It seems many of the crowding issues have to do with the MDR. We had always used open dining until a recent NS cruise on which after a drink was spilled on me accidentally they took us upstairs and said if we wanted, we could have that table for late seating. We decided to try it and realized we usually eat at the same time anyway and if we didn't we could always just go downstairs. As a result there was no wait on either the NS or K in our recent cruises. You walk in and go to your table, no lines. And you get to know the staff who would remember I wanted coffee with my desert even though I usually forgot to mention it untill the desert came. The only crouwding I felt on either was at the Blues Club although that is what you want at a club.