Freestyle Dining means NO waiter show at dinner!

[Zeno]

[quote name='jefarl']
Biggest problem we found though was the decline in service in the waitstaff when (1) freestyle means you don't have to tip a particular waiter and/ or (2) the auto-tip policy
Seems that when these things happpened the level of service goes down in the dining rooms.
Anyone else feel the same way?[/QUOTE]

I have always found the level of dining room service on NCL ships was better than or the same as on other cruiselines. The best waiter we ever had was on an NCL ship - professional and efficient and courteous without cloying obsequiousness.

[newmexicoNita]

[quote name='Dunder']The Freestyle dining on NCL was ok. The variety of food types was nice. But it presents 2 BIG problems in my opinion. One was that paying an extra $25/night for dinner was irritating since food should be included. But more important...no waiter show!!

:) I like going to dinner and the waiter knows my name every night. Plus, they dance, some sing and make jokes. This is one of the highlights of a regular cruise.

:confused: In the Freestyle method the waiters hardly smile and service lacks since they have no connection to their patrons. Different people serve you at each meal. Personally, I'll take scheduled dinner with entertainment over the NCL Freestyle method. But it is nice to have the choice if I decide to go NCL again.[/QUOTE]
why in the world, with all the choices in dining did you spend $25 per person per night for dining? I don't know what ship you were on, but most of them have 4 or 5, if not more restaurants with no extra charges. As for the waiter shows, this is a personal thing. I think as many hate them as like them. The first cruise or two it was fun, after that it became almost annoying to us. It is great for the kids, but interupts a nice dinner for those of us who think dinner is one of the highlights of cruising. Certainly it isn't the only important part as some think, but to us it is a big part. NMnita