As You Wish Dining - Opinions, Comments and Discussions

[kryos]

I did the freestyle on ncl and hated it. I thought the quality of the food was less and all the better dishes were at the specialty restaurants that charge. The service was rushed, not relaxing.

I've never sailed NCL, but I hear that if you want good food and service on their ships, you have to go to the specialty dining rooms ... the ones with the extra tariff associated. Otherwise, odds are you're not gonna be happy.

 

I guess you have to do something to direct people to the specialty dining rooms when you have several of them onboard. After all, if the food was great in the standard dining venues, why on earth would people pay extra to eat?

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

We sometimes travel with a family who are consumed with being first. They are first on. They line up for the muster drill about 30-45 minutes early. They also arrive for dinner about 30 minutes before the doors open and then it's the mad dash to the show lounge for front and center seating. They also try to be first off to race to the airport for their 3-4:00 PM flight. It's exhausting to observe them do what they do. It's just their way.

LOL ... and then there's me running down the hallway well after everyone else has headed out onto deck for the lifeboat drill ... being hurried along by the hall monitors. :)

 

I'd be late for my own funeral. That's just the way I am. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[RuthC]

Now the funny thing for is that he was almost late for his own funeral. I still don't know why but when I called to check on things the morning of the service they said he had missed his flight the night before but should be in that morning. Luckily we had scheduled it for the afternoon!

Oh, Sharon. I know that's not funny, but that's so funny, ;) if you catch my drift.

[kryos]

No, I've not seen them ... I'm usually busy in my cabin, unpacking, before the Life Boat Drill. :) I usually put my jacket on and head out to my muster station about 5 minutes before the announced time of the drill. Those who wait until the whistle starts to blow before they head back to their cabins, get their vests, and head to their stations are the ones who slow everything down.

You're actually unpacked before drill? Man, then I must be packing too much. I'm rushing around until the very last minute ... and then cursing when the alarm sounds and I haven't even put my lifejacket on yet. LOL ... that's why I always wind up having a nice officer fix the mess I've made of the straps on the jacket. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[RevNeal]

You're actually unpacked before drill? Man, then I must be packing too much. I'm rushing around until the very last minute ... and then cursing when the alarm sounds and I haven't even put my lifejacket on yet. LOL ... that's why I always wind up having a nice officer fix the mess I've made of the straps on the jacket. :)

 

Rita ... you're naughty ... you do that on purpose! I know you ... ye who jumps out of airplanes over Hawaii and writes an excellent book ... you plan for everything! Those cute, blond, young, Dutch Deck-officers are always willing to help a poor, flustered neophyte, eh??? :eek: ;) :D

[pangean]

I've never sailed NCL, but I hear that if you want good food and service on their ships, you have to go to the specialty dining rooms ... the ones with the extra tariff associated. Otherwise, odds are you're not gonna be happy.

 

I guess you have to do something to direct people to the specialty dining rooms when you have several of them onboard. After all, if the food was great in the standard dining venues, why on earth would people pay extra to eat?

 

--rita

 

Rita, at the risk of being a little too forthright (especially when I don't normally post on this particular board), I suggest that there is a danger in repeating the experiences of others (even those who you trust), especially when you are dealing with something as subjective as food and service levels. There is a reason why a prudent court does not accept hearsay for the truth of its content: it has little or no probative value.

 

I've been on both NCL and HAL in the last couple of years. I liked the food on the Ryndam. It was good, some meals were very good, but overall I preferred the meals on NCL.

 

On the NCL Star and Jewel we ate primarily in the main restaurants, but we sampled most of the specialty restaurants (only half of which had an additional cover charge). We chose to eat in the specialty restaurants for the variety in the menu, but also for some variety in the dining experience (something which I thought was really important on a 14 day cruise).

 

The service in the main venues on NCL was comparable to the service level that we experienced on the other mass market lines (HAL, X and Princess). The best service that we have ever experienced on a cruise ship was in Cagneys on the Star. Dinner lasted close to 3 and half hours. It was one of the best dining experiences of my life. It was likely a combination of the setting, the service, the food, the experiences from the day in port (and possibly the multiple bottles of wine consumed by our foursome). The additional $20 per person cover charge paled in comparison to the difference in cruise fares between HAL and NCL at the time (it also paled in comparison to the cost of the wine). For the difference in fares we could have easily eaten only in the restaurants with surcharges for every meal and still had money to spare. I don't know if there is still a significant discount for sailing NCL since I haven't been comparing the two itinerary for itinerary. However, I suspect that NCL would still be cheaper.

 

Rita, I don't suggest that you accept this brief comparison as definitive. The interpretation of food quality and service levels is too subjective for that. I haven't been on every NCL ship. I certainly haven't been on any of the NCLA ships. Also, I've only been on the one HAL ship (and I suspect that there are better, more representative examples of the HAL experience than the Ryndam). I merely offer it up so that you might show more restraint in making broad statements where you have no personal experience.

 

Regarding anytime dining, the fact that HAL is going to introduce more flexibility into the dining experience is a good thing and will make it more likely that I will sail again on HAL (itinerary, price and timing will also come into play).

 

P.

[SharonN]

Oh, Sharon. I know that's not funny, but that's so funny, ;) if you catch my drift.

 

I'm not sure I really appreciated the humor that morning but at this point we all laugh about it whenver it comes up. Actually the more you knew him the funnier it is.:) There were a few other odd events that day that make me think he was getting in some final jokes!

[HeatherInFlorida]

I'm not sure I really appreciated the humor that morning but at this point we all laugh about it whenver it comes up. Actually the more you knew him the funnier it is.:) There were a few other odd events that day that make me think he was getting in some final jokes!

 

Sharon, this was a wonderful story and it made me laugh. I could tell that enough time had passed that now you could think of it fondly.

 

Who knows? Maybe he was sending a final message ... and isn't it good that such a painful time can also allow you to look back and have a little laugh.:)

[kryos]

Rita ... you're naughty ... you do that on purpose! I know you ... ye who jumps out of airplanes over Hawaii and writes an excellent book ... you plan for everything! Those cute, blond, young, Dutch Deck-officers are always willing to help a poor, flustered neophyte, eh??? :eek: ;) :D

LOL ... what can I say? You got me. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

Rita, at the risk of being a little too forthright (especially when I don't normally post on this particular board), I suggest that there is a danger in repeating the experiences of others (even those who you trust), especially when you are dealing with something as subjective as food and service levels.

I am merely going by what several people have told me about their experiences on a couple of different NCL ships. And, in my post I clearly stated that this information was second hand ... that I personally had never taken an NCL cruise.

 

The way it was related to me was that the food was "ho hum" in the regular dining rooms ... bordering between adequate and sub-par. But the food in the specialty restaurants was generally very good to excellent.

 

I'm not saying the same will happen with HAL when they go to AYW Dining. HAL only has one specialty restaurant onboard their current ships ... and I cannot imagine they would want to route a significant number of passengers over to that venue since the Pinnacle Grill would probably not be able to handle them all. But some of the larger NCL ships have several extra-tariff restaurants and I could well imagine they would want to keep them full each night. Otherwise, why bother having them?

 

I'm not saying the food in NCL's dining rooms is inedible. I'm just saying that if you want a really memorable meal ... of the quality you will generally get in HAL's regular dining rooms ... these folks told me that you really need to eat in one of the specialty venues. Now how someone wants to take that information ... how much value they wish to place on it ... is entirely up to them. No one says they should take it as gospel. It's opinion only ... and we all have one of them.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[RevNeal]

Rita,

 

I was really hoping that that I would be able to get away for July 5-12, but I can't. So ... I'm giving thought to the New Years cruise, again. It's going to be very pricey, and I may wait and see if the price drops any after the final due date (if they have any availability left). But, right now I'm not sure I can

 

Sorry.

[hammybee]

Sharon, this was a wonderful story and it made me laugh. I could tell that enough time had passed that now you could think of it fondly.

 

Who knows? Maybe he was sending a final message ... and isn't it good that such a painful time can also allow you to look back and have a little laugh.:)

 

I too enjoyed hearing this story. Thank you Sharon, for sharing it with us.

[Stakeout]

in HAL but I shouldn't be.. knowing the way they've been headed over the past 2-3 years... changed their tip policy... then the so-called upgrades with a teen center top deck aft... the writing was on the wall... now this fiasco..no sense in bringing along the two tux's .. so I can eat alongside some dood in blue jeans in the dining room... the classiness 'has just left the house' with this marketing buffoonery

 

what would make some marketing genius come up with this when they already have alternative dining in the Lido.. duh

 

I have yet to talk to anyone who has taken NCL that have commented positively about their open dining policy.. to all it was a fiasco and they'd never sail with NCL again..

 

I came very close this week to cancelling our back to back Canal cruises in January '08 on the Maasdam.. so far the schedule calls for the Maasdam to start in late April... looks as though we'll get to our 300 day Mariner threshold then... only we'll have to start to look elsewhere come fall '08 and sail with a classier cruiseline who appreciate their older and loyal clientele:mad::mad:

[RuthC]

now this fiasco..no sense in bringing along the two tux's .. so I can eat alongside some dood in blue jeans in the dining room...

As You Wish Dining and how people dress are two separate and distinct matters. There is nothing about AYW (and I'm not a fan of AYW for me) that has any impact on what people wear to the dining room.

Please don't muddy the waters.

[Stakeout]

sure there is.. the dress code is history after this... look at NCL et al

 

p.s. HAL muddied the waters with that press release...not moi

[moveup]

in HAL but I shouldn't be.. knowing the way they've been headed over the past 2-3 years... changed their tip policy... then the so-called upgrades with a teen center top deck aft... the writing was on the wall... now this fiasco..no sense in bringing along the two tux's .. so I can eat alongside some dood in blue jeans in the dining room... the classiness 'has just left the house' with this marketing buffoonery

 

what would make some marketing genius come up with this when they already have alternative dining in the Lido.. duh

 

I have yet to talk to anyone who has taken NCL that have commented positively about their open dining policy.. to all it was a fiasco and they'd never sail with NCL again..

 

I came very close this week to cancelling our back to back Canal cruises in January '08 on the Maasdam.. so far the schedule calls for the Maasdam to start in late April... looks as though we'll get to our 300 day Mariner threshold then... only we'll have to start to look elsewhere come fall '08 and sail with a classier cruiseline who appreciate their older and loyal clientele:mad::mad:

Stakeout -- Don't be discouraged. I was on the Noordam 12 August Alaska glacier bay cruise. On the formal nights, in the dining room, despite "As You Wish" dining, we were impressed with the elegant gowns and tuxes. In fact I commented to several of the women at other tables how lovely they looked. At the entrance, I saw the maitre d' politely discourage guests who were not suitable suited, encouraging them to change or to try the Lido. They complied. I haven't read this entire thread but if someone is suggesting that jeans and tees are common attire on formal nights in HAL dining rooms, that is definitely not my recent experience. What has changed is that many passengers, including myself, prefer some flexibility in the dinner HOUR, even at the expense of having different waiters on different nights.

[bUU]

I have yet to talk to anyone who has taken NCL that have commented positively about their open dining policy..

That may have more to do with who you choose to talk to than how folks in general actually feel about Freestyle Dining.

[Odd Ball]

Why is it do difficult for some to believe there are people that have had BAD experiences with Freestyle ?

[bUU]

Why is it so difficult for some to believe that there are people that have had GOOD experiences with Freestyle? (Read Stakeout's message again -- I think you misread it the first time.)

[terrydtx]

Stakeout -- Don't be discouraged. I was on the Noordam 12 August Alaska glacier bay cruise. On the formal nights, in the dining room, despite "As You Wish" dining, we were impressed with the elegant gowns and tuxes. In fact I commented to several of the women at other tables how lovely they looked. At the entrance, I saw the maitre d' politely discourage guests who were not suitable suited, encouraging them to change or to try the Lido. They complied. I haven't read this entire thread but if someone is suggesting that jeans and tees are common attire on formal nights in HAL dining rooms, that is definitely not my recent experience. What has changed is that many passengers, including myself, prefer some flexibility in the dinner HOUR, even at the expense of having different waiters on different nights.

 

Well stated Moveup, AYWD has NOTHING to do with the required dress for the evening in the dining room. I too am looking forward to the flexibility to dine when I choose not when the cruise line chooses. I think the sour apples on this thread against AYWD are trying to create a whole other issue about the required dress fro dinner. Several seem to use the possibility wearing of jeans and “t” shirts in the dining room as a rationale for not having any flexible dining options on HAL. NCL’s freestyle has both open dining and no formal nights as part of their cruise style. Unless HAL makes a total change to NCL’s marketing (which I don’t see happening) we will not see jeans in the dining room for dinner on HAL.

 

The traditional dining times on cruise lines is on its way out and within 2 to 3 years all the major lines will adopt some form of AYWD. Marketing studies in the industry have shown that the number one reason people have never taken a cruise is the “traditional” dining concept. Attracting new first time cruise passengers is the only way the cruise industry can continue to grow and expand.

[hammybee]

sure there is.. the dress code is history after this... look at NCL et al

 

I think the passengers on Oceania, Princess, Regent, Seaborn, Sea Dream, Silver Sea and Windstar might disagree with you.

[Cruising-along]

I think the passengers on Oceania, Princess, Regent, Seaborn, Sea Dream, Silver Sea and Windstar might disagree with you.

 

Once again hammybee is the voice of reason. Thank you. :)

[HeatherInFlorida]

Oddball: Why is it do difficult for some to believe there are people that have had BAD experiences with Freestyle ?

 

Bicker: Why is it so difficult for some to believe that there are people that have had GOOD experiences with Freestyle?

 

I'm not sure anyone is saying it's difficult to understand either. Everyone understands that some like the idea of Freestyle, some don't.

 

I think the bigger question is ........ why do some people believe that everyone needs to agree with them?

It's personal opinion ... nothing more. No right and wrong here.

[Bea3]

I have been on three HAL cruises, one Carnival, one RCCL, and one NCL- all were choosen for the itinerary first- the 'deal' second-and am doing a B2B on HAL in Alaska 2008. We are 40-50 somethings.

The last cruise was a NCL Hawaii with Freestyle dining. We both loved the flexibility of the time and my husband especially loved having a guarenteed table for two. Our dinners were all very good as far as service goes and only once did we have a waitor who was not up to par with those we have had on HAL.

[bUU]

I'm not sure anyone is saying it's difficult to understand either.

Yes, that was my point. I should have made it clearer that the statement I was making was intended to demonstrate that such a generalization is erroneous.

 

Everyone understands that some like the idea of Freestyle, some don't.

The spectrum is even wider than that: Some people evidently don't enjoy it; some people evidently do enjoy it; and some people evidently prefer it.

 

No right and wrong here.

This is a very hard concept to get across, it seems, in certain threads on this board, including dining, dress code, smoking, etc.