Specialty restaurants open for all meals?

[honeymoon cruiser 614]

Hi everyone,

 

I apologize for this question as I'm sure it has an obvious answer but since this is only our second cruise, I wanted to check. Are some specialty restaurants open for all meals? We are on the Star for a Baltic cruise. I was wondering if to have breakfast or lunch in one of the specialty restaurants also costs extra as well (like I know they do with dinner)? If it does cots, is the price different than for dinner?

 

Thanks so much - we are just trying to figure out if we want to get some type of dining package.

[TrumpyNor]

If you are in a suite, a "VIP" breakfast and lunch is served in one of the specialty restaurants (usually Cagney's) every day free of charge. You will receive written information about that in your suite when you arrive on board. On the newer ships (Epic, Breakaway, Getaway) it is in the Haven restaurant instead (similar menu though).

Edited April 30, 2014 by TrumpyNor

[njhorseman]

On some ships some of the specialty restaurants such as Teppanyaki and the sushi bar are open for lunch on some sea days. Of course there is a charge to have lunch, just as there is at dinner.

 

There are no specialty restaurants open for breakfast (other than the specific venue that is reserved for suite guests and selected VIPs only).

Edited April 30, 2014 by njhorseman

[sdmike]

In general, specialty restaurants are only open for dinner. As stated, there are a few exceptions (sush and noodle bars, teppanyaki) which are open for lunch some days

[DevCruise]

The Italian restaurant is open on at least some ships for lunch. The one time we went, there was pasta and pizza available at no charge.

[sdmike]

The Italian restaurant is open on at least some ships for lunch. The one time we went, there was pasta and pizza available at no charge.

 

On certain ships the italian restaurant is used as overflow for the buffet. On Epic, for example, you can take your food down the stairs and sit in relative peace with a great view. I think at breakfast they had some food stations set up there as well. However, I don't think it's functioning as a "specialty restaurant" at those times, but more like a buffet. You can't order off their menu IIRC

[hpecorari]

If you are in a suite, a "VIP" breakfast and lunch is served in one of the specialty restaurants (usually Cagney's) every day free of charge. You will receive written information about that in your suite when you arrive on board. On the newer ships (Epic, Breakaway, Getaway) it is in the Haven restaurant instead (similar menu though).

 

I don't believe VIP are included in the Haven restaurant for breakfast/lunch on the Breakaway and Getaway.

 

Harriet

[njhorseman]

I don't believe VIP are included in the Haven restaurant for breakfast/lunch on the Breakaway and Getaway.

 

Harriet

 

I'm curious how you would know that one way or the other. "VIP" invitations are at corporate NCL's discretion as well as the hotel director's discretion, and can vary from ship to ship and week to week. How would you know whether any individual eating in the Haven was a suite guest or a VIP?

 

To give you an example, on a cruise we took a couple of years ago we weren't staying in a suite and wouldn't have expected to be able to eat in Cagney's. The hotel director gave us Cagney's privileges because we had established a very good relationship with him on a previous cruise, and when he saw us at the Meet and Greet he graciously offered us VIP privileges, including breakfast and lunch in Cagney's. That was an on-the-spot decision on his part and a matter of discretion based on his authority as HD. This wasn't the Breakaway or the Getaway, but why couldn't a HD do the same on those ships?

Edited April 30, 2014 by njhorseman

[hpecorari]

I'm curious how you would know that one way or the other. "VIP" invitations are at corporate NCL's discretion as well as the hotel director's discretion, and can vary from ship to ship and week to week. How would you know whether any individual eating in the Haven was a suite guest or a VIP?

 

To give you an example, on a cruise we took a couple of years ago we weren't staying in a suite and wouldn't have expected to be able to eat in Cagney's. The hotel director gave us Cagney's privileges because we had established a very good relationship with him on a previous cruise, and when he saw us at the Meet and Greet he graciously offered us VIP privileges, including breakfast and lunch in Cagney's. That was an on-the-spot decision on his part and a matter of discretion based on his authority as HD. This wasn't the Breakaway or the Getaway, but why couldn't a HD do the same on those ships?

 

The Epic, Breakaway, and Getaway don't have breakfast/lunch at Cagney's. All Suites on those ships are in the Haven. Therefore, unless you're staying in a suite you have no access to the Haven.

 

I know this because I was VIP in June on the Breakaway and the breakfast/lunch perk was not included as all suites were in the Haven. Another perk that is not included with the Epic, Breakaway and Getaway is the special seating in the theater.

 

Now, IF this has been changed since June I don't know. I will know, however, in a little while as I'll be boarding the Getaway May 31st.

 

Harriet

[njhorseman]

The Epic, Breakaway, and Getaway don't have breakfast/lunch at Cagney's. All Suites on those ships are in the Haven. Therefore, unless you're staying in a suite you have no access to the Haven.

 

I know this because I was VIP in June on the Breakaway and the breakfast/lunch perk was not included as all suites were in the Haven. Another perk that is not included with the Epic, Breakaway and Getaway is the special seating in the theater.

 

Now, IF this has been changed since June I don't know. I will know, however, in a little while as I'll be boarding the Getaway May 31st.

 

Harriet

 

I am well aware of the fact that Epic, Breakaway and Getaway don't have breakfast and lunch served in Cagney's. I mentioned Cagney's because the experience I was discussing occurred on a Jewel-class ship, where Cagney's is the suite breakfast and lunch dining venue.

 

I suspect from what you wrote another thread that you were a CAS VIP. The fact that CAS VIPS aren't invited to the Haven Restaurant doesn't preclude the possibility that other VIPs designated by NCL corporate or the HD might be. Maybe they are, maybe they're not, but you can't make an assumption on how they are treated by your experience as a CAS guest.

 

Also just because all suites on the three newest ships have Haven access doesn't automatically translate into no other VIPs having access to the Haven. Why couldn't NCL give a non-suite VIP guest Haven access? You're making a logically flawed argument...similar to saying that because all humans have two ears, no other type of animal can also have two ears. It might be true (I'm talking about the Haven access argument, not the ears argument) but it's not automatically true "just because".

Edited May 1, 2014 by njhorseman

[hpecorari]

I am well aware of the fact that Epic, Breakaway and Getaway don't have breakfast and lunch served in Cagney's. I mentioned Cagney's because the experience I was discussing occurred on a Jewel-class ship, where Cagney's is the suite breakfast and lunch dining venue.

 

I suspect from what you wrote another thread that you were a CAS VIP. The fact that CAS VIPS aren't invited to the Haven Restaurant doesn't preclude the possibility that other VIPs designated by NCL corporate or the HD might be. Maybe they are, maybe they're not, but you can't make an assumption on how they are treated by your experience as a CAS guest.

 

I'm VIP in more ways than simply CAS. Regardless, my understanding and from what I've been told is that only Haven Guests can eat in the Haven restaurant for breakfast and lunch. No one, other than Haven Guests have access to the Haven. This was from last June, so if the rules have changed....then they have changed.

 

If you or anyone can show me I'm wrong I'll be the first to say I was mistaken.

 

Harriet

[njhorseman]

I'm VIP in more ways than simply CAS. Regardless, my understanding and from what I've been told is that only Haven Guests can eat in the Haven restaurant for breakfast and lunch. No one, other than Haven Guests have access to the Haven. This was from last June, so if the rules have changed....then they have changed.

 

If you or anyone can show me I'm wrong I'll be the first to say I was mistaken.

 

Harriet

 

You may be right...but per your other thread you said that in addition to your experience in June you were also given that information by a CAS phone rep...hardly an unimpeachable source...and it looks like that rep gave you some really bad information about breakfast and lunch still being served in Cagney's on the newest ships.

 

There are passengers who are VIPs for lots of different reasons, and just because something is true for a CAS VIP doesn't automatically make it true for all VIPs...and that's my main point.

Edited May 1, 2014 by njhorseman

[Love my butler]

You may be right...but per your other thread you said that in addition to your experience in June you were also given that information by a CAS phone rep...hardly an unimpeachable source...and it looks like that rep gave you some really bad information about breakfast and lunch still being served in Cagney's on the newest ships.

 

There are passengers who are VIPs for lots of different reasons, and just because something is true for a CAS VIP doesn't automatically make it true for all VIPs...and that's my main point.

 

Not much point being designated "VIP" by the HD on the Epic, GA or BA if you cannot eat breakfast/lunch in the Haven restaurant. I tend to agree with you that if the HD puts you on the VIP list, eating in the Haven restaurant would also be included. On the Epic you do not need a key card to gain access to the Epic Club restaurant. Don't know about GA/BA, never been, certainly have no plans.

[hpecorari]

There are passengers who are VIPs for lots of different reasons, and just because something is true for a CAS VIP doesn't automatically make it true for all VIPs...and that's my main point.

 

Anything is possible!

 

Harriet

Edited May 1, 2014 by hpecorari