freestyle dining question

[Donna1127]

We're booked on the Spirit in Feb, and I was wondering..do you have to make reservatiions for all the resturants, or just the specialty ones? If you go to Windows, do you just show up and hope you dont have to wait?

 

We cruised Carnival last year, and had fixed seating times, so all this freestyle cruising is new to us.

 

Thanks in advance!

[johnql]

Here's how the dining breaks down on the Spirit.

 

Included, no reservations required

Windows Restaurant (Main Dining Room)

The Garden Room (Main Dining Room)

Blue Lagoon (24/7 diner)

Raffles buffet

Henry's Pub (Fish & Chips)

Bier Garten (Bavarian snacks)

Late night snacks in the casino

On-deck BBQs

Chocoholic buffet

 

Included, reservations required

La Trattoria (Italian)

 

Surcharge, reservations required

Le Bistro (French/Continental)

Cagney's Steakhouse

Shogun Restaurant (Asian) - divided into 3 sections: Shogun, sushi bar & Teppanyaki

 

Miscellaneous

Le Cafe - delicious desserts, complimentary with the purchase of a specialty coffee ($6 or so)

 

I've rarely had to wait to be seated with Freestyle dining. I know it does happen, but usually only with large parties and during peak dining times. In 6 Freestyle cruises, I've only had to wait twice and both times it was only 5-10 minutes. I think the Spirit is a beautiful ship. Have a great cruise! Wish I were going again soon.

[lvsatman]

Once you do freestyle dining, you will never want to sail on another cruiseline. We did the Star in August, and had some concerns about long lines and waits, never happened. The longest wait we ever had was about 15 minutes to get into Aqua for dinner. Otherwise it was walk right in or a very short wait.

[Donna1127]

Thanks so much..that clears up some confusion..

 

One more question...where do you go to make reservations for the specialty resturants once you're on the ship?

[DrWally]

I found that if you want a window table your best bet is if you are a party of 2. They can fit more small tables in and usually eat and leave faster than the larger groups.

 

Be prepared to wait at peak times or just put in your request, take a walk and come back later and your table will usually be ready.

 

Enjoy the cruise.

 

FYI - In rougher waters sometimes its better NOT to eat looking out :-)

[johnql]

Thanks so much..that clears up some confusion..

 

One more question...where do you go to make reservations for the specialty resturants once you're on the ship?

There's usually a reservations table set up in the main atrium. You can also go to each specific restaurant in person or you can call them from your cabin phone.

[Luckyroot]

We just got off the Dawn (10/29) and absolutely loved it! We took advantage of the new rewards program and deposited for a future cruise.

 

My question is this........We traveled last week with a group of 8 others, so there was always someone to have dinner with. What does everyone do if they're traveling alone? Not that I don't love spending some quality time with DH but it's nice to dine with friends.

 

Other than meeting people here and at the meet and greet, how do you find others to dine with?

[Cosmopolitan]

We just got off the Dawn (10/29) and absolutely loved it! We took advantage of the new rewards program and deposited for a future cruise.

 

My question is this........We traveled last week with a group of 8 others, so there was always someone to have dinner with. What does everyone do if they're traveling alone? Not that I don't love spending some quality time with DH but it's nice to dine with friends.

 

Other than meeting people here and at the meet and greet, how do you find others to dine with?

 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise:)

 

When you arrive at a main dining room, you can tell them that you would like to start a share table or ask if a table has already been started and, if it has, that you would like to join that table.

 

Many times if it is only two of you, they will ask you if you would like to start/join a table. Especially if there is a wait for a 2 person table.

 

You also meet many people on the Tenders;)

[jimswims]

We just got off the Dawn (10/29) and absolutely loved it! We took advantage of the new rewards program and deposited for a future cruise.

 

My question is this........We traveled last week with a group of 8 others, so there was always someone to have dinner with. What does everyone do if they're traveling alone? Not that I don't love spending some quality time with DH but it's nice to dine with friends.

 

Other than meeting people here and at the meet and greet, how do you find others to dine with?

 

My wife and I met a wonderful couple on our Roll Call. We made reservations to dine together a few times. Since we had our 2 children with us and they had their daughter, both families had many lunches and dinners together as well. It worked out very well to have family dinners and adult dinners too!!!

 

We had so much fun together that we all have booked the Dawn for August 2007 :) !

 

So I guess how it worked for us with the Roll Call. At the main dining rooms, we did notice that there were people who told the Maitre'D (Sp??) that they would be willing to share a table. I do not know how it worked though.

[USC fan]

We just got off the Dawn (10/29) and absolutely loved it! We took advantage of the new rewards program and deposited for a future cruise.

 

My question is this........We traveled last week with a group of 8 others, so there was always someone to have dinner with. What does everyone do if they're traveling alone? Not that I don't love spending some quality time with DH but it's nice to dine with friends.

 

Other than meeting people here and at the meet and greet, how do you find others to dine with?

Hi Ruth,

We actually met a very nice couple at the margarita tasting and the four us ended up having dinnner together on a few ocassions, went to a few shows together and hung out at Atlantis.