Dining Package

[3DBeach]

I wonder what will happen if everyone wants to do the new dining package. Surely that will effect the standard of service, as they will be very busy.

 

When I purchased mine on Friday it had "limited availability" marked right on the advertisement for it on MyNCL. I'm under the impression they will only sell a specific amount but i guess we don't know for sure.

[Sir_Randy]

We only eat in the specialty restaurants as we both work in the service industry so we enjoy the service and laid back atmosphere minus screaming running around.

And that's how I see it for Platinum , it's not a deal!

You made a GREAT point! "minus screaming running around." are you talking about the servers/bus people or the kids? :D

[Ilovesailing]

Kids! Didn't proof read.

Edited January 12, 2014 by Ilovesailing

[hpecorari]

This would attract us. For our 14 night cruise on Star next month we will have 2 nights complimentary at Le Bistro, the 1st night in MDR is lobster so definite there for us. That leaves 11 nights, and to have a 7 night UDP over that timescale feels about right for me.

 

If NCL are reading these threads, any thoughts about that as a better way forward?

 

Same here. Both of us in our stateroom are platinum so that already gives us 2 nights complimentary dinners and fyi, both of them do not have to be at Le Bistro. In addition, depending on your CAS status you also get a free complimentary dinner so that give the two of us 2 more free comp dinners. That totals 4 comped dinners for us already.

 

A only hope they aren't going to be taking away the Platinum benefit of free comp dinners due to this!

 

Harriet

[GeorgiaGirl14]

So I think we are going to spring for the Ultimate Dining Package. It's personally worth it to me this particular year--I was on chemo for a while this year and nothing tasted good and now it does!!!! My question is this to those who have a lot of experience with the specialty restaurants--what is the average amount of time we should allow for each specialty restaurant. We are trying to figure out our reservations for the restaurants and the shows. Any help with timing is most appreciated!!

[hamrag]

Same here. Both of us in our stateroom are platinum so that already gives us 2 nights complimentary dinners and fyi, both of them do not have to be at Le Bistro. In addition, depending on your CAS status you also get a free complimentary dinner so that give the two of us 2 more free comp dinners. That totals 4 comped dinners for us already.

 

A only hope they aren't going to be taking away the Platinum benefit of free comp dinners due to this!

 

Harriet

 

Thanks for that clarity, it is our 1st cruise since Platinum status, and we understood it was LB. We always love LB, so could we use one of them for Cagneys? Sorry, do not understand the term CAS....can you advise what that is about please?

[bobrxlex]

When I purchased mine on Friday it had "limited availability" marked right on the advertisement for it on MyNCL. I'm under the impression they will only sell a specific amount but i guess we don't know for sure.

 

if anyone has purchased the ultimate dining program, have you tried to book a restaurant reservation on line. I cannot find anywhere on myncl.com a place to book a restaurant reservation. help, let me know what to do. called ncl and they put me on hold forever. I hung up, thanks

[tiffygirl]

they offered the unlimited dining package on the Epic last week for $119 on the first day.(they did not offer it during my December sailing) if you had booked the $57 package(le bistro, cagney's, and la cucina) they adjusted the rate. I think you have to book onboard. they should begin to offer it online shortly. but I know its very new which is probably why you were on hold for a long time.

[Mparis184]

So I think we are going to spring for the Ultimate Dining Package. It's personally worth it to me this particular year--I was on chemo for a while this year and nothing tasted good and now it does!!!! My question is this to those who have a lot of experience with the specialty restaurants--what is the average amount of time we should allow for each specialty restaurant. We are trying to figure out our reservations for the restaurants and the shows. Any help with timing is most appreciated!!

 

Yes, GeorgiaGirl14 you deserve it!

 

Some restaurants are quicker than others. I don't think LaCucina will take as long as Cagney's. It usually takes 2 to 2 1/2 hours depending on the restaurant and how many courses are being served. Better to plan on it taking a little extra time so you are not rushed. If there are more than two people at your table dinner will take longer - you have to figure all this in.

 

Enjoy!

 

Marion

[Mparis184]

if anyone has purchased the ultimate dining program, have you tried to book a restaurant reservation on line. I cannot find anywhere on myncl.com a place to book a restaurant reservation. help, let me know what to do. called ncl and they put me on hold forever. I hung up, thanks

 

They don't make it easy.

 

• Log on to MyNCL
  
• Click Get Ready For Your Cruise
  
• Click Prepare For Your Cruise
  
• Scroll Down to Specialty Restaurant and click
  

Sometimes it works - sometimes it doesn't. They should do something to make these reservations easier to make.

 

Marion

[H&J]

I bought the package for my wife and myself and went onto the concierge site to make pre-trip requests including reservations at couple of specialty restaurants. I specifically asked for confirmation. Let's see if NCL concierge service is actually worth it's salt.

[Demonyte]

Thanks for that clarity, it is our 1st cruise since Platinum status, and we understood it was LB. We always love LB, so could we use one of them for Cagneys? Sorry, do not understand the term CAS....can you advise what that is about please?

 

The free dinner vouchers usually have the info printed on them telling you where it can be used, I haven't seen Cagney's as an alternative, only restaurants with cover charge less or equal of Le Bistro's. CAS is NCL's casino member program, Casinos At Sea, where very active players can get comped dinners by discretion of Casino Host.

[armwinder]

I just checked the UDP for our 10 day and it is $204.97, and $122.57 for the 7 day. No mention of a bottle of wine! I think we may just book on board for the restaurants we want. There is nothing wrong with the MDR, we eat there about 1/2 the time anyway.

[KeithJenner]

The free dinner vouchers usually have the info printed on them telling you where it can be used, I haven't seen Cagney's as an alternative, only restaurants with cover charge less or equal of Le Bistro's.

 

 

Very occasionally someone will say that they were allowed to pay the difference and go to Cagneys, but it seems to be rare.

 

Modernos is a popular alternative place to use the Platinum free meal.

 

 

 

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[hamrag]

..... CAS is NCL's casino member program, Casinos At Sea, where very active players can get comped dinners by discretion of Casino Host.

 

Thank you, that explains why we had no idea what CAS was. We use the casino only to transit to theatre!!

[skiwee]

I am really happy for this new Ultimate Dining Plan. We tend to eat at all the specialty restaurants so this is a great deal. I just called NCL this morning and had them add it to all 4 cabins I have booked. Much easier then logging into each individual one. We can't actually reserve dinners yet til 45 days out like everyone else but we are guaranteed to get in to any of them.

[miataman19]

I am really happy for this new Ultimate Dining Plan. We tend to eat at all the specialty restaurants so this is a great deal. I just called NCL this morning and had them add it to all 4 cabins I have booked. Much easier then logging into each individual one. We can't actually reserve dinners yet til 45 days out like everyone else but we are guaranteed to get in to any of them.

We purchased as well. Having the guarantee is one of the perks of the program. I was told, when I originally called to ask about the program that they are only issuing a limited amount on each sailing. Did the same program on Celebrity and they only sold 30 for our sailing so overcrowding should not be an issue :D

[kparam]

We are a couple in our 60's and will be sailing during spring break. We purchased the UDP in hopes that there will be fewer kids running around in the speciality dining venues allowing us a quieter, pleasurable dining experience. If we cruise with our grandchildren, it would be a different story.

 

 

Trust me this program will increase business at little but the specialty dining client and the buffet client are mostly not the same, you also have those that refuse to pay extra and feel that they have paid enough, you also have family's with kids that can't justify the extra.

[Cruiseingfamilystyle]

Weird question - We have the UDP - If we would like to eat in our room 1 night,can we get carry out ? We are not in a suite, so we would pick it up from the Resturant ourselves ?

 

 

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[Gonflipin]

1st post... Yippee!! Love reading cruise critic and now have some questions of my own.....

 

We are on the UDP (free promo), it's coming up on the time to reserve online. When it's time to reserve will it zero out the up charge or not charge me? Confused as to what to expect when booking.

We are on the Breakaway

Lobster night is night 1 in the buffet? (Is that right?)

What restaurants are my best option traveling with DS5?

 

Thank you so much and happy sailing!

[Demonyte]

Weird question - We have the UDP - If we would like to eat in our room 1 night,can we get carry out ? We are not in a suite, so we would pick it up from the Resturant ourselves ?

 

From other restaurants than Teppanyaki and Moderno you should be able to order food to go - at least in theory.

[Demonyte]

1st post... Yippee!! Love reading cruise critic and now have some questions of my own.....

 

We are on the UDP (free promo), it's coming up on the time to reserve online. When it's time to reserve will it zero out the up charge or not charge me? Confused as to what to expect when booking.

We are on the Breakaway

Lobster night is night 1 in the buffet? (Is that right?)

What restaurants are my best option traveling with DS5?

 

Hi and welcome!

 

At least for us the price shown in MyNCL even before making the reservation (on the screen where you choose the party size and time) the price was shown as $0.

 

But assuming there are two adults and a kid, since you only have the UDP for only two persons, you'd have to pay full price for the third immediately when booking if booking in advance - if you wait until you are onboard to make reservations, it gives you much more room and doesn't require you to worry about refunds. Only a small part of tables are bookable online so if you have plans ready when you board, you are sure to get the times you want - usually you can get most bookings even the previous day without too many problems. (You have read about the kids' pricing in speciality restaurants and know how that works, right?)

 

Lobster is served in buffet on second night, not the embarkation night.

 

Which speciality restaurants are the best options is completely personal opinion, so without any extra info I don't think anyone can offer you with proper advice what you should do, they are only able to tell you what they personally like. Many people like Cagney's and Le Bistro the best, personally we can't find many options we'd like from Le Bistro's menu so we have never eaten there.

 

We're usually just fine with complimentary dining options with occasional Moderno and Italian visits, but now that we too have UDP for our upcoming Getaway cruise, we've planned to visit Cagney's at least twice (first time for us, because the complimentary dining options are quite ok, to me the cover charge of Cagney's - $60 for the two of us per dinner - has been a bit too much to pay on top of the cruise fare to get one dinner, UDP makes it much more reasonable even when paying for the package ;)).

Edited April 5, 2014 by Demonyte

[Got Tequila?]

I just checked the UDP for our 10 day and it is $204.97, and $122.57 for the 7 day. No mention of a bottle of wine! I think we may just book on board for the restaurants we want. There is nothing wrong with the MDR, we eat there about 1/2 the time anyway.

 

Updated pricing from Norwegian's website..

 

 

 

http://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/gifts-and-more

 

Ultimate Dining Package

 

Take advantage of Norwegian's Ultimate Dining Package – Try a Norwegian specialty restaurant every night of your cruise for one special rate. Bring your appetite and desire to taste something deliciously new each day.

A la carte priced restaurants and Ocean Blue are not included in the Ultimate Dining Package, but will be discounted 20% for those purchasing the package. Entertainment based dining and 1- and 2-day sailings are excluded. See FAQs and Terms & Conditions for more details.

 

 

 

Please note:

• Platinum level Latitude Members will receive a $20.00 discount off the total Ultimate Dining Package price
  

• Beginning with Norwegian Getaway's 4/19/14 sailing - Guests who have purchased the Ultimate Dining Package can reserve the embarkation day performance of The Illusionarium at no additional cost.
  
• Beginning with Norwegian Breakaway's 4/20/14 sailing – Guests who have purchased the Ultimate Dining Package can reserve the embarkation day performance of Cirque Dreams Jungle Fantasy at no additional cost.
  
• Beginning with Norwegian Epic's 5/8/14 sailing – Guests who have purchased the Ultimate Dining Package can reserve the embarkation day performance of Cirque Dreams at no additional cost.
  

Price per person during cruises of 3 days$59.00

Price per person during cruises of 4 days$74.00

Price per person during cruises of 5 days$89.00

Price per person during cruises of 6 days$104.00

Price per person during cruises of 7 days$119.00

Price per person during cruises of 8 days$134.00

Price per person during cruises of 9 days$149.00

Price per person during cruises of 10 days$164.00

Price per person during cruises of 11 days$179.00

Price per person during cruises of 12 days$194.00

Price per person during cruises of 13 days$209.00

Price per person during cruises of 14 days$224.00

 

Please call to find out pricing for sailings longer than 15 days.

[LrgPizza]

Updated pricing from Norwegian's website..

 

http://www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/gifts-and-more

 

That's great info. The pricing makes much more sense now. I'm kind of bummed about Illusionarium being free on embarkation day for UDP, because we has planned to hook it that day anyway, and now I'm afraid it will be sold out. I'll have to make sure I get it booked the minute it opens for my sailing.

 

 

 

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[LrgPizza]

That's great info. The pricing makes much more sense now. I'm kind of bummed about Illusionarium being free on embarkation day for UDP, because we has planned to hook it that day anyway, and now I'm afraid it will be sold out. I'll have to make sure I get it booked the minute it opens for my sailing.

I just did exactly that. Ha! Was able to book the premium seating. My husband and I were free (UDP), and I paid the $29 for my son. Edited April 16, 2014 by LrgPizza