Dining Reservations using my platinum rewards

[JMMM2323]

We just moved up to Platinum status...a couple of questions about the dining reward.  How do I make reservations online using that?  It keeps asking for a CC number.  And does each person with Platinum status in the cabin get a dining for 2 reward??  Meaning 2 extra specialty dining when my husband and I travel?   And if we have our adult kids in a separate cabin, can we use our 2nd extra dining for 2 for them if we're all eating together?  So many questions...we love the specialty dining restaurants and are excited to get an extra 1 or 2 each cruise. 

[DorothyB]

Will let others respond re: asking for cc number.

 

I am Platinum and I was able to book my 2 FAS meal for two and my one Lattitudes meal but booked it the wrong day so booked it again.  I still need to cancel the fourth meal.  I was not asked for any payment at all.  I did book the "fixed price" restaurants first (Cagney's and Teppanyaki if I remember right), then the other restaurant which is a la cart.

 

As far as how to use them - you personally need to eat both of your FAS meals (assuming you have them) and your husband needs to personally eat both of his FAS meals (assuming you have them).  For the Lattitudes meal, on our last cruise when we had that perk, the Lattitudes person ate one of the two "free" meals and a friend who was not yet platinum ate the second meal.  We did this twice as we had two "tickets" each good for two platinum meals.  

 

When you use your Lattitudes meals, let the server know and ask what is included.

 

Official rules include " Benefit is available on sailings 5 days or longer, and entitles guests 1 & 2 to an appetizer, one entrée and dessert of choice. Upcharges apply to certain premium menu items; Raw Bar Seafood Platter is not included. 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). Additional entrées will incur supplemental charges. Dinner coupons are non-transferrable. . . . . Coupons can’t be used for the same venue twice. Benefit is for guests 1 & 2 on the reservation of a qualifying tier. If there are 2 Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond, Ambassador members in one stateroom, only 2 Dinner for Two vouchers will be delivered. "

[cruiserbear55]

1 hour ago, JMMM2323 said:

We just moved up to Platinum status...a couple of questions about the dining reward.  How do I make reservations online using that?  It keeps asking for a CC number.  And does each person with Platinum status in the cabin get a dining for 2 reward??  Meaning 2 extra specialty dining when my husband and I travel?   And if we have our adult kids in a separate cabin, can we use our 2nd extra dining for 2 for them if we're all eating together?  So many questions...we love the specialty dining restaurants and are excited to get an extra 1 or 2 each cruise. 

Book the "fixed price" specialties first,ex., Moderno and Teppanyaki. Book ala-carte restaurants next, ex., Cagney"s, La Cucina, Le Bistro, etc. You won't be asked for a CC upfront. When you get to the restaurants, they'll ask you at that point how you are paying for the meal(s).Happy Cruising!!

[zqvol]

2 hours ago, JMMM2323 said:

We just moved up to Platinum status...a couple of questions about the dining reward.  How do I make reservations online using that?  It keeps asking for a CC number.  And does each person with Platinum status in the cabin get a dining for 2 reward??  Meaning 2 extra specialty dining when my husband and I travel?   And if we have our adult kids in a separate cabin, can we use our 2nd extra dining for 2 for them if we're all eating together?  So many questions...we love the specialty dining restaurants and are excited to get an extra 1 or 2 each cruise. 

Sounds like you booked the a la carte restaurants first and are now trying to book the prix fix restaurants. Call NCL and get them to work it out for you. 
 

You get a total of two latitudes dining coupons. One includes a bottle of wine off a select list. The coupons are per cabin, not per latitude member. Only one coupon can be used at a time and they are not transferable or shareable. 

[JMMM2323]

Thanks everyone! The cruise is a month away and I just moved up to Platinum, so didn't realize how to book it all.  I booked the a la carte restaurant at 120 days out.  I'll call tomorrow and see if they can fix it, so I can book the prix fix with the FAS and the a la carte with my latitude dining coupon.  I didn't realize I got a bottle of wine, too.  Awesome!  I just cancelled the drink package because this trip is just me and my mom and she doesn't drink.  Sounds like it will be a benefit when my husband and I go alone, or my mom and me, but not as much with our adult kids, who are not platinum level.  

[stinkyharriet]

I did my first two solo cruises this year.  At the solo meetings I met some other cruisers who were platinum.  On both cruises someone offered to treat me to an extra specialty dining meal because their tickets were good for 2 people so you can definitely share those with whoever you want.  I do think that one of you will have to be at the meal, you couldn’t just hand a ticket off to two random people and let them go

[KeithJenner]

4 hours ago, JMMM2323 said:

Thanks everyone! The cruise is a month away and I just moved up to Platinum, so didn't realize how to book it all.  I booked the a la carte restaurant at 120 days out.  I'll call tomorrow and see if they can fix it, so I can book the prix fix with the FAS and the a la carte with my latitude dining coupon.  

Most likely if you call then they will just tell you that you can’t reserve the latitudes meals in advance.

 

You don’t make the reservations using a specific method to cover the meals, so if you ask for them to change things as you stated above then they won’t be able to do that.

 

Rather than specifying the payment method it is all down to the order you book. The system has no idea at this point how you will pay for the meals so it just assumes that the first ones will be paid for by FAS and the rest will be charged to you. Therefore in order to avoid the charge you need to book the fixed price ones first.

 

As far as I know your only option now for making the reservations pre cruise without paying would be to cancel what you have booked and start again. Obviously that risks you not being able to get the reservations you want.

 

Alternatively, just wait until you are onboard and then make the reservation for the fixed price place. If you plan to board early, this is what I would do. Just make sure you do it as soon as possible to try to get the time you want.

[PelicanBill]

You can absolutely reserve these without being charged, but you must call or use the chat and explain you wish to reserve for your platinum reward meal without being charged in advanced.

 

I needed to do that for one of mine. No problem.

[zqvol]

12 hours ago, JMMM2323 said:

Thanks everyone! The cruise is a month away and I just moved up to Platinum, so didn't realize how to book it all.  I booked the a la carte restaurant at 120 days out.  I'll call tomorrow and see if they can fix it, so I can book the prix fix with the FAS and the a la carte with my latitude dining coupon.  I didn't realize I got a bottle of wine, too.  Awesome!  I just cancelled the drink package because this trip is just me and my mom and she doesn't drink.  Sounds like it will be a benefit when my husband and I go alone, or my mom and me, but not as much with our adult kids, who are not platinum level.  

Don’t worry about what you book with what coupon or perk you just tell them on the ship what you are going to use. The key to booking dining is not how you are going to pay, but is the order you book restaurants in (it doesnt matter which day you book first). BTW platinum can book at 125 days out. 

[schmoopie17]

15 hours ago, JMMM2323 said:

We just moved up to Platinum status...a couple of questions about the dining reward.  How do I make reservations online using that?  It keeps asking for a CC number. 

At first I was confused. Why would they ask for a Cruise Critic number? Anyway...

 

I, too was a bit apprehensive about the process, since this was the first time booking as Platinum. However, we were able to very easily book our FAS Specialty Restaurants, as well as our Platinum restaurants online. Took a total of about five minutes. Just need to remember to do them in the proper order.

[JMMM2323]

15 hours ago, DorothyB said:

Will let others respond re: asking for cc number.

 

I am Platinum and I was able to book my 2 FAS meal for two and my one Lattitudes meal but booked it the wrong day so booked it again.  I still need to cancel the fourth meal.  I was not asked for any payment at all.  I did book the "fixed price" restaurants first (Cagney's and Teppanyaki if I remember right), then the other restaurant which is a la cart.

 

As far as how to use them - you personally need to eat both of your FAS meals (assuming you have them) and your husband needs to personally eat both of his FAS meals (assuming you have them).  For the Lattitudes meal, on our last cruise when we had that perk, the Lattitudes person ate one of the two "free" meals and a friend who was not yet platinum ate the second meal.  We did this twice as we had two "tickets" each good for two platinum meals.  

 

When you use your Lattitudes meals, let the server know and ask what is included.

 

Official rules include " Benefit is available on sailings 5 days or longer, and entitles guests 1 & 2 to an appetizer, one entrée and dessert of choice. Upcharges apply to certain premium menu items; Raw Bar Seafood Platter is not included. 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). Additional entrées will incur supplemental charges. Dinner coupons are non-transferrable. . . . . Coupons can’t be used for the same venue twice. Benefit is for guests 1 & 2 on the reservation of a qualifying tier. If there are 2 Platinum, Sapphire, Diamond, Ambassador members in one stateroom, only 2 Dinner for Two vouchers will be delivered. "

Thanks so much!!  One more question...do you have to pay the 20% tip when you use your latitudes reward or is it already included?  We usually tip extra anyway, but with our FAS the 20% gratuity is included (or prepaid). 

[ggTexasGal]

2 minutes ago, JMMM2323 said:

Thanks so much!!  One more question...do you have to pay the 20% tip when you use your latitudes reward or is it already included?  We usually tip extra anyway, but with our FAS the 20% gratuity is included (or prepaid). 

Already covered by your package.  But, as you stated, "We usually tip extra anyway" you will be fine!

[KeithJenner]

2 hours ago, PelicanBill said:

You can absolutely reserve these without being charged, but you must call or use the chat and explain you wish to reserve for your platinum reward meal without being charged in advanced.

 

I needed to do that for one of mine. No problem.

You don’t need to call or chat to avoid being charged. You just need to reserve the meals in the correct order (fixed price first).

[DorothyB]

3 minutes ago, KeithJenner said:

You don’t need to call or chat to avoid being charged. You just need to reserve the meals in the correct order (fixed price first).

except that it seems he has already started booking in the other order

[DorothyB]

39 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

At first I was confused. Why would they ask for a Cruise Critic number? Anyway...

 

I, too was a bit apprehensive about the process, since this was the first time booking as Platinum. However, we were able to very easily book our FAS Specialty Restaurants, as well as our Platinum restaurants online. Took a total of about five minutes. Just need to remember to do them in the proper order.

cc = credit card 🙂

[schmoopie17]

14 minutes ago, DorothyB said:

cc = credit card 🙂

Notice that I said "at first". About one second later it dawned on my that in this case, CC meant credit card.

[KeithJenner]

1 hour ago, DorothyB said:

except that it seems he has already started booking in the other order

Yeah, it wasn’t clear to me whether the post was talking about this specific instance, or generally, which was why I clarified.

Edited August 10 by KeithJenner

[The Traveling Man]

3 hours ago, schmoopie17 said:

Notice that I said "at first". About one second later it dawned on my that in this case, CC meant credit card.

Same here.