windows restaurant-spirit

[misslots]

this is meant for ncl officials

if free style cruising is to be successful then u must offer more FREE dinner eating options. not everyone wants to pay more to eat dinner. a short wait is acceptable but 40 min. is way too long especially when there are empty tables. (some still dirty) maybe more help is needed.

 

windows is a beautiful room filled with tables of ALL sizes. yet for 2 1/2 hrs while we ate, 2 tables of 8 stood dirty while there was a long wait outside to eat. my party had to split up yet we saw a large table of 12 empty (not made up from previous diners). the service was very slow also so we missed many of the shows.

 

perhaps knowing they already got their tip has something to do with it. or just having more help should help!!

[Don Haynes]

Yes, the service is slow, one course at a time, but from my experience its the same on other cruise lines. On the other lines you dine at 5:30 or 8:30 PM, the early diners see the late show and the late diners see the early show. It seems with NCL Feestyle dining people want to eat early and see the early show, or eat late and see the late show.

 

I have never had to wait or missed a start of an early show when I dine at 5:30-6:00 PM. Since it takes an hour and a half to two hours for all of the courses, the first batch of diners won't depart til 7:30 PM. Usually the dining rooms are full by 6:30 to 7:00 PM , if this is the time you are showing up to dine you are going to have a long wait. As diners leave tables open up, but during prime time 7:00 to 8:00 PM its a slow line, just like your favorite restaurant on Friday nights at home.

 

As I have said before, either dine early or late to miss any lines. Probably the worst time to arrive for dinner is slightly before 7:00 PM. Expect a line.

 

The other cruise lines have set times, early and late. There is a reason why? Common sense should tell everyone if you show up too late and miss the first sitting, arrive two hours later.

[johnql]

When I was on the Spirit back in February, my longest wait was 10 minutes and that was just once. All other nights, I was seated immediately.

 

P.S. to the OP: I hope you somehow indicated to the ship's staff while onboard that you were not entirely satisfied with certain aspects of your cruise. It's the only way they can know that something is amiss and do something about it.

[BOYNSEA]

Misslots, I think our week was exceptionally full. There were only 4 of us eating and most nights we had to get a buzzer because of a 30 minute or more wait. Luckily the buzzer gives you the ability to sit somewhere comfortably while you're waiting for dinner. I don't really like freestyle myself. I like the idea of having the same table and getting to know the waiter and having him know that I want tea with my meal etc. I also like walking right in and sitting down. Granted it is a fixed time that you have to meet but you can be seated right away. I know people say on Freestyle you can ask for the same table but my experience last week makes me think that would involve more waiting.

Johnql There were 900 kids on this cruise and I believe 1300 adults so I think you probably had a lot less in February and perhaps that is why the shorter wait for you.

[electricron]

Misslots, I think our week was exceptionally full. There were only 4 of us eating and most nights we had to get a buzzer because of a 30 minute or more wait. Luckily the buzzer gives you the ability to sit somewhere comfortably while you're waiting for dinner.

 

What time did you arrive at the restaurant? Was it early, late, or during prime dinner hours?

 

To avoid 30 minutes wait, I recommend dinning early or late.

[logcabin]

We have sailed the Dawn twice and are booked on the Spirit in July. We NEVER had to wait to be seated on the Dawn. Perhaps because it's only 2 of us. However, I think the main reason is that we chose to eat later. We would have lunch around noon to 1ish. Then a late afternoon snack, received late afternoon goodies in our suite, saw the early show each night, then went to dinner. Never waited. This will be our "game plan" on the Spirit also.

[awatt]

We have done the same waoiter/table/time thing on every NCL cruise. It was simple to arrange with the maitre d' on the first evening of each cruise. It does require that we sit by 6PM or after 8PM.

[misslots]

Yes, the service is slow, one course at a time, but from my experience its the same on other cruise lines.

 

I have never had to wait or missed a start of an early show when I dine at 5:30-6:00 PM. Since it takes an hour and a half to two hours for all of the courses,

 

As I have said before, either dine early or late to miss any lines.

 

if u HAVE to dine @ 5:30 then why bother with free style:confused: it's not just FRIDAY NIGHT, it's EVERY night.

please --don't misinterprate my point. i LOVED freestyle when i sailed the DAWN just the two of us. u people are comparing apples & oranges. For large families (or groups) i think it DOESN"T work.

 

for your info--on the last night we were only 8 (put kids in camp). after waiting 40min (would have been sooner if we split but refused) my daughter

spoke to someone up front (i hope politely!!!) we were seated immediately, the sevice was 100% better, the waiters moved 100% faster, the food was 100% hotter & we finally made a show!!!! just seems to me that it COULD be done if they really wanted to.

 

lastly--i would go freestyle again with my hubby--but our yearly family vacation will be elsewhere.

[remixernyc]

Yes, the service is slow, one course at a time, but from my experience its the same on other cruise lines.

100% wrong.... the service on the Spirit was painfully slow........ we ate in Shogun @ 7pm & couldn't make the 9:30 show....almost 3 hours to eat.....

 

on previous (non-freestyle cruises) you'd sit down in the dining room for breakfast, the waiters would immediately bring rolls, juice, coffee, etc..... we waited a good 25 minutes to get a simple orange juice for my (3) year old..... the restaurant wasn't crowded @ the time... maybe 30% full.... unacceptable..... that was the one & only time we ate breakfast in the main dining room.... breakfast in the buffet is highly recommended..... :)

[remixernyc]

if u HAVE to dine @ 5:30 then why bother with free style:confused: it's not just FRIDAY NIGHT, it's EVERY night.

please --don't misinterprate my point. i LOVED freestyle when i sailed the DAWN just the two of us. u people are comparing apples & oranges. For large families (or groups) i think it DOESN"T work.

 

for your info--on the last night we were only 8 (put kids in camp). after waiting 40min (would have been sooner if we split but refused) my daughter

spoke to someone up front (i hope politely!!!) we were seated immediately, the sevice was 100% better, the waiters moved 100% faster, the food was 100% hotter & we finally made a show!!!! just seems to me that it COULD be done if they really wanted to.

 

lastly--i would go freestyle again with my hubby--but our yearly family vacation will be elsewhere.

Misslots you're totally right on all your points... hope u filled out your comment sheet accordingly..... we did..... it was actually the first cruise where we left ratings other than excellent....

[remixernyc]

to all peeps going freestyle...... if you're a small party than you're probably ok..... if you're a large party with kids freestyle is chaos.... I'm not saying we had a bad vacation... it was great.... I'm saying freestyle dining on the Spirit for large families with kids is not happening....

to those who say eat early or late.... duh... yes it'll help avoid crowds.... but if thats the plan every nite doesn't that sound like early or late seating on a standars cruise????? hmmmmm......

if we wanted to eat without our kids some of the nites we were forced to eat in the 7pm to 7:30 range because thats when the kids crew opened.... so the "eat early or late" plan didn't work for us there......

the boat being too crowded or understaffed in not an acceptable excuse.... we roughly paid $15,000 (plus $2,000 tips & onboard credit) for 11 of us, to have the dining experience so chaotic is sad on NCL's part....

We got to windows @ 7pm... a bit of a line, fine.... we were still waiting to eat @ 7:45... if it's crowded & the staff is doing the best they can, then fine.... but when you walk thru the dining room & see 50% of the tables empty (and most still dirty) & then see a line waiting to eat stretching around the corner it's just wrong..... then when u complain they kiss your ass & move things along????? Think about it....On a standard cruise they kiss your ass & move things along automatically!!!! And you get the personal touch of having the same waiters everyday!!!!

having experienced both, the way to go is standard cruising, definite time to eat with no hassles & you build your schedule around that... as opposed to scheduling & figuring & planning & sometimes arguing about food.... why be on a cruise???? don't we have enough scheduling & figuring & planning & arguing at home?????

so to recap..... freestyle on the spirit for large families with kids.... not happening...... was it still an awesome cruise????? yes of course..... just be prepared for dining chaos!!!!!!!! :)

I know NCL reads the boards so hopefully this will be a constructive thread!!!!!!!!!! :)