Eating with others with freestyle cruising

[Konagal]

I'm going on my first solo cruise in Nov on NCL around the Hawaiian Islands. Because it's freestyle cruising, I'm worried about what I'll do at dinner re: seating. Any tips?

[Goldryder]

On the three NCL cruises I have done as a solo I have always been asked at the door to the restaurant what size table I would prefer and if I would like to be on my own or with others. Choice is yours and no-one will force you into something you are not happy to do. I generally ate lunch by myself since most were off gallivanting, but evening meals I used to sit at tables of 4 or 5 and I had a good experience every time :)

[bqkali]

I'm going on my first solo cruise in Nov on NCL around the Hawaiian Islands. Because it's freestyle cruising, I'm worried about what I'll do at dinner re: seating. Any tips?

 

Join your roll call and get to know some people before you cruise. My guess is you'll get a lot of dinner invitations that way. People on Cruise Critic are a friendly bunch :) Also, it's easy to make friends onboard at the bars, lounges, pools, activities...it's easy to segue from a drink before dinner into saying "Mind if I join you for dinner?" Don't take it personally if they say no, but my guess is most people would enjoy some extra company.

 

At the restaurants, you can certainly ask other people standing in line if you can join them, or ask the restaurant hostess to seat you with others. No one ever asked me on my NCL cruise, but I gladly would've sat with a solo cruiser. It's always fun to meet other people. If you don't ask the hostess or other cruisers, they will assume you want to sit by yourself (which you may!!).

 

If/when you want to eat alone...there's lots of great places to eat and people watch by the pool or outdoor decks, especially at lunch time. Or bring a book and eat and read and relax! Breakfast by room service is a good way to ease into your day and you won't feel like you have to get dressed for a meal right away ;) Don't feel like you have to avoid the main dining rooms even if you want to eat by yourself.

 

Lastly, many Norwegian ships have the hibachi grill specialty restaurant (about $15 extra). Not sure if the Hawaiian one does :confused: But if so, you will sit on a bench-style seat around one big grill for the hibachi chef to prepare a meal in front of you - instant tablemates LOL since there's only one big table. It would probably be a lot of fun for one night!

 

Just to give you an example of how friendly other cruisers are...I'm cruising in September and someone on my roll call is trying to set up a meet & greet dinner the night before the cruise, in Seattle! Trust me, they want to socialize just as much as you do. My dinners are already pre-set with tablemates, but I'll have to fend for myself for breakfast/lunch. Not a problem - I can eat where I want, when I want, with whoever I want! :D

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

[vacation luvver]

My experience as a solo cruiser on NCL was totally different from Goldryder's. I was on the Dawn out of New York in November of 2006. As I have posted in numerous discussions in these forums, when I asked the hostess to seat me with others, she would always look at me as if I had three heads and cautiously say that if anyone else asked to be seated with strangers, she would seat them with me. It never happened. And when I sat down, the waitstaff always scrambled to take the extra plates, glasses, and silverware off the table. I tried telling them that maybe someone else would show up, but they just ignored me. I learned to bring a book with me when I went to the dining room.

 

As for joining the roll call, I did, and I went to the Meet & Greet. Someone in the group was going to be celebrating a birthday during the cruise, and we were all supposed to have dinner together that night. A sign-up sheet was passed around for everyone to write down their names and cabin numbers so that we could be contacted about the dinner. I wrote down my name and cabin number, but I never heard from the roll group again, so obviously I didn't go to the dinner. And I never ran into anyone from the roll call group later on in the cruise.

[kitty9]

My experience on NCL was very similar to vacation luvver and one of the reason's I probably won't go back on NCL as a solo. I was treated as if I was some kind of strange person, cruising alone. A couple of times when a group who was already seated was asked if I could join them, they said no. I just don't think the staff on NCL does as good a job with solo cruisers and it's the reason why I much prefer traditional dining.

[jolivia]

I heard that NCL did not cater to solo's. I have to say Hal was great last year going to alaska. There was a Solo Meet and Greet and also A Solo luncheon. I'm going on Carnival for the first time in Oct as a Solo, would anyone know how Carvival treats the "Solo" passenger?

[Traveler353]

I heard that NCL did not cater to solo's. I have to say Hal was great last year going to alaska. There was a Solo Meet and Greet and also A Solo luncheon. I'm going on Carnival for the first time in Oct as a Solo, would anyone know how Carvival treats the "Solo" passenger?

 

Carnival has a couple of "single" meets the first night. Broken down by age groups. Really nothing for "solo" travelers. Have no fear there is plenty to do. Actually the hard part sometimes is being left alone. Seems that when people find out that I am sailing along they feel sorry for me and want to include me in their activites. They don't understand what traveling along is all about to me. That's ok, I always make some new friends every cruise. Several that I stay in touch with.

[lambs2]

My experience on NCL was very similar to vacation luvver and one of the reason's I probably won't go back on NCL as a solo. I was treated as if I was some kind of strange person, cruising alone. A couple of times when a group who was already seated was asked if I could join them, they said no. I just don't think the staff on NCL does as good a job with solo cruisers and it's the reason why I much prefer traditional dining.

 

Sorry about your experience on NCL, kitty9. Just to let you kn ow that some of us that love NCL when in line for the dining room actually ASK to be seated with others ore have other folks join us at our table. The problem is that there may be only a limited amount of time for this to happen as it is very difficult for the servers to be serving folks at the same table a different sequence of course, so they tend to stop seating folks at tables that have already begun serving courses.

[jpg1747]

I don't understand why NCL seems to have a problem filling tables at dinner with strangers. Other cruise lines seems to handle it very well. I always have traditional dining, but at breakfast and lunch, filling tables as folks arrive seems to be handled very easily. I'm always asked if I want to dine alone or with others and I always choose to dine with others. I've been seated at partially filled tables and have started a new table myself. At all times, the tables are filled quickly and service is never a problem. Those that choose not to dine with strangers are put at smaller tables.

 

Nevertheless, based on what I've heard about NCL, I'm not inclined to cruise with them again, unless it was a 3 day cruise at a price too low to pass up. Anything longer than that and I'd want my traditional dining.

[Goldryder]

When I did my 14 night Cape Horn cruise aboard Norwegian Crown by myself in 2005/6, I ate breakfast in my cabin (which I see is a treat since breakfast in bed is impossible when living alone), I ate lunch and dinner in the dining room and when I arrived at the door each time and was asked would I prefer to be seated on a table with others or alone, I would go it alone at lunchtime and sometimes with others at dinnertime, just depended on how I felt and since I usually got to the dining room reasonably early on, it was very easy for the maitre d' (or whoever was manning the desk) to accommodate me as I wished to be. I had the cutlery etc removed if I was at a table on my own but only after the waitstaff asked if they could, it certainly wasn't done automatically.

 

Aboard Norwegian Jewel in 2005 and Gem in 2007 it was exactly the same experience as with the Crown. I guess that had I not piped up and asked at the desk upon arrival, I would probably have been placed with another table with other guests, but I removed that awkwardness from the staff and requested what I would like in advance, so no second guessing required by them.

[bqkali]

I don't understand why NCL seems to have a problem filling tables at dinner with strangers. Other cruise lines seems to handle it very well. I always have traditional dining, but at breakfast and lunch, filling tables as folks arrive seems to be handled very easily. I'm always asked if I want to dine alone or with others and I always choose to dine with others. I've been seated at partially filled tables and have started a new table myself. At all times, the tables are filled quickly and service is never a problem. Those that choose not to dine with strangers are put at smaller tables.

 

I think the reason why NCL has problems filling tables with strangers is because it attracts people who always want to be able to do their own thing. Many of their commercials specifically mention you never have to sit with strangers - and they present it in the image that making conversation with strangers is an awkward inconvenience (and not the pleasant experience it usually is). They are marketing themselves as a line where you do not have to sit with strangers EVER and this appeals to a certain type of a cruiser for a variety of reasons. This same marketing makes NCL unappealing to most solo cruisers.

 

I absolutely loved my cruise with Norwegian (granted, I wasn't a solo cruiser) and would certainly look at cruising them again if the itinerary and price was right. If the price and itinerary was the same as a different cruiseline, and I was cruising solo, I would give the edge to a line that offered more traditional dining. But I would not automatically rule out NCL just because it's more difficult to find dining companions.

[cherylroslyn]

I'm going on my first solo cruise in Nov on NCL around the Hawaiian Islands. Because it's freestyle cruising, I'm worried about what I'll do at dinner re: seating. Any tips?

I sailed on the Dawn out of NYC in August 2007.... I was not solo...but I was with my hormonally raging teenage daughter who hated me that year. I made reservations for one all over the ship and was practically dragged to the tables of some of the people I had met on the ship when they saw me eating alone. Even at Le Bistro and Cagney's....and I felt so happy but I never thought th at all of these nice couples would want a single female straggler at their table... I was wrong...they even made me go to kareoke and the shows with them it was great. At lunch and breakfast I was asked if I wanted to be seated with anyone and I said sure why not.... that was how I met a nice single mother that I hung out with and cried to (she had two teenage daughters...so she knew my pain). That was my first cruise, and now when I go back I will alway welcome any solo or group to eat with me...it was really nice and it was the passengers that encouraged it not really NCL.

[ssaphyre]

I have not went solo yet, but am considering it. I have only been on one cruise which was in 2/2008 - an 11 day NCL Hawaiian cruise and it was wonderful. I went with a girlfriend. I would say when we went to the dining room they asked us at least half the time if we wanted to eat alone or with others and we usually said with others. About half of the time we were seated with others. Only one time did they bring us to a table of someone who preferred not to share - looked like a honeymooning couple, so I certainly didn't blame them. I don't know if it was the location (hawaii) or the cruise line (NCL) but I was on the lookout for solo's and I didn't notice any....so I'm not sure if I would go solo with NCL. From all the conversation here, it sounds like some of the other cruiselines have a much higher solo clientele'. It was such a wonderful cruise that I can't wait to go again - it's been too long !

[vacation luvver]

<<I think the reason why NCL has problems filling tables with strangers is because it attracts people who always want to be able to do their own thing. Many of their commercials specifically mention you never have to sit with strangers - and they present it in the image that making conversation with strangers is an awkward inconvenience (and not the pleasant experience it usually is). They are marketing themselves as a line where you do not have to sit with strangers EVER and this appeals to a certain type of a cruiser for a variety of reasons.>>

 

Exactly. A solo cruiser shouldn't expect to eat with couples or groups who sail with NCL precisely because that way, they don't have to eat with pesky strangers. I wouldn't be surprised if that was the #1 reason they chose NCL.

 

While I hate NCL as a cruiseline for solos, I love it as a cruiseline for people who aren't alone. My friend and I were on the Crown out of New York in July of 2007. Every time we went to the dining room (we didn't like the buffet), we were asked if we would share a table. We always said yes. Only once, at breakfast, did we share a table with two other ladies. All the other times, we had a table to ourselves. Even though we were willing to eat with others, no one (except for those two ladies) ever wanted to eat with us.

 

My friend and I were on the Spirit out of New York in May of 2008. We were never offered the opportunity to eat with others. It occurred to me that maybe when we were always asked about this on the Crown, they weren't being sincere about it. Maybe they were just taking a survey to see who would be willing to eat with others.

 

When we were on the Spirit out of New York in September of 2008, one time, all they had available were tables for eight. So we waited and waited for five or six other people to agree to eat with us. Eventually, two couples and a solo man agreed to eat with us, so we were taken to a table for eight. But when we got there, we saw that there were only five of us. One couple decided that they did not want to eat with strangers. So we sat there, waiting and waiting for another couple to show up who was willing to eat with strangers. Finally another couple showed up. My friend and I talked to the solo man. The other two couples did not say a single word during the meal (except to order their meals), because they were angry at being coerced into eating with pesky strangers.

 

Another night, when we got to the dining room, the couple in front of us was asked if they would share a table. They couldn't decide. My friend and I were asked, and we said yes. A couple came in, and they were asked if they would share a table. They said no and left to go to another dining room where they hoped they wouldn't have to share a table. Then the couple in front of us decided that they would share a table with us. And they didn't say a single word during dinner, except to order their meals.

 

When I was on the Dawn, I noticed that when I ate alone, the waiter just slapped the bread basket down on the table and walked away, but on the few times that I ate with a solo man, the waiter explained what kinds of bread were in the basket. I asked the solo man if, when he ate alone, the waiter just slapped the bread basket down silently, and he said yes.

 

One time, when I ate alone, I read the menu, decided what I wanted, and then closed the menu and put it down. I thought that was a way to signal that I was ready to order. Then I took out my book. More than twenty minutes later, I asked where the waitress was. She came over and said, "I didn't take your order because I didn't know that you wanted to eat. I thought that you came in here to read." Yeah, right. So I ordered my meal.

 

After I finished eating, someone took my order for tea. When the waitress came back with my dessert, I asked where my tea was, but the waitress had already run off. I never got my tea. After I finished my dessert, the waitress asked me if I wanted coffee or tea. I said that I had already ordered tea from someone else, and I never got it. They found the woman who took my tea order, and she told me that she had completely forgotten about it. I asked her if she had forgotten my order or everyone else's order, too, and she assured me that my order was the only one that she had forgotten. That did not make me happy.

 

Since we have to pay a service charge on NCL (they don't have to worry about getting stiffed), I have no idea why they give such terrible service to solos.

[Venusleo1]

I really wanted to cruise for my birthday and I have done two solo cruises before and I am not scared to cruise alone. So I decided the heck with it I'm going to do what I want to do on my 27th birthday! :cool: So I started shopping cruises for the day of my birthday but only want a 3-4 nighter due to work. I am Loyal to Royal but the cruise I want is much more expensive then usuall so I decided to just take a peak at NCL and it's 1/2 the price! I'm sold. Now I am worried about this whole freestyle thing. What made my last solo cruise was my table mates and a CC member on my role call. No role call (I started one so hopefully some people will join) and now I have to face eating dinner freestyle.. :eek:

I'm still going to go and make the best of it but I am a tad bit worried. I am hopefull that what I have read about the Demos (20-30 year olds mostly) will help my luck in making new friends. Hopefully I won't be sitting alone for my birthday dinner. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.

[jp2001]

I really wanted to cruise for my birthday and I have done two solo cruises before and I am not scared to cruise alone. So I decided the heck with it I'm going to do what I want to do on my 27th birthday! :cool: So I started shopping cruises for the day of my birthday but only want a 3-4 nighter due to work. I am Loyal to Royal but the cruise I want is much more expensive then usuall so I decided to just take a peak at NCL and it's 1/2 the price! I'm sold. Now I am worried about this whole freestyle thing. What made my last solo cruise was my table mates and a CC member on my role call. No role call (I started one so hopefully some people will join) and now I have to face eating dinner freestyle.. :eek:

I'm still going to go and make the best of it but I am a tad bit worried. I am hopefull that what I have read about the Demos (20-30 year olds mostly) will help my luck in making new friends. Hopefully I won't be sitting alone for my birthday dinner. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for me.

 

If you are unlucky and you don't think you will have people to eat with you for your birthday, book Teppenyak AS SOON AS YOU CAN. The chef makes a show out of cooking your meal and there will be other people around you. Also, give yourself and other people a gift for your birthday and order a bottle of bubbly or sake to share among them (teppenyaki is usually between 8-12 people around a table). This way, you'll feel that you celebrate with others.

[Venusleo1]

jp2001 thank you for the great advice, unfortunatly I am sailing on Sky which is one of their smaller ships and there is no Teppenya.

[vacation luvver]

I don't see how you can guarantee sharing a table with people on your birthday, unless you eat at the buffet. At least there you won't have to worry about a waitress ignoring you because she thinks you went there to read, not eat, and there won't be anyone reassuring you that while she forgot to bring you your tea, she remembered everyone else's tea and coffee.

 

As I posted earlier, even someone at the Meet & Greet who wanted everyone there to have dinner with him on his birthday changed his mind, so even people who think that they want to eat with strangers change their mind when they're on NCL. Because to them, the best part of being on NCL is NOT having to eat with pesky strangers!

[Venusleo1]

Well nothing in life in guaranteed but I'd like to have a decent shot at it.. right. You keep saying pesky strangers, is that how you feel about it? I don't think about other cruisers that way at all I look at them all as potential future friends.

[jp2001]

jp2001 thank you for the great advice, unfortunatly I am sailing on Sky which is one of their smaller ships and there is no Teppenya.

 

ah, I didn't know that (I should have checked first :().

 

Then you really, really have to go to the CC Meet & Greet and ask the people you have fun with if they'd like to go to dinner together on "such" date (you can tell them it's your birthday, I'm sure they'll be happy to know). I would still order a bottle of bubbly for the table to celebrate with you (they'll be happy that you do this for them and it will get your birthday party going, I'm sure).

 

You make me think that I should book a cruise for my birthday (unfortunately, the prices are high in February and I'm a bargain hunter, I don't like to pay more than rock-bottom prices). I had a cruise booked for 3 days after my actual 30th birthday but finally I found a 14-night cruise for the same price as the 7-night planned so I delayed the cruise to this November... I think I'll order a bottle of bubbly, even if it's not my birthday :)

[Venusleo1]

No one's joined my roll call yet... :(

I started one because there wasn't any for my day and I have not had anyone respond. Ohh well.

It's no biggie if I dont have anyone to eat with I eat out alone at home all the time so I'll be fine with my book and my glass of wine. If I do however get the chance to sit with others even if I am just meeting them for the 1st time I think I will get that bottle of bubbly!! :)

[vacation luvver]

<<You keep saying pesky strangers, is that how you feel about it?>>

 

Oh my goodness, no, that's not how I feel about it! Didn't I mention that my friend and I always said we were willing to eat with strangers, but strangers didn't want to eat with us? Yes I did! And didn't I mention that there were two occasions on another ship when we wanted to eat with strangers, but the other people wouldn't say a single word to us during dinner, because they were furious at having to eat with us? Yes I did! Where on earth did you get the idea that I'm the one who thinks that strangers are pesky?

 

It's something that NCL brought about by having those commercials that show people stuck with big bores at mealtime, instead of showing people happily talking to each other. NCL tells potential customers that if they sail with NCL, they won't get stuck with bores at mealtime, because they won't have to deal with them at all! Those people who just don't like eating with strangers are the ones who think that strangers are pesky (or even worse) and are to be avoided at all costs.

 

If you really think that I think that strangers are pesky, then why do you think that when I was a solo, I always asked to be seated with strangers (which never happened, because everyone else thought that I was pesky, or worse)?

[jp2001]

No one's joined my roll call yet... :(

I started one because there wasn't any for my day and I have not had anyone respond. Ohh well.

It's no biggie if I dont have anyone to eat with I eat out alone at home all the time so I'll be fine with my book and my glass of wine. If I do however get the chance to sit with others even if I am just meeting them for the 1st time I think I will get that bottle of bubbly!! :)

 

NO ROLL CALL, I've never seen that before. OK, now it's official, you need to bring me with you, I'll make sure you get a decent birthday (I'll buy the bubbly and find us some newfound friends to celebrate with us).

 

:D

[Venusleo1]

<<You keep saying pesky strangers, is that how you feel about it?>>

 

Oh my goodness, no, that's not how I feel about it! Didn't I mention that my friend and I always said we were willing to eat with strangers, but strangers didn't want to eat with us? Yes I did! And didn't I mention that there were two occasions on another ship when we wanted to eat with strangers, but the other people wouldn't say a single word to us during dinner, because they were furious at having to eat with us? Yes I did! Where on earth did you get the idea that I'm the one who thinks that strangers are pesky?

 

It's something that NCL brought about by having those commercials that show people stuck with big bores at mealtime, instead of showing people happily talking to each other. NCL tells potential customers that if they sail with NCL, they won't get stuck with bores at mealtime, because they won't have to deal with them at all! Those people who just don't like eating with strangers are the ones who think that strangers are pesky (or even worse) and are to be avoided at all costs.

 

If you really think that I think that strangers are pesky, then why do you think that when I was a solo, I always asked to be seated with strangers (which never happened, because everyone else thought that I was pesky, or worse)?

 

I wasn't sure and that's why I asked. I wasn't attacking you. It's very difficult to hear the humorous sarcasm within a writen text I was pretty sure that wasn't how you felt but I was a bit confused. I couldn't tell. Sorry, I didn't mean any offense.

 

jp2001- It would only cost me a couple hundred more to bring you along. Get your but down here and the champainge better be Crystal!!! LOL J/K.

About the role call yes no one else has joined but this incredibly sweet woman decided to come by and chat. She's so sweet she's like Im not on this cruise but you're all alone so I'll come chat with you... hey if it takes pitty to get a conversation going I'll use it!! LOL. I had been posting back and forth to myself a few times it's quite a funny stream seeing myself answer my own questions. Hopefully the lack of a role call won't be any indication of the lack of people on board... or maybe I'll have the whole boat to myself. That would be cool for a couple of hours but pretty erie after a while.

[cmhmarine]

what HAL cruise are you on? your signature says majesty of the seas on the 14th??

 

my b day is aug 16 and I wanted to take a solo 3-4 day cruise....