Norwegian Intros MDR Reservations

[Orleanscruiser]

from the cruise critic news

 

Freestyle Reservations?

Is freestyle dining going out the door at Norwegian Cruise Line? The cruise line famous for its dine-when-you-want policy in its main dining rooms is now offering reservations on all ships. Reservations, which are still completely optional, can be made up to 90 days prior to sailing or once onboard ship. Details about the specifics of the reservations are not yet available but Cruise Critic forum member punkincc wrote that on an upcoming Pride of America sailing reservations are being offered for 5:30, 6:30 and 8:30

[luvtheships]

We usually eat around 6 pm so we can make the shows but I like this idea.

 

I think this is a good thing

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cruise4kicks]

I think you've just about always been able to make reservations for a set dinner time... once onboard. What's different (?maybe? still not sure about this) is being able to book them online.

[$hip$hape]

We usually eat around 6 pm so we can make the shows but I like this idea.

 

I think this is a good thing

 

On-line, booked a 7PM show(on the Breakaway), then tried to make 5:30 dinner reservations, but to no avail.

Pop-up said there was a conflict.

Edited July 12, 2014 by $hip$hape

[Cruzinnana47]

I don't get this new development with NCL. They seemed to have led the way with the "Freestyle" Concept a number of years ago, with several other lines following suit. Many embraced this as a fresh innovation--eat when you want, with whom you want and also choose to "dress up or not". Reservations didn't seem to be necessary for anything when they came up with this new idea then.

 

Now NCL seems to reverting to the old days. I'm not complaining, I actually enjoyed set times for dinner and dressing for formal nights (in direct opposition to my DH...LOL), but why the switch? Seems that once the Breakaway and Getaway went into service, the rules changed? :confused:

[jvsnana]

I wonder if they will have a separate line for those with reservations...

It seems as though the lines are super long right before the main dining rooms open...I would think if you have to wait in the long lines anyway, it might be a moot point:)

[DevCruise]

Now NCL seems to reverting to the old days. I'm not complaining' date=' I actually enjoyed set times for dinner and dressing for formal nights (in direct opposition to my DH...LOL), but why the switch? Seems that once the Breakaway and Getaway went into service, the rules changed? :confused:[/quote']

 

My old PCC's voicemail greeting used to say "Thank you for choosing Norwegian Cruise Lines, where you're free to....whatever". In this case, I'm free to just walk in whenever I'm hungry. Someone else is free to make a reservation.

 

That said, I've never had to wait when approaching the dining room. *shrugs*

Edited July 12, 2014 by DevCruise

[garycarla]

I think they have been doing the 45 days for awhile and 90 more recently. We just did a cruise and never reserved more than 24 hours in advance, usually the same morning. Actually afternoon or just walk up since we wanted to be "freestyle".

 

I think they are offering more reservation options because some people apparently know not only when they want to eat, but know what they want to eat 3 months in advance. LOL!

[anandaindonesia]

Good move, NCL!

While you can still do free style, on some 'special' day you may want to 'reserve' your dinner. Just like you do on land.

 

You don't have to use it, but it is nice to know that it is there as an option.

[jonbgd]

I like it. We can look at the itinerary and basically know what time I will be hungry :D

There should be 2 lines, as how they do it on RCCL, one side for anytime and one that prebooks

Edited July 12, 2014 by jonbgd

[mpk218]

It has always been an option .. Been doing it for years.. ;)

[Molokai-Chuck]

I think I am going to like it also....on the POAm, only the Liberty dining ( free ) venue is available to advance reserve on line. Out of the 7 day cruise I only booked one evening there on-line.

 

Chuck

[punkincc]

There is already another fairly large thread discussing this same topic on the board somewhere. Probably page 2 or 3.

 

The MDR has never been available for booking pre cruise like you could the specialties until now, and it was never part of the reservation system on the ship. Some with larger groups could make arrangements once on board with the dining room staff, but in general it was walk up only, unless you went to guest services and signed up for same table, same time.

 

And it is not a reservation for a "set dinner time" ( daily ). Reservations are for single day, so you would need to make 7 different reservations if you wanted them for the entire week, or arrange it on the ship. To the person who said they got a "conflict" message and also had a booked show, I think the system assumes you'll need a fixed amount of time in the MDR for dinner, maybe 2 hours. You'll get a conflict message if there is not that much time between. If you know you'll need less, just forget the MDR res and walk up.

 

I really doubt most people will make much use of the option to make a reservation in the MDR. Freestyle works pretty well, and it is a huge pain in the a** to have to figure out when, where and does it work with the show you have booked, for 7 full days, weeks or months in advance, not knowing how you'll be feeling that day. That Martini Tasting can really wreck the 5:30 dinner res that sounded like such a good idea 40 days ago. We made it through a Getaway cruise with only one dinner reservation, for Cagneys, just fine. Just relax folks. Every second does not have to be planned. And not all time slots ore offered, and not all dining rooms. It seems to vary by ship.

 

IMO, it is just another option NCL is offering. I don't think Freestyle is going anywhere.

[Love my butler]

If you have concierge service, you could get an MDR table just about any time with no waiting. A window table was usually offered to us.

[marco]

I wish this was the case. We pretty much always tried to go to dinner 7-ish but always got a beeper and waited 20 to 45 minutes to be beeped and seated. If we could have a standing reservation for the entire cruise for the same table, same time, every evening we'd sail NCL again. Until then...we won't.

[VickiD59]

I like having a set dining time - maybe it's because that's all we've come to know for the few cruises we've been on. That being said, we always cruise with a large family group, and although we don't all dine together at once, at least 8-10 of us do. We like knowing there are no lines, and that our table ready when we walk in, and we've always had really terrific, personable waitstaff that get to know us through-out the week.

Maybe we'll love freestyle, but on the off chance we don't, we've pre-booked the MDR, or a specialty restaurant for most nights of our cruise; we'll play port days by ear.

Edited July 12, 2014 by VickiD59

[TougherThanTheRest]

For a June Breakaway trip, had the option to pre-book the MDR. It was only an hour or two each day and, always, walk up seating was availible. I didn't not pre-book and had no trouble getting in during the "reservation" times.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[punkincc]

I wish this was the case. We pretty much always tried to go to dinner 7-ish but always got a beeper and waited 20 to 45 minutes to be beeped and seated. If we could have a standing reservation for the entire cruise for the same table, same time, every evening we'd sail NCL again. Until then...we won't.

 

Maybe alter your routine and go at 6:30 or 7:30? Or walk a few steps to the other 2 smaller MDRs and go right in? Too radical for you? So now you can book a reservation for an MDR for every night if you wish, at probably very close to your desired time. I know 6:30 was available for my cruise. It will be 7:00 before you are anywhere near eating anyway probably;).

 

You will probably get a different table, server each night, with the regular reservation system. But if you find one you like, you can request to be seated in their section, if they aren't working elsewhere that night. If a different table each night is a huge problem, ( I like a change of scenery myself ) on our last couple cruises there was a sign posted in guest services re booking the same table/server/time nightly. You might have to alter your dining time a little to do this, but it is doable.

 

Problems solved! So, I guess you'll be booking NCL now? :).

Edited July 12, 2014 by punkincc

[Hikini]

 

I think they are offering more reservation options because some people apparently know not only when they want to eat, but know what they want to eat 3 months in advance. LOL!

 

:D

 

We prefer freestyle and don't want to make reservations if we don't have to. It will be interesting to see if this 'new' idea makes an impact at all.

[snow bunny]

I would have loved this option on our NYE cruise as we were a family group of 8. Would have made it much easier as we were told once on the ship that as a group we could not pre-book the dining unless we went really early every day.

 

snow bunny

[genealogyfan]

When I called the cruise consultant seemed surprised we could make reservations in the main dining rooms. Think we are only doing it for the first night (she actually said all the times except 8:30pm were already booked)

 

Anyway I wonder how many they allow for reservations - I would think they would want majority to be able to come at any time