NCL sued over restaurants' booking non-avaiability

[CruisnGram]

On the Star I always made my reservations in the morning. On the Jade I did take advantage of my suite status a few times and made the reservation late (however, I always choose a late time, which as it turns out meant there were more empty tables then full ones when I ate).

 

Back to the Star. If that afternoon I skipped lunch, I would have to change my reservations if I wanted to eat earlier. I might or might not be able to do so (depending on how full the restaurant was at the earlier time).

 

Again, on the Star, I made my reservations in the morning. If I came back from a shore excursion tired and dirty, I might not be able to change the reservation. I don't recall the penalty period (one hour? two hours? four hours?), but if you don't show up for your reservation within 15 minutes of the schedule time, and it is an extra cost restaurant, NCL will charge you anyway.

 

Now, as to the first issue, that can be handled via the buffet (get a snack and keep the original late reservation). The only thing I can think of for the second issue is to do a quick wash (not a shower - just face and hands) and suck it up as far as being tired.

 

Yes, you can choose the time of the reservation. But once you have done that, in my opinion, it is now a set dinner time. And if you want to catch the show, you still have to plan around that, which means you are going to match the pre-set dinner times of the other lines fairly closely.

 

Not to be argumentative, but I still think it is different. When you book on another cruise line, you have a couple choices for dining times. And that dining time is your time for the entire cruise, every night, unless you choose to eat at the buffet.

 

With freestyle, you get to pick the exact time you will dine each individual night. No reservations are required in the main dining rooms so you truly can go whatever time you want. Make your decision last minute if you'd like.

 

Regarding the specialty restaurants, it does take some planning. But if you know you are going on an excursion all day , why make a 6 pm reservation that morning? Perhaps that should be a night that you try one of the main dining rooms.

 

I can understand your point, but I still don't think that making dinner reservations, at a time of your choosing, isn't freestyle.

[BeachBumMama]

Well, this is why I prefer the set dinner times. Then I don't have to take the time to make the reservation.

No need to make reservations, simply walk to the main dining room at 6:00 or 8:00 every evening. Then you won't have to take the time to make reservations for alternative dining which is separate from 'normal' dining options on any cruise line.

[Cuizer2]

DANG!!

You people have Mafia ties or what???? :p ;)

 

 

Well, "Carontori" does end with a vowel. :)

[Cuizer2]

Not to be argumentative, but I still think it is different. When you book on another cruise line, you have a couple choices for dining times. And that dining time is your time for the entire cruise, every night, unless you choose to eat at the buffet.

 

With freestyle, you get to pick the exact time you will dine each individual night. No reservations are required in the main dining rooms so you truly can go whatever time you want. Make your decision last minute if you'd like.

 

Regarding the specialty restaurants, it does take some planning. But if you know you are going on an excursion all day , why make a 6 pm reservation that morning? Perhaps that should be a night that you try one of the main dining rooms.

 

I can understand your point, but I still don't think that making dinner reservations, at a time of your choosing, isn't freestyle.

 

I don't think you are being argumentative. You are expressing your opinion. I have expressed mine. You make good points. I still prefer the set dinner time.

[Cuizer2]

No need to make reservations, simply walk to the main dining room at 6:00 or 8:00 every evening. Then you won't have to take the time to make reservations for alternative dining which is separate from 'normal' dining options on any cruise line.

 

I think 6:00pm is prime time. 8:00pm would likely work.

[Wasasalad]

We never had a problem with dinner reservations. We were told that suite passengers and Captain's Club do get first choice, that is true on all lines.

 

Celebrity tells you when you book and ask for any special seating [table for two] The suite passengers and Captain's club get first choice and it goes to the regular bookings.

 

On NCL we often waited till the last minute and called the specialty and to tell you the truth we did eat in a special resturant every night with no problem. We would take whatever time they had. They kind of got used to us and when reservations did not show up they called our suite to see if we wanted the table.

 

If you are looking for something to find fault with go on the QM2. Never seen such awful service!

[garycarla]

I don't think you are being argumentative. You are expressing your opinion. I have expressed mine. You make good points. I still prefer the set dinner time.

 

 

I have called NCL for you. You can eat EVERY EVENING at 6 or 8, your choice. If you prefer not to have to make a choice each day, I can have them set if up for either 6 or 8.

Done. Over. What is the point!????

 

Okay,this is a bit in jest, but the point is, you can eat at exactly the same time every night if that is what you want.

[Cuizer2]

I have called NCL for you. You can eat EVERY EVENING at 6 or 8, your choice. If you prefer not to have to make a choice each day, I can have them set if up for either 6 or 8.

 

Done. Over. What is the point!????

 

Okay,this is a bit in jest, but the point is, you can eat at exactly the same time every night if that is what you want.

 

You are assuming that I am going to eat in the main restaurant every night. That is not the case. Thus, many of the restaurants I do eat at require a reservation. On top of that, Freestyle dining requires that I decide in the morning what I will feel like in the evening (if I make my reservations in the morning - granted, passengers in suites don't have this problem).

 

When there are choices, decisions have to be made. On the Star, six of the eight dinners I ate required a reservation. On the Jade I was able to take advantage of my willingness to eat when others didn't want to. Also I took advantage of my suite status. Nonetheless, nine of the thirteen dinners I had would normally require advance reservations. However, not all the reservations were at extra cost restaurants. On the Star five of the dinners were at extra costs restaurants and on the Jade seven were at extra cost restaurants.

 

On Royal Caribbean I have never eaten in one of the alternative restaurants. On Carnival I have eaten two meals in the alternative restaurants. So that is two meals out of 51.

 

On NCL I have eaten fifteen out of 21 meals at restaurants that require reservations (only twelve of which are extra cost restaurants). So, on NCL I spent 71.4% of the days planning my meals in advance where on Carnival and Royal Caribbean I only spent 3.9% of the days planning my meals in advance.

[garycarla]

Dear Cuizer2:

 

You earlier made this statement "Well, this is why I prefer the set dinner times. Then I don't have to take the time to make the reservation."

 

You also stated that only 2 out of 51 meals were in alternative restaurants on other cruiselines, meaning you opted to eat in the main dining room.

 

And I was replying that you can easily do that. Pick 6 or 8 to eat in the main dining room each and every day on NCL which means you do not have to bother with reservations. Just like the other cruiselines.

 

Your statements seem to conflict.

[Cuizer2]

Dear Cuizer2:

 

You earlier made this statement "Well, this is why I prefer the set dinner times. Then I don't have to take the time to make the reservation."

 

You also stated that only 2 out of 51 meals were in alternative restaurants on other cruiselines, meaning you opted to eat in the main dining room.

 

And I was replying that you can easily do that. Pick 6 or 8 to eat in the main dining room each and every day on NCL which means you do not have to bother with reservations. Just like the other cruiselines.

 

Your statements seem to conflict.

 

My experience on the Star in the main dining room was so poor that I never returned. My experience on the Jade in the main dining room was much better. Thus on the Star I had no choice, I had to make reservations. And since I was not in a suite, I had to make the reservations in the morning.

 

On the Jade I took advantage of my suite status and made reservations in the afternoon. Also I discovered I could eat at the extra cost restaurants for half price by eating late, when as it turns out reservations were not really necessary.

 

Nonetheless, the only reason I was in the suite was so I could have a forward facing balcony. As that would not be a requirement in the future, I will go back to the balcony cabins, and thus to repeat what I did on the Jade would require reservations.

 

I have no clue what it is like to try and eat on either ship in the main dining room during prime time. On the Star I arrived five minutes early and thus knew I would get a table. On the Jade I arrived late, when as it turns out was the time when the most tables were available.

 

I have no idea how I would react if I had to wait in line because there were no tables available if I just walked up at 6:00pm. I did walk away from one restaurant because there was a line and I walked away from a second restaurant and returned later because there was a line. At home I will usually leave a restaurant that can not seat me quickly.

 

With a set dining time reservations are never necessary and I know I'll get a seat as soon as I arrive. With Freestyle only the two main restaurants, the buffet and the cafe do not require reservations. However, as I learned, that does not mean you and just walk up and sit down.

 

So its not just the reservation that is a problem. It is also the chance that I'll have to wait, which is never a problem with a set dinner time.

[suzyed]

We never had a problem with dinner reservations. We were told that suite passengers and Captain's Club do get first choice, that is true on all lines.

 

Celebrity tells you when you book and ask for any special seating [table for two] The suite passengers and Captain's club get first choice and it goes to the regular bookings.

 

On NCL we often waited till the last minute and called the specialty and to tell you the truth we did eat in a special resturant every night with no problem. We would take whatever time they had. They kind of got used to us and when reservations did not show up they called our suite to see if we wanted the table.

 

If you are looking for something to find fault with go on the QM2. Never seen such awful service!

So surprised to hear you had awful service on QM2....we had wonderful service...not one single complaint at all!