Meeting people on Freestyle?

[pampaul]

We're going on our first cruise and I've heard many great things about having the same tablemates during dinner each night and how these people become friends in the long run. (I'm sure there are exceptions, BUT.....) Is it possible to still meet people while on a Freestyle type of cruise? I mean, I'm sure most people we will see in passing, but what's the chances of actually meeting other people and becoming acquainted? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I've never been on a cruise before so I guess I just can't "picture" how things are going to go.

[Zeno]

We're going on our first cruise and I've heard many great things about having the same tablemates during dinner each night and how these people become friends in the long run. (I'm sure there are exceptions, BUT.....) Is it possible to still meet people while on a Freestyle type of cruise? I mean, I'm sure most people we will see in passing, but what's the chances of actually meeting other people and becoming acquainted? Sorry if this is a dumb question, but I've never been on a cruise before so I guess I just can't "picture" how things are going to go.

 

One suggestion: In the dining room rather than have a table to yourselves, you can ask to share with others.

Another suggestion: consider participating in a Cruisecritics get-to-gether on board.

[Planer's Edge]

 

Is it possible to still meet people while on a Freestyle type of cruise?

 

 

How do you go about meeting new people on dry land?? Just do the same thing with a drink in your hand. :eek: Because it is a cruise for crying outloud.

 

PE

[MidtheNight]

We've met a number of great people on cruises both pre- and post-Freestyle on NCL as well as on traditional meal schedule cruise lines. We just came back from the 2 week repositioning cruise of the Jewel and we met a great couple at the airport in Miami. It ended up that after the first couple of days we ran into each other again and hung out on the ship all the time. We got on together so well we're already planning on another trip with them. If you're friendly and just a little outgoing (participate in the events on the ship) you'll meet some great people.

[hotspur]

Yes, just ask to be seated at a table with others when you eat in the dining room. The nice thing about freestyle is that by sitting with different people at a number of meals you greatly raise the odds of finding someone with whom you will really hit it off, and can then choose to spend time with that couple (or those people, depending) during the remainder of the cruise. With traditional dining, you have to hope the tablemates chosen for you by the cruise line will be compatible, and, more importantly, enjoyable company.

[shoreguy]

Here is the good news - you could end up on a traditional cruise with a table full of people you never want to see again:D :eek:

 

Better news when you do meet people onboard you enjoy you can go to dinner together. You will meet people from the roll call here, in line boarding the ship, in lines, at the the events onboard, on tours, and in the clubs at night.

 

I will amaze you how often you run into the same people onboard. Those with similar interest tend to show up in the same places.

[johnql]

I've met a lot of nice people at shipboard activities - blackjack in the casino, trivia contests, the Murder Mystery Dinner, etc. It's really not that hard to meet people on a cruise ship. And, as others have pointed out, you can always ask to be seated for dinner at a larger table.

[cmdchiefthom]

Pampaul,

 

Check out the Cruise Critic roll call for your cruise and you'll meet a whole group of people who are as excited about your trip as you are. For sure, you will find table-mates that you will at least, have some common interest with, that is these boards!;)

[ialacruiser]

How about *not* meeting people? :o One of the reasons we chose NCL is that we don't want to sit at a table with a bunch of strangers and force conversations. It seems like I've read that NCL has tables for two--is this correct? Since we'll be on our honeymoon, I think we'd like the option of meeting other people, but we don't want to be forced into it.

[SueBeeCruising]

At the restaurants you just tell the maitre d' that you want a table for two. That is what my husband and I chose to do after eating with some really strange people on our first cruise, and again, a couple of weeks ago for the whole cruise,. They are happy to do that. On our first cruise we had to wait about 5-10 minutes once, but this cruise they seated us immediately every time.

 

Even though we chose to eat alone, we met some very nice people in the Seattle convention center during embarkation, and some on excursions. It was nice to meet up with them and chat during the cruise.

 

Sue

[ialacruiser]

Sounds great! Thanks for the quick reply.

[Hikini]

I do recommend joining the roll call for your cruise. On our last cruise (Spirit) I joined the roll call for the first time and began posting back and forth with another woman. She is old enough to be my Mom, but it didn't matter a bit. Even before we met, we became good friends and exchanged email addresses so we could have privacy instead of everything being said on the roll call.

 

The day we met at the CC gathering we knew each other instinctively, gave each other a big hug, enjoyed visiting on the ship and we email often, even after the cruise. I really hope to see her again, and ultimately it would be great to cruise with her again.

 

I feel like I've gained a life long friend because of these forums.:D

 

Hikini

[Brneyznfl]

Hi, I was wondering if there's anyone out there who has cruised solo on NCL? I'd be curious how this worked out for you. On my first NCL cruise recently I found that I really love the freestyle dining but I was with a group of people I knew and not sure how I'd like it going solo. Did you find people were accepting of having you at their table? Did you ever feel uncomfortable?

[madams]

We recently went on the Sun from Miami to Vancouver.

We joined in a roll call that was set up here on Cruise Critic and met some people on line before we cruised. We had a meet and greet and gift exchange which was a blast. There was a woman who was traveling alone and she had joined some of us for meals and shore excursions. After the cruise she made the comment that she was alone but never lonley.

At times we elected to sit with others in the dining rooms and met some great people. Other times we elected to sit alone.

That is one of the great things about NCL and Freestyle cruising.

 

Enjoy

[shoreguy]

How about *not* meeting people? :o One of the reasons we chose NCL is that we don't want to sit at a table with a bunch of strangers and force conversations. It seems like I've read that NCL has tables for two--is this correct? Since we'll be on our honeymoon, I think we'd like the option of meeting other people, but we don't want to be forced into it.

 

Lots of tables for two - one of the reasons i enjoy NCL. You never have to eat with anyone you don't want to. But if you meet another couple you do want to have dinner with you can.

[Nilla]

Hi, I was wondering if there's anyone out there who has cruised solo on NCL? I'd be curious how this worked out for you. On my first NCL cruise recently I found that I really love the freestyle dining but I was with a group of people I knew and not sure how I'd like it going solo. Did you find people were accepting of having you at their table? Did you ever feel uncomfortable?

 

I have never cruised Solo, but we met a lovely woman this past January that always cruises solo. She loves it. We met her in line to get on the ship. We were together for over 2 hours waiting to board, just kept bumping into her. We got along so well in the line I went on to ask for her room number, and gave hers ours as well. One the second night, formal night I called her and asked her if she was going to dinner that evening. I told her she was more then Welcome to join us if she wanted. She said that would be wonderful. We usually had dinner with her every evning and she took us out to Cagneys one night as well. We did not crowd each other but if there was an activity that any of us wanted to do we always seemed to invite the other.

 

I am sure you will run into nice people who will become friends and ensure you have a great cruise.

[pampaul]

I've tried posting a couple times on the roll call board but I've never had any responses. MAYBE I'm on this ship all by myself???? :) :) :) I'll try posting again and hopefully someone comes out of the woodwork.

[cruizinwithkids]

When you first asked this I thought to myself that it is probably easier to meet people on traditional dining, but now I realize that really isn't the case. When we were on our honeymoon in 1988:eek: we met a couple with whom we are still friendly. Obviously it was pre-freestyle but they were not our dining companions. We liked the people we met at dinner but didn't hang around with them during the day.

 

The other time we met people who I would really call friends was on the Dawn in 2003.

 

We've always struck up conversation and had "friends" on board, but these two particular couples have remained our friends.

[logcabin]

We, too, enjoy NCL for the reason of being able to eat alone. My wife and I do enjoy "our" time alone. We enjoy not eating with strangers and prefer eating where and when we want, at tables for two. We do join the Roll Calls as they are fun and a great way to meet people prior to your cruise. We have a great Roll Call Group for our 7/22 Spirit Cruise. I am currently organizing a get-together for our first full sea day. It will give us all the chance to meet face to face. I GREATLY prefer Freestyle over traditional seating.

[mbarnaby99]

Hi, I was wondering if there's anyone out there who has cruised solo on NCL? I'd be curious how this worked out for you. On my first NCL cruise recently I found that I really love the freestyle dining but I was with a group of people I knew and not sure how I'd like it going solo. Did you find people were accepting of having you at their table? Did you ever feel uncomfortable?

 

My last few cruises have been solo. Freestyle is the main reason I cruise with NCL. I have not found any problem meeting people. The great thing is you can sit with other at dinner if you would like or you can sit by yourself if you want to be alone. NCL always has several different activities that allows you to meet and interact with others.

[ute_fan]

Keep posting to your roll call. Lots of times people don't start joining in until a month or so before the cruise -- some even a couple of weeks. We had a fairly small roll call before our last cruise, but the group of 20 or so yielded some very nice traveling companions. Up until about a month before the cruise, there were only 3 of us posting. We were able to eat dinner with 3 or 4 of the other couples during the cruise -- one couple several different times, and still keep in touch with them via email. There were 3 or 4 other couples who were significantly younger than DH and myself, and we'd frequently see them together at the bars after the shows, etc.

 

On the other hand, the roll call I started for our Alaska cruise yielded very little interest. There were a couple of posters, but we never arranged to meet up with them. One thing that might have made a difference was if we had planned a "meet and greet", which we didn't. I'd recommend, if you get any other posters at all on your roll call, to at least plan to get together informally. That's a good way to break the ice, and it's amazing how often you keep seeing those people once you know who they are.

[Mekamax]

Shore excursions through the ship and when hanging out by the pool if you like that are also great times to meet people.. Also the hot tubs... Have a great time! :) Debbie