freestyle dinning question

[above sea level cruiser]

I've asked this question before and got the answers I thought I was looking for however, others have posted and the answers always seem different. For example: it will just be my wife and I on an 11 day out of NY in January. Can we just go line up at any restaurant and get a table for two or ask to be seated with 4-6-8 other people? Do you have to "organize" your tablemates before you are seated or do they just sit you with other people?

One poster on these boards was a cruise worker and said that you should establish all of your dinning times at each restaurant the first day - that doesn't seem like freestyle to me. Who is right?

[lindajeff]

I've asked this question before and got the answers I thought I was looking for however, others have posted and the answers always seem different. For example: it will just be my wife and I on an 11 day out of NY in January. Can we just go line up at any restaurant and get a table for two or ask to be seated with 4-6-8 other people? Do you have to "organize" your tablemates before you are seated or do they just sit you with other people?

 

One poster on these boards was a cruise worker and said that you should establish all of your dinning times at each restaurant the first day - that doesn't seem like freestyle to me. Who is right?

 

yes, either, both

[johnql]

All of the above.

 

You can just show up at one of the main dining rooms and ask to be seated at a table for two, or be seated at a larger table with people you haven't met yet, or be seated at a larger table with people that you've arranged to meet at the dining room.

 

The cruise worker post that you're referring to (I assume) was giving his advice concerning one of the Pride ships in Hawaii. One consensus opinion about these three NCLA ships (Pride of Aloha, Pride of America, and Pride of Hawaii) is that the restaurants tend to be understaffed, resulting in long wait times to be seated. Generally speaking, this is not the case with NCL's foreign-staffed ships (exception is during peak dining times with large parties).

 

Freestyle is all about choice - choosing when you want to eat, with whom, and where. Sometimes, that requires making a reservation in the case of the alternative restaurants, but the reservation will reflect your choice of date and time, size of table, and dining venue. Freestyle is NOT about being able to dine wherever you want at a moment's notice regardless of all other circumstances (i.e., practical limitations like size of dining venue).

[DaisyL]

On the Dawn in May, we did not want to micromanage our vacation so we only made reservations in a specialty restaurant (LeBistro) for the first night.

 

The rest of the week we went to the main dining rooms at different times each night. Once we had to wait 10 min. for Impressions and on the formal/lobster night Impressions had a 45min. wait so we decided to go to the Venetian instead with no wait at all.

 

I think most people on the NCL ships either dine with their own group or make plans with new friends. I don't think many choose to be seated with others when they show up at the dining room but it can be done.

 

And I agree with the NCLA ships in Hawaii are a totally different experience because they are understaffed in the dining rooms. Don't worry about the established ships with international crew like the Dawn.

[above sea level cruiser]

yes, either, both

 

So sorry Jeff, Did I wake you?

 

Thanks for the replies all.:)

[Cuizer2]

I've asked this question before and got the answers I thought I was looking for however, others have posted and the answers always seem different. For example: it will just be my wife and I on an 11 day out of NY in January. Can we just go line up at any restaurant and get a table for two or ask to be seated with 4-6-8 other people? Do you have to "organize" your tablemates before you are seated or do they just sit you with other people?

 

One poster on these boards was a cruise worker and said that you should establish all of your dinning times at each restaurant the first day - that doesn't seem like freestyle to me. Who is right?

 

If you ask such a general question, you could get many answers and they would all be right some of the time and wrong some of the time. For example, you can make your reservations for the entire cruise on the first night. But you don't have to. Some of the restaurants require reservations, some don't. Some (the main free ones) will not take reservations.

 

I made my reservations each morning. However, I did not get my first choice for one of the restaurants because it was full for the time I wanted. I arrived early at one restaurant and there was a long line for people without reservations that were waiting. They took me right a way.

 

Nonetheless, you are correct about one thing. There is not much difference between making reservations for the entire cruise on the first night and having a set dining time every night.

[johnql]

There is not much difference between making reservations for the entire cruise on the first night and having a set dining time every night.

I beg to differ. The difference is that you don't have to dine at the same time each night, as dictated by a ship with traditional dining (either early or late seating). You could make a reservation for different times each night, which I have often done, depending on my own preferences and schedule - e.g., late excursions, activities that you don't want to miss, even dining early in one dining room and having dessert later after the show.

[Cuizer2]

I beg to differ. The difference is that you don't have to dine at the same time each night, as dictated by a ship with traditional dining (either early or late seating). You could make a reservation for different times each night, which I have often done, depending on my own preferences and schedule - e.g., late excursions, activities that you don't want to miss, even dining early in one dining room and having dessert later after the show.

 

You don't have to eat at the same time every night with traditional dining either. Most ships offer an extra cost alternative (as does NCL) and most also have a buffet.

 

The issue here is, if you make all your reservations on the first day, then you have set dining times for the entire cruise. Even if the times are different, I still view this as more like "traditional" and less like Freestyle (which is supposed to be "eat when you feel like it."). A set time is a set time, even if that time is not the same time every night.

[johnql]

A set time is a set time, even if that time is not the same time every night.

I agree with that, but I prefer to set that time myself and not rely on the ship to dictate the time. And yes, I realize that other lines have alternative dining; my point was made with the main dining rooms in mind.

[Zeno]

I've asked this question before and got the answers I thought I was looking for however, others have posted and the answers always seem different. For example: it will just be my wife and I on an 11 day out of NY in January. Can we just go line up at any restaurant and get a table for two or ask to be seated with 4-6-8 other people? Do you have to "organize" your tablemates before you are seated or do they just sit you with other people?

One poster on these boards was a cruise worker and said that you should establish all of your dinning times at each restaurant the first day - that doesn't seem like freestyle to me. Who is right?

 

Main restaurants: NO reservations required or taken (for small parties). As others have pointed out the NCL worker was on a "Pride of" ship - an entirely different situation.

You may dine by yourselves OR choose to dine with others. It really is entirely up to you.

You turn up when you want to eat during the hours the dining rooms are open (approx 5:30-10:00 - CHECK the Freestyle Daily for exact times)(Of course you have to use a little common sense - on "lobster night" don't turn up at prime time (7PM-7:30PM) and expected to be seated immediately)

We have taken 3 NCL cruises and have eaten in the DINING ROOMS pretty much whenever we felt like it (our longest wait to be seated was less than 10 minites).

 

Specialty restaurants: IF you must have a specific date and time make reservations well in advance. In general the specialty restaurants are busiest near the end of the cruise. We were lucky once (early in a cruise) when we just turned up at one on a whim and were told we could be seated in 1/2 hour - so we went and had a drink and returned.

 

Believe me it is not rocket science - DO NOT stress over this: - Dining rooms - NO reservations; specialty restaurants - reservations.

[silkhair1]

I've asked this question before and got the answers I thought I was looking for however, others have posted and the answers always seem different. For example: it will just be my wife and I on an 11 day out of NY in January. Can we just go line up at any restaurant and get a table for two or ask to be seated with 4-6-8 other people? Do you have to "organize" your tablemates before you are seated or do they just sit you with other people?

 

One poster on these boards was a cruise worker and said that you should establish all of your dinning times at each restaurant the first day - that doesn't seem like freestyle to me. Who is right?

 

When in January are you going?

[above sea level cruiser]

When in January are you going?

 

We leave Jan 28th - 11 day.

[mbisson]

There is not much difference between making reservations for the entire cruise on the first night and having a set dining time every night.

 

To me,there's a big difference. On one hand, I can choose when I eat, on the other I eat when I'm instructed to eat.

 

BUT-I've only made reservations for alternative rooms, not main dining rooms. And I've never waited more than a couple minutes to be seated.

 

-Monte

[lindajeff]

So sorry Jeff, Did I wake you?

 

Thanks for the replies all.:)

 

No reason to pontificate when three words answered all of your questions.

[newmexicoNita]

You don't have to eat at the same time every night with traditional dining either. Most ships offer an extra cost alternative (as does NCL) and most also have a buffet.

 

The issue here is, if you make all your reservations on the first day, then you have set dining times for the entire cruise. Even if the times are different, I still view this as more like "traditional" and less like Freestyle (which is supposed to be "eat when you feel like it."). A set time is a set time, even if that time is not the same time every night.

With the exception of the specialty dining rooms which most other lines only offer 1, yes, you do have to sit at the same table and the same time nightly. that is why some people prefer traditonal dining. There is no reason for anyone unless it is a large group to set dining times the first night on any NCL ship. I think the misconception refers to the specialty dining rooms. It is better to book those the first night. Even then, you have a huge chocie of times. We reserve the alternative dinging rooms the first day on ship and choose what time we prefer to eat. The remainder of the nights we may eat as early as 6pm or as late as 9pm and sometimes with another couple, other times just the two of us. There is a great difference between the two types of dining. NMNita

[above sea level cruiser]

No reason to pontificate when three words answered all of your questions.

 

you are right