120 day window for dining reservations

[CruiseBunny425]

Hello!

 

The app says I can start making reservations on December 23. Does anyone know if that is the minute the clock strikes midnight on the 23rd? 9am pacific? Haven gets a 10 day head start and I want to make sure to get into either Cagney’s or Teppanyaki for my birthday dinner. 🙂

[BirdTravels]

Midnight NCL time (Miami - Eastern Time). 
 

Haven gets a 10 day head start. 
 

Club Balcony get a 5 day head start.

 

Platinum, Sapphire, Ambassador get. 5 day head start. 
 

Set your slam to book at midnight 

Edited September 3, 2022 by BirdTravels

[CruiseBunny425]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

Midnight NCL time (Miami - Eastern Time). 
 

Haven gets a 10 day head start. 
 

Club Balcony get a 5 day head start.

 

Platinum, Sapphire, Ambassador get. 5 day head start. 
 

Set your slam to book at midnight 

Thank you! I’m a west coaster, so I’ve updated my calendar to 9pm December 22. 😀

[casofilia]

@CruiseBunny425

 

Remember that only 30% of places are filled pre-cruise so there are plenty on embarkation day.

[BSR]

11 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Midnight NCL time (Miami - Eastern Time). 
 

Haven gets a 10 day head start. 
 

Club Balcony get a 5 day head start.

 

Platinum, Sapphire, Ambassador get. 5 day head start. 
 

Set your slam to book at midnight 

According to NCL’s tier benefits chart, early pre-booking access for entertainment, dining and onboard activities is 125 days for Platinum, Sapphire & Diamond and 130 days for Ambassadors.

[alwalaska]

On 9/3/2022 at 2:36 AM, BirdTravels said:

Midnight NCL time (Miami - Eastern Time). 
 

Haven gets a 10 day head start. 
 

Club Balcony get a 5 day head start.

 

Platinum, Sapphire, Ambassador get. 5 day head start. 
 

Set your slam to book at midnight 

I am platinum, but my reservation, both online and in the app have a note that says I can start booking dining reservations on the date that is 120 days out.  Do I need to check with someone, or is that a normal web glitch that just fixes itself at 125 days?

 

Also, my current plan for our upcoming Dawn trip is to book the following in order:

 

• Book Teppanyaki first with my one and only FAS offer.
• Book Cagney's next (I'll use Plat voucher 1)
• Wait and book Moderno on board (I don't want to have to pay for it since I want 2 fixed price locations)
• Book La Cucina for the Moderno night in case something goes wrong with booking once on board.

 

Does this sound reasonable?  If I book Moderno now and pay for it, does it become a refundable or non-refundable OBC when I cancel, or do I just get my money back?

[MNcruisingcouple]

I always just book restaurant reservation immediately upon boarding.  I've done this for groups up to 9 people and never had an issue getting the restaurants I wanted as long as I was a bit flexible.  

[KeithJenner]

44 minutes ago, alwalaska said:

I am platinum, but my reservation, both online and in the app have a note that says I can start booking dining reservations on the date that is 120 days out.  Do I need to check with someone, or is that a normal web glitch that just fixes itself at 125 days?

 

Also, my current plan for our upcoming Dawn trip is to book the following in order:

 

• Book Teppanyaki first with my one and only FAS offer.
• Book Cagney's next (I'll use Plat voucher 1)
• Wait and book Moderno on board (I don't want to have to pay for it since I want 2 fixed price locations)
• Book La Cucina for the Moderno night in case something goes wrong with booking once on board.

 

Does this sound reasonable?  If I book Moderno now and pay for it, does it become a refundable or non-refundable OBC when I cancel, or do I just get my money back?

In my experience, the date shown is 120 days out, regardless of cabin or latitudes status. We recently were able to book at 125 days despite the website showing that it should have been 5 days later.

 

I would be very surprised if you have any problem booking Moderno onboard. I have never had any trouble doing so. The only reason I bother booking in advance is to save having the job on embarkation day.

[mattie00]

I am Platinum Latitudes and booked 125 days out with no problem when I called customer service.

[alwalaska]

49 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

In my experience, the date shown is 120 days out, regardless of cabin or latitudes status. We recently were able to book at 125 days despite the website showing that it should have been 5 days later.

 

Thanks so much for the info.

 

Just a quick check, was that booking online or calling customer service like mattie00 said?

Edited September 27, 2022 by alwalaska
Forgot to say thanks.

[KeithJenner]

5 minutes ago, alwalaska said:

Thanks so much for the info.

 

Just a quick check, was that booking online or calling customer service like mattie00 said?

I have always booked online.

[MrsTocko]

So we just turned platinum (yay for 125 day booking reservation option)

 

We want to book a dinner for 4 (DH and I, and our FIRST TIME CRUISING KIDS) on our upcoming April 2023 cruise, If I call at 125 days, will they let me book for 4 , and put them on the reservation?  or do we just book for 4 and then add them onboard to the reservation so they can use their FAS dining?

 

Our reservations ARE linked.  And of course we will decide on the day ahead of time.  

 

Also...the restaurant that we get the free bottle of wine is that in Cagney's? or is that any of them?

 

(my BFF and her DH will be first time NCL cruisers with us in Nov 2024 on POA - so I will be using this info them too!

[ChiefMateJRK]

8 hours ago, alwalaska said:

I am platinum, but my reservation, both online and in the app have a note that says I can start booking dining reservations on the date that is 120 days out.  Do I need to check with someone, or is that a normal web glitch that just fixes itself at 125 days?

 

Also, my current plan for our upcoming Dawn trip is to book the following in order:

 

• Book Teppanyaki first with my one and only FAS offer.
• Book Cagney's next (I'll use Plat voucher 1)
• Wait and book Moderno on board (I don't want to have to pay for it since I want 2 fixed price locations)
• Book La Cucina for the Moderno night in case something goes wrong with booking once on board.

 

Does this sound reasonable?  If I book Moderno now and pay for it, does it become a refundable or non-refundable OBC when I cancel, or do I just get my money back?

This is really @KeithJenner's area, but since he is taking a break I'll give it a shot.  Just book all of those, with Teppanyaki and Moderno first.  You won't be charged.  Then book the others.  None of it means anything until you eat the meal.  That's when you tell them how you're paying.

[KeithJenner]

4 hours ago, MrsTocko said:

So we just turned platinum (yay for 125 day booking reservation option)

 

We want to book a dinner for 4 (DH and I, and our FIRST TIME CRUISING KIDS) on our upcoming April 2023 cruise, If I call at 125 days, will they let me book for 4 , and put them on the reservation?  or do we just book for 4 and then add them onboard to the reservation so they can use their FAS dining?

 

Our reservations ARE linked.  And of course we will decide on the day ahead of time.  

 

Also...the restaurant that we get the free bottle of wine is that in Cagney's? or is that any of them?

 

(my BFF and her DH will be first time NCL cruisers with us in Nov 2024 on POA - so I will be using this info them too!

There is no requirement to specify who you are booking for, so just book your table for 4 at 125 days and you are done. The system doesn’t care who you are going with.

 

When you turn up for the meal give the staff their card and they will automatically use their dining credit.

[MrsTocko]

23 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

There is no requirement to specify who you are booking for, so just book your table for 4 at 125 days and you are done. The system doesn’t care who you are going with.

 

When you turn up for the meal give the staff their card and they will automatically use their dining credit.

Thank you @KeithJenner  you are always so helpful with a plethora of useful information

[alwalaska]

13 hours ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

This is really @KeithJenner's area, but since he is taking a break I'll give it a shot.  Just book all of those, with Teppanyaki and Moderno first.  You won't be charged.  Then book the others.  None of it means anything until you eat the meal.  That's when you tell them how you're paying.

Thank you for trying.  I believe from reading @KeithJenner's posts in his main dining thread that because I only have one FAS meal, I will be charged for the 2nd fixed price meal that I plan on using because NCL does not recognize the Platinum benefit until you are on the ship.  

 

Has that changed since I last cruised?  It has definitely been a while for me.

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, alwalaska said:

Thank you for trying.  I believe from reading @KeithJenner's posts in his main dining thread that because I only have one FAS meal, I will be charged for the 2nd fixed price meal that I plan on using because NCL does not recognize the Platinum benefit until you are on the ship.  

 

Has that changed since I last cruised?  It has definitely been a while for me.

Yep.  My bad.  I was assuming two or more FAS meals.

[alwalaska]

1 hour ago, ChiefMateJRK said:

Yep.  My bad.  I was assuming two or more FAS meals.

Yup - currently lowly interior. 😏

[ChiefMateJRK]

19 minutes ago, alwalaska said:

Yup - currently lowly interior. 😏

Lowly?!  How dare you?!  I'll have you know dear sir/madam that I sail inside (steerage) on darned near every cruise and have more fun than 90% of those in the upper classes (first class, snob class, elite class, etc.).  Many of them could learn a thing or two from us peasants. 🤣🐀

 

disclaimer: my apologies to my elite friends here that do pay for Haven and have a level of fun "approaching" @ChiefMateJRK  We may need to have a "fun-off" on a future cruise.😎

Edited September 28, 2022 by ChiefMateJRK