Look like specialty restaurants will be changed to cover charge next year

[BirdTravels]

Our 2025 web site and app still show a la carte

[ChiefMateJRK]

It looks like we're dealing with the normal NCL IT crazy.  Let's see what it says tomorrow! 🤣

[MNcruisingcouple]

4 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

 

When Le Bistro used to be a $20 "Cover Charge" 

 

50% Upcharge items

 

 

 

Man do I miss the Chocolate Napolean & the Fruits de Mer! And the Macadamia Nut ice cream sandwich from Cagney's.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

I have just booked 4 meals on the cruise from Auckland to Melbourne starting on 3rd February 2025.

2 x "Free at Sea" and 2 x "Latitudes"

 

To me the following implies that the changes being discussed here will only apply to bookings made for 2025 from now on.

 

I have received my Payment Confirmation page which shows the following; with the actual restaurants booked.

 

I HOPE SO!!   No confirmation email yet.

 

But they appear as Booked in Itinerary, Onboard Packages, Gifts & More Items in My Holiday Summary

[david_sobe]

I see advantages and disadvantages for all sides.  For the passenger believe it or not but a cover charge that includes appetizer, entree, and dessert could be less expensive than those ala carte prices.  However there are some that don't want dessert or only eat one item and this would be a disadvantage.
For the cruise line its a win especially for those with the dining package and bring those without a dining package.  The people with the dining package order the appetizers and feed everyone without the dining package.

I personally like the cover charge idea because that is the way it used to be and I thought the individual prices were outrageous.  However remember the controversy about 10 years ago when NCL charged gratuities that many claim were already paid on top of the cover charge.  Many thought it was a way to bilk customers.  So if they are going to have a $60 cover charge for Cagneys with a 20% gratuity will turn into a $72 meal.

I see this a wash on the "free at sea" offers because NCL will just raise the price of the cruise to cover any increase in the specialty meals.

I am probably in the minority but wish NCL would stop all free at sea offers and make everyone pay a cover charge for specialty dining.  Indirectly we are already paying for it.  I prefer bottom line pricing.  The specialty restaurants are more crowded than the MDRs these days.  Part of the appeal of specialty dining 15 years ago was for a less crowded and noisy dining experience.  Service was better, the atmosphere was better and yes even the food was better.  These days we are all sitting 4 inches from each other, no vacant seats, the waitress running around like crazy and the entire experience is not what it used to be.  Just think, they are ripping down Cocos on Encore to expand Cagneys because they cant fit everyone in the restaurant.  They seat people outside the restaurant because its so crowded because most everyone has the dining package. 

The free at sea will not go away because many think all this stuff is free.  Its the best marketing NCL has ever had.

Edited Thursday at 08:39 AM by david_sobe

[Asawi]

As for "fixed price" Vs "cover charge" I have never seen "fixed price" when looking at restaurants in the app. Moderno and Teppanyaki has always been "cover charge" for me.

When I saw this top last night I looked at my 2025 cruises and saw the "cover charge" on all restaurants. Now it's back to a la carte. Another NCL IT glitch? Noooo, surely not? 😮😁

[laudergayle]

3 hours ago, david_sobe said:

The free at sea will not go away because many think all this stuff is free.  Its the best marketing NCL has ever had.

For all the reasons you stated in your post above, I do think the FAS can go away.  According to the posts this past year quite a few NCL loyalists are trying other cruise lines.  Both MSC and Princess have unique ways of offering basic cruise rates at lower prices, and then they allow the consumer to create their own experience based on where they find value.  And all of this customization is done while booking (or mock booking) online.  I, for one, would like for FAS to go away. And I agree that cover charge/pre-fixe at a reasonable (but not too reasonable) would be my preference.

[cruiseny4life]

I can also confirm my Explore and Plan>Dining page is back to the old way of A la carte, not mentioning 2025 anything. I guess someone in IT really just wanted to give us a heads up on what's coming. 

 

 

 

By the way, pretty sure the announcement will be October 3rd, not October 1st (could be wrong, of course, so don't be shooting at me when good ole David (or will Dirty Harry take the credit) announces something on Oct. 1st or 2nd). 

[laudergayle]

4 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I guess someone in IT really just wanted to give us a heads up on what's coming. 

That could be true actually.  What better way to get a quick reaction/feedback than by exposing the change to a small but very vocal group of NCL loyalists.  

[DCGuy64]

16 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

it's like mistaking a "lectern" for a "podium" or when people don't understand that "historic" and "historical" have different meanings. or when folks don't understand the difference between "fewer" and "less" or "imply" and "infer" or when people say they "could care less," when they mean they "couldn't care less."

 

web programming is not the strong suit of NCL's developers. it never has been. to add a command of the english language on top of that may be too much to ask. but words have meaning. if they mean these to be "fixed price" restaurants, they shouldn't refer to a "cover charge." as my friend inigo montoya, was fond of saying when he booked his first NCL cruise, "you keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

I could not agree with you more.

[davencl]

1 hour ago, cruiseny4life said:

I can also confirm my Explore and Plan>Dining page is back to the old way of A la carte, not mentioning 2025 anything. I guess someone in IT really just wanted to give us a heads up on what's coming.

 

Yes I see the same result.  Someone in IT probably implemented too fast...

[UKstages]

US person here, born and bred. i've explained that before in this forum, so i sure do hope the "UK" moniker doesn't continue to confuse the good folks here.  in any event, i'm delighted to say that i know the difference between a cover charge and a prix fixe menu.

 

a cover charge is imposed by a nightclub or (sometimes) a restaurant as an entry fee in addition to the charges that patrons incur for food and beverage. if there is no charge for food and beverage, then the cover charge is all diners or revelers will pay. 

 

a prix fixe or "fixed price" menu is an all inclusive meal offered at one set price (although there may be select items or optional items for which there may be an upcharge).

 

these definitions are universally applied throughout the world and are not unique to the USA. cover charges are uncommon for restaurants, however. they are more common for nightclubs, comedy clubs and performance venues. in europe, you will often see a nominal "bread and butter" charge at a restaurant. that's akin to a cover charge, without being one. ostensibly, you're getting bread and butter in exchange for that fee.

 

from what has been shared in this thread, it sounds like NCL will be imposing a cover charge in addition to the cost of a meal, for which, beginning in 2025, they appear to be instituting "prix fixe" pricing.

 

when NCL first used the term "cover charge" for cagney's and le bistro way back when, they used the term correctly.  you apparently paid a fee to get into the restaurant. when they used the term for teppanyaki and moderno, they were incorrect. teppanyaki and moderno are "fixed price" restaurants. there is no "cover charge."

 

again, based on the info shared in this thread, NCL seems to be heading into a new world in which they will have fixed price restaurants, many or all of which will carry a cover charge, an extra fee on top of the food and beverage cost. ironically, a cover charge is often imposed to help defray operating costs, including the cost of providing service. so, to place a gratuity on a cover charge is unprecedented and is the epitome of unfettered chutzpah. (even for NCL)

 

3 hours ago, cruiseny4life said:

I guess someone in IT really just wanted to give us a heads up on what's coming. 

 

and their quick response to the app display of this information should strongly support the theory that NCL does indeed monitor social media posts.

 

Edited Thursday at 04:23 PM by UKstages

[Bobby Winds]

I am guessing it's for anyone without FAS dinner package.

[Panhandle Couple]

28 minutes ago, UKstages said:

US person here, born and bred. i've explained that before in this forum, so i sure do hope the "UK" moniker doesn't continue to confuse the good folks here.  in any event, i'm delighted to say that i know the difference between a cover charge and a prix fixe menu.

 

a cover charge is imposed by a nightclub or (sometimes) a restaurant as an entry fee in addition to the charges that patrons incur for food and beverage. if there is no charge for food and beverage, then the cover charge is all diners or revelers will pay. 

 

a prix fixe or "fixed price" menu is an all inclusive meal offered at one set price (although there may be select items or optional items for which there may be an upcharge).

 

these definitions are universally applied throughout the world and are not unique to the USA. cover charges are uncommon for restaurants, however. they are more common for nightclubs, comedy clubs and performance venues. in europe, you will often see a nominal "bread and butter" charge at a restaurant. that's akin to a cover charge, without being one. ostensibly, you're getting bread and butter in exchange for that fee.

 

from what has been shared in this thread, it sounds like NCL will be imposing a cover charge in addition to the cost of a meal, for which, beginning in 2025, they appear to be instituting "prix fixe" pricing.

 

when NCL first used the term "cover charge" for cagney's and le bistro way back when, they used the term correctly.  you apparently paid a fee to get into the restaurant. when they used the term for teppanyaki and moderno, they were incorrect. teppanyaki and moderno are "fixed price" restaurants. there is no "cover charge."

 

again, based on the info shared in this thread, NCL seems to be heading into a new world in which they will have fixed price restaurants, many or all of which will carry a cover charge, an extra fee on top of the food and beverage cost. ironically, a cover charge is often imposed to help defray operating costs, including the cost of providing service. so, to place a gratuity on a cover charge is unprecedented and is the epitome of unfettered chutzpah. (even for NCL)

 

 

and their quick response to the app display of this information should strongly support the theory that NCL does indeed monitor social media posts.

 

Most of the places I have ever entered that have a "cover charge" have the words girls, strip, and showplace in their titles. 

[Bobby Winds]

Wait until Ben & David here about this................ LOL

[schmoopie17]

48 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Most of the places I have ever entered that have a "cover charge" have the words girls, strip, and showplace in their titles. 

A more appropriate term would be "uncover charge"...

[Katrina1547]

3 hours ago, UKstages said:

 

again, based on the info shared in this thread, NCL seems to be heading into a new world in which they will have fixed price restaurants, many or all of which will carry a cover charge, an extra fee on top of the food and beverage cost. ironically, a cover charge is often imposed to help defray operating costs, including the cost of providing service. so, to place a gratuity on a cover charge is unprecedented and is the epitome of unfettered chutzpah. (even for NCL)

 

 

 

 

I think that's a stretch, 'based on the info shared in this thread' that NCL plans to charge a cover charge AND have a fixed price menu. I agree that the way NCL uses 'cover charge' is not necessarily accurate or consistent. I'm expecting we will see a 'fixed price' option ala Moderno or Teppanyaki and NOT an additional cover charge to walk in the door. We'll see soon enough I guess!

[david_sobe]

3 hours ago, Bobby Winds said:

Wait until Ben & David here about this................ LOL

They got off the ship at the next port and flew home

[UKstages]

geez, I don’t know how much of a “stretch” it is to say that NCL will be imposing a cover charge on top of the cost of the dinner.  i’m simply rephrasing what NCL put in its own app. the blurb in post #30 says that it’ll be a prix fixe menu. then it says a “20% gratuity” and a “specialty service charge” will be added. 

 

sounds like at least three charges to me, possibly four.

 

• there’s the cost of the “prix fixe” dinner itself. 

 

• there’s a service charge (referred to elsewhere as a “cover charge?” only NCL knows if those are the same thing. many people would say a “service charge” is actually the gratuity!)

 

• and there’s a gratuity on… your guess is as good as mine… the prix fixe? the service charge? both?

 

it remains, as the king of siam was fond of saying… a puzzlement. 

 

i’ve said previously that NCL’s imprecise language may be at fault here. but what they seem to have preliminarily communicated is that they will have a cover charge on top of the price for dinner. if anyone is stretching, it’s NCL.

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

As the French say "MERDE".

 

There is NO WAY I will ever go here again!!!  Admittedly it is NZD but!!

 

 

And even more so

 

[Travelling2Some]

Waiting for "the other shoe" to drop in terms of what bearing, if any, this will have on FAS and Platinum perks.  We already have one foot out the door with being fed up with itinerary changes.

[ChiefMateJRK]

29 minutes ago, Anoynmous Phoenix said:

As the French say "MERDE".

 

There is NO WAY I will ever go here again!!!  Admittedly it is NZD but!!

 

 

And even more so

 

So how much is that in US greenbacks?

[Travelling2Some]

7 minutes ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

So how much is that in US greenbacks?

$76 US

[cruiser1961]

After reading this thread, my brain hurts! 

 

So many experienced NCL cruisers weighing in with quite different opinions on what this potential and unknown new change could mean.  

 

I guess we'll all know more in a few days... 

[ChiefMateJRK]

1 hour ago, cruiser1961 said:

I guess we'll all know more in a few days... 

An optimist!!  😎