Nisky18

I believe that requesting the earlier di ing time with an explanation regarding medical conditions, would gain you access to that time.

Bermuda, in addition to rum cakes ( which are made there and are delicious) is the perfume. Beautiful scents created there and sold in interesting bottles. I bought a sweet little teapot shaped bottle containing a perfume I knew my 18 yr old daughter would love and she did. There is also a glass blowing factory where you can watch beautiful glass works being created and buy the works of art. All of these can be purchased at the Royal Navy Dockyard where the ship is in port.

The chocolate rum cake in Bermuda. Be careful. It's about 80 proof and delicious! Ship some small ones home to give as gifts.

I would be talking with customer service and unsist on being conn2 ted with a supervisor. Be sweet and soli itous, say how upset u are, you planned way in advance for a certain cabin etc. Work it, to either be allowed to cancel without penalty or get an upgraded cabin.

The one thing that a MDR is able to offer is a different menu every night along with the always available -- keep same dining time, table and same table mates.

 

With DD to get different food, you have to go to a different dining room -- different times, table, wait staff and possibly dining with only with your companion(s).

 

Plus, you also need to schedule around show times and activities.

 

Eating at 9:45 PM is not very desirable if you have to take medication or are a diabetic. Eating at the buffet is also not very desirable to be able to eat at a reasonable time.

 

When I go on vacation I do not want to have to work to make decisions on show times, meal times, etc. I go to relax and be waited on.

 

MARAPRINCE

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I completely agree with Maraprince. After cruising on the Norwegian Breakaway from September 7-14, 2014, my first taste of "freestyle" isn't a good one. I prefer eating in one main dining room, having a choice of vegetarian items, having the wait staff know us and our likes or dislikes. I cruised in January on the Carnival Splendor where every meal was wonderful. The waiter knew I was vegetarian and that I liked yogurt in the morning so each evening after dinner he brought me a couple of yogurts for me to put in the cabin refrigerator. He would recommend menu items or bring samples. It just made a positive difference in our dining experience on board that ship. On the Norwegian Breakaway earlier this month, having different dining rooms, having to reserve around show times and other activity times, having different wait staff each meal, was frankly a chore. As a vegetarian, it annoyed me greatly that each menu on board the Breakaway had ONE vegetarian item and if I didn't like it I was out of luck. Fortunately on the first day I met the Executive Chef and Restaurant Manager at the Cruise Critic Luncheon after having an inedible vegetarian fajita at that lunch. The Exec Chef offered to prepare meals for me if I contacted him beforehand and I did so on just two occasions, both The Manhattan Room on the Breakaway. My meals were delicious. But should I have to do that for every meal? This was my 12th cruise and the first time I can remember having just ONE selection on the dinner menu. It's true that dining isn't the only thing done on a cruise and I did find the buffet decent but I don't like buffets. I'm not happy that for me to eat a decent vegetarian meal I had to visit the buffet, which unfortunately caused me to overeat (something I actually never do on a cruise. I think I was fueled by hunger from the lack of choices). Bottom line is that my September 2014 cruise was a learning experience. I now know that I don't like "free style" and it won't surprise me if other cruise lines follow suit and institute "free style" as a cost cutting measure. Maybe demographics makes a difference. I've spoken with much younger people who actually like "free style" because they like eating at different venues. For me "free style dining" is the way to go on land, not at sea. And I certainly expect more vegetarian options. As far back as the late 1990s and the early 2000s, most ships I cruised on actually had a separate vegetarian menu. I would have thought that in this day and age, when more people are vegetarian or even vegan, things would at least be the same or better than back then.

Three freebie restsurants, Taste, Savor and The Manhattan Room all have the identical menu except The Manhattan Room has a specialty dish in addition to the other dishes. Vegetarians like me will be disappointed there is only ONE vegetarian menu item. If you call the Executive Chef before going to a dining room restaurant and ask for a different dish it will be created for you but you must tell your dining room server.

I brought a 12 pack of speingbwater, put a luggage tag on it and it went with my luggage to my cabin

I was in cabin #9230 on the Breakaway from Sept 7-14, and was above the waterfront but it didnt obstruct the view of the ocean. It was, however, smoky and noisy until around midnight.

Oops. "Joyce's" should read "choices"

I have determined that I do not like Freestyle Cruising. I absolutely prefer to dine consistently in one dining room so that the wait staff gets to know you. I think my experience on the Carnival Splendor in January was so superior with regard to dining because the waiter knew I was vegetarian and anticipated what I liked from the very first day. In addition, there were actually several vegetarian choices on each menu. Norwegian Breakaway, on the other hand, had one vegetarian option on the main dining room menu. And although there were three or four main dining room freebie Joyce's, they all shared the same menu

My bags are so heavy I tip $5-$8, apologize for the weight and thank them for the service.

I worry about security

My children started cruising when they were babies. In the old days we could hire cruise staff to babysit for cash. It was a great experience as the staff were always already trained to work with children and we had confidence in them. Call the cruiseline to inquire about child care options for the youngest of your family.

Got off Norwegian Breakaway this past Sunday so food memories still intact. I know feedi g nearly 4,000 people is challenging and don't expect food to reach us and still be hot. But I do expect it to be flavorfull. As a vegetarian I was terribly disappointed by the lack of culinary creativity, though the Garden Cafe buffet was decent. Frankly, with the cost of cruising so high I expect food to be better than decent.

Hi Melli. I loved the ambiance of The Manhatyan Room free restaurant but the food on board the beautiful Norwegian Breakaway was just generally mediocre. The show Rock Of Ages was fantastic.

Hi. I just reyurned from the Norwegian Breakaway to Bermuda, having cruised with two friends. We met a few other single or solo female cruisers of all ages and a few younger male solo cruisers. Everyone has had positive solo cruising experiences. We three thought it might be interesting to go on an actual singles cruise. Has anyone done that and if so what was it like?

I have learned that cruise line representative sometimes give incorrect information. I was recently on the Norwegian Breakaway, and we were upgraded to a balcony mini suite. Two NCL representatives had told me the king size bed in our cabin could not be separated into two beds. I questioned them extensively because almost everywhere in their brochure the queen size beds in the mini-suite cabins had the ability to be separated. i was told OUR cabin had a king size bed that could not. We were three older women. After we got on board on Sunday September 7, we met our room steward who asked us if we would like the bed separated. I told him what two representatives had informed me. He said, of course the bed can be separated and he did so for us. This was my 12th cruise and on previous ones the bed was sometimes queen or king and sometimes separated. I suggest you always make a request in advance as to your preference but once on board if you find you need it changed just seek your cabin steward. No big deal. You're cruising!

I like occasionally dressing up.

My 18 yr old daughter and her friend went with me on the Carnival Splendor in January and met others their age. That age group kind of finds each other.

I liked the bed by the balcony. I leave the drapes open at night as I like being awakened to natural light and the majestic ocean.

Call them.

Hi ladybugk04, I haven't seen you on the Roll Call.

Question about the application - does anyone know if there's a table on the NCL ship (any ship) where you're offered an additional incentive to sign up for the credit card on board? I did this in January on board the Carnival Splendor and got good freebies plus extra points.

You can always ask for an upper deck or if prices have dropped ask them to re evaluate your booking.

I finished my last cruise a month before my 55th birthday. Next cruise in April.

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Hi BillOH, glad you posted. What ship will you be cruising on in April and where does it go?