1st NCL cruise- Specialty Dining Reservation questions

[joy4ron]

We are cruising with another couple, and we have the Free at Sea. We also got two extra nights of specialty dining as a perk from our travel agent.

 

We are able to make reservations today. I was originally told that I would be able to book the Free at Sea reservations online, but I would have to wait until I was on board to book the other two.

Once the dining reservations opened up this morning, I found that I was able to make reservations for four restaurants this morning. AM I good to go? I guess I don't really understand how the system works on NCL- as I said, this is our first NCL cruise after several on Carnival and Royal.

 

Also, I made the reservation for 4 people. I assume that once we get to the restaurant, our friends will be able to apply their specially dining credit at that point?

 

Thanks in advance for you help!

[shof515]

you are good to go. there is nothing to do

 

yes your friends will use their own dinning credit. towards the end of dinner, the waiter will ask for everyone room key. when they swipe the cards each person dinning credit will be in the system

[eileeshb]

the only thing to watch out for is the flat charge restaurants Teppanyaki or Moderno, sometimes you may be asked to pay them upfront if you don't have a dining credit available to apply against them

[RedRover96]

My experience book the "flat charge restaurants" 1st.  Ran into problems trying to book additional dinners when we upgrade/added 2 additional nights.  Kept trying to charge us the flat fee! Had to get our NCL PCC involved to get an additional night for Teppanyaki. They had to cancel all booked dinners add our flat charge 1st and then the a la cart last. 

 

RedRover

[ChiefMateJRK]

Yeah, what others have said.  NCL's system doesn't care what perks you have or don't have when making advance dining reservations.  It only wants you to pay in advance for the fixed price venues (like Teppanyaki).  Just book those first and you can book endless amounts of the other restaurants with no worries.  

Edited October 7, 2023 by ChiefMateJRK

[joy4ron]

Thank you al so much! This is super helpfull!

[olemissreb]

So are the "flat fee" restaurants not covered by Free at Sea? 1st time NCL cruiser and 1st time ever having a dining plan. 

[Erekosse]

7 minutes ago, olemissreb said:

So are the "flat fee" restaurants not covered by Free at Sea? 1st time NCL cruiser and 1st time ever having a dining plan. 

They are covered. But, after a certain number of advanced reservation, the system may believe that you are out of specialty dining credits and look to charge you the flat fee. I don't think it does that if booking the a la cart specialty venues after it thinks you are out of the credits.

[olemissreb]

Just now, Erekosse said:

They are covered. But, after a certain number of advanced reservation, the system may believe that you are out of specialty dining credits and look to charge you the flat fee. I don't think it does that if booking the a la cart specialty venues after it thinks you are out of the credits.

Great! Thank you! I've got time before I can even book. Since I only have 2 credits, I'll have to decide where I want to eat and if I should add more credits.

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 minutes ago, olemissreb said:

Great! Thank you! I've got time before I can even book. Since I only have 2 credits, I'll have to decide where I want to eat and if I should add more credits.

Possibly not.  If you want Teppanyaki and Moderno, and you have two credits, than just book those first.  You can then book Cagneys, Ocean Blue, LeBistro, etc. without having to pay anything up front.

[linaka625]

What if I reserve a specialty restaurant, and then don't make it back to the ship on time to make it to the reservation?  I made a 5:30 reservation and our excursion ends at 3:30.  But if I decide to do some shopping and don't make it to the 5:30 reservation, will I be charged for it?  Is there a way to cancel the reservation on the app?  TIA.

Edited November 4, 2023 by linaka625

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, linaka625 said:

What if I reserve a specialty restaurant, and then don't make it back to the ship on time to make it to the reservation?  I made a 5:30 reservation and our excursion ends at 3:30.  But if I decide to do some shopping and don't make it to the 5:30 reservation, will I be charged for it?  Is there a way to cancel the reservation on the app?  TIA.

No way to cancel reservations without talking to a live person. 
 

Change your reservation to a later time so you can go shopping and shower before dinner.  

[linaka625]

I can't find a way to change my reservation either.  Do I have to call to do that?

[shof515]

48 minutes ago, linaka625 said:

I can't find a way to change my reservation either.  Do I have to call to do that?

yes call only, can not be done line