HELP! How to contact ship's Food/Hotel staff before stepping on the ship??

[Sauer-kraut]

Okay, our Roll Call group is really active and one of the activites I thought would be fun is a group luncheon in the main dining room. Since it is a transatlantic there are many sea days and I thought it would break up a bit of the trip. When I planned this there were about 20 people interested and I thought that was a nice number, and thought restaurant staff would be able to accommodate us.

 

Well, we've gotten a truly great response for attendance, its up to about 65 people now and I'm having serious doubts that the restaurant staff will be able to handle that many all at once. :eek:

 

So, I contacted group events and the nice lady there said that she can't do any lunch reservations and would be happy to do dinner. I thought dinner would probably be WORSE trying to seat that many, I kindly declined her offer. Now the worry is setting in, I would like to know how I can get a message to the head crew that would be over the dining room to see if I can give them a head's up and possibly work with them on a giving us a mini-menu selection to make it easier on the chefs/servers. If the luncheon idea is a no go, at least I can post it on the roll call and let everyond know we had to cancel.

 

We are on the SUN sailing Oct. 4th

 

Any information about contacting the staff directly on the ship is what I'm after, as group events was unable to help. Thanks in advance. :)

[SeaShark]

Helping you contact the ship IS the job of the group event coordinator.

 

You can contact them again ask firmly ask that they relay your request to the ship. The worst thing the ship could say is "no".

[Pianoman6582]

Okay, our Roll Call group is really active and one of the activites I thought would be fun is a group luncheon in the main dining room.

So, I contacted group events and the nice lady there said that she can't do any lunch reservations and would be happy to do dinner. I thought dinner would probably be WORSE trying to seat that many, I kindly declined her offer. Now the worry is setting in, I would like to know how I can get a message to the head crew that would be over the dining room to see if I can give them a head's up and possibly work with them on a giving us a mini-menu selection to make it easier on the chefs/servers. If the luncheon idea is a no go, at least I can post it on the roll call and let everyond know we had to cancel.

 

We are on the SUN sailing Oct. 4th

 

Any information about contacting the staff directly on the ship is what I'm after, as group events was unable to help. Thanks in advance. :)

 

Helping you contact the ship IS the job of the group event coordinator. You can contact them again ask firmly ask that they relay your request to the ship. The worst thing the ship could say is "no".

 

Did you mention that you were a member of Cruisecritic? I have a shirt that says, "I am a member of Cruisecritic.com... and I'm taking notes." It's meant to be funny, but it's true.

 

When we get out meet and greets together, NCL doesn't charge us for the privilege of the room and puts out coffee, juice and whatnot gratis. If Joe's Fishing Club from Wahoo, Nebraska wanted to have a function they pay for the room and more for the whatnot. NCL and other cruise lines read this board. NCL and other cruise lines take Cruisecritic seriously. You tell them that you want to set up a group lunch for "active members" of cruisecritic.com.... This is not a lie since they are members of the roll call, indicating a higher level of activity.

 

It's threads like these that make NCL cringe. Go back and ask again. If that doesn't help email them a link to a thread like this....

 

And I thAnK yOu:

JWK: Active member of Cruisecritic.com

[OceanDreaming2]

Okay, our Roll Call group is really active and one of the activites I thought would be fun is a group luncheon in the main dining room. Since it is a transatlantic there are many sea days and I thought it would break up a bit of the trip. When I planned this there were about 20 people interested and I thought that was a nice number, and thought restaurant staff would be able to accommodate us.

 

Well, we've gotten a truly great response for attendance, its up to about 65 people now and I'm having serious doubts that the restaurant staff will be able to handle that many all at once. :eek:

 

So, I contacted group events and the nice lady there said that she can't do any lunch reservations and would be happy to do dinner. I thought dinner would probably be WORSE trying to seat that many, I kindly declined her offer. Now the worry is setting in, I would like to know how I can get a message to the head crew that would be over the dining room to see if I can give them a head's up and possibly work with them on a giving us a mini-menu selection to make it easier on the chefs/servers. If the luncheon idea is a no go, at least I can post it on the roll call and let everyond know we had to cancel.

 

We are on the SUN sailing Oct. 4th

 

Any information about contacting the staff directly on the ship is what I'm after, as group events was unable to help. Thanks in advance. :)

 

I'd do as Pianoman suggests. I've also sent you an email.

[tdcjerry]

Helping you contact the ship IS the job of the group event coordinator.

 

You can contact them again ask firmly ask that they relay your request to the ship. The worst thing the ship could say is "no".

__________________

Sorry

[VonChap]

We had a large CC group that wanted to do a group lunch in the MDR. They let us know that they could not make reservations for lunch but were happy to do a Group Dinner in the MDR. There were 65 people for dinner on the Gem. We planned this with the ship's coordinator.

 

Have a great cruise!

[garycarla]

You can also talk with the head folks at the Meet n Greet.

 

To be honest,I can not think of ANYTHING they would do special more than a few hours before you eat. On our past group, we did not a group dinner and they blocked a number of tables for us.

 

Again, what is it they would need to do?

[Sauer-kraut]

Yes, in my first correspondence I did mention we were a Cruise Critic group and our Roll Call is very active.

 

VonChap-that is exactly the wording on the email I received, I just thought it would be easier on everyone to do lunch. I didn't want to monopolize the roll callers for a dinnertime thing.

 

 

I will compose my email tomorrow, thank goodness for days off!

 

My last resort was to to speak with the staff at the M&G but it might be the only option.

 

 

All your replies greatfully accepted. Thanks! :)

[salty dingo]

I have been to some group events, arranged with the CC roll call group. NCL has been good about setting up events. Typically they will reserve a lounge during the morning or early afternoon, when they are not otherwise busy.

 

As far as food and drink, the only things I have ever seen offered for free are juices, water, coffee, and cookies or danish in the morning.

 

I sincerely doubt they would offer a catered luncheon event without an extra charge to all attendees. It does not hurt to ask, but it is really not something that NCL does.

 

You have to understand that NCL mass-produces the meals. Also, the wait staff has a regular routine. They are also going to be busy feeding the ship guests on sea days in the dining room, so that likely won't be available at lunch.

[Sauer-kraut]

I sincerely doubt they would offer a catered luncheon event without an extra charge to all attendees. It does not hurt to ask, but it is really not something that NCL does.

 

You have to understand that NCL mass-produces the meals. Also, the wait staff has a regular routine. They are also going to be busy feeding the ship guests on sea days in the dining room, so that likely won't be available at lunch.

 

No, it wasn't meant to be an exclusive catered lunch. The original thought was to just group a bunch of us at tables at a 'slow' time in the MDR for lunch and use that menu. Because of the group's size now I just wanted to let staff know that it will be a huge influx all at once, and if they wanted to do a pared down menu with just a couple of options so that kitchen staff wouldn't be overwhelmed by our group that was doable.

 

We'll see what happens....

 

Thanks for the other information, SaltyDog, our M&G has been scheduled and taken care of by another in our group. I have heard NCL does a bang up job on stuff for the C.C. members so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

[salty dingo]

Thanks for the other information, SaltyDog, our M&G has been scheduled and taken care of by another in our group. I have heard NCL does a bang up job on stuff for the C.C. members so I am keeping my fingers crossed.

I expect they will give the CC group the best attention they can. I have seen this on Carnival and Celebrity also. Once, on Celebrity, the cruise director attended our meet and greet and we mentioned something about the time - 10 AM or something. He asked if we would like something a bit closer to dinner. We then were invited to an event that had the ship's band, some of the officers, and some hors d'ouvres. I don't think we got free drinks but I can't remember. It was a nice gesture, for sure. Not sure if it was just for our group or if there were other VIPs there, but it was not a large crowd.

[Sauer-kraut]

Just to update, I sent another email to group events and it was forwarded to the new coordinator on the SUN and things were taken care of really quickly. Evidently they have made an exception for us in doing lunch instead of dinner which is great.

 

So, we have a confirmed place and time for lunch and I have a much lighter load to worry about! Now its just what to pack for the mid-atlantic in October and what to see in Lisbon.

 

Thanks for the help and advice, it was truly appreciated. :D