NCL platinum level free specialty ding question

[Biffire]

I tried searching for any previous threads, but did not find what I needed.

My wife and I finally made it to Platinum level. We just booked our first Post pandemic cruise. We are going to Bermuda from NYC on Sept 26.

My TA did my booking and I am seeing the free at sea 2 nights specialty dining perk.

What do I have to do to get the 2 free nights of dining from my Platinum status?

How do I go about taking advantage of that perk?

Thanks in advance for some advice.

 

[KeithJenner]

You will have a voucher in your latitudes pack (folded piece of paper) in your cabin. When you go to the restaurant you let the server know that you will be using the voucher and hand it over to them.

 

You are a little more restricted than the dining package meals, as you are officially limited to one starter, one entree and one desert, although whether they actually enforce that depends.

 

You can reserve the meal in the usual way in advance. Just remember that the online reservation system isn't aware of these meals, so make sure that you book any fixed price meals first, so that you don't get charged when booking (as you have the dining package).

Edited July 8, 2021 by KeithJenner

[Biffire]

Thanks Keith,

I knew there was a system, but since we are new to Platinum, had not used it yet. I appreciate the super quick answer!

BK

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Biffire said:

I tried searching for any previous threads, but did not find what I needed.

My wife and I finally made it to Platinum level. We just booked our first Post pandemic cruise. We are going to Bermuda from NYC on Sept 26.

My TA did my booking and I am seeing the free at sea 2 nights specialty dining perk.

What do I have to do to get the 2 free nights of dining from my Platinum status?

How do I go about taking advantage of that perk?

Thanks in advance for some advice.

 

Make your reservations for your two Platinum and two Free at Sea meals as soon as possible. If times are sold out, book as soon as you embark.

 

Your platinum vouchers are in your room on embarkation. Your two Free at Sea meals will be on your account and printed on your key. 

You can also stop at the CruiseNext desk on embarkation day to book your behind the scenes tour.  

 

[ClevelandCruisin]

So you'll get 4 free dinners. Enjoy! 

 

The voucher shown above will be in your room when you board. Just bring it with you and they will take the voucher. You will still need reservations at the restaurants.

 

The waiters will let you pick any entree up to $35, along with an appetizer and dessert, side. Any confusion they will fill you in.

[Biffire]

Bird Travels and Cleveland Cruisin  Thank you for your replies.

I have asked my TA to make the dining reservations, she said she will do so when final payment is due 7/26.

BK

 

 

[hallux]

53 minutes ago, Biffire said:

she said she will do so when final payment is due 7/26.

I wish her luck in booking the times you want.  NCL opens reservations to everyone at 120 days before sailing.  If you're not right on top of things you may not get the slots you want.  It's notable, though, that NCL only opens a fraction of the slots at that time with the rest opening on embarkation day.

[All-ready2cruise]

4 hours ago, Biffire said:

 

I have asked my TA to make the dining reservations, she said she will do so when final payment is due 7/26.

BK

 

 

If your TA can not book the times you want, do not despair.  When  you arrive at port, you may be able to book them using the app in the cruise terminal or you will have downloaded on your phone or when you board and go the appropriate venue to book additional venues. (different ships, different venues). So many different options.  

[NW Pacific]

Platinum Dinners are now, 2 per cabin, even if both people are Platinum and Platinum Plus, this changed a couple years ago I believe.

[BirdTravels]

5 hours ago, Biffire said:

Bird Travels and Cleveland Cruisin  Thank you for your replies. I have asked my TA to make the dining reservations, she said she will do so when final payment is due 7/26.

BK

So,,, time to get a new TA.

 

Dining reservations open 120 days prior to departure and prime time dining sells out very quickly. You should book as close to 120 days out as possible. If the days/times you want are not available, you have waited too long. Book them as soon as you embark (NCL holds [a lot] of tables for onboard booking]), because prime time dining will sell out on board too.

 

Note: We always just book our own reservations online.  

[KeithJenner]

3 hours ago, NW Pacific said:

Platinum Dinners are now, 2 per cabin, even if both people are Platinum and Platinum Plus, this changed a couple years ago I believe.

For a couple who are both platinum it has always been 2 meals. That seems to be what the OP is expecting.

[KeithJenner]

8 hours ago, Biffire said:

Bird Travels and Cleveland Cruisin  Thank you for your replies.

I have asked my TA to make the dining reservations, she said she will do so when final payment is due 7/26.

BK

As others have mentioned, your TA doing this is not ideal. Is there a reason why you don’t do it yourself online?

 

I suspect that the platinum meals would complicate this for your TA. The chances of them coming back to you and saying that either you can’t book the platinum meals in advance, or that you need to make a payment to reserve one are very high. The chances of them getting the times and restaurants you want are low.

 

If you can do it yourself then I would certainly recommend doing so. I’m not aware of any restriction on booking your own meals when using a TA.

[230462]

I am having an issue with this! Have a cruise booked out of Athens in October with 2x Free at Sea dining and 2x Speciality Dining options as per our Platinum Plus status. Have been told (by three different members of the customer services team) that it is no longer possible to book Platinum Plus entitlement until we embark the ship. This will necessitate standing in a queue the moment that I get on board - which is not what I want! Previously, I have always been able to pre-book all dining requirements as per the 120 day rule. I have queried the issue with NCL but to no avail. They seem unable (or more likely unwilling) to address this problem and it seems impossible to escalate the query (as to why NCL have seen fit to change their previous policy) up the line. 

 

Any ideas welcome!

[hallux]

@230462 as long as you pre-book any flat-rate restaurants (Teppanyaki being one) FIRST, then you can pre-book all the a-la-carte venues you want and pay nothing up front.  You then tell the server how you're paying - out of pocket (well, your on-board account), Platinum certificate or dining perk - when you sit down.

[KeithJenner]

15 minutes ago, 230462 said:

I am having an issue with this! Have a cruise booked out of Athens in October with 2x Free at Sea dining and 2x Speciality Dining options as per our Platinum Plus status. Have been told (by three different members of the customer services team) that it is no longer possible to book Platinum Plus entitlement until we embark the ship. This will necessitate standing in a queue the moment that I get on board - which is not what I want! Previously, I have always been able to pre-book all dining requirements as per the 120 day rule. I have queried the issue with NCL but to no avail. They seem unable (or more likely unwilling) to address this problem and it seems impossible to escalate the query (as to why NCL have seen fit to change their previous policy) up the line. 

 

Any ideas welcome!

Just ignore them and book the meals online.

 

Being told by NCL staff that you can’t book platinum meals is not a new thing. People have been told that for ages.

 

I suspect what they are getting confused about is that you have never been able to book a restaurant specifically as your platinum meals, so they are technically correct. However you can reserve a restaurant in the normal way and then decide to use your platinum voucher at the time.

Edited July 9, 2021 by KeithJenner

[JerseyGem]

Write your cabin number on the back of your Platinum Dining Vouchers.  We had an incident on the BA (now several years ago) where the hostess said  (after our meal) that we had not given her the voucher, so we would be charged for the meal.  I asked to see the stack of vouchers and found ours- with our cabin number on the back.  She had given the free meal to the table next to ours.  

[Biffire]

I tried to book the reservations online. Got a pop up there was a problem. I called the Customer service number and spoke with a women named Stephanie. She made reservations for all 4 nights, including my Platinum meals, at anytime I wanted. No issues. She was so helpful and pleasant to deal with. I checked my vacation summary and the reservations are there. Thanks to everyone for the advice. JerseyGem, I will write the room number on the voucher, Thanks

[FLAHAM]

No need to stand on line.  Most NCL ships have electronic boards around the ship that will take your reservations.  You can also reserve through your cabin TV.  You can also reserve aboard using the NCL app on your phone.

[ChiefMateJRK]

56 minutes ago, FLAHAM said:

Most NCL ships have electronic boards around the ship that will take your reservations.  You can also reserve through your cabin TV.  You can also reserve aboard using the NCL app on your phone.

Can those all be used for specialty restaurants?

[hallux]

1 minute ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Can those all be used for specialty restaurants?

Yes they can.  Can also be used for entertainment and other kinds of reservations.

[ngrund]

when using the platinum voucher, how is any gratuity handled? (charge to room or should I bring cash)

[debenson0723]

2 hours ago, ngrund said:

when using the platinum voucher, how is any gratuity handled? (charge to room or should I bring cash)

I just charge mine to my room. 

[The Traveling Man]

On 7/8/2021 at 9:44 PM, NW Pacific said:

Platinum Dinners are now, 2 per cabin, even if both people are Platinum and Platinum Plus, this changed a couple years ago I believe.

The change occurred in February 2017 at the same time NCL revamped the Latitudes program to include the new categories of Platinum Plus and Ambassador.

[MeHeartCruising]

20 hours ago, ngrund said:

when using the platinum voucher, how is any gratuity handled? (charge to room or should I bring cash)

 

We were still given a itemized check to sign at the end of our meal when we used our vouchers.  The balance was $0 due to the voucher.  But the check still had a place where you could optionally add a gratuity and have it charged to your room.  You could also leave cash, I'm sure.

Edited July 12, 2021 by MeHeartCruising

[ngrund]

2 hours ago, MeHeartCruising said:

 

We were still given a itemized check to sign at the end of our meal when we used our vouchers.  The balance was $0 due to the voucher.  But the check still had a place where you could optionally add a gratuity and have it charged to your room.  You could also leave cash, I'm sure.

Thanks, after I posted I realized that there would still probably be a bill to sign-

This will be on the new Prima so maybe they will be paperless