specialty dinner reservations

[lisasay123]

Hello,

Do more times open up once on board? Currently our preferred time is not available; should I bother checking once there?
Thanks,

Lisa

[*Luv2Cruz*]

Yes more times will be available. Try to book as soon as you board and keep checking cause ya never know.[emoji6]

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[KarlChilders]

I would also suggest you download the NCL app.  We were able to connect to the ship wifi while waiting to board and make some reservations.

[Starry Eyes]

Yes, more times will be available.  Like the poster above, I have had good luck using the NCL app and ship Wi-Fi in the terminal to make reservations once boarding commences (Haven, wheelchair,etc) if I know the times I want. It is a good use of time while waiting for my turn to board.

 

On some of the bigger ships, I may want to get all entertainment reservations finalized first, then re-work the dining to fit my show times.  

 

[salty dingo]

About 80% of the times can only be reserved onboard. We had no problem getting the reservations we wanted. Even the Vibe passes were available, and we were in boarding group 14.

[newmexicoNita]

20 hours ago, lisasay123 said:

Hello,

Do more times open up once on board? Currently our preferred time is not available; should I bother checking once there?
Thanks,

Lisa

of course you should. We have run into this many times. In fact a few weeks ago, we couldn't get reservations at Tappenyaki's even after we boarded. We took our chances, arrived shortly after they opened and were seated within about 1/2 hour. It was the most entertaining show I have ever seen at a Japanese steak house and one of the best meals we had on the ship 

[BirdTravels]

21 hours ago, lisasay123 said:

Hello,

Do more times open up once on board? Currently our preferred time is not available; should I bother checking once there?
Thanks,

Lisa

Lisa

 

The cruise line holds tables for on board bookings (a lot less than the 80% quoted above). For prime time dining, you should go to the restaurant reservations desk or a touch screen kiosk (at elevator lobbies) as soon as you board. 
 

Reservations open 120 days prior to cruise (130 days for suites). With the free dining promotions, if you don’t book quickly, prime time reservations will sell out. 

[jdvmd]

Only about 1/3 of reservation slots are available to book before boarding.

[p5woody]

Another question about specialty dining reservations.  When trying to book reservations online pre-cruise, I can only select a party size of 4 or greater.  It is just me and my wife, can we make a reservation for 4 even though we only have 2?

[BSR]

3 hours ago, p5woody said:

Another question about specialty dining reservations.  When trying to book reservations online pre-cruise, I can only select a party size of 4 or greater.  It is just me and my wife, can we make a reservation for 4 even though we only have 2?

Yes,  when you board the ship, tell them you're a party of 2.

[p5woody]

58 minutes ago, BSR said:

Yes,  when you board the ship, tell them you're a party of 2.

Awesome, thanks!

[BenDover]

On Breakaway where would the reservation desk be located?

Will go straight there upon boarding.

[fanofcruizin]

We are new to NCL and are taking a Cruisetour. What time do the online reservations open up at 120 days out? Since we will be last onboard from what I understand, I don’t want to count on availability once we board. 

[luckyinpa]

im a late chrismas booker so i didnt expect much to be open but i was wondering in general do reservations ever show up for parties of 3. theres not a single one there at any time for any place

 

i know it's only critical for teppanyaki and i assume booking for 4 is not  a big deal for the other places

 

i do hope its true that a majority of reservations are available on the ship for the concierge to book or via the kiosk when we get on. 

[Linda the Book Lover]

In the past when sailing with DD and DGD when three was not available we booked for four. It was never an issue. We just let them know once onboard. For Teppanyaki there are single travelers who would be happy to take the seat.

[MNcruisingcouple]

On 11/3/2019 at 1:22 PM, BenDover said:

On Breakaway where would the reservation desk be located?

Will go straight there upon boarding.

 

When we were on the Breakaway in January, they were set up in Headliners Comedy Club on embarkation day.  There were several restaurant staff there to help you with reservations, dining packages, etc. 

[whitsmom]

We are sailing on the Getaway on November 17th.  There are 11 of us and we called our NCL travel agent and he contacted the groups department and we got all three specialty dinners booked at the time we requested.  We got a confirming email from the groups department.

[maksafety]

They hold some back but don’t delay. Just got off yesterday and basically every time was reserved by the time we left Miami

[Vyhanek]

Even if you book the Haven, which opens up the dining reservations many days earlier than the regular cruiser, still Ive never been able to get my ideal dinner times online.    Even using the Haven Concierge that calls you a few weeks before the cruise.   Even that concierge only has availability for what's online.   It's useless actually.

 

But I have found if you book dining as soon as you get onboard, you will get your preferred time.   They hold the majority of the reservations for onboard booking.   

[salty dingo]

On 11/1/2019 at 2:22 PM, jdvmd said:

Only about 1/3 of reservation slots are available to book before boarding.

I was told only 20% are by a NCL agent... but I would not be a bit surprised if that was a lie. I have no idea what the actual number is but there was no trouble getting the bookings we wanted as soon as we boarded.

 

Also, where you are willing to sit may get you a walk up table faster. At Le Bistro, our reservation guaranteed a nice table for two inside. They had some tables for two outside too, but apparently only the walk-up folks got them... there were not too desirable considering everyone walking past the restaurant could watch. 

[BirdTravels]

On 11/3/2019 at 3:44 PM, fanofcruizin said:

We are new to NCL and are taking a Cruisetour. What time do the online reservations open up at 120 days out? Since we will be last onboard from what I understand, I don’t want to count on availability once we board. 

12 Midnight NCL time (Miami - US Eastern). 

[BirdTravels]

On 11/3/2019 at 2:22 PM, BenDover said:

On Breakaway where would the reservation desk be located?

Will go straight there upon boarding.

The best thing to do is to go immediately to the Theater Box Office ( Deck 7 Forward, Starboard Theater entrance) and book your comedy and other shows. Then immediately go to Headliners (Deck 6 Midship) and book your dining around your entertainment. 
 

Then stroll down the hall to Taste and Savor for a lovely embarkation lunch. 

Edited November 12, 2019 by BirdTravels

[bkrickles1]

16 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

The best thing to do is to go immediately to the Theater Box Office ( Deck 7 Forward, Starboard Theater entrance) and book your comedy and other shows. Then immediately go to Headliners (Deck 6 Midship) and book your dining around your entertainment. 
 

Then stroll down the hall to Taste and Savor for a lovely embarkation lunch. 

This is perfect advice.

We have our dining reservations for 3 specialty dining restaurants already, but might be interested in changing the time of 1 or 2 of them.

We've already booked Choir of Man and Kinky boots, but will want to book comedy and whatever else needs a reservation.

Our sailing on Encore is 1/19 and I like to have a plan when boarding, like many here.

My only deviation to your perfect plan is that after getting our reservations in order, we're most likely going to head to the Observation Lounge. My wife, daughter and I are meeting my Aunt and Uncle (who live in Fl.) and they will almost certainly board after us. We haven't been on a ship yet with the OL and my daughter thinks this will be the perfect place to meet and we'll be able to have a couple of cocktails and some snacks while lounging very comfortably. I want to show off the OL to the Aunt and Uncle as I believe it will become their go to place for the sailing.

Thanks again for the good advice.

[disneykins]

We don't have the dining package but do get 2 dinners as Platinum Plus perks. I booked Le Bistro online but when I book Moderno, they want my credit card and charge me $124.80 CAD. Do I just get this charge reversed at the restaurant (or Guest Services) when we board? Or is there another way to book the Platinum perk dinners?

Thanks,

Tony