Sapphire Dining reservation questions

[Scurrent]

We  are sailing on the NCL Epic out of Puerto Rico on January 22, 2023.  We made our two free dining reservations which were afforded to us when we booked at Cagney's and Teppanyaki.  I also know that we get two free meals for being Sapphire members.  When I tried to book the two other meals, the website demands payment. I called NCL to no avail.  I am being told that I need to wait until I get on the boat before I can make those two free Sapphire reservations. Is the information I am being provided correct?  Any assistance is appreciated.  -  Steve

[zqvol]

11 minutes ago, Scurrent said:

We  are sailing on the NCL Epic out of Puerto Rico on January 22, 2023.  We made our two free dining reservations which were afforded to us when we booked at Cagney's and Teppanyaki.  I also know that we get two free meals for being Sapphire members.  When I tried to book the two other meals, the website demands payment. I called NCL to no avail.  I am being told that I need to wait until I get on the boat before I can make those two free Sapphire reservations. Is the information I am being provided correct?  Any assistance is appreciated.  -  Steve

That is the same information I got, BUT if you book an a la carte venue you don't pay until you actually dine there.

[ggTexasGal]

The trick to booking dining (online limits to 5 total, so must call for any further) is to enter your "for a fee" restaurants first (Moderno for example). 

Note: You don't have to select any particular day ...meaning you could book day #5's dinner first, if that's the day you wish to dine at Moderno (or whichever restaurant).

[shof515]

this seems like the classical problem of not booking things in the correct order.

 

cancel all of your reservations and then when you reboook it make sure you do moderno/Teppanyaki first and then all others last 

[cruiseny4life]

4 minutes ago, shof515 said:

this seems like the classical problem of not booking things in the correct order.

 

cancel all of your reservations and then when you reboook it make sure you do moderno/Teppanyaki first and then all others last 

It would be really amazing if NCL would actually put this in some sort of instructions/how-to document, or just a graphic box when making reservations. But why would they help out their customers, eh?

[shelbymac19]

Scurrent, we had the same problem...the NCL website thinks you need to pay for the 2 additional specialty dinners.

With Platinum and above you also get concierge services.  Just wait until you're on board and ask your concierge to book the 2 additional specialty restaurants for you; they will gladly do so.

[BirdTravels]

2 hours ago, Scurrent said:

We  are sailing on the NCL Epic out of Puerto Rico on January 22, 2023.  We made our two free dining reservations which were afforded to us when we booked at Cagney's and Teppanyaki.  I also know that we get two free meals for being Sapphire members.  When I tried to book the two other meals, the website demands payment. I called NCL to no avail.  I am being told that I need to wait until I get on the boat before I can make those two free Sapphire reservations. Is the information I am being provided correct?  Any assistance is appreciated.  -  Steve

Book your dining as soon as you embark. Remember, the Pan Am pier continues to have congestion problems, so plan on showing up very early. 

 

From a reservation perspective, there is no difference between a FAS and Sapphire booking. It is just a dinner reservation. You determine, at the time of dining, how to pay (FAS, Sapphire voucher, room charge). Your Sapphire vouchers can be used at any restaurant (regardless of what is printed on them).

 

As a Sapphire member, you should have made your dining reservations on September 19, 2022. And you should have booked fixed price restaurants like Teppanyaki and Moderno first (before any a la carte restaurants). 

 

Also, when you embark, go to the Cruise Next desk and sign up for the Wines Around the World wine tasting and verify if there are any other Sapphire benefits available (e.g., ships have not been doing he behind the scenes tours since the pandemic; and only a very few ships have been doing the Dinner with the Officers). 

[don't-use-real-name]

No matter what ship you are boarding with all those reservations requests - the Dining Reservation

Desk is likely to be busier than a swarming bees nest - Ask - inquire - make a point of finding out

if there is more than one (remote) location where dining reservations are being taken adjusted

bartered - have your plans in order to mix match with any show time activities before after the

dining times. While you may have a Rewards status at this point it is almost first come first 

reserved exception to the (Haven) suites with Concierge and Butler help.

Set your priorities and make the best effort to be on board as early as possible to get your times.

 

Oh yes book as much as possible in advance to work with in tweaking those times.

 

Not exactly tweaked to your need - in advance visit that restaurant and discuss with the 

Maitre-D or host/ess about changes - - -

 

Most monetary methods of payment can be adjusted to your account later

[mking8288]

Being Latitudes Sapphire and perhaps, even Diamonds, supposed to be given Priority Dining Reservations - but, truthfully, have yet to experience that in real - whether it's standing in line in the crowded area by the host/ess kiosk or desk outside any of the MDR ... or when calling the internal extension on the ship.  The concierge helpline and/or services pre-cruise to help with booking, another mythical virtual benefits that only exist in prints and a joke.  We try that once last year & used the given number that came with one of the welcome email pre-cruise, and submitted our preference or request, and was acknowledged ... that was it, boiler plate reply that our request has been forwarded to the ship's dining reservation desk (as it was fairly close to our sailing date) and to contact them once onboard to confirm the detailed choice, etc..  Needless to say, they had no record of our request, preference and out of the 3 reservations "forwarded" - only 1 was showing in the system and the time was entirely wrong, not 5:30 or 6 p.m. but rather 8:30 p.m. (to their credit, they got the "date" choice itself correctly, hahahha !!! )   Forgetaboutit - it's a joke and embarrassment against NCL's infamous reputation, to put it bluntly.  Delete that "perk" from the description of benefits as the offer is deceptive at best.  

 

With the cruise coming up later this month, IMHO, it is useless to even bother trying to get them involved and book ... just wait until you are onboard on Day 1, up to 75% of the MDR reservations and (to a lesser percentage) are held until sailing time, only the smaller fractions are released ahead ... that, by itself, almost against the spirit & principles of "freestyle cruising" 

 

Ooops, I (kinda, really) meant to say, it's now "Sail & Sustain" the new corporate tagline, for your (who's) convenience.  Corporate communications from NCL/H has never been their strength and it is consistently inconsistent and unreliable.  

 

Hey, it give us reasons to lurk here on CC and beat the still horse until it regains a pulse, LOL  /s

[Chasing Summer]

If you don't have the specialty dining package, it doesn't matter what order you put the reservations in. We are also Sapphire but declined the package, so we can make two Latitudes reservations. I tried Moderno and it asked for over $140 on a cc. I switched Moderno with Los Lobos and added La Cucina and it didn't ask for any money. If we really want to add Moderno we'll switch it out once we're on board, but at least I know we have two times that we prefer.

[curlstravel]

Where is the concierge desk?

[BirdTravels]

25 minutes ago, curlstravel said:

Where is the concierge desk?

Depends on ship. Big ships, the Haven concierge staff (Concierge and Assistant Concierges) is in the Haven (which is restricted to Haven Guests). On small ships, the concierge for suites will be in the restaurant at breakfast and lunch. When we were on the Joy, the concierge for the Suites was in the restaurant and at guest services.