Rare KeithJenner Posted October 31, 2021 #26 Share Posted October 31, 2021 1 hour ago, deek72 said: As the OP mentions the $50 shore excursion credit, I would guess that the speciality dining credits are part of the Free at Sea package in which case there is no 20% service charge. In the US you pay a 20% service charge on the Free at Sea beverage and dining packages. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ontheweb Posted October 31, 2021 Author #27 Share Posted October 31, 2021 3 hours ago, deek72 said: As the OP mentions the $50 shore excursion credit, I would guess that the speciality dining credits are part of the Free at Sea package in which case there is no 20% service charge. I am reading the (extremely) small print on the back of the brochure that we were sent. It says "20% gratuities apply on Free Open Bar, Free Specialty Dining, Free Extra Guests on select cruises." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare KeithJenner Posted October 31, 2021 #28 Share Posted October 31, 2021 8 minutes ago, ontheweb said: I am reading the (extremely) small print on the back of the brochure that we were sent. It says "20% gratuities apply on Free Open Bar, Free Specialty Dining, Free Extra Guests on select cruises." Yes, that will be correct for the US. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruizinKittie40 Posted October 31, 2021 #29 Share Posted October 31, 2021 16 hours ago, ontheweb said: Also beware that FREE excursions is really $50 credit per port for excursions. He thought that that was really FALSE advertising. Not necessarily. My excursion to Pompeii was $39 so it was indeed free. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julig22 Posted October 31, 2021 #30 Share Posted October 31, 2021 4 hours ago, deek72 said: As the OP mentions the $50 shore excursion credit, I would guess that the speciality dining credits are part of the Free at Sea package in which case there is no 20% service charge. In the US, you are assessed a 20% service charge on the value of the meal and drink packages - added to your cruise fare. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ontheweb Posted October 31, 2021 Author #31 Share Posted October 31, 2021 1 hour ago, julig22 said: In the US, you are assessed a 20% service charge on the value of the meal and drink packages - added to your cruise fare. And that is why we did not have the free drink package included. I don't drink enough to justify it, and DW takes a prescription medicine that says that alcohol use is contra-indicated. BTW, how do they compute in the fare the value of the meal package since I assume not all the extra pay dining options have the same surcharge? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkacmom Posted October 31, 2021 #32 Share Posted October 31, 2021 51 minutes ago, ontheweb said: And that is why we did not have the free drink package included. I don't drink enough to justify it, and DW takes a prescription medicine that says that alcohol use is contra-indicated. BTW, how do they compute in the fare the value of the meal package since I assume not all the extra pay dining options have the same surcharge? It’s 20% of the cost of buying the package. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billslowsky Posted October 31, 2021 #33 Share Posted October 31, 2021 18 hours ago, tallnthensome said: Everyone here knows that as its been around a long time. You choose the restaurant and day. This guy ought to find himself a better TA. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tallnthensome Posted October 31, 2021 #34 Share Posted October 31, 2021 3 minutes ago, billslowsky said: This guy ought to find himself a better TA. For real...... Where is the TA in all of this and why is he not answering all these questions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2tnts Posted October 31, 2021 #35 Share Posted October 31, 2021 On 10/30/2021 at 4:09 PM, ontheweb said: LOL, our TA after calling it false advertising, did say if there were $50 excursions, they could say it was true. BTW, is it $50 per port as he told us or $50 per person per port, which would make more sense to me as everything else is for dual occupancy. Per port - Not per passenger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julig22 Posted October 31, 2021 #36 Share Posted October 31, 2021 53 minutes ago, 2tnts said: Per port - Not per passenger Per excursion, for passenger #1. Time permitting, you would get a discount on each excursion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ontheweb Posted November 1, 2021 Author #37 Share Posted November 1, 2021 (edited) 29 minutes ago, julig22 said: Per excursion, for passenger #1. Time permitting, you would get a discount on each excursion. delete see next post instead Edited November 1, 2021 by ontheweb Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ontheweb Posted November 1, 2021 Author #38 Share Posted November 1, 2021 Just now, ontheweb said: LOL, the small print explains the $50, but on the inside cover of the brochure it says that the free excursion is worth UP TO $200. Are they saying one person can take 4 excursions? Maybe on an overnight stay? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ontheweb Posted November 1, 2021 Author #39 Share Posted November 1, 2021 8 hours ago, mjkacmom said: It’s 20% of the cost of buying the package. But if the package is a % of the price and some specialty restaurants cost more than others, how do they determine on what to base the price? That was the essence of my question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare BirdTravels Posted November 1, 2021 #40 Share Posted November 1, 2021 7 minutes ago, ontheweb said: But if the package is a % of the price and some specialty restaurants cost more than others, how do they determine on what to base the price? That was the essence of my question. It is 20% of the cost of the package, not the meal. Specialty Dining Package Sail Length # Of Dining Package Meals Retail Value 20% Gratuities 3-5 Nights 1 $44.95 per person $8.99 per package 6-8 Nights 2 $79 per person $15.80 per package 9-10 Nights 3 $99 per person $19.80 per package 11-14 Nights 4 $114 per person $22.80 per package 15+ Nights 5 $129 per person $25.80 per package Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hello Posted November 1, 2021 #41 Share Posted November 1, 2021 Thank you BirdTravels ... I have always wondered how the gratuity on the dining package was determined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
krittykat Posted November 1, 2021 #42 Share Posted November 1, 2021 On 10/30/2021 at 2:09 PM, ontheweb said: LOL, our TA after calling it false advertising, did say if there were $50 excursions, they could say it was true. BTW, is it $50 per port as he told us or $50 per person per port, which would make more sense to me as everything else is for dual occupancy. We are cruising the Mediterranean next Oct. Some of the shore excursions are under $50. Therefore, for one of us....free when using credit. However, most of the ones that interest me are more. $50 off is better than nothing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old & Retired Posted November 1, 2021 #43 Share Posted November 1, 2021 10 hours ago, tallnthensome said: For real...... Where is the TA in all of this and why is he not answering all these questions? Because many TA's are like NCL phone reps, they don't have a clue. You will almost always get more accurate answers on these boards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ontheweb Posted November 1, 2021 Author #44 Share Posted November 1, 2021 10 hours ago, BirdTravels said: It is 20% of the cost of the package, not the meal. Specialty Dining Package Sail Length # Of Dining Package Meals Retail Value 20% Gratuities 3-5 Nights 1 $44.95 per person $8.99 per package 6-8 Nights 2 $79 per person $15.80 per package 9-10 Nights 3 $99 per person $19.80 per package 11-14 Nights 4 $114 per person $22.80 per package 15+ Nights 5 $129 per person $25.80 per package OK, I had just wondered how they compute it if different venues had different prices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanger727 Posted November 1, 2021 #45 Share Posted November 1, 2021 5 hours ago, ontheweb said: OK, I had just wondered how they compute it if different venues had different prices. NCL sells a specialty dining package with a number of credits. You are charged the gratuities for that package when you book. SDP meals can be enjoyed at American Diner, Cagney’s Steakhouse, Food Republic, Italian, Le Bistro, Los Lobos, Moderno Churrascaria, Ocean Blue and Bayamo by Ocean Blue, Pincho Tapas Bar, Q Texas Smokehouse, Raw Bar, Sushi and Teppanyaki. An SDP meal in Food Republic, Pincho, Sushi and Wasabi includes 4 menu items You may choose to use SDP meals in entertainment-based restaurants for an upcharge. As far as "freestyle dining" with the specialty restaurants. The problem is that alot of people have credits for specialty dining now. On our last cruise we booked our reservations ahead of time. You did not have to. A couple days into the cruise we wanted to change one of them. The only free dining slots left the rest of the cruise were at 9pm or later. We ended up just keeping the reservations we had. I don't know how well walks in work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bstel Posted November 1, 2021 #46 Share Posted November 1, 2021 How many days before the cruise do the reservations open up? do you have to be paid in full before you can book? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ontheweb Posted November 1, 2021 Author #47 Share Posted November 1, 2021 3 hours ago, sanger727 said: As far as "freestyle dining" with the specialty restaurants. The problem is that alot of people have credits for specialty dining now. On our last cruise we booked our reservations ahead of time. You did not have to. A couple days into the cruise we wanted to change one of them. The only free dining slots left the rest of the cruise were at 9pm or later. We ended up just keeping the reservations we had. I don't know how well walks in work. I find the idea that you have to plan all of these meals in advance antitheitcal to the whole concept of freestyle. JMHO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjkacmom Posted November 1, 2021 #48 Share Posted November 1, 2021 29 minutes ago, ontheweb said: I find the idea that you have to plan all of these meals in advance antitheitcal to the whole concept of freestyle. JMHO It’s supply and demand, before free dining offers it was easy to get reservations, now with free dining they book up quicker. Freestyle doesn’t mean you will be able to get a reservation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luckyinpa Posted November 1, 2021 #49 Share Posted November 1, 2021 just off the BA and i can tell you that even late in the week reservations were def available at the italian place and teppanyaki. we got 300 credit for our missed port and people were looking to burn the credits. so while your preferred time may not be available. i dont think there will be issues booking times on board for the SDP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ontheweb Posted November 2, 2021 Author #50 Share Posted November 2, 2021 3 hours ago, mjkacmom said: It’s supply and demand, before free dining offers it was easy to get reservations, now with free dining they book up quicker. Freestyle doesn’t mean you will be able to get a reservation. In understand the definition of freestyle is not you can get a reservation, however, when it started it was before other lines had any kind of anytime dining. It was supposed to make things free to do what you wanted and when you wanted. (IIRC, that was their advertising slogan.) But then we went on our first NCL cruise in 2006 and all reservations were gone before we boarded. (We did get to one as the only other person on our roll call not only was in an owner's suite, but was also on the ship also the cruise before and she made a reservation including us.) Our cruise on the Prima in not until 2023 and the ship has not even been built yet. How far in advance do you think we should plan our dinners. And how does that jibe with do what you want and when you want? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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