New dinning package?

[mekongsailor]

Bye, bye to complimentary dining on cruise ships within the next few years. Step ONE has just been executed by NCL with the fleetwide dining packages. People will start buying the 3 day package and then there will be more changes by NCL to move away from complimentary dining.

 

RCCL is trying to do the same with eliminating the MDR and going to "dynamic dining" - you have to make reservations if you want to eat. Part of that plan is to swipe you sea pass card when you dine. Eventually the swipe will include an attached charge.

 

Soon, your cruise fare will include just a stateroom aboard the ship. Everything will cost extra. I heard a person from a large travel agency recently say the cruise lines are moving toward the "hotel model" for business.

 

We are being "herded" from the "treat yourself to a special meal" into a "pay for all your meals" scenario. Make no mistake about the motives of all cruise lines.

 

For those of us who have cruised over the past 20 years, we soon will have only memories of great affordable "prepaid inclusive (excluding liquor and excursions) vacations".

[Sizzlechest]

Bye, bye to complimentary dining on cruise ships within the next few years. Step ONE has just been executed by NCL with the fleetwide dining packages. People will start buying the 3 day package and then there will be more changes by NCL to move away from complimentary dining.

 

I'm happy with the 3 day UDP package. Quite frankly, I only want 3-4 days of a 7 day cruise to do specialty dining. Making specialty dining a free offer for everybody for the entire cruise may be an attractive marketing idea, but it's horrible in practice. I reserved all my specialty dining in advance. I'd be angry if I got on board and was shut out due to a lack of availability.

[maywell]

Bye, bye to complimentary dining on cruise ships within the next few years. Step ONE has just been executed by NCL with the fleetwide dining packages. People will start buying the 3 day package and then there will be more changes by NCL to move away from complimentary dining.

 

RCCL is trying to do the same with eliminating the MDR and going to "dynamic dining" - you have to make reservations if you want to eat. Part of that plan is to swipe you sea pass card when you dine. Eventually the swipe will include an attached charge.

 

Soon, your cruise fare will include just a stateroom aboard the ship. Everything will cost extra. I heard a person from a large travel agency recently say the cruise lines are moving toward the "hotel model" for business.

 

We are being "herded" from the "treat yourself to a special meal" into a "pay for all your meals" scenario. Make no mistake about the motives of all cruise lines.

 

For those of us who have cruised over the past 20 years, we soon will have only memories of great affordable "prepaid inclusive (excluding liquor and excursions) vacations".

 

I'm sorry but NCL had the dining package for years except this time people can actually pay for a 3 day package for $69 instead of paying the full $140 for 7 days (the old UDP price if you want to eat 3 days out of 7 day vacation). NCL pretty much boosted their bottom line with this new move since most people like doing a mix of MDR, Buffet, O'Sheenan's and specialty restaurants.

 

In the case of Royal, I can only think of 2 things why they are going dynamic dining especially on their larger ships - 1) doing set dining for 6000 people is a nightmare because too many. And 2) customers taste for set dining change - not everyone can do 6 or 8pm dining, some people prefer 5 or 7pm to eat plus not everyone likes the dining mate(s) lotto, sometimes that just turns out bad.

 

Regarding the move from complimentary to pay-for-everything form - That's been happening for years, guess the old guard didn't fight hard enough or even bother to for new generation of cruisers. And now these changes, which have been going on for YEARS are becoming too much for them and are having a uproar how things used to be while the newer ones just shrug and are like 'Whatever'.

 

Sent from my SGH-T399 using Tapatalk

[RLM77]

Only thing I noticed was that if you choose to go to the Italian Restaurant, then might as well go outside this package. Even at 7 days, this is around $20 a day. Italian booked by itself is $17.70. I know, it's only a few dollars, but did find that strange.

 

We enjoy La Cucina but have still purchased the UDP on our last several NCL cruises. Even though you lose a couple bucks on Italian nights, you more than make that up if you reserve 2-3 nights at Cagney's. All-in it's a good deal.

 

We have not been on NCL for the past year, and I do have to say that I was unhappy to see the addition of gratuities to this package. Dining room gratuities are already part of the daily gratuity charge added to everyone's bill. And if you buy the UDP for the entire length of the cruise then your daily charge covers tips for a main dining room waiter that you will never see. That doesn't seem right. We have an NCL cruise coming up this fall; I think I will go to guest services and have a couple dollars per day taken off the standard gratuity charge.

 

I know this will sound cheap to many -- it's not intended to be. There's a principle here. Gratuities are for those who actually provide service -- the better the service the higher the tip. I often give good waiters and cabin stewards extra cash at the end of each cruise as a reward for excellent service. The flip side of that is that I shouldn't need to pay for no service at all.

 

Rich

Edited June 12, 2015 by RLM77

[weebobby]

i suppose it all depends on your expectations vs price you pay.

i only just booked and paid under $900 each including all taxes ( excluding tips) for the Getaway in a balcony cabin for a couple of weeks time including the free drinks package.

if id paid a lot more id expect more....

so now i know i'm only paying for specialty dining ( probably eat special about 3 times so your talking maybe $70 pp ) , will probably avoid the cruise tours , so not much else to pay for if i stick to the rules... maybe internet and the odd thing here and there etc . far less than if i was in Miami for a week eating out , shopping etc etc

Edited June 12, 2015 by weebobby

[William W]

So what's the catch with the Speciality Dining Package? The way I look at it, it seems it is definitely an improvement over the Ultimate Dining Package.

Also, if I were to book a cruise under the current promo for sailing after August 1, would i be getting the Speciality Dining Package or the Ultimate Dining Package? Or essentially, would the Speciality Dining Package REPLACE the Ultimate Dining Package, or would they be running both at the same time?

[Single Cruiser]

It would replace UDP as UDP is effectively the new package for the x nights of your cruise. What it will mean is they can offer a promo say a 3-day package for 7nt , 6-day for 14nt cruises with the option for you to "upgrade". :-)

[wichitastatecruiser]

Just got off the phone with a Norwegian rep:

 

Under the new UDP each place counts as a sitting if your not on the full cruise plan. This means the poster who stated that you could do Cagney's twice and then a place that had the upcharge was correct.

 

Sushi and tapas are AYCE in one sitting, so if you get the 5-6 day package make sure you go hungry so you can get your money's worth if your going to use it as a plan day!

[wichitastatecruiser]

The NCL rep also said there will be changes to the Cagney's menu. It is still included in the UDP, however there will be "higher" cuts of meat on the menu that are offered at a upcharge. I'm suspecting that's where the rumor of a la carte Cagney's was coming from.

[wndmom]

I'm wondering if you can pay the fee to eat at the list of upcharge restaurants and Cirque/Illusionarium with the old UDP. Does anyone know?

[AdrenalineRush]

I'm wondering if you can pay the fee to eat at the list of upcharge restaurants and Cirque/Illusionarium with the old UDP. Does anyone know?

 

Depends on when you sail

 

For sailings on or before July 2nd, 2015

The Ultimate Dining Package (UDP) is available via pre-sell or onboard purchase on days 1-2 of the voyage only. On 3-day sailings, the package is only for sale on day 1. No refunds are available if fewer restaurants are visited. The Ultimate Dining Package is non transferable. An 18% gratuity and specialty service charge will be added to the package price. 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. Carlo’s Bake Shop items, Ice Cream Bar, Gelato, Chef’s Table is not included in the Ultimate Dining Package. The UDP does not include beverages. No Kids pricing, package available for guest 13 and older. Excludes all 1- and 2-day sailings. Includes add-ons in Le Bistro such as Fruit de Mer, Lobster and Cote De Boeuf. The package does not apply to Special Occasion/Holiday menus (New Year’s, Christmas, etc.). Latitudes Platinum Guests will receive a $20 discount on the Ultimate Dining Package (as they receive 1 complimentary dinner in Le Bistro). Additional main courses in Cagney’s and Le Bistro will be charged at $10.00.

 

For Sailings on or after July 3rd, 2015

The Ultimate Dining Package (UDP) is available via pre-sell or onboard purchase on days 1 and 2 of the voyage only. On 3-day sailings the package is only for sale on day 1. No refunds are available if fewer restaurants are visited. The UDP is nontransferable. Reservations are not required for UDP guests, however, tables reserved onboard will be subject to availability for reservations made 24 hours in advance. We encourage you to log in to My NCL to make dining reservations in advance for specific night(s) of your cruise. An 18% gratuity and specialty service charge will be added to the package price. A 25% discount applies to all a la carte and entertainment based dining and select Specialty Restaurants (Not included in the Ultimate Dining Package). These venues include: Sushi, Raw Bar, Food Republic, Hot Rock, Tapas Bar, Noodle Bar, Ocean Blue, Ocean Blue on The Waterfront, The Cellars, The District, Murder Mystery, Cirque Dreams & Dinner, Illusionarium, Supper Club, Wine Lovers, Pajama Jam, Bayamo and Pincho by Jose Garces. The UDP does not include beverages or corresponding gratuity. No kids pricing available for UDP. Excludes all 1 and 2 day sailings. Includes add-ons in Le Bistro such as Fruit de Mer, Lobster and Cote De Boeuf. Does not apply to special occasion/holiday menus (New Year’s, Christmas, etc.). Latitudes Platinum Guests will receive a $20 discount on the UDP (as they receive 1 complimentary dinner in Le Bistro). $10 per each additional main course will be charged in Le Bistro & Cagney’s. Chef’s Table, Jazz Brunch, Carlo’s Bake Shop items, Ice Cream Bar and Gelato are not part of the package.

[garnet115]

Under the new UDP each place counts as a sitting if your not on the full cruise plan. This means the poster who stated that you could do Cagney's twice and then a place that had the upcharge was correct.

 

Does this mean that those who are on the "full cruise plan" for all days of their sailing are free to eat at more than one establishment in a day without penalty? For example: sushi (with the upcharge) for lunch and then Cagney's for dinner?

[KW_Cruisers]

Hi fellow cruisers,

 

Must be I'm missing something, even though my prediction some years ago was that cruise lines would start charging for restaurants. Remember how we are already charged for meals as part of our fare? Remember how we pay an additional "service charge", which was originally shown as gratuities, which is now increased to $12.95 a day for each person over the age of 3, for our servers, etc., as well as the cruise line using some for the benefit of the crew.

 

Specialty Restaurants were then about $20 pp added. Then a package could be purchased to go to all the restaurants for a little bit less than if each was purchased as needed, but folks still paid the whole thing if not dining in a special restaurant each night. Then, gratuities were added to dining package, as those in special restaurants don't share in the service charge amounts already charged for some reason. Now, charges for dining have increased, so it seems like a good deal to pay in advance for dining, in case some want to try to get a special reservation instead of going to the regular dining rooms.

 

Even when they give me a "FREE" UDP for my 12 day cruise, I get to pay an additional $68 in advance to cover gratuities in addition to the service charges I will pay on a daily basis, just in case we've decided to be big tippers and leave 18%, but forget - for our convenience!

 

So, isn't the 3 day at over $60, not much different than paying $20 on days folks decide to dine upscale? Isn't the small increase for added days of over $20 per day added, not really just a small charge? So, sure it's a good deal, but not for everyone, not all the time! Just the spillage (people who for some reason cannot use the service & tip they pay for in advance) is enough to support a 3rd World country. But where do the amounts not used really end up? Could it be the same place the funds are routed for people who cancel too late and then their cabin is sold to someone else, where the airline refunds are routed when people are told they cannot get their money back as they cancelled too late and should have bought 'cancel for any reason' insurance?

Even if they gave me the UBP, I don't think I could drink enough for the cruise line to dazzle me into thinking paying more for everything is really a wonderful idea for all of us, just because we can and should, to pad their bottom line.

 

Specialty Dining Packages are available via pre-sell or onboard purchase on days 1 and 2 of the voyage only. On 3-day sailings, the package is only for sale on day 1. Specialty Dining Packages are not available on 1- and 2-day sailings. An 18% gratuity and specialty service charge will be added to the package price. No kids pricing available. Specialty Dining Packages are non transferable. No refunds are available if fewer restaurants are visited. Carlo's Bake Shop items, Ice Cream Bar, Gelato, Chef's Table, Special Occasion/Holiday menus (New Year's, Christmas, etc.), à la carte priced restaurants, entertainment based restaurants, Bayamo, Ocean Blue restaurants, and beverages are not included as part of Specialty Dining Packages. You may choose to dine in the following venues as part of your Specialty Dining Package for the corresponding upcharges: The Supper Club ($15), Ocean Blue ($15), Bayamo ($10), Cirque Dreams and Illusionarium ($10 regular seats/$15 premium seats/$35 VIP seating on Breakaway), Sushi Bar ($7), Pincho Tapas Bar ($7), and Raw Bar ($7). Specialty Dining Packages include one main course per person at Cagney's and Le Bistro restaurants. Additional main courses will be charged at $10.00

[William W]

The NCL rep also said there will be changes to the Cagney's menu. It is still included in the UDP, however there will be "higher" cuts of meat on the menu that are offered at a upcharge. I'm suspecting that's where the rumor of a la carte Cagney's was coming from.

 

So is this the catch? Previously the Ultimate Dining Plan INCLUDES the Upcharge item, and now the Speciality Dining Plan no longer includes the Upcharge item?

[wichitastatecruiser]

Does this mean that those who are on the "full cruise plan" for all days of their sailing are free to eat at more than one establishment in a day without penalty? For example: sushi (with the upcharge) for lunch and then Cagney's for dinner?

 

Correct, if you buy the plan for all days of the cruise then there is no penalty and you can eat at as many specialty places as you want for the 7 days. Or at least that was the impression that the call rep gave me.

[wichitastatecruiser]

So is this the catch? Previously the Ultimate Dining Plan INCLUDES the Upcharge item, and now the Speciality Dining Plan no longer includes the Upcharge item?

 

I don't know if they will differentiate between the Ultimate Dining Plan and the Specialty Dining Plan. The new menus are not out yet so previously you were charged $10 for an extra entrée. It sounds like the new Cagney's menu will offer "higher" grades/cuts of steak than previously and other items that will incur an extra charge on top of what you already paid. Will have to wait till the new menus are out to see what those options are and what the additional upcharge will be.

[huskerc]

Just got off the phone with a Norwegian rep:

 

Under the new UDP each place counts as a sitting if your not on the full cruise plan. This means the poster who stated that you could do Cagney's twice and then a place that had the upcharge was correct.

I have no problem believing you were told that, but I am skeptical that it is true under the new plans (if you have an old "unlimited" plan, that may be different).

 

Right now under explore & plan -> dining options, I see 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 night options, all with the same description. I don't have options for 3-6 days and then a separate "unlimited" plan. So I take that to mean I am buying 7 sittings. If, in one evening, I go to Cagney's, Le Bistro, and then do 5 upcharges, my interpretation is that my package has been exhausted.

[William W]

I don't know if they will differentiate between the Ultimate Dining Plan and the Specialty Dining Plan. The new menus are not out yet so previously you were charged $10 for an extra entrée. It sounds like the new Cagney's menu will offer "higher" grades/cuts of steak than previously and other items that will incur an extra charge on top of what you already paid. Will have to wait till the new menus are out to see what those options are and what the additional upcharge will be.

 

What I meant is previously the Ultimate Dining Package, includes add-ons in Le Bistro such as Fruit de Mer, Lobster and Cote De Boeuf. So does that mean the NEW Speciality Dining Package excludes these items?

[legion3]

I have no problem believing you were told that, but I am skeptical that it is true under the new plans (if you have an old "unlimited" plan, that may be different).

 

Right now under explore & plan -> dining options, I see 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 night options, all with the same description. I don't have options for 3-6 days and then a separate "unlimited" plan. So I take that to mean I am buying 7 sittings. If, in one evening, I go to Cagney's, Le Bistro, and then do 5 upcharges, my interpretation is that my package has been exhausted.

 

Explain the old unlimited plan?

[huskerc]

Explain the old unlimited plan?

 

Previously, AFAIK, the only dining plan was the "unlimited" dining plan, and it seems people reported being able to eat in multiple venues in the same evening with that plan. To me it does not sound like the new plans allow that, or at least it will count as a "sitting".

[NLH Arizona]

I have no problem believing you were told that, but I am skeptical that it is true under the new plans (if you have an old "unlimited" plan, that may be different).

 

Right now under explore & plan -> dining options, I see 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 night options, all with the same description. I don't have options for 3-6 days and then a separate "unlimited" plan. So I take that to mean I am buying 7 sittings. If, in one evening, I go to Cagney's, Le Bistro, and then do 5 upcharges, my interpretation is that my package has been exhausted.

I'm wondering if they changed "unlimited" to "specialty" to mean that you can go to only one restaurant each day/night, especially since some have recently reported how hard it has become to get into the specialty restaurants on some ships. Maybe it is just me, but I really don't see the necessity to eat at more than one specialty restaurant for dinner each night.

[legion3]

I'm wondering if they changed "unlimited" to "specialty" to mean that you can go to only one restaurant each day/night, especially since some have recently reported how hard it has become to get into the specialty restaurants on some ships. Maybe it is just me, but I really don't see the necessity to eat at more than one specialty restaurant for dinner each night.

 

 

 

 

 

But remember that's you, not everyone moves to the same drummer.

 

I could see eating early at one restaurant (5:30 or so) and later getting something lighter or maybe dessert at another.

 

The Unlimited plan would allow that without much issue, the new one would count as a sitting.

[wichitastatecruiser]

I have no problem believing you were told that, but I am skeptical that it is true under the new plans (if you have an old "unlimited" plan, that may be different).

 

Right now under explore & plan -> dining options, I see 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 night options, all with the same description. I don't have options for 3-6 days and then a separate "unlimited" plan. So I take that to mean I am buying 7 sittings. If, in one evening, I go to Cagney's, Le Bistro, and then do 5 upcharges, my interpretation is that my package has been exhausted.

 

I'm wondering if they changed "unlimited" to "specialty" to mean that you can go to only one restaurant each day/night, especially since some have recently reported how hard it has become to get into the specialty restaurants on some ships. Maybe it is just me, but I really don't see the necessity to eat at more than one specialty restaurant for dinner each night.

 

I think you guys are correct. The rep had to put me on hold several times to clarify things with someone above her and at the end of the call she made sure to indicate that things were subject to change!

[ohiogymrat]

I think you guys are correct. The rep had to put me on hold several times to clarify things with someone above her and at the end of the call she made sure to indicate that things were subject to change!

 

I'm just going to wait until August,when people sailing can give first hand accounts. Far too often the reps get shore side info,that doesn't match ship side reality.

[NLH Arizona]

I think you guys are correct. The rep had to put me on hold several times to clarify things with someone above her and at the end of the call she made sure to indicate that things were subject to change!

I think if this is correct, it certainly makes it better for the passengers trying to get reservations (since passengers wouldn't be taking up seats in two or more restaurants per evening) and better financially for NCL (passengers wouldn't be eating in more than one restaurant per evening). So, IMHO, it makes a lot sense.