Eat whenever . . . sort of

One of the things that first-time cruisers seem to like about freestyle dining on NCL is the idea that you can eat whenever you like; you don't have to go to dinner at the same time every night and eat in the same restaurant. And that point is stressed often, in TV ads and while you're aboard. Although it sounds good in theory, I was doubtful of its practicality even before I experienced it for myself. And even though Donna and I had little difficulty in dining when we wanted -- because the ship was about half to, at most, two-thirds full -- dining "whenever you want" is a matter of loose interpretation.

Let me explain.

Since we are pretty much creatures of habit, Donna and I decided to go to dinner in the Venetian after eight o'clock, which corresponds approximately to the time a traditional cruise line would schedule its late seating. But on two nights, the one and only show was scheduled for 9:00pm, making it all but impossible to have a multi-course meal in any of the sit-down restaurants. So our choices were to skip the show and go to dinner at the time we originally planned; go to dinner earlier, say, no later than seven o'clock; go to the buffet at eight and rush through dinner (not much of a choice since I don't care much for buffets, especially at dinner); or go to dinner after the show, which I'm uncertain was possible at that late an hour.

Going to dinner at seven is not much of a hardship -- unless you show up but are told there is no availability for 30, 45, or 60 minutes, in which case you're cooked. You could run over to one of the surcharge restaurants to see whether there are any tables available, but on a full ship that would be unlikely, since reservations are generally required, especially if the ship is fully booked.

So, I guess the choice is up to you: 1) dine when you want in the restaurant of your choice and miss the show; 2) dine when you want in the only restaurant with an available table, even if sushi or Tex-Mex doesn't float your boat; or 3) go to the buffet, where people with small children, or folks who hate to dress, go to dine.

All those choices are sub-optimal, in my opinion, and when I'm on vacation, I want as close to optimal as can be reasonably expected.


-- Joe L., CruiseCounselor

Would you like a sucharge with that?

One thing that irked me a bit on the Dawn was the surcharge for certain menu items in the premium restaurants -- the ones that charge a cover to get in the place. After paying a $15 cover charge for the privilege of dining in Le Bistro (see nearby photo), I was somewhat dismayed to see a surcharge tacked onto to a few items, not just certain entrees but some appetizers as well. As it turns out, I was perfectly happy with the escargots bourguignonne -- which was superbly prepared and demanded I use as much bread as needed to soak up every drop of the delicious, buttery, garlicky sauce -- and the foie gras-stuffed chicken breast with Cabernet wine reduction, both of which required no surcharge.

Maybe it's just me, but I find it a bit irksome to pay extra to get into certain restaurants and then be faced with an additional surcharge.

-- Joe L., CruiseCounselor

Brief summary of cruise on the Dawn

It's been a week since my cruise ended, and I just haven't been in the mood to blog about it. It occurred to me that that is because it wasn't great but it didn't suck. Had I had a tremendous cruise experience, I would have been eager to tell you all about it, and had it been the cruise from Hell, I would have been very inclined to write, as well. But the fact is, it was neither awful nor outstanding.

One aspect of the cruise that was outstanding was the entertainment, particularly the big production shows. I've seen a lot of shows on ships, and the three main shows were nothing short of spectacular (albeit a bit short, at about 40 minutes). Never have I seen so many talented people perform on a ship's stage at the same time. Excellent dancers and choreography, tight band, attractive people to look at, good vocalists. The whole package.

Getting low marks was the breakfast buffet, with the lunch buffet not much better. (See the nearby photo of the Garden Cafe, where the buffets were located.) I can't comment on the dinner buffet, because I only scoped it out once as it was being set up. The Venetian (one of the main dining rooms) is beautiful and elegant, and the food is okay to good. (Unfortunately, I failed to photograph that room.) Aqua is too noisy and has the same menu, but the service seemed a bit brusque in there. I had one of the best meals I've ever had on a cruise in Le Bistro, but Salsa was not worth the upcharge.

The lounge musicians were excellent. There were three pianists on board, and they all brought something different to the table -- or should I say keyboard? The young and handsome Bernie Martini seemed to be a crowd favorite. Vocally, he reminded me of Michael Buble, especially when doing his Sinatra tribute one evening. There was a husband-and-wife duo who did covers, and there was another fellow -- who was preempted often by the World Series -- playing acoustic rock in the pub. Sound Bytes, a Filipino band, entertained in Spinnaker, the attractive main lounge, at night and at the pool when we were in Bermuda, and an island band, Flex, played at the pool when we were at sea. I suspect that band was gigging in Bermuda when we were in port. A guitar trio, Tres Pilotos, played in the grand atrium and could be heard in the Java Cafe as well as Salsa and the Salsa Bar. That was a very nice touch.

I will write about the freestyle dining aspect in another post. Let's just say I am not sold on the concept.

-- Joe L., CruiseCounselor

Norwegian Dawn

Well, tomorrow's the day Donna and I set sail for Bermuda on the Norwegian Dawn, one of NCL's "freestyle" ships. At around 90K tons, it'll be the largest ship we've ever sailed on, and it'll be the first time we've experienced freestyle cruising. As "traditional" cruisers, ourselves, this represents a bit of "paradigm shift" for us.

We are going to ask for a set time and waiter in the main dining room as soon as we board the ship, but from everything I've read, we are going to have to check out Le Bistro and Cagney's at least once. Not sure I'm up to the task if handling a 32-ounce -- or is it 36? -- porterhouse steak, tho. {grin}

I fully plan to keep a journal of our trip and take lots of pictures, which I will post here and on the Cruise Company's Facebook page. If I can, I will post updates in real time, using the ship's internet cafe. Unfortunately, the internet service on the ship, from what I hear, isn't great (dial-up slow), and it isn't cheap, so I may just keep notes on my laptop and upload everything when I get back. I'll be sure to strike up conversations with as many people as I can and get their feedback, as well, so as to provide different points of view.

So wish me fair winds and following seas, and I'll talk to you later.

-- Joe L., CruiseCounselor

Cruising: The Great Escape

Vacationing can be a double-edged sword. While the thought of getting away is exciting, the actual planning and act of vacationing can be quite stressful and even overwhelming at times. That’s why cruising is such a great alternative to other vacation options. Where else are you waited on hand and foot and pampered 24/7? Once on board, your worries simply “float” away, because you’re not required to plan a single thing. From dinner to land stops, it’s all available at your disposal or built into your cruise itinerary.

Have kids? Don’t underestimate the power a cruise can have on bringing your family closer together (or give you some much needed time apart). Have fun and create memories visiting some of the most wonderful destinations in the world! Or relax and bask in some well deserved “me-time.” Cruise lines have the ultimate child-care services. While you’re busy getting a spa treatment or enjoying a workout, the ship’s staff will keep the youngsters busy. You’ll be able to spend some time on your own as the kids participate in circus events, sing and dance at their own age-appropriate parties or take part in one of the other countless shipboard activities offered just for children.

There are a wide range of cruise amenities and services designed to help you unwind and let loose. Some of the newer amenities include jogging tracks, rock-climbing wall, thalassotherapy pools, wellness cuisines and Turkish baths. And the oldies but always the goodies: saunas, facials and stone therapy.

Feeling stressed? Need a vacation? Take a cruise. It’s a great way to relieve stress and make some memories along the way.


-- Joe L., CruiseCounselor

Obtaining on-board credits

Ever wonder how your fellow cruise mates scored their treasure-trove of on-board (shipboard) credits? While you’re busy pulling cash from your wallet, they’re enjoying drinks, souvenirs and tux rentals on the house. Although they remain somewhat of a mystery, finding on-board credits is actually quite easy. You just need to know where to look. Here are a few of their favorite hiding places:

Credit Card Statements: Credit card companies often participate in special promotions with cruise lines. So make sure to check your credit card statements for various on-board credits and other fun perks. It really does pay to check these carefully.

Airline Awards Programs: Believe it or not, airlines and cruise lines are often aligned! If you participate in a frequent flier program, investigate to see whether shipboard credits are also offered.

Passenger Perks: Do you cruise with one particular cruise line or lines? If so, you may be throwing away money. You see, repeat cruisers receive a lot of what looks like “junk mail” from cruise lines that they have previously traveled on. Buried inside are sometimes deals for on-board credits – which are part of many cruise lines loyalty programs.

Fringe Benefits for Groups: When cruising as a group, you are often awarded instant on-board credits. Consider these fringe benefits for vacationing en masse!

Now that you know where to find them, here are a few things to be aware of. Read the fine print carefully and don’t assume your credits can be used for anything and in every area of the ship. Chances are -- like any “free” giveaway or deal -- your on-board credits have some stipulations or limitations attached to them. With the bulk of cruise lines, on-board credits cannot be used in casinos, or for gambling in general, or for spa treatments or shore excursions. In fact, on-board credits are usually limited to shops and bars. You’ll also want to verify the actual, true amount of the credit. This is a gray area, because cruise lines like to use the terminology “for up to X dollars.”

One final note: Don’t be afraid to speak up and ask for on-board credits! Cruise lines love to give you money to spend on their ships! It’s their polite way of enticing you to spend even more.

Is anybody sitting there?

For me cruises are as stress free as a vacation could be. But one thing that doesn't really float my boat is trying to find a deck chair at the pool -- or anywhere on deck, for that matter -- on one of the days at sea. If you're alone, well, it's a bit easier to find a solitary chair, kinda like finding a single seat in a movie theater on a Friday night. But if you're with somebody, well, it can be frustrating at times.

Obviously, it's not possible to have a deck chair for every passenger, so on sunny days at sea, it stands to reason that some people are going to be slightly inconvenienced. To me, that means having to wait awhile until a chair frees up. But there's the rub: chairs don't free up. Oh, they're unoccupied, alright, but didn't you know that placing a towel on the chair reserves the chair for you in perpetuity? And if you place a book -- even a softcover trash novel! -- on the chair, well, that chair may still be waiting for you next cruise, too!

If you sense a bit of frustrated sarcasm, well, I apologize. But it's one of my pet peeves. Look, if a person gets up to go the lavatory, fine. If he (or she) gets up to take a dip in the pool, okay. If a person gets up briefly to run to the buffet to get a little nosh and returns to his precious chaise, that's okay, too, especially if one's spouse is there to stake out the territory. But for cryin' out loud, people shouldn't leave their towels or books on a chair and come back three hours later and expect it to be empty and waiting for them.

End of rant.

-- CruiseCounselor