NEW CRUISER need advice for NCL SPIRIT!!

[nhuaznfob]

Hey Friends,

I am bording SPIRIT on 3/19 for florida cruise. I am a virgin cruiser, are there ne advice/secrets i should knw?

I knw that its a freestyle dining but I dont really knw what that is. Is it like a 24/7 buffet where u can eat netime or what? Do I need to make reservations because of the size of the cruise?

Can you buy booze at the ports and bring them back to the cruise? What does duty free mean??

 

I have more questions still to come.

 

 

Thanks.

[Don Haynes]

Freestyle dining with NCL is that you can eat dinner when, where, and with whom you choose in the time frame the main dining rooms are open. Unlike the other cruise lines, in the main dining room NCL does not set the time or the table, and with whom you dine with every night. Its like dining in your favorite restaurant at home. Yes, during the peak times a line may develop, but usually the wait is for less than 15 minutes.

 

However there is a lido deck buffet which is a buffet, and there are other dining venues on NCL ships that do require reservations as these surcharge restaurants aren't as large as the main dining rooms. Le Bistro is the French surcharged speciality restaurant, while Cagneys is the Steak house surcharged speciality restaurant. You'll eat the choicest cuts and have better service.

 

While you don't need to make reservations for the main dining rooms, arrive when you wish, if you have a large party you may wish to make reservations.

 

Yes, you can buy booze and bring it back, but the booze police will more than likely compensate the booze, only returning it the day you disembark the ship. Duty free means tax free.

[mike91911]

Hi nhuaznfob,

I see you are sailing with us on March 19th. There is a roll call started at http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=270395. Come introduce yourself. See you in 3 weeks.

Mike

[jeanettep]

We sailed on the "Spirit" last October and liked the system of informing passengers which dining rooms had tables available. There are TV screens at the elevators with information on availability in the various dining rooms so you can head over to get your table or put your name down on the list. In the past, there was always a crowd of people waiting in line at peak times in the main dining rooms. Now they give you a paging device which works anywhere on the ship so you can go sit comfortably where you want and wait for your page. We never waited more than 15 minutes even though we requested a table for two. If you don't mind sharing a table, you get seated more quickly.

 

As far as the specialty restaurants (extra charge), you can make reservations ahead of time. There will be a table in the atrium with the menus and people to put your name on the list. Go look at the menus the first day they are displayed so you know if you want to spend the extra money.

 

No, you can't buy liquor at the port stops and bring it back on the ship. It is confiscated and held until you disembark at the end of the cruise. You can, however, bring cans of soft drinks on board which we have done with no problem.

 

Have fun on your cruise! Keep an open mind and "go with the flow." This may be your first cruise, but won't be your last!

[johnql]

Here's how the dining breaks down on the Spirit. Freestyle dining means that you can dine at any of the following restaurants at any time during their operating hours. Some require reservations and/or surcharges; most do not. Theoretically, you could have dinner in one restaurant and, 2 or 3 hours later, go back or to a different restaurant for another dinner or just dessert. It's all about choices.

 

Included, no reservations required

Windows Restaurant (Main Dining Room)

The Garden Room (Main Dining Room)

Blue Lagoon (24/7 diner)

Raffles buffet

Henry's Pub (Fish & Chips)

Bier Garten (Bavarian snacks)

Late night snacks in the casino

On-deck BBQs

Chocoholic buffet

 

Included, reservations required

La Trattoria (Italian)

 

Surcharge, reservations required

Le Bistro (French/Continental)

Cagney's Steakhouse

Shogun Restaurant (Asian) - divided into 3 sections: Shogun, sushi bar & Teppanyaki

[KeystoneCruiser]

Let me see if I can clear this Freestyle up for you:

 

 

Freestyle basically means that you choose your dining experience. You choose WHEN you eat, you choose WHERE you eat, you choose with WHO you eat, you choose WHAT YOU WEAR to eat.

 

Here we go:

1.) There are no reservations for the main dining rooms. You simply walk up during their operating hours (5:30-9:30) and ask for a table like any shore side restaurant. There may be a wait during the peak times of 6:15-8:30, but usually less than 20 minutes.

 

2.) You do not have assigned table mates. You can choose to eat with just your family or you can ask to be seated with others if you want to meet new people like on traditional cruises. There is no "Captain's Table" and you most likely will not have the same waiter every night. You can request the same waiter however.

 

3.) The specialty restaurants require reservations and most have a cover charge of $15-$25 per person. Reservations should be made early.

 

4.) There is no required Formal night on any NCL ship. There is one OPTIONAL formal night during a 7 day cruise, but only about 40% dress up and those that do range from tuxes to shirt and tie. You can wear "resort casual" to all meals at all times in all venues on NCL ships. Resort casual means no jeans, sweats, warm-up suits, swimming attire, shorts or t-shirts. Most people wear a polo shirt and Kahkis or a nice sundress. That is why I like NCL so much!!

 

5.) There is no required tipping. $10 per person per day will be added to your onboard account to take care of tips for wait staff and room stewards. A 15% service fee is added to bar and spa tabs. You are certainly welcome to tip additionaly to those who have provided extrodinary service, but it is not necessary.

[Hatsoff389]

I would go to cruiseclues.com as well. You can get lots of information about the spirit as well as pictures from past cruisers on the spirit.

[nhuaznfob]

Hey Thanks ALOT!

Thast a great break down.

[nhuaznfob]

Thanks alot! you guys!!

[Seago2]

I think you will have a great cruise. If you let us know the size of your party and your interests we may be able to hook you up with some more specific information/advice. Freestyle Dining is just like eating on land! If you pay attention to the TV monitors on the ship you will see when the dining rooms fill up and learn to go there when they are less full.

 

Good luck! Only 19 days for you!

[nhuaznfob]

Thanks.

I will be going with a couple of friends, there are 12 of us. Im really into anything. Comedy, dinning, entertainment, and booze..but I dont have that kinda money to pay for the onboards drinks..plus i refuse to give into their 1000% mark up/bottle.

 

To that note..are the soft drinks free in the dinning areas?

 

The thing i am worried most the the port days.. cuase I dont really knw Florida and dont really knw what to plan on the port days..

 

Let me knw ur thoughts. Thanks.:D

[nhuaznfob]

O btw I really wanted to try Jet skiing and stuff. Do they offer those on the port days??

[Seago2]

Well, if you don't want to pay for onboard drinks then you certainly have something to do during port days!

 

I think most people are going to Disney and Universal Studios when we are in Port Canaveral. I am staying on the ship. There are some good excursions offered- go to the NCL site and look them up. You don't have to pay that price- you can just take a taxi or rent a car and do the excursion on your own.

 

In Miami I am taking a cab to South Beach and hanging out there during the day. That is a great place to go. The beach is great and there is a lot of action happening. The strip is full of art deco hotels, ice cream shops, Cuban restaurants and just great people watching. There are many more excursions for both Florida places- like I said, look them up or go to the Port chat threads on here. There are Everglades boat tours, for example. I don't know what your budget will allow.

 

Great Stirrup Cay is pretty much just a beach and we are only there for a few hours, anyway.

 

Nassau... I don't know what we are doing. I think we will just go to the Straw Market and then to the beach. Most people go to Atlantis, which has a fee for visiting- and you can only see a small part of it. Sounds like a major rip off to me.

 

If I were you I would check out the port chat and the port reviews. As far as jet skiing goes, the cruise lines strongly discourage it. They discourage scooter and motorcycle rentals, too. That's where the big time accidents happen. That being said, I wouldn't let that stop me. I don't know where the rentals are, though. You can probably find one in Nassau on line.

 

If you are into partying and on a budget, you probably will want to make partying your goal in Nassau. Cheaper there. Free soda in the dining room.. I don't think so. Carnival had free iced tea and lemonade 24/7 but I don't believe NCL does.

 

You will probably find that you care less and less about the markup as the days go by- damn the torpedoes and all that. Despite my best intentions I end up with a hefty bar bill.

 

Hope this helps!

[Maryfrei]

To that note..are the soft drinks free in the dinning areas?

 

Unfortunately, no, I think 1.50 plus tip....

Were you intending a pun with that typo:)?

[nhuaznfob]

Thanks Carla and everyone!