First cruise, please help me understand dining credits

[amcc127]

First cruise ever.  We have 2 rooms, 7 people.  The first room is a Family Balcony, the other an Inside. I am trying to plan our specialty dining.  With the Free at Sea, the balcony has 4 specialty meals for the first 2 people, the inside has 1 specialty meal for the first 2 people.  Can those 4 specialty meals be shared or do they only belong to the person they are listed under?  Can you use up multiple credits in one meal to cover the table? Trying to figure out how many extra meals to purchase.  Thank you!

[Two Wheels Only]

SDP is assigned to the person and cannot be shared/transfered.

 

You cannot use to cover someone else.

 

CAN I BUY DINNER FOR SOMEONE ELSE WITH MY SPECIALTY DINING PACKAGE?

Specialty Dining Packages are sold individually and cannot be transferred. If you wish to pay for someone else’s dinner, you will not be able to use your own SDP.

[amcc127]

Thank you!  Now I can buy the appropriate amount of additional dining.

[UKstages]

just to clarify... when you say that the first cabin has 4 specialty meals for the first 2 people... that's likely two "meals" for each. in other words, the first two people get to dine twice for "free," consuming 4 entrėes in total (at 2 meals).

 

you probably already understand this, but it's worth mentioning if you're new to NCL.

[amcc127]

Ok, no, I didn't read the amenity sheet like that.  So if it lists "4 specialty meals" under both Passenger 1 and Passenger 2, that means, 2 restaurants?  I was planning reservations thinking it was 4 meals (so 4 restaurants) each (8 entrees in total).

Edited May 13, 2023 by amcc127

[UKstages]

if it says 4 specialty meals separately under both guest 1 and 2, then that is indeed four meals - four separate dining opportunities - for each. that would be unusual, as a 7 day cruise doesn't normally come with 4 meals  per person. the number of specialty dining credits  are determined by your cabin status and the length of the cruise. did you book through a travel agent who threw you extra specialty dining credits?

 

it is true that they are per person and not transferable. however, if your ship has a "food republic," you can go in and get four food items per dining credit. and that is generally enough for two people... it's a lot of food.

[mjkacmom]

10 minutes ago, amcc127 said:

Ok, no, I didn't read the amenity sheet like that.  So if it lists "4 specialty meals" under both Passenger 1 and Passenger 2, that means, 2 restaurants?  I was planning reservations thinking it was 4 meals (so 4 restaurants) each (8 entrees in total).

It’s usually 2 meals, so both could dine twice.

[amcc127]

thanks to all who are helping me understand this.  I did book through a travel agent and its an 11 night cruise.  This is the NCL amenity sheet for the Family Balcony (1 adult, one 19 year old) (Passengers 3 (age 16) and 4 (age 11) don't have any amenities).  I'm listed on the Inside as the adult in the cabin (boys will be 21 (late add on), 20), and  which is why there's only one alcohol package included in the Family balcony:

 

Edited May 13, 2023 by amcc127

[hallux]

It may be that your TA 'declined' the FAS promo meals and added the 4 meal plan as a perk they're giving you.

[BirdTravels]

So, your travel agent has given you dinners (not the Free at Sea promotion). You have a total of 5 dinners. The four dinners have to be used by the named guests. Not sure about the Le Bistro dinner, you need to read the certificate when you get it. If it looks in restricted, had it to the inside room. 

[Panhandle Couple]

Remember to book the specialty dining starting at 120 days out from sailing, after final payment.

 

If you wait until on board, or even the week before, you won't have many (in some cases, like Cagney's, none).

 

If you are booking for 2, and they only offer for 4 at the times you want, then just book for 4. They will  honor the reservation when you show up.

[amcc127]

11 hours ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Remember to book the specialty dining starting at 120 days out from sailing, after final payment.

 

If you wait until on board, or even the week before, you won't have many (in some cases, like Cagney's, none).

 

If you are booking for 2, and they only offer for 4 at the times you want, then just book for 4. They will  honor the reservation when you show up.

Thank you.  We did the reservations yesterday - both cabins with 4 diners each and noticed that we were already too late for a few restaurants on sea days (about 83 days out).  All of them are late meals so I thought we would go by the restaurants before the day and ask them if they could "join" our reservations so we can sit together or near each other.  

 

I feel so much better prepared for this trip because of these forums.  Thanks to all for the generosity in sharing your knowledge and experience.