Freestyle dining - a little apprehensive

[fifescotland]

We've previously cruised with Royal Caribbean, where cruisers are seated at a table with other usually 4 or 6 other cruisers, and stay at this table for the duration of the cruise.

 

As I understand it, NCL seats just the cruising party, and at any time.

 

I'm a little disappointed - we've always enjoyed meeting other couples, and have made some great friends over dinner.

 

Have I misunderstood the freestyle dining concept?

[BlueJai]

It is true that you dine with your own group, but you can also ask to share a table in the main dining rooms. There are some that like to share tables to meet new people. However, there is no guarantee that there will be others wanting to share a table on any given evening.

Often upon entering we have often been asked if we would like to share a table.

Hope that helps.

jai

[WaldosPepper]

We've previously cruised with Royal Caribbean, where cruisers are seated at a table with other usually 4 or 6 other cruisers, and stay at this table for the duration of the cruise.

 

As I understand it, NCL seats just the cruising party, and at any time.

 

I'm a little disappointed - we've always enjoyed meeting other couples, and have made some great friends over dinner.

 

Have I misunderstood the freestyle dining concept?

 

You have not misunderstood, however you CAN request to be seated with others. If there are other folks who would like to dine in a group available at the same time, you will be seated together. Simply ask the Maitre 'D.

 

Also, an excellent way to meet other cruisers on your sailing is to join your Roll Call Thread, and attend the Meet & Greet onboard. You'll also be likely to meet several of the ships Officers there, too. ;)

 

Other ways to meet folks would be to attend events like the Drink Tastings, or other events which are social in nature.

 

Go with an open mind, and you might just discover that Freestyle is much more enjoyable than what you've become accustomed to. :)

[njhorseman]

Freestyle is no different than going out to a restaurant at home. You chose the restaurant and the time you wish to dine. There are no fixed table assignments or sittings.

 

In the main dining rooms you can request to be seated at a shared table with others, and they will accommodate you as long as there are others dining at the same time who wish to share a table. Of course it won't be the same people every night...unless you meet someone you like and mutually agree to dine together during the remainder of the cruise.

[Rounder]

We've previously cruised with Royal Caribbean, where cruisers are seated at a table with other usually 4 or 6 other cruisers, and stay at this table for the duration of the cruise.

 

As I understand it, NCL seats just the cruising party, and at any time.

 

I'm a little disappointed - we've always enjoyed meeting other couples, and have made some great friends over dinner.

 

 

Have I misunderstood the freestyle dining concept?

 

 

The great thing i like about, Freestlye, is it is kinda like going to your favorite resturant ,at home. If you attend the Meet&Greet, you, can make friend's there, and later meet up for a set supper time. Like your favorite resturant, there will be time's where it will be a bit busy, with a wait sometimes.

You do have the option to either get a table for two, or you may chose to sit with a group. Your choice. We met some really nice people that way, as we alway's opted for sitting with a group.

Sometimes thing's might get busy, or you get back late on a port day. You do not have to rush, to change, and hurry to make it to the MDR, on time.

You also have the option to dress up or not. Should you folk's like to dress up that will be fine. Not a problem. That being said Freestyle is not for everybody. :D Hope this help's.

 

Look's like a few of us were all typing at the same time

[$hip$hape]

We've previously cruised with Royal Caribbean, where cruisers are seated at a table with other usually 4 or 6 other cruisers, and stay at this table for the duration of the cruise.

 

As I understand it, NCL seats just the cruising party, and at any time.

 

I'm a little disappointed - we've always enjoyed meeting other couples, and have made some great friends over dinner.

 

Have I misunderstood the freestyle dining concept?

You'll be fine. DW and I also cruised Royal Caribbean before NCL.

We found that a bottle of Chardonnay before dinner works well for apprehension.

When the bottle is empty, it's freestyle dining time.:)

[fifescotland]

Thanks for the replies!

 

That's wonderful news - in that case, we'll just ask to be seated, if possible, with groups.

[WaldosPepper]

You'll be fine. DW and I also cruised Royal Caribbean before NCL.

We found that a bottle of Chardonnay before dinner works well for apprehension.

When the bottle is empty, it's freestyle dining time. :)

 

I like that!!!!!!! :D

[WaldosPepper]

Thanks for the replies!

 

That's wonderful news - in that case, we'll just ask to be seated, if possible, with groups.

 

I would encourage you to participate in the Roll Call Thread for your sailing also. It's a wonderful way to meet people, and it's possible that others on the Roll Call may also prefer to dine in a group, so you might just end up with a ready-made group even prior to sailing! ;)

[BlueJai]

When the bottle is empty, it's freestyle dining time.:)

 

Best idea ever!

[Sauer-kraut]

When the bottle is empty, it's freestyle dining time.:)

 

Best idea ever!

 

New slogan for corporate to use...;)

[beachmonkey]

We have met so many people on each cruise that we almost always are sharing a table with people we just met! Cruising is an amazing way to meet so many people from different backgrounds, countries, etc. Freestyle cruising makes it even easier to make plans since there are so many options. If we happen to have dinner plans in a specialty restaurant, NCL has been very flexible in modifying the reservation to change the party size or time.

 

Just be yourselves and you will be fine (anyone on CC must be fun to know!)

[mtns2sea]

You'll be fine. DW and I also cruised Royal Caribbean before NCL.

We found that a bottle of Chardonnay before dinner works well for apprehension.

When the bottle is empty, it's freestyle dining time.:)

 

I'll have to try this for myself. Great advice!

[roger001]

And on the other hand......assigned dining times and assigned dining tables with others...I would hate. For my wife and myself, cruises are the great escape....just for us. For us, never any cruise except freestyle. But for others who prefer traditional....nothing wrong with that either. So many cruise lines and so many choices! Something for everyone. NCL may not be for you.

[daveintoledo]

if it wasnt freestyle, i wouldnt want to go, my wife and i are celebrating our 20th anniversary, i really dont want to be forced to talk to anyone at dinner but her....

[DMH15]

I have made some great friends in trivia.

[avic77]

And on the other hand......assigned dining times and assigned dining tables with others...I would hate. For my wife and myself, cruises are the great escape....just for us. For us, never any cruise except freestyle. But for others who prefer traditional....nothing wrong with that either. So many cruise lines and so many choices! Something for everyone. NCL may not be for you.

 

I agree!! Its my anniversary i want to spend romantic dinners with my hubby. If we get bored talking to each other then we will have to resort to the bottle LOL

[NMLady]

Thanks for the replies!

 

That's wonderful news - in that case, we'll just ask to be seated, if possible, with groups.

 

We always ask for a shared table. We've always gotten one on sea days. We discovered that on port days we needed to eat a little later to have others for a shared table.

[$hip$hape]

I agree!! Its my anniversary i want to spend romantic dinners with my hubby. If we get bored talking to each other then we will have to resort to the bottle LOL

On the other hand, once had before-dinner-drinks with a romantic couple, who never made it to dinner.;)

[sparks1093]

We've previously cruised with Royal Caribbean, where cruisers are seated at a table with other usually 4 or 6 other cruisers, and stay at this table for the duration of the cruise.

 

As I understand it, NCL seats just the cruising party, and at any time.

 

I'm a little disappointed - we've always enjoyed meeting other couples, and have made some great friends over dinner.

 

Have I misunderstood the freestyle dining concept?

 

I agree with what others have said, it's like eating at a restaurant, you may ask to be seated with others, etc., but I have to ask- if being seated with others is so important why book with NCL? (This is meant as a polite question and should not be taken any other way, I am just curious, nothing more, nothing less:).)

[avic77]

On the other hand, once had before-dinner-drinks with a romantic couple, who never made it to dinner.;)

Exactly :D thats why we have the drinks WITH dinner LOL

[marco]

We just got off of the "Jewel" yesterday. A 12 day cruise. We were a fairly large group and we travel every year in Jan/Feb to the Caribbean. I had asked our travel agent to request us to be seated at 2 or 3 tables near each other every evening at the same tables, same time. We were a group of 24, so we wanted either 3 tables for 8 or 2 tables for 12. We were told we could, but either at 5:30 or 9PM. When we got on board, we talked to the matre' de. And again, it was either 5:30 or 9 for that size group. Absolutely, positively NO!!!!! if we wanted to dine as a group anytime between 7 and 8:30. We ended up not doing the group at 5:30 or 9 and we sort of sub divided into groups for 4, 6 or 8, and dined "whenever". Still, we ended up with a beeper, and they beeped us when a table was ready. They joke in our group was that Freestyle didn't mean you got to dine when YOU wanted to, but rather, you got to dine when THEY were ready to feed you!

[roger001]

they beeped us when a table was ready. They joke in our group was that Freestyle didn't mean you got to dine when YOU wanted to, but rather, you got to dine when THEY were ready to feed you!

 

Very much as you would expect dining at a land based restaurant it sounds

[Tiggertastic]

Tell the maitre D you want to share and they will seat you with others and even better you can sit with different people each day or agree with those from one of the nights to eat together other nights. If you have more than 6, tell the maitre D and they will book a table

[RikkuCat]

They always ask whether you want to sit on your own or with others, so you should be able to sit with others if you want to meet people. We like sitting alone and never run out of things to talk about. Unless we're traveling with friends/family and want to sit with them, dinner is usually our time to relax together.

 

We usually meet people at the bar in the evenings - either before or after dinner. We're late risers on sea days and tend to veg out with a book rather than participating in activities. On port days, we're usually pretty busy and active. For us, the best time to meet people is over a cocktail. One thing that I really like about NCL freestyle dining is that if you meet people and want to change your dining plans, that's easy to do. We have changed speciality restaurant reservations at the very last minute because we literally just met people at the bar who seemed cool and we wanted to eat with them.

 

I'm certainly not opposed to meeting new people, but I don't like the idea of assigned dining times and assigned table mates. I'd rather choose to eat with people that we met and happened to like. Freestyle works well for us!