New to NCL questions-

showcat · #1 (**permalink**) May 19th, 2011, 07:26 PM

How casual are the ships? Can you wear jeans in the dining rooms? Do they have 2 formal nights? Is the dress code the same or more casual then Carnival?

Trip · #2 (**permalink**) May 19th, 2011, 07:41 PM

VERY casual....I would say more than Carnival In the 2 dining rooms, I would say no jeans,call me old fashion

cruisinbill · #3 (**permalink**) May 19th, 2011, 09:04 PM

5/19 I have been on 6 NCL cruises and currently booked on another. The Gem and the Pearl are my favorites. NCL is known for "Free Style Crusiing". Can go casual any time anywhere. usually one formal night. Dress up or NOT. My cruises are my vacation and I want it be casual. No shorts in the dining room, must have shoes.NCL pioneered Free Style and other cruise lines are following. Join me on Oct, 8,2011 on the Sun for a 7 day eastern Caribbean Cruise.
Cruisinbill

Kuki · #4 (**permalink**) May 19th, 2011, 09:14 PM

On NCL they do have Formal OPTIONAL nights. I was surprised how many people do dress up.

As for Bill's comment about shoes (A secret, I wore sandals most nights

)

cruised1014 · #5 (**permalink**) May 20th, 2011, 03:13 PM

Jeans will be fine in the dining room. I have even seen people standing in line for the dining rooms in shorts but you will be turned away expept for the first night because of late luggage delivery. You will find poor service in the free
dining room. Offering a $5.00 tip before dinner may get you better service and fresher food. I heard a waiter one time tell a lady who kept sending back her dinnier that if she wanted a better meal to go and pay for it. Very rude.
The buffet on NCL is the largest and they have alot more selections than Carnival. Crepes for dinner are really good and desserts are better than Carnival. I love the Heated pool on the Ncl ships. Plus I like the covers they have on the Hot Tubs. I wish Carival would install them. In the Casino sign up and they give you $20 for slots for free. Or at least they used too. Pack a carry on bag of 2 - 12 packs on you favorite canned soda. Then check the bag in and it will show up at you room. NO LIQUIOR it will be thrown out and you will never get it back. Also if you like to pool take two "Swim Noodles"
We love them here in Florida. Tape them together and put your room luggae tag and they will show up at your cabin just like your luggage. You will most likley be the one people on the ship with those noodle and people allways ask where you got them. Have a great cruise, Ed
'

showcat · #6 (**permalink**) May 20th, 2011, 03:40 PM

Thank you all very much for all the information! Especially your detailed report Ed.

I am going with a group of singles so dinner will be in the free dining room each night unless me and my friend go alone to one of the pay restaurants. How far in advance do you need reservations? I did not know the pools were heated are they fresh water or salt water? Is there free Iced tea or Lemonaide?

nmnita · #7 (**permalink**) May 21st, 2011, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cruised1014

Jeans will be fine in the dining room. I have even seen people standing in line for the dining rooms in shorts but you will be turned away expept for the first night because of late luggage delivery. You will find poor service in the free
dining room. Offering a $5.00 tip before dinner may get you better service and fresher food. I heard a waiter one time tell a lady who kept sending back her dinnier that if she wanted a better meal to go and pay for it. Very rude.
The buffet on NCL is the largest and they have alot more selections than Carnival. Crepes for dinner are really good and desserts are better than Carnival. I love the Heated pool on the Ncl ships. Plus I like the covers they have on the Hot Tubs. I wish Carival would install them. In the Casino sign up and they give you $20 for slots for free. Or at least they used too. Pack a carry on bag of 2 - 12 packs on you favorite canned soda. Then check the bag in and it will show up at you room. NO LIQUIOR it will be thrown out and you will never get it back. Also if you like to pool take two "Swim Noodles"
We love them here in Florida. Tape them together and put your room luggae tag and they will show up at your cabin just like your luggage. You will most likley be the one people on the ship with those noodle and people allways ask where you got them. Have a great cruise, Ed
'

don't know the last time you cruised NCL, but no, the casino sign up does not give you $20 free anymore: Liquor is never thrown out and never has been: you get it back the last night or the morning you disembark. service in the dining room can be good or bad, like most ships especially since flex dining has become so popular (this is for all lines) I would never suggest tipping $5 when you are seated. If you think you got better service that is your opinion, but I don't think it made any difference. As for fresher food, is totally untrue. As for shorts, some of the ships are not allowing shorts in some of the dining rooms. I certainly agree that wait person was very rude, but of course I don't know how many times the gal had sent her food back or what her attitude was either. The waiter still should not have said that.

Nita

Mike M · #8 (**permalink**) May 21st, 2011, 03:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by showcat

Thank you all very much for all the information! Especially your detailed report Ed.

I am going with a group of singles so dinner will be in the free dining room each night unless me and my friend go alone to one of the pay restaurants. How far in advance do you need reservations? I did not know the pools were heated are they fresh water or salt water? Is there free Iced tea or Lemonaide?

Showcat,

There will be two "included" main dining rooms. The menus will be the same in each dining room but the decor will be different. One more formal in decor than the other. I have found that the food in the main dining rooms, on my eight NCL cruises, has been overall good with some excellent dishes and some fair dishes.

I have also found that if you are flexible with your dining times you can get a reservation in most restaurants the same day. Cagney's, Le Bistro and Moderno (on Epic) will be the ones you may want to book before or when you board. I also have to add that if you add $100 to your cruise budget to try three or four of the specialty restaurants you won't be disappointed.

I have also found that people dress as well or better than my last three Carnival cruises. However, on my last two NCL cruises: Epic and Jade I saw very few tuxedos and just a few suits on "Formal Optional" nights. I did see a number of sport coats and ties on men and "cocktail" types of dresses on the ladies. Not too many formal gowns.

I know you'll have a good time.

Take care,
Mike

The pools on NCL are saltwater.

colorcrazie · #9 (**permalink**) September 21st, 2011, 04:27 PM

Hi Showcat,
We went on NCL for the first time in years a couple of years back. We're going on them again. I thought that the food in the dining rooms was quite good and we never had bad service.
Our main reason for going NCL again this year is the entertainment. We just enjoy their nightly shows more than the other lines.
For a long time, I always went on NCL, then switched when we moved to Los Angeles. Now that we're back on the east coast, I'm happy to have more options. We did the Mexican Riviera so many times, I lost count!!
mARTY