Charged for Missing Reservations?

[GypRasc]

I am considering doing the specialty dining package but was told by someone that if we did it and then missed our reservation that we would be charged for it. Concerned that if we are exhausted or not feeling well and end up not being able to do dinner that we will get charged. Can anyone verify this?

[Silver Sweethearts]

I am considering doing the specialty dining package but was told by someone that if we did it and then missed our reservation that we would be charged for it. Concerned that if we are exhausted or not feeling well and end up not being able to do dinner that we will get charged. Can anyone verify this?

 

This from an NCL website:

 

Dining Terms & Conditions - Refunds and Cancellation Fees

 

For standard dinner reservations, cancellations of dinner reservations must be made no later than 24 hours prior to the scheduled dining time. If cancellation occurs with less than 24 hours’ notice, the full price of the cover per guest will be charged to the guest's folio.

[hawkeyetlse]

That statement has not been updated in a long time, and it no longer makes sense now that most of the specialty restaurants have no cover charge.

 

As far as I know, they currently do not impose any penalty (financial or otherwise) for missing your reservations. But it's still a crummy thing to do. If you are exhausted or not feeling well, pick up the phone and let the restaurant know, so someone else can have your table.

[Geetla1965]

Just give the reservations desk a call with as much notice as you can and all will be fine. They were very nice when I had to cancel and did not charge a cent.

[12thMan]

That statement has not been updated in a long time, and it no longer makes sense now that most of the specialty restaurants have no cover charge.

 

As far as I know, they currently do not impose any penalty (financial or otherwise) for missing your reservations. But it's still a crummy thing to do. If you are exhausted or not feeling well, pick up the phone and let the restaurant know, so someone else can have your table.

 

 

They are holding a table empty when someone could actually be using it. By not notifying them you're screwing them out of additional revenue and some guest the opportunity to use the table. Makes perfect sense. And if you used the UDP, all you lose is that night's reservation, but no actual money.

 

 

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[casofilia]

Please cancel as soon as you know you are not able to go. Then they can release the table for someone else to use. That is only polite and considerate. I don't know if they do penalise but they may well not if you are considerate to them and others. But I would hope that they would charge if you just don 't turn up.

[hawkeyetlse]

I would agree with deducting one SDP credit per person as a penalty for no-showing, but I don't think they do that. For one thing, if you reserve for a group, they don't know who's in the group, so they don't know who to penalize. And not everyone has an SDP, so what's the appropriate penalty in that case, if people no-show at an à la carte venue with no cover charge?

[casofilia]

I would agree with deducting one SDP credit per person as a penalty for no-showing, but I don't think they do that. For one thing, if you reserve for a group, they don't know who's in the group, so they don't know who to penalize. And not everyone has an SDP, so what's the appropriate penalty in that case, if people no-show at an à la carte venue with no cover charge?

 

Charge whoever made the booking with $25 per non-attendee. Let them sort it out later!!

[LrgPizza]

Be a decent person and cancel if you aren't going to make it. Be courteous of others.

 

It's amazing that this has to be stated.

 

 

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[fshagan]

Be a decent person and cancel if you aren't going to make it. Be courteous of others.

 

It's amazing that this has to be stated.

 

 

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I think the question was about the stated policy that you have to give 24 hours notice or you will be charged. Most of us don't know we'll be sick until we are sick ... we usually don't have 24 hours notice.

 

So, if you get sick and call the restaurant at 4 PM because you know you can't / shouldn't go to dinner that night, does NCL enforce their stated policy? Or do they waive the charges as long as you do call?

 

It isn't amazing that this is asked because a 24 hour notice is sometimes impossible to honor. The OP just wants to know if this is enforced or not, just as the number of bags per person is not enforced.

[12thMan]

I think the question was about the stated policy that you have to give 24 hours notice or you will be charged. Most of us don't know we'll be sick until we are sick ... we usually don't have 24 hours notice.

 

 

 

So, if you get sick and call the restaurant at 4 PM because you know you can't / shouldn't go to dinner that night, does NCL enforce their stated policy? Or do they waive the charges as long as you do call?

 

 

 

It isn't amazing that this is asked because a 24 hour notice is sometimes impossible to honor. The OP just wants to know if this is enforced or not, just as the number of bags per person is not enforced.

 

 

What some call "sick," military calls "self induced illness." Civilians generally just call it a hangover.

 

Bottom line: have some decency, I can't say common courtesy because unfortunately it's not so common anymore. If you're going to take a reservation away from someone else, let the restaurant know as soon as possible that you're not going to make it so someone else can take the table. (And yes, if you make a reservation, by definition you're removing that option from someone else.)

 

 

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[GypRasc]

I appreciate all the responses. I am by no means the type of person that believes in just not showing up. Obviously, a call to cancel asap would be my objective. I was curious, however, as to whether a charge would be applied. Knowing this would simply help in making my decision on whether to get the dining package or not. Truly, nasty responses are not necessary!

[biker@sea]

Personally, I don't make reservations.

I never had a problem getting in any venue.

 

I still Freestyle It.

.

Edited October 12, 2016 by biker@sea

[zqvol]

I am considering doing the specialty dining package but was told by someone that if we did it and then missed our reservation that we would be charged for it. Concerned that if we are exhausted or not feeling well and end up not being able to do dinner that we will get charged. Can anyone verify this?

 

If you are tired or don't want to go, just call and cancel. As long as you do that there is not going to be a charge even if you cancel 30 minutes prior to your reservation time. As long as you notify them you are nto charged, if you simply fail to show you are likely going to be charged.

Edited October 12, 2016 by zqvol

[NMLady]

I appreciate all the responses. I am by no means the type of person that believes in just not showing up. Obviously, a call to cancel asap would be my objective. I was curious, however, as to whether a charge would be applied. Knowing this would simply help in making my decision on whether to get the dining package or not. Truly, nasty responses are not necessary!

 

On the Jade in April we notified the Le Bistro hostess at 5:25pm that we would be unable to keep our 5:30pm reservation because my husband wasn't feeling well. There were no repercussions.

 

No, he didn't have a hangover, he was having a nauseus reaction to medication.

[hawkeyetlse]

I was curious, however, as to whether a charge would be applied. Knowing this would simply help in making my decision on whether to get the dining package or not.

Could you explain a bit more how this information affects your decision to buy a dining package or not? :confused: Edited October 12, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[KarlChilders]

Could you explain a bit more how this information affects your decision to buy a dining package or not? :confused:

 

Not the OP, but it makes sense to me. They probably feel that if they get the SDP, then to make use of it they need reservations in advance, but are worried that if they must miss a reservation there is a monetary penalty, so they might just want to freestyle it. Not really that hard to understand, IMO.

Edited October 12, 2016 by KarlChilders
correct typo

[LrgPizza]

I make reservations, then that whole day I plan to show up. It's a commitment, and I tend to keep commitments. Sure, sometimes people get sick. I just don't understand planning a vacation around whether or not you might randomly not be feeling well. Maybe the OP has a pre-existing condition? That would make sense. Otherwise, make the reservation and plan to be there. It's life, man. I don't avoid buying tickets to a concert next month because I might be sick or tired that day. Who lives like that?

[hawkeyetlse]

We can't read the OP's mind, all we have to go on is what they actually wrote. If for whatever reason they cannot commit to having 3 specialty meals during the course of their cruise, then the SDP is not for them. It doesn't matter if NCL imposes cancellation penalties or not; if they pre-pay for 3 meals and end up not eating all of them (or end up forcing themselves to go, even if they don't really feel up to it), they are penalizing themselves. It has nothing to do with reservations.

 

I get the point that if you have the SDP, you may be more likely to make reservations (because you don't have to pay up front for Moderno and Teppanyaki, and you get discounted cover charges at some other venues). But you can also freestyle it if your prefer. It's no harder to freestyle it 3 times with the SDP than it is to freestyle it 3 times without the SDP. But again, if the issue is that you might only want to go once or twice, or not at all, then don't get the SDP.

Edited October 12, 2016 by hawkeyetlse

[KarlChilders]

<snip>. It has nothing to do with reservations.

 

It's no harder to freestyle it 3 times with the SDP than it is to freestyle it 3 times without the SDP.

I hear you, but as a first time NCL cruiser, I have gotten the impression from the board here that eating at the specialty restaurants is difficult without reservations, so if I was getting the SDP that would concern me. It may not be true that you can't get in them without a reservation, but a couple of months on here have left me with that impression. We aren't doing the SDP just because as a first timer, I think we will have plenty to choose from anyway and I don't want to have to decide 2 months in advance what time I want to have dinner on vacation.

[biker@sea]

I hear you, but as a first time NCL cruiser, I have gotten the impression from the board here that eating at the specialty restaurants is difficult without reservations, so if I was getting the SDP that would concern me. It may not be true that you can't get in them without a reservation, but a couple of months on here have left me with that impression. We aren't doing the SDP just because as a first timer, I think we will have plenty to choose from anyway and I don't want to have to decide 2 months in advance what time I want to have dinner on vacation.

 

Me thinks they leave a some room for walk in's. ;)

 

 

.

Edited October 12, 2016 by biker@sea

[hawkeyetlse]

We aren't doing the SDP just because as a first timer, I think we will have plenty to choose from anyway and I don't want to have to decide 2 months in advance what time I want to have dinner on vacation.

I understand that, and there probably are sailings where it's hard to get into the specialties without a reservation. In those cases, it would be especially frustrating if you find yourself stuck with a dining package that you can't use, as opposed to just being able to walk away without losing anything. I think that's relatively rare, but it's fair enough if you want to protect yourself against that.

 

Anyway, once you get on board and get a better feel for the situation on your sailing, you can always change your mind and purchase the SDP.

[nipponcruiser]

For the love of God, some of you guys need to take an entire bottle of chill pills. It is a damn cruise not a military drill.

Chill out, guys.

 

Peace.

 

 

Thanks,

Fred.

[UpstateCruiser1007]

We were on the Breakaway last week. I made reservations ahead of time and missed one after forgetting what night it was booked. I went to the reservation counter and had the rep re-book it for a different night. We weren’t charged for the missed reservation. Then when it came time for our re-booked reservation, I must have misheard the girl because I got the date wrong AGAIN, though this time we showed up a day early. No issues getting seated without a reservation that night. It may have been because it was later (8:30) but the hostess just went ahead and cancelled the reservation for the next night. It really wasn’t a big deal, though some people on this board make it out to be a crime punishable by death.

[nipponcruiser]

We were on the Breakaway last week. I made reservations ahead of time and missed one after forgetting what night it was booked. I went to the reservation counter and had the rep re-book it for a different night. We weren’t charged for the missed reservation. Then when it came time for our re-booked reservation, I must have misheard the girl because I got the date wrong AGAIN, though this time we showed up a day early. No issues getting seated without a reservation that night. It may have been because it was later (8:30) but the hostess just went ahead and cancelled the reservation for the next night. It really wasn’t a big deal, though some people on this board make it out to be a crime punishable by death.

 

I hear you Upstate Cruiser......so. do they get to chose the method? :D Maybe make them walk the plank, now that would be very appropriate at sea....lol :D

I bet many people on these boards/forums have some real mental issues judging by the kind of snarky comments they make given any opportunity.

I would hate to be traveling with these guys, let alone related to them.

 

Thanks,

Fred