Is there a 'Cruising NCL for Dummies' thread or sticky

[Maddysdaddy]

Hi all.

 

The title of the thread pretty much says it all.

 

My family has sailing on DCL down pat, but our March 2016 NCL Escape cruise will be our first time sailing any other cruiseline.

 

By reading through threads in this forum, I am picking up little things here and there, but was hoping that there was some sort of NCL FAQ (e.g. things like eating in the main dining rooms vs. upcharge restaurants / reservations vs. no reservations / what does freestyle 'actually' mean / dress codes, etc.)

 

Thanks in advance for putting up with this noob.

[Fitmomd]

I'm a newbie cruiser (going on Gem in April) and would love a "crushing ncl for dummies" too.

 

 

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[ColinIllinois]

Hi all.

 

The title of the thread pretty much says it all.

 

My family has sailing on DCL down pat, but our March 2016 NCL Escape cruise will be our first time sailing any other cruiseline.

 

By reading through threads in this forum, I am picking up little things here and there, but was hoping that there was some sort of NCL FAQ (e.g. things like eating in the main dining rooms vs. upcharge restaurants / reservations vs. no reservations / what does freestyle 'actually' mean / dress codes, etc.)

 

Thanks in advance for putting up with this noob.

 

 

Freestyle dining, available specialty restaurants, dress codes, entertainment are all either covered in the Frequently Asked Questions section on NCL.com or other sections on the site. Simple to find.

 

Start here on this link then explore the site......

 

http://www.ncl.com/faq

[Maddysdaddy]

Freestyle dining, available specialty restaurants, dress codes, entertainment are all either covered in the Frequently Asked Questions section on NCL.com or other sections on the site. Simple to find.

 

Start here on this link then explore the site......

 

http://www.ncl.com/faq

 

 

Thanks for replying. I've been thru the NCL website, and what I'm hoping exists somewhere is something along the lines of "This may be what NCL tells you, but this is what you 'actually' need to know".

 

 

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[ColinIllinois]

Thanks for replying. I've been thru the NCL website, and what I'm hoping exists somewhere is something along the lines of "This may be what NCL tells you, but this is what you 'actually' need to know".

 

 

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Ah, gotcha. I would just keep reading this forum then. The same topics usually surface or if you now have more specific questions folks here are very knowledgeable.

 

Welcome.

[luddite]

Thanks for replying. I've been thru the NCL website, and what I'm hoping exists somewhere is something along the lines of "This may be what NCL tells you, but this is what you 'actually' need to know".

 

 

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Cruise Critic is the source for the info that you want.

[3DBeach]

My recommendation is to read as much on here (both good and bad) as you can. I'm also sailing on the Escape next year and can't wait to start reading reviews and seeing pics once she starts sailing :)

 

 

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[All-ready2cruise]

I'm not an expert NCL cruiser having done only 4 cruises and only 1 on a "MegaShip", however, there are some things that I can relate to:

main dining rooms vs. upcharge restaurants : we've done both MDR dining and Specialty dining and have enjoyed both. What are your preferences? What is the size of your family? Are you strict about when you dine or flexible?

 

/ reservations vs. no reservations and what does freestyle 'actually' mean / I've combined these because they seem to be the most difficult for new NCL cruisers to get a handle on: you can, if you wish, make dining reservations for your family 100 for suites or 90 for non suites days prior to your cruise. On the Megaships I understand that it is necessary if you are strict about the time you wish to dine, however, if you're flexible you can probably, unless you're a large party, dine within 15-20 minutes of showing up at the MDR. For the specialty restaurants, the same may be true if you want a specific time but if you're flexible, go with the flow and you may very well have no problem whatsoever.

 

 

dress codes, etc.) the dress code is as specified on the NCL website, cruise casual and if in some very specific restaurants like the "aft" MDR or Le Bistro a little better but only slightly. Shorts are fine in most restaurants but long pants, even decent jeans, are required in those specified.

 

Don't get hung up on the dress code, a polo shirt and khaki pants or jeans are just fine.

[garycarla]

My best suggestion for newbies is to read through threads from the past week. You will find answers for questions you never thought to ask.

 

Go past the first page and enjoy.

[Demonyte]

My best suggestion for newbies is to read through threads from the past week. You will find answers for questions you never thought to ask.

 

 

 

Go past the first page and enjoy.

 

 

This. Plus remember that most things discussed here about policies, restaurants, menus, drinks, etc are fleetwide - even though many people limit their questions/titles to one specific ship when asking for example about drink prices.

[dexddd]

There is a thread all about the Escape on page 1 as of today - that will give you some info about the ship.