FREEE at SEA specialty dining

[Treacher1]

We have 2 free specialty restaurant dinners on our upcoming Getaway Cruise.  Likewise, we have two MORE specialty restaurant dinners from being Platinum members in the Latitudes Rewards programs.  When we board; are these 4 free dinners loaded on our sea pass card or do we get coupons to verify we in fact do not have to pay for these dinners once on board?  Thanks for your help !

[RedwingHockeyFan]

The FAS ones will be on your card.  I believe the Lattitudes reward ones will be delivered to your room, but not positive. 

[G-DawgMN]

4 minutes ago, RedwingHockeyFan said:

The FAS ones will be on your card.  I believe the Lattitudes reward ones will be delivered to your room, but not positive. 

 

 This is correct, when you arrive at the restaurant tell them if you want to use your coupon, FAS, or pay outright.

[sid_9169]

You'll have a paper card in your cabin, which are your coupons for your Platinum meals. One will include a free bottle of wine with dinner...

[All-ready2cruise]

The information shared is correct, however, in the past, at least, you needed to bring the Latitudes  coupon with you to the restaurant.  

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, Treacher1 said:

We have 2 free specialty restaurant dinners on our upcoming Getaway Cruise.  Likewise, we have two MORE specialty restaurant dinners from being Platinum members in the Latitudes Rewards programs.  When we board; are these 4 free dinners loaded on our sea pass card or do we get coupons to verify we in fact do not have to pay for these dinners once on board?  Thanks for your help !

The Free At Sea (and purchased dining packages) are loaded on your your Freestyle Card. For Platinum dinners, you will receive vouchers in your stateroom on embarkation day. One is for a dinner for 2 at any specialty restaurant (regardless of what is printed) and the second is for a dinner for 2 at a specialty restaurant with wine. 

 

Exactly 125 days prior to departure, you should book your dinner reservations. Book any fixed price restaurant (Moderno, Teppanyaki, Hasuki) first, then a la carte restaurants. The reservations system doesn't care if it is a FAS or latitudes dinner. At time of dining, you tell the hostess how you intend to pay (Specialty Dining Package, Latitudes Voucher, Other Voucher, Room Charge). You need to present your latitudes voucher if you are paying that way. 

 

You will  also get a latitudes voucher for a free bag of laundry. 

 

As platinum members, go to the Cruise Next desk on embarkation day to sign up for the Wines Around the World wine tasting. 

[redlock]

As an aside..

My wife and I were on the Dawn over the festive period and travelled with our two friends who are Silver latitude members.

We were allowed to use our two vouchers for us and our friends, as long as we all dined together. 

 

We all enjoyed the Los Lobos resurant together, easily the best meal of the cruise.

Edited January 12, 2023 by redlock

[jcollin]

Same goes for Amex Platinum at Le Bistro?  Do you get a coupon or do you just tell them you are using Amex Platinum offer?

[Ranger28]

On 1/12/2023 at 10:45 AM, jcollin said:

Same goes for Amex Platinum at Le Bistro?  Do you get a coupon or do you just tell them you are using Amex Platinum offer?

I did not see an update offer on Platinum. Would you please explain where to find it?

[ExArkie]

17 hours ago, Ranger28 said:

I did not see an update offer on Platinum. Would you please explain where to find it?

The AmEx Cruise Privileges Program, which is triggered by paying the entire fare with the platinum card - and having the TA input the correct code on the booking (had one that didn’t once) - for NCL sailings includes OBC in varying amounts depending on cabin category and one dinner for two at Le Bistro.

 

This is a standing program and not a part of the periodic card offers. The details are available from the AmEx platinum benefits page, which has a link to the participating partners.

[Jenlek]

5 hours ago, ExArkie said:

The AmEx Cruise Privileges Program, which is triggered by paying the entire fare with the platinum card - and having the TA input the correct code on the booking (had one that didn’t once) - for NCL sailings includes OBC in varying amounts depending on cabin category and one dinner for two at Le Bistro.

 

This is a standing program and not a part of the periodic card offers. The details are available from the AmEx platinum benefits page, which has a link to the participating partners.

It looks like you have to book the cruise through AmEx travel for the Platinum benefit as well as pay with the card.  Am I not reading this correctly?  

1. Valid for new bookings of voyages of at least five nights made through American Express Travel.

[alrose251]

I have one dinner with my May booking and two for being platinum.  I booked Teppanyaki and could not book Moderno without being charged.  Three different NCL reps told me and my travel agent that latitudes dinners had to be booked once aboard.

 

Where do I go to book these dinners once I am onboard?  Each restaurant or somewhere special?

 

 

[okpaddy]

On 1/12/2023 at 9:32 AM, BirdTravels said:

The Free At Sea (and purchased dining packages) are loaded on your your Freestyle Card. For Platinum dinners, you will receive vouchers in your stateroom on embarkation day. One is for a dinner for 2 at any specialty restaurant (regardless of what is printed) and the second is for a dinner for 2 at a specialty restaurant with wine. 

 

Exactly 125 days prior to departure, you should book your dinner reservations. Book any fixed price restaurant (Moderno, Teppanyaki, Hasuki) first, then a la carte restaurants. The reservations system doesn't care if it is a FAS or latitudes dinner. At time of dining, you tell the hostess how you intend to pay (Specialty Dining Package, Latitudes Voucher, Other Voucher, Room Charge). You need to present your latitudes voucher if you are paying that way. 

 

You will  also get a latitudes voucher for a free bag of laundry. 

 

As platinum members, go to the Cruise Next desk on embarkation day to sign up for the Wines Around the World wine tasting. 

Dear Bird Travels,

Please explain why you should book the fixed price restaurants first before the ala carte restaurants. I will need to make three dining reservations for my upcoming Alaska cruise in a few months. This is always confusing to me, whether I'm supposed to use the vouchers (2) first, or the FAS (1). I want to maximize the benefit and not short change myself. My usual selections are Cagney's, Le'Bistro, and Moderno, two ala carte restaurants and one fixed price.  

Thank you in advance for any assistance you might be able to offer. I have learned quite a few helpful suggestions from your posts previously and appreciate the information shared on here by all of the wonderfully knowledgeable cruisers. 

Jim

[mininewman]

The reason is that NCL's system wants to charge you for the fixed price restaurants the moment you book them.  If you book them first, it will assume you want to use your FAS credit toward it.  Then since you do not prepay for the ala carte restaurants, you can book them and use vouchers like normal.

 

If you try to book the ala carte restaurant first, the system will assume you use your FAS credit for that, then require you to pay for the fixed price upfront.  This is because NCL does not allow for redemption of platinum+ vouchers online (it doesn't seem there is any form of programming for this), so when you are booking, the NCL site just has no idea you won't have to pay.

[BirdTravels]

3 minutes ago, okpaddy said:

Dear Bird Travels,

Please explain why you should book the fixed price restaurants first before the ala carte restaurants. I will need to make three dining reservations for my upcoming Alaska cruise in a few months. This is always confusing to me, whether I'm supposed to use the vouchers (2) first, or the FAS (1). I want to maximize the benefit and not short change myself. My usual selections are Cagney's, Le'Bistro, and Moderno, two ala carte restaurants and one fixed price.  

Thank you in advance for any assistance you might be able to offer. I have learned quite a few helpful suggestions from your posts previously and appreciate the information shared on here by all of the wonderfully knowledgeable cruisers. 

Jim

The reservation system does not ask how going to pay for the meals; that is done at time of dining. You tell the hostess at the restaurant whether you are paying cash (room charge), dining package (doesn't matter if it is FAS, FAS+, purchased package), latitudes voucher (with or without wine), other voucher. 

 

The system does not know anything about Latitude vouchers. The system does know that you have one FAS dinner, so if it sees a reservation for Moderno first, it will not charge you for it. If you book it second, the system assumes that you want to pay cash and you will be charged the full price of the dinner plus gratuity. It is a quirk of the system. Don't ask. Just book Moderno or Teppanyaki first. 

[ExArkie]

3 hours ago, Jenlek said:

It looks like you have to book the cruise through AmEx travel for the Platinum benefit as well as pay with the card.  Am I not reading this correctly?  

1. Valid for new bookings of voyages of at least five nights made through American Express Travel.

That is what AmEx says in their site. Others on Cruise Critic have reported that they received AmEx platinum benefits using different travel agents, there being a code for the TA to enter in the reservation to activate the benefit. From what I read, not all TAs have said code.

 

Best bet would be to ask your TA and find out. I am not an expert on this topic, having booked our trips to which the privileges program applied through the AmEx site. 

[Pitzel]

Now that the Latitudes and FAS dinners have changed what is included, any strategies for which one is best to use in which restaurants? We have 4 dinners in total -- 2 Platinum certificates and 2 FAS meals. We are sailing on the Prima and have Cagney's, Palermo, and Onda reserved at the moment.

We have one meal left, which we haven't reserved yet (NCL won't let us pre-reserve the same restaurant twice, some of the specialty restaurants don't provide a pre-booking option, or we might choose to dine in-suite for our fourth meal).

SO...given the current inclusions for the Platinum and FAS meals, which ones should we use where? Where are we likely to get the "best bang" for our specialty dining buck?

[BirdTravels]

No strategy. If the follow the policy, they are the same. 
 

You can book the same restaurant, but need to call general reservations. They can do it for you. 

[Pitzel]

46 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

No strategy. If the follow the policy, they are the same. 
 

You can book the same restaurant, but need to call general reservations. They can do it for you. 

Good to know about calling general reservations.

I thought that the Platinum certificates only covered up to $35 per entree, but the SPD didn't have that restriction. Is that not the case?

[okpaddy]

4 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

The reservation system does not ask how going to pay for the meals; that is done at time of dining. You tell the hostess at the restaurant whether you are paying cash (room charge), dining package (doesn't matter if it is FAS, FAS+, purchased package), latitudes voucher (with or without wine), other voucher. 

 

The system does not know anything about Latitude vouchers. The system does know that you have one FAS dinner, so if it sees a reservation for Moderno first, it will not charge you for it. If you book it second, the system assumes that you want to pay cash and you will be charged the full price of the dinner plus gratuity. It is a quirk of the system. Don't ask. Just book Moderno or Teppanyaki first. 

 

 

5 hours ago, mininewman said:

The reason is that NCL's system wants to charge you for the fixed price restaurants the moment you book them.  If you book them first, it will assume you want to use your FAS credit toward it.  Then since you do not prepay for the ala carte restaurants, you can book them and use vouchers like normal.

 

If you try to book the ala carte restaurant first, the system will assume you use your FAS credit for that, then require you to pay for the fixed price upfront.  This is because NCL does not allow for redemption of platinum+ vouchers online (it doesn't seem there is any form of programming for this), so when you are booking, the NCL site just has no idea you won't have to pay.

 

Thank you both very much. I'm still not certain that I understand the system, but booking Moderno first is easy enough for me to follow. 😃

[KeithJenner]

27 minutes ago, okpaddy said:

 

 

 

Thank you both very much. I'm still not certain that I understand the system, but booking Moderno first is easy enough for me to follow. 😃

There is a link in my signature to a guide which explains it. The guide is quite out of date but that bit is still relevant.

[jcollin]

14 hours ago, Jenlek said:

It looks like you have to book the cruise through AmEx travel for the Platinum benefit as well as pay with the card.  Am I not reading this correctly?  

1. Valid for new bookings of voyages of at least five nights made through American Express Travel.

 I booked through a TA but paid in full with the platinum card.  All she had to do was use the code with NCL and the dinner plus $200 OBC was granted.

[BirdTravels]

9 hours ago, Pitzel said:

Good to know about calling general reservations.

I thought that the Platinum certificates only covered up to $35 per entree, but the SPD didn't have that restriction. Is that not the case?

 

Here's the current terms and conditions of the certificates. 

 

This benefit offers two dinners for two at a specialty restaurant for Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond, and Ambassador guests. Each stateroom will receive a voucher in their Welcome Back card on embarkation day for:

• •  Dinner for Two with a Bottle of Wine
• •  Dinner for Two

 

Service charges are included in this benefit. Guest to present voucher to their server before ordering. Benefit entitles each guest to an appetizer, one entrée, and a dessert of your choice. Upcharges apply on certain premium menu items. Bottle of Wine offered in all venues offering Complimentary Wine list, Palomar not included. In à la carte restaurants, coupon can be redeemed for 4 menu items per person (Sushi, Wasabi, Nama, Teppanyaki, Hasuki, Food Republic, Pincho Tapas Bar or Raw Bar). Dinner coupons are non-transferable. Solo guests cannot claim two dinners. Coupons cannot be used for the same venue twice. 2 guests maximum. Dining options vary by ship.

 

Since the restart, even though there was a $35 limited was printed on the cert, all the waiters have been concerned about is upcharges. So entrees over $35 have not been charged. And if you, say, pick a appetizer that has an upcharge, you were charged the upcharge. 

 

That being said, the new Specialty Dining Package T&Cs limit you to 1 app, 1 entrée, 1 dessert, the offers are the same between SDP and Platinum. 

[Pitzel]

Thank you, @BirdTravels. It would be SO much easier if, instead of the "Platinum dinner for 2" certificates they just granted each Platinum member a 2-meal SDP and a separate certificate for the bottle of wine.

 

It would also be easier if they clarified how meals were handled in places where there are more than 3 courses offered (like Cagney's or Italian) or where side dishes are an additional fee. 

[alrose251]

16 minutes ago, Pitzel said:

Thank you, @BirdTravels. It would be SO much easier if, instead of the "Platinum dinner for 2" certificates they just granted each Platinum member a 2-meal SDP and a separate certificate for the bottle of wine.

 

It would also be easier if they clarified how meals were handled in places where there are more than 3 courses offered (like Cagney's or Italian) or where side dishes are an additional fee. 

You are right on target!  Totally agree!