PamelaG4165

We are looking at several different cruises as we try to select our next cruise. We like the itinerary and port for the Norwegian cruise that leaves out of Charleston, SC. Any comments on Norwegian and any experiences. I have cruised with Carnival 3 times and I loved it all 3 times. How does the freestyle cruising work- are there still shows, and fancy dining, formal nights, etc... I just haven't heard a lot and was wanting some reviews before wasting my time looking any farther. Thanks for you help!By the way the ship is the Norwegian Majesty that leaves from Charleston

ZefH4862

My last Norwegian cruise was October 2005 (my next is in a few weeks). Below is a link to my review of my October 2005 cruise. The following is from my review, and discusses Freestyle Dining in detail ...What sets Norwegian apart from everyone else is the Freestyle dining. As I mentioned, there are ten dining areas. Six are free, four cost extra, and only three do not require reservations (Aqua, Versailles and the Blue Lagoon). It is noted that Norwegian does not allow blue jeans, tank tops, shorts, T-shirts or beachwear in any of the restaurants after 5:00pm. It is also noted that Aqua and Versailles (the two main restaurants) get very busy between 7pm and 8pm.The advantage of Freestyle dining is you can eat when you want. However, that is only true in three of the ten restaurants. All the other restaurants require reservations. What is the difference between making a reservation and having a set dining time? Also, for groups this can be a problem. In traditional dining you show up at your table at the assigned time. You know the rest of your group will either already be there, or will arrive soon. With Freestyle dinning, your group has to decide where it wants to eat and when. If you have ever tried to get a group to agree on anything, you know what a chore this can be. Also, if your group is large enough, you can guarantee that someone will show up at the wrong restaurant at the right time, or show up at the right restaurant at the wrong time. For me, I don’t like having to take time out of my day to make a reservation. The whole idea of cruising is to have a carefree vacation. I believe that having to make reservations takes away from that experience. If you want to read the entire review, click on the link below ...http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=13327

TINKERTOYthe1only1825

The ship that NCL has for its cruises out of Charleston, SC is one of its older ship, so old that it does not have balcony cabins; unless they changed it since the last time I almost booked it for this past December. Its a nice ship by older ship standards but not as nice as NCL and other cruise line newer ships. I actually had a cruise book on NCL out of Charleston but decided that I did not want to go on a ship and NOT have a balcony cabin so I canceled the cruise and went with a different cruise line from a different port (Port Canaveral, Florida).There are two sides to the NCL "Freestyle" cruising. I have been on about 7 or 8 NCL ships and made my last NCL cruise this past November on the new NCL ship, the Gem. Some people love the freestyle because they like being able to go to dinner any time they want to. They also like not having to be as formal as other cruise lines for the formal night. On our last NCL cruise they actually called the formal night the "dressup if you want to " night and only about 10 to 20% of the people dressed up. So while one side of the coin likes the "go when you want to" and don't dress up cruise, others like me prefer to have a formal night when I can wear that tux that I bought 10 cruises ago and my wife can were her red or black gown or something else fancy.Now as for freestyle dining, NCL does not have a lock on that. Princess has has what it calls "Personal Choice" dining for the past 4 or 5 years and its actually a better option for dinner. When you reserve you either pick a dining time, or don't and just go when you want to. Holland America also has that and Royal Caribbean is testing it on some of its ships too. The downsides of freestyle dining are (1) you have a different waiter and table each day and so you never get to know the person who serves you and at the end of the cruise you wonder why you are tipping someone who really did not provide you service. The person just brought your food. As a lover of the traditional style dining I prefer to get to know my waiter and have my waiters know what I want and cater to me. We always take picture of and with our wait staff and try to remember their names. That's part of why I go on a cruise. And (2) the people who like freestyle don't tell you about all of the time you may spend waiting in line to get a table at dinner because they have to find you a seat. And many times its not that there are not seats, its them having to summon a person to guide you and your group to a table. The last cruise we were on the wait was so long on some evening that they actually handed out buzzers like at restaurants to let people know when their table was ready.I knew before I went on our last cruise that I was not going to like freestyle but booked anyway because I liked the cruise itinerary. I had planned to just forget about the inconvenience of it and just make a dinner reservation in the main dining room each day. Well that didn't really work because they would accept reservations for only 2 days in a row. So every other day we had to remember to make a reservation for dinner. I had already found on previous NCL cruises that you stood less of a chance of having to wait for a table if you went to dinner as soon as the dining room opened. I also noted that its worse on "at sea" days trying to get a table.So if you have been on several cruises and enjoyed walking into the dining room right to YOUR table and having YOUR wait staff greet you BY NAME and bring the drink and bread and anything else you wanted because they knew, you will miss it and may not like Freestyle.And as for the alternative specialty restaurants, I have never used them because as a long time cruiser I figures that ALL of the food should be free and I don't see the need to spend $15 to $20 a person to eat. Heck I can do that at home. Besides, there is plenty of free food and its great food.OK, those are my comments!!!

rickd8690

Yes, there are shows, fancy dining, formal nights etc. Freestyle cruising give you the choice. I have been on many NCL cruises and prefer them. Now NCL, Princess, and Holland all have buffets where you eat when you want and sit when you and dress the way you want. Bottom line is it is your vacation and your money so which ever you prefer is what you should beable to do. I prefer to wear jeans 365 days ayear and I have never been refused services on any cruise ship. Like the jingle "SOMETIMES YOU FEEL LIKE A NUT & SOMETIMES YOU DON'T. Go Enjoy your cruise.