Avoiding Crowds on Jewel

[pepomint]

I'm a first-time cruiser with my family of four leaving this Saturday on the Jewel to Alaska. I'd love to hear advice from others on how to avoid the crowds while dining on Jewel. I have no idea how dining even works. We have the basic dining package.

 

Any tricks to share?

[roger001]

Dining is very similar to land based dining. The two main sit down dining rooms for evening dining are seldom busy, as in crowded, if you eat a bit later. The same with the buffet. We've gone there after a show (around 8:30) and no crowd at all. Just avoid the peak popular dining hour to avoid the crowds. For breakfast, the crowds thin out a bunch again if you eat a bit later. The main dining room at breakfast always has plenty of room for breakfast if you wish to eat there. The Great Outdoors, rear deck 12, is great for breakfast (if not too cold). If seating is full, then the Italian restaurant that connects on the port side is open for additional seating. There is so much eating opportunity available, I don't think you will have any problems. Have a wonderful cruise. The Jewel is great and so is the Alaska cruise.

[goldie888]

We are on your cruise! You shouldn't have much problems with crowds if you stay away from the Garden Buffet. How old are your children? My niece is 10.

 

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[Hikini]

The best advice to give you for avoiding the crowds while dining is to stay away from the buffet! It is always crowded during meal times.

 

As for the MDR's we've never really had an issue. During port days we have found the dining rooms to be nearly empty at lunch time. Also on port days if you go for supper on the earlier side, it will be very light. The most crowded days will be embarkation day and sea days. But even then I believe you will find that there isn't a problem getting a table.

 

Here's a tip for you as a first time cruiser: If you are on the ship by 2pm, have your lunch in Tsar's Palace - the MDR at the back of the ship.

 

The staff kind of directs you to the buffet, but you will get a nicer, much quieter lunch in the dining room. A lot of people don't know that it's open that day and they go to the buffet. The dining room is nice and quiet for the most part.

 

Don't get me wrong - the food in the buffet is good. But it's just too crowded and chaotic in there and finding a table can be very frustrating. Especially if there are more than 2-4 of you.

 

Enjoy your cruise - we live in Seattle and we will see you as you depart next Saturday! (And take care of the Jewel for us - we will be on her 9/6.)

 

Have a BLAST!

[LAWTONCRUISE]

Since we are early risers, on sea days we normally have room service coffee, fruit, and pastries then go to the main dining room or to Blue Lagoon (now O'sheehans) for a later breakfast. If we have an early excursion we do the room service breakfast. Main dining rooms normally are not crowded for breakfast since most eat in buffet or Great Outdoors (buffet also). O'sheehans also has a good breakfast menu.

[shout19661966]

with it just being my wife and I it is very easy for us to be flexible. That is the key. On your cabin tv there is a channel that shows all the places to eat and there " wait times currently " also this same board is on the ship in a few places. So if we see certain MD is busy and the other one isn't we head there as the menu is pretty much the same. also we have eaten at a lot of the pay for places again choosing the one that seemed not crowed that evening and at the time you are ready to eat. teppanyaki always seemed to be the one that was always full.

[trish1c]

To avoid crowds eat late or early. 7 pm seems to be the rush time. At a minimum get to your dining venue at least 15 minutes before any show gets out.

 

FWIW, the pager system isn't bad. We just took it to the nearest bar & waited patiently. No harm. No foul.

 

Also check out the boards around the ship that tell you how full an DR is.

[buckirj1]

One of the best ways to do it, if you don't insist on being served at dinner, is to flip the norm: eat breakfasts and lunch in the MDR whenever possible, and eat dinner in the buffet when it's far less crowded. Other suggestions, such as eating dinner early or late in the least crowded MDR, and eating at O'Sheehan's at any time, are also helpful to avoid crowds. For what it's worth, I've never had what I'd consider a significant wait on any NCL ship.

[spidybabe]

AGREE---THE GREAT OUTDOORS IS THE BEST PLACE FOR BREAKFAST

Safe sailing

[MooseyMoo]

We are also on your sailing! Two kids, age 10 and 12. :)

[Hikini]

For what it's worth, I've never had what I'd consider a significant wait on any NCL ship.

 

We've never had an issue with it either. I know some folks have complained about long wait times, and I'm not doubting that. I guess we've just been lucky and not tried to get in at the busiest times.

 

In our experience, the busiest times in the MDR for supper have been on embarkation day and any sea day. Even then, we've had very little wait time, if any.

[garycarla]

Crowds tend to happen due to schedules. Like right after the early show, everybody heads to the dining room.

 

Work around stuff like that and you avoid crowds. And, even when "crowded", it is 10-15 minutes wait.

[pepomint]

We are also on your sailing! Two kids, age 10 and 12. :)

We have two boys, 11 and 13. Packing up today. Bon voyage!

[pepomint]

We are on your cruise! You shouldn't have much problems with crowds if you stay away from the Garden Buffet. How old are your children? My niece is 10.

 

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Two boys - 11 and 13!

[EasyPeasy]

I as on the Jewel last March, and will be sailing on her again in November. Honestly, I never had a problem with crowds. The only time I had to wait at all in the buffet was the omelet line.

[Abear2]

I was on the Jewel this March and will be again on November 1st! TI love this ship! I go to the main dining room in the early evenings, actually before they open! LOL :D I have never had a problem, but once we went around 7:00 and had to wait! I guess if you eat early , you won't wait, but if you eat later, then you will! You will love the Jewel! Lots of choices to eat! Have a great cruise!

[neighbour_lady44]

I'm a first-time cruiser with my family of four leaving this Saturday on the Jewel to Alaska. I'd love to hear advice from others on how to avoid the crowds while dining on Jewel. I have no idea how dining even works. We have the basic dining package.

 

Any tricks to share?

 

I haven't been on the Jewel, but yes I have been on NCL. We always eat early around 5:30 or 6:00 pm when the dining room opens. We ended up liking a certain waitress and asked for her table every night and she ended up reserving for us knowing the time we came, plus we brought other friends we met up over the 12 days of cruising!! We really didn't have any issues on the 12 days of cruising with crowds. Have fun, you'll love Alaska - it's a "must see" !! Enjoy!