All Dinner Reservations Filled?!?!

[movierev]

First time on NCL... as of today we are 120 days from our March 4 cruise on the Escape.  I went online this morning to book our dinner reservations for our group of six and all the restaurants are showing only 5:30 or 9:30 times available.  WOW, I knew we needed to book early, but this crazy! I've heard we can make reservations once onboard, but really worried about availability.  Any help on making reservations or how to book a group would be helpful.

[PegNRay]

I would lock in the 5:30pm and then try to move it once on board.

[Two Wheels Only]

Only about 30% of reservations are available online. The rest open on embarkation day. 

[stefmaia]

Try and see if you can book for 8 people, then as soon as you get on board you can change back to 6. There is a glitch in the system that only allows so many tables of a certain number to be booked at a certain time.

[PATRLR]

As said above, only 30% or so are available in advance.  

 

When you get on board, immediately make your reservations - do not delay because prime times will sell out.  

[Sthrngary]

Hack #1, Attempt to book less people or more people.

Hack #2: Book what you can get and go on line to change it if another time becomes available.

Hack #3: Choose a different restaurant and see if they have better times. 

Hack #4: Call and see if they can do in manually from the phone.

Hack #5: Take what you can get and make your changes when you get on board.  

 

Cruise well and get the Chocolate Cake at Cagney's.  It will change your life.

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, movierev said:

First time on NCL... as of today we are 120 days from our March 4 cruise on the Escape.  I went online this morning to book our dinner reservations for our group of six and all the restaurants are showing only 5:30 or 9:30 times available.  WOW, I knew we needed to book early, but this crazy! I've heard we can make reservations once onboard, but really worried about availability.  Any help on making reservations or how to book a group would be helpful.

That’s a challenge. Lots of two-tops and four-tops. Far fewer six-tops in most specialty restaurants. At dining time, the hosts can push tables together, but at booking time, it’s limited to the number of tables actually configured that way. 

[hallux]

1 hour ago, stefmaia said:

There is a glitch in the system that only allows so many tables of a certain number to be booked at a certain time.

No glitch, it's by design.

[New2cruise2022]

1 hour ago, Sthrngary said:

Hack #1, Attempt to book less people or more people.

Hack #2: Book what you can get and go on line to change it if another time becomes available.

Hack #3: Choose a different restaurant and see if they have better times. 

Hack #4: Call and see if they can do in manually from the phone.

Hack #5: Take what you can get and make your changes when you get on board.  

 

Cruise well and get the Chocolate Cake at Cagney's.  It will change your life.

Hack #4. The online system wasn’t working for me. Called and talked to an agent that booked it all for me. 

[Sthrngary]

15 minutes ago, New2cruise2022 said:

Hack #4. The online system wasn’t working for me. Called and talked to an agent that booked it all for me. 

Great, enjoy your cruise.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

[New2cruise2022]

14 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

Great, enjoy your cruise.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment.

I don’t sail for 79 days. Pathetic for some people I suppose, but I genuinely enjoy reading and anticipating the cruise everyday. 

[Sthrngary]

3 minutes ago, New2cruise2022 said:

I don’t sail for 79 days. Pathetic for some people I suppose, but I genuinely enjoy reading and anticipating the cruise everyday. 

I did the same thing.  Just remember, the cruise in hour heads are always perfect.  Cruising in general never go as perfectly planned.  So much can happen.  Be relaxed and flexable.  The mess ups end up being the best memories.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

[ChiefMateJRK]

3 hours ago, movierev said:

First time on NCL... as of today we are 120 days from our March 4 cruise on the Escape.  I went online this morning to book our dinner reservations for our group of six and all the restaurants are showing only 5:30 or 9:30 times available. 

Was it early morning or late morning?  Us left coasters book at 9:00 the night before (i.e. midnight Eastern time).  That helps!

[New2cruise2022]

32 minutes ago, Sthrngary said:

I did the same thing.  Just remember, the cruise in hour heads are always perfect.  Cruising in general never go as perfectly planned.  So much can happen.  Be relaxed and flexable.  The mess ups end up being the best memories.  

 

Cruise well and enjoy every moment. 

I have the same philosophy. We have traveled a lot and enjoy the adventure. The good, the bad, and the memories. 

[movierev]

Thanks for all the input!  We took yall's advice and called NCL, the CSR was very kind and helpful but did not have any more availability than what the website shows. She suggested the same as several of you... book for a smaller number and change once on board.  We were able to book four specialty dinners for four at reasonable times.  

[Cruising Lynne]

7 hours ago, PegNRay said:

I would lock in the 5:30pm and then try to move it once on board.

This is what I would do. We don't mind eating early. Sometimes it is easier to get a better table at the early times. We often get a nice table by the window this way. Plus, I like to do dinner, then a show.

[Sailing12Away]

On sea days we usually do the early Florida dinner time as well. We'll sleep in with breakfast sent to the room at 9:30-10am. Lounge around being lazy and exploring the ship, then early dinner and an open evening for shows or bar crawls.