The beginning of a horrible era.

[Clutterlady]

Here's my take on "Freestyle" and "Anytime" dining.

 

Freestyle on NCL means exactly that. Eat when and where you want. You may have a wait at prime times. You can ask to eat at a table for 2 or to be seated with others. They have no traditional seating. There are many dining venues, some are free, some you have to pay. If you don't make your reservations for the other venues as soon as you board, well.......the dining room may be your only choice. So why they call it "Freestyle" is beyond me?? I still have to make reservations....can't just walk into the optional places and get a seat, although some say if you check they may have an opening.....never happened to me. Do I enjoy freestyle, yes...mainly due to being able to eat when we're ready.

 

Now Anytime is a little different. On Princess there is one traditional dining room for those who prefer that and 2 anytime dining rooms. If you have traditional, you can go to the anytime dining on a night when you prefer to eat at a different time. Ticks the anytime people off because that what cause a back up!! Heard they will stop this....hopefully they will!! Yes, you can make reservations in the anytime dining room, and many of the people who do this were wait listed in traditional. We usually never had a wait in anytime except on the first formal night. They do give you a pager and you can sit in the lounge and have a drink while waiting (wait was around 20 minutes.) There are usually 2 optional pay venues.

 

On NCL their optional formal night was a bit bogus....only saw about 10% of the people dressed formal. Think the formal nights on NCL will be ending soon. On Princess the dress code is adhered to in all the dining rooms. With port intensive cruises, freestyle/anytime is the only way to go.

[hogwildcruzers]

We have sailed on ships with only freestyle....only traditional...and where you could choose either...we like them all....don't really favor one over the other...the fact that you eat at the same time with the same group and same wait staff is very comforting and enjoyable if with a really good group of table mates...the freestyle or anytime dining like on Princess is great for an intimate dinner with your spouse or other... and when you want to meet other people you can choose to dine with others you have yet to meet.....doing this we have been able to know more people on-board and smile and say" how's it going "when ever we see them than with traditional dining.....also with a lot of the cc'ers we have met we have been able to plan a dinner with them for a special night......to the point we don't choose a cruise or ship just because of the dining choices....we love to cruise and meet new people and enjoy the ship life and enjoy our new found shores or the ones we have been to several times....so just give us a ship and we will make the very most out of what ever choices we have.

[Kurbanfan]

If I wanted to wait in line to be seated for dinner I would have vacationed at a land based resort.:rolleyes: :p

 

From what I understand on Princess you don't have to wait in line. If a table is not ready they give you a beeper and you can go sit at bar and have a drink while you wait:)

[voyagerfl]

Have done 2 NCL cruises.

 

We did not care for "Free Style" we enjoy having the same table companions that we get to know during the course of the week.......sharing stories, experiences, etc......

 

So many people, don't want to be bothered with others these days.....I think they are missing something.....

 

anyway....both cruises with Free Style.....we found some nights we had to wait as long as 30 minutes or more to be placed at a table.........and we made it clear we did not have any seating pref.

(This is Eat When You Want-Where You Want)

Also late night options were non-existent........

on our NCLA Hawaii Cruise this April, there was nothing available after Dinner but the limited room service menu.

[voyagerfl]

From what I understand on Princess you don't have to wait in line. If a table is not ready they give you a beeper and you can go sit at bar and have a drink while you wait:)

 

That is the same as sitting and waiting to us........

Don't go on a cruise for that kind of service:rolleyes:

[French_Fry]

From what I understand on Princess you don't have to wait in line. If a table is not ready they give you a beeper and you can go sit at bar and have a drink while you wait:)

 

 

That's what I get at Outback, not on a cruise ship that I paid a few 1,000 dollars to board.

 

Not a good alternative. Beep, beep, vibrate, vibrate...........:mad:

[Kurbanfan]

That's what I get at Outback, not on a cruise ship that I paid a few 1,000 dollars to board.

 

Not a good alternative. Beep, beep, vibrate, vibrate...........:mad:

 

 

On Princess you have a choice of traditional or anytime.

Again if you feel you need to be on a schedule you can do that.

If you would rather relax and play it by ear you can do that also.

[Kurbanfan]

That is the same as sitting and waiting to us........

Don't go on a cruise for that kind of service:rolleyes:

 

Like I said before if you have no problems being on a schedule while on vacation then traditional is the way to go.

[SPARKYCRUISER]

On our last cruise last April on Costa Mediterranea out of Fort Lauderdale our tablemates complained that their previous cruise was on NCL.

 

They said never again with the freeystyle. They said they spent all their time trying to out race the crowds for reservations -- much like if you are at Disneyworld. A lot of things were nice, she said, but the hassle of constantly trying to make reservations and get in somewhere was insane. Everything you wanted to do was constantly booked up. She said never again!:cool:

[Calicruiser101]

My aunt was on a NCL a few weeks ago and she loved the freestyle dining and said she wasn't sure she could go back to eating in the same dining room night after night. They had about 7 places to choose from to eat at and reservations could be made in advance. Upon arriving to their room there was a list of all the places to eat and since they were in the penthouse suite they could make all their reservations that day. She did say if you were in a regular room that you could only make reservations the night before. I think this sounds like a great idea as I too tire of the same dining room every night. It would be fun to try all the different places and if you can make reservations then I am not sure what the big deal is??? You won't have to wait unless you didn't make reservations and were expecting to walk in and be seated. I think it sounds great and can't wait to try it out.

[Calicruiser101]

Like I said before if you have no problems being on a schedule while on vacation then traditional is the way to go.

Hey Kurban, how have you been? Seems like it has been awhile since we last chatted.:)

[Kurbanfan]

Hey Kurban, how have you been? Seems like it has been awhile since we last chatted.:)

 

Hey Cali! I'm good thanks! So have ya booked another cruise yet?

[jessemon]

That's what I get at Outback, not on a cruise ship that I paid a few 1,000 dollars to board.

 

Not a good alternative. Beep, beep, vibrate, vibrate...........:mad:

Did someone say....

"Vibrate-Vibrate"....?????????:p :eek: ;)

[Calicruiser101]

Hey Cali! I'm good thanks! So have ya booked another cruise yet?

No not yet. Not sure where to go next, we were thinking maybe Alaska. What about you? I can't believe that I still spend so much time on here even though I don't have a cruise planned. This place is addicting.:eek:

[Calicruiser101]

Did someone say....

"Vibrate-Vibrate"....?????????:p :eek: ;)

Get your mind out of the gutter.:D

[hototo]

My experience on Carinival has been that I seldom get the dinner time or table size I requested. When that happens, I would prefer to eat where and when I want to.

 

Open seating works very well and hopefully, all ships will go to it with the option to eat at a specified time and the same table with the same people.

 

But it is fun to meet new people all the time. Isn't that what cruising is all about!

[French_Fry]

On Princess you have a choice of traditional or anytime.

Again if you feel you need to be on a schedule you can do that.

If you would rather relax and play it by ear you can do that also.

 

 

You miss the point.

 

If I want to avail myself of the freestyle dining I do not want to be given a beeper like I am at Outback and given an option to "sit at the bar."

 

If there is a room for "traditional" dining and that room is not full then that room can handle any overflow even if it means walking to a different area of the ship.

 

A five minute wait is tolerable any more is then unreasonable, unless you ask specifically for a type of table (window, table for 2, etc.)

 

If the "drawing card" to your cruise line is freestyle dining then by now all the kinks (peak times for one) should have been ironed out.

[debberannne]

One thing I noticed on this board is that there are people that are afriad to sit with other strangers. They ask for a table for 2, not because its romantic but because they don't want to be bothered. I think that the Freestyle method is great for un-sociable types.

 

 

 

Fred

 

We were on the Sun in February, and never had to wait for a table for two. Some nights we sat with a group, and other nights, well, we were just pooped from the days activities and not feeling like talking a whole lot. We picked a table for two so folks wouldnt think we were anti social. :D I enjoy any kind of dining when I dont cook or clean up, but hubby says freestyle is for him!

[airdale]

I like the traditional dining because it is nice that the wait staff knows our wants/needs/desires before we set down to eat. I have never had a problem talking with strangers as can be seen by my posts here. LOL :D

 

To me freestyle dining would be like going to the dining room for breakfast or lunch and you are just seated with the last table where they are at that time taking meal orders. We have always found something to talk about with those seated there, but as it has been said...we usually don't connect with anyone else at the table during that short time of eating.

 

As also said...with traditional dining it is nice to meet the other couples and then go with them to the shows, lounge dances or on shore activities.

 

If someone else was paying our fare for the cruise...I bet we could do what ever type of dining was offered on that cruise. ;)

 

Give us the great food, the open seas and the ports of call and we are VERY HAPPY!

 

 

Don

[Travelitis]

We had freestyle on NCL and Princess (Personal Choice) and LOVE IT! Hands down that wins! I detest being told what time to eat and really couldn't give a rip about meeting dinner companions. We meet the CC groups and have plenty of onboard friends that we don't miss the traditional dining. As for the formal nights, we do dress up. On the Sun we followed the dress code as did most others.

[dale594]

Wow, this thread is really bumming me out!!! I love my set dining time and one of our favorite parts of the cruise is looking forward to seeing our waiters every night!!!! I don't mind at all if there is a choice of free style and tradional, just so long as I can get my traditional and it is still an option and I don't get put on a wait list. I am not sure if I would cruise if traditional dining went away altogether...............The experience of having the same waiters and getting to know them, etc. is one of the main reasons we cruise.

[Millygirl]

I came back from the NCL Jewel, never wanting to go back. I loved the ship, but I hated freestyle. I missed seeing the same people every night who knew all our preferences and, most of all, I hated running out of dinner to make the show.:mad:

 

I couldn't agree more! We took a trip on the Diamond Princess several years ago and did their "Anytime Dining". We didn't realize how much we would miss having our same wait staff every night in the same dining room. It might be a great concept for people who have never cruised before. But, we found that traditional cruise dining plays a huge part in our entire cruise experience. Hopefully Carnival will remain the same because they are our favorite line!

[big al]

I came back from the NCL Jewel, never wanting to go back. I loved the ship, but I hated freestyle. I missed seeing the same people every night who knew all our preferences and, most of all, I hated running out of dinner to make the show.:mad:

 

Recently I heard HAL was switching to freestyle and RCCL could be next. I wanted to try royal, but if they change to freestyle, so much for that. I was very suprised that HAL switched because from my understanding, HAL is a very tradition-minded line with chimes inviting people to dinner.:confused:

 

Could Carnival be next? After all, it's its last division in N. America not on freestyle yet.:(

 

I LOVE anytome dining-I'm really sick & tired of people telling me WHEN to eat,WITH WHOM to eat,and WHAT to eat.What if you tablemates are idiots? What if you're not hungry at 6 or 8:30? Sitting with strangers and making small talk with people I have NOTHING in common with for 7 nights and listening to everybody's lfe stories)including the waiters is NOT a priority for my vacation....If I want someone to dine with,I'll ask some close friends or family to come along on the cruise.....

 

And BYW,polls show that most cruisers feel the same way-many are tired of the rigid dining procedures...a friend who has NEVER cruised asked when I told him about traditional dining said,"what if you don't like your tablemates?" "you're stuck" unless,you go to a specialty venue which may cost a few $$$...."what if I don't feel like dressing up and doing the stupid formal thing?" "well then,either you dine at the buffet area,or there's room service,or an alternative place for some $$$"

 

It's not that I'm not friendly-in fact,I 'm TOO friendly-talking to everyone about the 17 cruises we've done....and in my personal job,I 'm a Pharmaceutical Rep,talking with hundreds of health professionals DAILY.....on my vacation,SOMETIMES,I just want to dine with my wife ALONE.I cruise for R & R,to be entertained,relax on the beaches,pools,etc.I don't cruise to meet tablemates I'll never see again or to get to know waiters I'll never see again....When we cruise RCI,we dine 2-3 times in Chops/Portifinos,and on NCL,we ate 4 nights(BTW,the 4 BEST meals I've ever had at sea!!) in the freestyle venues.At that time,it was $12.50!! We NEVER HAD A PROBLEM BOOKING nor eating anywhere.......Nobody tells where to eat at home,why I should be told on my vacation?????

 

Big Al

[Kurbanfan]

You miss the point.

 

If I want to avail myself of the freestyle dining I do not want to be given a beeper like I am at Outback and given an option to "sit at the bar."

 

If there is a room for "traditional" dining and that room is not full then that room can handle any overflow even if it means walking to a different area of the ship.

 

A five minute wait is tolerable any more is then unreasonable, unless you ask specifically for a type of table (window, table for 2, etc.)

 

If the "drawing card" to your cruise line is freestyle dining then by now all the kinks (peak times for one) should have been ironed out.

 

I did not miss your point at all. You want it when you want it....therefore traditional is better suited for you.

What's wrong with giving people a choice? We are more tolerant then you and don't mind waiting.

What works for one might not work for another. Does not mean one is better then the other. It's all about what one prefers......

[castroville cruiser]

Princess does a great job with tradtional and anytime dining options.We had no problems getting a table for 2(and several times at 7 pm) on the CB '05, and the Grand '07. We have done Traditional Dining on other Cruises. Tablemates have ranged from GREAT to fine. I think it just is a matter of personal preference.Having the choice is what makes it nice for everyone. We have "been there and done that " ( traditional) , we seem to prefer to dine as a couple and set our own schedule now.

However, we are sailing Destiny in 2008 - so we will have no choice. But we will be cruising so I think we can stand it !!!!!

 

Fantasy'99

Norwegian Sea'00

Celebration '01

Enchantment of the Seas'01

Inspiration '02

Conquest '03

Elation'04

Caribbean Princess '05

Rhapsody of the seas '06

Grand Princess'07

Destiny 7/13/2008