Dining package disaster

[Maraprince]

Correct me if I am wrong, if you try to book more than one restaurant on the same night via the computer before the cruise, would it not show up as an error? If so, why wouldn't the Concierge let the passenger know that they could only book one restaurant per night instead of making multiple reservations for them?

 

No shows should be billed since their "reserved" table went unused and prevented another passenger from having dinner.

 

MARAPRINCE

[KeithJenner]

Correct me if I am wrong, if you try to book more than one restaurant on the same night via the computer before the cruise, would it not show up as an error? If so, why wouldn't the Concierge let the passenger know that they could only book one restaurant per night instead of making multiple reservations for them?

 

No shows should be billed since their "reserved" table went unused and prevented another passenger from having dinner.

 

MARAPRINCE

 

 

 

You can't book more than one beforehand, but there will be ways round it, especially if you have more than one cabin.

 

I think the system is less strict once onboard. We were sitting with some people in Teppenyaki last year who had to be finished in about an hour (they didn't finish their meal) as they had reservations for a show. The online system wouldn't have allowed that, so it seems you can do more once onboard.

 

Certainly the concierge shouldn't be booking them for them though.

[detroitlions]

I see this on every cruise and it boggles me how no one pays attention to there booking NCL actually sends you a email to book what you need to 80 days out.

People refuse to adjust to change and get ticked when there standing in line or being told no.

I just scratch my head at seeing people lined up complaining and most of what there complaining about 90% is there fault for not reading or logging into there booking and not reading there email.

If you can figure out how to complain on CC you can figure out how to book dinner reservations on line or a excursion. Plain and simple there is not a excuse or rebuttal to this.

I book every cruse at least 4 or 5 of my dinners with family I have never had a problem and I cruise during high season every year. People need to step up there game.

[grandmarnnurse]

I sailed the Getaway in January. We reserved and paid for Moderno ahead of time online for my birthday. When we showed at our reserved time of 7pm, we were told they couldn't find our reservation! I was ready to run back to cabin to bring my receipt of reservation and payment, when they said they had room to seat us anyway. Thank goodness! It turned out to a fabulous night and dinner.

 

 

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[margie1221]

No shows should be billed since their "reserved" table went unused and prevented another passenger from having dinner.

MARAPRINCE

 

A dinner reservation cancellation fee might help - probably wouldn't be a huge deterrent - maybe more of a hassle for people with legitimate reason for canceling (someone sick, etc.). Just can't imagine making a dinner reservation for all seven nights and only planning to actually use three of them (with the SDP)... Is that part of the problem??

 

At land casinos, they often put the following stipulation on reserving "free" event tickets - so there's a little bit of a precedent for assessing a fee for canceling something free!!

 

"You have 2 free tickets to 1 show for Amy Schumer on Friday, March 3, 2017 in the Grand Theater. Reservations are required. 25 PTs will be deducted from your acct PER ticket for all No Shows or failure to cancel within 48 hours"

[KeithJenner]

I sailed the Getaway in January. We reserved and paid for Moderno ahead of time online for my birthday. When we showed at our reserved time of 7pm, we were told they couldn't find our reservation! I was ready to run back to cabin to bring my receipt of reservation and payment, when they said they had room to seat us anyway. Thank goodness! It turned out to a fabulous night and dinner.

 

 

 

Something similar has happened to us a couple of times, a few years ago now.

 

These days we stop by the reservations desk at some point on the first day and ask them to print out our reservations. They give you a slip for each one. It confirms that the reservation has got through to the ship ok and at the right time (apparently the times have sometimes been out by 30 minutes).

 

It also means we have some evidence if you show up and they can't find the reservation.

[KeithJenner]

Just can't imagine making a dinner reservation for all seven nights and only planning to actually use three of them (with the SDP)... Is that part of the problem??

 

 

I don't know how much of a problem it is, but occasionally people have posted on here saying they do something similar.

[grandmarnnurse]

Good advice, KeithJenner!

 

 

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[ShanLeigh77]

We had the SDP (with 4 dinners included). I pre-booked it all prior to sailing - as well as shows that we wanted to see. I did note that when trying to book times for dinners/shows it would not let me book two items that fell into the same time slot so I'm not sure how anyone can book multiple restaurants for the same time period. The reason we opted for the SDP was to avoid the main dining room (Tropicana / Taste / Savor) altogether.. and we did. The food in the other restaurants was as good as or better than the dining rooms so it made no difference to me what the menus where in the MDR on any given night... I also booked it all ahead of time to avoid wasting any amount of time on my vacation waiting in lines to make reservations or to be able to get a table for dinner... Yes, most of the time the restaurants were pretty empty when we were there but I'm sure that NCL has it's reasons for this...even if it doesn't make much sense...I would guess that they do keep some space for anyone 'paying' for dinner without the SDP.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

I'm a solo cruiser and have had a dining package on each of my NCL cruises. I look forward to the 90-day mark so I can make my reservations. Personally, I don't see this as an inconvenience or an issue at all. As another poster said, if I want to go out to dinner at a nice restaurant here at home, I've made a reservation ahead of time. I do the same for a cruise. It doesn't in any way negatively impact my vacation; in fact, it increases my anticipation of it! If freestyle means to you that you can just walk up to any restaurant and be immediately seated, then you're not paying attention.

 

At times when I've arrived at a restaurant a few minutes before my reservation time, I've seen a few people asking to be seated without a reservation and heard the hostess tell them they have to hold reservations for 15 minutes and if those who are booked for that time don't arrive within 15 minutes, they'll be seated. If that's your choice, if making advance reservations goes against your grain, or if you just can't be bothered to book in advance, then you run the risk of not being seated. I wouldn't expect to be seated in a nice land restaurant without a reservation and I don't expect to be able to just walk up and be seated at up-charge restaurants on NCL ships. You can't have it both ways. You either make a reservation or you don't, and if you don't then you run the risk of not getting to eat at your preferred restaurant.

[Cmdr Cody]

As a solo sailor, I was planning on using my Platinum Latitudes benefit to get four free meals, two in Cagney's and two in La Cucina on my Mexican Riviera cruise in April. (This is based on the "dinner for two" principle and my only being "one".) It sounds like I'm going to have to get everything booked the exact moment I board the ship or I'll be screwed along with everyone else. I hope the Cruise Next manager will be at her work station when I board. As with so much with NCL anymore, it's two steps forward and one step back.

 

 

It's now one Cagneys/Le Bistro and one La Cucina/Moderno per STATEROOM. Not sure if a solo gets four separate meals.

 

 

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[triptolemus]

60% of the tables are held for onboard booking. You didn't.

 

 

70% of all statistics are made up on the spot by 64% of people that produce false statistics 54% of the time they produce them.

[BLACKBURNROVERS]

70% of all statistics are made up on the spot by 64% of people that produce false statistics 54% of the time they produce them.

Is this not slightly off topic?

[triptolemus]

Is this not slightly off topic?

 

 

Not at all. People make up stuff here all the time. Random ass numbers they pull out of their heads when really there is very little truth in them... or its something the maitre d' told them this one time so it must be gospel. People assume that they hold back tables for onboard booking, and I believe that they do. But nobody knows the percentage... they're guessing.

[mcd2745]

I sailed the Getaway in January. We reserved and paid for Moderno ahead of time online for my birthday. When we showed at our reserved time of 7pm, we were told they couldn't find our reservation! I was ready to run back to cabin to bring my receipt of reservation and payment, when they said they had room to seat us anyway. Thank goodness! It turned out to a fabulous night and dinner.

 

 

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It wasn't dining reservations, however we had pre-ordered stuff (bottled water package, photo package, soda package for the kids) online a couple of weeks prior to our Getaway cruise last week that apparently never went through. Even though I had a printed confirmation page, they had no record of it on the ship. Clearly, they have some major system issues.

[SunnyKitty]

Not at all. People make up stuff here all the time. Random ass numbers they pull out of their heads when really there is very little truth in them... or its something the maitre d' told them this one time so it must be gospel. People assume that they hold back tables for onboard booking, and I believe that they do. But nobody knows the percentage... they're guessing.

 

 

well.. just another guess..

I did call for Illusionarium reservations and asked if it will be more options on ship than online.. they told me - no, they put all seats online.

Not sure if it just for this venue or for all of them,

[Va. Plumber]

Just an observation. I used to get exercised about going to land-based restaurants without a reservation and waiting while there multiple empty tables. A friend in the restaurant business told me that is done so as not to over-tax the kitchen and waitstaff.

 

The great enjoyment to me of the specialty restaurants has always been the quality of service and the leisurely pace of the meal.

[KeithJenner]

well.. just another guess..

I did call for Illusionarium reservations and asked if it will be more options on ship than online.. they told me - no, they put all seats online.

Not sure if it just for this venue or for all of them,

 

 

 

They keep some restaurant reservations back. That's a fact, proved all the time by people making reservations onboard that weren't available online.

 

The proportion is unconfirmed as far as I know, but there is no doubt that they hold some back.

[triptolemus]

The proportion is unconfirmed as far as I know, but there is no doubt that they hold some back.

 

 

No doubt. :whiskey-glass:

[lettienets]

In the specialty restaurants= there would have to be a "group" who commits to dining, then the reservations would be made.

 

In regular restaurants I've had fixed dining time set up for the solos But again, depends on that particular participation, of that sailing.

I have a booking on Getaway in Nov in the studio area so I guess the studio host will take us to a regular dining room. I noticed before on the studio notice board that people signed up to eat in a specialty restaurant and wondered if the studio host could get a reservation or have on hold?

Next year I have cruise booked on Jade and wondered if anything is done to get solos to eat together. I see on the daily solos can meet in a bar at 6 and wondered if anybody shows up and then go as a group to dining room. Do you know about these scenarios Budget Queen? Thanks

 

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[Markanddonna]

I booked our three reservations online a while back, but the website doesn't show how many people. I booked it for 6 to include my family in the Owner's Suite, but can't see the 6 anywhere. Where do I find this on the website? Thanks.

[StolidCruiser]

Just an observation. I used to get exercised about going to land-based restaurants without a reservation and waiting while there multiple empty tables. A friend in the restaurant business told me that is done so as not to over-tax the kitchen and waitstaff.

The great enjoyment to me of the specialty restaurants has always been the quality of service and the leisurely pace of the meal.

 

 

That's one reason.

 

Another reason is the plethora of people who make reservations and end up being a no-show. Just because you see empty tables doesn't automatically mean those tables aren't waiting for the people who reserved them to show up.

[C-line]

I booked our three reservations online a while back, but the website doesn't show how many people. I booked it for 6 to include my family in the Owner's Suite, but can't see the 6 anywhere. Where do I find this on the website? Thanks.

 

 

I did the same but for 7 people. I couldn't find it anywhere on the website either so I called and they sent me an email showing all our reservations and that each was for 7 people.

 

 

(edited in case someone picks up on it - I had to reserve for 8 because 7 isn't an option on the website and I mentioned this to the person I spoke to on the phone)

[happy cruzin]

you know, both Le bistro and Cagney's were half empty all the time, regardless "fully booked " claim.

We were coming at 5-30 , waiting to get seated, leaving about 8 - and some tables were empty all the times continuously. I would say both places were filled at 2\3 most, may be half tables..

 

 

I'm sure it appeared that way - but you have to remember that for service flow and due to the length of the meal not every table is ever going to be full at the same time. In the course of an evening each table will only be reserved a couple of times.....and the reservations are staggered on purpose.

[Quilting_Cruiser]

Having never worked in the service industry, it's helpful that some of you have and are weighing in. As a non-restaurant person, I assume fully booked would mean that all the tables are booked, but it makes so much sense when explained the way some of you have taken the time to do. I wonder if some would have less ruffled feathers if the hostess were to say something like, "we're currently at the capacity the kitchen can handle at this point in the evening" instead of "we're fully booked and no tables are available" when there are clearly open tables.