What if Freestyle was the norm?

[darrengs]

I was thinking what if Freestyle cruising was how cruise travel started and the cruise lines tried to change it.

 

For example instead of picking your own time to dine and dining with whom you wanted the cruise lines said, now we have 2 set dining times you may pick one and request a table size, but we can't promise that you will get what you pick.

 

Wow the backlash would be incredible.:eek:

[njhorseman]

I'm always amazed when people complain about Freestyle dining, when in "real life"...on land...that is the norm for dining in restaurants. You pick where and when you want to eat...restaurants, with a few exceptions, don't have fixed seatings.

[dbcnwa]

There is one positive from this scenario... you wouldn't hear complaints about paying extra for specialty restaurants since everyone would have to eat in main dining rooms :D

[spacepotatoes]

Interesting thought! Sometimes I wonder how I would have felt about Freestyle if I'd taken my first cruise on a different line. Since DH and I started with Freestyle and really liked it, we've been finding ourselves a bit hesitant about trying other cruise lines. I know that they are all more alike than not and we do have several that we plan to try at some point, but we've agreed that whatever line we cruise in the future MUST have an anytime dining option. The traditional assigned time and seating is great in theory but when we go on vacation, we want to enjoy that quality time together. We're more than happy to socialize during excursions and ship activities, but dinner is our time.

[flashdog_1]

And no mention of the dress code !

[mypleasure]

It is the dress code that puts us off booking other lines. I am not happy in dresses, would not feel at all right in a gown even if I had one. Husband hates suits and ties. We are happy in what we feel comfortable in which is generally not shorts in the evening but not all dressed up either.

I love the idea of eating when we want to eat and would hate to be given a time to dine. Leave it as it is as it is what brings us back to NCL every time.

[NYcruzzer]

I'm always amazed when people complain about Freestyle dining, when in "real life"...on land...that is the norm for dining in restaurants. You pick where and when you want to eat...restaurants, with a few exceptions, don't have fixed seatings.

 

I love being able to choose when and with whom I dine with. I think the majority of the complaints are from people who have to wait more than 2 minutes to be seated. I usually dine at 7:00 and the wait was never that long.On Lobster night there are alot of militant passangers hovering around the podium waiting for a table.

[SuiteRose]

Interesting thought! Sometimes I wonder how I would have felt about Freestyle if I'd taken my first cruise on a different line. Since DH and I started with Freestyle and really liked it, we've been finding ourselves a bit hesitant about trying other cruise lines. I know that they are all more alike than not and we do have several that we plan to try at some point, but we've agreed that whatever line we cruise in the future MUST have an anytime dining option. The traditional assigned time and seating is great in theory but when we go on vacation, we want to enjoy that quality time together. We're more than happy to socialize during excursions and ship activities, but dinner is our time.

 

My first cruise was on RCCL. I was not a fan of Freestyle on my first NCL cruise. However, DH's first cruise was NCL and he has said that he doesn't want to try a line with traditional dining. He laughed very hard when we could see the people all dressed up, dancing with napkins while the waiters danced around on a RCCL ship docked next to us Nassau. He thought it was ridiculous. I (on the other hand) didn't like Freestyle dining the first time and missed that "get to know your waiter" feel... I have since changed my mind and don't see myself booking a cruise with a tight dress code and traditional dining.

[DMH15]

I agree. I love Freestyle and like being in charge of my own schedule... thank you very much.

[Turtles06]

We love being able to eat when and where we want as well. We have no idea what time we are going to want to eat dinner tonight, let alone when we'll want to eat dinner months from now. So Freestyle Dining is a major reason we love NCL.

 

We recently thought we'd give another cruise line a try, though. Carnival had a cruise leaving from a port we can easily drive to, with good prices and a cabin we thought we'd enjoy. But when it came time to "reserve" our dining option, the Carnival rep said that "Your Time Dining" was waitlisted, and that of the two regular dinner seatings, there was no room at the early seating (6:15pm), and the only dining they could confirm for us would be at 8:15pm (far later than we normally eat). (Maybe the Maitre D' could help us out once we were on board, she said. Made me wonder if some money would have to change hands for the "help.")

 

Plus, the rep also told me that their evening entertainment is scheduled in a way that you can only see it after you eat, which would be well after 10pm. Uh, no, way too late.

 

So off we went and booked another NCL cruise, with virtually the same itinerary, even though the departure port is much further away.....:)

[Mr. Luckytoo]

I was thinking what if Freestyle cruising was how cruise travel started and the cruise lines tried to change it.

 

For example instead of picking your own time to dine and dining with whom you wanted the cruise lines said, now we have 2 set dining times you may pick one and request a table size, but we can't promise that you will get what you pick.

 

Wow the backlash would be incredible.:eek:

 

It wouldn't happen - the Easter Bunny would strike...it would begin to snow in Texas in July...The sun wouldn't rise in the morning...The glaciers would begin to freeze...the Democrats would gain control of all US Politics....yeah stranger things have happened! :cool:

[DAGVBSB]

If Freestyle were the norm, we wouldn't have to listen to the traditionalists whinning that Freestyle is "deystroying Cruising."

 

And we wouldn't have to listen to the whiners complain that their cruise was "Ruined" because the person next to them did not dress up.

 

And of course no more whines about their cruise being a "disaster" because of Freestyle.

 

 

But of course if we eliminated all those, we wouldn't have anyone to laugh at.

[STARFISH*4]

didnt start out FREE~STYLIN but GLAD we FOUND our WAY:D~~~no stress...no pressure....MY CHOICE:)

[emcelh]

I'm glad not everyone likes Freestyle. If that wasn't the case it would be hard to get a reservation and the fares would probably be higher. Anyway, NCL must be one to something because other lines are trying to accommodate passengers who prefer freestyle dining to some degree.

[darrengs]

I actually enjoy both styles of cruising and think there is a place for both. But I definitely think a switch from Freestyle to standard would meet with a lot more uproar.

[Sauer-kraut]

I think assigned seating is fine on Transatlantics because there is really no jostling to get back to the ship from a port call. Also, even with traditional dining there are options i.e. the buffet and some lines do have optional restaurants if you want to try something different.

 

I guess its just a perspective of where you are crusing. ;)

[halos]

I was thinking what if Freestyle cruising was how cruise travel started and the cruise lines tried to change it.

 

For example instead of picking your own time to dine and dining with whom you wanted the cruise lines said, now we have 2 set dining times you may pick one and request a table size, but we can't promise that you will get what you pick.

 

Wow the backlash would be incredible.:eek:

 

Wow.

I never thought about that, but you are SO right! :eek:

[uppitycats]

I've cruised on lines with both traditional and freestyle..and most recently, on a line that combines them -- a couple of nights of our 10 day cruise there was "fixed dining" -- but the passengers could choose which seating, and the rest freestyle..

 

I much prefer the freestyle, and while I'd possibly endure fixed seating if the itinerary were right, I'll choose freestyle over fixed whenever possible.

[finzzup]

We've just completed our first NCL cruise. Not sure we're "Freestyle" people.

We don't mind showering and putting on a decent skirt or pair of slacks for dinner. Regarding formals, the norm on other lines now is cocktail dresses and suits. Fewer and fewer tuxes and evening gowns (in part I'd guess because of luggage restrictions). We very much enjoy the personal sevice of the waitstaff, as well as the comraderie of our table mates. We've met some lovely people who have added to our cruise experience. (Only once have we had the tablemates from hell and were quickly accommodated with a change)

 

My biggest issue was not being able to get into any non specialty dining room at a reasonable time without a wait. Having said that, I did figure out toward the end what that the same folks I saw eating in the buffet area at 6-7PM - while passing through to the back deck to watch debarkations - were also queued up with us at 8PM or so. We also figured out that a larger table was seated faster and made some impromptu table sharing arrangements while in line. BTW - the specialty restaurants were very underused but took up a lot of real estate. The buffet area was chaos, no oversight of food handling, no flow and not enough tables.

 

We were on the Jade out of Barcelona. I understand it has recently been renovated. I don't know what it was like before, but it is awkward at best now - elevators that don't service all decks, badly chopped up public areas, poor flow of traffic in some high use areas. I feel that contributed to our experience. I also believe that the dinner timing may be in part a mediteranean cultural thing.

 

The Barcelona debarkation is very convenient for us. And there are other itineraries they offer that we would like to try, but I'm just not sure. Earlier in the week we took their offer for the pre-booking credit, so I guess we're in for 1 more. Maybe at a time when schools are in. Schools here went back the 2nd week of August, schools in Spain & GB go back the 2nd week of September. Which could also help explain the double diners - buffet early to feed kids, then dinner for the adults- with the kids in tow.

 

Wish us luck for NCL #2.

[sottovoce]

We were on the Jade out of Barcelona. I understand it has recently been renovated. I don't know what it was like before, but it is awkward at best now - elevators that don't service all decks, badly chopped up public areas, poor flow of traffic in some high use areas. I feel that contributed to our experience. I also believe that the dinner timing may be in part a mediteranean cultural thing.

Some people will exaggerate their complaints ad nauseam. The elevator doesn't stop at the deck where the rear dining room is, except for the disabled. Big deal. Walk one flight of stairs. There is nothing "awkward." Traffic flow is just fine. I don't understand the bit about "chopped up public areas" at all. We've cruised Jade and her sister-ship, Jewel, and had no issues. They are very comfortable ships. I'm guessing this is another example of "it wasn't like the ship we sailed on so-and-so line so we didn't like it."

 

Those who are enamored with the so-called "personal service" of traditional dining should simply stick with it, and stop coming to the NCL board and whining about freestyle. Most of us here don't need to have a glass of iced tea waiting for us when we sit down, don't need to see stupid napkin tricks or dancing waiters while we're trying to eat, wear funny Dutch hats and wave napkins over our heads, dine with people with whom we have nothing in common for fifteen nights, dress as we are ordered to by big brother, eat when we are told to be hungry, be required to tell our tablemates when we decide to make alternative dinner arrangements so they don't sit there twiddling their thumbs waiting for us, and on and on.

 

We are grown-ups, capable of making our own friends to share company over dinner, capable of deciding where and when to eat, experienced enough to know what attire is appropriate for a cruise ship, fully able to ask for a beverage if desired, secure enough not to need to be fawned over with the usual, embarrassing bowing and scraping, and able to plan our own schedule with no help required from the cruise ship.

[sverigecruiser]

For me Freestyle is mostly about being able to choose who I shall eat with. I could live with a fixed time to eat but if NCL should go back to assigned seating with people I'm not interested in having dinner with, my cruising days would be over!

[fergusonvt]

What attracted me to book with NCL was Freestyle. I really like the flexability of eating when I want and being able to dress more casual for dining then some of the other lines.

[finzzup]

Some people will exaggerate their complaints ad nauseam. The elevator doesn't stop at the deck where the rear dining room is, except for the disabled. Big deal. Walk one flight of stairs. There is nothing "awkward." Traffic flow is just fine. I don't understand the bit about "chopped up public areas" at all. We've cruised Jade and her sister-ship, Jewel, and had no issues. They are very comfortable ships. I'm guessing this is another example of "it wasn't like the ship we sailed on so-and-so line so we didn't like it."

 

Those who are enamored with the so-called "personal service" of traditional dining should simply stick with it, and stop coming to the NCL board and whining about freestyle. Most of us here don't need to have a glass of iced tea waiting for us when we sit down, don't need to see stupid napkin tricks or dancing waiters while we're trying to eat, wear funny Dutch hats and wave napkins over our heads, dine with people with whom we have nothing in common for fifteen nights, dress as we are ordered to by big brother, eat when we are told to be hungry, be required to tell our tablemates when we decide to make alternative dinner arrangements so they don't sit there twiddling their thumbs waiting for us, and on and on.

 

We are grown-ups, capable of making our own friends to share company over dinner, capable of deciding where and when to eat, experienced enough to know what attire is appropriate for a cruise ship, fully able to ask for a beverage if desired, secure enough not to need to be fawned over with the usual, embarrassing bowing and scraping, and able to plan our own schedule with no help required from the cruise ship.

 

 

Do I understand you to say that you feel that NCL cruisers don't deserve a high level of service? That they should not have expectations of quality and comfort? Or that somehow they are incapable of social interaction with persons to whom they have not been previously acquainted? Or perhaps you feel their manners or dress are so lacking that they shouldn't be allowed to mix with polite company? I can understand loyalty but honey, you've gone way off the deep end.

 

I stand by my comments and observations. Including my statement that we will try NCL again.

[jku2]

I have been on 20 cruises and have had experience with all types of dining and there are pros and cons of each. What I do not like about freestyle is to have the computer board in front of the dining room letting me know how long the wait is in each room and there only having immediate seatings in the extra charge rooms.

Most extra charge rooms would be empty while wait times were often more than a half hour for the main dining rooms.

 

Two suggestions I would make to NCL is to fill up the tables to start. When we would arrive within the first half hour of the dining room opening we would always be placed by ourselves even though we asked to join others.

Because of this we often sat the 2 of us at a 4 person table.

The other suggestion would be to have more of the "special" rooms be without extra cost.

[muttley]

have any of you who say freestyle is great traveled solo? solo but wanting to meet new people for dinner. i doubt it. at least with traditional cruising i can just ask to be seated at a large table. i don't have to say 'can i eat with you' and 'i'd like to see the show with other people, what time did you book on the epic?' maybe i can book the same time since i can't just walk in' to everyone i meet.