Platinum Cruiser and LeBistro

[ETski]

We are cruising on the Breakaway in Sept. I am wondering about how hard it is to get reservations at Le Bistro for our comp. meal. I was told we need to book this after we board. This is my first time cruising platinum and don't know how this works. Help please:)

[Demonyte]

See posts #5 and #8 in this thread about the exact same topic started less than 24 hours ago:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2251979

Edited August 26, 2015 by Demonyte

[VideoTech]

We are cruising on the Breakaway in Sept. I am wondering about how hard it is to get reservations at Le Bistro for our comp. meal. I was told we need to book this after we board. This is my first time cruising platinum and don't know how this works. Help please:)

 

Not hard at all. In my experience, Le Bistro is the least popular specialty restaurant on the ship. Never had trouble getting a reservation, even just walking up to the door at dinner time.

 

If you want to book it early on board (and you are not in a suite) go to the dinner reservations desk, or call them. You don't even have to tell them it's your Latitudes comp meal. Be sure you take the little comp meal voucher that you'll get in your cabin with you to the dinner. They'll take it and run you a $0 service charge ticket.

 

If you're in a suite, it's even easier. Just book it through the concierge.

[Budget Queen]

I've been platinum over 10 years, and never have had any problems, even with walk up. This coupon is also good at any restaurant up to the Le Bistro's value. But you can not pay the difference for any that are more expensive.

[TrumpyNor]

If you're in a suite, it's even easier. Just book it through the concierge.

 

If you are Platinum, you have the concierge service as well.... :) I have often used the concierge to book specialty restaurants for me (without being in a suite) when the restaurant reservations desk on board said it was no room at the requested time when I tried to book it myself, and the concierge always managed to get a table for us at the time I wanted (I don't know how, but he did). I also have had more luck getting a table at any specialty restaurant by talking directly to the restaurant hostess at the entrance of the various specialty restaurants, compared to doing reservations through the restaurant reservations desk who serves ALL restaurants on board.

 

PS: I have never had any problems getting my "comped" meal at le Bistro, as long as you can be a little flexible regarding dinner time and date there should be no problems. Especially since they only allow a certain number of seats in each restaurant to be booked in advance before the cruise starts.

Edited August 26, 2015 by TrumpyNor

[eroller]

I've been platinum over 10 years, and never have had any problems, even with walk up. This coupon is also good at any restaurant up to the Le Bistro's value. But you can not pay the difference for any that are more expensive.

 

 

On the EPIC crossing earlier this year Le Bistro was booked solid. I think because so many Platinum members were onboard. If you didn't pre-book you were pretty much out of luck. I had no choice but to use the certificate in an alternative venue. Not a big deal and it worked out fine.

[Demonyte]

If you are Platinum, you have the concierge service as well

 

 

Yes, in theory. NCL has done their best to keep non-suite Platinum passengers away from the concierge on all our cruises since we became Platinums almost three years ago.

[Demonyte]

On the EPIC crossing earlier this year Le Bistro was booked solid. I think because so many Platinum members were onboard. If you didn't pre-book you were pretty much out of luck. I had no choice but to use the certificate in an alternative venue. Not a big deal and it worked out fine.

 

 

So you weren't able to make reservations and you had no luck with walk-ins either?

[eroller]

So you weren't able to make reservations and you had no luck with walk-ins either?

 

 

I tried the walk-up option a couple times then gave up. It was all good. I didn't starve and was able to use my certificates elsewhere and had a great dinner.

[Demonyte]

I tried the walk-up option a couple times then gave up.

 

 

Thanks, that's good to know.

[mking8288]

We had plenty of decent availabilities with booking our Platinum dinners once we got onboard last year on the Breakaway, not wide open but enough slots on different days - given the "pace" of service as we know it to be ... and, without prebooking & thus the prepaid/OBC refund routine.

 

We last sailed this late March again on the BA, just before/while some of the changes were rolling out / being disputed as rumors - but, for what it's worth - had iConcierge activated once we're on board & started checking while waiting for our lunch to be served in the MDR - and, we boarded as Zone/Group 2, not quite among the first but close enough ... there're some slots for Day 1 at 5:30, 5:45 or 6 PM or then 9:30 or 9:45 PM - nothing in the "prime" ... fair enough, Concierge got their Haven guests covered. Look thru the rest of the week & it was almost the same pattern, there're a few 6:30's and 7:30's or 8:00's in between - this is for a party of 2 ... can't imagine trying to find seating for 4 or 6 with a larger group sailing together on the perk, as we sometimes do.

 

We took up 7:45P on day 3 and 6:00P on day 5 or 6 - and by day 3 or 4, there was nothing available in DIY booking with the iConcierge, I supposed we could've used the onboard Concierge in-house extension phone # to call & requested aid (letter didn't even give a name for who s/he was) ... Passing the reception/lobby ... the lines for dinner reservation @ guest services was pretty long, phew - thankfully, technology gave us an edge, IMO.

 

If OP is planning to spend $$ onboard anyway in duty-free, spa or gift shops, etc. - my tactical suggestions would be to goto myNCL dot com and check to see what's available now @ LeBistro, and book it with a credit card payment to confirm it - probably with a better choice of dining time, if they are still available & not locked out/fully booked for the slots released ahead of time ... (blocks of seating held for onboard bookings, supposingly :rolleyes: )

 

Enjoy the dinner, present the vouchers and they will reverse/credit back the prepaid charges as OBC, spend that money and it will offset the payment - or, it will take care of some of that DSC (unless prepaid in full for the "old" rates, etc. etc.) DW is not into Moderno or else we would've book that for the salad bar & slices of meat, etc. - there seemed to be more slots to book, even while onboard. However, there weren't as much with UDP or whatever dinner packages sailing a few months ago, one would expect more on every sailings who've taken the "free" perks - so, we as Platinum cruisers would be "competing" for the tables, LOL.

 

Now, I haven't paid attention to more recent reviews about # of empty tables that remained vacant for half of every evening @ LeBistro ... we sat there & even saw guests trying walk-up strategies from the inside, but couldn't tell/listened as to the conversations - our server was busy as is and would need extra teams to service more guests. Well, that's a related but different topic.

[JuneauMe]

Anyone have an idea of how this platinum perk will work when A la Carte rolls out?

[Demonyte]

Anyone have an idea of how this platinum perk will work when A la Carte rolls out?

 

 

Se the other thread I linked, I have already answered to another poster there.

[JuneauMe]

Se the other thread I linked, I have already answered to another poster there.

Can't find it

[Love my butler]

A little insider tip for all regarding specialty restaurants and reservations. Very rarely will you see 'all' tables occupied during meals. NCL will usually only book reservations based on the ability of the kitchen to prepare the meals. Sometimes that means a restaurant will be 'booked solid' but only 75% of the tables will be occupied.

 

That means if you have the proper connections, ie you are in a suite, have a good relationship with the concierge or reservations desk etc, you can very often get into a 'booked' restaurant, even at the last minute.

 

This does not apply to certain restaurants like Teppanyaki.