one appitizer, main course, and dessert.

Actually, I believe there is NO appetizer or dessert limit, the only limitation is that you get ONE main course, with some having an upcharge.  The FaS perk meal restrictions are different from the Platinum vouchers you seem to be referring to.

[bonvoyagie]

1 hour ago, hallux said:

Actually, I believe there is NO appetizer or dessert limit, the only limitation is that you get ONE main course, with some having an upcharge.  The FaS perk meal restrictions are different from the Platinum vouchers you seem to be referring to.

Hallux is correct in that the meal program is built into your card and the Latitude's perk is on a paper voucher. I know that the NCL site only mentions entrees - which are expensive - appitizers and desserts can also add up. BTW on our last cruise we were presented with full bills which each of us had to sign - the end amount was 0 but every item was on the bill.

[hallux]

Also, a suggestion for booking - if you're going to do specialty dining for more than the nights that you get free, book the venues that have a flat cover charge first if you want those covered by the SDP, as those will charge you at the time of reservation if you don't have a free night available on the SDP.  If you're on a ship with Q and want to go there, I wouldn't spend a dining credit there.  It might be worth going there, but it's inexpensive in comparison with the other venues.

 

Yes, you get a slip at the end of the meal with a $0 balance.  If you received excellent service you can choose put an additional tip on it, keeping in mind that the gratuities for the SDP (hence that meal) were paid at the time you booked the cruise.

[All-ready2cruise]

@hallux is correct. When using the Free at sea offer there are no additional fees unless expressly noted on the menu.  (Also note, OP mentions Teppanyaki which is not part of Lat. benefits) 

 

Another difference is simply the way NCL notes your fas promotions and your platinum benefits.  The fas offers are noted on your sail card, your platinum benefits, in the form of coupons, are placed in your cabin. 

[Captain_Cruising]

The Free at Sea Specialty Dinners are for each person.  For example, the 2-meal package is for 2 meals for each person.  However, the Specialty Dinners are for the first two guests in each cabin.  If more than two people in a cabin, the additional guests will not be given the Free at Sea meal benefit. They must purchase all their specialty meals.

 

Below chart shows number of Free at Sea Specialty meals given for various cruise lengths

 

 

 

Edited December 26, 2020 by Captain_Cruising
Revised chart

[ColeThornton]

One thing to remember with perks, dining or otherwise, is that the Free-at-Sea terms and conditions can change what you get and who gets them.  ENSURE you read the Terms and Conditions of the specific promotion when you are booking.  It's not always the same.

 

I know that seems obvious but experience on this forum shows otherwise.  🙂

[BirdTravels]

On 12/25/2020 at 9:02 AM, MooNGaTe27 said:

when we booked our cruise we were told we get 2 specialty diners . I wondering if that 2 per person I think it is ? If we do get 2 per person is Cagney's part of the free picks .The reason why I ask is because I'm trying to pre pick my reservations & for Teppanyaki it shows $ 0.00 but for Cagney's it says a la cart with no price ???

You get two dinners per person. The Specialty Dining Package is valid at all specialty restaurants. 
 

At fixed price restaurants like Teppanyaki and Moderno, the meal is covered. In a la carte restaurants like Cagney’s, you can order multiple appetizers, one entree, and multiple desserts. 
 

When you check in at the hostess desk, they will ask you how you will be paying (using a SDP credit (there are no “vouchers”) or paying by room charge. 
 

There are a few other venues like Food Republic and American Diner where you are allowed to select a fixed number of items/small plates if you are using a SDP credit. 
 

Keep it simple. Book the two restaurants you want and have a great meal. Our favorite is Le Bistro and Ocean Blue (where available). Eat at the complimentary restaurants for all other meals. Safe your money. Don’t feel obligated to pay for food that is included in your cruise fare. 

[HuliHuli]

8 hours ago, hallux said:

The FaS perk meal restrictions are different from the Platinum vouchers you seem to be referring to.

I don't see where anyone on this thread mentioned "platinum" before you.

 

On 12/25/2020 at 2:02 PM, MooNGaTe27 said:

2 specialty diners

The OP did specifically mention two specialty dinners.

@BirdTravels response is the best, most complete response.  You can also read NCL's description of this FAS Perk at https://www.ncl.com/shorex/237748906/44873851/package-detail/2UDP#?productType=UDP&date=

[hallux]

1 hour ago, HuliHuli said:

I don't see where anyone on this thread mentioned "platinum" before you.

Post #5, usually "voucher" and the restriction of one of each item implies they're referring to the vouchers that Platinum Latitudes members get.  I say this because those are actual paper certificates or vouchers that are delivered to the stateroom rather than a flag added to the on-board account and printed on your room card.

[HuliHuli]

4 minutes ago, hallux said:

Post #5, usually "voucher" and the restriction of one of each item implies they're referring to the vouchers that Platinum Latitudes members get.  I say this because those are actual paper certificates or vouchers that are delivered to the stateroom rather than a flag added to the on-board account and printed on your room card.

And I re-read Post #5 and again the word "Platinum" is not in that post (quoted below) nor remotely referenced in the OP's question.  But not worth further discussion here.

"If you are using your voucher it does not matter if the meal is a la carte or not it is covered (unless otherwise specified on the menu) You will get one appitizer, main course, and dessert. If you don't have the meal voucher you will be charged accordingly. The meal package is per person and you will have to pay the gratitutities on the price of the package - it is charged along with the cruise fare at final payment."

[hallux]

1 minute ago, HuliHuli said:

And I re-read Post #5 and again the word "Platinum" is not in that post (quoted below) nor remotely referenced in the OP's question.

You've made a bigger deal out of my assumption than even the person that made the post I referenced and that person quoted me and agreed with me!

[MoCruiseFan]

This thread has completely reminded me that some people will find anything to argue about! 🙂

[HuliHuli]

18 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

This thread has completely reminded me that some people will find anything to argue about! 🙂

Touché @MoCruiseFan.  Chalk it up to cabin fever since we cannot hold the debate at the Mojito Bar, where I would much rather be right now, with or without a mask. 🍸

[KingHal]

I too have 2 speciality dining meals included in my booking for my 7-night cruise. If I wish to avail of speciality dining for the other nights I presume I should just buy an upgrade for up to 5 more nights?
 

 

[complawyer]

king hal, before you decide to buy the upgrade, 1st you probably wont need the entire 7 nights, on most of the ncl ships, the food at dinner is quite good, so you can probably eat there at least twice, you may want to try the buffet, for one meal, but most importantly, if you buy an upgraded dinner package, figure the cost for 2 people, and then check the prices listed onthe menus, and see if it's worth it. 

 

fyi, my personal recommendations with 2 dinners would be cagneys and teppanyaki. at the very least, if you want to add, go to moderno (if your ship has one) and le bistro, (although this is my least favorite, and i wouldnt use a free dinner going there. la cucina, is a no go for me,

 

save your money. maybe just get 1 more upgrade package.

[Sailing12Away]

I didn't think I would like Le Bistro as I'm not a fan of French food, but in all my cruises it has always been my best tasting filet around. Cagneys has gone down in quality and experience every time we go, so we'll probably be skipping it completely next time we sail.

 

I was also pleasantly surprised by La Cucina. We went in expecting an Olive Garden experience, and got something slightly better. I'm a sucker for the pesto gnocchi, but would rather pay with OBC for that than use up a meal credit. 

 

That grilled pineapple at Moderno.... oh man, making me hungry just thinking about it. But to each their own, ask 5 people their favorite specialty restaurant/meal and you'll get 5 different answers every time. My personal feeling is that you're always better off using the credit at the a la carte places and paying the flat fee at the others out of pocket. Those a la carte dinners can rack up quickly, but they're so worth it.

[hallux]

1 hour ago, Sailing12Away said:

ask 5 people their favorite specialty restaurant/meal and you'll get 5 different answers every time.

Each venue has its hallmarks.  On my two NCL cruises in 2019 I dined at Cagney's, (3x, 2x on one cruise and once on the other) La Cucina, Le Bistro and Q.

 

I know this isn't really a review thread, but just a summary -   

You get A LOT of food at La Cucina, I think it was a 4-course meal.  I had the Sea Bass, which I'd never had before, and thought it was good.

Le Bistro, of course, had great French Onion soup, the main course was also quite good.

Cagney's - I don't normally eat steak at home, much less when I go out, so I'm not someone to judge this but I thought the food was good overall

As I noted previously, I wouldn't use an SDP credit on Q if the ship has it.  You can go if that's your thing, but the food isn't priced as high as other venues so the value just isn't there.

[BirdTravels]

On 12/28/2020 at 11:35 AM, KingHal said:

I too have 2 specialty dining meals included in my booking for my 7-night cruise. If I wish to avail of specialty dining for the other nights I presume I should just buy an upgrade for up to 5 more nights?

You can purchase a package of up to 7 additional meals. On some ships, specialty restaurants are open for lunch on specific days. On small ships, they often open Teppanyaki. For example, on -away class ships, we use of specialty dining credits to eat at Food Republic for lunch. 

 

That being said, save your hard earned money and enjoy the complimentary restaurants. You have already paid for food in the complimentary dining rooms and there is nothing that special about specialty dining that would make you want to spend more money. For example, I can get one or more New York strip steaks  (with a side of flounder) in the MDR every night and don't need to spend money in Cagney's. 

Edited December 30, 2020 by BirdTravels

[mtrancher]

Also, some of the restaurants, have premium entrees that will incur an upcharge above the specialty dining package. I know at Ocean the surf and turf carried a $15 dollar upcharge last year. The website now just mentions some premium entrees carry and extra charge; I thought last year it listed out the premium entrees.