Norweigan Cruise Line no longer making dinner reservations for main dining rooms

[InMyFreeTime]

Hello

Decided to give NCL another chance after a poor experience on the Encore.   Booked 2 weeks for this coming Christmas and New years on the Bliss.  Being a Platinyum level member I am entitled to earlycreservations at 125 days prios.  Called in today to make dinner reservations and found out that NCL is no longer allowing any reservations for any non ala carte restaurants.  Is this new or has it been this way for a while.  My first impression is dissapointment that NCL is again cutting services unless you are willing to pay extra to get an ala carte every night to let you actually make a reservation.  My experience is that trying to get into Manhatten was always an extremely long wait with them having now idea of when you would be seated if you arrived in the past without a reservation.  Are other cruise lines also now refusing to provide reservation service.  I was already hesitant to try NCL again and am now looking at having to stand in long lines hoping to get into the main dining room for a dinner

[shof515]

reservations was never needed nor required for the main dinning room

[laudergayle]

While they are no longer taking advance reservations, I am fairly certain you can make them onboard.  At least we could in May.  Being Platinum, I have found that even if you do not have reservations, they typically take you before others with lower loyalty status.  

[InMyFreeTime]

As Im platinum level I am aware reservations were not required but were always available otherwise you had to stand in a long line waiting for indefinate periods.  Now you arent even given the opportunity to make a reservation

[shof515]

which ships has long lines? with all ships having 2-3 main dinning rooms that spreads out the crowds where the lines is very short and often moves quick. if one room is crowded, go to the next room

[laudergayle]

4 minutes ago, InMyFreeTime said:

As Im platinum level I am aware reservations were not required but were always available otherwise you had to stand in a long line waiting for indefinate periods.  Now you arent even given the opportunity to make a reservation

Just go to the podium and give them your room number as though you have a reservation.  That way they know you’re Platinum.  But I do think you should be able to reserve on board.

[InMyFreeTime]

Thanks for your feedback shof515.  Hope youre not planning on being on the Bliss this Christmas.

[laudergayle]

5 minutes ago, shof515 said:

which ships has long lines? with all ships having 2-3 main dinning rooms that spreads out the crowds where the lines is very short and often moves quick. if one room is crowded, go to the next room

Some of us (me) operate very methodically.  Which has, on many occasions, provided for an enhanced experience.  Others, are perfectly fine with allowing the experience to unfold more naturally…which I’m sure also provides, at times, an enhanced experience.  If OP likes reservations…don’t tell them why they don’t need them.  It’s just a preference..

[MagnoliaBlossom]

They stopped accepting reservations for the MDR some time back.  It was never necessary but you could make reservations on some ships.  This was particularly nice if you’ had a group of 8 or more.  I tried it last year for the Manhattan dining room, hoping to avoid the long lines, but even as a Diamond member they said it was not possible.

Edited August 21 by MagnoliaBlossom

[Anoynmous Phoenix]

I have always found that will take reservations for "large" groups in the MDR.   The staff and "junior" officers get most "put out" when a party of 12+ turns up without a reservation.    Even more so when they DEMAND immediate seating and service.  Tables have to be moved; staff have to have their rosters changed and so on.

[ChiefMateJRK]

This discussion will continue forever.  The vast majority state that "you never need reservations for an MDR because you'll always be quickly seated."  This is counter-balanced by cruisers who have actually had to wait much longer to be seated in an MDR.

 

In my own (real) experience, I've rarely had to wait.  But, it has happened.  I make reservations if I can but don't sweat it if I can't.

[Ellis1138]

Once on board, I've been able to make MDR time reservations, although I suspect it has more to do with my food allergies and keeping track of me and my pre-order. We did see long lines and buzzers on the Prima during popular times. A few times, I had to explain to people that I wasn't cutting in line, I just had to tell my allergy contact I was there.

Edited August 22 by Ellis1138

[ryarger]

I don’t think the MDR has ever allowed reservations on the app before boarding.

 

As a platinum, you should be familiar with the procedure: if you want reservations, head to the MDR ASAP after boarding and they’ll get you any times you want for the entire sailing. 

[genealogyfan]

1 hour ago, ryarger said:

I don’t think the MDR has ever allowed reservations on the app before boarding.

 

As a platinum, you should be familiar with the procedure: if you want reservations, head to the MDR ASAP after boarding and they’ll get you any times you want for the entire sailing. 

Yes reservations for the MDRs were allowed previously before boarding.  Only once was I going to have to wait a long time for a table by myself on a ship without a reservation. The other times I had reservations, we had to stand in the same lines with everyone. I'm bummed we can't make reservations ahead of sailing anymore. I hope we can make ahead of time, once on board, but it's annoying.

[ready2cruzagain]

10 hours ago, shof515 said:

which ships has long lines? with all ships having 2-3 main dinning rooms that spreads out the crowds where the lines is very short and often moves quick. if one room is crowded, go to the next room

Epic in January and every other time I have been on her (8 times) had a wait time of 30 to 45 minutes and a long line. 

[KeithJenner]

I wonder whether NCL made this change because the number of people pre booking MDR times meant that wait times for the remainder were longer.

 

I read plenty of criticism, on here and elsewhere, that having to prebook things isn’t “freestyle” so maybe they are reacting to that.

 

if that is the case then it is unfortunate for those who prefer to prebook but you can’t please everyone.

[JillK]

Reservations are no longer offered once onboard... was just on the Epic (Aug 4 sailing) and we were not able to make reservations in either the Manhattan or Taste dining rooms, whereas we could do so last December on the Jade. 

 

We only ate in the main dining room three nights but were always able to walk in (table of 3 once, table of 7 twice) with no wait. 

Edited August 22 by JillK

[Asawi]

On the web site, not the app, I can still book for 6 or 8 in MDR on Star. It does make sense that they want to be prepared for "larger" groups that would be harder to find seats for otherwise.

I think it's a pity it's not possible to reserve since I really want to eat as early as possible or I will have problems during the night (at home my main meal is lunch, not dinner). No big deal though. There's usually a small group waiting for the dining room to open at 5.30, but not really any wait time at that time.

[schmoopie17]

28 minutes ago, Asawi said:

 

There's usually a small group waiting for the dining room to open at 5.30, but not really any wait time at that time.

We typically show up at 5:30 and walk right in. Never had a wait of more than one or two minutes.

Of course, now that I said that, everyone will show up at 5:30...

[graphicguy]

13 hours ago, InMyFreeTime said:

As Im platinum level I am aware reservations were not required but were always available otherwise you had to stand in a long line waiting for indefinate periods.  Now you arent even given the opportunity to make a reservation

Frankly, in all my NCL cruises, I never had to wait more than 5 minutes or so at any MDR when I just did a walk up.

 

If you want a 5:30 or 8:30 set dining time, you'd probably be better served by booking something like Royal.  They don't do "my time dining" very well, but given them the early or late seating option and they can work that.

[mjkacmom]

12 hours ago, Ellis1138 said:

Once on board, I've been able to make MDR time reservations, although I suspect it has more to do with my food allergies and keeping track of me and my pre-order. We did see long lines and buzzers on the Prima during popular times. A few times, I had to explain to people that I wasn't cutting in line, I just had to tell my allergy contact I was there.

We are a family of 7 with a couple with celiac, we just call the dining manager before heading to a MDR (usually the largest) and have never waited for a table, we’ve never made reservations.

[SimplyAlbert]

We were a party of 10 on the Gem in June and tried to make reservations onboard. We were told to just come to the podium when all of our party was there.

 

I will say that we never waited more than 10-15 minutes for a table.

[ontheweb]

We were on the Prima the summer of 2023. We never had much of a wait if any for Hudsons, the main dining room.

 

On the first night, I asked if we could make a reservation for a later night that was our wedding anniversary for a table right by one of the windows with a direct view of the water. I was told no, it was first come, first served. The only way it might work would be to come as soon as they opened at 5:30, which we did not want to do.

 

Anyway, when we showed up on our anniversary and showed them the card saying we were celebrating our anniversary, even without a reservation they must have remembered us and seated us by one of the large picture windows.

 

[Tudlum]

I am Platinum and was recently on the Breakaway. Our Ala Carte restaurants were booked 120 days out. I too, was worried since we were on the Prima in February and were able to book ahead of time.  Once on board went straight to Headliners to book MDR. The only restaurant we were able to book was Shanghai.   Pleasantly surprised we never had to wait for a table.

[dbrown84]

sorry if I'm a little slow, but I want to make sure this is only for MDR?  OP said the rule was for any non a la carte restaurants.  Does that mean you can't make reservations for moderno and teppanyaki either?