If NCL did away with freestyle...

[Droopy_Sails]

No freestyle = no NCL for us. Love their ships and crews, but can't do the set-time-same-place-same-people dining thing.

 

If they dumped freestyle (and they most assuredly won't), we'd go to Princess for anytime dining, with an occasional Oceania cruise thrown in for a special treat. Might even try easycruise for bare-bones cruising and the choice of eating wherever we want in port every night. But we're completely uninterested in Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Holland America or any of the other lines where we have to snap to their regimentation.

[7SeasLover]

But we're completely uninterested in Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Holland America or any of the other lines where we have to snap to their regimentation.

 

I've cruised on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity and don't recall having to snap to their regimentation. I only remember eating at a set time and at a specific table.

 

While I prefer NCL's freestyle, I'm not turned off by set times, but it would be why sail with NCL if they're like all the others as far as a set time? What does NCL offer that makes me WANT to sail with them sans freestyle? One reason is I like them, another is that I like my Latitudes status - other than that I may seek other lines since freestyle would be gone. (I seriously doubt they'll ever do away with freestyle.)

 

As for casual dress. I don't recall problems dressing for dinner. I usually always change for dinner because I just enjoy doing that. If I'm in shorts or jeans, I go to the buffet. I really do enjoy dressing for dinner (not formal thugh) I don't do formal any more. We eat elsewhere. Easy for me to dress, but the pits for my husband with dress shoes, tux, etc. I spare him that chore.

:)

[calmac]

The only reason we started cruising was because we found NCL's Freestyle. If Freestyle were to go - we would stop cruising. We don't want to be told when to eat, who to eat with and what to wear - been there done that (outwith cruising) and don't want to do it again.

[mbisson]

It is clear they are not marketing to single cruisers. The good news for others they will not be forced to eat with a single cruiser they don't know every night who will continuously complain about how they are dressed. :D

 

Are you talking about who I think you might be? ;)

 

I've cruised a couple other mainstream lines and enjoy them. Probably would still sail them on occassion but as long as the NCL credit card plan exists the way it does, NCL would still be my line of choice.

 

-Monte

[Droopy_Sails]

I've cruised on Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity and don't recall having to snap to their regimentation. I only remember eating at a set time and at a specific table.

 

I know not everyone feels this way, 7Seas, but we find the combination of a set time, set table, set dining companions and specific dress codes for various nights to be too regimented. Mostly, though, we find the idea of eating in the same dining room almost every night to be dreary. We love the variety of specialty restaurants on NCL; it's a big reason why we sail with them.

[Droopy_Sails]

The only reason we started cruising was because we found NCL's Freestyle. If Freestyle were to go - we would stop cruising. We don't want to be told when to eat, who to eat with and what to wear - been there done that (outwith cruising) and don't want to do it again.

 

Yes, exactly. We never cruised (and we travel quite a lot) until NCL came up with freestyle. Obviously, it fits a strong niche market, or Princess wouldn't have started the anytime dining option (now very popular) and the more upscale Oceania wouldn't have gone with resort casual dress and open seating.

 

I believe we'll see more freestyle on other lines as time goes on. While traditionalists will moan, I'm sure many lines will preserve the old ways for those who prefer set dress codes, seating times and dining companions. I think Princess is rather clever for making both options available.

[Zeno]

I cruise with NCL for two reasons:

1. Freestyle dining, dress code, disembarkation

2. Itinerary and price.

SO - if NCL dumped Freestyle I would either:

1. Stop cruising

2. Try another line with a good itinerary/price and see if I could stand (traditional dining with tablemates I don't get to choose/dressing up to impress other people/waiting like a herd of cattle in public rooms to disembark) again.

I would probably give Number 2 a try - IF a REALLY good itinerary at a great price were involved

[ImpulsivePuppy]

I read quite a lot of post from NCl cruisers that say they are rebooking on NCL because of the Freestyle.

 

So my question is, if NCL didn't have Freestyle would you still continue to cruise on NCL or would you be specific as to which cruiseline you would cruise on?

 

Bill

 

 

As long as they still had the same chefs from the freestyle choices and similar menus I would consider it.

[jame_g]

Is there any line that markets to single cruisers? As in those travelling alone? I've never seen single cabins advertised. Or a rate that's in the ballpark of half what two people would pay. Most lines charge between 150%-200% for someone travelling alone.

 

There may be those lines that try to appeal to single men travelling together who are trying to meet single women on board. It seems like nightlife aboard some lines would appeal to these individuals. It also seems like the freestyle dining concept would also appeal if you were trying to have a dinner date or romantic meal with someone you met onboard.

[Pisti]

Freestyle isn't the deciding factor for us. Itinerary, price and especially not having to fly! is what we like. If more cruise lines were out of NY with the same prices as NCL I"d go. What time I eat and what I wear is not a big deal although I must admit I'll be interested to see what effect if any the new ad campaign will have on the overall ambience of the cruise .

[AuntieBarb]

If NCL did away with freestyle, our cruises would be fewer and farther between, unless another line went freestyle. We're very laid back people, who don't like to be told when we have to eat. We don't like dining assignments. We don't want to cut time at port short to get our meals. We prefer to dress down for most of the cruise. We are freestyle enthusiasts!

[thedebbied]

Don't anyone worry about NCL abandoning the Freestyle concept. To the contrary, is seems NCL is going to more fully embrace this concept in their upcoming marketing efforts starting Oct. 2.

[mbisson]

Don't anyone worry about NCL abandoning the Freestyle concept. To the contrary, is seems NCL is going to more fully embrace this concept in their upcoming marketing efforts starting Oct. 2.

 

I agree-but was just playing "what if"

 

-Monte

[jimswims]

We have enjoyed all of our past cruises.

 

Our most recent cruises have all been with NCL because of freestyle dining and restaurant choices/variety, port of embarkation, itinerary, and most importantly price/value.

 

The resort casual dress code is not a big factor for our selecting NCL. I still bring a suit and my wife brings at least 1 nice dress because we do like to dress for dinner at least once when we cruise. When we cruise NCL, I do leave my Tuxedo home. I have worn in on past cruises on RCCL and Cunard.

 

We love freestyle because it works well for us to vacation with our children. We also get to have dinner for 2 some nights and they are at Kids Crew, already fed, having a blast with friends. For us, this is a great benefit of freestyle!

 

If NCL dropped Freestyle or if other lines added freestyle dining, price, port of embarkation, ports of call, price would be the main factors we would use when we booked our cruises.

 

We are booked on NCL again in August 2007. We looked at other lines but NCL still had the best prices/options for us.

[thedebbied]

I agree-but was just playing "what if"

 

-Monte

I think NCL would lose a lot of their very loyal customers if they abandoned it and I guess they know that. I recently tried the Dawn just to experience the Freestyle concept. The 1 nighter I did on the Spirit was not enough to get the feel for it. In the end I think I am neutral on the concept overall and would still sail them if the ship, itinerary, price and date all appealed to me. I am glad they are not changing, because I think Freestyle is attractive to a lot of people who would otherwise not choose to sail.

[mbisson]

I am glad they are not changing, because I think Freestyle is attractive to a lot of people who would otherwise not choose to sail.

 

Good point. Whether someone likes it or not, it's another option everyone has. But for some reason, some of the posters (to the board, not necessarily to this thread) would rather have that option removed from everyone :(

 

-Monte

[stasik]

I read quite a lot of post from NCl cruisers that say they are rebooking on NCL because of the Freestyle.

 

So my question is, if NCL didn't have Freestyle would you still continue to cruise on NCL or would you be specific as to which cruiseline you would cruise on?

 

I don't know if Princess offers cruises out of NYC, Philly or Baltimore. If so I would take them. If not, then my cruise tomorrow would be my first and last cruise.

 

The wife and I had been holding off because we just didn't think that having structured dinners would make for a very enjoyable vacation. We only went for it when a friend suggested NCL.

 

Personally I hope other cruise lines will move in that direction.

[jimswims]

I don't know if Princess offers cruises out of NYC, Philly or Baltimore. If so I would take them. If not, then my cruise tomorrow would be my first and last cruise.

 

The wife and I had been holding off because we just didn't think that having structured dinners would make for a very enjoyable vacation. We only went for it when a friend suggested NCL.

 

Personally I hope other cruise lines will move in that direction.

 

The Crown Princess sails out of Brooklyn. At least it is this summer and Summer 2007.

[lhall85917]

I haven't read all of the posts, please forgive its a repeat. We LOVE the Freestyle and going to dinner when we want to go. It really doesn't matter to us that the wait staff knows our name, in fact they haven't when we went on lines with traditional dining. As long as the food and service are good - we are happy!

[insidecabin]

We like not having trad dining and find princess is a good option, Our NCL Sun cruise(04) was very enjoyable but the food was so good in the main dinning we hardly used the alt's. Hopefully we will get to try the full set on our pearl trans, but if the main dinning has gone down hill we will be dissapointed.

 

Not that bothered about the casual side of things since you can be casual on a lot of ships if you want.

[Barb Nahoumi]

Freestyle Dining and resort casual are the reasons I chose NCL to start with. I'm on vacation. I don't want to have to be on a set schedule and I definitely do not want to dress up. Princess would be my second choice with the Anytime Dining.

 

Ditto.

 

Barb

[A Sixth?]

We alternate between NCL and Princess these days. We love both lines and choose them for the dining freedom of a non-scheduled dinner time

[Royalco]

I have been on four NCL cruises and have cruies booked for Nov, Feb and May.

If it wasn't for "Freestyle", I would definely have booked Celetrity over NCL.

[Brad1185]

If NCL got rid of freestyle, then the long waits and poor service will likely be gone as well. I vote to get ride of freestyle. It does not work. The concept on Princess works better and somehow they are able to get the service to a somewhat acceptable level. Why NCL cannot bring up their level of service is beyond me.

[claudie]

We enjoyed our first cruise on HAL's Oosterdam. We switched over to NCL because of the freestyle concept. We love NCL but if they dropped freestyle cruising I would try another HAL.