Two hour dinner

[masterbaker]

My next cruise is on NCL (Sun). I've been reading as much as I can find on their ships and have seen lots of people comment on their dinners taking too long. Two hours is the time frame i've seen mentioned the most. That has seemed to be about average for the dinners on our past cruises no matter what line we sail. We really enjoy taking our time at dinner sharing the stories of our days adventures with our tablemates and hearing about theirs as well. It gives us some great ideas of things to try either onboard or the next time we get back to that port. We love to linger over dessert and coffee or tea and socialize, to us dinner is more than just a meal, it's a chance to connect with our fellow passengers and we often go to a show or out for drinks after.

 

This will be our first experience with freestyle, and I was curious if the cruisers that choose freestyle have a different attitude toward dinner. If any of you have tried freestyle (or personal choice on Princess) do the people that choose this type of dining just want to rush through their dinner and run from the table? Since we probably won't be dining with the same people every evening, i'd just like to know what the majority of freestyle cruisers expect from their dining companions. Thanks

 

 

Panama Canal Transit 4-16-05

[Cruise_More_Often]

Masterbaker: We were on the Sun earlier this summer and weren't even aware of how long dinner took. Must admit, though, that we ate all of our dinners in the alternative restaurants except for the formal night. And, except for that night, DH and I always dined alone. We were always seated promptly and the service was excellent. I don't recall waiting at all long for the courses to come. In the Seven Seas for the formal night, we ate with four other people. Again, service was perfect--not at all slow. We didn't feel rushed to leave, and no one did. We all lingered over coffee and dessert. Our only rush was that we all wanted to go to the Windjammer Lounge and hear Bobby Hamilton on the piano.

 

NCL Star - 5/8/05

RCI Monarch of the Seas - 1/17/05

NCL Sun - 4/27/04

[albertiger]

masterbaker( i laugh every time i see your name)

i always wonder myself why people complain about dinner taking 2 hours, im on vacation and want to use this time to relax and reconnect. maybe its because they need to get to a show (i dont do them) but after all you are having 4 or 5 courses and im a slow eater on top of that. 2 hours is just about right for me. i'll also be on the Sun for the second time this Dec. went for a minisuite this time!

 

"live long and prosper...so you may cruise!"

Skyward/Starward/Carla Costa/Meridian x3/Enchanted Isle x5/Enchanted Seas/Horizon x2/Zenith/Galaxy/Norway x3/Nor.Sun x2/Nor. Wind/Nor. Majesty/Nordic Prince/Oceanbreeze x3/Seabreeze x2/Seawind Crown/Islandbreeze

[davy jones]

We just returned from the Dawn and ate in most of the restaurants.

 

Dinner for us lasted between and hour and a half and just under two hours in the dining rooms for a 5 course meal. Our dinner in Le Bistro was about 2 hours 20 minutes (and worth every minute). Our family of 4 always had a table for 4. These times are comparable (or a little shorter than) dinner times on ships with traditional seatings. Service in all of the restaurants was good to excellent.

[masterbaker]

hmmm... interesting responses, not what I expected. I wonder why some complain that dinner takes too long. If I were in a rush, I'd just grab a bite at the buffet instead of trying to eat in the dining room.

 

Another observation, I've read quite a bit about dining at tables for two. Is it more common for freestyle cruisers to request these small tables? Does NCL provide more smaller tables in their dining rooms than other cruiselines?

 

 

Panama Canal Transit 4-16-05

[mariakitty]

My husband and I saled on the Spirit last week and we always had a table for two at dinner, even though we didn't ever specifically request one. One night they did ask us if we would mind sharing and we said no, but as it turned out we at alone at a table for 4 anyway. I did rather miss not talking with other passengers as much, but then again you never know who you are going it get!

 

Our dinner times ranged from just over an hour to about 2 hours (this was in Maxim's and worth every second). I really enjoy lingering dinners so I don't mind a 2 hour meal at all. I agree if you want to get through dinner quickly you should go to the buffet.

 

Have a great time on your cruise.

 

Carnival Celebration 12/22/90

RCCL Monarch of the Seas 9/92

Carival Ecstasy 9/2002

NCL Spirit 6/12/2004

[davy jones]

There are a large number of tables for two and four. There are tables for larger parties and the smaller tables are rectangular, so they can be put together for larger parties.

[Arwenmark]

Originally posted by masterbaker:

hmmm... interesting responses, not what I expected. I wonder why some complain that dinner takes too long. If I were in a rush, I'd just grab a bite at the buffet instead of trying to eat in the dining room.

 

Another observation, I've read quite a bit about dining at tables for two. Is it more common for freestyle cruisers to request these small tables? Does NCL provide more smaller tables in their dining rooms than other cruiselines?

 

It is quite common now on lines that offer free style or personal choice dining for couples to ask for and get tables for two, it does not matter the size of the table if you request for two that is how many sit there, they remove the other settings. But yes those lines HAVE added more tables for two than there used to be.

It is one of the main reasons I like to cruise Princess or NCL I ONLY do tables for two period.

I don't cruise to socialize with strangers, fine with me if others like that, not my cup of tea though.

 

McCall

[ACCagent]

Our first try at freestyle was last week on Pride of Aloha. We noticed that the vast majority of people requested not to share a table. I also think tht is part of the fun of cruising and we always said we would be happy to. We met some very nice people that way. Only one couple was grumpy because of the waits and that did make our wait seem longer listening to them. I always expect to take at least 2 hours in the dining room. There weren't a lot of tables for two so they used larger ones. I suspect that made the waits longer as it usually takes longer to serve 6 tables of 2 than 2 tables of 6.

[JeanRitt]

MasterB --

I went kicking and screaming (silently, of course) but agreed to try NCL and the freestyle concept. I am a total convert now and absolutely LOVED freestyle dining. We were seated at tables for 2 about half of the time. I expected rushed, impersonal service, but it was exactly the opposite. There were so many topnotch waiters! We didn't experience any waiting time to be seated on our April cruise on the Majesty. I, too, enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee and dessert, but found some dinners to stretch slightly past 2 hours, which can seem longer if there are just the two of you and you have been enjoying each other's company 24/7. Happy cruising!

[DivaG]

Interesting post. This will be our first cruise - it's centered around our anniversary. I'm sure we'll specify a table for two on our anniversary evening - but we're looking forward to meeting some people - we always do when we're away. I guess it will all depend upon what we want to do that day (shows, etc.). I'm sure we'll want to eat alone a few times, but we have breakfast and lunch to do that. For dinner, it'll be nice to meet someone from somewhere different and talk about experiences. Isn't that how we learn about one another? Then again, sometimes you're not seated with compatible people - but hey - it's only dinner - not a marriage. Make the best of it.

 

G

[luv2cruise99]

We will be sailing on Princess in October and are really looking forward to trying Personal Choice dining. One of the main reasons is our hope that dinners won't take as long as they have in the past with traditional dining.

 

Sitting through long dinners is difficult for the children, but to be honest, it wouldn't be fair to put the blame 100% on them, as I also get restless with the long meals.

[Joanne G.]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR> I was curious if the cruisers that choose freestyle have a different attitude toward dinner. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

I've done both, and I would say - yes, people who choose freestyle have a different attitude than those who choose traditional cruise dining. It appears to me that most people on freestyle cruises eat with just their own party. They've chosen the time and the place that suits them for dinner, and it's more about eating than socializing with fellow passengers.

 

With traditional cruise dining, dinner is more of an event. You are chit-chatting with your regular tablemates, maybe waiting through courses they ordered but you didn't, and there's those dancing waiter parades and flaming dessert spectacles. These things tend to make a dinner last longer than a freestyle dinner with just your immediate party.

 

For those on a freestyle cruise who want to meet fellow passengers, I'd suggest making arrangements before getting to the dining room with people you've met on deck, in a lounge, or on a shore excursion. It appeared on my last freestyle cruise (2 weeks on the Dawn this spring) that the dining room hosts/hostesses weren't even asking if people wanted to share a table. Apparently most passengers on a freestyle cruise aren't interested in sharing - and the odds that those who are interested will arrive at the same time are slim!

[SRUTKO1226]

We were lucky on our Dawn cruise because we had met people on these boards who were sailing with us and we had some great dinners together where the time just flew.

 

I don't mind a longer dinner experience. It is something that we just don't get to do in our daily lives...relax and eat great food. That is what cruising is all about, IMO. Time away from the routine.

 

The Adventure continues.

Same time next year!!!

Dawn Feb 10, 2005

 

 

 

[albertiger]

we WERE asked if we wanted to share a table sometimes but declined. however there were many tables that were filled with those who chose to share. never a wait for a table for two though.

 

"live long and prosper...so you may cruise!"

Skyward/Starward/Carla Costa/Meridian x3/Enchanted Isle x5/Enchanted Seas/Horizon x2/Zenith/Galaxy/Norway x3/Nor.Sun x2/Nor. Wind/Nor. Majesty/Nordic Prince/Oceanbreeze x3/Seabreeze x2/Seawind Crown/Islandbreeze

[johnql]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mariakitty:

Our dinner times ranged from just over an hour to about 2 hours (this was in Maxim's and worth every second). I really enjoy lingering dinners so I don't mind a 2 hour meal at all. I agree if you want to get through dinner quickly you should go to the buffet.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

My sentiments exactly. If I dine in one of the sit-down dining rooms (regular or alternative), I feel that two hours is fine. It gives you a chance to dine, not just eat. If I want a faster dinner, I do one of two things: I make sure the wait staff knows what my time constraints are when I'm seated and they've always been accommodating; or I go to the buffet.

[kwpatel]

The longest dinner I have had is 1 1/2 hours... but then again I always travel with my kids... Wonder if that makes a difference

 

1986 Sitmar Fairsea

Panama Canal

1994 Princess Regal Coastal

1998 Carnival Elation Mexican Riviera

1999 Carnival Elation Mexican Rivera

2000 Carnival Elation Mexican Rivera

2001 Carnival Ecstasy Baja

2001 Carnival Elation Mexican Rivera

2002 Carnival Ecstasy Baja

2004 Holland America Ryndam Coastal

2004 Pride of Alohoa

[patandcd]

We have done traditional and freestyle. I enjoyed both but found freestyle to be more relaxing. If you are interested in meeting people just stay on the boards and look for the Roll Call for your sailing date. As stated above some people meet here on the boards and then get together for a Cruise Critic meeting on the ship. That worked out well for us and we did meet some great people. Happy sailing!

[ute_fan]

We were on the Sun earlier in June. We had a group of 4, and they never asked us if we wanted to be seated with anyone else but just automatically gave us our own table. I would guess that our dinners averaged between 1 1/2 and 2 hours. By the time they bring you bread, your appetizer, your soup (or maybe 2), your salad, your main course, and your dessert(s), it just takes a while. Of course, the benefit to Alaska is that there is this wonderful scenery outside the dining room windows most of the time. We saw whales and seals while in the dining room, and the other diners were very good about pointing them out. Not exactly your fast food meal, but I thought that was why I was cruising!

 

We never bothered to eat in any of the alternative restaurants. The food in the main dining rooms was excellent. We preferred the restaurant midship to the one located aft, but that may have been because we had a wonderful waiter the first night. We requested a table in his area most nights. He and his partner were wonderful about making suggestions for my kids who are more used to McDonalds than cruise ship food. They were able to accomodate our request most nights, except for the one when they were on a later schedule. We never had to wait, and weren't conscious of long lines of people waiting after we were through.

 

Have a great cruise!

[seashore]

When we were on the Dream our party started off with six. As the cruise progressed, our party grew to twelve and the length of the meals also grew. We met so many wonderful people on the cruise and enjoyed every minute of our meals. Several of the men always enjoyed stating that the meals were on them even though we were eating at the main dining room that did not have any additional fee!

[bobnsandi]

hmmm... interesting responses, not what I expected. I wonder why some complain that dinner takes too long. If I were in a rush, I'd just grab a bite at the buffet instead of trying to eat in the dining room.

 

Another observation, I've read quite a bit about dining at tables for two. Is it more common for freestyle cruisers to request these small tables? Does NCL provide more smaller tables in their dining rooms than other cruiselines?

 

 

Panama Canal Transit 4-16-05

 

We were on the Star twice last year. Depended on our

attitude, but we would often say that we wanted to

be seated immediately and "would share". Never really

had any bad experiences meeting new people and sharing

a table. That was part of the fun. Oddly, the poorest service

we had was when we shared a large table with others.

 

Sharing was often simplest for breakfast, which is

operated at a faster pace.

 

For our anniversary, of course, we wanted a table for

2, and they were most helpful. Even sang an anniversary

song for us.

[misguy]

We were on the Spirit in May, and we loved the Freestyle Dining. I never timed dinner so I can't comment on how long it lasted, but I never felt that it was slow. When we completed a course, they would clear the dishes and shortly the next course showed up. I would not want to feel rushed, and I didn't.

 

We joined other parties several times for dinner, and almost always at breakfast and lunch. We enjoyed the opportunity to meet new people and visit with them. We did enjoy several dinners as a couple, usually at a window table which was very nice as well.

[ron46936]

We love Freestyle and have done it twice on the Sun. The service is good and at a reasonable pace. On the Wind dinner could be a bit lengthy in the main dining room.

[Stevie17]

We love Freestyle for the options that it provides to us....we loved Princess' Personal Choice Dining for the same reason. I can't speak for others, but we enjoy a long, relaxing dinner, and Freestyle allows you to have that just as tradition dining does....just in a variety of different settings!!

 

We loved the Sun...enjoy your upcoming cruise!

[tug]

we're planning to have a nice "grown up" dinner at Le Bistro in a few days (oh wow!)

 

does anyone know if the Crown has Kids Club hours in the evening of our day at sea?