New dining up charge press release

[LrgPizza]

Food Republic on Escape isn't listed either.

[wichitastatecruiser]

Food Republic on Escape isn't listed either.

 

Not sure if you were replying to mine. Raw bar is listed for a $7 upcharge, its a la carte and if its AYCE like sushi and tapas that means you could order as much lobster as you want!

[moesyk4]

This will work out well for us, we had the UDP package booked but we cancelled, and now are purchasing the 4 day package for our sea days when we have the ability to be a little stricter on schedule.

[jandj1224]

Am I missing something...

3 day package is approximately $20 per meal

 

Most restaurants are $20 per meal or less. If you do the show its an additional $15 or $35 and you can prepay for the show at $29...

 

Only makes sense if you are planning on paying for 3 nights at steakhouse or teppanyaki I guess

[wichitastatecruiser]

Am I missing something...

3 day package is approximately $20 per meal

 

Most restaurants are $20 per meal or less. If you do the show its an additional $15 or $35 and you can prepay for the show at $29...

 

Only makes sense if you are planning on paying for 3 nights at steakhouse or teppanyaki I guess

 

You need to add in the gratuity also. If I did the 3 day package I would probably do Cagney's, Le Bistro and Ocean Blue, under the plan that would be a total of $87.89 (this assumes they tack 18% gratuity on the $15 on Ocean Blue), if I reserved them without the plan it would be $108.54, so I would save $20.65 by doing the plan.

 

Here is the per day diem for the package:

 

3: $23.20

4: $21.83

5: $21.00

6: $20.45

7: 20.06

[rvsullivan]

So the three day package with a $7 upcharge for sushi would be $30 for a meal. Around here, my local sushi restaurant will serve you between 18 and 24 pieces for $30! I can't imagine eating that much! Might be a good deal for some?

Edited June 16, 2015 by rvsullivan

[wichitastatecruiser]

So the three day package with a $7 upcharge for sushi would be $30 for a meal. Around here, my local sushi restaurant will serve you between 18 and 24 pieces for $30! I can't imagine eating that much! Might be a good deal for some?

 

Yes, I looked at the sushi menu, I do sashimi, 8 pieces of tuna and 8 pieces of salmon would be $16, with gratuity that's $19.51. Unless they allow you to share the sushi or tapas I would request that my sitting there not count against my plan.

[NMLady]

For those of us not on the megaships and who do not eat sushi I do not see any savings under this plan. Am I missing something?

 

I will be on the Jewel next April for a 16 day transatlantic. As Platinum my husband and I will get two free dinners in Le Bistro (one each). We'd be interested in the 3-day or 5-day plan but I don't see how it saves us any money.

[AdrenalineRush]

For those of us not on the megaships and who do not eat sushi I do not see any savings under this plan. Am I missing something?

 

I will be on the Jewel next April for a 16 day transatlantic. As Platinum my husband and I will get two free dinners in Le Bistro (one each). We'd be interested in the 3-day or 5-day plan but I don't see how it saves us any money.

 

3 day plan is $69.62 if you ate at Cagney's 2x and Teppanyaki 1x that would be $100.30

Edited June 17, 2015 by Caribbean King1

[Odesitka70]

We are going on breakaway in August and I just purchased the 3 day plan for my family. When I try to make diner reservations it's shows the cost for that restaurant. So my question is how do I make a diner reservation with that plan? Do we have to wait until on board and then do it? What if the restaurants we want won't have any availability? Anybody know what we should do?

[NMLady]

3 day plan is $69.62 if you ate at Cagney's 2x and Teppanyaki 1x that would be $100.30

 

We don't do Teppanyaki and I thought Cagney's was no longer part of the specialty restaurant plan, that it was a la carte now or soon??

[AdrenalineRush]

We don't do Teppanyaki and I thought Cagney's was no longer part of the specialty restaurant plan, that it was a la carte now or soon??

 

Cagney's is still listed in the T&C and not under the a LA carte options .

 

TERMS & CONDITIONS

 

Specialty Dining Packages are available via pre-sell or onboard purchase on days 1 and 2 of the voyage only. On 3-day sailings, the package is only for sale on day 1. Specialty Dining Packages are not available on 1- and 2-day sailings. An 18% gratuity and specialty service charge will be added to the package price. No kids pricing available. Specialty Dining Packages are non transferable. No refunds are available if fewer restaurants are visited. Carlo's Bake Shop items, Ice Cream Bar, Gelato, Chef's Table, Special Occasion/Holiday menus (New Year's, Christmas, etc.), à la carte priced restaurants, entertainment based restaurants, Bayamo, Ocean Blue restaurants, and beverages are not included as part of Specialty Dining Packages. You may choose to dine in the following venues as part of your Specialty Dining Package for the corresponding upcharges: The Supper Club ($15), Ocean Blue ($15), Bayamo ($10), Cirque Dreams and Illusionarium ($10 regular seats/$15 premium seats/$35 VIP seating on Breakaway), Sushi Bar ($7), Pincho Tapas Bar ($7), and Raw Bar ($7). Specialty Dining Packages include one main course per person at Cagney's and Le Bistro restaurants. Additional main courses will be charged at $10.00.

[Out to sea!]

Seems to be just another way for NCL to raise prices. The old 7 day UDP was $119. Now the new 3 day SDP is $59. Half the price but fewer than half the days increasing the cost per meal.

Edited June 17, 2015 by Out to sea!

[ohiogymrat]

Seems to be just another way for NCL to raise prices. The old 7 day UDP was $119. Now the new 3 day SDP is $59. Half the price but fewer than half the days increasing the cost per meal.

 

It's the same rate on both packages ,but actually cheaper once you get past day 7 with SDP. $10 per day bump vs $15

 

You can see both charts here

http://www.ncl.com/onboard-packages/dining-packages

Edited June 17, 2015 by ohiogymrat

[Raleigh Traveler]

This sounds like filling in the gap between what they had before as the Signature Trio and the new Ultimate Dining. On our TA last Oct I was surprised to see the Trio being sold at embarkation. We enjoy the MDR and could see trying three specialty sites over 14 days. The best deal is eating at Cagney's three times when it comes to savings. Spread the Trio out over the 14 days and handed over coupons that we got at purchase at each meal. Seems like a good option to go with more than three but less than every night.

[hawkeyetlse]

Seems to be just another way for NCL to raise prices. The old 7 day UDP was $119. Now the new 3 day SDP is $59.

How are they raising prices by offering a choice of cheaper packages? :confused:

[NLH Arizona]

You are still paying more per night with the 3 night versus the 7 night. As I stated, they are probably expecting more people to just purchase the 3 or 4 night packages thereby increasing the amount of money they make on a singular meal.

 

The point of any promotion is to make one purchase more....the more you buy the less you pay per item. Why should NCL be any different?

[emcelh]

The point of any promotion is to make one purchase more....the more you buy the less you pay per item. Why should NCL be any different?

 

Exactly. Disneyworld the same thing with their park tickets. The more days you buy the less they cost per day. Come to think of it, same principle applies in almost every business from transportation with multiple day tickets to the local donut shop where a dozen costs less per donut. I never thought of it as a "money grab". I guess no one cares about customers.

 

People should be informed but this isn't exactly a rip off that just benefits the cruise line.

[punkincc]

Seems to be just another way for NCL to raise prices. The old 7 day UDP was $119. Now the new 3 day SDP is $59. Half the price but fewer than half the days increasing the cost per meal.

 

Yes, but still a savings over just paying the cover charges with no package.

 

The option to buy the smaller packages is a good thing for many people such as ourselves who like to have a few meals in the MDR or buffet or O'Sheehans and the full 7 day UDP package would have left some of our money on the table as we would only use it 3 or 4 nights. Now we have the option to buy a package for only the 3 or 4 nights we typically eat in a specialty. This makes much more sense to us.

[Out to sea!]

Yes, but still a savings over just paying the cover charges with no package.

 

Not necessarily true. 3 nights in La Cucina is $45, $14 less than the 3 night package.

[legion3]

Not necessarily true. 3 nights in La Cucina is $45, $14 less than the 3 night package.

 

Yes but who would do that?

 

3 nights - should hit things you might not do at home.

 

I enjoyed La Cucina, and did do it twice on a cruise once but not the other nights.

 

3 nights at Cagny's and you save one whole Cagny's meal.

[maywell]

Not necessarily true. 3 nights in La Cucina is $45, $14 less than the 3 night package.

 

That's only true if you dine at La Cucina at all 3 nights. But that not how it going to go for those 3 nights for most people, its more like one at La Cucina, 1 night at Le Bistro or Moderno, 1 night at Teppanmaki or Cagney or any of a la carte restaurants with additional fee. Any of those 2 combinations with La Cucina is much more than $69.62 price tag, with and/or without the autotip.

 

 

Edit: AKA not so different with the old UDP, if planning to eat all nights at La Cucina; better off paying it without the plan unless you mixed it up with the other restaurants anyway.

Edited June 17, 2015 by maywell

[NLH Arizona]

Not necessarily true. 3 nights in La Cucina is $45, $14 less than the 3 night package.

Same thing with the 7 night package; if one were to eat at La Cucina 7 times, it would be $105 (before gratuity) and the package costs $119 (before gratuity). One would think that anyone wanting the package would do some research with regard to the restaurants and if they wanted to eat at La Cucina every night, they would realize, no matter if it is 3 nights or 7 nights, it would not be cost effect for them to purchase the package.

[Out to sea!]

Yes but who would do that?

 

3 nights - should hit things you might not do at home.

 

I enjoyed La Cucina, and did do it twice on a cruise once but not the other nights.

 

3 nights at Cagny's and you save one whole Cagny's meal.

 

Me? And I don't have a La Cucina at home.....do you??

[motleyfan]

This is more in line with my idea of freestyle, and a good compromise. I'm sure it will figure prominently in future "promotions."

 

I think this is a good idea for first time cruisers to be able to give the premium restaurant a try but I don't think anybody who's cruised Ncl before is going to get the 3 day because the premium restaurants are so amazing who doesn't want the full Cruise worth?