Freestyle dining on cruise ships is big hit

ABOARD NORWEGIAN SUN — Traditionally, dinner on a cruise ship is set for a specific time at a table with the same people for the entire cruise. Usually there are at least a few nights where formal dress in the dining room is required.

Seven years ago, Norwegian Cruise Line introduced a different system, which the company calls "Freestyle Cruising," on one of its ships. If you want to eat in a restaurant on an NCL ship, you show up between 5:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. and order off the menu. There is no dress code. You can ask for a table for two, or you can ask to sit at a large table and meet other passengers.

The concept has been a success and is now available on all 15 NCL ships.

NCL promotes the idea as a way to dine when and with whom you want, at a choice of restaurants — and generally in less formal attire.

The flexibility to relax until early evening, then dine when we were ready — without having to pack five days worth of formal wear — fit well with what my wife and I like to do on vacation: Let our whims drive the schedule.

We sailed to Mexico aboard Norwegian Sun earlier this year. It was our first cruise — but not our last. We liked the freestyle system, and we fell in love with cruising.

On Norwegian Sun, the two main restaurants, sports bar and a couple of other places offer great meals for which you do not pay extra.

For $10 to $20 per person, the ship has a handful of other specialty restaurants that include a steakhouse, sushi bar and French restaurant where reservations are recommended.

Most other major cruise lines also offer a variety of dining options for those who want to skip the formal seating each night. Those options usually include buffets and cafes where you can dine as often as you like for no extra charge, as well as specialty restaurants for which you pay a small fee. In addition, many cruise lines require formal dress for the dining room on only a couple of nights, with casual dress on other nights.

But under the traditional system, if you want to eat in the formal dining room, you can't change your seating time or tablemates. Sitting with other passengers can be a wonderful way to meet new people. But there may be times when you'd prefer to eat alone, or where you're not a good match for the folks randomly assigned to your table. You may find yourself opting for the buffet even if you'd prefer the food in the dining room. The freestyle system avoids that problem.