Question on Dining Reservations

[Cruiser933]

This will be my first time on NCL and I want to be ready when my dining reservations open. We are sailing with another couple with a separate cabin and booking #. When I make dining reservations, will I only be able to make the reservation for the 2 people in my cabin, or can I make a reservation for all 4 of us? Do I our bookings need to be linked to make dining reservations together? Thanks!

[KeithJenner]

You can make bookings for more people than are in your cabin.

 

You don't tell NCL who will be eating, just the number of people, so there is no requirement for you to have any link with the people who are joining you.

Edited May 21, 2016 by KeithJenner

[timberlysmom]

I'm going to piggy-back this post instead of making a new one... My question was halfway the same, we're sailing with people in 2 other rooms and want to make reservations together at Teppanyaki for the 10 of us. I think I've read about people paying the surcharge when making reservations - is that correct? I don't mind to front the cash, but know my in-laws will insist on trying to pay us back...sometimes it's easier to just leave everyone on separate checks if possible.

Thanks!! :)

[SAPMAN]

OK, I may be trying to be too precise.... but about what time of the day on the 90 days prior to embarkation do the reservations for dinner open up. With so many perks being dining, it may be a rush to get reservations. And with "around the Mediterranean" routes with 2 embarkations over the week, many will get on board 4 days before us (on a 7 day cruise) and will have their reservation window open up ahead of us.

 

Also do show reservations open up the same time? Are there some shows that do not offer reservations or only offer them once on board.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

OK, I may be trying to be too precise.... but about what time of the day on the 90 days prior to embarkation do the reservations for dinner open up. With so many perks being dining, it may be a rush to get reservations. And with "around the Mediterranean" routes with 2 embarkations over the week, many will get on board 4 days before us (on a 7 day cruise) and will have their reservation window open up ahead of us.

 

Also do show reservations open up the same time? Are there some shows that do not offer reservations or only offer them once on board.

 

 

I don't know the precise time of day at 90 days prior to sailing they open, but they've been open when I log on in the morning the window opens. Yes, shows open up at that time as well. Also you can pre-purchase the weekly spa pass at that time. You didn't say what ship you're on (I assume Epic since there are multiple embarkation ports), so I'll use Epic as an example since that's the last ship I was on...the shows that take reservations will be Cirque, Burn the Floor, and Priscilla Queen of the Desert. The other shows, like Howl at the Moon, you don't reserve.

 

Suite passengers will be able to make their reservations at 100 days, so there's some extra pain for you. ;) But, they don't make the entire capacity reservable prior to boarding so if you don't get what you want, make that a priority when you're on board. If everything's booked when you're on board, remember that even though there were people on before you who booked them up, you'll be on board before the next group and will have first chance of reserving shows when they open them for that second part of your cruise. I'm boarding the Epic in Rome next year--like you, I'm joining several days into what they consider the beginning of the cruise (Barcelona), so it'll be interesting to see how it all works. I'm hoping Priscilla will still be the show! Loved that!

Edited June 11, 2016 by Quilting_Cruiser

[esm54687]

OK, I may be trying to be too precise.... but about what time of the day on the 90 days prior to embarkation do the reservations for dinner open up. With so many perks being dining, it may be a rush to get reservations. And with "around the Mediterranean" routes with 2 embarkations over the week, many will get on board 4 days before us (on a 7 day cruise) and will have their reservation window open up ahead of us.

 

Also do show reservations open up the same time? Are there some shows that do not offer reservations or only offer them once on board.

 

Reservations are typically available to be made shortly after 12am ET (Miami, Fl) on the 90th day.... not sure how international reservations are handled

[NMLady]

We have a 5 meal SDP but hubby and I also each have Platinum perk dinner.

Is there a way when reserving online to differentiate which reservations are the perk and which are SDP?

[KeithJenner]

We have a 5 meal SDP but hubby and I also each have Platinum perk dinner.

 

Is there a way when reserving online to differentiate which reservations are the perk and which are SDP?

 

 

 

Not online, no. When you go to the restaurant and hand them the platinum voucher they will know not to use a dining credit.

 

However, when making your reservations, make sure that you book the non a la carte ones first. You won't be charged for your first five bookings, and there is no charge for reserving a la carte.

 

If you do it the wrong way round then you will be charged for the likes of Moderno and have to try to get a refund onboard.

[oregonian123]

You can make bookings for more people than are in your cabin.

 

You don't tell NCL who will be eating, just the number of people, so there is no requirement for you to have any link with the people who are joining you.

 

 

If 2 people in your cabin will pay for their meals and the 2 in the other cabin have the SDP, do you pay for the first 2 when you make the reservation or do you sign for it when you actually dine?

[KeithJenner]

If 2 people in your cabin will pay for their meals and the 2 in the other cabin have the SDP, do you pay for the first 2 when you make the reservation or do you sign for it when you actually dine?

 

 

 

As long as the person who makes the booking has meals left unbooked on their package then they don't pay anything in advance, regardless of the number of people in the booking.

 

However, if the person making the booking doesn't have the package then they will have to pay upfront for everyone, even if the people they are booking for do have the package.

 

I think that makes sense

[KeithJenner]

By the way, all my responses are based on booking online. It may be possible to get more flexible options if phoning. I've only ever made reservations online.

[oregonian123]

As long as the person who makes the booking has meals left unbooked on their package then they don't pay anything in advance, regardless of the number of people in the booking.

 

However, if the person making the booking doesn't have the package then they will have to pay upfront for everyone, even if the people they are booking for do have the package.

 

I think that makes sense

 

Thank, yes, I understand that, when booking online, the couple with the SDP should book for all 4 of us and will not have to pay anything up front for any of us.

Thanks for your help.

[NMLady]

Not online, no. When you go to the restaurant and hand them the platinum voucher they will know not to use a dining credit.

 

However, when making your reservations, make sure that you book the non a la carte ones first. You won't be charged for your first five bookings, and there is no charge for reserving a la carte.

 

If you do it the wrong way round then you will be charged for the likes of Moderno and have to try to get a refund onboard.

 

Thank you. I was hoping to be able to do it all online. Guess not. But I will book the 5 SDP online in order to hopefully get the times we want. Will then onboard book the two platinum perks. That should work.

 

Last time we reserved all onboard, telling clerk whether it will be voucher or SDP, then giving restaurant the voucher for the perk meals. That worked but we couldn't always get the early dining time we wanted.

 

We don't do a la carte and we never eat at Moderno. Having eaten at a real churrascaria in Rio de Janeiro spoiled us for anything else.

Edited June 12, 2016 by NMLady

[mal&jason]

This will be my first time on NCL and I want to be ready when my dining reservations open. We are sailing with another couple with a separate cabin and booking #. When I make dining reservations, will I only be able to make the reservation for the 2 people in my cabin, or can I make a reservation for all 4 of us? Do I our bookings need to be linked to make dining reservations together? Thanks!

 

Are you on the Sept 18th Epic sailing? I just made our 100 days out reservations (we're in the Haven) Thursday night. The reservations were not available immediately at midnight EST, it took about 25 minutes later. Those were a long 25 minutes as I had been waiting all day for 10pm MST!

 

I did not know the advice about making the non-a-la-carte restaurants first. Therefore, I spoke to NCL the next day and they told me to make those reservations when I got on board through the concierge.

 

I can tell you that Cagney's for the first night filled up very fast. For some reason La Cucina on Sept 22nd was also very full and we ended up with a 9pm reservation.

 

Lastly, the system is a little wonky so if it doesn't go through right away, have patience.

 

See you aboard!

:-)

Mallory

[robert933]

We have two couples travelling, each got the four SDP promo. If I am understanding this correctly, we can each make reservations for four for two of the meals. That way the system will see that the SDP has meals to cover the reservation. Is this right?

[KeithJenner]

We have two couples travelling, each got the four SDP promo. If I am understanding this correctly, we can each make reservations for four for two of the meals. That way the system will see that the SDP has meals to cover the reservation. Is this right?

 

 

 

No. Each of the couples could theoretically make four bookings for four people (although you would of course not have enough credits to actually cover them).

 

One person can make all four of your bookings though. The system just wants the person booking to have enough credits for their meals. It just assumes that everyone else also has the package and charges them onboard otherwise.

[robert933]

No. Each of the couples could theoretically make four bookings for four people (although you would of course not have enough credits to actually cover them).

 

One person can make all four of your bookings though. The system just wants the person booking to have enough credits for their meals. It just assumes that everyone else also has the package and charges them onboard otherwise.

 

Thank you for clarifying. We are days away from booking dining and getting excited!

[SeaThruU]

I'm going to piggy-back this post instead of making a new one... My question was halfway the same, we're sailing with people in 2 other rooms and want to make reservations together at Teppanyaki for the 10 of us. I think I've read about people paying the surcharge when making reservations - is that correct? I don't mind to front the cash, but know my in-laws will insist on trying to pay us back...sometimes it's easier to just leave everyone on separate checks if possible.

 

Thanks!! :)

 

 

We just sailed a week ago on the Getaway with 10 people. I made reservations online the day they opened , but had to book 6 on one reservation and 4 on another of our group's reservations. I called and they told me they can't reserve tables for 10. So, when we boarded, I went around to each restaurant that we had reservations for and combined the 6 and 4 into 1 table for 10.

[timberlysmom]

We just sailed a week ago on the Getaway with 10 people. I made reservations online the day they opened , but had to book 6 on one reservation and 4 on another of our group's reservations. I called and they told me they can't reserve tables for 10. So, when we boarded, I went around to each restaurant that we had reservations for and combined the 6 and 4 into 1 table for 10.

 

Thanks for the info!

[punkincc]

Thank you. I was hoping to be able to do it all online. Guess not. But I will book the 5 SDP online in order to hopefully get the times we want. Will then onboard book the two platinum perks. That should work.

 

Last time we reserved all onboard, telling clerk whether it will be voucher or SDP, then giving restaurant the voucher for the perk meals. That worked but we couldn't always get the early dining time we wanted.

 

We don't do a la carte and we never eat at Moderno. Having eaten at a real churrascaria in Rio de Janeiro spoiled us for anything else.

 

I'm not understanding why you think you have to wait until you are onboard to book your Platinum dinners. Go ahead and book your SDP dinners, and then make reservations for your Platinum nights, which must either be at Le Bistro or La Cucina, both a la carte restaurants. Therefore you are charged zero at booking as they do not know what your actual charges will be. On those nights, you present your Platinum vouchers, and no charges will be incurred. It is not necessary to specify that you are using Platinum vouchers at booking. This is all sorted out at the restaurant.