Dining Question

[LovetheCubs]

So this maybe a silly question but here goes!

I can purchase speciality dining for so many nights of my cruise. If I choose to do this how does it work? I understand there are only certain restaurants you can dine at if you do not have speciality dining. Just saw where Margaritiville is now considered speciality on the Escape. My husband is a HUGE Jimmy Buffett fan and would love to eat here. The NCL people said it was an al la carte restaurant. So I buy a specialty package to eat here THEN I have to pay for the food too? Is that how it all works? What about other specialty restaurants?

Thanks for your help!!

[takeadip]

if its a la cart the dining pkg does not apply....so ive heard....

[SNJCruisers]

So this maybe a silly question but here goes!

I can purchase speciality dining for so many nights of my cruise. If I choose to do this how does it work? I understand there are only certain restaurants you can dine at if you do not have speciality dining. Just saw where Margaritiville is now considered speciality on the Escape. My husband is a HUGE Jimmy Buffett fan and would love to eat here. The NCL people said it was an al la carte restaurant. So I buy a specialty package to eat here THEN I have to pay for the food too? Is that how it all works? What about other specialty restaurants?

Thanks for your help!!

If you purchase specialty dining package, it can be for as few as 3 or as many as the entire length of your cruise. For instance, a 3 night package is 59.00, plus 18% gratuity. On the Escape, this would include dinners at Cagneys, La Cucina, Le Bistro, Moderno and Teppanyaki, all without an additonal surcharge. If you do not have the package, then the first three are a la carte and Moderno is 24.95 and Teppanyaki 29.95, each plus 18%.

Bayamo and the Supper club have an upcharge of 15.00 each (+18%) and Pincho's upcharge is 7.00 (+18%).

Hope this is a little less confusing for you. Margaritaville is now a la carte and the reports are now it's usually empty, as opposed to it was jammed packed when it was free. Food Republic is a la carte as well.

[KeithJenner]

if its a la cart the dining pkg does not apply....so ive heard....

 

 

That's not quite correct. Cagneys, la Cucina and Le bistro are all a la carte on the Esxape and are included in the dining package. They are going a la carte fleet wide now, so this will apply to all ships soon.

 

Places like food republic and Margaritaville aren't included, and most people wouldn't want them to be as the cost to eat there is very likely to be less than the per meal cost of the SDP (of course if the package was a perk then this will be less of an issue).

 

I'd recommend anyone considering buying the SDP to consider how many meals they require quite carefully before buying it.

Edited January 9, 2016 by KeithJenner

[hawkeyetlse]

So I buy a specialty package to eat here THEN I have to pay for the food too? Is that how it all works? What about other specialty restaurants?

There are three different types of à la carte restaurants at the moment. One type is fully included in the package: You go there and use up one of your package meals and don't pay anything extra. On the Escape, these restaurants include Cagney's, La Bistro and La Cucina. The second type is only partially included: You can go and use on of your meals, but you still have to pay a cover charge on top of that. It's like a copay… :rolleyes: You can find the list of restaurants and cover charges here.

 

The third type of à la carte venue is just not included at all, and you don't get any sort of discount with the SDP. Apparently Food Republic is like this, and maybe Margaritaville, too?

 

I would not be surprised if they try to simplify this system in the future, because it is needlessly complicated. Unfortunately, I think they will simplify it by extending the "copay" model to the restaurants that are currently fully included.

[KeithJenner]

As I see it, the reason why food republic and Margaritaville shouldn't be (and currently aren't) included in the dining package is that most meals there don't cost as much as the daily cost for the package. They are not the sort of place where you need to have a full meal. I went to food republic three times on the Escape and never spent more than $15. Given the prices, the same would apply for Margaritaville.

 

That's not to say that you couldn't spend that, but I suspect most people dont.

[asctony]

Based upon what I have read here, it can be very confusing for people to determine if their UDP covers this or that. NCL needs to do something about this soon. I have the UDP and would not want to think that I enter a place and then find out that I must pay an additional cost. I assume that NCL would post this somewhere on the ship before you enter that specific venue.

We are on the Escape next month and will go to these restaurants Cagney's, La Bistro and La Cucina. I can just imagine those who find out after the fact. OMG, now I have to wash dishes. LOL

[hawkeyetlse]

At this point they are not going to post anything about the UDP. As far as they are concerned, this is an annoying footnote that they have to deal with for an ever decreasing number of customers for the next couple of years. My advice for anyone who still has cruises booked with this package is to ask ahead of time before entering any restaurant if you are not absolutely sure if or how they will honor the package if you eat there.

 

If it turns out that one place won't honor your UDP in the way you expected, then don't go there. You can whip out your terms and conditions and make a big stink, or you can eat somewhere else and save yourself the headache. You are still getting a better deal on specialty dining than everyone else on board.

 

For the SDP, this is still a current product, but my advice is acgtually still the same: ask first to avoid unpleasant misunderstandings after the fact.

Edited January 9, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[TrumpyNor]

Everything you need to know regarding the specialty dining package:

https://www.ncl.com/specialty-dining-package/faq

Edited January 9, 2016 by TrumpyNor

[asctony]

Is there a difference between the SDP and UDP? Or, are we using that interchangeably?

 

'ARE ANY MENU ITEMS EXCLUDED FROM SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGES?

 

No, all items listed on the menus are included in the package. Additional entrée charges also apply for dining at Cagney’s Steakhouse and Le Bistro.'

 

Based upon this statement - you only pay an additional charge if you order an additional entree.

Edited January 9, 2016 by asctony

[hawkeyetlse]

There are differences between UDP and SDP, especially with respect to à la carte venues, but whether the staff on board are aware of these differences, in my experience that is very uncertain.

 

The $10 extra charge for an additional entree is applicable to both UDP and SDP meals, but it only applies in Le Bistro and Cagney's, maybe La Cucina? (not sure about Teppanyaki, if you ask for two orders of meat)

 

For the venues that have always been à la carte (sushi, tapas, etc.) the SDP has a cover charge and the UDP offers a discount, but people have reported that the staff sometimes has no clue about the discount, so you either get the SDP pricing :) or you pay full price :(

[Oxo]

There are differences between UDP and SDP, especially with respect to à la carte venues, but whether the staff on board are aware of these differences, in my experience that is very uncertain.

 

The $10 extra charge for an additional entree is applicable to both UDP and SDP meals, but it only applies in Le Bistro and Cagney's, maybe La Cucina? (not sure about Teppanyaki, if you ask for two orders of meat)

 

For the venues that have always been à la carte (sushi, tapas, etc.) the SDP has a cover charge and the UDP offers a discount, but people have reported that the staff sometimes has no clue about the discount, so you either get the SDP pricing :) or you pay full price :(

 

This sure don't sound like they know what they are doing. If they don't know, how will we know? Total confusion.

[hawkeyetlse]

What I wrote was based on what people have reported here over several months. When you are actually on board, they typically have their story straight and they will give you a clear answer if you ask them. It may not be the answer you wanted, and in that case you can go over their heads if you have the time/energy.

[DMH15]

So this maybe a silly question but here goes!

I can purchase speciality dining for so many nights of my cruise. If I choose to do this how does it work? I understand there are only certain restaurants you can dine at if you do not have speciality dining. Just saw where Margaritiville is now considered speciality on the Escape. My husband is a HUGE Jimmy Buffett fan and would love to eat here. The NCL people said it was an al la carte restaurant. So I buy a specialty package to eat here THEN I have to pay for the food too? Is that how it all works? What about other specialty restaurants?

Thanks for your help!!

 

You should consider Margaritaville a separate issue. Maybe go there for appetizers?

 

I never miss Le Bistro. If you enjoy variety the SDP is a good bet.

 

BTW, Love your screen name. I never miss a CUBS game. Especially when Jake pitches. He is married to my niece. Last year I totally messed up and was on a cruise for opening day. Not this year!

[asctony]

Everything you need to know regarding the specialty dining package:

https://www.ncl.com/specialty-dining-package/faq

 

Is there a link for the UDP?

[TrumpyNor]

Is there a link for the UDP?

 

Here it is:

https://www.ncl.com/udp/faq

[SNJCruisers]

We are on the Escape next month and will go to these restaurants Cagney's, La Bistro and La Cucina.

Sure hope you have your reservations all lined up.

[asctony]

Sure hope you have your reservations all lined up.

 

Sorry to say, NO, we don't have reservations lined up. Is it too late?

'Reservations are not required for UDP guests, however, tables reserved onboard will be subject to availability for reservations made 24 hours in advance'

Edited January 10, 2016 by asctony

[nanwel]

Thank you for the info - now just to read it all and understand it before we board, and see if we want to prebook for any of our meals.

Hard to know what to do - I hate to prebook, then no one in our group wants to eat at that time or place that day. Too tired from the beach, or want to eat later etc. How do you pre plan every minute, and still relax and enjoy with out constantly saying = ok, now we have to be...... I hate that! Feel like I am ordering everyone around.

[hawkeyetlse]

'Reservations are not required for UDP guests, however, tables reserved onboard will be subject to availability for reservations made 24 hours in advance'

Does anyone know what this sentence from the terms & conditions is supposed to mean? :confused:

 

The terms used to say:

Reservations are not required however table availability will be guaranteed for Ultimate Dining Package guests with 24-hour advance reservation.

But evidently they were unable to honor this guarantee, so they decided to replace this sentence with gobbledegook instead.

 

I would recommend reservations, especially for larger groups. It's the same as eating at a popular restaurant at home. You can't expect to be able to walk in at any time and be seated right away without a reservation.

Edited January 10, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[asctony]

Thank you for the info - now just to read it all and understand it before we board, and see if we want to prebook for any of our meals.

Hard to know what to do - I hate to prebook, then no one in our group wants to eat at that time or place that day. Too tired from the beach, or want to eat later etc. How do you pre plan every minute, and still relax and enjoy with out constantly saying = ok, now we have to be...... I hate that! Feel like I am ordering everyone around.

 

Like you said - so much to read and even then a lot of confusion. SDP compare to UDP. Different pricing in the SRs. Cruise on all the other lines and have not been on NCL in over 20 years. So, this will be like our first NCL cruise. It will be an experience. One that we will enjoy since it will be totally different from Celebrity, Costa, HAL, MSC, Princess and RCI. Thanks for all your help on this forum!

[Huntingdon1701]

Reservations are a good idea for Le Bistro, Teppanyaki and probably Cagney's. Moderno and La Cucina you can probably be more flexible with.

[mlmalone3]

You guys sound like you know the drill with NCL. We are first timers to the freestyle dining. We normally enjoy our dining room experiences. We do have $200 onboard credit to use in June/July while we cruise Alaska. So can we just get a reservation for the place we want, to give the specialty dining a try? Reservations, I assume are accepted after final payment is made.

[vince_g]

Mimalone,

 

You cannot use your OBC before you sail, so you would have to pay if you wanted to reserve online prior to your cruise. You can reserve around 90 days from sailing.

Edited January 10, 2016 by vince_g

[mlmalone3]

Thank you for the heads up!