POH Dinner Reservations

[gottacruise2]

Hey all,

 

I've concluded from all the wonderful posts here that dinner reservations are a MUST for every night you plan on eating in the dining rooms or "speciality" resturants on board. In sticking with your advice, we will make them all shortly after we board.

 

Question - do I have to hop from place to place or can I make my arrangement for all venues from one stop. I will be sure to have our dining plans all mapped out with places and times, so I can just whip out my little notes and run down my list. Hoping to be able to do it all at one stop.

 

Also are all the resturants open the night you embark?

 

Thanks again for you valuable advice.

[Ga_Girl]

You should be able to make all your reservations in one place--no need to actually *go* to each restaurant to make each reservation. They are done on the computer.

 

I believe all restaraunts are open the night of embarkation, but as we haven't been yet, someone else should be able to tell you more definitively.

 

Susan

[gottacruise2]

Thanks Ga_Girl, hopefully some one that has been can tell me about the first night. :D

[Giantfan13]

You can go to the 'courtesy' desk on deck 7, there is a young lady there who will make all your reservations for you. they print out a little slip and give that to you as a reminder. They do charge you $5.00 for any reservation that was not kept, so cancel any reservation that you will not make. Several people make multiple reservations before really deciding where and when to go.

 

Just a point, while we were on line, people kept caling the reservation line and the girl was making their reservations BEFORE dealing with the people on the line already. It's worth trying if the line is very long. They also have menu's from each restaurant there, but people get impatient on line if you are taking forever in making the reservations.

[gottacruise2]

Thanks Giantfan, it's good to have another option for reservations besides one of the resturants.

 

Still haven't gotten an answer as to whether the resturants are open the first night when we embark or if it's just the buffet.

 

If any knows, I'd appreciate the info - trying to have all the places and times written down when I get there as to make it much easier.

 

Thanks agan, these boards are an amazing wealth of knowledge!!

[Kay240]

Thanks Giantfan, it's good to have another option for reservations besides one of the resturants.

 

Still haven't gotten an answer as to whether the resturants are open the first night when we embark or if it's just the buffet.

 

If any knows, I'd appreciate the info - trying to have all the places and times written down when I get there as to make it much easier.

 

Thanks agan, these boards are an amazing wealth of knowledge!!

 

I've yet to go (POH Oct. 30), but I read "on the Boards" that they were not only open, but sometimes were 1/2 price :). I contacted my TA about "coupon books" and received mine a couple of days ago. There is a "buy one/get one"..."Valid on embarkation night only."

[The Canuks]

They do charge you $5.00 for any reservation that was not kept, so cancel any reservation that you will not make.

 

How long in advance is a cancellation for a reservation required in order not to incur charges? Also is it $5 for the reservation, or each person?

 

Additionally, I assume that you need to reserve the date as well as the time you wish to eat at? If so, how is this 'freestyle' dining, if you are held to a schedule (especially since the OP is saying that you should make reservations for each night)?

[Giantfan13]

That is a good question about cancelling and how much time. I am not really sure. The reservations are like gold, so most keep them. There was something that I read in the ship's notices that said about the $5.00 non cancellation charge. I do believe that was done to keep people from making multiple reservations at multiple places and deciding at the last minute when to go and where to go. If I had to venture a guess, I would say up till a few hours before would be sufficient, but don't quote me on that one.

 

As was said in several posts, this NCL version of 'free style' dining is completely different that on most NCL ships. You DO have the choice as to when you would like to eat and where you would like to eat, but that goes up until you make the reservations. You can always cancel and eat in the buffet or the Pacific Dining room, where reservatiosn are not required but recommended. If I recall, there is NO CHARGE if you fail to keep the reservation in the Pacific.

If you do wish to try a specialty restaurant and they are closed out, keep calling on the day you wish to go, they always get some cancellations.

[Naashtezhi]

Still haven't gotten an answer as to whether the resturants are open the first night when we embark or if it's just the buffet.

 

On the Aug 21st sailing, the Daily lists all restraunts hours as 5:30pm-Close. (with Teppanyaki showing two seatings, 6:00pm and 8:00pm).

 

After boarding and before the room was ready, the only thing open was the Buffet at the Aloha Nui Café, Deck 12, Mid. I do know Tankards Beer & Whickey Bar, Deck 6 Mid. was open for business too.

[Giantfan13]

The Grand pacific was open at 12:30. I know becasue we went there as soon as we boarded, about 12:00 and they told us to come back at 12:30. Which we did, and enjoyed our first meal of the cruise. The pacific was also open for dinner that night, from 6:00 (I think) till 9:30. You do not need any sort of reservation that first day. They are pretty strict with the dress code though. On several nights I saw people in shorts turned away. I am not sure of any of the specialty restaurants, but the Main dining room is definately open for lunch and dinner.

[cruiseandbeads]

They charge you $5 per person if you cancel your reservation with less than 24 hours advance.

 

I would suggest to book your dinner reservations as soon as you on the ship, and go to one of the restaurants rather than the reservation desk (deck 7), as the line in the restaurants are much shorter.

 

We had dinner at Cagney's before 6:30 pm and it was half price per person.

[cruiseandbeads]

How long in advance is a cancellation for a reservation required in order not to incur charges? Also is it $5 for the reservation, or each person?

 

Additionally, I assume that you need to reserve the date as well as the time you wish to eat at? If so, how is this 'freestyle' dining, if you are held to a schedule (especially since the OP is saying that you should make reservations for each night)?

 

 

They charge you $5 per person if you cancel with less than 24 hours notice.

 

I would suggest to book as soon as you get the ship, and go to one of the restaurants rather than the reservation desk (we noticed the lines were much shorter in the restaurants).

 

We ate at Cagney's before 6:30pm, and it was half price per person.

[mbmam2]

All of the restaurants are open the first night and you do not need reservations that night only. However, you may have to wait at the more popular ones. We found the shortest line and most helpful people at the Blue Lagoon for making reservations. They had 3 people with tablet PC's taking the reservations and no one was calling in to interrupt the people. Make sure you get your reservations early, especially before they call the mandatory drill.

 

As everyone else above has said, you can cancel a reservation with 24 hours notice with no penalty. We did that for one night and had no problem. Since it was for Teppanyaki, they were actually grateful to be able to give it to someone else.