Solos and freestyle dining

[lettienets]

I got off my first freestyle cruise on NCL Jade in early March. As a solo cruiser I felt it a little stressful going to the dining room, saying I was solo and asking to sit with other people. Only once was a group table already started. I became the one to start a new table. I noticed the desk started asking people behind me if they wanted share. In Europe it can take longer to fill a table because of the many languages. What is the norm on NCL re seating in the dining rooms, is it usually easy, quick, slow or do you feel uncomfortable waiting or end up going to the buffet in the Garden Cafe area? Looking at a 21 day cruise again in Europe next year but not sure about this dining situation.

[NLH Arizona]

I did speciality restaurants on my cruise. I guess I don't mind dining alone; I was in sales and often traveled and had two alternatives - (1) eat lunch alone or (2) don't eat lunch, so I got over the "I'm alone" feeling pretty quick. I bring my book to read (kindle or IPad mini). I've never felt uncomfortable and have always gotten tremendous service on NCL.

[dreamr]

This is where the real value of the studios comes in, in my opinion. I know there have been many discussions about the price versus the square footage of the cabin... but what really made the cruise special for me was the "community" feeling that I shared with the other solo cruisers.

 

Getting to mingle with them in the studio lounge every evening, and then all of us making our way to our chosen dining room... it took away all of that stress of going to the dining room alone and/or trying to find someone to share a table with each night.

 

If at all possible, I'd recommend trying out one of the ships that have the studio cabins.

 

I do understand, though, if you're not interested in the larger ships and/or those certain ships don't do the itinerary that you are interested in... :(

 

Question, though... does this mean that the NCL ships that don't have the studio cabins don't even have a "solo gathering" at all? I would have thought that they still could be doing that much, even without having the actual studio cabins.

[GUEST080219]

I always go to the MDR and ask to dine alone, no problem at all. Before my first cruise I was worried about getting only the worst available table or bad service but I never experienced that or did not notice ;)

To be honest, I never noticed a shared table or got asked if I want to join one instead.

[GORDONCHICK]

Be sure to join your roll call. You may meet people there you wish to dine with.

[lettienets]

I did speciality restaurants on my cruise. I guess I don't mind dining alone; I was in sales and often traveled and had two alternatives - (1) eat lunch alone or (2) don't eat lunch, so I got over the "I'm alone" feeling pretty quick. I bring my book to read (kindle or IPad mini). I've never felt uncomfortable and have always gotten tremendous service on NCL.

I am not uncomfortable about eating alone but I am a friendly person and prefer to eat with others in a cruise. I just didn't expect that there would not be so many others who do not request to eat with strangers and therefore, more pressure and waiting to eat with someone. Part of the fun of cruising is meeting new people from all over the place. I had not tried Norwegian since it became freestyle until this recent cruise on Jade. I enjoyed the ship and everything, just wasn't too keen on the dining situation. Bought 2 future cruise certificates too. On other cruise lines like Holland America and Carnival, they seat singles together at fixed seating. Haven't tried anytime dining on those ones either. I join roll calls. So far, I haven't been on an NCL ship with studios. I am mainly interested in long cruises or b2bs and probably won't go on a megasize ships for a week.

[NLH Arizona]

I am not uncomfortable about eating alone but I am a friendly person and prefer to eat with others in a cruise. I just didn't expect that there would not be so many others who do not request to eat with strangers and therefore, more pressure and waiting to eat with someone. Part of the fun of cruising is meeting new people from all over the place. I had not tried Norwegian since it became freestyle until this recent cruise on Jade. I enjoyed the ship and everything, just wasn't too keen on the dining situation. Bought 2 future cruise certificates too. On other cruise lines like Holland America and Carnival, they seat singles together at fixed seating. Haven't tried anytime dining on those ones either. I join roll calls. So far, I haven't been on an NCL ship with studios. I am mainly interested in long cruises or b2bs and probably won't go on a megasize ships for a week.

I've always done "fixed" seatings until my April cruise on NCL. I agree, having the same tablemates is a great way to meet people; I've never really had a bad table. On my last Celebrity cruise, one of the members of our roll call, got five of us (3 solos and 1 couple) together and we had a table and had a blast. You might talk to people at your "meet and greet" or on your roll call and see if there are others that would like to dine together. You might want to ask the ship when you board, what time do they normally get people that want to eat with others and plan your dinner around that time. I personally wouldn't be interested in the studios, since they do not have balconies and are on the mega size ships, I like the smaller ships.

[Laszlo]

Not sure about how others feel but on both of our Gem cruises my wife and I had a great time dining with people who were solo. Its alway nice to meet someone from another country

[lettienets]

I never thought of people grouping up on a freestyle cruise ahead of time through the roll call. I have set up table groups of singles and couples before and linked bookings for fixed dining. Sometimes on roll calls you meet simpatico people who want to group. On my Jade cruise I did meet some couples who wanted to sit with new people, solo or other couples and we had a great time. Just don't really want to eat by myself on a cruise. If I did, I would go to the Lido or Blue Lagoon or pay extra restaurant. Did that once or twice too. I just thought there would be more tables ready where people travelling alone or wanting to sit with others were more available. It just seemed that most people already had their group. New to freestyle so it will take awhile to get used to it as a solo. That is what kept me away from NCL despite their interesting itineraries.

[gizmo911]

I just completed another solo cruise and it was the best so far because I did something different. I let my roll call know that I wanted my cruise to be more engaging. I gave my name and a description of myself and ask people to introduce themselves to me at the meet and greet. I was able to make arrangements to have dinner in MDR and at specialty rest. with several guests throughout the week. It made a real differernce and I plan to do this prior to every cruise going forward.

[Single Cruiser]

I agree that the best way with NCL is the ships with studios as you tend to get more singles and can arrange a group dinner.

 

However I prefer the NCL freestyle than forced seating used on others like RCL which was a horrid experience.

 

The smaller NCL ships will tend to have less solo travellers and especially in Europe a lot of couples and families would prefer to eat as a closed group.

 

Fortunately for me dining isn't the main reason so quite happily rotate around the other venues and the buffet if not with a group.

[lettienets]

..........The smaller NCL ships will tend to have less solo travellers and especially in Europe a lot of couples and families would prefer to eat as a closed group. .......

 

Fortunately for me dining isn't the main reason so quite happily rotate around the other venues and the buffet if not with a group.

I noticed on Jade in Europe, lots of families or groups eating together, but not singles. Oh well, I will see how it goes next time. I am retired now and don't do short cruises anymore so this dining issue is more of a problem on NCL. I just thought I would branch out from HAL, Carnival and RCI. It was the freestyle dining issue that kept me from going NCL. But I will try again since I bought two future cruise certificates as I would like to go back and do more Europe as I like some of the itineraries.

[buckirj1]

I sail solo also, and I've usually been able to request and receive seating at a large table with others, when I don't want to eat alone. I can understand if people don't want to share. Sometimes I've been directed to a table with just one other solo or couple. I find that uncomfortable, and would rather eat alone in those cases.

[Moondawgie]

I do not mind eating alone or eating with others. I just would like the greeters to stop saying, "Just one?" No, not JUST one. I am dining solo. It's just a pet peeve of mine.:p

 

However, I really like the traditional seating with others at the same table/same waiters. I always met the best people that way.

[lettienets]

I find on a cruise with traditional dining I have met really nice people and by the end of the cruise they feel like family. Very rarely had a bad experience. But this freestyle thing is not so good for solos. I don't mind eating alone now and again but not on a long cruise. People are part if the fun of the cruise experience not just going places. Roll calls are helpful. I don't mind if it is one person, two or more at the table, just that there is someone to chat and share with. I think on European itineraries it is even harder for the hostesses because they have to ask people of the same language. Oh well, I will try again. My next cruise will be 21 days with 2 Jade b2b, 11 days and 10. That will take care of my 2 FCCs.

When I approached the hostess I just said right away I am alone and would like to join or start a new group table. A couple of times I noticed some others in line who heard me and they said oh you can join us if you like.

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