How Freestyle IS Freestyle?

[robin13]

Wow, I found the service in the MDR to be super fast. I never encountered any delays but then again we were eating between 6pm and 6:30. As for Freestyle I am totally for it as I loved not feeling rushed to eat dinner or make a show. It seems that there was so much going on that I could not make up my mind what to do. I am planning another cruise for 2011 and are hoping that NCL has the itinerary I want as I really don't want to go back to set times and dressing up for dinner.

[insidecabin]

We have noticed with NCL that many times the MDR service can be paced very slow but this is sorted by just asking for a faster pace if that is what you desire.

 

IME people that do end up waiting for tables just don't adapt by changing times a bit if one time has a line or no tables move times a bit the next night and you are usualy OK.

 

As for dress codes did RCI late last year and and Reefs/jeans/polo were fine in the dining rooms. We did dress up a bit more for formal and speciality but casual with jeans was still fine.

 

Just got of Celebrity Connie and they are fine with jeans they did however insist on a Jacket formal nights but some managed MDR without.

 

The select dining was executed very well with bookings and no wait on walk ups but many that wanted it had to stay fixed, 6:30 or 9:00. since they only allocate a few tables

[marinaro44]

We experienced no waits in either main dining room on Spirit's recent repo. Windows and Bistro had a somewhat more restrictive dress code at dinner: no open-toed sandals for men and no t-shirts, even nicely ribbed, dressy shirts without collars. The hostess was sending people back to change.

[Albert Bell]

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.

 

 

 

This is our thoughts too, we go down to the dining room just after 8pm and hope we get the 2 for 1 buzzer. When we get the call up for dine (10mins approx) we take our drinks in and order a nice bottle of wine.....nice and easy.....:D. Can't wait till our next cruise.

[ksg]

This is our thoughts too, we go down to the dining room just after 8pm and hope we get the 2 for 1 buzzer. When we get the call up for dine (10mins approx) we take our drinks in and order a nice bottle of wine.....nice and easy.....:D. Can't wait till our next cruise.

 

What is the 2-for-1 buzzer? do they have this on the Dawn?

[Ms belp]

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.

 

I'm with you. I like to have a leisurely meal. We don't care about the entertainment. A glass of wine and time to talk with Chris is all I look forward too.

[npsh]

We didn't experience long waits during our Dawn repo cruise last month. On the first few days we did have to wait at the MDRs for close to 10 min at times. It was due, as we saw it, people wanting to sit by themselves. If you were willing to share a table - no waiting, however we choose to be by ourselves so the slight delays didn't bother us. We very much enjoyed the freestyle as didn't want to to have the dress up issues with formal dining as other cruise lines have. The NCL cruisers appear to be quite relaxed as compared to the other cruise lines we experienced, perhaps due to the overall atmosphere at NCL. Yes, there were very few with the shirt/tie attire at the dress up or not but those that did dress in their finest, more than likely, enjoyed themselves. They didn't seem bothered by people like myself who for the most part wore their jeans and a casual shirt at all venues The beauty of freestyle we recognized/respected each other's desire to dress as we wanted(within the relms of good/decent taste ie no tank tops, cut-off jeans/shorts or swin trunks)

[Dajbman22]

What is the 2-for-1 buzzer? do they have this on the Dawn?

Don't know if its on all ships, but a small number of the buzzers they give you if there is a wait in a dining room have a 2 for 1 drink coupon printed on them so you can grab two drinks at the bar while waiting for your table.