Can a guest refuse the concept of Freestyle Cruising?

[Cruiser Bruiser]

OP, I think you are setting yourself up for disaster if you choose Norwegian and then expect them to perform in a manner that is completely outside their procedures and their brand. It's like choosing to sail Cunard and then expecting them to let you wear shorts and a t-shirt in the Britannia Dining Room. Cunard won't let you do it. So why should Norwegian accommodate your request when it conflicts entirely with their operational model and the expectation they've developed through all of their marketing?

 

Be fair to yourself by not intentionally creating expectations that cannot be met. And more importantly, be fair to the crew you'd be making miserable for the duration of your sailing.

[snorklinbarb]

OP, I think you are setting yourself up for disaster if you choose Norwegian and then expect them to perform in a manner that is completely outside their procedures and their brand. It's like choosing to sail Cunard and then expecting them to let you wear shorts and a t-shirt in the Britannia Dining Room. Cunard won't let you do it. So why should Norwegian accommodate your request when it conflicts entirely with their operational model and the expectation they've developed through all of their marketing?

 

Be fair to yourself by not intentionally creating expectations that cannot be met. And more importantly, be fair to the crew you'd be making miserable for the duration of your sailing.

 

Actually Norwegian is more flexible than that. While we prefer Freestyle ourselves, I've seen a blurb in the Freestyle Daily about setting up a more traditional-type dining experience and to talk to a Maitre d' about it. We have friends who requested 6 pm for their table every night and had the same server and pretty much the same table (this was on Jewel).

 

When I was on the Jade, I met 2 British couples who also did the same thing. In fact, on the night they went to Cagney's to celebrate a birthday, the restaurant mgr. sent "their" server to wait their table though her usual assignment was the main DR.

 

So my suggestion is talk to the Restaurant mgr. or one of the Maitre d's. Better yet, go to the Meet & Greet as usually the Food & Bev. Dir. or Restaurant Mgr. is there....sometimes the Exec. Chef shows up....but certainly someone who would be more than happy to help you.

 

Good luck. To the OP, pls come back & share your experience if you decide to do this.:)

[SnowBird Cruzer]

I've enjoyed this thread. As you can see, I've never cruised NCL. As I've only experienced traditional MDR, I don't have anything to compare it to.

 

I do like getting to know my waiter and asst. On our Alaskan cruise, the asst waiter gave us a brain teaser with toothpicks every night towards the end of the meal. The 6 of us at the table had a good time. And we even figured one of them out without any hints!!!

 

I also like a glass of milk with my dinner. I appreciate when my waiter brings it on day 2 etc w/o my asking for it. (But it wouldn't kill me to ask a new waiter every night).

 

Some posters indicated that there isn't much small talk. I would miss that.

 

I'm organizing a family cruise and most of my brothers/sisters have not cruised. We are looking at an NCL Dawn out of New Orleans (for Spring 2015) or we will do Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan (also for Spring 2015).

 

I do plan on sailing NCL sometime, as well as other lines.

 

I've appreciated all the comments. This is one reason why I like Cruise Critic.

[sdmike]

I believe they have this at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. I'm not ready for that.

 

like..

[sdmike]

OP, I think you are setting yourself up for disaster if you choose Norwegian and then expect them to perform in a manner that is completely outside their procedures and their brand. It's like choosing to sail Cunard and then expecting them to let you wear shorts and a t-shirt in the Britannia Dining Room. Cunard won't let you do it. So why should Norwegian accommodate your request when it conflicts entirely with their operational model and the expectation they've developed through all of their marketing?

 

Be fair to yourself by not intentionally creating expectations that cannot be met. And more importantly, be fair to the crew you'd be making miserable for the duration of your sailing.

 

I agree 100% with this. While it may be possible to set something up where you can mimic traditional dining, why do it? Go on a cruise WITH traditional dining.

[SeaShark]

I've enjoyed this thread. As you can see, I've never cruised NCL. As I've only experienced traditional MDR, I don't have anything to compare it to.

 

You've got a great attitude for cruising. Don't sell yourself short on your dining experiences.

 

While you may may have only experienced the mass-dining experience that some cruise lines offer, you have certainly experienced what NCL refers to as Freestyle Dining.

 

Freestyle Dining is not some "concept" that NCL invented. It is quite simply eating onboard a ship in the way we eat at home each and every single day of our lives. Nothing more than that.

 

 

You (not the cruise line) choose when you want to dine....just like at home.

 

You (not the cruise line) choose which restaurant you wish to dine in...just like at home.

 

You (not the cruise line) choose who you will dine with...just like at home.

 

You (not the cruise line) choose how you want to dress for dinner...just like at home.

 

 

It is really all about options and choices...and most importantly, about it being YOUR options and choices and not choices made for you.

[snorklinbarb]

I've enjoyed this thread. As you can see, I've never cruised NCL. As I've only experienced traditional MDR, I don't have anything to compare it to.

 

I do like getting to know my waiter and asst. On our Alaskan cruise, the asst waiter gave us a brain teaser with toothpicks every night towards the end of the meal. The 6 of us at the table had a good time. And we even figured one of them out without any hints!!!

 

I also like a glass of milk with my dinner. I appreciate when my waiter brings it on day 2 etc w/o my asking for it. (But it wouldn't kill me to ask a new waiter every night).

 

Some posters indicated that there isn't much small talk. I would miss that.

 

I'm organizing a family cruise and most of my brothers/sisters have not cruised. We are looking at an NCL Dawn out of New Orleans (for Spring 2015) or we will do Royal Caribbean Adventure of the Seas out of San Juan (also for Spring 2015).

 

I do plan on sailing NCL sometime, as well as other lines.

 

I've appreciated all the comments. This is one reason why I like Cruise Critic.

 

If you choose NCL for your family cruise you can arrange for all of you to have a set group table and request a particular waiter and they will do their best to accommodate you. With a large group, however, they usually ask that you eat on the early side (5:30) or later side like 8:30.

 

If some or all of you decide to go to a specialty, just let them know you won't be there or need to adjust the size of your table that night.

 

Mix it up and you can have a lot of fun!

 

Have been on the Dawn many times and just love that ship.

Edited January 5, 2014 by snorklin'barb

[che5904]

You've got a great attitude for cruising. Don't sell yourself short on your dining experiences.

 

While you may may have only experienced the mass-dining experience that some cruise lines offer, you have certainly experienced what NCL refers to as Freestyle Dining.

 

Freestyle Dining is not some "concept" that NCL invented. It is quite simply eating onboard a ship in the way we eat at home each and every single day of our lives. Nothing more than that.

 

 

You (not the cruise line) choose when you want to dine....just like at home.

 

You (not the cruise line) choose which restaurant you wish to dine in...just like at home.

 

You (not the cruise line) choose who you will dine with...just like at home.

 

You (not the cruise line) choose how you want to dress for dinner...just like at home.

 

 

It is really all about options and choices...and most importantly, about it being YOUR options and choices and not choices made for you.

 

Wonderfully put Seashark. That's exactly what I love about NCL dining.

[bobg529]

That said, isn't it a wonder why no land based restaurants follow this model that so many people "enjoy"?

 

 

You could probably make a KILLING by opening a restaurant where people have an assigned dining time, at an assigned table, with assigned table mates, with the exact same waitstaff (so they could "learn" to give them the same drink every night instead of checking to see if they might want to have something different). You could have an early seating, a late seating, and if you required formal wear twice a week people would be lined up for miles!

 

 

I have this arrangement now at my local diner. I walk in at 7:30AM, sit down in the same booth, and my regular waitress brings over coffee and orange juice and we exchange pleasantries. She asks me if I want the "usual" and goes to fetch breakfast while I read the paper. As to formal wear, I'm on my way to work so I even have a suit on. :rolleyes:

[Aquahound]

I am glad that NCL will allow the reservations. As the "Freestyle" concept is to allow passengers to enjoy dining as they wish, having a set dining time and waitstaff is the way some passengers wish to enjoy their dining experience.

 

On my last NCL cruise, after 2 nights of being handed a pager and having to wait 30 minutes, I tried to make reservations. I was told we couldn't because we were only a party of 4. It had to be 6+. Has the policy changed?

[SeaShark]

I have this arrangement now at my local diner. I walk in at 7:30AM, sit down in the same booth, and my regular waitress brings over coffee and orange juice and we exchange pleasantries. She asks me if I want the "usual" and goes to fetch breakfast while I read the paper. As to formal wear, I'm on my way to work so I even have a suit on. :rolleyes:

 

Can you give an honest answer to a question then?

 

It this set-up the standard business model for this particular restaurant, or are YOU free to make the choice of the time for your arrival, your seat, and your server?

 

As long as YOU make the choices, its the Freestyle Model.

[Aquahound]

Oh, come on! Are we really comparing a cruise ship to a land restaurant? Really?! Other than the fact they have food, they are not comparable. I can't believe I even have to say that. :rolleyes:

[Partyatsea]

If I had my mind set on traditional dining I would just book a line with traditional dining. Not really sure of the issue here.

[bobg529]

Can you give an honest answer to a question then?

 

It this set-up the standard business model for this particular restaurant, or are YOU free to make the choice of the time for your arrival, your seat, and your server?

 

As long as YOU make the choices, its the Freestyle Model.

 

 

Did you see the roll eyes smiley sea shark? I was just trying to interject a little humor/sarcasm into the thread. But just to give you the HONEST answer you desire, it's a DINER for crying out loud. That's the way diners work if you're a regular customer. We make the choice of just about anyplace that we dine, unless we're children or in jail. If you want the style of dining that the OP desires there are lines that will accommodate, and if you want Freestyle then NCL maybe your choice. But suppose one chooses NOT to dine Freestyle. According to your definition, ("As long as YOU make the choices, its the Freestyle Model.") then choosing not to dine Freestyle, is in fact Freestyle. :confused: Yes this is all getting silly isn't it? Personally I like to go with the flow. That's why I usually sail NCL. But I have a hankering to try something different too so in May I will be sailing on the QM2. Then I shall dutifully don my tux and enjoy the more formal proceedings. At least I hope so!:)

[SeaShark]

Did you see the roll eyes smiley sea shark? I was just trying to interject a little humor/sarcasm into the thread. But just to give you the HONEST answer you desire, it's a DINER for crying out loud. That's the way diners work if you're a regular customer. We make the choice of just about anyplace that we dine, unless we're children or in jail. If you want the style of dining that the OP desires there are lines that will accommodate, and if you want Freestyle then NCL maybe your choice. But suppose one chooses NOT to dine Freestyle. According to your definition, ("As long as YOU make the choices, its the Freestyle Model.") then choosing not to dine Freestyle, is in fact Freestyle. :confused: Yes this is all getting silly isn't it? Personally I like to go with the flow. That's why I usually sail NCL. But I have a hankering to try something different too so in May I will be sailing on the QM2. Then I shall dutifully don my tux and enjoy the more formal proceedings. At least I hope so!:)

 

Nope...sorry, my bad. I DID miss the roll eyes smiley! :o Point taken!

 

 

To your other point, if the cruiser (not the cruise line) make a choice it is Freestyle (IOW FREE from the cruise line's choice). You certainly can use Freestyle to choose to go to the same restarant at the same time every day for dinner. (Still YOUR choice) However, you won't be able to dictate which table you will dine at, nor can you 100% get the server you want.

 

The OP's big issue is in trying to refuse the "concept" of Freestyle.

 

Makes about as much sense as showing up at the beach and asking if you can refuse the concept of sand. :rolleyes:

[bobg529]

Nope...sorry, my bad. I DID miss the roll eyes smiley! :o Point taken!

 

 

To your other point, if the cruiser (not the cruise line) make a choice it is Freestyle (IOW FREE from the cruise line's choice). You certainly can use Freestyle to choose to go to the same restarant at the same time every day for dinner. (Still YOUR choice) However, you won't be able to dictate which table you will dine at, nor can you 100% get the server you want.

 

The OP's big issue is in trying to refuse the "concept" of Freestyle.

 

Makes about as much sense as showing up at the beach and asking if you can refuse the concept of sand. :rolleyes:

 

 

OK, NOW I get where you're coming from. :) I like the sand analogy. Well said.

[Homosassa]

On my last NCL cruise, after 2 nights of being handed a pager and having to wait 30 minutes, I tried to make reservations. I was told we couldn't because we were only a party of 4. It had to be 6+. Has the policy changed?

 

The last time we had the standing reservation (party of 4) was in April 2012. I don't know if there has been a policy change. As I mentioned before, the standing reservation was only allowed at or before 5:45 PM.