How Freestyle IS Freestyle?

[sottovoce]

When I was on RCCL, I had planned all along not to dress up for formal night and go to the buffet that night instead. I did not want to drag along my formal clothes, did not want to wear them on vacation BUT I also respected the rule of the ship. Hence, I was going to the buffet. The night before formal night, we informed our waiter that we were not going to be there on formal night because we did not want to dress up. He and the maitre'd made it a point to press upon us that the Formal Night on RCCL was now just a suggestion and resort casual was perfectly acceptable and they wanted us to come back. So since the rule was changed, we went there and we were not the only ones not dressed up. It looks like Freestyle Dress Code and optional formal is expanding.

The bolded and italicized sentence above is encouraging but it won't be satisfactory until RCCL announces this as a policy [e.g., "Casual attire is welcome in all dining rooms at any time!"] and all its passengers understand it, and I haven't seen that done yet. Otherwise, some of the incredibly rude dress police passengers might well approach the maitre d' and create a scene when they see someone not dressed formally on formal nights or in jacket and tie on "smart casual" nights. If anyone has seen this change in policy formally announced, please point it out. Thanks.

[Mr. Luckytoo]

I'm looking at NCL for a cruise in October on the Sky for my husband's birthday. We've both cruised before on RCCL's Mariner of the Seas in 2008 as part of a family trip that was a Christmas present from my mom, and obviously, we really enjoyed it. ;)

 

Being chronically slow, late and twice as much on vacation, Freestyle cruising is definitely appealing! But how far does it go? Do activities get going on time or say, 8-ish? Do the shows go up on the dot? Are a lot of people late to them so you're not stuck standing in the back if you are? ;)

 

TIA!

 

Since you're looking at the Sky for October you also have the option of booking the Majesty (RCI) or Imagination (CCL) as all 3 leave from Miami.

 

I've done the Sky twice, Majesty once and won't cruise on CCL anymore. Just remember that Freestyle means you walk up to the restaurant in the MDR and ask for a table, just line any dining establishment on land. If you go at a busy time - you'll have to wait. I wasn't very imressed with the Sky.

 

On the Majesty you'll experience the same type of cruise you had on the Mariner. In addition RCI has a program called select dining that is just like NCL's Freestyle. With select dining you go to the MDR whenever you want, show them your card, just like NCL, and wait for a table to be seated.

 

Both the Sky and Majesty have shows at night and you need to plan your schedule in order to attend the shows at the time they are scheduled and yes on both ships they start on time.

 

The biggest difference between the two ships is that the Sky has 3 specialty dining venues (Cagney's, Bistro's and the Italian) while on the Majesty they only have a Johnny Rockets.

 

As for dressing/dress codes on both ships - much more casual on the Sky but they are really similar.

 

Since you're flying to Miami there are many better ships to sail then the Sky, such as: Liberty of the Seas (RCI), Epic (NCL), Pearl (NCL), or Dawn (NCL).

[Mr. Luckytoo]

The bolded and italicized sentence above is encouraging but it won't be satisfactory until RCCL announces this as a policy [e.g., "Casual attire is welcome in all dining rooms at any time!"] and all its passengers understand it, and I haven't seen that done yet. Otherwise, some of the incredibly rude dress police passengers might well approach the maitre d' and create a scene when they see someone not dressed formally on formal nights or in jacket and tie on "smart casual" nights. If anyone has seen this change in policy formally announced, please point it out. Thanks.

 

Sottovoce RCCL isn't going to lower their standards. They will allow smart casual or business casual on formal nights but they know their demographics and their customers.

 

I'm a Diamond on RCCL and I don't wear a tie to the MDR on formal nights. I also haven't seen the 'rude dress police passengers' that you are alluding to. I HAVE seen the maitre d' stop people from entering the MDR in shorts or jeans with holes and rightly so.

[newmexicoNita]

I'm looking at NCL for a cruise in October on the Sky for my husband's birthday. We've both cruised before on RCCL's Mariner of the Seas in 2008 as part of a family trip that was a Christmas present from my mom, and obviously, we really enjoyed it. ;)

 

Being chronically slow, late and twice as much on vacation, Freestyle cruising is definitely appealing! But how far does it go? Do activities get going on time or say, 8-ish? Do the shows go up on the dot? Are a lot of people late to them so you're not stuck standing in the back if you are? ;)

 

TIA!

 

Everything runs just like any other cruise line. If the starts at 8pm, that is when it starts. If trivia is scheduled for 2:30pm they game will start then. As for getting stuck standing in the back if you are late. That too is like other ships. The showrooms can hold a lot of people, it is up to you to get there in time to get a seat. I have stood on many cruises (not NCL) because the showrooms were too small for the number of people on the ship. The two I remember the most: Princess and HAL. Your best bet is to plan on seeing the show 1/2 hour before it is supposed to start, then maybe you can get yourself motivated to get there on time. Again, this problem is not any different than any other line.

 

Nita

[sottovoce]

Sottovoce RCCL isn't going to lower their standards. They will allow smart casual or business casual on formal nights but they know their demographics and their customers.

 

I'm a Diamond on RCCL and I don't wear a tie to the MDR on formal nights. I also haven't seen the 'rude dress police passengers' that you are alluding to. I HAVE seen the maitre d' stop people from entering the MDR in shorts or jeans with holes and rightly so.

You continue to harass us with your consistent negativity about NCL. You just waste space here and present nothing useful to anyone. Why don't you simply post elsewhere, instead of behaving like a pest-worthy-of-squashing here.

 

This isn't a question of "standards." These are all mass-market cruise lines. Nothing more. If RCCL has changed their dress code, they should make it clear to everyone that casual attire is welcome at all times, and stop their silly charades about "formal" nights and "smart casual" nights. There is nothing that happens on a mass-market cruise line that merits "formal" attire.

[newmexicoNita]

First, I do like freestyle cruising, but anything stated in the dress code is really just a suggestion. I have seen very sloppy clothing in the MDR and shorts with tshirts in the specialty restaurants. I came to the conclusion that NCL seems to justify their slide in quality because they probably think we are really just a bunch of slobs (about 1/3 of the guests) who don't even know to dress properly and therefore wouldn't know quality food or service if they even tried. And yes, flip flops can be seen all over the dining rooms.

 

I have seen shorts and I mean sloppy ones in the main dining rooms on Princess as well, so don't get the idea this is just NCLs slipping. As for flip flops, when was the last time you were on HAL or ate at Ruths' Chris in America?

 

You are 100% off base if you think the dressing down is just on NCL and think people who cruise NCL are slobs with no idea of quality food.

 

As for the number that don't dress according to policy, I have seen several turned away for wearing shorts and others allowed to dine. I have noticed much of this has to do with the embarkation ports. Certain locations seem to bring certain types of people.

 

NIta

[newmexicoNita]

You continue to harass us with your consistent negativity about NCL. You just waste space here and present nothing useful to anyone. Why don't you simply post elsewhere, instead of behaving like a pest-worthy-of-squashing here.

 

This isn't a question of "standards." These are all mass-market cruise lines. Nothing more. If RCCL has changed their dress code, they should make it clear to everyone that casual attire is welcome at all times, and stop their silly charades about "formal" nights and "smart casual" nights. There is nothing that happens on a mass-market cruise line that merits "formal" attire.

 

Of course you are right on again. RCI, Carnival, and NCL are exactly the same qualtiy with Princess being similar. They all have a little different approach and a little different personality, but anyone who wants to think RCI is a step above isn't being realistic.

 

Nita

[SnootieTootie]

First, I do like freestyle cruising, but anything stated in the dress code is really just a suggestion. I have seen very sloppy clothing in the MDR and shorts with tshirts in the specialty restaurants. I came to the conclusion that NCL seems to justify their slide in quality because they probably think we are really just a bunch of slobs (about 1/3 of the guests) who don't even know to dress properly and therefore wouldn't know quality food or service if they even tried. And yes, flip flops can be seen all over the dining rooms.

 

My fellow Ohio cruiser, I think you are way off base here. What in the world does how you dress have to do with the appreciation of good food and service?

[flowerchild]

My worst cruise memory is fighting with my daughter to get ready for our assigned dinner time. It sucked, big time, as I am sure she would tell you:rolleyes: I love Freestyle, no more fighting...:p

[DAGVBSB]

The bolded and italicized sentence above is encouraging but it won't be satisfactory until RCCL announces this as a policy [e.g., "Casual attire is welcome in all dining rooms at any time!"] and all its passengers understand it, and I haven't seen that done yet. Otherwise, some of the incredibly rude dress police passengers might well approach the maitre d' and create a scene when they see someone not dressed formally on formal nights or in jacket and tie on "smart casual" nights. If anyone has seen this change in policy formally announced, please point it out. Thanks.

 

Sottovoce RCCL isn't going to lower their standards. They will allow smart casual or business casual on formal nights but they know their demographics and their customers.

 

I'm a Diamond on RCCL and I don't wear a tie to the MDR on formal nights. I also haven't seen the 'rude dress police passengers' that you are alluding to. I HAVE seen the maitre d' stop people from entering the MDR in shorts or jeans with holes and rightly so.

 

 

As I said, I am one who believes in following rules and our family was perfectly fine with going to the buffet on Formal night... in fact we had planned it all along. We were being polite and informing our waiter that we would not be there the next night (our family took up a whole table, so the whole table would be absent.). It was the waiter and then the maitre'd who told us of the new policy.

 

Being of a questioning nature, I asked: "but it doesn't say that" and the response was that it was a new policy that they weren't publicizing "just yet."

 

Now what that tells me is that they are trying to straddle the fence so to speak. They are trying to make those who don't want to dress up happy by letting them not dress up on formal night, but also they don't want to upset those who like to dress up (and the 'rude dress police') by making it public.

 

We wore polo shirts, kahki pants and tennis shoes to dinner on the Explorer that night and the maitre'd welcomed us and actually spent time at our table. (which was right in the middle of the main room next to the Captain's Table). He never made a comment about our dress and neither did anyone else. I don't know if anyone said anything to the maitre'd but he didn't indicate anything to us.

 

 

I think the changes in the dress code and especially the loosening up of the rules for Formal night are sweeping through the industry. The success of Freestyle dress on NCL has made the other lines look at what they have and follow suit in order to compete. It is simply a part of our society today and also the change in cruising to more a mass appeal. The cruise lines add more and more cabins and in order to fill them, they have to appeal to more people. The only way to do so is to put forth options which will appeal to more people... no set dining times, no mandatory formal night, more food (especially vegetarian and healthy) choices, and all around make it easier to cruise.

[DAGVBSB]

My fellow Ohio cruiser, I think you are way off base here. What in the world does how you dress have to do with the appreciation of good food and service?

 

As another Ohio cruiser (and someone from a Columbus suburb like ConnieG), I was wondering the same thing.

 

I have never understood how you are dressed affects the quality of food, the taste of the food or the quality of service you get. (especially on a cruise ship where you don't tip directly!)

 

 

It even further bothers me when people say that their meal was "ruined" because of how the people at the next table were dressed. My response to them is "shouldn't you stop worrying about everyone else and worry about yourself and those that you are with?" (or are you just a nosey busy body.)

[shiningprincess]

My worst cruise memory is fighting with my daughter to get ready for our assigned dinner time. It sucked, big time, as I am sure she would tell you:rolleyes: I love Freestyle, no more fighting...:p

 

Yeah, I was remembering my husband and I snapping at each other when getting ready for dinner one night; my mom tends to like picking a traditional time so we're guaranteed to have one point of the day when we're all together, which is nice - just not our usual MO. :rolleyes:

 

Thanks to everyone so far, especially with the tips about dining times and locations and comparisons of the lines. This is all totally helpful. Nice to know there's lots to do no matter when you get yourself together too!

[newmexicoNita]

As another Ohio cruiser (and someone from a Columbus suburb like ConnieG), I was wondering the same thing.

 

I have never understood how you are dressed affects the quality of food, the taste of the food or the quality of service you get. (especially on a cruise ship where you don't tip directly!)

 

 

It even further bothers me when people say that their meal was "ruined" because of how the people at the next table were dressed. My response to them is "shouldn't you stop worrying about everyone else and worry about yourself and those that you are with?" (or are you just a nosey busy body.)

 

It doesn't affect class either, snobbery maybe. Our son in law doesn't want to ever cruise cause his idea of dressing up is a little nicer pair of shorts, maybe dockers but with a $200 Ralph Larin dress shirt...He is educated, has money and doesn't suffer from lack of food knowledge. He was in the industry for years. They own their own, very successful business in Florida and he just doesn't like to put anything on other than Fl style clothes. They live in Fl for a reason.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

Yeah, I was remembering my husband and I snapping at each other when getting ready for dinner one night; my mom tends to like picking a traditional time so we're guaranteed to have one point of the day when we're all together, which is nice - just not our usual MO. :rolleyes:

 

Thanks to everyone so far, especially with the tips about dining times and locations and comparisons of the lines. This is all totally helpful. Nice to know there's lots to do no matter when you get yourself together too!

 

When we cruise as a family (usually about 8 to 10 of us) we always plan on the cocktail hour as our promised time together. We also plan on one or two dinners together.

 

Nita

[Powriv]

As I said, I am one who believes in following rules and our family was perfectly fine with going to the buffet on Formal night... in fact we had planned it all along. We were being polite and informing our waiter that we would not be there the next night (our family took up a whole table, so the whole table would be absent.). It was the waiter and then the maitre'd who told us of the new policy.

 

Being of a questioning nature, I asked: "but it doesn't say that" and the response was that it was a new policy that they weren't publicizing "just yet."

 

Now what that tells me is that they are trying to straddle the fence so to speak. They are trying to make those who don't want to dress up happy by letting them not dress up on formal night, but also they don't want to upset those who like to dress up (and the 'rude dress police') by making it public.

 

 

 

quote]

 

I think there is something to that but also it comes down to money...meaning Tips. There will be some that will reduce or eliminate the tips given to the dining room staff on the formal nights if they choose not to attend.

The cruiselines have read as we all have on these boards that people are that miserly and miserable that they would punish the staff for not going to the dining room on formal night by reducing the tips. So now it is asked that guests go every night so they won't touch the tips.

 

On my last cruise we were of similar mind and weren't going to do formal nights and told the waiter the night before that we wouldn't be there and he begged us to come...saying things like we are all family here...blah blah blah. We did go and we enjoyed ourselves but the push to have us stay was definately different

[Groliv]

Back to the original post, we personally didn't care for Freestyle. Not that it's intentions aren't admirable, we just found it dysfunctional on our GEM cruise. If arriving to eat and waiting 30 to 45 min. for a table wasn't enough to test your patience, try another half hour waiting for your salad. On average, wait another 20 to 30 min for the main entrée. Desert was another situation that I'd rater not go into. What we witnessed is that the dining room staff was seriously under staffed. They tried their best with what they had (staffing). It wasn't so bad for breakfast or lunch, but diner was quite challenging. Planning for anything after-wards was a coin toss. We never had this problem on the Spirit or Crown and hopefully the Jewel is better staffed for our upcoming cruise.

Maybe it's just the GEM, but I had the same terrible experience with "freestyle" dining as rzdj did. Long waits (and we were only 3 people) and slow service. One night, after finally being seated, we were left there without even so much as water, so we got up and left. We did try some of the pay restaurants, which were better, but after what you pay to go on the cruise do you really want to pay more to eat ?

My GEM experience was enough to turn me off of NCL.

[hateswaterloves2cruise]

On our Dawn cruise last March we found the Venetian dining room to be much slower in service than Aqua. Both were MDR's and served the same menu. (I think I have the names right) Anyway, once we discovered this we ate in Aqua and were seated and served usually in about 45 minutes total time. Our one visit to Venetian took over 1 1/2 hours. There were 4 of us. I think it depends on the number of guests vs the number of waiter/waitresses on duty each nite. We love NCL freestyle and have 2 cruises set for this winter. :)

[flowerchild]

On our Dawn cruise last March we found the Venetian dining room to be much slower in service than Aqua. Both were MDR's and served the same menu. (I think I have the names right) Anyway, once we discovered this we ate in Aqua and were seated and served usually in about 45 minutes total time. Our one visit to Venetian took over 1 1/2 hours. There were 4 of us. I think it depends on the number of guests vs the number of waiter/waitresses on duty each nite. We love NCL freestyle and have 2 cruises set for this winter. :)

 

I agree with this 100%, this was my expereince on both the Star and the Dawn. If there is a line at one MDR, check out the other one, it probably doesn't...

[NJCONVCRS]

deleting duplicate post

[NJCONVCRS]

I just returned from the Jewel and I found that Freestyle really meant free of care for the staff. Since you never have the same servers and their tip is pretty much guaranteed, they aren't very responsive. Service was always slow in both Tsar's and Azura. It was a little worse in Tsar's even though they were never full becuase of the 'dress code'. There were always long waits for Azura. The food isn't worth waiting for. It's no better than buffet food except they serve it hot (most of the time). NCL is really hoping that you go to the 'specialty retsaurants' and spend more money.

[Scrappygrrl]

Just off the Pearl - never had a wait for any restaurants - even when seating was showing "red", for instance.

[SuiteRose]

On our Dawn cruise last March we found the Venetian dining room to be much slower in service than Aqua. Both were MDR's and served the same menu. (I think I have the names right) Anyway, once we discovered this we ate in Aqua and were seated and served usually in about 45 minutes total time. Our one visit to Venetian took over 1 1/2 hours. There were 4 of us. I think it depends on the number of guests vs the number of waiter/waitresses on duty each nite. We love NCL freestyle and have 2 cruises set for this winter. :)

 

Actually, we don't mind if dinner takes 1 1/2 hours if we have nothing planned. Even on land, if we are having a 5 course dinner, we like time in between to chat, have a glass of wine and get hungry for the next course. I don't like being rushed between courses. But that's just us and I can certainly understand if others like to eat more quickly.

[iheartbda]

Wonder how the OP made out being chronically late on Carnival since that's who she ultimately chose.:D

[raventhebouv]

Well, you MUST wear clothing! It's not THAT much Freestyle!:eek::D

LOL...I have seen folks who are close to wearing no clothing on cruises! OMG, get those pictures out of my head:eek: Really, I sometimes think some folks just forgot to look in the mirror before leaving their cabin...sorta like peopleinwalmart.com! YIKES!!

[coffeebean]

I'm looking at NCL for a cruise in October on the Sky for my husband's birthday. We've both cruised before on RCCL's Mariner of the Seas in 2008 as part of a family trip that was a Christmas present from my mom, and obviously, we really enjoyed it. ;)

 

Being chronically slow, late and twice as much on vacation, Freestyle cruising is definitely appealing! But how far does it go? Do activities get going on time or say, 8-ish? Do the shows go up on the dot? Are a lot of people late to them so you're not stuck standing in the back if you are? ;)

 

TIA!

First of all, please don't compare NCL's Sky to RCCL's Mariner as it is not a fair comparison. The Sky is smaller and older and was not built for Freestyle Dining. They do the best they can, but the Freestyle experience is no where near the same as NCL's newer ships.

 

Activities do usually start on time on NCL and are going all day long. Most folks are on time for the activities.