Just on more Freestyle question

[tom_uk]

I've cruised (briefly) on Norwegian Jewel (2-night inaugural out of Dover, Aug 2005) and once each on MSC and Celebrity. I enjoyed many aspects of MSC and Celebrity, but as a ship, I have to say that Jewel knocked spots off both Galaxy & Sinfonia, and I'm sure that Pearl & Gem must the same or even better.

 

Having read all the (current) Freestyle threads I now have a better understanding of how it works, and I can see the advantages of it. While I enjoyed the formal nights on the other cruises, I'm not someone who thinks 'this is how it *should* be' and I can do resort casual just as well as the next person. (Once I get it defined, that is....) But there is something that I would truly, truly miss, and that is the congenial company of table companions. Perhaps we have been lucky on our two regular cruises so far, but the dinner-table conversation was one the highlights of the day. On Galaxy especially: we were a table of eight, 4 brits, 4 americans, and the conversation flowed continually. We would miss this very much.

 

So: for main restaurant meals, how possibly/practical is it to share a table with strangers? I'm thinking ad-hoc sharing: something arranged with other passengers in the queue at the time, or decided by the restaurant staff when they took us to a table.

[johnql]

So: for main restaurant meals, how possibly/practical is it to share a table with strangers? I'm thinking ad-hoc sharing: something arranged with other passengers in the queue at the time, or decided by the restaurant staff when they took us to a table.

It's done all the time. When you reach the entrance of the main dining room, the host(ess) will ask you the number in your party. At that time, you can request to be seated with others at a larger table. Simple.

[hotspur]

It's done all the time. When you reach the entrance of the main dining room, the host(ess) will ask you the number in your party. At that time, you can request to be seated with others at a larger table. Simple.

And...if you get along well with another couple or two that you meet at one of these dinners, you can make plans to dine with them often. Or, if you meet a couple you like on a shore excursion, you can do the same. Or, as happened with us at our Barcelona hotel before our trans-Atlantic, if you meet someone in the breakfast room one morning you can then arrange to dine frequently with them on your cruise.

[Arwenmark]

The first question the Hostess will ask is if you would like to share a table. If you say yes then they seat you immediately with others.

It is a part of freestyle, one of those many options.

[mysoulishome]

My in-laws talked about how meeting people at the non-freestyle cruising was fun, but I don't think they missed it. We had fun dinners as a family, trying all of the food and having time together.

 

We met lots of fun people on the excursions, however. Some grumps too but they were fun in their own ways. You never know if the people sitting near you on the bus will be fun, annoying, or asleep & snoring...lol.

[Cosmopolitan]

The first question the Hostess will ask is if you would like to share a table. If you say yes then they seat you immediately with others.

It is a part of freestyle, one of those many options.

 

You can also start your own "share" table:)

[mikaula]

The first few cruises we went on we had traditional dining and I enjoyed meeting people, but I always worried I'd get stuck at a table with people I had nothing in common with. The thing I like about freestyle is that now we have a choice. I love meeting new people but my husband is really quiet so we usually opt to dine alone.

 

There are always places to meet others like we meet people on excursions and usually strike up conversations in the elevatior, waiting for a show, on the deck etc. but when the conversation stalls we aren't stuck trying to think of something to say through an hour+ dinner.

 

What ever you choose to do - with freestyle it's up to you!

[linnie]

Going on Dawn on sunday...3rd time on Dawn. If you want to get dressed up there are still formal nights. My husband got tired of taking his tux, so he now takes a sport jacket. We will be going on the Gem end of October....

[mousey]

My favorite thing about freestyle dining are all the options. On our cruise on the Dream last year we enjoyed a lot of options. My DH, 11 yr. old DS, ate alone sometime, sometimes we asked to be seated with other people with kids, we set up dinner dates with new people we met along the way. We love freestyle cruising.:D