Confusion with A la Carte Restaurants & the Dining Package on the Bliss

[bren61]

We have a 5 night dining package for our upcoming cruise in January, on the Bliss, and we have chosen Ocean Blue, Cagneys, Le Bistro, La Cucina, & Q Smokehouse. 

 

Some of the specialty restaurants, from  what I am hearing, has an additional upcharge. 

 

Here is something that was just posted from someone on board the Bliss right now,   ( "Some interesting news about lobster in Cagney’s and Ocean Blue. The surf & turf in both restaurants has a $19.99 up charge with the dining package. This is recent change since 3 weeks ago there was none and the whole lobster in Ocean Blue has a $25 upcharge". )   

 

So if I am understanding this right, we are paying not only for the package, but also for 2 of us to get the surf & turf,  it would be an additional $50.  

 

Does anyone have an updated menu posting these new changes.  I am debating whether or not to cancel Ocean Blue.  I will keep Cagneys, as we can just order steak, but was really looking forward to Ocean Blue for the Surf & Turf, but I'm not paying these up charges.

 

I just don't get all of the A la Carte pricing.  In some specialty restaurants you can order only one Main Entree (which we usually do anyway) and in others you can order multiple apps & desserts.  I would appreciate any feedback on the restaurants that I have chosen, what the rules are for each venue.  I guess gone are the days of simply dining specialty restaurants  or not with all of the a la carte and upcharges!

 

Thanks so much!

[LrgPizza]

You don't have to pay an upcharge at Ocean Blue unless you specifically order one of the items that has an upcharge. The vast majority of the menu does not.

[HuliHuli]

On the Escape in mid-October, we were able to order the Surf & Turf in Cagney's without an up-charge.  When the waitress first explained our options, it sounded like we could not.  But after very specific questioning of the waitress, she agreed we could order it without incurring additional charge.  So this is either a very new policy or a misunderstanding that bears confirming first with the restaurant.  That said, after ordering Surf & Turf, we were very disappointed with the shoe-leather texture of the Filet Mignon.  Beware!

[bren61]

4 minutes ago, LrgPizza said:

You don't have to pay an upcharge at Ocean Blue unless you specifically order one of the items that has an upcharge. The vast majority of the menu does not.

Thank you!

 

Are there menus anywhere on here that show what menu items are upcharged?

 

[bren61]

3 minutes ago, HuliHuli said:

On the Escape in mid-October, we were able to order the Surf & Turf in Cagney's without an up-charge.  When the waitress first explained our options, it sounded like we could not.  But after very specific questioning of the waitress, she agreed we could order it without incurring additional charge.  So this is either a very new policy or a misunderstanding that bears confirming first with the restaurant.  That said, after ordering Surf & Turf, we were very disappointed with the shoe-leather texture of the Filet Mignon.  Beware!

How did you order your Filet may I ask?  I am hoping that is still the case, that it is included, but I guess time will tell with the upcoming cruises, they are always making changes to nickle & dime people to death!!  I can see limiting the main entree to one per person, but not upcharging when you are already paying the dining package fee.

[HuliHuli]

1 minute ago, bren61 said:

How did you order your Filet may I ask? 

If I understand your question, we ordered it Medium Rare or as most professional chefs would call it, "normal."

[KeithJenner]

1 hour ago, bren61 said:

I just don't get all of the A la Carte pricing.  In some specialty restaurants you can order only one Main Entree (which we usually do anyway) and in others you can order multiple apps & desserts.

You can order multiple apps and desserts in all restaurants. Some waiters may say differently, but they are wrong, and you won't get charged.

 

As goes entrees, a strict reading of the T&Cs could suggest that you are only limited to one in some places, but I suspect that this is actually the case everywhere (except for places like Food Republic, before someone rushes to correct me).

[aero777]

4 hours ago, bren61 said:

Thank you!

 

Are there menus anywhere on here that show what menu items are upcharged?

 

 

Here’s the Ocean Blue menu from the Encore last week:

Edited November 16, 2019 by aero777

[Zippeedee]

Are the “premium” sides included with the SDP?

[waterjock]

I ate in Ocean Blue on Escape the seafood was outstanding. You are limited to one selection each of 3 courses and any 2 sides.The jumbo scrimp app and the mixed seafood where the the best i have ever had.

[bren61]

4 hours ago, aero777 said:

 

Here’s the Ocean Blue menu from the Encore last week:

Aero777, 

 

Thank you so much for posting the menu, it answers exactly what I wanted to know!! Now if anyone has the updated Cagneys menu, that would be great!!

[bren61]

54 minutes ago, waterjock said:

I ate in Ocean Blue on Escape the seafood was outstanding. You are limited to one selection each of 3 courses and any 2 sides.The jumbo scrimp app and the mixed seafood where the the best i have ever had.

From the above menu, the jumbo shrimp app that you are referring to, is that the tiger shrimp or the shrimp cocktail?  The mixed seafood, was that the Ciappo or the Seafood Linguini?

[waterjock]

20 hours ago, bren61 said:

From the above menu, the jumbo shrimp app that you are referring to, is that the tiger shrimp or the shrimp cocktail?  The mixed seafood, was that the Ciappo or the Seafood Linguini?

It was the shrimp cocktail and the famous seafood dish ciapino i can not spell it either

[PortFees45]

On 11/15/2019 at 10:12 PM, waterjock said:

I ate in Ocean Blue on Escape the seafood was outstanding. You are limited to one selection each of 3 courses and any 2 sides.The jumbo scrimp app and the mixed seafood where the the best i have ever had.

You can get as many appetizers as you want. The only limit, as per the SDP T&C, is a charge for additional main courses. 

[waterjock]

3 hours ago, PortFees45 said:

You can get as many appetizers as you want. The only limit, as per the SDP T&C, is a charge for additional main courses. 

Ocean blue is the only restaurant that limed your app and desert selection. They dropped the ten dollar surcharge so they limit your choices.

[bren61]

Wow, I sure hope they come out with a new TERMS & CONDITIONS update on all of these changes, so many people are confused!!  Thank you all for your replies.

[bren61]

New Cagney menu that is being rolled out fleet wide

 

[Cruise Gopher]

I am taking my first NCL cruise in January. I am very confused about the speciality dining and the dining package perk we got when we booked and got all the perks included. 
 

Can someone explain how it works? That Ocean Blue menu looks good but I see everything has a price on it like a normal restaurant on land. How does this work?

[OHRiverRats]

The prices are what you are charged if you don't have the specialty dining perk. With the package you are only charged for any items marked  'Dining Package Supplement'.

[bren61]

9 minutes ago, SkierRobUMN said:

I am taking my first NCL cruise in January. I am very confused about the speciality dining and the dining package perk we got when we booked and got all the perks included. 
 

Can someone explain how it works? That Ocean Blue menu looks good but I see everything has a price on it like a normal restaurant on land. How does this work?

Oh my gosh, no wonder you are confused!!  Those of us who has sailed NCL before are even confused.  

 

Ocean Blue is included in the Dining package and there are upcharges to a few of the menu items.  If you don't choose one of the  upcharged items, you won't have to pay anything extra.  The items that are upcharged are: 

 

Appetizers:  Crab Cake extra $5  

                      Tiger Shrimp Trio extra $5

 

Main Course:  Surf & Turf  extra $19

                          Whole Lobster extra $25

 

I hope that helps!

 

Oh, the A La Carte prices on each item is for someone that doesn't have a dining package and would like to just order off the menu and pay for each item.

[PortFees45]

2 hours ago, waterjock said:

Ocean blue is the only restaurant that limed your app and desert selection. They dropped the ten dollar surcharge so they limit your choices.

Unless it's in the terms and conditions of the SDP, or in writing somewhere at Ocean Blue, they're not going to limit me. 

[KeithJenner]

7 hours ago, bren61 said:

Wow, I sure hope they come out with a new TERMS & CONDITIONS update on all of these changes, so many people are confused!!  Thank you all for your replies.

They didn't change the T&C's when they last had upcharges, so I can't imagine that they will now.

 

It won't help too much anyway. Even when the T&C's have been absolutely correct there has still been confusion caused by wait staff saying random things. I have spent years on here trying to direct people towards the T&Cs for clarification, but many still believe the random stuff that the wait staff tell them.

 

To stop the confusion, the waiters have to start telling people the actual rules.

Edited November 19, 2019 by KeithJenner

[waterjock]

I  asked when i made the reservation for Ocean blue was their still a 10 dollar additional charge. I was told they dropped the charge but limited your app &desert selection.At the restaurant the waiter told me the same thing

[asctony]

Just got off of the RCI Symphony OTS. Bought the Unlimited Dining Package, 7 days plus lunch sea days for $175. Ate in the Ocean (Hooked) Specialty Restaurant. Had a 6 (big) shrimp cocktail, bowl of clam chowder, surf (Lobster Tail)  and turf (Filet Mignon), side orders and desert without any up-charge. 

Ate on MSC Seaside and experienced the same type of meals without any up-charge. 

Why does NCL keep increasing the charges for this? Because we accept it and pay for it. 

[asctony]

Another posting about the same subject - up-charging!!!! Personally, I think this is very poor on NCL to allow something like this to happen and then be discussed on any forum. It should be embarrassing to NCL to allow guest to be treated this way. This is a company that has been in the business long enough to have clear policies/procedures to ensure that their guests get the best treatment that they paid for. We cruise other cruise lines and they all have similar Specialty Restaurant Packages. In fact we just got off of MSC and RCI the past two weeks and bought packages without any of the problems/concerns discussed here.

Yes, we will cruise NCL and be on the Encore in Feb B2B. I can only hope that the working staff has been trained and updated on the procedures to employ to ensure each guest has a exceptional dining experience. 

How does something like this happen? What is NCL doing to correct this problem/confusion?

After our Encore B2B I will post our experiences as we have the 4 meal pkg.

Happy Cruising.