1st time on NCL. Tips please.

[jacketwatch]

Hello. We have cruised 11 times before on X, Princess, Carnival and Royal and decided to try NCL so we booked the Getaway for early May. We are very excited about it as this ship and NCL are getting great reviews. In fact in the latest issue of CN Traveler NCL 2nd in the large line class to Disney which is way more money. However free style is new so how about some advice. :)

 

So what about the shows. We are used to a fixed dinner and a show is scheduled afterwards so how are the shows scheduled on NCL?

 

I understand there are several restaurants we can use outside of the extra charge ones for dinner. Do we just go when we feel like to whatever one we want and are there times when you have long waits?

 

Normally when we embark we usually show up earlier than the suggested time and breeze on. Can we do this for NCL?

 

My wife is Indian and we have always requested Indian food for her for dinner and it's always been accomodated which is easy for us for a fixed dining time and place. However for free style I am concerned how this will work. My TA said not to worry as this will not be a problem. Has anyone ever had experience with this?

 

Any other bits of advice appreciated. Thank you.

 

Larry:)

[Cruiserbarbie]

We just cruised on the Jade, Oct 23-Nov 12, Adriatic and Med cruise and of course, these are just my observations: Dinners and shows: well there is the buffet so you can eat generally from 530pm on and then go to the show which are generally 730 and 930. Or there are the MDR which have seatings at various times generally starting at 530.

 

On this cruise as it was long and during school, and mainly middle age and older versus 20's and 30's, it appeared cruisers ate early. When we left the MDR after a 530pm meal at about 645pm, no lines. You can make reservations and there is a board showing reservation times and lights indicating occupancy. I made reservations through NCL before we left the US.

 

Breeze on: we usually arrive right at the designated boarding time or about a half hour before. No matter the length of the trip we only have one airline approved carryon each, so either no problem carrying it around or depositing it in room and unpacking and settling in. The Jade departed Venice at 6pm, and we got on board around 2pm to see as much as Venice as possible. A lot of times rooms are not ready until a certain time, so you could have a meal in the buffet or MDR and then head to the deck, tour the ship, etc.

 

Indian food: well there is a fixed menu for the MDRs, and I believe after we were on our cruise, the menus changed. We are definitely not adventuresome eaters, so don't believe there is definite ethnic food on the MDR menus. I don't know how you would order very specific food in the MDR. Now I did notice ethnic food in the buffet. If a big concern press TA for very specific details, how to get Indian food in MDR, ask her to contact NCL for specifics, have her get the new menus, etc.

[jacketwatch]

Thanks for the reply as it does help.

 

As for the Indian food we have normally prerequested it but it seems NCL is not set up for that. In nay case we have asked the head waiter or Maitre'd on our first night and its been a non-issue and the food has normally been very good.

 

Thanks! Larry :)

[Sauer-kraut]

Thanks for the reply as it does help.

 

As for the Indian food we have normally prerequested it but it seems NCL is not set up for that. In nay case we have asked the head waiter or Maitre'd on our first night and its been a non-issue and the food has normally been very good.

 

Thanks! Larry :)

 

There are always Indian dishes in the buffet on a daily basis. You can always talk to the Restaurant head and see if accommodation can be made. If you book now and get the specialty dining package you can talk the the maitre d' the night before and see what they can do.

 

Depending on which ship you choose there will plenty of opportunity see the shows.

[mizLORInj]

There are always Indian dishes in the buffet on a daily basis. . . .

 

And they are delicious!! I LOVE the Indian food on NCL.

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After cruising other lines before NCL, we weren't sure we'd like Freestyle dining but we do! We don't mind fixed either, but have gotten used to Freestyle. And the shows work out fine too.

 

There are some good upcharge restaurants. When you get onboard (or in the terminal sometimes) check out their menus and then decide if you want to go that route.

 

I haven't had assigned boarding times on NCL. We just show up.

 

I hope you enjoy Getaway!

[SuiteTraveler]

Thanks for the reply as it does help.

 

As for the Indian food we have normally prerequested it but it seems NCL is not set up for that. In nay case we have asked the head waiter or Maitre'd on our first night and its been a non-issue and the food has normally been very good.

 

Thanks! Larry :)

 

Larry,

NCL is a very different experience from mainstream cruise ships. It is best to completely adjust your mindset about what a cruise is like and prepare yourself for something completely different. The concept of Freestyle is much more like a land vacation where you eat in a different restaurant with different menus and types of cuisine every night. Would you walk into Outback Steakhouse or On the Border or Red Lobster or Olive Garden at the high end Le Bernadin and expect them to prepare an Indian dish for your wife? Would you go to a Indian restaurant expect them to make Shrimp Creole? No, of course not. NCL offers many different restaurants with different cuisines. It is actually much more flexible than a traditional cruise. My husband and I, after doing many traditional cruises which we thoroughly enjoyed, decided to try NCL and we honestly just love the concept. We also like traditional cruises. But NCL is very different and we cruise NCL specifically FOR this different experience.

 

NCL may or may not be able to accommodate Indian food in the MDR every night and also, you will have different waiters and tables in the MDR every night which makes things much more complicated. The typical NCL MDR menu has an Italian flair, however it looks like there is Lamb Rogen Josh on the 3rd night in the MDR. Here are the MDR menus:

 

http://www.beyondships2.com/norwegian-getaway-menus.html

 

The extra fee Shanghai's restaurant onboard has Malai Lamb Curry. Probably they could convert this to chicken or beef or even tofu curry.

 

If your wife is not a vegetarian I would think that she would also enjoy Moderno (extra fee) which is similar to Tandoor cooked meats, but with a Brazilian flair.

 

The buffet also offers Indian curries, naan, and basmati rice on a fairly consistent basis.

 

As your cruise gets closer, you book your dining and shows in advance via the NCL website. Yes, you plan where you will eat and what you will do and when. This is another huge difference between NCL and traditional cruises.

 

BTW: Most likely what the other cruise lines were doing to meet your wife's special request was transferring Indian food from either their buffet or the crew mess to the MDR.

Edited January 25, 2015 by SuiteTraveler

[jacketwatch]

Actually I called NCL today and they said accommodating Indian food at whatever restaurant you choose would be no problem. You know going to a cruise dinner in one of their MDR restaurants can't be equated to going to Outback, Red Lobster etc. and asking for Indian food. Of course we would not do that. Would you? This request has been met for all eleven of the cruises we have been on so its not like asking for something unusual and as my TA said as well as the NCL rep said its not a novelty. It is in fact a very common request. We met an Indian chef on one of our Carnival cruises who said they got so many requests for Indian food on the first night that they decided to offer one Indian entree on the main menu on day one. The newer Carnival ships have tandoors or Indian clay ovens and Royal has a dedicated email address for Indian food requests. This seems like this is new information to you Suite traveler but this sort of accomodation certainly is not.

 

As for what she had on other lines your assumption is not true as most of the time the waiter took her request for specific food after dinner for the next night so therefore it was made to order.

 

Suite Traveler thanks for the reply.

 

Mizlorinj thank you too. Your reply was helpful.

Edited January 25, 2015 by jacketwatch

[Susie51]

The entertainment is very good on NCL. Be sure to go to the Le Cirque show. I've been on 7 different cruise lines and I think NCL is the best.

[jacketwatch]

The entertainment is very good on NCL. Be sure to go to the Le Cirque show. I've been on 7 different cruise lines and I think NCL is the best.

 

I did not think the Getaway has that show. They have a great magic show theater, the Illusionarium I think. My TA raved about it. Can you book this in advance?

[mjkacmom]

We booked all of our shows ahead of time. You can always change them on board, and there have been reports here of people getting shut out. I'm sure they can get her Indian food, but I'd treat it like a food allergy situation, and make arrangements the night before, so that your meals aren't delayed.

[jacketwatch]

We booked all of our shows ahead of time. You can always change them on board, and there have been reports here of people getting shut out. I'm sure they can get her Indian food, but I'd treat it like a food allergy situation, and make arrangements the night before, so that your meals aren't delayed.

That's very good advice. :)

[jacketwatch]

BTW how is the free coffee? Does NCL have a coffee card?

[Sauer-kraut]

BTW how is the free coffee? Does NCL have a coffee card?

 

No coffee card. When self-serving coffee from the buffet, look for the WMF machines they make a better cup. Tea assortments are available up there as well.

[jacketwatch]

No coffee card. When self-serving coffee from the buffet, look for the WMF machines they make a better cup. Tea assortments are available up there as well.

Sorry what as a WMF machine? Is that the kind that have a bean dispenser on top and are ground as you order it?

[SteveH2508]

Sorry what as a WMF machine? Is that the kind that have a bean dispenser on top and are ground as you order it?

 

Yes - one of these

 

[jacketwatch]

Yes - one of these

 

Got it!! Thank you. :) They had those on the CCL Legend and it was pretty good. None on the Diamond Princess which is why I am glad I brought my Starbucks via packets.

Edited January 25, 2015 by jacketwatch

[KeithJenner]

Just be aware that the first reply you got related to the Jade, which is very different to the Getaway.

 

On the older ships (everything except the Epic, Breakaway and Getaway), the entertainment is similar to what you will be used to on other lines with an early and late show each night, with the show changing each night.

 

On the newer ships, there are a couple of shows (on the Getaway it is Burn The Floor and Legally Blonde) which are on in the theatre throughout the week and they don't change. You would expect to only see each one a maximum on once, and you can't actually book to see the same show twice.

 

Instead, there is other entertainment around the ship, such as the Illusionarium, Grammy Experience plus Howl at the Moon and a comedy show in Headliners. Some of these need reservations and some you can just turn up for.

 

As was said earlier, Freestyle is much like being in land (especially on the new ships), you eat where and when you want, and then decide on your entertainment from a large choice, rather than having the bigger show that you are probably used to.

[jacketwatch]

Just be aware that the first reply you got related to the Jade, which is very different to the Getaway.

 

On the older ships (everything except the Epic, Breakaway and Getaway), the entertainment is similar to what you will be used to on other lines with an early and late show each night, with the show changing each night.

 

On the newer ships, there are a couple of shows (on the Getaway it is Burn The Floor and Legally Blonde) which are on in the theatre throughout the week and they don't change. You would expect to only see each one a maximum on once, and you can't actually book to see the same show twice.

 

Instead, there is other entertainment around the ship, such as the Illusionarium, Grammy Experience plus Howl at the Moon and a comedy show in Headliners. Some of these need reservations and some you can just turn up for.

 

As was said earlier, Freestyle is much like being in land (especially on the new ships), you eat where and when you want, and then decide on your entertainment from a large choice, rather than having the bigger show that you are probably used to.

Thanks for the clarification. I think booking the shows ahead of time is a great idea. How soon can you book or reserve before cruising?

 

My TA raved about the Illusionarium so thats a must and I think the show "Legally Blonde and the Grammy show are also must sees.

 

Again, thanks for the tips. Larry. :)