Has NCL stopped allowing people to prebook MDR reservations prior to boarding?

[Ken the cruiser]

We’re booked on the Pearl on a 23-day B2B from Le Havre to Miami and are Platinum. Today was the first day we could prebook reservations at our loyalty level. Our TA had no issues booking our 13 specialty restaurant reservations. However, the NCL rep told our TA we could no longer prebook reservations in the Summer Palace and Indigo MDRs. That has to be done once onboard, most likely using the App.

 

Is this a recent fleet-wide change or something unique to the Pearl? We don’t have an issue with booking them once onboard. It just caught us by surprise.

[back2cruising1]

My understanding is that main dining room reservations are now accepted prior to boarding only when the reservations are for parties of 6 or more.

[KeithJenner]

Yes, they changed things a while ago so MDR reservations can no longer be made online in advance. I’ve not followed closely (there have been a few discussions on the subject) but think that, as mentioned above, you may be able to make bookings for larger groups by phoning.

 

There have been some conflicting reports, so it may be that some people have still been able to make bookings occasionally. These seem to be the exception.

[RosieRoo]

When we were on the Prima we could book specialty dining ahead but not MDR. When we inquired at the MDR on the ship about reservations they said they don’t take reservation for parties less than 6 anymore and just to show up when we wanted to. I can’t tell you how that works out because we never ate in the dining room except for the dinner with officers. 

[Ken the cruiser]

4 minutes ago, RosieRoo said:

When we were on the Prima we could book specialty dining ahead but not MDR. When we inquired at the MDR on the ship about reservations they said they don’t take reservation for parties less than 6 anymore and just to show up when we wanted to. I can’t tell you how that works out because we never ate in the dining room except for the dinner with officers. 

That’s interesting. The issue is my DW needs to eat early, and when we were on the Dawn on a Caribbean cruise in Feb 2023, we had MDR reservations. However, there was a long line that started forming at 4:30:pm many nights for those that didn’t have reservations. 
 

I guess we’ll just have to see how it goes, and get in the MDR line early on if that’s what it takes. OTOH I guess we could buy more specialty dinners now to be able to get early reservations in those restaurants. Gee, wouldn’t NCL like that! 😂

[zqvol]

The change happened back in February or March

[zqvol]

40 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

That’s interesting. The issue is my DW needs to eat early, and when we were on the Dawn on a Caribbean cruise in Feb 2023, we had MDR reservations. However, there was a long line that started forming at 4:30:pm many nights for those that didn’t have reservations. 
 

I guess we’ll just have to see how it goes, and get in the MDR line early on if that’s what it takes. OTOH I guess we could buy more specialty dinners now to be able to get early reservations in those restaurants. Gee, wouldn’t NCL like that! 😂

Come about 15 - 20 minutes after the dining room opens and the line is usually gone. 

[Ken the cruiser]

Thanks everyone! Since the change in Feb/Mar has anyone actually tried to make MDR reservations using your App once onboard and subsequently denied? According to what the NCL rep told our TA, and the App appears to have to option to do so, we would be able to reserve a table for 2 once onboard? But I also understand that sometimes the NCL reps on the phone may not always have access to the correct information. I know, who would have guessed! 😂

Edited July 20 by Ken the cruiser