How does the "Free At Sea" specialty dinners work? What is included?

[CCJack]

We are on the Joy next September.   Does anyone know if the specialty restaurants are open for lunch on "at sea" days.   If so, can you use your "free at Sea" specialty meal for lunch then eat at the MDR for dinner?    Would the menus be the same for specialty venues at lunch vs. dinner?

 

thanks.

 

[Biffire]

2 hours ago, Ellis1138 said:

I tried looking but haven't seen how the Free At Sea Dining applies to Moderno, since that one doesn't generally have the appetizer, salad, etc.

Graze the salad bar, they have a great selection, then sit down and turn the little card to green and eat until a meat coma sits in. Then eat a very flavor able dessert.. No restrictions.

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, CCJack said:

We are on the Joy next September.   Does anyone know if the specialty restaurants are open for lunch on "at sea" days.   If so, can you use your "free at Sea" specialty meal for lunch then eat at the MDR for dinner?    Would the menus be the same for specialty venues at lunch vs. dinner?

 

thanks.

 

Food Republic likely will be.  Same menu.  Most/all others will not be.

[Two Wheels Only]

4 hours ago, CCJack said:

We are on the Joy next September.   Does anyone know if the specialty restaurants are open for lunch on "at sea" days.   If so, can you use your "free at Sea" specialty meal for lunch then eat at the MDR for dinner?    Would the menus be the same for specialty venues at lunch vs. dinner?

 

thanks.

 

 

If the specialty restaurant is open, you can use your SDP. If you want lunch at a specialty restaurant and dinner in a specialty restaurant on the same day, you can use your SDP for both but it will count as 2 uses.

 

SDP for lunch and MDR for dinner is no problem.

[C Dog]

On 2/24/2023 at 1:36 PM, MCMC100 said:

Just sailed the Getaway and ate at LaCucina. I ordered a pasta and the beef tenderloin. Other family did the same with one exception who wanted a pasta as a main entree. The entrée portion was notably larger.
The menu states that you can order the pasta as an entree for $5 more (assuming you’re paying for the meal outside the FAS package) so clearly they view the pasta as the first part of the main entree as is traditional in most Italian restaurants. 

To follow up on this:   We just got off the Pearl and it was very restrictive at La Cucina.  You could get one appetizer and one main entree (and a dessert).  If you order an appetizer, you can not get the small-sized pasta.  If you order the small pasta, you can not get an appetizer.   (Soups and salads are part of the appetizer menu).  Also, the pizza counts as a main entree.

 

This was in contrast to Cagney's where we could get an appetizer, soup or salad, main entree (with 2 sides) and a dessert (4 courses total). 

[BirdTravels]

We just ate at Cucina on the Escape and we got our 4 items. Which is what the promotions allow. Maybe a misunderstanding. 

Edited June 20, 2023 by BirdTravels

[cruiseny4life]

18 hours ago, C Dog said:

To follow up on this:   We just got off the Pearl and it was very restrictive at La Cucina.  You could get one appetizer and one main entree (and a dessert).  If you order an appetizer, you can not get the small-sized pasta.  If you order the small pasta, you can not get an appetizer.   (Soups and salads are part of the appetizer menu).  Also, the pizza counts as a main entree.

 

This was in contrast to Cagney's where we could get an appetizer, soup or salad, main entree (with 2 sides) and a dessert (4 courses total). 

Well that just ain't right, nor does it seem to part of the terms and conditions. The T&C's are vague enough that NCL could potentially get away with this at La Cucina. I know if they tried that with me there would be a whole host of managers surrounding my table explaining the policy. I'd be polite, but firm in those conversations. I'm sorry you had this experience and sure hope it's not the new normal (haven't seen this mentioned by anyone else...yet). 

 

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

[Pepper the Pug]

I haven’t cruised in a year, but last year I was able to order two starters instead of a starter and a salad. The server informed us of the limits on ordering when we were seated. We paid a little extra for the lobster. 

[insidecabin]

On 2/22/2023 at 2:05 AM, wcook said:

This may be obvious, but you get a set number of dinners depending upon what kind of room you booked. Usually 2. 

And length of cruise 1,2,3 depending on the combo

[insidecabin]

On 2/22/2023 at 2:05 AM, wcook said:

This may be obvious, but you get a set number of dinners depending upon what kind of room you booked. Usually 2. 

And length of cruise 1,2,3 depending on the combination

[ttdbythesea]

On 2/22/2023 at 12:32 AM, BirdTravels said:

Enjoy the Bliss! Alaska is a beautiful place to cruise. 

 

You can use this link to get to the roster of restaurants on the Bliss.

https://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/bliss/whats-on-board/specialty-dining

The restaurants have a link to sample menus. As pointed out a very very limited number of selections have an additional charge if you are using the dining package (e.g., Surf and Turf at Cagney's has a $25 supplemental charge if you are using the dining package). 

 

The most popular is Cagney's Steakhouse. The least popular is Q BBQ. Personally, we would pick Le Bistro, Ocean Blue, Teppanyaki, Los Lobos, Cagney's, La Cucina, and Q in that order,,, but that is a personal choice. 

 

The new rules for specialty dining can be found at

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

All Specialty Restaurant menu items are included except Seafood Platter in Raw Bar. An SDP meal in a la carte restaurants includes 1 appetizer, 1 soup or salad, 1 main course and 1 dessert (does not apply to cover charge restaurants or Food Republic, Pincho Tapas Bar and Sushi, where a meal includes any 4 menu items). SDP does not include beverages and additional and/or premium menu items will incur charges.

 

As you noted, the beverage package covers the first $15 of each drink. If the cost of the drink exceeds $15, you pay the difference plus a 20% gratuity on the difference. So, if you order a $16 drink, you pay $1 + $0.20 = $1.20 for the drink. Unless you are ordering top-shelf liquor, it is hard to exceed $15. 

 

On 2/22/2023 at 10:46 AM, Liljo22 said:

To piggyback Bird Travels' comment about the supplemental charge, any item that has an extra charge will be clearly label as $XX Dining Package Supplement.  You are not limited by a price and have to pay the difference like how the drink package works.  This is only for at most 2 items at a couple of the higher end restaurants.  

We are going on Jade 12/10 and plan to use our 3 specialty dining FAS vouchers at Cagney's, Moderno and Le Bistro. Do I understand correctly that Cagney's and Le Bistro are A la Cart Restaurants so if there is a notation on a menu item that there is a supplemental charge (lobster and filet at Cagney's) , that charge is an additional $25? 

[hallux]

11 minutes ago, ttdbythesea said:

Do I understand correctly that Cagney's and Le Bistro are A la Cart Restaurants so if there is a notation on a menu item that there is a supplemental charge (lobster and filet at Cagney's) , that charge is an additional $25?

That's what one of the posts you quoted says.

[Liljo22]

8 minutes ago, ttdbythesea said:

We are going on Jade 12/10 and plan to use our 3 specialty dining FAS vouchers at Cagney's, Moderno and Le Bistro. Do I understand correctly that Cagney's and Le Bistro are A la Cart Restaurants so if there is a notation on a menu item that there is a supplemental charge (lobster and filet at Cagney's) , that charge is an additional $25? 

Yes.  Currently at Cagney's, the Surf & Turf is $25 extra and if you want to add a lobster tail to end entree for $25.  At Le Bistro, the filet w/ foie gras($10) and Lobster Thermidor($25) are extra.  You can ignore all the other prices on the menu as long as you stay within the allowable included items.  

[complawyer]

you can also ask le bistro to not to add the foie gras, and you wont have to pay the upcharge.

 

if you dont add the lobster tail at cagneys, there is no additional charge for either filet 5oz or 8oz

 

btw, i ve had the thermidor a few times, it's terrific.... im not to fond of foie gras anyway

[tashaaa]

Another question for the FAS specialty dinning...

some posts say, you can reserve it only on board, some you can do it, when the reservations open  120 days.

Can you reserve the free dinner ahead in the My NCL? Or if I do so, we will have to pay for the dinner?

 

 

 

 

 

[KeithJenner]

8 minutes ago, tashaaa said:

Another question for the FAS specialty dinning...

some posts say, you can reserve it only on board, some you can do it, when the reservations open  120 days.

Can you reserve the free dinner ahead in the My NCL? Or if I do so, we will have to pay for the dinner?

 

 

 

 

 

You can reserve any meals online 120 days out. How they will be paid for is irrelevant. That is decided at the time you actually eat.

 

As most restaurants are a la carte there is no charge for reserving them regardless of whether you have any packages etc (the system has no way of knowing what you will eat and therefore what the charge is).

 

There are two restaurants, Moderno and Teppanyaki (or whatever it’s called on the Prima and Viva), that have a fixed charge and the system does try to charge you the cover charge when you book. However, as long as you have dining credits to cover them then it doesn’t actually charge you.

 

For example, if you have a two meal dining practice with free at sea and book Moderno first then there is no charge. However, if you book Cagney and Le Bistro and then try to book Moderno the system will charge you as you have reached the number of included meals.

 

How you ultimately pay for the meals is irrelevant, this is just for the purposes of deciding whether to charge you when booking.

[tashaaa]

Thank you, so I will put a reminder to book in advance 😄