What exactly is meant by "freestyle"???

[mccasey]

Hi!

 

I have been on 2 Royal Caribbean cruises and loved it. This time I was thinking of trying the freestyle cruises of Norwegian because it sounds appealing to me to not necessarily have a set dinner time.

 

But what exactly is meant by "freestyle" cruising?

 

Because, on RCCI, you have a set dining time at a table with other cruisers (i.e. strangers) (unless you are very lucky to get a table for 2 or even for 4), and if you don't go to the main dining room at your assigned time, you have the choice of pretty much the buffet (which isn't exactly our style necessarily) or the other restaurant that you have to pay for ($20 or so per person) and need reservations for.

 

So, how does it work on Norwegian? Is there still one main dining room? Do you go when you want and wait in line for a table??? Are you seated with other strangers??? What other options are there for eating??

 

What other benefits does Norwegian offer?

 

Thanks!!

[immargaret]

Hi!

 

I have been on 2 Royal Caribbean cruises and loved it. This time I was thinking of trying the freestyle cruises of Norwegian because it sounds appealing to me to not necessarily have a set dinner time.

 

But what exactly is meant by "freestyle" cruising?

 

Because, on RCCI, you have a set dining time at a table with other cruisers (i.e. strangers) (unless you are very lucky to get a table for 2 or even for 4), and if you don't go to the main dining room at your assigned time, you have the choice of pretty much the buffet (which isn't exactly our style necessarily) or the other restaurant that you have to pay for ($20 or so per person) and need reservations for.

 

So, how does it work on Norwegian? Is there still one main dining room? Do you go when you want and wait in line for a table??? Are you seated with other strangers??? What other options are there for eating??

 

What other benefits does Norwegian offer?

 

Thanks!!

 

Freestyle dining offer you choices. You choose when you want to eat, where you want to eat and with whom you want to eat. All of the ship offer main dining rooms where you can show up when you want and get seated at a table for 2 or more if you prefer...it's up to you. There may be a slight wait time if you show up during their peek hours, but we've never waited more than 15 minutes or so.

 

Depending upon the ship your cruising on there may be as many as 12-14 dining options available. Some restaurants will require reservations, and some will require reservations and there will be a fee of $15 - $20 PP. If you let us know what ship you are considering we can give further information on your dining options.

 

Freestyle also means that you can leave the suit/tux/ formal clothes at home if you want. Formal nights are optional, and even on formal nights you can choose to eat in any of the restaurants you want in your resort casual clothes.

 

Freestyle also allows you to stay in your cabin on the morning of disembarkation, no more waiting in public rooms with all of your carry on bags waiting for you number/color/deck to be called.

[mccasey]

Thank you so much for the info Margaret!

 

What sounds like the best part of that to me is the waiting in your room on disembarkation day!!

 

Could you give me an idea of what are the best ships to be on (most dining options, most and most diverse entertainment options, etc.)?

 

Thanks so much!

[songanddance]

Is it really that scary meeting "strangers"? I find it to be one of the better parts of the cruise although I will admit on my last two NCL cruises the strangers were quite "strange" so maybe on NCL it is better to have a table by ones own party unless your partner is also "strange". But that is what Freestyle is all about, being as singular as you want no need to meet and mingle at all.

[mccasey]

Honestly, I am not a fan of sitting with people I don't know, simply because I am a bit shy, but I wouldn't object to it if it were my only option. My husband, however, really dislikes being seated with other people at dinner. It's not like we are anti-social, but I guess we just prefer to meet people our own way.

 

Are there a lot of tables for 2 on NCL ships?

[electricron]

Honestly, I am not a fan of sitting with people I don't know, simply because I am a bit shy, but I wouldn't object to it if it were my only option. My husband, however, really dislikes being seated with other people at dinner. It's not like we are anti-social, but I guess we just prefer to meet people our own way.

 

Are there a lot of tables for 2 on NCL ships?

 

About half the tables in NCL's main restaurants have two chairs.

Is that plenty?

[mccasey]

Thank you!!

[immargaret]

Honestly, I am not a fan of sitting with people I don't know, simply because I am a bit shy, but I wouldn't object to it if it were my only option. My husband, however, really dislikes being seated with other people at dinner. It's not like we are anti-social, but I guess we just prefer to meet people our own way.

 

Are there a lot of tables for 2 on NCL ships?

 

There are many, many tables for 2, we've never had a problem getting a table for 2. Freestyle also offers you to meet up with people on your roll call, or that you meet on the ship and join them for dinner as well...just show up at the dining room at the same time. It's very flexible, which we love. There are usually 2 shows each evening 7:30 and 9:30 so you can choose your dining schedule around that, or eat part of the meal before the show and go back after the show for more food or another dessert.

 

The newer ships like the STAR, DAWN, PEARL, JEWEL and the GEM when it comes out will offer the most dining options. They each offer a Tex-Mex restaurant as well as an Italian restaurant where you make a reservation but there aren't any extra charges. Le Bistro - French restaurant require a reservation and an extra charge of $15 PP, and Cagney's Steak house is an extra $20 PP. Other options include room service (limited menu unless your are in a suite), Buffet, and Blue Lagoon (open about 20 hours a day) for fish and chips, chicken winges, burgers and excellent pound cake among other things.

[mccasey]

Thanks so much again Margaret for this info! It's great! Really helpful!

[98Charlie]

We've cruised several of the mass market lines and enjoy NCL's freestyle as well as traditional dining on other lines.

 

NCL's freestyle comes in handy specially for itineraries where we want to stay in port longer like our Alaskan cruise last Sept. We didn't have to worry about getting back to the ship early for dinner seating and enjoyed the fact that we could eat dinner in port and not feel ``obligated '' to go to the dining room or to contact our waiter or table mates that we weren't coming to the dining room.

 

To sum it up in few words, freestyle means flexible.:D The dining room food is still very good and we have almost always received expert dining room service on the five NCL ships we've cruised.

 

Dianne

[judyf]

I just got off the 4/1 sailing of the Dawn and we got a table for two every time just the two of us went to the dining room for lunch or dinner. No problem.