NCL PLEASE Change the Chefs Table Menu!!!

[SFO-F/A]

Good morning jmele999. There seems to be a lot of conflict/confusion as to how to sign up for the Chef's table. Could you shed some light on your experience?

 

Thanks.

 

As soon as you board the ship, go to the area where you make dinning reservations, usually mid ship near reception. Sign up!

 

We are usually in the first few groups onboard, getting to the dock around 11:00. Boarding can begin any time from noon on. So far we have been lucky, signing up for the Chef's Table the two times we tried.

[Kinofdc]

We were fortunate enough to do the Chef's Table on the Dawn in Nov 2009. It was wonderful... And at the time $75. It has now gotten very popular and we have been unsuccessful in our attempt to do the Chef's Table again. Last September our friends were in a Suite and boarded before we did. They tried to make reservations immediately upon embarking...and the Chef's Table was full already!

 

A few weeks ago, on the Jade, on 2 b2b successive cruises with very popular itineraries, we had ZERO trouble securing reservations at the Chef's Table. Both times there were only 8 of us there. And on both occasions, out of the 8 participants, 4 of us were guests from Haven suites.

 

There was absolutely no rush to make reservation either. On the 3rd day or so of the cruise, we called the concierge, and the reservations were made in 5-10 seconds.

[Kinofdc]

To make reservations for the Chef Table, just call your concierge or your butler. Several posters on this thread reported that they had to make reservations as soon as they boarded, or even then some couldn't secure reservations. That has NEVER been our experiences: whether it's on the Sun or on the Jade (we have no first-hand experiences with any other Norwegian ships), we never called the concierge to make reservations until at least the 3rd day of the cruise, and we never had any trouble securing our spaces either.

 

Although we have never tried it, I suspect you can even secure the reservations through Pre-cruise concierge. Just call their 800 number and I have a feeling that Gretchen, Adrian or other concierges on duty there could make the arrangement for you.

[Kinofdc]

but I'm sure they'd like to see a broader base of people get to experience it, rather than just the few who've figured out how to work the system.

 

I doubt the composition of participants of the Chef Table will change any time soon. As I stated in another post, on 2 very recent cruises on the Jade, the Haven suite guests accounted for a disproportionate 50% of the participants on both occasions.

 

Last November, on RCL's Splendour of the Seas, the percentage was even more lopsided - on 2 successive cruises, every participant of the Chef Table was a guest from either the Royal, Owner or Grand suite.

[halos]

We were fortunate enough to do the Chef's Table on the Dawn in Nov 2009. It was wonderful... And at the time $75. It has now gotten very popular and we have been unsuccessful in our attempt to do the Chef's Table again. Last September our friends were in a Suite and boarded before we did. They tried to make reservations immediately upon embarking...and the Chef's Table was full already!

 

Yes!! It was very disappointing. I don't understand why NCL won't do two Chef's Tables. They always sell out!

[SFO-F/A]

To make reservations for the Chef Table, just call your concierge or your butler. Several posters on this thread reported that they had to make reservations as soon as they boarded, or even then some couldn't secure reservations. That has NEVER been our experiences: whether it's on the Sun or on the Jade (we have no first-hand experiences with any other Norwegian ships), we never called the concierge to make reservations until at least the 3rd day of the cruise, and we never had any trouble securing our spaces either.

 

Although we have never tried it, I suspect you can even secure the reservations through Pre-cruise concierge. Just call their 800 number and I have a feeling that Gretchen, Adrian or other concierges on duty there could make the arrangement for you.

 

 

Kinofdc,

 

Not everyone is in a suite and has access to the concierge and butler! :p

 

If not in a suite, you need to make the reservations yourself, as soon as you board. MOST Chef's Table fill up quickly ;)

Edited August 30, 2013 by SFO-F/A

[supervacation2k13]

Thanks all for the quick replies. Unfortunately, we are not in a suite so our odds are lower. We'll cross our fingers and hope to get lucky. We don't want to be one of the first on the boat just to try to sign up for the dinner and lose our afternoon enjoying Barcelona. We leave on the Epic on Sep 22!.

mark

[weltek]

I wish there was a Chef's Table that let us experience each chef's personal whims and let's the chef be creative. That's part of the fun of many land-based Chef's tastings.

[halos]

Kinofdc,

 

Not everyone is in a suite and has access to the concierge and butler! :p

 

If not in a suite, you need to make the reservations yourself, as soon as you board. MOST Chef's Table fill up quickly ;)

On that particular sailing, I was in a suite, boarded early headed straight to the dining reservations table and it was too late. So, getting the Chef's Table has little to do with a conseirge or butler. The bottom line is you have at least 2500 people boarding a ship and there are 12 spots. :(

[time2cruise1]

Kinofdc,

 

Not everyone is in a suite and has access to the concierge and butler! :p

 

If not in a suite, you need to make the reservations yourself, as soon as you board. MOST Chef's Table fill up quickly ;)

 

Exactly why the Fleet Exec Chef said the menu will not change for a long time so more get a chance to try it and the rest of us tire of it opening up seating.

Edited August 31, 2013 by time2cruise1

[quercus alba]

Yes!! It was very disappointing. I don't understand why NCL won't do two Chef's Tables. They always sell out!

 

They did 2 on our Pearl sailing last March.

[time2cruise1]

Yes!! It was very disappointing. I don't understand why NCL won't do two Chef's Tables. They always sell out!

 

Not always. I was booked on the Sun for the Chefs Table. They started a second and I moved to it so friends could join. Not enough signed up for the second so it was cancelled and I got none. :(

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

[halos]

Not always. I was booked on the Sun for the Chefs Table. They started a second and I moved to it so friends could join. Not enough signed up for the second so it was cancelled and I got none. :(

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk - Jim

 

Wow, that stinks :(

[SFO-F/A]

On that particular sailing, I was in a suite, boarded early headed straight to the dining reservations table and it was too late. So, getting the Chef's Table has little to do with a conseirge or butler. The bottom line is you have at least 2500 people boarding a ship and there are 12 spots. :(

 

Oh, I'm sorry that you were disappointed. It is such a wonderful dining experience.

 

We had two Chef Tables on our Epic crossing. The first seating was filled when we got on board. We were very happy they scheduled a second. I think it depends on the chef? at our table there were 6 couples and a single. So there were 13 of us.

[cruisecritiquer]

It hasn't quite been a year since it was rolled out though....just shy of a week.

 

Just reasoning with number here, if only 12 (maybe 13) people are allowed to participate assuming there is only one sitting for Chef's table during a cruise...that means on ships such as the Epic in a year long period...roughly only 624 out of 213,200 people (supposing each sailing for a year sold out) have had the opportunity to try the Chef's table. That's also assuming there are no repeaters which apparently there are quite a few.

 

That's less than .01% of the cruising population for that ship. It kind of seems silly to change the menu when so few people have experienced it.

[SFO-F/A]

It hasn't quite been a year since it was rolled out though....just shy of a week.

 

Just reasoning with number here, if only 12 (maybe 13) people are allowed to participate assuming there is only one sitting for Chef's table during a cruise...that means on ships such as the Epic in a year long period...roughly only 624 out of 213,200 people (supposing each sailing for a year sold out) have had the opportunity to try the Chef's table. That's also assuming there are no repeaters which apparently there are quite a few.

 

That's less than .01% of the cruising population for that ship. It kind of seems silly to change the menu when so few people have experienced it.

 

 

It's been over a year since this was rolled out. :)

We attended the Chef's Table on our Sun Baltic cruise in May 2012!

[Beaver1975]

It's been over a year since this was rolled out. :)

We attended the Chef's Table on our Sun Baltic cruise in May 2012!

 

I think they were talking about the fleet wide Chef's Table menu. I have attended Chef's Table/Tastings as far back as 2007. These were ship/chef specific.

[cruisecritiquer]

It's been over a year since this was rolled out. :)

We attended the Chef's Table on our Sun Baltic cruise in May 2012!

 

I meant fleet wide and used the Epic as an example.

[Jan_In_Maine]

On that particular sailing, I was in a suite, boarded early headed straight to the dining reservations table and it was too late. So, getting the Chef's Table has little to do with a conseirge or butler. The bottom line is you have at least 2500 people boarding a ship and there are 12 spots. :(

 

I think that was the cruise that we were also on ... we ended up getting the chef's table upon boarding and going to the reservation desk .... there were also 14 people at the chef's table that evening Jan

 

PS - Halo's hope you are enjoying your re-location.

[RareBird]

Did chefs table when it was $75. Don't remember which ship. Signed up while in Cagneys, first lunch at embarkation. Now that I think about it, most where from suites.

 

Loved the dinner, huge portions. Would love a new menu.

Edited September 3, 2013 by RareBird

[Buranogal]

Markj oooh so hope we get to try this in April 11th on our 37 night cruise..thanks for sharing everyone Liz