freestyle didn't work for us.

[Haworth]

Like others I am sorry you did not enjoy this cruise, we were on the same cruise and had a lovely time, we booked the speciallity restaurants as soon as we boarded ( about 12.00) and ate breakfast and lunch in the main dinning room where we thought the food was excellent

 

We ate at 19.00 both nights, Tex mex and Cagneys and we both prefered the Tex mex.

 

I agree about the 60's show I could have put a better show on with my I Pod,

 

Overall a good value cruise and a first experience with NCL and we would go again, especially from Southampton, we were home 1 hour after walking off ( no queues) about 08.00

[Desperate housewife]

we booked the speciallity restaurants as soon as we boarded ( about 12.00) and ate breakfast and lunch in the main dinning room where we thought the food was excellent

 

We ate at 19.00 both nights, Tex mex and Cagneys and we both prefered the Tex mex.

 

Hi,

 

Where did you have to go to book these restaurants?

 

How much was the premium to eat at those?

 

How would ou rate the service in the restaurants?

 

Thanks

 

Nikki. x

[jessicalaw]

I agree! I hated freestyle! Disembarkation was atrocious!

[greywillow]

I agree! I hated freestyle! Disembarkation was atrocious!

I can understand someone saying somethng like: "I was unable to make freestyle work satisfactorily for me"...or the like. But to use the word "hate?" Really?

 

Do you "hate" going out to dinner on land, where you are able to choose your restaurant, choose when you'd like to eat, choose with whom you'd like to eat, and decide what you think is appropriate to wear? Do you "hate" being able to choose from about 50 dinner entrees (across the ten or so dining venues on NCL's Jewel-class ships) rather than the usual six to ten on traditional dining cruise ships? Do you really "hate" that a cruise line allows you to have the flexibility to do all that? Amazing. "Hate?"

[Haworth]

There was a desk set up in the atrium area near the main reception/customer service.

 

Tex mex was free, Cagneys $20.00 each

[Urban trekker]

"Disembarkation was atrocious!"

 

What are you basing this on - have you cruise many times before - not all of the problems with disembarkation are the fault of the cruise lines - customs has been known to be slow, short staff etc.

 

Do some math - if there are 4 customs officers on duty and it takes only one minute to process each passenger they can process up to 240 passengers per hour and the ship has 2000 passengers all wanting to get off at the same time it would take - well hopefully you will understand why it takes time to get off the ship.

 

It looks like you are new to cruise critic - one tip - if you are going to post negative comments at least provide some specifics - general statements like the one in quotes above is only going to get you flame broiled over a grill.

 

I have done both independent disembarkation and freestyle and haven't had any undo delays but they do happen just like the bus being late because of an accident on the freeway or a mud slide stopping a train from making it to a city on time. Shift happens in life - accept it and you will live a lot longer and survive on cruise critic a lot longer to.

 

Cheers

 

Dennis

[go^uk]

It always amuses me how something said in casual conversation can be viewed so much more harshly when typed! The 'hate' word seems to fall in this category...

 

Having previously sailed on RCL out of Southampton, we have booked on the July 11th NCL minicruise to try freestyle. The idea of freestyle appeals to us. It is not that the 'conventional' cruising wasn't enjoyable - but the added flexibility sounds good.

 

Unfortunately (and inevitably) we will be judging NCL, and whether to do a longer cruise with them next year, on this forthcoming experience. I would expect the standards achieved on two day cruise to be comparable to a longer cruise. NCL would be doing a disservice to themselves if this wasn't the case? Surely, the whole idea of NCL doing this mini-cruises is to attract people to their freestyle product. If anything, I would expect NCL to put more effort into their two day itineraries to ensure repeat business?

 

Regardless of the mixed views I have read, I will be going with an open mind. I want to like freestyle! I hope my experience is better than some of the reviews and comments on this board. I will happily report the good, the bad and the ugly - and look forward to being equally flamed!

[nderoche]

I agree! I hated freestyle! Disembarkation was atrocious!

 

I see your favorite cruise line is Carnival Cruise Line. Have you ever been on an NCL ship? What ship and when? Objective; I think not.:cool:

 

Nick

[Jimmys Chippy]

 

 

Any tips on the best bet of us not waiting forever in the main dining room? Whats the best way of booking a table? What time does it open/ close? When are the quiet periods? Used the main dining room the first night and got a table straight away and had a reservation at Cagney's the second and got a reservation easily enough.

 

Did you have a sailaway party? A BBQ and music when departing by the pool.

 

What time did they allow you to board? One o'clock, if I remember rightly, for a half three sail.

 

Were the shows good? Shout! The Mod Musical was not to his liking (because he wasn't a Mod:rolleyes: ) but said the theatre is as good as anything he's seen on a ship.

 

 

My Dad was on the two dayer last weekend, these are what he told me.

[DocJohnB]

I see your favorite cruise line is Carnival Cruise Line. Have you ever been on an NCL ship? What ship and when? Objective; I think not.:cool:

 

Nick

Nick,

 

You obviously checked her "profile" to see her favorite line was Carnival. Just a little more digging and you would have discovered she cruised on NCL on the 6/15/2008 sailing of the Dawn.

 

That would be a one week sailing to Bermuda, I believe. Plenty of time to form an opinion of "freestyle dining".

 

You guys do realize that amongst all those who try and "love" freestyle cruising there are those who don't like or, dare I say it, even "hate" it. Freestyle sailing/dining is just not for everybody.

 

Y'all need to quit slapping at everybody who doesn't love it.

[DocJohnB]

As for taking 45 minutes to get off the ship, this certainly isn't the fault of the cruise line that everyone decided to exit at once.

Nita

 

Why would that be, Nita. As you mentioned, 2/3 night cruises are different than longer cruises. One of the big differences is the amount of luggage one has to take on a 2/3 day cruise.

 

Originally, priority disembarkation was an excellent opportunity for people with minimal luggage to leave the ship quickly and bypass the queue's for luggage. (Of course people will now schlep 15 pieces of luggage to get into the priority disembarkation line).

 

Anyhow, the cruise line has to bear some fault if disembarkation is slowed down because "just about everybody" chooses priority disembarkation as I believe the majority would on a 2/3 nighter. IMO, there should be NO priority disembarkation on these cruises. It would probably even go faster.

 

BTW, I don't consider getting of a ship the size of the Jade in 45 minutes as being unreasonable.

[nderoche]

Nick,

You obviously checked her "profile" to see her favorite line was Carnival. Just a little more digging and you would have discovered she cruised on NCL on the 6/15/2008 sailing of the Dawn.

That would be a one week sailing to Bermuda, I believe. Plenty of time to form an opinion of "freestyle dining".

You guys do realize that amongst all those who try and "love" freestyle cruising there are those who don't like or, dare I say it, even "hate" it. Freestyle sailing/dining is just not for everybody.

Y'all need to quit slapping at everybody who doesn't love it.

 

But Doc I have tried other cruise lines and I don't like them and I do like NCL. However, you are right and as long as people are civil to my cruise line I'll do the same.

Again, Thank you for you service and opinion.

BTY I really like your neck of the woods. Spent a couple of weeks there last fall and we look forward to another visit.

Nick

[DocJohnB]

I can understand someone saying somethng like: "I was unable to make freestyle work satisfactorily for me"...or the like. But to use the word "hate?" Really?

 

Do you "hate" going out to dinner on land, where you are able to choose your restaurant, choose when you'd like to eat, choose with whom you'd like to eat, and decide what you think is appropriate to wear? Do you "hate" being able to choose from about 50 dinner entrees (across the ten or so dining venues on NCL's Jewel-class ships) rather than the usual six to ten on traditional dining cruise ships? Do you really "hate" that a cruise line allows you to have the flexibility to do all that? Amazing. "Hate?"

 

Ok, then, what about the word "love". I love my wife and my family. I love life. But cruising . . . . . now I really, really enjoy cruising, but can't say as though I love it in the same sense. Yet I see that word used over and over again to describe cruising or some facet of it.

 

Besides, perhaps Jessicalaw truly did "hate" freestyle. Why judge the sentiment based on a word.

[DocJohnB]

BTY I really like your neck of the woods. Spent a couple of weeks there last fall and we look forward to another visit.

Nick

 

Nick,

 

We like it up here too. Not a lot of people, lots to do and some beautiful country. Course now, come February and I have snowblown a foot and a half of snow from the driveway 3 days in one week, not so infatuated with the place. In fact for a few hours, I even "hate" it. ;)

[Desperate housewife]

Having previously sailed on RCL out of Southampton, we have booked on the July 11th NCL minicruise to try freestyle.

 

snap!!!!!

 

Hi. :)

 

We will be there too! My aim is also to see if NCL is worth a 14 night holiday so am hoping we will get a taster of this.

 

we are from Staffordshire so about a 4 hour drive from the port. The plan is to stay in a travelodge in Newbry (managed to get £19 a night rooms) on the Thursday and then only an hour away Friday morning. This also makes more of a break for us.

 

We plan to be at the port for 11 to park and head for this ship. What about yourselves?

 

Nikki.

[Desperate housewife]

My Dad was on the two dayer last weekend, these are what he told me.

 

Thank your Dad for me. :)

 

Nikki

[Paul_76]

Unfortunately (and inevitably) we will be judging NCL, and whether to do a longer cruise with them next year, on this forthcoming experience. I would expect the standards achieved on two day cruise to be comparable to a longer cruise. NCL would be doing a disservice to themselves if this wasn't the case? Surely, the whole idea of NCL doing this mini-cruises is to attract people to their freestyle product. If anything, I would expect NCL to put more effort into their two day itineraries to ensure repeat business?

 

I agree that the "standards achieved" should be the same -- that is to say, the meals as delicious (or not), the service as good (or bad), and the cabin equally appointed and tidy (or messy).

 

However, speaking from my own experience, I can tell you that the vibe of a 1 or 2 night cruise is very different than that of a week or longer cruise. We were aboard the Sun for a one-night cruise in April and aboard Jade for a 14-night cruise last month (feel free to read about it @ http://europebysea08.blogspot.com/). We liked both experiences and the "standards" generally matched on those things in control of NCL. Nonetheless, the cruises were night-and-day different in other ways.

 

For example, getting dinner reservations was a real problem aboard Sun for the NCL neophytes (we booked Le Bistro upon embarkation and had no issues). The Sun was "party, party, party" all night... with many fun-seekers in various states of intoxication. Most venues (other than the show) were completely packed... all day and night. Sometime around midnight, I actually witnessed a fellow "guest" urinate overboard from their balcony.

 

By contrast, the Jade sailing was far more mellow. Queues were pretty minimal... even at peak times. We often ate when we wanted without reservations or made the reservation an hour before eating. With exception, most venues never seemed overly crowded. And, other than going ashore in Gibraltar (which seemed to turn a previously mild mannered crowd into a pack of wild heathens), the actions of guests were never anti-social.

 

My point is that I'd just caution you (and others) to consider that which is inherent to the line/ship/crew and try to filter out that which is created by external variables (e.g., duration of cruise, fellow passangers, etc.).

[kruzin']

:) we are doing NCL -Jade r/t Barcelona for 21 days...my DH will cruise anywhere however, he likes eating at 6PM everynight and not waiting on line for a table . Will this be a problem? On our past cruises with RCl, Princess, and Carnival etc. we make arrangements pre- muster station drill and eat quite nicely each night...advice please:)

[go^uk]

I agree that the "standards achieved" should be the same -- that is to say, the meals as delicious (or not), the service as good (or bad), and the cabin equally appointed and tidy (or messy).

 

My point is that I'd just caution you (and others) to consider that which is inherent to the line/ship/crew and try to filter out that which is created by external variables (e.g., duration of cruise, fellow passangers, etc.).

 

Very valid point, which I understand completely. I will try to tailor my expectations - more easily done when we have got a two day cruise for what we wold pay for one night in a hotel!

 

We really enjoyed our last cruise, sometimes in spite of fellow passengers and RCL foibles, other times because of them. I hope the same is true of this one.

 

Your blog is very good - I like the top tips for cruising on NCL. Do you have any restaurant recommendations that we should make a beeline for during our two days?

 

snap!!!!!

 

We plan to be at the port for 11 to park and head for this ship. What about yourselves?

 

Nikki.

 

We will be aiming to arrive around 11.00(ish) - depends on traffic. We are just a little further North (near to Macclesfield).

[Paul_76]

Your blog is very good - I like the top tips for cruising on NCL. Do you have any restaurant recommendations that we should make a beeline for during our two days?

 

I guess it depends on what you like... so recommendations for others (on land or sea) are a little difficult. In general, we thought the Italian to be of the lowest quality relative to a land-based alternative (for the surcharge options). The Tex-Mex (included) was ok... but not great. That said, I've tried to find "good" or even "decent" Tex-Mex in England and (no disrespect intended) I haven't been successful at that in the past 5 or 6 years since the Chi-Chi's in Bayswater, London closed. So, if you like that sort of thing, you might love it aboard Jade. :) Blue Lagoon is best skipped as a dinner venue on a 2 nighter -- though you can try it for breakfast or lunch).

 

Cagney's was very good (but not as good as Bern's, which I frequent here at home). Le Bistro is also very good and has great atmosphere -- on balance, I'd recommend it over Cagney's if I only opted for one or the other. We thought the Asian-Fusion (especially Jasmine Garden) was very good... up to land-based standards of the places we frequent. But, again, that depends on taste (whether or not Asian-Fusion is your thing and, if so, what type you like -- as the Jade's menu is oriented away from southeast Asia, such as Thai). Teppanyaki was also very good (in terms of taste). Of course, you're eating with others there (which loses points for me, being socially reserved by nature).

 

If you're going to opt for the main dining room, I'd hit the Grand Pacific and skip the "Rothko-inspired" (thank God he's dead, lest the decor kill him -- not that it's ugly... it's just NOT Rothko) Alizir dining room. The food is the same, but the Grand Pacific is much, much nicer.

 

For dessert, I'd recommend hitting the crepe action station one night in the Garden Cafe (buffet). It's wonderful!

 

All of this is just based on our views... so I make no warranty to your satisfaction with my advice. :)

[Paul_76]

:) we are doing NCL -Jade r/t Barcelona for 21 days...my DH will cruise anywhere however' date=' he likes eating at 6PM everynight and not waiting on line for a table . Will this be a problem? On our past cruises with RCl, Princess, and Carnival etc. we make arrangements pre- muster station drill and eat quite nicely each night...advice please:)[/quote']

 

We ate early (before 6:30) on a fairly regular basis and never had a problem. I'm sure things vary from cruise to cruise, but I think you'll be ok. If you only want to eat in the main dining room (no specialty venues), you can make reservations for them, but they limit it to 30% of the dining room's capacity. So, you might want to either book early for each day's meal or show up a little earlier to make sure you're seated before the tables are mostly taken. In any case, we actually never waited on line to eat during the entire 14 nights.

[go^uk]

I guess it depends on what you like...

 

Food! I will try pretty much anything and unfortunately to excess...

 

In general, we thought the Italian to be of the lowest quality relative to a land-based alternative (for the surcharge options).

 

I tend to avoid Italian as a 'proper' dinner option. I wouldn't pay a surcharge unless it had something very special to offer.

 

The Tex-Mex (included) was ok... but not great. That said, I've tried to find "good" or even "decent" Tex-Mex in England and (no disrespect intended)

 

No offence taken. We're closer to Spain than Mexico and decent tapas is as hard to find!

 

Cagney's was very good (but not as good as Bern's, which I frequent here at home). Le Bistro is also very good and has great atmosphere -- on balance, I'd recommend it over Cagney's if I only opted for one or the other. We thought the Asian-Fusion (especially Jasmine Garden) was very good... up to land-based standards of the places we frequent.

 

Le Bistro, Cagney's and Jasmine Garden... Damn, only onboard for two nights! Looks like a crass act of gluttony will be required.

 

Teppanyaki was also very good (in terms of taste). Of course, you're eating with others there (which loses points for me, being socially reserved by nature).

 

Yes... I am not exactly antisocial, but prefer to choose my dining company. I dread the fear of first night dinner on 'traditional dining' - so far we have been lucky.

 

I have just bookmarked the page of menus on your blog.

 

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my questions. Gives me food for thought (ouch, sorry about the pun).

 

Regards

 

G.

[DMH15]

go^uk:

 

On my 2 nighter on the Dawn the Asian Fusion restaurant was open for lunch (for a surcharge). Enjoyed it.

 

You may get to fit in all 3.

[delondin]

l

 

Anyhow, the cruise line has to bear some fault if disembarkation is slowed down because "just about everybody" chooses priority disembarkation as I believe the majority would on a 2/3 nighter. IMO, there should be NO priority disembarkation on these cruises. It would probably even go faster.

 

BTW, I don't consider getting of a ship the size of the Jade in 45 minutes g unreasonable.

 

 

It wasn't just the time taken to disembark that was the problem it was the nature of the queue. It wasn't one long line it was all over the place down two flights of stairs on both sides of ship, both trying to merge. Passengers getting out of the lifts which were packed solid and no room for them to get in line. There were no customs or immigration issues here it was literally get your card swiped and off. I went on 2 night Ventura and 4 night Independence - much bigger ships and no problems at all disembarking. I think reading the other posts from passengers who were on same cruise, the earlier you disembarked the better. The same with dinner earlier the better.

[SailAways]

Ah Ha!!:) Now I know why we don't wear watches!

 

While standing in line anywhere, we usually strike up a conversation with others, and have a grand time. Time flies!

 

We try to be the very last ones to leave the ship - It works so very well, and we get that last glimpse of whatever it is that we may have missed!

 

And, thanks for the info. Now we know that we do not need to take a "one night" cruise to anywhere!

 

Very informative thread.

 

We, by the way, absolutely "love" Freestyle!

 

Fun thread!:D