
Key Facets:
Norwegian Cruise Line is implementing a $10 per individual no-show payment for specialty eating reservations.
The payment is not going to apply if friends cancel or replace their reservation a minimum of two hours earlier than the booked time.
Reservations will solely be held for quarter-hour, after which they are going to be launched and the payment will apply.
With specialty eating rising increasingly more common on all cruise traces and restaurant reservations filling up earlier and earlier, one other cruise line is implementing a penalty for friends who don’t present up.
Norwegian Cruise Line is now charging a $10 per individual payment if friends don’t cancel or replace a eating reservation earlier than their meal.
“In an effort to enable extra friends the chance to dine in specialty eating places, a $10 per individual payment might be charged if a scheduled reservation isn’t canceled or up to date a minimum of two hours previous to the scheduled time,” the coverage reads.
Many of the cruise line’s specialty eating places do have wait lists. By requiring booked friends to cancel a minimum of two hours earlier than their reserved time, there’s sufficient time to contact friends on that night’s wait listing to supply them the house. Stroll-in friends, nonetheless, aren’t sometimes accommodated.
Whereas this will likely not fill in all tables all through the night, it could a minimum of assist guarantee as many friends as attainable can benefit from the distinctive and elevated eating in numerous onboard eating places.
NCL’s specialty eating contains the basic Cagney’s Steakhouse, the elegant French Le Bistro, Mexican fare at Los Lobos, and way more.
There was no official announcement of the brand new coverage from Norwegian Cruise Line. Company onboard varied ships have observed the change, nonetheless, and it’s being printed within the ships’ newsletters, the Freestyle Every day.
The payment can also be defined as a part of Norwegian Cruise Line’s Restaurant Cancellation coverage.
Eating reservations will be cancelled by way of the Norwegian Cruise Line app, by calling the cruise line (previous to embarkation), or whereas onboard, both on the eating reservations desk or the Visitor Providers desk.
As just lately as mid-July, the payment was not but in place. This alteration, nonetheless, follows an analogous transfer by Royal Caribbean, which introduced a restaurant no-show payment only a week in the past.
The reservation holding time of quarter-hour isn’t impacted by the brand new payment.
“We are able to solely maintain dinner reservations for quarter-hour,” the coverage states. “After quarter-hour, the unclaimed reservation might be launched.”
Optimistic Response to the New Price
Whereas most new dining-related charges on cruise ships are met with harsh criticism (keep in mind Movie star Cruises’ cookiegate?), this no-show payment is being welcomed by many friends.
“So many teams have reservations scattered throughout their social gathering and the night. It is a nice enchancment, hopefully chopping down on the Chair Hogs of reservations,” one visitor commented.

Being a “chair hog” is taken into account a cardinal sin amongst frequent cruisers, and it doesn’t simply apply to poolside loungers. Seats at exhibits and leisure venues and now, specialty eating places are simply as egregious to cruise etiquette.
This doesn’t imply that friends can’t change their cruise eating plans, nonetheless. As a result of many vacationers ebook their holidays months and even years upfront, they could additionally plan out specialty eating reservations far forward of their crusing date.
Learn Additionally: 14 Cruise Etiquette Guidelines You Have to Know About
Eating plans and preferences can change, nonetheless. A storm may dramatically change an itinerary, and that specialty restaurant reservation may now battle with a full-day shore tour.
Company may additionally develop completely different meals preferences or sensitivities between after they booked and after they set sail, necessitating a change in eating plans.
The brand new payment will merely present an incentive for friends to let the restaurant know they won’t be attending at their scheduled reservation time so different vacationers can benefit from the alternative.
Norwegian Cruise Line Implements No-Present Price for Specialty Eating
Source link