Want to try NCL, many questions

[minniem]

We have cruised other cruise lines but are sailing with friends who want to try NCL. None of us has ever sailed with NCL before,

I'm confused about dinning. We always did traditional on the other lines. Do we need reservations for the main dinning room? We will probably book this week with the free specialty dining promotion. Do we need reservations for these venues? Do we book ahead of time or on the ship. How do we link all 3 couples so we can dine together?

Do we also need reservations for nightly entertainment? I am worried because it sounds very different from the other ships we have been on.

 

Any information you can tell me about how NCL "works" will be so appreciated.

[Linda the Book Lover]

We have cruised other cruise lines but are sailing with friends who want to try NCL. None of us has ever sailed with NCL before,

I'm confused about dinning. We always did traditional on the other lines. Do we need reservations for the main dinning room? We will probably book this week with the free specialty dining promotion. Do we need reservations for these venues? Do we book ahead of time or on the ship. How do we link all 3 couples so we can dine together?

Do we also need reservations for nightly entertainment? I am worried because it sounds very different from the other ships we have been on.

 

Any information you can tell me about how NCL "works" will be so appreciated.

 

Do we need reservations for the main dinning room? No you do not but if you wish to dine together you may consider making a reservation for a larger table together.

 

Specialty dining - you will need to make reservations. We sailed with another couple and we made the reservations for both of us. They did not have the dining option and paid at the restaurant.

 

Do we also need reservations for nightly entertainment? Some venues do not need reservations but since I do not know which ship you will be on I cannot tell you which one. On the medium ships no reservations are needed. On the larger ships some entertainment venues offer reservations. Some venues such as Howl at the Moon you will stand in line (suite guests are escorted to the venue)

[Two Wheels Only]

Do we need reservations for the main dinning room?

No.

 

We will probably book this week with the free specialty dining promotion. Do we need reservations for these venues?

No but it is a good idea to make reservations to avoid the wait. Also, once the restaurant meets capacity, you won't get in without a reservation.

 

Do we book ahead of time or on the ship.

You can do both. The online reservations are not the total reservations. If online fills up, more can be made on the ship (do it early in either case). Reservations open at 100 days prior to the cruise for suites or 90 days prior for non-suites.

 

How do we link all 3 couples so we can dine together?

Reservations are by number, not name. If you make a reservation for 6, it can be any 6 people...even new friends that you made on-board.

 

 

Do we also need reservations for nightly entertainment?

Again, reservations are a smart option in case the show is full.

[khaide612]

We have cruised other cruise lines but are sailing with friends who want to try NCL. None of us has ever sailed with NCL before,

I'm confused about dinning. We always did traditional on the other lines. Do we need reservations for the main dinning room? We will probably book this week with the free specialty dining promotion. Do we need reservations for these venues? Do we book ahead of time or on the ship. How do we link all 3 couples so we can dine together?

Do we also need reservations for nightly entertainment? I am worried because it sounds very different from the other ships we have been on.

 

Any information you can tell me about how NCL "works" will be so appreciated.

 

For main dining rooms, go to eat when you are hungry and tell them how many in your party. For specialties, you probably need a reservation as someone explained the process.

 

Entertainment depends on the ship. The Theater shows on the newer ships (Epic, Breakaway, Getaway, Escape, etc.) require reservations which you can also make like dinner reservations. The other ships have traditional theater shows that show twice per night and you can just walk in.

[snownow]

You can make reservations ( and i would recommend you do) for dining every night. Specialty dining or normal dining rooms. There is no "main dining room". You can always change them when you get on board. It really will save you time from having to wait for a table. Specialty dining 100% make plans ahead. I do like this freestyle dining better than the traditional main dining room, same time every day that other ships offer. It is nice to have some flexibility on board.

 

As far as shows, some you can book ahead, some just book on your 1st day.

 

We try to book as much as possible 90 days out, then make changes as we need to when we get on board.

 

We have cruised other cruise lines but are sailing with friends who want to try NCL. None of us has ever sailed with NCL before,

I'm confused about dinning. We always did traditional on the other lines. Do we need reservations for the main dinning room? We will probably book this week with the free specialty dining promotion. Do we need reservations for these venues? Do we book ahead of time or on the ship. How do we link all 3 couples so we can dine together?

Do we also need reservations for nightly entertainment? I am worried because it sounds very different from the other ships we have been on.

 

Any information you can tell me about how NCL "works" will be so appreciated.

[beerman2]

MDR just show up. They will get all of you seated together. Just all need to be there. If you have to wait a bit there is a bar between a Taste and Savor.

 

Specialty dining make them at 90 days out. 1 person can make a reservation for all 6 of you. If you can't get the times you want check again when you board.

 

Only about 30% of dining times are booked pre-cruise.

[SheehanDJ]

Our first NCL cruise we made reservations for everything we could. The first night was a specialty restaurant so it was probably needed, the rest of the cruise we missed every dinner reservation we made for the MDR's due to shows or other entertainment we wanted to see then just walked up waited 5 - 10 minutes then were eating.

 

The only exception to this was in the Manhattan dining room the evening/times Burn the Floor were doing a dinner show. The wait was insane, so we went to Taste/Savor again and walked in.

 

We ate dinner between 6-6:30 on May cruise and experienced these wait times. Your mileage may vary at different times

[trish1c]

It depends on the ship, the restaurant & the size of your party.

 

On every NCL ship if you want to eat in Teppenayki the hibachi place you need a reservation.

 

You need reservations for most of the other specialty venues.

 

The MDR depends on the size of your party. The bigger the party, the better off you are giving them a heads up even if they say they don't take reservations. Recently on the POA I tried to make a reservation on board for the MDR. They told me they don't take reservations once the dining room opened. I smiled & said fine but we're a big party; thought you might like a heads up. He took my "non-reservation." By the 2nd day they had our cabin #s linked.

 

On the big mega ships -- Escape, Breakaway, Getaway & Epic you can make reservations for specialty dining & shows in advance. (Check the exact times, I want to say 90 days out). I recommend it because you will be closed out of stuff. We were. Failing that, the very second you board, RUN to one of the touch screens in the public areas & start making your reservations. If you even wait to do this through the TV in your cabin you may be closed out. I really HATE this about these ships & won't sail them anymore.

 

You can allegedly go to the venue & stand in line. If people with reservations don't show up, they will start seating others in their places after I think 10-15 minutes.

[NCLfamily]

Don't stress over complimentary dining reservations. Turn up, worst case scenario you need to have a drink whilst waiting 20 minutes. You're on holiday, enjoy yourself.

 

 

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[wdsted]

It depends on the ship, the restaurant & the size of your party.

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the big mega ships -- Escape, Breakaway, Getaway & Epic you can make reservations for specialty dining & shows in advance. (Check the exact times, I want to say 90 days out). I recommend it because you will be closed out of stuff. We were. Failing that, the very second you board, RUN to one of the touch screens in the public areas & start making your reservations. If you even wait to do this through the TV in your cabin you may be closed out. I really HATE this about these ships & won't sail them anymore.

 

.

 

 

Surely, you are suggesting this because you prefer to dine by 7:00. We've been on every big ship, some several times, and have never needed to run to a touch screen, nor have we ever been prevented from dining where we wanted. Worst case is dinner at 9:00.

 

 

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[Cruisermom2nick]

We have cruised other cruise lines but are sailing with friends who want to try NCL. None of us has ever sailed with NCL before,

I'm confused about dinning. We always did traditional on the other lines. Do we need reservations for the main dinning room? We will probably book this week with the free specialty dining promotion. Do we need reservations for these venues? Do we book ahead of time or on the ship. How do we link all 3 couples so we can dine together?

Do we also need reservations for nightly entertainment? I am worried because it sounds very different from the other ships we have been on.

 

Any information you can tell me about how NCL "works" will be so appreciated.

 

I reviewed Freestyle Dining here and explained it all! :)

http://thecheerfulcruiser.blogspot.com/2016/06/what-is-freestyle-dining-on-norwegian.html

[cruiseelady]

As for the shows, you are not actually required to make reservation. I have been on Breakaway and have gone in to see a shows numerous times and on different sailings, always went in without reservation. And no I didn't sneak in, I came up to the person and said I had no reservation, they always say no problem and let me in.

 

Maybe other big ships are different(Epic, Escape and such) I don't know but with Breakaway that was my experience every time I had sailed on it.

[perditax]

Surely, you are suggesting this because you prefer to dine by 7:00. We've been on every big ship, some several times, and have never needed to run to a touch screen, nor have we ever been prevented from dining where we wanted. Worst case is dinner at 9:00.

 

 

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I've also never booked a cruise as far as 90 days out, have no trouble getting reservations a few weeks ahead of a cruise, or changing them on board.

 

I really doubt running to a touch screen would work, because on my last three away ship cruises, the onboard systems had no idea who I was for a few hours after boarding. (iConcierge etc.) I think it takes them a bit to get the data finalized/downloaded before things will recognize your last name/stateroom # combo.

[trish1c]

Surely, you are suggesting this because you prefer to dine by 7:00. We've been on every big ship, some several times, and have never needed to run to a touch screen, nor have we ever been prevented from dining where we wanted. Worst case is dinner at 9:00.

 

 

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No I'm suggesting it for the entertainment. we were closed out of almost everything.

 

We never had much of a problem with dining but I tried to make dinner reservations for LeBistro after Muster & couldn't get anything on any day at any time on the Epic. On the Getaway, I got 8:30 on the last day which was fine but I could see where somebody would feel disappointed.