First Time Sailing Dawn, Dinner Questions

[craigles14]

Hi all,

 

First time sailing on the Dawn (or any NCL for that matter) and have a few questions regarding dining.

 

1) I noticed that you can make reservations for the MDR's online ahead of time. Is this worth doing? Can I make a reservation on board the day of? I've come to understand that the specialty dining (Teppenyaki) can fill up quickly so I'm making reservations ahead of time for those nights.

 

2) My girlfriend has recently become gluten free. Are there ways to modify or request substitutions for certain dishes to meet her dietary needs? At the buffet, breakfast and lunches are there a good amount of options available for her? Would it be worth calling NCL ahead of time to inform them about this?

 

Any insight into these questions would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!!

[cliffd64]

Hi all,

 

First time sailing on the Dawn (or any NCL for that matter) and have a few questions regarding dining.

 

1) I noticed that you can make reservations for the MDR's online ahead of time. Is this worth doing? Can I make a reservation on board the day of? I've come to understand that the specialty dining (Teppenyaki) can fill up quickly so I'm making reservations ahead of time for those nights.

 

MDR reservations are totally unnecessary. Just show up when you want to.

 

2) My girlfriend has recently become gluten free. Are there ways to modify or request substitutions for certain dishes to meet her dietary needs? At the buffet, breakfast and lunches are there a good amount of options available for her? Would it be worth calling NCL ahead of time to inform them about this?

 

Any insight into these questions would be greatly appreciated!

 

Thanks!!

 

Absolutely, you should contact NCL ahead of time to arrange for gluten free dietary items. Contact NCL via phone, and ask for the special needs department, they will send you a questionaire to fill out and then tell you who on-board to speak to to arrange for the gluten free menu(s) and meals.

[NLH Arizona]

1) I noticed that you can make reservations for the MDR's online ahead of time. Is this worth doing? Can I make a reservation on board the day of? I've come to understand that the specialty dining (Teppenyaki) can fill up quickly so I'm making reservations ahead of time for those nights.

 

Definitely make reservations ahead of time for the Teppanyaki restaurant, as there are only a few seats and it does fill up fast. As far as the other restaurants, there have been reports back that they are filling up fast and that some have been left with either really early times or really late times, I'm guessing because of the UDP, so I would suggest that if you know what time you would like to eat at the specialty restaurants that you make them as soon as you can (90 days ahead of the cruise for non-suite passengers and 100 prior to your cruise for suite passengers). It has been noted on here that Cagney's has not been available for pre-reservations, so I would make those (if it continues) right when you board the ship.

[Keith B.]

\It has been noted on here that Cagney's has not been available for pre-reservations, so I would make those (if it continues) right when you board the ship.

 

We were able to make reservation at Cagney's on-line. That may be because we are in a suite. It wouldn't hurt to try and make the reservations. What can they do ...cancel your cruise? All they can do is tell you "no". :)

[NLH Arizona]

We were able to make reservation at Cagney's on-line. That may be because we are in a suite. It wouldn't hurt to try and make the reservations. What can they do ...cancel your cruise? All they can do is tell you "no". :)

Was it recently that you made the reservations? If it was, good to know that suites can still make reservations from a selfish standpoint. I travel in suites and Cagney's is my favorite restaurant onboard.

[craigles14]

MDR reservations are totally unnecessary. Just show up when you want to.

 

 

 

Absolutely, you should contact NCL ahead of time to arrange for gluten free dietary items. Contact NCL via phone, and ask for the special needs department, they will send you a questionaire to fill out and then tell you who on-board to speak to to arrange for the gluten free menu(s) and meals.

 

Thanks! From what I could see there were mixed reviews with the MDR's as far as reservations and wait times. How about breakfast and lunch options, same deal? Just show up when we want to during the specified times?

 

The cruise we're on is the Dawn leaving May 1st. I know that NCL says to contact them with 30 days notice as far as special dietary needs. The gluten free eating is very new, should they still be able to accommodate her? I guess it can't help but to call and ask, right?

[craigles14]

Definitely make reservations ahead of time for the Teppanyaki restaurant, as there are only a few seats and it does fill up fast. As far as the other restaurants, there have been reports back that they are filling up fast and that some have been left with either really early times or really late times, I'm guessing because of the UDP, so I would suggest that if you know what time you would like to eat at the specialty restaurants that you make them as soon as you can (90 days ahead of the cruise for non-suite passengers and 100 prior to your cruise for suite passengers). It has been noted on here that Cagney's has not been available for pre-reservations, so I would make those (if it continues) right when you board the ship.

 

The one reservation we have made so far is for our anniversary dinner, at Moderno. We opted for the UBP rather than the UDP, we had planned to just eat at the MDR and buffet for the most part, maybe eat on the island one night as well. Trying to stay very flexible.

[Barb Nahoumi]

Was it recently that you made the reservations? If it was, good to know that suites can still make reservations from a selfish standpoint. I travel in suites and Cagney's is my favorite restaurant onboard.

 

When we were in a suite, our concierge made the reservations for us, be it specialties or the MDR.

[cliffd64]

Thanks! From what I could see there were mixed reviews with the MDR's as far as reservations and wait times. How about breakfast and lunch options, same deal? Just show up when we want to during the specified times?

 

The cruise we're on is the Dawn leaving May 1st. I know that NCL says to contact them with 30 days notice as far as special dietary needs. The gluten free eating is very new, should they still be able to accommodate her? I guess it can't help but to call and ask, right?

 

Breakfast and lunch are even less likely to incur waiting in the MDR's as it is not overly attended. There are no reservations taken for these times.

 

No matter what, I would call and get the ball rolling on the gluten free stuff, they prefer 60 days notice, but they can work with you I'm sure.

Edited April 22, 2015 by cliffd64

[NLH Arizona]

When we were in a suite, our concierge made the reservations for us, be it specialties or the MDR.

I always make mine own reservations with the pre-concierge as soon as available, so I can get the times I want, but some have reported recently that Cagney's was not available to make on line or by calling prior to their cruise, just trying to figure out if that is true for all or for all except suite passengers. Hopefully, Keith B will come back and let us know when he made his reservation for Cagney's, so if it was recently (within the last couple of weeks or so), we would know if suites are excluded from not being able to make the reservations on line. Edited April 22, 2015 by NLH Arizona

[craigles14]

Breakfast and lunch are even less likely to incur waiting in the MDR's as it is not overly attended. There are no reservations taken for these times.

 

No matter what, I would call and get the ball rolling on the gluten free stuff, they prefer 60 days notice, but they can work with you I'm sure.

 

Thanks for the help!

 

Just called and let them know about the allergy, they were very helpful and had some good suggestions for her.

[declansdad]

We cruised on the Dawn last July and made some reservation on the MDRs before we left and a couple more on-board. We were glad we did! There is no real areas to wait outside the Venetian and Aqua so it became quite congested with those waiting for tables. We were able to simply walk up to the podium, give them our name and were seated within a couple of minutes.