Do we need to book specialty restaurants/excursions before departure?

[letsgomets]

Taking my first NCL cruise next week - 9 days on the Gem out of NYC!

 

Getting nearly daily emails from NCL about signing up for shore excursions and making restaurant reservations. Would like to play it mostly by ear (and use our onboard credit) but also don't want to be shut out.

 

For excursions, we did book the America's Cup because it seems unique and a possible sell-out and are unsure about whether we'd need to book whale watching or any of the snorkel sailboats.

 

For meals, we have a large group (12) with some kids so we'll want to eat on the early side (6-7pm seating) but we'll also have some flexibility -- unlikely we'll have the whole group for specialty restaurants except maybe once (usually will go to main DR).

 

Appreciate any guidance.

[njhorseman]

I would never bother to book a specialty restaurant reservation in advance, particularly because they have to be paid in advance. (I might make an exception for Teppanyaki because seating is so limited, but we don't eat there). Specialty restaurant reservations are easily made on board...in my experience the restaurants are rarely sold out, and by booking on board you can pay with your OBC.

 

I wouldn't pre book a run-of-the-mill shore excursion either, but I can see why you decided to pre book the particular shore excursion you chose.

[Ilovesailing]

My advice is excursions yes in order to secure a spot but more than that is to not having to waste time at the excursion desk with line ups or you can wait and grab a forum when on board and just fill it in and then put in box at excursion desk.

 

Having said that we rarely do ship excursions because they are always more expensive plus you will be charged at time of booking, same for restaurant's.

 

As for restaurants we never book in advance because I refuse to pay for anything in advance and we have never had a problem getting resy's the of. You can make them when on board or you can call reservation the morning of.

The other problem with booking in advance is how do you know what you want to eat so far out secondly you have to take into consideration the show times for each night.

[Cruisin&Relaxin]

Taking my first NCL cruise next week - 9 days on the Gem out of NYC!

 

Getting nearly daily emails from NCL about signing up for shore excursions and making restaurant reservations. Would like to play it mostly by ear (and use our onboard credit) but also don't want to be shut out.

 

For excursions, we did book the America's Cup because it seems unique and a possible sell-out and are unsure about whether we'd need to book whale watching or any of the snorkel sailboats.

 

For meals, we have a large group (12) with some kids so we'll want to eat on the early side (6-7pm seating) but we'll also have some flexibility -- unlikely we'll have the whole group for specialty restaurants except maybe once (usually will go to main DR).

 

Appreciate any guidance.

 

WRT to meals, as long as it isn't Teppanyaki, you shouldn't have any problems dining at a specialty restaurant at 6 pm even with a large group and without reservations. There will be plenty of empty tables at that time, even more when they open at 5:30 pm. Teppanyaki will definately require a reservation.

[marco]

I'd say "no". We just got off the "Jewel" and most specialty restaurants were about 25% filled at any given time. One night we did not make any reservations and went to the Bistro and said "can you seat us?" and they did.

[clean1owner]

As far as shore excursions go, I would say it depends on the excursion.

 

I literally booked a Tulum tour at 5:45AM on the day of the excursion by dropping a form in the after hours box. I returned to my cabin about 7:00AM and the tickets had already been delivered. Meeting time was 7:50AM.

 

However, more popular excursions could sell out.

[Love my butler]

NCL is not sending you that stream of emails for your convenience, they are sending them to you to prop up sales. No need at all to pre-book restaurants or excursions. Most excursions booked thru the ship are double or more the price you would pay at the port.

[maggie cruises]

NCL is not sending you that stream of emails for your convenience, they are sending them to you to prop up sales. No need at all to pre-book restaurants or excursions. Most excursions booked thru the ship are double or more the price you would pay at the port.

 

however, if you want to take the ship's excursion then book in advance as you can cancel within the timeframe.

 

If you want to book a tour at the port, which has nothing to do with NCL, well then of course you just book it at the port.

 

The OP was asking in reference to booking NCL excursions I would imagine.

 

I have no opinion about the restaurants because there are only 2 or 3 I want to go to and my experience during a spring break cruise was that they were nearly empty as well.

 

OBC can be used toward the daily service charges so I don't think you need to worry about using it up at the restaurants.

[Love my butler]

 

OBC can be used toward the daily service charges so I don't think you need to worry about using it up at the restaurants.

 

The vast majority of OBC is non-refundable, meaning it cannot be used for the DSC.

[letsgomets]

Thanks for all of your comments! I think we'll take the general advice and book Teppanyaki in advance and take the others as they come. And we'll also wait and see with the other excursions.

[Crusin6]

The vast majority of OBC is non-refundable, meaning it cannot be used for the DSC.

What does non refundable have to do with it?

 

If I have a $75 OBC and my servive charges are $86, then they will charge my onboard account $16.

 

Well, that is what happened last time I sailed NCL.

[njhorseman]

What does non refundable have to do with it?

 

If I have a $75 OBC and my servive charges are $86, then they will charge my onboard account $16.

 

Well, that is what happened last time I sailed NCL.

 

What is has to do with it is that your account will not have been settled in the way you're citing it was if you have non-refundable OBC.

 

I'm not sure when you took your last NCL cruise, but about two years ago NCL changed its rules (or to put it more accurately, revised their accounting system to allow them to start enforcing rules they already had in place) to prohibit the use of non-refundable OBC toward the payment of service charges...and NCL OBC has always been non-refundable in recent years. On the other hand OBC from your travel agent very often is refundable, and could be used to pay the service charges.

[Crusin6]

What is has to do with it is that your account will not have been settled in the way you're citing it was if you have non-refundable OBC.

 

I'm not sure when you took your last NCL cruise, but about two years ago NCL changed its rules (or to put it more accurately, revised their accounting system to allow them to start enforcing rules they already had in place) to prohibit the use of non-refundable OBC toward the payment of service charges...and NCL OBC has always been non-refundable in recent years. On the other hand OBC from your travel agent very often is refundable, and could be used to pay the service charges.

ok thanks.

 

I only use a big online TA and justed booked an ncl cruise today and he gave me an OBC of course.

 

Doesn't matter either way to me about the refundable or not part as we use specialty dining 3 or 4 times anyway. we are not too fond of the MDR but NCL has what we are looking for this particular trip...convenience and price.

[marco]

We just got off of the "Jewel". Members in our group had a $50 OBC (we all did, in our group) they and bought/charged pretty much nothing. The $50 was applied to their onboard account and it did cover part of their "service charge".

[njhorseman]

We just got off of the "Jewel". Members in our group had a $50 OBC (we all did, in our group) they and bought/charged pretty much nothing. The $50 was applied to their onboard account and it did cover part of their "service charge".

 

Was the OBC from a travel agent or NCL? If you were booked as an actual group, the $50 OBC may have been a group amenity, not an ordinary OBC.

[johnsak123]

I think if you have your heart set on a specific specialty restaurant book it in advance. Since you have a large party it might be difficult to get a reservation at the time you need for that many people. Downside is you have to pay in advance.

It is easier to get a reservation for a specialty restaruant if you are staying in a suite but that isnt a given. We tried to go to teppenyaki one night because the nephew wanted to go and we couldnt get a reservation.

In my opinion if thats the restaruant of choice skip it. Just want good but thats my opinion

Enjoy!!