PaperSniper4

Thanks for the suggestion. Our boarding time as of yet with several months until we board, is pending. And I plan to request a late boarding time for that reason and also so our cabin is available. I hate dragging our carry-ons until the cabin is ready.😉

Thanks, I added that to my cruise planning document.

We have the "early dining" on the Brilliance next October. I've gotten conflicting info on what time that is; 5pm? 530pm? Anyone sail on her lately and can confirm what time you had? I'm hoping for 530pm or 6pm......but I can just about always eat!😁 Doug

Thanks for that idea. It's extra charge, correct? I recall the Park Cafe in the Solarium isn't? Anyone confirm that? Doug

I am not familiar with the UDP - Just checked and it's nearly $400 for we two. I'll pass for now. We're generally quit happy with the "included MDR" meals. Just gotta figure something out for the first day's lunch - the Solarium sounds like a winner for now.......either that are catch a bite on shore before boarding. Doug

This is on the Brilliance? AKA the Park Cafe? I'll check that out. If that's open on departure day that would be a great alternative to the lido; thanks. Might be a safer and calmer place. After looking at some of the photos of that area online just now, I think we may have done that on past cruises. Maybe on the Serenade ot Seas several years ago. When we first started cruising in the 1980s, we always had our departure day lunch on the lido decks; it was part of the "fun" of cruising - the excitement and anticipation of fellow passengers, the hustle and bustle, etc. But as we've gotten a bit older, and apparently less immune, we prefer a quieter, less rambunctious departure day meal. Doug

Some folks at the typical lido deck (aka buffet/windjammer/ocean view cafe/garden cafe, etc) often fail to observe proper hygiene in our experience. We have stopped going there on the last few cruises because of the reported and observed instances of folks getting ill. No problem for us, we just would rather minimize our chances of getting ill. I call that paranoia, and yes, I am referring to us; other folks may not be as "catchy" as are we. 😪 I'm not sure, but I don't believe we can bring our lunch on board with us anyway. We'll just eat on shore before we board or use one of the extra cost venues that day. Doug

Thanks for those options.

That's an option, thanks for the tip. Doug

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Sushi? Oh, you mean fancy bait for fishing? Ha, just kidding.😉 Thanks for that idea, it had not occurred to me.

Thanks. Yes, we do have the FAS drink package. That is a great tip, especially since I rarely drink wine, and never with dinner. (Yes, I know, I am unusual😜 - give me a pre-dinner martini instead!) However, my wife is a wine with-dinner-or-anytime drinker, so your tip will serve her well. We can have our drinks the next day on the balcony, including that bottle. Doug

Ha, nice to know I am not alone!😁 Doug

Thanks ya'll; I leave this thread an exceptionally educated man! Everyone has answered my questions! Now I just have to wait another 6 months or so until I can actually put my new knowledge to work! Doug

By first you mean the first meals of your cruise nights which the other choices on later days? Or just the order in which you book them 125 (or earlier) out. My wive reminded me Moderna is not to out liking, simply too much tempting meat! But we have not tried Teppenjaki, we might try that this cruise. For now, here's how we'd like to book them: Cagney's 2nd night of the cruise about 1800-1900 Le Bistro 3rd night of the cruise about 1800-1900 Teppenjaki 4th night of the cruise about 1800-1900 Cagney's 5th night of the cruise about 1800-1900 I'd plan on booking them online, in that order, exactly 125 days prior departure. Or are you saying I ought to book Teppenjaki first of the four meals? First in the case, as in 2nd night? Or first I add to my schedule which would be the 4th night? Doug PS - I promiss to soon ask no more questions......thanks for everyone's help!

Thanks again, Keith and to all the other folks who kindly answered my ignorant questions. This forum is such a great source of infornation! Doug

Oh for crying out LOUD, how could I miss that!😳 Thanks for pointing that out, Keith. That's great news for us: We will have the Free At Sea two meals and now the <modified> Platinum level two meals for a total of four in other than the MDR/Lido deck. That is a great perk indeed.

GoldMom, that's very clear now! Thanks. I forget NCL calls their perks deal "Free at Sea". I've been calling it Always Included which might he HAL, Celeb, Princess? I never thought about some of those FAS meals being fixed price and some being not fixed price. I think on our last cruise when we used the "Platinum meal", we went to Le Bistro, and I now remember the server did indicate we were limited on what we could order. It has still more than we could eat. 😉 Now I just have to figure out which restaurants are a la carte. Doug

Really? Wow, that's a great perk. I thought it was one meal for two people when I read this at the Loyalty page:

I'm still fuzzy on terminology. What's I'd like to do is book three specialty dining venues for my wife and me. We usually book Cagneys and Le Bistro when we had just two specialty meals. For our third due to Platinum, we'd like to book one of those, or perhaps try one of the others, like Moderna perhaps. We book as early before boarding as possible, which has been 125 days prior. Can I book three of those early, like 125 days out? I don't want to be charged for that third meal. Not sure what you mean by booking "first"; do you means earliest cruise days, or just the order in which you booked online? Doug

Are the Fixed Price meals what I'm calling the included 2-meals when booking Always Included (or whatever NCL calls the perks)? Were you also able to book the additional "dinner for two" resulting from your Platinum or higher loyalty level at the same time? IOW, did you book three "specialty dining" meals 125 days in advance? Doug

Right, one for me, one for my wife; same dinner sitting. Doug

I'm a bit confused on the terminology. Can I assume the "la carte restaurant" is what I'm calling a specialty dining venue, like Cagney's Steakhouse? Otherwise I'm not sure what a la carte is....I ought to know that, but I've probably forgotten.😜 What's the "Fixed Price" restaurant? What's FAS meals? Thanks

We have been NCL Platinum for the last few cruises (last few years). On our last cruise earlier this year, we received a card once on board informing us we cold book another "dinner for two" specialty dining venue due to our loyalty status. Great, we did, but there were not very many openings left once on board. We're sailing on another NCL 7 day cruise next March, and I wonder if we can book that "loyalty perk" dinner for two when we book the other two specialty meals, 125 days before sailing. Anyone tried that? Doug

Thanks, I understand now. Doug