Freestyle Cruising converts this pair - Letters - Letter to the Editor

Cruise Travel, March-April, 2002 by D. Bruce Smoke, Kenneth L. Denton

We recently returned from our 28th cruise, which was aboard Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Wind in Alaska.

We were somewhat concerned with NCL's new Freestyle Cruising concept after reading several letters in Cruise Travel. Many seasoned cruisers seemed to have numerous complaints for this new concept in dining and tipping. We, too, have enjoyed assigned seating and dressing for formal nights on our past cruises, but we think most longtime cruisers will acknowledge that cruises today have gone to open-seating for breakfast and lunches, which only leaves dinner at an assigned table and time.

NCL has a winner in Freestyle Cruising. We were quite impressed. The service in all the dining rooms was excellent. We were afforded the option to eat when we wanted, at our place of choosing, and with the many new friends we had met on the way to the ship and during our cruise. And yes, the formal nights are still there for those of us who enjoy them--and there seems to be quite a few who do--but for those who do not wish to participate, they are able to still enjoy their cruise as they wish.

Needless to say, this was a new experience for us, but NCL has two converts to Freestyle Cruising.

D. Bruce Smoke & Kenneth L. Denton
Woodbridge, VA