OMG, it took about 1-1/2 hour to make two dinner reservations online. What is up???

[cruiseagona]

As a platinum member, supposedly I can make dinner reservations up to 125 days out. Went to make the reservations online and OMG, the confusion, the mixup, the lack of knowledge of the "chat experts". I was told everything from I need to do it on the ship, call this number to do it, go to this part of the website to do it and then back to I can't do it online but can do it on the app. Finally one "chat expert" told me she could help me with this". And then while she is helping me, she also said that I can do it when I get on the ship. I politely responded that I would rather do it now than wait till we're on the ship in February along with 4,000 other people. And after all of that, we could only get specialty dinner reservations for two nights. (We are doing BTB cruises so would be two each week). I just can't eat late so it's only two. Well. . . it was three but because all three were in the same week, I was being charged over $140 for the two of us for Moderno. No thanks, I'll just eat in the Main Dining Room that night. The steak will be ok there too. AHHHHH!!!!!

[FLAHAM]

Has never taken me more than a minute or two either on the app or with my PCC.

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, cruiseagona said:

As a platinum member, supposedly I can make dinner reservations up to 125 days out. Went to make the reservations online and OMG, the confusion, the mixup, the lack of knowledge of the "chat experts". I was told everything from I need to do it on the ship, call this number to do it, go to this part of the website to do it and then back to I can't do it online but can do it on the app. Finally one "chat expert" told me she could help me with this". And then while she is helping me, she also said that I can do it when I get on the ship. I politely responded that I would rather do it now than wait till we're on the ship in February along with 4,000 other people. And after all of that, we could only get specialty dinner reservations for two nights. (We are doing BTB cruises so would be two each week). I just can't eat late so it's only two. Well. . . it was three but because all three were in the same week, I was being charged over $140 for the two of us for Moderno. No thanks, I'll just eat in the Main Dining Room that night. The steak will be ok there too. AHHHHH!!!!!

I honestly don't know where to begin.  Over the past several weeks I've made advanced reservations for a B2B.  Platinum, three meals per leg.  As with the other poster, it took about five minutes each and I wasn't charged anything.  Why are you using Chat?  If you did some research, you would have learned to use FAS credits first when making Moderno bookings and there would be no advance charges. 

[cruiseagona]

I was using Chat because nothing was showing up on my online reservations letting me book the dinner reservations. It came down to using chat or having to wait till after the holiday.

[Sailing12Away]

Ok, so for anyone else who doesn't know how to use the NCL website, this is where you go. It really isn't that hard, and no - it is not normal to spend 1.5 hrs to accomplish this. If you're not computer savvy, try just calling them next time instead.

 

www.ncl.com

Log in with your username/password. Click 'password reset' if you don't remember it.

Go to 'My Account'. It will bring up your booked trips. Click the reservation for the one you care about doing things in.

 

Then go to Explore & Plan up top and pick "Dining" (or excursions, or upgrades... whatever it is you're trying to do).

 

Select the restaurant you want to make reservations for and pick a date/time and party size.

 

If it says too early to book - you're too early. 130 days out for Haven guests, 125 for platinum and club balcony suites (I think), and 120 days for everyone else. Peek in the top right corner to see how far out you are.

 

[cruiseagona]

Sailing12Away ~ Thank you so much! Your directions are the first ones that worked!

[mattie00]

I just called customer service and had 6 specialty restaurant reservations in under 10 minutes.

[zzdoug]

Thanks for this useful info.  Are these advance reservations cancelable without risk?  Also if I book a reservation, do I need to specify how I will pay for it?  And if so, if I book it to be billed to my onboard account, can I later switch it to be covered by my free-at-sea dining credit?

[ChiefMateJRK]

46 minutes ago, zzdoug said:

Are these advance reservations cancelable without risk?

Yes

46 minutes ago, zzdoug said:

Also if I book a reservation, do I need to specify how I will pay for it?

If it is a fixed price venue, you will pay for it when booking unless you have an available specialty dining credit.

47 minutes ago, zzdoug said:

if I book it to be billed to my onboard account, can I later switch it to be covered by my free-at-sea dining credit?

If it is an ala-carte venue, then you don't indicate how you will pay until you arrive at the restaurant.

[Luvsparties]

On 12/24/2022 at 8:15 PM, Sailing12Away said:

Ok, so for anyone else who doesn't know how to use the NCL website, this is where you go. It really isn't that hard, and no - it is not normal to spend 1.5 hrs to accomplish this. If you're not computer savvy, try just calling them next time instead.

 

www.ncl.com

Log in with your username/password. Click 'password reset' if you don't remember it.

Go to 'My Account'. It will bring up your booked trips. Click the reservation for the one you care about doing things in.

 

Then go to Explore & Plan up top and pick "Dining" (or excursions, or upgrades... whatever it is you're trying to do).

 

Select the restaurant you want to make reservations for and pick a date/time and party size.

 

If it says too early to book - you're too early. 130 days out for Haven guests, 125 for platinum and club balcony suites (I think), and 120 days for everyone else. Peek in the top right corner to see how far out you are.

 

This is helpful, thanks.  BTW we are on the same cruise in September.