Platinum and Extra Specialty Dining Question..

[js]

Hi.

My dh and I will be sailing on the Joy in July.

We are both Platinum.

We are doing Haven Lite...also booked Vibe (first time booking NCL not in the Haven).

Anyway, how many specialty meals each are we both given?
I want to purchase specialty restaurants the remainder of the days online prior to our 120 days.

Once I have a meal for each night, will the site know I will have the Platinum meals as well as the prepurchased and

I can go ahead and book seven nights of specialties without being charged?

 

Also, in the crazy case that our upgrade bid gets accepted to Haven, can we get a refund on our additional restaurant purchases?

Thank you so much!

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by js

[BirdTravels]

29 minutes ago, js said:

Anyway, how many specialty meals each are we both given?

I want to purchase specialty restaurants the remainder of the days online prior to our 120 days.

Once I have a meal for each night, will the site know I will have the Platinum meals as well as the prepurchase and 

 

I can go ahead and book seven nights of specialties without being charged?

 

Also, in the crazy case that our upgrade bid gets accepted to Haven, can we get a refund on our additional restaurant purchases?

 

Latitudes Meals: The stateroom (not people) get 2 dinners for two people. Any restaurant. One with a bottle of wine included. 

 

Free at Sea: Assuming that you have a balcony or above (since you are bidding on the Haven) on a 7-night or 8-night cruise, you should have 2 dinners from Free at Sea. 

 

Specialty Dining Package Purchase: So, you would need to buy a 3-meal package to dine in specialty dining every night. 

 

If you want to eat at Teppanyaki, you must make that the first dinner reservation to avoid charges. Book it. Add it to your reservation. 

 

Then you can book all the rest of your dinners. All the rest of the restaurants are a la carte and there will be no charge for them. 

 

Reservations open at 12 midnight eastern time 125 days prior to departure. Make sure to book at 125 days to ensure you get your preferred dining dates and times. Prime time dining on sea days sell out quickly. 

 

The site does not know about your platinum meals. The site does not care about how you will pay for each dinner. The decision on how you pay is made at the time you arrive at the restaurant (cash/room charge, specialty dining package, platinum voucher, other voucher). 

 

If you win your Haven bid, you can cancel your additional meal plan. You will need to do it immediately when you get your upgrade before the reservations are locked. Once they are locked, you can cancel onboard for an refundable on board credit. 

 

Haven upgrades will normally done on the Monday and Tuesday before your departure. We have been upgraded as late as Wednesday. At the moment, because of last minute cancellations due to COVID and such, they have extended the upgrade period until the minute the ship leaves the dock to fill any vacant rooms.

 

On embarkation day, be sure to go to the Cruise Next desk to book your Wines Around the World wine tasting, if you want to do that. At the moment, the Behind the Scenes tours have been suspended due to COVID. 

 

Edited February 15, 2023 by BirdTravels

[js]

38 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

 

Latitudes Meals: The stateroom (not people) get 2 dinners for two people. Any restaurant. One with a bottle of wine included. 

 

Free at Sea: Assuming that you have a balcony or above (since you are bidding on the Haven) on a 7-night or 8-night cruise, you should have 2 dinners from Free at Sea. 

 

Specialty Dining Package Purchase: So, you would need to buy a 3-meal package to dine in specialty dining every night. 

 

If you want to eat at Teppanyaki, you must make that the first dinner reservation to avoid charges. Book it. Add it to your reservation. 

 

Then you can book all the rest of your dinners. All the rest of the restaurants are a la carte and there will be no charge for them. 

 

Reservations open at 12 midnight eastern time 125 days prior to departure. Make sure to book at 125 days to ensure you get your preferred dining dates and times. Prime time dining on sea days sell out quickly. 

 

The site does not know about your platinum meals. The site does not care about how you will pay for each dinner. The decision on how you pay is made at the time you arrive at the restaurant (cash/room charge, specialty dining package, platinum voucher, other voucher). 

 

If you win your Haven bid, you can cancel your additional meal plan. You will need to do it immediately when you get your upgrade before the reservations are locked. Once they are locked, you can cancel onboard for an refundable on board credit. 

 

Haven upgrades will normally done on the Monday and Tuesday before your departure. We have been upgraded as late as Wednesday. At the moment, because of last minute cancellations due to COVID and such, they have extended the upgrade period until the minute the ship leaves the dock to fill any vacant rooms.

 

On embarkation day, be sure to go to the Cruise Next desk to book your Wines Around the World wine tasting, if you want to do that. At the moment, the Behind the Scenes tours have been suspended due to COVID. 

 

THANK YOU so much! I was hoping you would answer me 🙂

I wasn't aware that the Wines Around the World wine tasting was back and sorry to hear about Behind the Scenes, we always love to do that and it is quite enjoyable!

 

I just printed out your response and will set a reminder in my phone about booking at 125 days (at midnight, that goodness you told me all this, I thought it was 120 days!).

 

I will book Teppanyaki first and work from there. I think I will purchase the additional meals tomorrow.

Thank you again so much! Now to see where I want to go and when.  We haven't dined in Ocean Blue. I am looking forward to that and wonder if we can do two of the same place, I'm guessing it doesn't matter. Is this correct?

 

Edit: I just looked and it doesn't show I can purchase more than 2 meals if purchasing online on my desktop. However when I go in through the app, I can purchase as many days as I wish.

Thank you again.

Edited February 15, 2023 by js

[hallux]

42 minutes ago, js said:

wonder if we can do two of the same place, I'm guessing it doesn't matter. Is this correct?

There were some reports in the last 6-8 weeks that people were having trouble booking a restaurant if they already had a night booked there.  They had to call or chat to book it a second night.

[BirdTravels]

57 minutes ago, js said:

THANK YOU so much! I was hoping you would answer me 🙂

I wasn't aware that the Wines Around the World wine tasting was back and sorry to hear about Behind the Scenes, we always love to do that and it is quite enjoyable!

 

I just printed out your response and will set a reminder in my phone about booking at 125 days (at midnight, that goodness you told me all this, I thought it was 120 days!).

 

I will book Teppanyaki first and work from there. I think I will purchase the additional meals tomorrow.

Thank you again so much! Now to see where I want to go and when.  We haven't dined in Ocean Blue. I am looking forward to that and wonder if we can do two of the same place, I'm guessing it doesn't matter. Is this correct?

 

Edit: I just looked and it doesn't show I can purchase more than 2 meals if purchasing online on my desktop. However when I go in through the app, I can purchase as many days as I wish.

Thank you again.

 

Yes, you can dine in the same restaurant more than once. For the past year, there has been a glitch in the reservation system where it is not allowing more than one booking at the same restaurant. You would need to call general reservations phone number and talk to an agent (***gasp***) to make the 2nd reservation. We just did that for an upcoming cruise where we two reservations at Le Bistro. 

 

You are supposed to be allowed to book 5 days early because of your platinum status.... hopefully the system understands that, otherwise, it is talking to an agent in the morning. 

 

Note: Technically, you can't use both of your latitude vouchers in the same restaurant. But, you can use your dining package for the other night. 

Edited February 15, 2023 by BirdTravels

[js]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

 

Yes, you can dine in the same restaurant more than once. For the past year, there has been a glitch in the reservation system where it is not allowing more than one booking at the same restaurant. You would need to call general reservations phone number and talk to an agent (***gasp***) to make the 2nd reservation. We just did that for an upcoming cruise where we two reservations at Le Bistro. 

 

You are supposed to be allowed to book 5 days early because of your platinum status.... hopefully the system understands that, otherwise, it is talking to an agent in the morning. 

 

Note: Technically, you can't use both of your latitude vouchers in the same restaurant. But, you can use your dining package for the other night. 

Thank you so much! Perhaps if I cannot book the same restaurant twice, I will book something I haven't yet booked. Then, I will call the following morning when they are open to cancel and book the second same restaurant. Thank you! I wasn't aware of the Platinum status (I haven't cruised since February 2019 right at start of pandemic, when my dh told me to cancel..but I did not LOL) so just getting back on the boards after being able to apply my two FCCs. So happy to be back cruising!

 

1 hour ago, hallux said:

There were some reports in the last 6-8 weeks that people were having trouble booking a restaurant if they already had a night booked there.  They had to call or chat to book it a second night.

Thank you very much. I will try it out and if not, book something and then call the next morning to cancel and book our second same restaurant. 

[bonvoyagie]

a new directive this week is that you cannot reserve until 25 or 21 days pre cruise -ie the same time you check in.

[itsnotjustme]

19 minutes ago, bonvoyagie said:

a new directive this week is that you cannot reserve until 25 or 21 days pre cruise -ie the same time you check in.

That would be odd as it remains listed as one of the Platinum benefits.

[cruiseny4life]

14 hours ago, bonvoyagie said:

a new directive this week is that you cannot reserve until 25 or 21 days pre cruise -ie the same time you check in.

You sure you're not thinking of shows? It's 26 days for Haven, plus some Latitudes tiers to book entertainment. 21 days for all others.  

[newbe dave]

One more planning point for those of us that love to plan (or over plan in my case). The platinum coupons offer slightly less items than the Dining Plan meals. If my memory is correct: platinum allows one appetizer/soup/salad instead of the multiple you get with the Dining Plan. One side instead of 2. But since platinum coupons can be used at any restaurant now, I try to use them where this difference does not matter. Teppenyaki is a good example where the Platinum and Dining Plan meals are the same. Moderno too.  For me, La Cucina and Q are good examples for the way I order. But I love the extra App/Salad and sides at Cagneys and Ocean Blue. So I make sure to use Dining Plan coupons for those restaurants.  Hope this makes sense. 

 

This is probably too much planning but when you have both Platinum and Dining Plan coupons, why not maximize them. 

[thedoc29ca]

I’m a planner/over planner and this thread is just what I was looking for.   We are on Encore  to Alaska July 2, 2023.  We are Platinum with a 2 meal specialty dining.   
 

To summarize book reservations at midnight 125 days out for dining and don’t worry about which voucher or way to pay until on board.  
 

When on board I’m thinking on using Platinum vouchers for Los Lobos and Onda and then specialty dining for Cagneys and Q Texas Smokehouse. 
 

Is entertainment booking @ 25 or 26 days for Platinum?  Any recent experiences?
 

Also is it 125 for spa passes?
 

Thanks for helping me over plan.  

[BirdTravels]

On 2/16/2023 at 4:23 PM, newbe dave said:

One more planning point for those of us that love to plan (or over plan in my case). The platinum coupons offer slightly less items than the Dining Plan meals. If my memory is correct: platinum allows one appetizer/soup/salad instead of the multiple you get with the Dining Plan. One side instead of 2. But since platinum coupons can be used at any restaurant now, I try to use them where this difference does not matter. Teppenyaki is a good example where the Platinum and Dining Plan meals are the same. Moderno too.  For me, La Cucina and Q are good examples for the way I order. But I love the extra App/Salad and sides at Cagneys and Ocean Blue. So I make sure to use Dining Plan coupons for those restaurants.  Hope this makes sense. 

 

That is incorrect. The Dining Package has been dumbed down to be 1 app, 1 salad, 1 entrée, 1 dessert similar to the latitudes coupon.... making them essentially the same. One of your latitudes vouchers gives you a bottle of wine off the freebie list. 

 

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

All Specialty Restaurant menu items are included except Seafood Platter in Raw Bar. An SDP meal in a la carte restaurants includes 1 appetizer, 1 soup or salad, 1 main course and 1 dessert (does not apply to cover charge restaurants or Food Republic, Pincho Tapas Bar and Sushi, where a meal includes any 4 menu items). SDP does not include beverages and additional and/or premium menu items will incur charges.

[Something fun!]

On 2/20/2023 at 12:11 PM, BirdTravels said:

 

That is incorrect. The Dining Package has been dumbed down to be 1 app, 1 salad, 1 entrée, 1 dessert similar to the latitudes coupon.... making them essentially the same. One of your latitudes vouchers gives you a bottle of wine off the freebie list. 

 

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

All Specialty Restaurant menu items are included except Seafood Platter in Raw Bar. An SDP meal in a la carte restaurants includes 1 appetizer, 1 soup or salad, 1 main course and 1 dessert (does not apply to cover charge restaurants or Food Republic, Pincho Tapas Bar and Sushi, where a meal includes any 4 menu items). SDP does not include beverages and additional and/or premium menu items will incur charges.

What if you booked prior to the change in Terms?

[julig22]

Currently onboard the Star.  Per the CN manager, vouchers good at any specialty restaurant - and both can be used at the same venue. But still just 1 bottle of wine.  Still using old vouchers until they run out but change is fleet wide, not ship specific.

Behind the scenes tours and officer dinners are coming back, timing is ship dependent. Available for the first time on the current sailing of the Star. We also still had 2x room cleaning but that's going soon.

[ggTexasGal]

@Something fun! It does not matter when you booked.

[mking8288]

Once in a while, you might run into a server that insisted that extras will be billed and itemized, and, at the end that dinner as we just tell him/her to do whatever, charge the onboard account & skip the nonsense - too busy to bother run back & forth, just sign with a quick card swipe and go.  YMMV.  

 

NCL's specialty dining policies, consistently inconsistent and nearly different each time we are onboard, sometimes just months apart in between cruises.  Few times that we had a nominal surcharge for sides, etc. - it's offset typically by those non-refundable OBC anyway. 

Edited February 25, 2023 by mking8288

[Raleigh Traveler]

We were just on the Joy and first time as Platinum. The voucher below was in our cabin on arrival. We booked the cruise late and did not make any reservations beforehand. The only venue that was a problem getting a table was Ocean Blue as it was booked solid. However, we showed up at 5:30 one evening without a reservation and were seated at 6. Don't stress.

[hallux]

54 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Once in a while, you might run into a server that insisted that extras will be billed and itemized,

Did you READ earlier in the thread?  It's actually written ON NCL's site now that the SDP only includes 1/1/1/1.  Was that the same as before or has that changed and you actually are limited now?

[BirdTravels]

10 minutes ago, hallux said:

Did you READ earlier in the thread?  It's actually written ON NCL's site now that the SDP only includes 1/1/1/1.  Was that the same as before or has that changed and you actually are limited now?

It was not in writing until this year. Prior to that, some restaurants stated the 1/1/1 rule, but would not enforce it. Now it is in writing and restaurants have been told to enforce it. Whether they do is up to the waiter. 

[gatorchinsky]

On 2/20/2023 at 12:11 PM, BirdTravels said:

 

That is incorrect. The Dining Package has been dumbed down to be 1 app, 1 salad, 1 entrée, 1 dessert similar to the latitudes coupon.... making them essentially the same. One of your latitudes vouchers gives you a bottle of wine off the freebie list

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

All Specialty Restaurant menu items are included except Seafood Platter in Raw Bar. An SDP meal in a la carte restaurants includes 1 appetizer, 1 soup or salad, 1 main course and 1 dessert (does not apply to cover charge restaurants or Food Republic, Pincho Tapas Bar and Sushi, where a meal includes any 4 menu items). SDP does not include beverages and additional and/or premium menu items will incur charges.

What about sides for the restaurants that have separate sides? 1 or 2?

[hallux]

3 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

It was not in writing until this year. Prior to that, some restaurants stated the 1/1/1 rule, but would not enforce it. Now it is in writing and restaurants have been told to enforce it. Whether they do is up to the waiter. 

I'm aware, and you pointed it out earlier in the thread but the person I quoted kept spouting the same "well, it's unwritten and some servers will try to convince you there is a limit" even though it's now in writing and shown earlier in the thread...

[Raleigh Traveler]

3 hours ago, gatorchinsky said:

What about sides for the restaurants that have separate sides? 1 or 2?

Just off the Joy as Platinum. We went to the Ocean Blue with the voucher and were allowed 2 sides each with the entrée. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

6 hours ago, Raleigh Traveler said:

Just off the Joy as Platinum. We went to the Ocean Blue with the voucher and were allowed 2 sides each with the entrée. 

 

Are sides mentioned anywhere?

On 2/20/2023 at 10:11 AM, BirdTravels said:

 

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

All Specialty Restaurant menu items are included except Seafood Platter in Raw Bar. An SDP meal in a la carte restaurants includes 1 appetizer, 1 soup or salad, 1 main course and 1 dessert (does not apply to cover charge restaurants or Food Republic, Pincho Tapas Bar and Sushi, where a meal includes any 4 menu items). SDP does not include beverages and additional and/or premium menu items will incur charges.

 

[Raleigh Traveler]

2 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

 

Are sides mentioned anywhere?

 

On the menu. Each entrée has two sides listed but you are able to sub from the list of sides on the menu. For mine, the default was fries and coleslaw. I subbed the au Gratin for the fries. 

[lisa928]

On 2/15/2023 at 11:15 AM, BirdTravels said:

Reservations open at 12 midnight eastern time 125 days prior to departure. Make sure to book at 125 days to ensure you get your preferred dining dates and times. Prime time dining on sea days sell out quickly. 

When I look at the restaurants through the NCL app it says "please check back on 4/22/23 to book" which is 120 days before our 8/20/23 cruise (balcony room).  The thing is I am Latitude Saphire, so I was expecting it to be 125 days out.  Does this seem wrong?  Do I need to contact NCL to have it changed, as I want to do it through the app and not have to call.