Crash course on the Free Style concept

[tinker]

Just booked the Spirit for June and clueless about NCL's dining options.

 

A crash course would be a appreciated. Assume a buffet every night with no reservations needed. No set seating in a dining room? There are other restaurants, which are good and how to reserve a seating time.

 

Thanks!

[richtersl]

NCL offers a nice crash course on their web site: http://www.ncl.com/freestyle/index.htm

 

But to put it simply, if you've ever been to dinner in a land-based restaurant, which I'm sure you have, you won't find NCL all that different:

• You're not guaranteed the same waiter/waitress every night
  
• Peak dinner hour is at 7:00PM. If you go to a main dining room at that time, expect to wait before being seated.
  
• For the "fancier" restaurants like LeBistro or Cagney's you need to make reservations.

You can certainly eat at the buffet every night if that's what you want but there are a number of sit-down dinner options available too: each ship will have at least one main dining room. There is no charge to eat at any of those. There are some alternative restaurants that charge an extra fee (minimal) or are free but they require that you make a reservation because seating is limited.

 

Hope this helps.

[sweetpea-2]

:) Best way to cruise....all you have to remember is NO t-shirts, No jeans, No shorts & No tank tops.....and No reservations, just show up between 5:30 - 9:00 and you will be seated.....the Pay ones I would make reservations (this info will be in your room in the folder, very easy to do) and I would call 2 days in advance if you want a specific time to eat, if not we got in the evening before).....have fun

[ute_fan]

If you're used to traditional dining, enjoy it, and are worried about the "freestyle dining" experience, there's a couple of different things you can do to have your NCL dining experience become more "traditional".

 

First, you can request to be seated at the same table every night -- but you need to be prepared to eat either very early of very late. We have friends who take advantage of this option, and choose to eat at 5:30 each night.

 

Second, if you find a waiter in the main dining room that you particularly enjoy, you can ask to be seated in their area. We've normally done this -- doesn't restrict you to eating in the same restaurant every night, but it does give you the advantage of developing more of a relationship with your waiter and having them learn your likes/dislikes as far as drinks, etc. Not guaranteed to work as sometimes their area may be full, but we've had it work on an average of 4 or 5 nights during a 7 day cruise.

 

On the other hand, you can also choose to experience freestyle as NCL has designed it, and choose to eat in a different dining room every night of the week. It's your choice!

[NJGRANNY]

We ask for a table to share at the main dining room. Usually, they'll put us with another couple, or put us at a table for 4 and, if someone comes along who wants to share, they are seated with us.

 

We've met lots of really nice people this way, and they will only be people who want to share.

[tinker]

I think I am going to LOVE this!!

 

The traditional way is fine, sometimes, and this way I can have it MY WAY every day.

 

Thanks for all the info.

[Nilla]

I think you will love this concept. I know everyone that has cruised a few tiems on the traditional method can agree with me on this.... I think everyone has been seated with people on a long cruise who you just can not stand or they may Urk you! So this way you can dine alone or with others every night. The only night we had to wait to be seated was on Formal night, other then that we just went and got seated right away.

[tinker]

Forgot about formal night. Assume that is in the main dining rooms only if you choose to participate and you still show up whenever?

 

How many formal nights and when will it be on the 6 night Spirit to the Bahamas?

[johnql]

There will probably be one optional formal night on your cruise. The resort casual dress code, acceptable every night, is applied to all the restaurants (minus the buffet and the Blue Lagoon). You will see formal dress in the main dining rooms and in the specialty restaurants. I would estimate 25-30% dress up. For the main dining rooms, you can still show up whenever you feel like it (assuming they're open, of course).

[electricron]

Just booked the Spirit for June and clueless about NCL's dining options. A crash course would be a appreciated. Assume a buffet every night with no reservations needed. No set seating in a dining room? There are other restaurants, which are good and how to reserve a seating time.Thanks!

Why do some always assume the worse. NCL restaurants are not buffets, they are real restaurants. But there is a buffet/cafeteria aboard if that's where you wish to eat.

 

Here's some photos of the Spirit's restaurants:

Windows

 

Le Bristo

 

Sushi Bar

 

Teppanyaki

 

Tetami Room

 

That's the limit of photos I can post.

None of these restaurants appear like a buffet to me, and they aren't!

[tinker]

Thanks for the pictures Ron.

I don't mind a buffet here and there and I was not being critical, just excited about the new experience is all.