Scared to try "normal" cruise!

[RangeRoverCruiser]

Hey, Me and my family have always done NCL cruises. We think It's one of the best out there, but we have decided to maybe change our NCL Epic cruise to a cruise on the Voyager of the Seas. The reason being we think the Epic Is a tad ugly and overpriced. As most would know NCL Is freestyle which means you eat when, where and who you sit with, but we are a bit scared to jump Into the world of other cruise lines as we have no clue how the eating arrangements work. We are a tidy family but we are not necessarily a "Suit and Dress" family. I have heard of 'My Time Dining' and I am assuming this Is a sort of freestyle. Some Info would be much appreciated. Also what are Promenade Cabins like. My work hours have been cut and an Oceanview or Balcony stateroom Is out of the question and we don't want an Inside cabin. We are thinking of booking a cabin on deck 8.

 

Cameron

[jorapp]

I'm certainly not the most experienced cruiser here, but I"ll give a stab at answering your dining query.

 

The main dining room has tables for 2-8 (or maybe more) with two fixed seating times. Those times can vary depending on ship/itinerary, with an early 6:00ish and a late 8:30ish.

 

Also in the main dining room is My Time Dining where you may eat when you like. I do believe you are asked to let the dining room know what time that will be, but you may change it from day to day. For MTD, you may request a table size such as 2-top or larger if you wish to dine with others.

 

The windjammer cafe serves meals and snacks throughout the day with short breaks for resetting when the area is not open. It is cafeteria style and you seat yourself. Servers will bring beverages and are available as needed.

 

On Voyager, Portafino's is the Italian-themed a-la-minute restaurant. There is a fee to dine here and reservations are needed.

 

Also on Voyager, the Promenade Cafe offers light fare at various times for no fee. I'm sailing VotS for the first time in February, so I can't give times/etc...or info about Promenade cabins.

 

Hope this helps.

[Merion_Mom]

Hey, Me and my family have always done NCL cruises. We think It's one of the best out there, but we have decided to maybe change our NCL Epic cruise to a cruise on the Voyager of the Seas. The reason being we think the Epic Is a tad ugly and overpriced. As most would know NCL Is freestyle which means you eat when, where and who you sit with, but we are a bit scared to jump Into the world of other cruise lines as we have no clue how the eating arrangements work. We are a tidy family but we are not necessarily a "Suit and Dress" family. I have heard of 'My Time Dining' and I am assuming this Is a sort of freestyle. Some Info would be much appreciated. Also what are Promenade Cabins like. My work hours have been cut and an Oceanview or Balcony stateroom Is out of the question and we don't want an Inside cabin. We are thinking of booking a cabin on deck 8.

 

Cameron

Cameron, PLEASE do not buy into the NCL hype. Other cruiselines are NOT frequented by robotic zombies.

 

You will find what you like on NCL on the Voyager, and everything else will be better than what you have had.

 

My Time Dining works much like freestyle dining. You have the options to:

 

Make a reservation for the same time each night.

Make a reservation in the afternoon/morning for that night.

Make a reservation as you are leaving on ONE night for the NEXT night.

Just walk up to the door and request a table.

 

Mix it up and do whatever you like.

 

Or you could EVEN (:eek:) try traditional dining for the week!!!! ;)

 

You will love the Voyager.

[TEXASMUNK]

We dislike NCL like a snake hates a mongoose.

 

MTD= You dine when you want. If you desire, you can set up a reservation once onboard for the entire week...if that slot is not already filled.

 

SERVICE= Is there a difference between night and day? Winter and Summer?

 

DRESS= Worry not! RCI has formal nights but it is either adhered to or ignored and NO ONE minds

 

Fellow Passengers: Welcome to RCI, one of the many reasons we switched! (Working hard here to appease the Moderators and be PC)

 

On top of all that, Voyager is a special, extraordinary ship and crew!!!!

[fmax]

As mentioned, you can do any time dining or traditional. I like traditional as you get to know other people and if you happened to find the people at your table aren't a good mix, you can always ask to move tables.

 

As for promenade, here's a thread - although specific to explorer, can't see there being much difference on other ships

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1284087&highlight=promenade

[cb at sea]

The "dress code and menu" are the same whether you do traditional or MTD ...it's all in the dining room.

Don't be afraid of tablemates! Everyone on the ship enjoys cruising...so there..you have something in common already! Tablemates make dinner soooooo much more than just "stuffing your face'...it's a social occassion...enjoy it! The waiters enjoy larger tables more than the 2-tops, too!

[Venusleo1]

I used to be "Loyal to Royal" went out on the Epic last month and loved it, loved it, loved it!! I loved it so much I've already booked my 2nd NCL cruise. The two upcomming cruises I have are on RCI were booked prior to my Epic trip, but I think Im more of an NCL kinda cruiser and am very excited to cruise with them again.

That being said I still love RCI and its product, but will try to book NCL as often as I can, it all comes down to who has the better deal.

If I were you I wouldnt switch, stay with the Epic. She's ugly on the outside but absolutly amazing on the inside, and it's the inside that counts, right?

[ctcruiser1721]

As you have already heard, there are many options. If you really want to "do your own thing", I would suggest you pre-pay your gratutites and sign up for my time dining so you can always choose the MDR whenever you want. The specialty restaurants are all very good. There's always room service though the menu may not be that great... And we should tell you (if we haven't already) that in almost all cases the food at the Windjammer Buffet is the exact same food as the MDR so you can eat the same food every night in your shorts and T-shirts if you choose.

 

As one poster alluded to, even on formal nights you will see people dressed more casually in the main dining room. I personally find this somewhat objectionable but it's a free country and your cruise. (Unless of course your luggage has been lost.)

[hancogran]

We had a promenade cabin on deck 7 of Adventure of the Seas last year, and we loved it! I don't think you'd be disappointed with one :)

[saintbernardlover]

Here is a link to a youtube video of a Promenade cabin on the Voyager.

 

Have never been on Voyager before but my MIL and DD will be sharing a Promenade cabin in Jan. My MIL will be 90 years young and we thought she would enjoy being able to watch all the activities on the Promenade from the comfort of her room if she wanted to.

 

Happy Cruising:D

[RangeRoverCruiser]

Thanks to everyone for the heads up. I think I will phone the travel agent tomorrow and change It. The only way I will know If I like It Is to try It. One way or another I will be sure to try both the Voyager and Epic.

 

Cameron

[caribsun]

Hey, Me and my family have always done NCL cruises. We think It's one of the best out there, but we have decided to maybe change our NCL Epic cruise to a cruise on the Voyager of the Seas. The reason being we think the Epic Is a tad ugly and overpriced. As most would know NCL Is freestyle which means you eat when, where and who you sit with, but we are a bit scared to jump Into the world of other cruise lines as we have no clue how the eating arrangements work. We are a tidy family but we are not necessarily a "Suit and Dress" family. I have heard of 'My Time Dining' and I am assuming this Is a sort of freestyle. Some Info would be much appreciated. Also what are Promenade Cabins like. My work hours have been cut and an Oceanview or Balcony stateroom Is out of the question and we don't want an Inside cabin. We are thinking of booking a cabin on deck 8.

 

Cameron

 

Yes I can see you like NCL, have you consider the Pearl. Ocean views are $100.00 p/p less than Voyager.

[Kely98]

DRESS= Worry not! RCI has formal nights but it is either adhered to or ignored and NO ONE minds

 

I wouldn't say NO ONE minds if you don't adhere to the dress code on formal nights. There are many heated threads on this very topic. If you prefer to eat on your own, and dont want to dress up, why not just eat in the windjammer on formal nights? :rolleyes:

[Shekim]

The first time I was on Voyager I stayed in a promenade on deck 7. It was great; no noise really. Just remember to close the inside drapes when dressing. The people across from you can see in your cabin.

 

We will do the MTD in March. We've always done traditional but this time around 5:30 just seems way to early to eat. We will be in port until 5 each stop. I'm a little nervous about MTD but am willing to try.

 

Come on over and try RCI Voyager of the Sea. She's beautiful...the crew has always been fantastic! I've never experienced any problem.

[lady_cruiser]

Welcome to Cruise Critic

 

Hey, Me and my family have always done NCL cruises. We think It's one of the best out there, but we have decided to maybe change our NCL Epic cruise to a cruise on the Voyager of the Seas. The reason being we think the Epic Is a tad ugly and overpriced. As most would know NCL Is freestyle which means you eat when, where and who you sit with, but we are a bit scared to jump Into the world of other cruise lines as we have no clue how the eating arrangements work.

 

You and your family should love MTD - also known as My Time Dining. Unless you ask otherwise your table will be the size that best fits your family. If you decide to eat with strangers just ask the head waiter and he can make arangements. You can also request to have the same waiter every night, which we like. That way by the third night your waiter knows your likes and dislikes and can make you feel special. For example, my waiter knew I wanted to start every meal with a Ceasar Salad so by the third night I didn't even have to ask for one. The minute I sat down he would ask if I was ready for my "Ceasar Salad."

 

We are a tidy family but we are not necessarily a "Suit and Dress" family. I have heard of 'My Time Dining' and I am assuming this Is a sort of freestyle. Some Info would be much appreciated.

 

Dress codes on Royal Caribbean suits everyone's taste. And if you feel that you don't want to go formal, you can always eat in the Windjammer that night. My sister and I did this on our last cruise when we decided to skip the first formal night. The Windjammer (buffet area) serves the same meals as the main dining room, with a few more choices on the side dishes. The only difference is that on the last formal night, the Main Dining Room, serves <baby> Lobsters which you can't get in the Windjammer.

 

 

Also what are Promenade Cabins like. My work hours have been cut and an Oceanview or Balcony stateroom Is out of the question and we don't want an Inside cabin. We are thinking of booking a cabin on deck 8.

 

I am not sure when you say "family" how many members you are talking about. The Promenade cabins seem nice. While we never stayed in one, we have been in them during our Cabin Crawls.The Promenade cabins allows you to look out on the main promenade at all the shops. If you are a people-watcher I think you will love these cabins. But if you book one, make sure you have cabins above you and below you and try not to book one, directly over a lounge. Booking over a shop, would be better, in my opinion.

 

If you have any more questions just ask away, I know everything I learned about cruising I learned right here.

[RangeRoverCruiser]

Yes I can see you like NCL, have you consider the Pearl. Ocean views are $100.00 p/p less than Voyager.

 

Actually we are going on the Pearl on the 10th of April next year. We have a little bit of money left over and wanted to take another cruise In October. We are very much excited about the Pearl as we have hard such good things about It.

[The Flying Pirate]

You will definitely enjoy Voyager. Everyone I know that has started with NCL and then tried RCCL, has admitted they enjoyed RCCL better. NCL makes a big deal out of the Freestyle Cruising but between My Time Dining, The Windjammer, the specialty restaurants etc. You have all sorts of options. In fact I doubt you will notice the difference in dining schedule.

[seaofwonder]

I've cruised both NCL and Royal and I'm sticking with Royal (for non-food related reasons). However, when it comes to the dining I really didn't notice a difference. Yes, NCL may have more restaurants (with extra fees), but I get tired of paying for every meal and usually just did the MDR or buffet.

 

IMO, I preferred the activities on Royal (less focus on getting drunk all the time) and the ships are just so much better!!

[SciFiCruiser]

DRESS= Worry not! RCI has formal nights but it is either adhered to or ignored and NO ONE minds

 

Actually some do. But that being said, nobody should give you a hairy eyeball if you are not wearing a formal gown or tux.

[Kellie Poodle]

I've cruised both NCL and Royal and I'm sticking with Royal (for non-food related reasons). However, when it comes to the dining I really didn't notice a difference. Yes, NCL may have more restaurants (with extra fees), but I get tired of paying for every meal and usually just did the MDR or buffet.

 

IMO, I preferred the activities on Royal (less focus on getting drunk all the time) and the ships are just so much better!!

 

I tried NCL and I'm sticking with Royal FOR food reasons. First, the Freestyle dining was a nightmare. Since we wanted to see the shows (and so did most other people) there were always lines in the dining room waiting to be seated. Though people who have only done Freestyle might think this is the way cruise dining is, it's definitely not what your experience should be. Further, the Windjammer buffet on Voyager will offer many of the same dishes that are being served in the main dining room that night. We found the buffet on the NCL cruise to be on the order of high school cafeteria quality so we had to put up with the discord and inept service in the MDR jut to get better, not very good, food.

 

The OP should enjoy just being able to walk into the dining room without waiting in a line and have a table with friendly wait staff whom, after the first evening, will know your wants and needs and treat you like you are royalty.

 

If you wind up with horrible table mates, which is very rare, you can ask the head waiter to seat you and your family at another table.

 

As for Voyager, on the Caribbean cruises early dining is at 5:30. I have sailed on several RCI ships and Voyager has one of the best crews on the high seas. I'm about to do my 5th cruise on her.

 

I am willing to try any other cruise line, but if NCL gave me a free cruise, I'd give it back. The dining experience, to me, is a very important part of my cruise experience. Maybe because I started cruising over 20 years ago when it was a more gracious pastime, of maybe because I just like being spoiled:D

[RangeRoverCruiser]

Again thanks everyone. I have not changed It yet as we are not sure what to do. We are going to phone Thomas Cook on Monday and see what they can do. We are going to see what Inside staterooms are on the epic and see If they can do a reduced rate as they don't like loosing bookings. If there Is not luck on that we will try to see whats on the Jade and other cruises. If none of those are near our price range we will be cancelling and booking either a holiday In Orlando or go up to our Caravan In Nairn (Scotland).

 

Thanks again

Cameron :)

[RangeRoverCruiser]

I am overjoyed to say that we will be staying on the Epic... well for the time being anyway and thats In a balcony. The woman we phoned was a great help and got the price down to £1,692 from £2,346. Even If I was to transfer to the voyager we would lose our £250 deposit and cannot lose that kind of money. If we cannot find the funds next august we will cancel.

 

Cheerybye