Hi John,

I went on a NCL ship over the Christmas holidays - I very much enjoyed the freestyle aspects of the cruise. No set dinner time - you could eat in any of the dining rooms anytime between 5:30 pm and 10:00 - depending on YOUR schedule. Also, formal nights, which I also dislike, were optional. A $10 per person/per day service charge was added to your shipboard account, eliminating the need for those little tip envelopes at the end of the cruise. All in all, a very enjoyable experience.