When Does the "Freestyle" Begin?

[Moby0215]

This is not a complaint, but as a virgin NCLer (first one in one month), it seems like in order to be freestyle you need to make a lot of reservations first. We will be on the Getaway for 9 nights, so there are a lot of reservations to make.

 

 

 

Pre-Cruise

 

 

 

• 
   
  
• Make reservations for specialty dining
   
  
• Make reservations for non-specialty dining
   
  
• Make reservations for Million Dollar Quartet
   
  
• Make reservations for Burn the Floor
   
  
• Make reservations for the Cirque Dreams and Steam
   
  
• Rearrange reservations for Burn the Floor, since the reservations for the Cirque show did not open until a few days after the rest of the reservations first were available
   
  

 

As I understand it, I still need to show up at least a half an hour before the shows or else wind up with poor seats or with limited visibility seats.

 

 

 

I am aware that I do not need to make reservations for the dining options before-hand, but having to wait in line, even 15-20 minutes, does not seem life free-style to me, but wasting time. Not to mention that I have to get the times to sync up with the shows and other events.

 

 

 

At beginning of cruise

 

 

 

• 
   
  
• Reserve comedy shows
   
  
• Reserve Escape the Big Top (which I have to be on the lookout for)
   
  

 

And I still have to get to these shows at least 30 minutes early.

 

 

 

I am sure that once I make these final reservations I can put the brain on autopilot and not have to think about anything administrative. But it just seems silly to call this "free-style" with having to pre-reserve everything.

 

 

 

Is there anything else I need to reserve?

 

 

 

• 
   
  
• We are not doing the Wine Lovers Show
   
  
• Excursions are booked
   
  
• Reserved the drink package
   
  
• Online check-in finished this weekend
   
  
• DW is reserving any spa treatments (for herself/DDs)
   
  
• Not purchasing any of the misc. "gift" items
   
  

 

I have done the My-Time dining on RCI - is there any real difference between RCI and NCL freestyle besides the lack of a dressing formal once or twice and a lobster night?

 

 

 

With all of the above being said, I know we will have a great cruise, regardless of anything. We had been on one that went through a hurricane (120 mph winds, 24+ foot swells) where the upper deck was closed for two days, and maybe two hours of sunshine the entire cruise, we still had a great time.

 

 

 

The reason I am posting is to ask all of the expert veterans on this board if there is anything else I need to do before or as soon as I get onto the ship so I can ensure that I have a great cruise (and do not need to think of anything administrative).

 

 

 

Thanks,

 

 

 

Travel R

 

 

 

I did not read all 50+ replies so I am sure I am repeating what someone else may have said but here goes:

 

Freestyle means the choice to do whatever you want whenever you want and to dress however you want etc.

 

Some people may like to make reservations, some people may want to wing it. There are no designated times and tables where you have to eat every night. You don't have to share your table with others. You don't have to dress up for dinner. All of this is freestyle. I have never had to wait more than just a few minutes for a table at the MDR. In fact the one time I made reservations for the MDR I STILL had to wait in the line and when approaching the counter I was told that reservations were not necessary as I was sat just as quickly without them.

 

Deciding to make a dinner and show reservation is still freestyle because that is your choice in doing so.

 

 

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[ColeThornton]

(snip) I did not read all 50+ replies so I am sure I am repeating what someone else may have said but here goes:

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

Yes, you are right...you are repeating what has been said several times. ;p

[HLR]

Do not let them use their experience and opinions (you have a whistle and a slapper thingy, you know). .

 

I have a slapper thingy? Come again? LOL!

[CruisingUS]

You should always plan out your cruise and make reservations. Plan each day. Use 15 minute increments, and make sure everyone in your party adheres to the schedule. You can buy a coach's whistle to summon them. For those that break the schedule, and force everyone else in the party to wait on them, use a non-marking punishment. You can find humane doggie trainers; one is like two sticks taped together on one end. One slap with that and the miscreant is not harmed, but does take notice!

 

Asking for advice on the Internet, then complaining that the advice did not take all the unknowns into consideration is one way to be disappointed. You can plan around this. List every possible answer that you would like to hear, and ask the Internet to choose one of them. Do not let them use their experience and opinions (you have a whistle and a slapper thingy, you know).

 

Disclaimer: The above is intended to be funny, and is considered as 'gentle ribbing' by at least one person on earth. No animals were harmed in the making of this post, including testing the doggie trainer (we tested on spouses on "Batman Tuesdays" in the privacy of our own homes). May contain nuts.

FWIW I thought it was HILARIOUS! :')

 

OP - Perhaps NCL just isn't for you if you are so unhappy, even though you had a great time on your vacation? Honestly, your vexation confuses me...I don't understand what is your specific complaint with NCL as many of those issues will rear its head on any other CL. I wish you the best of luck, even though I don't understand.

[NLH Arizona]

i hate to waste time and i like to stick to a schedule. for me, reserving everythign ahead of time is a no brainer and a must. the need on a smaller NCL ship is less (example, you cant even reserve shows) but even when on a smaller ship, i book my dining so that i know i can make the 9pm show every night.

 

most of the negative reviews on the big ships center around the lines/waits/stuiff sold out. you'll have a much better experience overall if you do what you did and book ahead.

I'm a planner as well and book all my dining reservations when available to do so. This is what is so great about NCL, if you want to make reservations, you can, and if you don't, no one forces you to.

[Travel R]

FWIW I thought it was HILARIOUS! :')

 

OP - Perhaps NCL just isn't for you if you are so unhappy, even though you had a great time on your vacation? Honestly, your vexation confuses me...I don't understand what is your specific complaint with NCL as many of those issues will rear its head on any other CL. I wish you the best of luck, even though I don't understand.

 

You might be confused because I was never complaining about it.

 

Question for you - or anyone. Where in this entire thread did I complain?

 

Going back to my first post - I was asking all of you "experts" if there was anything else I needed to add to the list of activities/events I had provided. As a planner, and new to NCL, and with this itinerary, I was truly interested in finding out what else I could register for.

 

I also stated that making all of these reservations was not, what I would define as being "freestyle." Not a complaint, just an observation that the term "freestyle" may not define their corporate mantra.

 

Unless there is some misunderstanding with my grammar, or maybe I was typing too fast for some of you, but I never said I was hating it, or that it would affect my cruise or enjoyment thereof. In reality, it is the opposite, I enjoy the planning aspect of vacationing, etc.

 

It is interesting that you have actually stated what this whole thread is about "as many of those issues will rear its head on any other CL" So I ask, why or how is this freestyling, and how can NCL claim to offer freestyling, while all the other cruise lines do the same thing (and don't go to the dress-up night thing, during my last cruise on Carnival, people were dressed down more than they were on the casual nights on NCL).

 

What it comes down to is, is it accurate to call cruising on NCL freestyling?

[$hip$hape]

You might be confused because I was never complaining about it.

What it comes down to is, is it accurate to call cruising on NCL freestyling?

I understand what you are saying. However, we sometimes come across as being a bit pedantic.

NCL "freestyle" was early on thought of as meaning free to stand in line.

WE book way in advance since, I have nothing else to do but plan and wait.

And once on board, I don't like to think.

Once out the front door and off the grid, the "perfect cruise" may be thought of as unremarkable.

We seem to remember the imperfections.:)

It's all fun.

Edited July 12, 2017 by $hip$hape

[CruisingUS]

You might be confused because I was never complaining about it.

 

Question for you - or anyone. Where in this entire thread did I complain?

 

Going back to my first post - I was asking all of you "experts" if there was anything else I needed to add to the list of activities/events I had provided. As a planner, and new to NCL, and with this itinerary, I was truly interested in finding out what else I could register for.

 

I also stated that making all of these reservations was not, what I would define as being "freestyle." Not a complaint, just an observation that the term "freestyle" may not define their corporate mantra.

 

Unless there is some misunderstanding with my grammar, or maybe I was typing too fast for some of you, but I never said I was hating it, or that it would affect my cruise or enjoyment thereof. In reality, it is the opposite, I enjoy the planning aspect of vacationing, etc.

 

It is interesting that you have actually stated what this whole thread is about "as many of those issues will rear its head on any other CL" So I ask, why or how is this freestyling, and how can NCL claim to offer freestyling, while all the other cruise lines do the same thing (and don't go to the dress-up night thing, during my last cruise on Carnival, people were dressed down more than they were on the casual nights on NCL).

 

What it comes down to is, is it accurate to call cruising on NCL freestyling?

Oy vey....reading your posts gives me a headache. Red highlighting is a lil aggressive to my liking....I am just a stranger trying to help after all.

 

 

You've cruised in the past before the 2000s where CL were more traditional...and now you've seen the NCL freestyle way. If you cannot tell the difference, IDK what to say...esp since you've lived through the changes over the years.

 

 

There has been homogenizing w/ free styling over the years btwn the CL, which I am sure you have seen too firsthand. I seen that too. If you don't see a difference with NCL, then book which ever CL you like. Why focus on this minutia? It's very simple. It is one less factor for your to consider. I guess this is the difference of a type A vs a type B person.

 

 

I wish you the best of luck. I am unsubscribing b/c this is just an awkward situation b/c of how your posts are coming off...maybe you are typing too fast for me...

 

Good bye and HF cruising and vacationing!

[Visigoth]

I believe the phrase "Freestyle Cruising" means less regimented. You may choose to do whatever you want that is occurring at a particular time. That means you can decide to go to a given show or eat at a particular venue on your own schedule, reservations notwithstanding. It doesn't mean that all venues are operating all the time or that the spa, pool, all shows, and all restaurants, will always be available. Just like on shore if you choose not to make reservations, you might not be able to be seated immediately. Ultimately it is a matter of choice not availability.

[biker@sea]

I cruise freestyle No reservation at all for anything.

I booked our 6-9-17 Dawn cruise 6 days before sailing.

Did walk-up to Cagney's ,La Cucina and Bamboo. We were promptly seated at all venue's. :cool:

[fshagan]

You might be confused because I was never complaining about it.

 

I am confused. I took this as complaining but not about NCL, about CC posters:

 

First, let me state that I am EXTREMELY HAPPY that I made as many reservations in advance as I could.

 

When many people provide comments on Cruise Critic, they do not always take into account the information provided before them, and will just give their opinions based on their own circumstances (I especially love the posts that start with "I have never been on that ship, but . . . . . .). Well, I think this was the case for many of the above responses. Although genuinely provided to help, they lacked context to the question (and there were some that were just being trolls).

 

 

• If this was an itinerary I had done before, I can understand the lack of need for reservations.
  
• If this was not a very port-intensive itinerary (having previously been on a Med cruise, the Baltic itinerary was even worse), I can see where reservations would not have been needed.
  
• If I had not been travelling with a teen and a tween, reservations also may not be as important.
  
• If this were not a ship/cruise line that I had not tried before (and wanted to try experience the various entertainment options), I can see validity in reservations not being as important.
  

 

 

I guess in your view they were well-intentioned, but "bless their little hearts", the posters didn't meet your expectations.

 

 

Perhaps you should hire consultants or travel agents to help you if our advice, based on our experiences, isn't to your liking. We'll give you a full refund, of course.

[uneamie]

Did I state anywhere in this thread that I was not flexible?

 

Or did I state that we were not going to rest and/or relax?

 

FYI - This was a very port-intensive cruise, but yes, of course, we tried to have whatever R&R we could while on board. Even though most of the days were cloudy, cool, and in the mid-60s (with some rainy days), I was able to make a lot of use of my balcony, either listening to music or reading (and I was even able to multitask and do both at one).

 

Please note, I do thank you for your concern.

Yikes...take a chill pill! I wasn't offering my concern. Just mentioned what I'd do personally. Oh wait!.....you didn't state that you wanted to know what I'd do personally....my bad!! ugh! You seem to have a chip on your shoulder with anyone one who dares give you their opinion.