Can someone help me sort out Platinum dinners vs Specialty Dining Pkg dinners?

[Sundiego]

Two adults (husband and me). We will be on a 7-day Bliss cruise. We have the 2 dinners from SDP and we are both Platinum so we'll get 2 Platinum dinner vouchers.

 

So my questions:

 

1. We have a total of 4 dinners. We are considering Cagney's, Le Bistro, Ocean Blue and Los Lobos. In terms of "bang for the buck", does it matter if we use SDP credit or Platinum voucher at any of these restaurants? Or do you basically get the same "amount of food" using either method. 

 

2. One of the Platinum dinners comes with a bottle of wine at Cagney's or La Bistro, correct? So we would want to use one of the Platinum vouchers for that. Can I take the unfinished bottle of wine to our cabin?

 

Thanks for your patience in answering another food question! It's been awhile seen we've cruised. 😃

 

~Denise

 

PS. Keith Jenner posted this explanation back in March, has any of this info changed? 

 

" Latitudes gives you one app, one entree and one dessert. There is a limit to the cost of the entree (you pay the excess), but this isn't clear at the moment as the prices have recently increased and reports are that they aren't charging the excess.

 

With the free at sea meal, you are restricted to one entree, but other dishes aren't limited. There are some uncharges noted on the menu for specific items.

Edited May 8, 2022 by Sundiego
Add'l info

[insidecabin]

It seems to depend on the day.

 

We have had extra starters on the latitude.

Also had the over charge waived.

Also had a tab in the Bistro for $1.20(with tip).

I saved that one for a while.

It's crazy the regular tab for 2 will go over a $100 and they quibble over a $1.

 

You don't go hungry.

 

Edited May 8, 2022 by insidecabin

[KeithJenner]

Unless you are considering ordering multiple apps or desserts, or an expensive entree then I wouldn’t worry too much. I tend to try to get rid of the latitudes meals at the first opportunity, mainly so that I can then not have to worry about remembering to take the voucher (and for the bottle of wine). For what we order it really doesn’t make much difference which way round we use them. As inside cabin says, it can be quite random what they bother charging anyway, so even if you do work out the best way to use them then you may not be charged what you expected anyway.

 

Yes, you can take the unfinished wine with you. In fact, what we and many others do is ask them not to open it, so we can have it back at the cabin so we can pour ourselves a glass when we need it. I’ve never had any problem with that.

 

Based on my experience in the Jade recently, what I wrote in March is still true. We weren’t charged any extra in Cagneys for ordering entrees over the limit on the latitudes meal.

[brookie848]

I always print out the terms and conditions of the dining package from the website and take those with me just in case. You will occasionally get server that tell you 1/1/1, but according to the T&C, that the only limit is one entree (as KeithJenner pointed out).

[Sundiego]

29 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

Yes, you can take the unfinished wine with you. In fact, what we and many others do is ask them not to open it, so we can have it back at the cabin so we can pour ourselves a glass when we need it. I’ve never had any problem with that.

Thanks, Keith. That's a great wine tip! We're not huge eaters so I'm sure I'm way over-thinking this lol.

[cruiserbear55]

2 hours ago, Sundiego said:

Two adults (husband and me). We will be on a 7-day Bliss cruise. We have the 2 dinners from SDP and we are both Platinum so we'll get 2 Platinum dinner vouchers.

 

So my questions:

 

1. We have a total of 4 dinners. We are considering Cagney's, Le Bistro, Ocean Blue and Los Lobos. In terms of "bang for the buck", does it matter if we use SDP credit or Platinum voucher at any of these restaurants? Or do you basically get the same "amount of food" using either method. 

 

2. One of the Platinum dinners comes with a bottle of wine at Cagney's or La Bistro, correct? So we would want to use one of the Platinum vouchers for that. Can I take the unfinished bottle of wine to our cabin?

 

Thanks for your patience in answering another food question! It's been awhile seen we've cruised. 😃

 

~Denise

 

PS. Keith Jenner posted this explanation back in March, has any of this info changed? 

 

" Latitudes gives you one app, one entree and one dessert. There is a limit to the cost of the entree (you pay the excess), but this isn't clear at the moment as the prices have recently increased and reports are that they aren't charging the excess.

 

With the free at sea meal, you are restricted to one entree, but other dishes aren't limited. There are some uncharges noted on the menu for specific items.

 

   You can also have the crew store the opened/unopened bottle for you. They will give you a ticket/stub for the wine. When you're next in an MDR or Specialty, present the ticket and they will retrieve your bottle for you.You can do this multiple times.

[insidecabin]

5 hours ago, brookie848 said:

I always print out the terms and conditions of the dining package from the website and take those with me just in case. You will occasionally get server that tell you 1/1/1, but according to the T&C, that the only limit is one entree (as KeithJenner pointed out).

The menus are 1/1/1/1

Soups/salad also counts for an item.

 

I suspect the system just knocks off everything except the extra  mains.

Order what you want they probably have no way to charge.

 

One trip I did extra dinner package OH does not eat as much so we planned to PAYG.

The system just knocked off her items as well.

 

In the alternatives where you get any 4 like sushi/raw bar we sometimes use 1 package and share.

 

Depends on the cost per meal with extras package.

 

Next booking we only get a discount for 2meal(£30($38)/meal).

Had good offers on the higher count package before down under $25/meal.

 

 

[susique]

Remember you cannot use your Latitudes coupon at Ocean Blue and you can only use  one at Cagneys OR Le Bistro.  We just got off the Joy and we found it was better to use the coupon at Cagneys and Q (which I will never do that restaurant again).  We used the Free at Sea perk at Le Bistro and Ocean Blue.  We did love Los Lobos on the Encore.  

[DaisyGoldberg]

Be sure to ask for your wine if you want it. I've probably done 20 Latitude dinners and not once been offered the wine. We don't drink it so don't care, but it's clearly one of those amenities you need to be proactive about.

[Sundiego]

2 hours ago, susique said:

Remember you cannot use your Latitudes coupon at Ocean Blue and you can only use  one at Cagneys OR Le Bistro.  We just got off the Joy and we found it was better to use the coupon at Cagneys and Q (which I will never do that restaurant again).  We used the Free at Sea perk at Le Bistro and Ocean Blue.  We did love Los Lobos on the Encore.  

Another good tip, thanks! Although I don't really get the logic. It seems like I should be able to go to restaurant of my choice with MY Latitudes voucher and husband should get to choose a restaurant of HIS choice with his Latitudes voucher. NCL has made things so complicated. Yep, I miss the old days lol.

 

~Denise

[KeithJenner]

52 minutes ago, DaisyGoldberg said:

Be sure to ask for your wine if you want it. I've probably done 20 Latitude dinners and not once been offered the wine. We don't drink it so don't care, but it's clearly one of those amenities you need to be proactive about.

We always get given the latitudes wine list with our menus. I don’t think I’ve ever needed to ask.

 

Maybe I just look like I need a drink. 🙂

Edited May 9, 2022 by KeithJenner

[cruiseny4life]

16 hours ago, brookie848 said:

You will occasionally get server that tell you 1/1/1, but according to the T&C, that the only limit is one entree (as KeithJenner pointed out).

I was afraid of this happening on the Getaway last month. And, it did. At Cagney's the server told us we could have one appetizer, one main, one dessert, and two sides. I didn't argue since I knew I could go elsewhere if I was still hungry. Thankfully, I was absolutely stuffed. I am a big ole fatty bear, but I sure can't eat like I used to. If I were younger I would've printed out those T&C's and showed them to the server. Now...well I'm just disappointed when I can't eat more than the two provided sides. 🙂

[KeithJenner]

13 minutes ago, cruiseny4life said:

I was afraid of this happening on the Getaway last month. And, it did. At Cagney's the server told us we could have one appetizer, one main, one dessert, and two sides. I didn't argue since I knew I could go elsewhere if I was still hungry. Thankfully, I was absolutely stuffed. I am a big ole fatty bear, but I sure can't eat like I used to. If I were younger I would've printed out those T&C's and showed them to the server. Now...well I'm just disappointed when I can't eat more than the two provided sides. 🙂

If I did fancy more than one of a course then I would just go ahead and order them, regardless of whether the servers say. It is almost certain that they won’t actually charge you.

[julig22]

4 hours ago, susique said:

Remember you cannot use your Latitudes coupon at Ocean Blue and you can only use  one at Cagneys OR Le Bistro.  We just got off the Joy and we found it was better to use the coupon at Cagneys and Q (which I will never do that restaurant again).  We used the Free at Sea perk at Le Bistro and Ocean Blue.  We did love Los Lobos on the Encore.  

NCL is trying to make up for some of the Latitudes benefits (tours, etc) that are unavailable and this is an excerpt of what was in my cabin 2 weeks ago on the Jewel:

"You may now use one voucher towards a dinner for two at Cagney's, LeBistro, Onda or Ocean Blue, which will include a free bottle of wine.  The second voucher can now be redeemed at any other specialty dining package qualifying restaurant towards a dinner for two.  Your menu selections will be subject to the same terms and conditions as the Specialty Dining Package."

Edited May 9, 2022 by julig22

[Sand and Seas]

22 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

If I did fancy more than one of a course then I would just go ahead and order them, regardless of whether the servers say. It is almost certain that they won’t actually charge you.

On occasion we have been told the same thing by a server, but we have just ordered as we wanted to.  When we have been told one appetizer and we ordered a soup AND a salad, have never been charged extra.