reservations for main dinning room???

[G&TQ]

We are thinking of booking our first NCL cruise we have sailed on CCL 3 times. My DH and I have enjoyed getting to know our staff and table mates in the past and I am worried about the freestyling dinning expierence. I have read on the FAQ thread that you can make reservations in the main dinning rooms to eat at the same table at the same time each night by speaking with the mater'd.(forgive the spelling)

Has anyone done this? What were the results? I hate the idea of waiting in line for a table but don't want to eat in the buffet for every meal.

 

Thanks!

[CruiserFromWV]

I'm not sure if you can make reservations in the main dining rooms. If you and your DH enjoy getting to meet other people when cruising, when you go to the podium for a meal they might ask if you would mind being seated with other people. We took them up on that and got to know quite a few people onboard the ship. If the matre'd doesn't ask you, tell them that you would like to sit with others. To meet others go to your cruises roll call right here on Cruise Critic and see if anyone has a Meet & Greet set up. We did that and had a ball. Also if your ship has a Mystery Dinner make sure you sign up for that. After you have spent an evening trying to find out which of your tablemates "did it" you will have meet some more new friends.

[Arwenmark]

I have not yet sailed under th Freestyle 2.0 plan but under previous Freestyle yes you certainly could make a standing reservation for the same waitstaff, not the same table because they move around the room during the week, but I have made such a standing reservation when I cruise. it has to be during non peak time however.

So I would have a table for two in whatever station my servers were in that night at 5:45.

I am cruising over Christmas and I hope to use the same plan this time.

[Greymeowsr]

We are doing our first NCL cruise and hope to meet folks who plan to eat in the main dining rooms rather than in the specialty restaurants. If we do I think it would be fun to eat with them regularly. But if not, no big deal because my wife and I enjoy just being with each other too.

[Toyz711]

i am one of the people that never had to stand in line (other then to wait for the hostess to seat the people in front of me)...we love our tables for 2, but we still are able to talk to others around us.

they don't like to make reservations for parties of less the 8, but if you find some servers you like...? if you do the same table, you won't have the same servers. they move the servers around, even to the specialities/surcharge. any reservations will be early or late, not prime time.

certainly no need to HAVE to eat in the buffet.

with our enjoyment of meeting new people, i am sure you will meet people..either on your roll call or on the cruise...to sit with :)

on our cruise to alaska, we had family with us, but the rest of the roll call had several dinners together.

[newmexicoNita]

We are doing our first NCL cruise and hope to meet folks who plan to eat in the main dining rooms rather than in the specialty restaurants. If we do I think it would be fun to eat with them regularly. But if not, no big deal because my wife and I enjoy just being with each other too.

go to the roll call and sign up, that is the best way to make contact prior to even sailing. You will have friends before you get on ship. Maybe you will find a couple that would enjoy eating, at least some dinners with you.

 

Nita

[*Wink*]

Our experience on Majesty is that you can't make reservations ahead of time for less than 8, but we were able to walk up to the podium and ask for a certain server. Normally there was a wait, but if you plan, you can have a drink while waiting or do "whatever." :)

[garycarla]

There always seems to be somebody that had to wait in line to eat. We never waited more than a few minutes if at all. And, it seems that most people that post here did not have an issue either.

 

It is not standard practice to make reservations in the main/free dining rooms.

 

For more on NCL, see my link below.