Dining wait times

[winste]

Have our first NCL cruise next fall.

 

Picked NCL for its relaxed style.

 

Now I am reading about wait times and am concerned.

 

Are they that bad? We usually like to ear later say around 730.

 

We are in a penthouse suite so could make reservations but we don't want to be tied down.

 

Also like just tables for two.

 

Is this going to be a problem?

 

On the star out of New Orleans november 2012.

 

Thx

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[rvsullivan]

What and where are you reading about wait times? We've been on a few NCL cruises now and have never waited any more than two or three minutes and that has always been very uncommon. We have always had a table for two. Relax and enjoy. We will be onboard a couple of weeks after you in 2012.

[dalgirl]

there can be wait times in the main free dining rooms if everyone wants to eat around the same time as you (we like to eat earlier and head to the shows, etc). They will pass out a beeper allowing you to go anywhere in the main areas of the ship to wait - we always love to get these beepers as the offer 2/1 drinks for your wait. By the time we order the drink and it arrives, the beeper goes off... a great way to save some money. And if you know you like to eat around a certain time every night - make a reservation.

[Sauer-kraut]

I never waited in either a party of 3 or by myself and we went at all different times. When I was solo I usually got a 4 top to myself so I'm sure they will seat 2 just the same. Don't stress the dining times... You're on vacation.

[uppitycats]

We've never had to wait more than 5 minutes to be seated...always at a table for two. It shouldn't be an issue for you at all.

[MMMD]

The only time you will see a line is just before the dining room opens for the evening.

 

Once the crowd is seated, you'll be able to walk right in and be escorted to a table. We never had to wait for a table for 2 in any restaurant.

[garycarla]

you will see a wait time just after an early show gets out. folks head straight to dinner, therefore a line will follow

 

We never waited.

 

One night in Rome all the buses got back just as the ship was leaving. Half of those people headed to dinner. The other half cleaned up, and then headed to dinner. There were lines that night.

 

In most ports, people come back at all different times, avoiding lines.

[winste]

Thanks everyone. The boards for the traditional lines have a few people complaining about the lines on NCL.

 

I feel reassured we will be good to go.

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

[cluedweasel]

Interesting to see that so many people prefer a table for 2. I felt anti-social on my first cruise two years ago wanting a table for just me and my better half!

[Hikini]

In 6 past cruises with NCL that's one of the things that has amazed me - all those people on board and we've rarely had to wait more than just a couple minutes for a table. Even when there were 6 or 8 of us together.

 

DH and I love to dine by ourselves because we are on this vacation to enjoy each other. Not that we're anti-social; we just enjoy each other. Tables for 2 are easy to get.

 

Have fun!

[weltek]

I never cruise during "peak times" (holidays, spring break, summer to Bermuda or Alaska). I've noticed that people who talk about "wait times" every night are either people in large groups or people that are on cruises during peak times.

 

I understand their frustration, it's just a reason I never cruise during peak times, and I love that I have the luxury of flexibility.

 

So, I don't think you'll have a problem with a November cruise (unless it's Thanksgiving week) and dining around 7:30 with a table for two. We always have a table for two, and only 2-3 out of 28ish days of cruising have we had a wait on NCL (and those were waits of 15 min. or less).

[fiftyguy]

Since you are in a suite you do have the opportunity to call your concierge to make a reservation with as little as 2 hours notice. If we were on a port intensive cruise we might make a 7:30 reservation, through the concierge, as late as 5 or 5:30, after returning from a day off the ship. They usually have some clout with the various venues.

[Rileyz]

Have our first NCL cruise next fall.

 

Picked NCL for its relaxed style.

 

Now I am reading about wait times and am concerned.

 

Are they that bad? We usually like to ear later say around 730.

 

We are in a penthouse suite so could make reservations but we don't want to be tied down.

 

Also like just tables for two.

 

Is this going to be a problem?

 

On the star out of New Orleans november 2012.

 

Thx

 

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk

 

 

If you're in a suite it shouldn't be a problem, the concierge will get you seated pretty quick. Just give him/her a call beforehand.

[LizG12]

well....I was on the Dawn last week, and one night there was a *45* minute wait for the smaller dining room (and I was dining alone, so definitely not a large party :) ) although I got seated in about 20 minutes. It was early in the cruise, either the 2nd or 3rd night, around 6.30pm.

 

There is a 'wait board' that tells you if there's a wait (red) or not (yellow/green). The yellow 'wait time' might mean a wait for a large party, but I didn't have a wait more than a few minutes except for that one night.

[travelingfools]

We've only had to wait 15 - 20 minutes, but that was a Dress Up or Not night. Maybe more people skipped the buffet that night.

 

Enjoy your cruise!!

[mi3stooges]

well....I was on the Dawn last week, and one night there was a *45* minute wait for the smaller dining room (and I was dining alone, so definitely not a large party :) ) although I got seated in about 20 minutes. It was early in the cruise, either the 2nd or 3rd night, around 6.30pm.

 

There is a 'wait board' that tells you if there's a wait (red) or not (yellow/green). The yellow 'wait time' might mean a wait for a large party, but I didn't have a wait more than a few minutes except for that one night.

 

I agree, I was on the Dawn July of 2010 and it was myself and 3 teenagers and there was always a wait, no matter what time we went. We did, however, have a superb waiter and through conversation I expressed my dissapointment at the wait times, he told us to come the same time every night and he had a table waiting for us. It made the rest of the cruise flow so much better :D

[weltek]

The Dawn summer Bermuda cruises seem to be nortorious for chair hogs and dining room wait times!

[edawn]

During our cruise on the Gem in March of this year we (dh and I) waited for maybe 30 minutes in the bar near the MDR. Then I noticed couples that came in after us with a pager leaving the bar to go to dinner. We took the pager back to the hostess...I guess it wasn't working because she seated us right away. Stuff happens... we got a cheaper drink using the pager for a discount :)

[jemrtt]

We've sailed on NCL twice. We have not had to wait at all on either sailing. We always have a table for two. And we usually eat at 8:00