2nd seating shows up for 1st seating availability?

[HollyH]

Has anyone ever been scheduled for 2nd seating, found themselves ready early and come to the first seating to wait-list for that dinings no-shows to eat earlier? Do they even allow you to sign up for this possibility?
We are scheduled for the late seating which is best for us (we have older children) but if we find ourselves available... could we head down?

 

[ThreeCircles]

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think this is an option that DCL would allow. For one, how could the servers be totally sure that the early seating individuals just aren't running late versus not coming at all? What if they gave a 1st seating table away to a 2nd seating and then the 1st seating individuals showed up? How would you compensate you "new" servers (1st seating) and your "old" servers (2nd seating)? What if they had large numbers of individuals waiting outside the restaurants for 1st seating?

I believe they allow you to be "wait-listed" for your dining preference prior to the cruise but not once you're onboard. You may be able to check and see if they could switch your dining from one seating to the other upon boarding, but I believe that everyone is assigned either early or late by that first evening on the cruise.

Perhaps others have different information?

 

[hydster]

I dont think they would allow you to sit in 1st seating if you had 2nd seating as your dining time. I'm not sure about Disney but other lines had a buffet dinner up on the pool deck if we didnt feel like going to the dining room for dinner...maybe if you want to eat and are ready you could do that as an option instead.

That is the ONLY good thing I have heard about Norwegian cruiseline is that they have freestyle dining where you can go when you want to go and you can choose what restaurant you would like to dine in. They have something like 10 different cuisines that you can choose from and no set dining time! Your free to dine where, when and with whom you choose.

It would be nice if all cruiselines would do at least a small part of this (for our family eating with whom we want would be a huge plus) but it would be nice if it was a trend that would catch on.

JMO
Heidi

 

[momnut]

I second that, We would prefer to have the option of freestyle dining as well. There were times when we wanted to see the main stage show twice and then either had to go to dinner very late (we did check with our servers to see if this would be a problem) or order room service. I would like a little more flexiblilty for dining.

 

[Lynnyl]

Do you have to make reservations for "freestyle" dining? Or are you forced to wait at peak times to eat? I've been curious about that option as well.

 

[hydster]

It is my understanding of Norwegian freestyle dining that you just walk in whatever cuisine / restaurant suits your desire and voila...you can eat no matter what time from 5:30 on until I think about 10 pm. No reservations are needed and you can choose whatever restaurant you want. Usually there are at least 10 different cuisines offered in different places (from what I've heard anyway) and no waiting or dealing with people you dont have anything in common with or dinner seating times you dont want

Heidi

 

[Tluvs2talk]

WE did "Freestyle Cruising" on the Norwegian in January and really enjoyed it. WE never waited more than 10 minutesto be seated. I liked that I could eat when I was hungry and not be rushed to be on a schedule. It also worked out great when we were in port. One downside to "Freestyle" is you don't get to know your waiters as well. We did have very good service 6 out of 7 nights.

Teri

 

[Mickeyhugger]

I'm not one who would enjoy freestyle dining as that is the way of everyday life when dining out. LOL!

Dining at a set time each night w/the same waitstaff, rotating dining rooms and random dining companions is a unique experience us.

 

[Tiiiigergirl]

I'm with Mickeyhugger. I really like developing the relationship with the servers and feel it is one of the highlights of the cruise.

 

[Juli]

Hi Holly,
We were on the 1/31 Western Magic and we were told a bit about tables/seatings by our servers and the head waiter. They do hold out a couple of tables in the Dining Rooms for just the reason you mentioned. They also like to know if you are going to be gone for any evening, like Palo or eating on shore. So between the two there are empty tables to be had. Just not a bunch.

Even though we had told our head waiter we would be dining in Palo one evening, he called to see if we were sending our kids alone. (Ha-Ha - they are 8 yr. old twin boys, I don't think so!) At first it sounded like they were being nice offering to host the kids without us, but really, they'd like to know if the table will be free to use for diners that are switching seatings that night. So, no, they don't have unlimited tables, and if the diners haven't informed them they'd be gone, they don't always know. But, I think if you have a night you are ready early, call or swing by and see. I would just let your head waiter know you aren't going to show in your regular seating asap. Then there comes the matter of tipping your replacement servers that evening and for sure you should still tip the servers in your regular rotation even though you didn't show....well, that's another thread.

Juli

 

[2xcruiser]

We did just that - booked at last minute so were scheduled for late seating - young kids who could not stay up that late - so we just went to the early seating - resturant manager was very accomodating and transfered us to early seating permantly - we had been wait listed but were told it was difficult to move up to early seating. The resturant managers are the ones best able to make the moves happen, at least it seemed so to us.