Solo Dining on NCL

I'm booked on an upcoming cruise on NCL Dawn. I'm not quite sure how to set up the dining situation. I'd like to ear in the MDR and see an option to make a reservation but I an only select a party of 2 or larger. There is no option to select 1. I would prefer to be seated with a large table but I'm not sure how to go about that. I figured I would post here before calling NCL. Thanks!

For starters, you don't need to set up reservations for the MDR at all. If you wish, you may. I typically can show up just about any time and not have to wait very long before I am seated.

If you want a table by yourself, s'all good. If you want to share, you can make your wishes known to the hostess. But there may or may not be any "share" table at any one meal service.

Thanks for your reply. I went ahead and reserved a table for 2 for the Venetian every night. The NCL interface is not very user friendly (had to make the same reservation 7 times) instead of an option to select multiple dates at once.

I was just on the Norwegian Breakaway as a solo. The MDR hostess looked at me like I was from Mars when I asked about joining up for a large table. They never offered that option for me.

If you want a single table they were fine with that in the MDRs.

The single program they were running on the ship did a communal table every night at 6 pm in one of the dining rooms. They had a singles get together at 5 pm and went to dinner at 6 pm. The assistant cruise director each night simple asked who wants to go to dinner and with a show of hands got the group a table. The last night he hosted a table in the DR.

None of the specialty restaurants other than the tepanyaki were set for shares. By nature they have to join you up at the hibachi tables but they charge a supplement to go to that dining room.

Thanks for your reply. I went ahead and reserved a table for 2 for the Venetian every night. The NCL interface is not very user friendly (had to make the same reservation 7 times) instead of an option to select multiple dates at once.

On the Sun the hostess always asked if I wanted to share a table and I always declined. There was not a large solo traveller table unless arranged by the cruise director's staff for a special occasion.

I was just on the Norwegian Breakaway as a solo. The MDR hostess looked at me like I was from Mars when I asked about joining up for a large table. They never offered that option for me.

On the Sun the hostess always asked if I wanted to share a table and I always declined. There was not a large solo traveller table unless arranged by the cruise director's staff for a special occasion.

I've spent over 50 nights on NCL ships and can only recall being asked about sharing maybe 3 times, so this appears to be something that is totally up to the hostess on duty and/or the particular ship in question. In other words, you MIGHT get assistance from the hostess in this regard, but you probably can't count on it.

Speaking for myself, I prefer to dine alone, so NCL works well for me. But I don't understand why they don't maintain a "community" table or two where they could seat people (either singles or couples) who want that type of experience.

I've spent over 50 nights on NCL ships and can only recall being asked about sharing maybe 3 times, so this appears to be something that is totally up to the hostess on duty and/or the particular ship in question. In other words, you MIGHT get assistance from the hostess in this regard, but you probably can't count on it.

 

 

 

Speaking for myself, I prefer to dine alone, so NCL works well for me. But I don't understand why they don't maintain a "community" table or two where they could seat people (either singles or couples) who want that type of experience.

As I said I was asked if I wanted to share, especially for breakfast and lunch because it was busier but I always declined. I liked my own table with no forced conversations. The Sun had a couple of big tables but there were large groups from different countries traveling together.

When I used to travel on ships with 2 fixed meal times there were usually larger tables where they would put solo travelers. I did not like when they would put me at a table with couples. Uncomfortable.

Hi I was on the Dawn in April. A few nights I ate in the main dining room with friends. One night a singles table was created for us. Other nights I asked to be put at a sharing table or create one. One night I created a sharing table but no one came. Very lonely difficult dinner for me. The last night it happened again,but I saw the restaurant manager. She sat down,I explained my problem. She called the hostess and within 5 minutes a couple was added to my table. I really like fixed dinner dining. I won't go on NCL again unless it is an unbelievable good deal.

Hi I was on the Dawn in April. A few nights I ate in the main dining room with friends. One night a singles table was created for us. Other nights I asked to be put at a sharing table or create one. One night I created a sharing table but no one came. Very lonely difficult dinner for me. The last night it happened again,but I saw the restaurant manager. She sat down,I explained my problem. She called the hostess and within 5 minutes a couple was added to my table. I really like fixed dinner dining. I won't go on NCL again unless it is an unbelievable good deal.

This is the problem with NCL no fixed dining. I am the same and dislike eating alone in the evening.

This is the problem with NCL no fixed dining. I am the same and dislike eating alone in the evening.

On the NCL Epic there is a director in the Solo Lounge who arranges group dinners for the solo cruisers who meet at the lounge each days.

I have seen that there is a solo meeting once a day on most of the ships I have been on. Even the Queen Mary2. If you attend those meetings it is easy to meet other solo travelers to have a dinner or tour companion. I usually avoid those meetings because I enjoy the solo travel and dining.

Or going to the buffet is nice. If you are outgoing you can always ask a couple of women if you can join them.

As I have posted before on numerous threads, I booked a November, 2006 cruise on the Dawn 13 days ahead of time. I booked the cruise by calling NCL. I asked about first and second sitting and was told about Freestyle. I asked about sitting with other people and was told yes, that it happens all the time, that all I had to do was say that I wanted to be seated with others, and I would be seated with others.

Nothing could have been farther from the truth. Whenever I told the hostess that I wanted to be seated with other people, she would look at me as if I had three heads and then say cautiously that if people showed up and said, "We don't want to eat alone! We want to eat with strangers!' she would seat them with me. However, as soon as I sat down, the waitstaff, as soon as they realized that I was alone, grabbed all of the other plates and silverware off the table, even though I told them that some other people might be seated with me. And no one was ever seated with me.

On the first night, I went to the singles get-together, where eight of us signed up for the singles dinner, which would be held two days later. I went to the singles get-together the following night. Two people from the night before also showed up. When the NCL host found out that we had already signed up for the singles dinner, he took off.

The daily newsletter the following day indicated that the singles dinner would take place that night. There was no indication that if you hadn't already signed up for it, you should sign up for it by a certain time at a certain place. So I showed up to find a table for eight with a hostess sitting there (meaning that there were only seven seats for the eight people that I was certain had signed up), but some of the seats were occupied by people who hadn't signed up. I was able to find a seat, but some people who had signed up were turned away, because seven seats just weren't enough for the eight people who had signed up, plus the newcomers who hadn't signed up but showed up anyway because nothing in the newsletter indicated that they should have signed up, so that NCL would know how many people to expect.

At that time, there were three included MDRs on the Dawn. I always thought that it was possible that there were people at each of the three rooms at the same time saying that they wanted to share a table, and there was no way that anyone would be able to figure this out so that they could sit together.

I finally figured out that NCL caters to people who don't want to have to eat with pesky strangers, and that's why there is a minimum amount of people who genuinely want to share a table in the MDR. In 2007, I went on an NCL cruise with a friend. Every single night when we went to dinner, we were asked if we were willing to share a table. We always said yes, but we were always given a table for just us. I guess no one else ever wanted to share a table with us.

I think it's great that there are solo lounges for solos and singles to meet up so that they can go to dinner together, because I don't know if things have changed on other NCL ships, the ones without solo lounges. I don't know if people are more amenable to sharing a table in the MDR. I learned on the Dawn to bring a book with me when going to dinner.

As I have posted before on numerous threads, I booked a November, 2006 cruise on the Dawn 13 days ahead of time. I booked the cruise by calling NCL. I asked about first and second sitting and was told about Freestyle. I asked about sitting with other people and was told yes, that it happens all the time, that all I had to do was say that I wanted to be seated with others, and I would be seated with others.

 

Nothing could have been farther from the truth. Whenever I told the hostess that I wanted to be seated with other people, she would look at me as if I had three heads and then say cautiously that if people showed up and said, "We don't want to eat alone! We want to eat with strangers!' she would seat them with me.

The year is 2015 not 2006!

Do you really believe there has been no changes on the cruise ships in all that time?

You sound like my mom who never when cruising with me because in the 1970's when she did go on a cruise ship the room had bunk beds.

Even my pictures did not convince her that the ships had changed from when she went.

This forum is full of people posting about being put at tables with other solo cruisers. Both of my solo cruises I had no problem being group tables. And even when I did not go solo if I went to breakfast, lunch or dinner without my travel companions I had no problems find people to share a table.

And yes, if I went to a smaller table - pulled out my book or computer and started reading I did not get offers to share the table ... maybe that is why you have gotten no-one.

Going solo is lot of fun now-a-days.

This forum is full of people posting about being put at tables with other solo cruisers. Both of my solo cruises I had no problem being group tables. And even when I did not go solo if I went to breakfast, lunch or dinner without my travel companions I had no problems find people to share a table.

Are you referring to NCL, the subject crusie line of this thread?

The year is 2015 not 2006!

 

Do you really believe there has been no changes on the cruise ships in all that time?

Yes, I know that it's 2015. I mentioned that I went on that cruise in 2006 because I thought the year was relevant. I was hoping that someone would say that things have changed on NCL in the meantime, but that hasn't happened.

You sound like my mom who never when cruising with me because in the 1970's when she did go on a cruise ship the room had bunk beds.

 

Even my pictures did not convince her that the ships had changed from when she went.

I'm sure your mom is a wonderful woman, but I would have believed you if you had shown me up-to-date pictures of beds on cruiseships.

This forum is full of people posting about being put at tables with other solo cruisers. Both of my solo cruises I had no problem being group tables. And even when I did not go solo if I went to breakfast, lunch or dinner without my travel companions I had no problems find people to share a table.

As mtwingcpa said, are you talking about NCL cruises?

And yes, if I went to a smaller table - pulled out my book or computer and started reading I did not get offers to share the table ... maybe that is why you have gotten no-one.

Wait a minute! Are you saying that AFTER I was seated at a table, and the waitstaff grabbed all of the extra plates and silverware and took them away, even though I asked them not to, saying that people might wind up being seated with me, and I pulled out a book (where did you get the idea that I pulled out a computer? I don't travel with a computer), the hostess (quite a distance away) saw that I pulled out a book and said to herself, "I'm not going to seat anyone with her. She's reading a book"? Sorry, but that doesn't make sense to me.

Hi all!

I was nervous about eating in the MDR too as a solo cruiser on NCL but had no problem. The hostess on Dawn had a saying "happy to share" & that's what I said each night. Of course waiting for others to join you can be a bit uncomfortable if you're the first one at a big table.

I'm not letting free style dining put me off & have 3 more NCL cruises booked.

~ Jo ~ :)

Are you referring to NCL, the subject crusie line of this thread?

In the last two years that has been my experience on Holland America, Carnival and NCL.

And NCL Epic early this year was the best solo cruising experience I have had so far. In October I do a solo trip on Carnival Dream and I expect it to be as good as my last trip on Carnival Breeze.

But hands-down I expect NCL to supply the best first time solo cruising experience - and I am a dyed-in-the-wool Carnival fan.

But hands-down I expect NCL to supply the best first time solo cruising experience - and I am a dyed-in-the-wool Carnival fan.

I think we need to differentiate between the NCL Epic and a couple of their other newer ships (where they do, if fact, have some hosted services for solos), versus the balance of NCL's older ships (where hosted solo services are generally not offered).

I think we need to differentiate between the NCL Epic and a couple of their other newer ships (where they do, if fact, have some hosted services for solos), versus the balance of NCL's older ships (where hosted solo services are generally not offered).

In-fact the next two NCL cruises I have planned for next year are also planned to be on the NCL Epic in spring and then NCL Sun in the fall, so maybe I am not the right person to be shooting his mouth off right now. Maybe I better wait until after the Sun trip.

I have cruised on the smaller ships of NCL - the Gem & Spirit-as solo.

One the Gem I got the deer in the head lights look from the hostess - "no one wants to sit with others" is what I was told.

On the Spirit there was solo meets but no sign ups for dinner; no program like on the larger ships with the solo cabins.

On the Spirit however the NCL person announced over the microphone (it was held in a lounge) that there were several single women looking for men for a hook-up; nice. :o:confused: One women did tell her that was inappropriate.

On the studio ships- I mostly ate with other solos in the MDr's and enjoyed it.

Perhaps one or two nights I deviated. Last cruise at a Cagneys with a few solos, did a dinner with one of the ships officers one night and before the latitutdes party just did a quick pot pie at oshennans.

I would like to eat at more specialty restaurants my next cruise as sometimes I find the service quicker and food better- I might prefer to spend more time in the evening outside before the music venues open than waiting for food

maybe I am not the right person to be shooting his mouth off right now. Maybe I better wait until after the Sun trip.

Yes, maybe you should.

But I still don't know why you would say that a hostess would refuse to seat people with me because of my book or my mythical computer (invented by you) when she wouldn't even be able to see me after I was seated, so she wouldn't know if I had a book or a mythical computer with me.

I have cruised on the smaller ships of NCL - the Gem & Spirit-as solo.

 

One the Gem I got the deer in the head lights look from the hostess - "no one wants to sit with others" is what I was told.

 

On the Spirit there was solo meets but no sign ups for dinner; no program like on the larger ships with the solo cabins.

That is exactly what I expected to hear about NCL ships that don't have solo cabins and a solo lounge. And I assume that your experiences took place AFTER 2006, right?

I've been on a few solo cruises and love it. I sailed in a solo studio on the Epic in 2012, so I had the advantage of meeting people at the lounge. I had also met a lot of people on our roll call and hung out with them as well. I think one night I just did the buffet on my own.

On my last cruise, I was on the Pride of America -- there were a handful of solo studios but I never met the others in those rooms. The "lounge" was basically a room (looked like a waiting room for a doctor's office) with four chairs and a flat screen TV. I just stumbled upon it one day when I opened a "mystery door" leading out of my stateroom.

Dinner was stress-free, though. I'd show up at a restaurant and cheerfully announce, "it's just me!" Sometimes they would ask if I'd like to sit with others. I usually said "yes," and got to meet and chat with some nice people (no big families). Other times, they would ask if I wanted to sit on my own. Since I always have reading material on hand, I'd sit on my own and read. That was fine by me as well.

If you're not comfortable dining on your own already, I guess it can be an awkward situation. I dine on my own quite a bit and have absolutely no problem with it. But I also enjoy chatting with new people and asking them about where they're from, what they did that day, what their plans are for the rest of the cruise, etc.

Next week, I'll be on a Carnival cruise and booked late seating in hopes they'll seat me with other solo cruisers. Whatever the situation, I'll make the most of it. It's four days of my life and I intend to have a great time!

I would join one of the roll calls (hopefully one is set up for your cruise already ... if not, start one). Mention the dining situation. Not to toot my own horn, but I started a dining thread on our roll call and we have many people who have indicated an interest in eating together for dinner at the MDRs and specialty restaurants. Even if not everyone shows up, I don't think any of us will be dining alone if we don't want to.

And yes, I am a solo cruiser.