Mom and Dad new to NCL and Freestyle, need help

[Cruise Arizona]

Hi,

 

I'm sending Mom and Dad on the Norwegian Dawn to Bermuda next month.

 

This will be about their 15th cruise over a span of 50 years, so they are not new to cruising, but new to the Freestyle.

 

Dad has been on line trying to figure out how it all works, and is still confused. So I told I'd ask the most knowledgeable people in the whole world when it comes to the ins and outs of crusing, the Cruise Critic Members.

 

They like traditional dining and want to know if they can reserve a table for 2 at the same time each night, or if every night they just have to be walk-ins to the MDR?

 

How does all that work? Who do they talk to? When do they talk to them. What are the secretes to Freestyle and MDR?

 

Please help me out, so I can tell them what they need to do.

[runner15km]

On embarkation day the MDR will be open for lunch. Tell them to ask the dining room host that they would like to have a set time for dining throughout the cruise.

[jjikids]

They might not get the same table or waiter. If they find someone they like, just tell the maitre dr. Waiters move around.

[SeaShark]

Don't overthink Freestyle. NCL did not invent the concept of Freestyle...Freestyle is simply the way that you live each and every day...but on a cruise ship.

 

If you've ever gone out to a restaurat to eat, then you have experienced Freestyle Dining.

 

If you've ever opened your closet and selected what you want to wear, then you have experienced Freestyle.

 

There is nothing more to it than that.

[meaclasact2]

SeaShark summed it up perfectly - freestyle is just doing what you want. On photographer night they can get dressed up if they want to ... or not. I have noticed that a lot more people on European cruises get dressed up. But they can wear precisely what they want.

 

We have on occasion asked for a table for two...but we found that we enjoyed meeting new folks. We like taking our chances and we have never been disappointed yet. Asking to be seated with strangers is entirely up to your parents. On one Med cruise we met up with a couple from the CC meet and greet and my brother and SIL met a lovely couple at Heathrow waiting for the NCL transfer. We all ate dinner together every single night...and had a wonderful time. We still keep in touch.

 

Anyway...the Dawn is a wonderful ship - she was our first NCL cruise. When she left NY for Boston a lot of folks were upset...we had come to think of the Dawn as "our ship."

 

We went to Bermuda last summer on the Star...very lovely port. Tell your parents to purchase the 3 day metro pass...it can be used on the ferries and buses.

 

Hope they have a wonderful time!

 

p.s. Have they thought of joining the roll call for their cruise?

[garycarla]

Don't overthink Freestyle. NCL did not invent the concept of Freestyle...Freestyle is simply the way that you live each and every day...but on a cruise ship.

 

If you've ever gone out to a restaurat to eat, then you have experienced Freestyle Dining.

 

If you've ever opened your closet and selected what you want to wear, then you have experienced Freestyle.

 

There is nothing more to it than that.

 

Well put.

 

I might add, that it is

 

Not a set time to eat like in the past while cruising.

Not a fixed table.

Not any formal nights

Not the same waiter

Not always the same dining room. You have options of multiple "free" and multiple surcharge restaurants.

[smiles998]

Do you just walk into the MDR and choose a table, or are you seated?

[JJS329]

you are seated like at any restaurant

[johnsak123]

It appears as if your folks are "older"

I do believe that NCL crew are in general very nice and accommodating and i think will go the extra mile to help them out with their needs

I have heard many a conversation while on the ship about people making dinner reservations in the MDR and sitting in a particular waitpersons section because they like them

Enjoy

[pris993]

Hi,

 

I'm sending Mom and Dad on the Norwegian Dawn to Bermuda next month.

 

This will be about their 15th cruise over a span of 50 years, so they are not new to cruising, but new to the Freestyle.

 

Dad has been on line trying to figure out how it all works, and is still confused. So I told I'd ask the most knowledgeable people in the whole world when it comes to the ins and outs of crusing, the Cruise Critic Members.

 

They like traditional dining and want to know if they can reserve a table for 2 at the same time each night, or if every night they just have to be walk-ins to the MDR?

 

How does all that work? Who do they talk to? When do they talk to them. What are the secretes to Freestyle and MDR?

 

Please help me out, so I can tell them what they need to do.

 

I can tell you - no you can't reserve a table unless you want to eat at 6 pm every night. We did an 11 night cruise on the Jade in the Mediterranean, last spring. We had not been on NCL in 10 years, we generally cruise Princess, Celebrity, HAL and Cunard. Like your parents we like traditional vs freestyle. We did try to negotiate with the Matre'd in the MDR the first day at lunch and did do dinner there the first night at 6pm. Since we could not get a set time later, we decided to skip the MDR the entire cruise.

 

Overall we were not that impressed with the food or service in the MDR either. But to be fair, menu items on all cruise lines are changing a lot. More comfort food today. As a result we simply went to the buffet and selected items we liked and took our meals back to our cabin. We had a very nice mini suite which we enjoyed alot after being in port.

 

We rested after being in port and then dressed and went out to enjoy the entertainment.

 

We did not check out the speciality restrauants because the comfort food on board just did not motivate us to spend extra. We found something we liked at the buffet... that was good enough. We actually saved money because we did not go to the MDR and therefore did not buy wine on board.

 

NCL is less formal... no required formal nights. So folks dress very casual.

 

We did find the cruise fare was cheaper.

 

Since your parents are experienced cruisers, I am sure they will figure out what works for them.

[MCAT48]

If they prefer a special time to eat all they have to do is show up at the mdr at that time each night. They might get a different table or waiter though.

[cusegirl315]

They can request the same waiter eac evening. All they need to do is ask

[garycarla]

They can request the same waiter eac evening. All they need to do is ask

 

Unless the waiter is working somewhere else. Or they of course go to the other dining room.