Freestyle ?

[Kudos2Fly]

What does freestyle dinning really mean? I have herd Norwegian is the true freestyle dinning. But also don't you pay like $20 person to go to these freestyle dinning rooms? Do they have traditional dinning on board?

 

Kim

[songanddance]

What does freestyle dinning really mean? I have herd Norwegian is the true freestyle dinning. But also don't you pay like $20 person to go to these freestyle dinning rooms? Do they have traditional dinning on board?

 

Kim

 

All ships have a "free" (part of your fare) dining room. Many times it is the most attractive of all the spaces on the ship but not always. Then there is the lido (Cafeteria) where the food is also part of your fare and there is room service also part of the fare. The other restuarants can be either part of the fare or carry a sur charge. In my opinion unless you live in an area that is fine dining challanged or you don't get out much, you can miss all of the surcharge restaurants and have a sensational and less expnsive cruise.

 

Freestyle denotes the fact that there are no assigned seats in the dining room and no assigned times. You can come anytime between opening and close. These times are posted every day in the daily news that you get the evening before in your stateroom.

 

Usually the restaurants that are free and require no reservation will be busy right at opening for the early crowd and then from 7 - 8 pm but rarely is their a long wait. The specialty restaurants be they free or carry a sur charge require a reservation as they are small and need to be able to plan on how many will be coming in any given evening.

 

During the day - breakfast and lunch food is available in the free main dining room(s) with open seating plus the lido and some other places depending on the ship.

 

Hope this helps.

[Kudos2Fly]

Thanks for the information. Can the reservation be made at any time or is it best to book when you get on board? It would be nice to be able to book when we feel like doing a resturant that needs a reservation. How easy is it to do that, book when you want that is...

 

Kim

[songanddance]

Thanks for the information. Can the reservation be made at any time or is it best to book when you get on board? It would be nice to be able to book when we feel like doing a resturant that needs a reservation. How easy is it to do that, book when you want that is...

 

Kim

 

Due to some abuse, It is my understanding that you may only make reservations for the same and the next days dinner. You used to be able to make a full week's reservations as soon as you got on board but that left a lot of people very unhappy and resulted in many cancellations as passengers changed their minds mid cruise. This left empty seats etc.

 

So if you want to dine in a specialty restaurant first night out (sometimes they offer a half price deal on first night) then do it as soon as you get on board.

 

Many times if you really do not care if you get in or not, one can just show up and if they have space and no reservation they will take you right in.

 

Have a great cruise.

[BeachBumMama]

Thanks for the information. Can the reservation be made at any time or is it best to book when you get on board? It would be nice to be able to book when we feel like doing a resturant that needs a reservation. How easy is it to do that, book when you want that is...

 

Kim

You can only book once you board. This can be done by a reservation desk, at the restaurant itself, or calling on the phone the day you'd like to get a reservation. I think they open at 8:00 am for that days reservation. Have fun!:D

[Kudos2Fly]

Great! Thats how we personally would like to do it... Thanks again for the information. You where most helpful..

 

Kim

[KeystoneCruiser]

and the best thing about Freestyle is that all formal nights are optional. You can dress up or not dress up...its your choice and still dine in any venue at any time on any night. (even the optional formal nights).

 

My story on Freestyle:

 

1.) Eat WHEN you want

2.) Eat with WHO you want

3.) Eat WHERE you want

4.) Eat HOW you want to.... dress that is...within reason.:D