Dining: Free at Sea VS Specialty Dining Package VS Latitude Voucher

[lisa928]

Can anyone please verify my understanding based upon the terms & conditions as well as past experience (assuming no change since we went in 2022).  This would be for restaurants like Cagney's and Le Bistro, not Food Republic.  Also I understand some items have a surcharge.

 

Free at Sea (Terms & Conditions - https://www.ncl.com/about/terms-and-conditions/promotions)

• 1 main course
• No limit on app/soup/desserts

 

Specialty Dining Package (Terms & Conditions - https://www.ncl.com/specialty-dining-package/faq)

• 1 appetizer
• 1 soup or salad
• 1 main course
• 1 dessert 

 

Latitude Voucher

• 1 appetizer or soup or salad
• 1 main course
• 1 dessert 

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by lisa928

[Two Wheels Only]

Consider the FAS dining package and the purchased dining package to be the same. The 1/1/1/1 went into effect for both. Some people have not been charged for extra apps/sides but as time goes on, more likely that 1/1/1/1 will apply for the SDP uses no matter how you got it. Food Republic is 4 items. 

Edited August 4, 2023 by Two Wheels Only

[MCMC100]

I would agree with Two Wheels Only. Our daughter has been with us on our two prior 

cruises and we purchased the SDP meals for her. There was no discernible difference in what was allowed for her compared to those of us ordering FAS meals. In my experience, ships/restaurants/waiters all address the 1/1/1/1 rule with a modicum of flexibility. 

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, lisa928 said:

Can anyone please verify my understanding based upon the terms & conditions as well as past experience (assuming no change since we went in 2022).  This would be for restaurants like Cagney's and Le Bistro, not Food Republic.  Also I understand some items have a surcharge.

 

The Free at Sea Specialty Dining Package is the exact same as the Purchased Specialty Dining Package: 1 appetizer, 1 soup/salad, 1 entrée, 2 side dishes (where applicable), 1 dessert, 

 

The Latitudes "Platinum" Vouchers terms and conditions clearly state 1 appetizer, 1 entrée, 1 dessert. In practice, we order a soup/salad/2nd appetizer and have never been charged for it (and we have cruised multiple times since they made the change to the T&Cs). We used our "Platinum" Vouchers on our last cruise at Cagney's and Le Bistro

 

 

 

[Portia!]

I think you'll find Latitude voucher course count (3 vs 4) varies by ship and sometimes by restaurant. Over the last year on the Escape, 4 courses has been normal--even encouraged by waitstaff. Same time period, on the Bliss and Prima some restaurants were three and some were four courses.

It is a good idea to check with the waiter before ordering. 

[lisa928]

The 1-1-1-1 is probably the intent of the FAS promo, but it is not defined as such in the terms & conditions.  To be clear I am not looking to abuse the current vageness of the terms & conditions, just hoping for say a double shrimp cocktail (6 shrimp, which could be defined as two apps) as well as a salad, entrée, and dessert at Cagney's.

[Turtles06]

12 minutes ago, Portia! said:

I think you'll find Latitude voucher course count (3 vs 4) varies by ship and sometimes by restaurant. Over the last year on the Escape, 4 courses has been normal--even encouraged by waitstaff. Same time period, on the Bliss and Prima some restaurants were three and some were four courses.

It is a good idea to check with the waiter before ordering. 

On our most recent NCL cruises (this winter), there was no need to check with the server before ordering. Every server began by telling us what we could order. It was unexpected — never had that happen before — and a little off-putting (perhaps colored by my belief that NCL should not begrudge its most loyal guests a salad and soup. And that began before covid, it wasn’t driven by pandemic finances).

[Dieselmedicine]

So for La Cucina, does the pasta course essentially count as the salad/soup?

[Portia!]

Pasta can also be requested as your main/entree, and portion size will be upsized.

[The Traveling Man]

14 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

 

The Free at Sea Specialty Dining Package is the exact same as the Purchased Specialty Dining Package: 1 appetizer, 1 soup/salad, 1 entrée, 2 side dishes (where applicable), 1 dessert, 

 

The Latitudes "Platinum" Vouchers terms and conditions clearly state 1 appetizer, 1 entrée, 1 dessert. In practice, we order a soup/salad/2nd appetizer and have never been charged for it (and we have cruised multiple times since they made the change to the T&Cs). We used our "Platinum" Vouchers on our last cruise at Cagney's and Le Bistro

 

 

 

Interesting that the Le Bistro ticket lists "Lamb Chop."  My favorite menu item at Le Bistro was always the "Rack of Lamb" which consisted of four lamb chops.  When the menus were redesigned a couple of years back, that was changed to two lamb chops plus a piece of lamb loin.  I wonder if it still is that way, or if they have gone back to a dish without the loin but once again with four chops?

Edited August 5, 2023 by The Traveling Man

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, Portia! said:

I think you'll find Latitude voucher course count (3 vs 4) varies by ship and sometimes by restaurant. Over the last year on the Escape, 4 courses has been normal--even encouraged by waitstaff. Same time period, on the Bliss and Prima some restaurants were three and some were four courses.

It is a good idea to check with the waiter before ordering. 

I agree.  Especially in the Italian restaurant, whether La Cucina or Onda, they frequently would offer four courses: Antipasta, Primi, Secondi, and Dolci.  Primi might be a soup, salad, or pasta dish, while Secondi would be the main course.  It also usually has been possible to order a large portion of an appetizer dish as a main course, or a smaller portion of a main dish as an appetizer.

[BirdTravels]

28 minutes ago, The Traveling Man said:

Interesting that the Le Bistro ticket lists "Lamb Chop."  My favorite menu item at Le Bistro was always the "Rack of Lamb" which consisted of four lamb chops.  When the menus were redesigned a couple of years back, that was changed to two lamb chops plus a piece of lamb loin.  I wonder if it still is that way, or if they have gone back to a dish without the loin but once again with four chops?

Nope. Chop with lion still. 

it has been a while since they served a rack of lamb. 

 

Pre-pandemic, it was lamb medallions. We have gone to the galley and watched the cooks take a lovely lamb chop, cut the medallion, and throw out the bone and meat that was not part of the medallions. Criminal!  

Edited August 5, 2023 by BirdTravels

[dexddd]

2 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

On our most recent NCL cruises (this winter), there was no need to check with the server before ordering. Every server began by telling us what we could order. It was unexpected — never had that happen before — and a little off-putting (perhaps colored by my belief that NCL should not begrudge its most loyal guests a salad and soup. And that began before covid, it wasn’t driven by pandemic finances).

We've had that since 2015 on several ships.  I'm a big boy and know what I can eat.  I did negotiate a app instead of a dessert once.  I guess an extra ladle of soup from the big vat vs having one in buffet is a big cost.

 

That was even in contradiction to terms at the time.  Must have been some behind the scenes order.  Not even a 'hello', just limits spelled out. Classy.  And several folks here defended it.

[The Traveling Man]

16 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Nope. Chop with lion still. 

it has been a while since they served a rack of lamb. 

 

Pre-pandemic, it was lamb medallions. We have gone to the galley and watched the cooks take a lovely lamb chop, cut the medallion, and throw out the bone and meat that was not part of the medallions. Criminal!  

Thanks for the update.  Unfortunately that has been my recent experience, as well.  They also removed lamb chops from the Moderno menu.  It looks like we'll have to continue booking Cagney's once per cruise so I can get my lamb chop fix.

[Sundiego]

4 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

Thanks for the update.  Unfortunately that has been my recent experience, as well.  They also removed lamb chops from the Moderno menu.  It looks like we'll have to continue booking Cagney's once per cruise so I can get my lamb chop fix.

What??? No lamb at Moderno? That's our favorite restaurant and I patiently wait for the lamb to make its way to our table 😞

 

Denise

[The Traveling Man]

1 hour ago, Sundiego said:

What??? No lamb at Moderno? That's our favorite restaurant and I patiently wait for the lamb to make its way to our table 😞

 

Denise

Lamb shank, yes.  Lamb chops, no.

[The Traveling Man]

6 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Nope. Chop with lion still.

That almost seems to be a revelation of biblical proportions.  So now the lamb really does lie down with the lion?

[BirdTravels]

7 hours ago, The Traveling Man said:

That almost seems to be a revelation of biblical proportions.  So now the lamb really does lie down with the lion?

Yeah,,, my iphone always tries to "help"