New dining up charge press release

[legion3]

Me? And I don't have a La Cucina at home.....do you??

 

Well then it wouldn't be of use to you and would not make financial sense. Pay as you go.

 

Most people are not likely to do Italian 3 or 7 nights. Especially for $15 per person.

 

I have many restaurants in my area that are very similar to La cucina. But No not exactly the same.

 

Its a simple and cheap way to sample the specialty resturants with some prior planning but some will lose $ if they aren't paying attention.

[LrgPizza]

I think this is a good idea for first time cruisers to be able to give the premium restaurant a try but I don't think anybody who's cruised Ncl before is going to get the 3 day because the premium restaurants are so amazing who doesn't want the full Cruise worth?

Me. I've sailed my last 2 cruises with UDP, and I had already stated that I never would again. I might do the 3 meal SDP though, if the price seems right after Escape new dining prices are announced.

[scoochy12]

What if you purchase 5 day SDP for a 7 day cruise......on the other 2 nights are you then able to go to one of the a la carte restaurants and pay the up charge included with the SDP?

 

If so this seems like the way to go.

 

Thank you in advance.

[Sizzlechest]

Well if that's how you feel I respect it. but having tried both the free and for fee restaurants there is absolutely no comparison. it's like comparing Burger King to the melting pot both are good but burger King is no where near the melting pots league

 

The buffet/MDR food on NCL deserves better than to be associated with Burger King. I'm with LrgPizza on that. I've got the UDP on my upcoming cruise because it was included, but I'd rather not do ONLY specialties for the entire cruise.

[NMLady]

Cagney's is still listed in the T&C and not under the a LA carte options .

 

TERMS & CONDITIONS

........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.

 

Thank you for this information about Cagney's.

[legion3]

The buffet/MDR food on NCL deserves better than to be associated with Burger King. I'm with LrgPizza on that. I've got the UDP on my upcoming cruise because it was included, but I'd rather not do ONLY specialties for the entire cruise.

 

Why not?

 

Even if the free food is OK or adequate, technically, since like me you got the UDP, its "free" too. I have the earlier UDP that supposedly had the 18% included and is for all 4 of us . So why not do the specialties? What's the downside?

 

Service? Ambiance?

 

 

Large Pizza didn't like his meals at them, we did. Subjective.

 

The only MDR that looks remotely interesting is the one with dancing.

 

 

I do agree that the BK analogy is quite incorrect. :cool:

[legion3]

What if you purchase 5 day SDP for a 7 day cruise......on the other 2 nights are you then able to go to one of the a la carte restaurants and pay the up charge included with the SDP?

 

If so this seems like the way to go.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Or Bayamo or the supper club for the other two nights.

[hawkeyetlse]

This sounds like filling in the gap between what they had before as the Signature Trio and the new Ultimate Dining.

In fact it looks like the SDP is going to replace the UDP (which according to the Dining Packages page will no longer be offered for sale after July 31, 2015). A lot of people have already bought the UDP for cruises after that date, or gotten it for free as a perk, but I wonder if they will really maintain that package for the next 2 years, or switch all of those people over to the SDP at some point.

[Sizzlechest]

Why not?

 

Even if the free food is OK or adequate, technically, since like me you got the UDP, its "free" too. I have the earlier UDP that supposedly had the 18% included and is for all 4 of us . So why not do the specialties? What's the downside?

 

That's the problem with the UDP. The specialty dining areas weren't designed to handle everyone getting it for "free." The SDP is a better idea since it doesn't create a perverse incentive to overcrowd specialty dining.

[legion3]

In fact it looks like the SDP is going to replace the UDP (which according to the Dining Packages page will no longer be offered for sale after July 31, 2015). A lot of people have already bought the UDP for cruises after that date, or gotten it for free as a perk, but I wonder if they will really maintain that package for the next 2 years, or switch all of those people over to the SDP at some point.

 

How would they switch over those who already paid or got it as a promo? Give them the SDP for the length of their cruise?

[legion3]

That's the problem with the UDP. The specialty dining areas weren't designed to handle everyone getting it for "free." The SDP is a better idea since it doesn't create a perverse incentive to overcrowd specialty dining.

 

Fair enough.

[hpecorari]

That's the problem with the UDP. The specialty dining areas weren't designed to handle everyone getting it for "free." The SDP is a better idea since it doesn't create a perverse incentive to overcrowd specialty dining.

 

The SDP also helps elevate those who 'change their minds' or are 'no shows' as they'll lose that *day* as one they purchased unless they cancel 24 hours or so before.

 

Harriet

[motleyfan]

The buffet/MDR food on NCL deserves better than to be associated with Burger King. I'm with LrgPizza on that. I've got the UDP on my upcoming cruise because it was included, but I'd rather not do ONLY specialties for the entire cruise.

 

Have a burger in the main dining room and then have one at Cagney's and tell me they are exactly the same. the main dining room is still good as are the buffets but Cagney's takes it to a whole new level.

[Sizzlechest]

Have a burger in the main dining room and then have one at Cagney's and tell me they are exactly the same. the main dining room is still good as are the buffets but Cagney's takes it to a whole new level.

 

Two things:

 

1. If I paid $30 for specialty dining, I'm sure as heck not ordering a hamburger. I guess I'll never know.
   
2. Cagney's is the most overrated thing I've ever seen. I cannot believe how much people rave about it. I guess it's a good thing as it funnels people away from the superior Le Bisto and Moderno leaving prime-time reservations available for me.
   

[Baatman]

I like it. 3 nights specialty dining during a 7 night cruise sounds about right for us.

 

That would work for us as well.

[LrgPizza]

What if you purchase 5 day SDP for a 7 day cruise......on the other 2 nights are you then able to go to one of the a la carte restaurants and pay the up charge included with the SDP?

 

If so this seems like the way to go.

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Or Bayamo or the supper club for the other two nights.

It's my understanding that the "upcharge" for the a la carte restaurants, Bayamo, Supper Club, etc. is just that: an upcharge. If you choose one of those, it would count as one of your SDP meals, but you also pay the additional fee that's listed for that venue.

[luv2cruisecats]

We will be on the Escape 10 day T/A in October and will have 2 (or 3?) free meals at Le Bistro level or below because of our Platinum status. Having 3 additional meals in a specialty restaurant is perfect for us when combined with our UBP perk (which we rebooked to get).

 

We just got off the Getaway last week and had 2 free meals at Le Bistro and paid the $70 to eat a fantastic filet in Cagney's so looking forward to this in October. NCL will sell a lot of these packages and make very good margins on them and simultaneously offering cruisers great flexibility!

[legion3]

It's my understanding that the "upcharge" for the a la carte restaurants, Bayamo, Supper Club, etc. is just that: an upcharge. If you choose one of those, it would count as one of your SDP meals, but you also pay the additional fee that's listed for that venue.

 

What?

 

So if the fee is say $39 to Bayamo , under the SDP you would pay 39 + 10 upcharge?

 

What's the additional fee listed?

[JOLTnPEST]

What?

 

So if the fee is say $39 to Bayamo , under the SDP you would pay 39 + 10 upcharge?

 

What's the additional fee listed?

 

If you had a 3 day plan 1 day would be used if you went to bayamo. They would charge you 10 dollars more for dining at bayamo and you wouldn't be able to eat at another specialty restaurant that night.

[legion3]

If you had a 3 day plan 1 day would be used if you went to bayamo. They would charge you 10 dollars more for dining at bayamo and you wouldn't be able to eat at another specialty restaurant that night.

 

Yeah that's what I thought too. A bill for $10.

 

What is this additional fee listed stuff large pizza mentioned?

[legion3]

I see what pizza is saying...I misunderstood, he is saying what you are saying.

 

Its all good.

 

:cool:

[hpecorari]

I see what pizza is saying...I misunderstood, he is saying what you are saying.

 

Its all good.

 

:cool:

 

He's a she :)

 

Harriet

[mkm1998]

If you had a 3 day plan 1 day would be used if you went to bayamo. They would charge you 10 dollars more for dining at bayamo and you wouldn't be able to eat at another specialty restaurant that night.

 

Has it been confirmed that this new dining plan is only 1 meal per day? I'm so confused.

 

Doing a 7 day Epic cruise in November. Originally thought I would get the UDP, but now I'm wondering if I should hold out on the SDP, or only get it for a few days. I get that if I want to eat at La Cucina, better to book that on it's on, and THEN purchased the SDP so as to not have that count towards the SDP days. I hear stories about having trouble getting reservations once on board, so now I have to try and figure out what time and meals I want to have 3 months out. I guess it's the same as when I last went to Disney World, haha.

 

Oh well, that's why the Honeymoon is 3 weeks long. Got the other 2 weeks off of the cruise to relax and eat where we'd like without have to plan everything out.

[legion3]

He's a she :)

 

Harriet

 

I see what she is saying. :cool:

[LrgPizza]

Yeah that's what I thought too. A bill for $10.

 

What is this additional fee listed stuff large pizza mentioned?

So on my 10 night cruise, I will not be able to buy the 3 meal SDP, and then eat the other 7 nights in Bayamo for just $10 each time. It doesn't work that way. It's called an upcharge for a reason.

 

If I bought the 3 day SDP, it works out to be $23.21 per meal. If I go to Bayamo, I'm paying the additional $10 bill, for a total of $33.21 (once you add in what has already been paid), so still a savings. Then I would have 2 days left to eat elsewhere.

 

Sushi is the same way, which was the reason for my original response to the person that thought they could eat sushi all week for just $7 each time. You pay $7 on top of the $23.21 you've already paid for that meal. So all-u-can-eat sushi for $30.31, then 2 meals left to eat elsewhere.

Edited June 18, 2015 by LrgPizza