Just made platinum, how do you book the free specialty dining perk?

[jtrollin]

So I have another cruise coming up  (the cruise I just took was to get me to platinum before my next cruise) and trying to understand how the free specialty dining works for platinum guests.  Also do platinum guests get to sit in the haven lounge waiting to embark?

 

thanks,

[ppcox]

You will find a voucher in your room which you hand into the server. So just book the applicable restaurants and a way you go. Which restaurants depends on which ship .

[negn]

Only Haven is allowed in Haven lounge.     You should wait till your on the ship to book specialty dinners.   On line, you will be charged first.  Probably could get money credited once on ship, but why start with a hassle.    Book your choice as soon as you get on board, then bring your vouchers with you when you dine

[KeithJenner]

You book the restaurants for your platinum meals in the same way that you would any other restaurant. When you show up you will let them know that it is covered by your platinum voucher.

 

In theory what you get is different from the dining package meals, as it just covers one app, one entree and a dessert and there is a dollar limit to the cost of the entree, but in practice you may find that it is different. I've never heard of the dollar limit being imposed, but apparently they will charge any dining package upgrade on certain dishes.

 

When reserving your meals, make sure that you book fixed charge ones first (Moderno or Teppanyaki) as you can only book the number you have covered by your dining package without having to pay when booking. This is more of an issue these days with many people just getting one free at sea meal. I wait until boarding to book any that would cause a charge.

[The Shrike]

What Keith said.  Book online or call...or wait until you get on board.

[Norseh2o]

Was able to book the specialties that came with the fare, not the additional that came with Platinum. I used NCL Chat feature and was told that I could not book the Platinum specialties until onboard (in about 50 days ⚓️!) 

Hopeful that earlier than 9:00pm tables are available. 

[KeithJenner]

8 minutes ago, Norseh2o said:

Was able to book the specialties that came with the fare, not the additional that came with Platinum. I used NCL Chat feature and was told that I could not book the Platinum specialties until onboard (in about 50 days ⚓️!) 

Hopeful that earlier than 9:00pm tables are available. 

You were told incorrectly. You certainly can book the latitudes meals in advance, just as you can book meals that you will pay for a la carte. I have done this many times, including for my upcoming cruise.

 

[Norseh2o]

13 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

You were told incorrectly. You certainly can book the latitudes meals in advance, just as you can book meals that you will pay for a la carte. I have done this many times, including for my upcoming cruise.

 

Thanks, I’ll give it another try. 

[gknep]

I was able to book 4 nights of specialty meals for my upcoming Encore cruise. (Ocean Blue, Los Lobos, Cagney's, and Le Bistro) with out any problem or any charge. 

[The Shrike]

47 minutes ago, Norseh2o said:

Was able to book the specialties that came with the fare, not the additional that came with Platinum. I used NCL Chat feature and was told that I could not book the Platinum specialties until onboard (in about 50 days ⚓️!) 

Hopeful that earlier than 9:00pm tables are available. 

There are apparently a few very poorly trained folks working customer service at NCL.  I've been lucky enough not to encounter them, but lots of people on CC including you, now, have.

[KeithJenner]

55 minutes ago, gknep said:

I was able to book 4 nights of specialty meals for my upcoming Encore cruise. (Ocean Blue, Los Lobos, Cagney's, and Le Bistro) with out any problem or any charge. 

The only restaurants that there is a possibility of a charge when booking are Moderno or Teppanyaki. All the others can be booked with no payment required even if you don't have any packages.

Edited August 17, 2022 by KeithJenner

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, jtrollin said:

So I have another cruise coming up  (the cruise I just took was to get me to platinum before my next cruise) and trying to understand how the free specialty dining works for platinum guests.  Also do platinum guests get to sit in the haven lounge waiting to embark?

 

thanks,

You make all dinner reservations the same way. 120 Days prior to departure, book them online. At the time of service, you decide how you are going to pay for the meal. Specialty Dink g Package credit, Room Charge, or platinum voucher. 
 

As a platinum member,  you get a few more perks, but you are still a nobody on the ship. And you do not get access to the Haven. 
 

Make sure to check in with the CruiseNext desk on embarkation day to see what is being offered. 

Edited August 17, 2022 by BirdTravels

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

you are still a nobody on the ship

??

[The Shrike]

31 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

??

[2bthere]

So I guess if we don't prefer either Mon/Tep  we are pretty much hooped for pre booking our restaurants?

 

[The Shrike]

30 minutes ago, 2bthere said:

So I guess if we don't prefer either Mon/Tep  we are pretty much hooped for pre booking our restaurants?

 

Not at all.  Book online or call...or wait until you get on board

[Norseh2o]

Was able to book another specialty, used the NCL website Chat feature. This time could book one of two, not first choice of day but ok. I was told the other opportunity would be left as a card in cabin for onboard booking. 

[The Shrike]

7 minutes ago, Norseh2o said:

Was able to book another specialty, used the NCL website Chat feature. This time could book one of two, not first choice of day but ok. I was told the other opportunity would be left as a card in cabin for onboard booking. 

 

Yes, you can do that.  But you can also book it ahead of time.  Every single cruise we book both our FAS dining AND our Latitudes dining ahead of time, online.  On the rare occasion we have trouble doing it online we call our PCC and they take care of it for us.  

[Norseh2o]

 May contact our travel advisor about making the final reservation. Thanks again.

[KeithJenner]

3 hours ago, 2bthere said:

So I guess if we don't prefer either Mon/Tep  we are pretty much hooped for pre booking our restaurants?

 

 I think you must have misunderstood something. Moderno and Teppanyaki are the hardest ones to book in advance, as the system will try to charge you when booking unless you have sufficient dining credits to cover them. If you don’t want those then you should have no problem.

[Daytonasailor]

On 8/17/2022 at 6:07 PM, BirdTravels said:

You make all dinner reservations the same way. 120 Days prior to departure, book them online. At the time of service, you decide how you are going to pay for the meal. Specialty Dink g Package credit, Room Charge, or platinum voucher. 
 

As a platinum member,  you get a few more perks, but you are still a nobody on the ship. And you do not get access to the Haven. 
 

Make sure to check in with the CruiseNext desk on embarkation day to see what is being offered. 

I agree with bird for online. Today I hit 120 days and went online to book Cagneys. Ours is a big family cruise and a table for 8 was only available at 9 pm. We went for 2 tables for 4 and got that for 5:30 pm. Don' wait till you get on board, you will be disappointed unless you don't mind eating at 9 pm.

[KeithJenner]

1 hour ago, Daytonasailor said:

I agree with bird for online. Today I hit 120 days and went online to book Cagneys. Ours is a big family cruise and a table for 8 was only available at 9 pm. We went for 2 tables for 4 and got that for 5:30 pm. Don' wait till you get on board, you will be disappointed unless you don't mind eating at 9 pm.

You can wait until you get onboard as long as you board fairly early and get on with it. They keep reservations back for onboard booking so the clock starts again at that point,

[Daytonasailor]

22 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

You can wait until you get onboard as long as you board fairly early and get on with it. They keep reservations back for onboard booking so the clock starts again at that point,

Aaahh, didn't know that.