"Freestyle" first timer. What to expect?

[Palehose13]

Howdy!

 

I have cruised on other lines before, but never on NCL. I'm leaving 3/10 out of Tampa on the Dawn.

 

I've never felt too scheduled on other ships, so what's this "freestyle cruising" all about? What should I expect?

[sparks1093]

Howdy!

 

I have cruised on other lines before, but never on NCL. I'm leaving 3/10 out of Tampa on the Dawn.

 

I've never felt too scheduled on other ships, so what's this "freestyle cruising" all about? What should I expect?

 

Freedom:). It's mostly about dress (no formal nights) and dining (eat when you are hungry versus when they tell you to).

[Sauer-kraut]

That just about sums it up. Basically no assigned dining times and casual dress code. Have a Ball!

[Cruzface]

Expect to be blown away. We were first timers last week and had the best cruise ever. Freestyle means you go when you want, where you want and wear whatever you want -- with some exceptions. On the Epic, you needed to wear pants and shoes to Manhattan (free) and Le Bistro ($20) per person. At the 2 MDRs you show up, give them your name and they might seat you right away. If not they give you a pager and a free drink coupon. We never waited more than 30 minutes. Unlike Carnival and Royal, the drop off in food quality between specialty and MDR is almost non existent.

[perkydebrajean]

My daughter and I loved the "Freestyle", thus the reason we chose NCL. We didn't know what we would feel like doing each day so we didn't want to be tied down to having to pick a set dining time.

 

Somedays we ate a late lunch out by the pool and then attended the nightly show and grabbed a bite at the Blue Lagoon afterwards at around 11pm. Other times we caught the early show and ate late, and other nights we ate early and caught the late show. Just whatever we felt like doing that day.

[Palehose13]

Thanks! I've been on Carnival and wasn't a fan. It's highly doubtful that I will cruise with them again. My last cruise was with MSC and we loved that line, but we wanted to go out of Tampa (where we live) so we are giving NCL a try.

 

One thing I heard was there can be long lines/waits for dinner on NCL. Any truth to this? We have reservations one night and will most likely go to a dining room the other nights. We really only do the buffet for lunch if we are on the ship.

[perkydebrajean]

We never had a wait in the dining room. Got right in. When we went varied from day to day.

 

Don't know what ship you will be on but on the Gem out of NYC they have a poolside buffet place that was really good. So we sat outside at a table in the shade and enjoyed the view while eating. And a waiter came and took our drink orders while we were eating too.

[Palehose13]

We'll be on the Dawn.

[sparks1093]

Thanks! I've been on Carnival and wasn't a fan. It's highly doubtful that I will cruise with them again. My last cruise was with MSC and we loved that line, but we wanted to go out of Tampa (where we live) so we are giving NCL a try.

 

One thing I heard was there can be long lines/waits for dinner on NCL. Any truth to this? We have reservations one night and will most likely go to a dining room the other nights. We really only do the buffet for lunch if we are on the ship.

 

The trick to eating Freestyle is to be hungry when everyone else isn't;). If you show up and there is a line it usually moves quickly (such as when the MDR first opens) and as stated if the wait is going to be longer than 30 minutes they will give you a pager. The other advantage to Freestyle is you don't have to share a table with strangers if you don't want to, although you may certainly request it.

[skittl1321]

On the Epic, you needed to wear pants and shoes to Manhattan (free) and Le Bistro ($20) per person.

 

This comment has left me with a few questions.

 

First- does this mean you can eat everywhere else barefoot? Eww.

 

And second, when you say pants and shoes are required- please tell me you mean as opposed to shorts, and not that shirts are not required.

 

 

Even Carnival requires shirts and shoes in the buffet area (and of course the dining room). I had decided on NCL for my next cruise, but if people are going to be eating barefoot without shirts, I'm not sure I'll keep my appetite, and might be looking elsewhere. Hopefully I just misread!

[perkydebrajean]

This comment has left me with a few questions.

 

First- does this mean you can eat everywhere else barefoot? Eww.

 

And second, when you say pants and shoes are required- please tell me you mean as opposed to shorts, and not that shirts are not required.

 

 

Even Carnival requires shirts and shoes in the buffet area (and of course the dining room). I had decided on NCL for my next cruise, but if people are going to be eating barefoot without shirts, I'm not sure I'll keep my appetite, and might be looking elsewhere. Hopefully I just misread!

 

I think they meant no shorts allowed in the Manhattan and LeBistro. I believe shirts and shoes are required in all eating places, except maybe the poolside buffet. I'm not sure about that one.

[Waterloomarc]

I suspect he meant shoes as opposed to flip flops etc.

 

We've only done 1 NCL cruise so I'm about as far from an authority as you're going to get. (7 night to Bermuda btw) but all our previous cruises were carnival so perhaps I can compare.

 

First, we waited 5 minutes one night for dinner in the smaller dining room on the Star. That was the longest we waited however we tend to eat early. We did see pagers often around 7. We usually ate around 6:15 or so, odd given we eat late at home. I really didn't find Freestyle to be any revelation compared to anytime dining on Carnival. That said, two things that stood out to me are that the food was always the proper temperature (hot was hot and cold was cold) which was hit or miss on Carnival with ATD. Secondly the speed of service was much faster on NCL.

 

Overall we greatly preferred Norwegian to Carnival. Maybe the Freestyle concept is like good design - if you do it right nobody notices.

 

 

 

 

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[Shelli]

I think they meant no shorts allowed in the Manhattan and LeBistro. I believe shirts and shoes are required in all eating places, except maybe the poolside buffet. I'm not sure about that one.

 

Yes, no shorts allowed in one of the MDRs (in this case, Manhattan) and LeBistro... but both venues also do not allow flip-flops. Now, if a woman is wearing fancy flip-flops with a nice outfit, I'm sure nobody would have a problem with that!

[Rounder]

Howdy!

 

I have cruised on other lines before, but never on NCL. I'm leaving 3/10 out of Tampa on the Dawn.

 

I've never felt too scheduled on other ships, so what's this "freestyle cruising" all about? What should I expect?

 

Howdy,

Well i'll tell ya pilgrim, :eek:. We were just on the Dawn. Had a blast. As stated you are free to eat, whenever, wherever you wish. The Blue Lagoon is open 24 hour's. Deck 8. Breakfast, snack's, great wing's. Short's are not allowed in Venetian the larger dinning room, as well as Le Bistro.

Otherwise, you are on vacation. Have fun. ;)

Enjoy your cruise

Vic

[skittl1321]

I think they meant no shorts allowed in the Manhattan and LeBistro. I believe shirts and shoes are required in all eating places, except maybe the poolside buffet. I'm not sure about that one.

 

Oh thank goodness!

[tweakes]

I would say one thing to be "cautious" of is be aware that you will not have the same waiter at dinner. I find this the only drawback to Freestyle cruising, although you can certainly request to have the same waiter and if you go early/late it's do-able. It's great to create a relationship with the wait-staff, but - at the same time - sometimes you get boring ones so this does switch it up. But it is something that can take a little getting used to if you're so accustomed to having the same waiter because it's lacking in personalized service. However, I think in general, NCL's staff seem to really enjoy their jobs and I've always received great service.

 

But nothing beats being able to take a little nap after getting back from a long shore excursion and showing up to dinner when YOU want to.

[TryingCruising]

Howdy!

 

I have cruised on other lines before, but never on NCL. I'm leaving 3/10 out of Tampa on the Dawn.

 

I've never felt too scheduled on other ships, so what's this "freestyle cruising" all about? What should I expect?

 

We'll be cruising with you! This is our 2nd NCL cruise and we're so excited. I love eating when I am hungry and where I'd like. On our Europe cruise, we only waited for dinner on the first sea day. Even then, we went to get a drink and the buzzer went off. The rest of the week we were seated right away around 7:30.

[Cruzface]

I think they meant no shorts allowed in the Manhattan and LeBistro. I believe shirts and shoes are required in all eating places, except maybe the poolside buffet. I'm not sure about that one.

 

Yes, that's what I meant. Long pants and shoes, not flip flops. As stated women may get away with nice flip flops and men may get away with sandals that cover their feet. I personally witnessed a guy get turned away because he was wearing shorts while trying to get into Manhattan. No big deal, he went back and changed. So they do enforce the rules on NCL.

[shelly11]

Freestyle is great and the reason I chose NCL. I've never waited to eat in the MDR except on New Year's Eve. The buffets are really good too!

[UandMe4Ever]

We'll be cruising with you! This is our 2nd NCL cruise and we're so excited. I love eating when I am hungry and where I'd like. On our Europe cruise, we only waited for dinner on the first sea day. Even then, we went to get a drink and the buzzer went off. The rest of the week we were seated right away around 7:30.

 

 

You can expect a very relaxed atmosphere! No rushing! Shows are usually around 7 and 9:00 p.m. Not much wait in any dining room, if at all. If one is very busy, try the smaller room. No reservations required, unless it's a specialty restaurant.

 

Go and enjoy! You will have a great time. Dress is clean and casual in the MDR and you can 'dress up a bit or not' if you choose on "Not really" formal nights. Whatever you wish!

 

Safe sails to you!:)

[johnsak123]

Expect to do what you want when you want

Eat whenever you want

Not have to get dressed up and to just have a good time.

Enjoy!!

[UandMe4Ever]

You can expect a very relaxed atmosphere! No rushing! Shows are usually around 7 and 9:00 p.m. Not much wait in any dining room, if at all. If one is very busy, try the smaller room. No reservations required, unless it's a specialty restaurant.

 

Go and enjoy! You will have a great time. Dress is clean and casual in the MDR and you can 'dress up a bit or not' if you choose on "Not really" formal nights. Whatever you wish!

 

Safe sails to you!:)

 

 

You're on the 4/21 Jewel? How nice! Did you sign up for M&G? Where are you from? We're NJ

 

Welcome...

[geocruiser]

Expect to be blown away. We were first timers last week and had the best cruise ever. Freestyle means you go when you want, where you want and wear whatever you want -- with some exceptions. On the Epic, you needed to wear pants and shoes to Manhattan (free) and Le Bistro ($20) per person. At the 2 MDRs you show up, give them your name and they might seat you right away. If not they give you a pager and a free drink coupon. We never waited more than 30 minutes. Unlike Carnival and Royal, the drop off in food quality between specialty and MDR is almost non existent.

 

Please tell me about the Free Drink coupon?

[Cruzface]

Please tell me about the Free Drink coupon?

 

If you show up at he MDR and the wait is 30 min or longer, they give you a free drink coupon for wine, beer or champagne. One night we were going to Manhattan, 40 min wait, they gave us the pager and the coupon. So we went to O'Sheehans to hang out. The bartender gave me 4, yes 4, champagnes! The boys are under age so the wife and I had 2 each. Within 20 minutes we were about to start the second one and they paged us. So we walked in to Manhattan with our champagne in hand...

[gelo7]

Expect to have a great cruise.