Death of MDR, rise of Windjammer

onboard Navigator now and Windjammer has been the best...ever. Varied nightly dinners, very impressive dessert bars. Last nights cake displays would look familiar to anyone that had been to a real midnight buffet. Many MDR items on dinner buffet. Only negative is they close at 9pm. Food has been excellent in Jammer and room packed each night no matter when you arrive. Chefs and crew happy and interactive.

New MDR menus very limited. Dining room no wait and not more than 60% full. Had 4 different people approach during dinner in Sapphire dining room on one evening to sell me specialty dining; already have specialty dining package and constant interruption pretty annoying and put me off. Lunch in MDR food blah (besides excellent salad bar). No kids menu in MDR (we have asked and were told they don’t have anymore; which I find shocking and probably not correct)

Long and short; wife and I both believe it won’t be long before cruise ships offer buffet only w fare and specialty dining as upcharge, no MDR middle ground. They’ll need to physically expand windjammers and extend hours to make this work but sure seems like MDR being purposely de-emphasized w new menus and constant annoying upsell tactics

We sailed Navigator 3 years ago and really enjoyed the Windjammer, more than the MDR. The desserts were amazing then too! I was actually disappointed on Oasis last year that the desserts didn’t match up to what they had on Nav.

Many MDR items on dinner buffet. Only negative is they close at 9pm.

I couldn't agree more -- on our last 13 nights cruise, we ate twice in MDR....

WJ was quicker and had more variety too.

onboard Navigator now and Windjammer has been the best...ever. Varied nightly dinners, very impressive dessert bars. Last nights cake displays would look familiar to anyone that had been to a real midnight buffet. Many MDR items on dinner buffet. Only negative is they close at 9pm. Food has been excellent in Jammer and room packed each night no matter when you arrive. Chefs and crew happy and interactive.

 

New MDR menus very limited. Dining room no wait and not more than 60% full. Had 4 different people approach during dinner in Sapphire dining room on one evening to sell me specialty dining; already have specialty dining package and constant interruption pretty annoying and put me off. Lunch in MDR food blah (besides excellent salad bar). No kids menu in MDR (we have asked and were told they don’t have anymore; which I find shocking and probably not correct)

 

Long and short; wife and I both believe it won’t be long before cruise ships offer buffet only w fare and specialty dining as upcharge, no MDR middle ground. They’ll need to physically expand windjammers and extend hours to make this work but sure seems like MDR being purposely de-emphasized w new menus and constant annoying upsell tactics

We like the MDR in the evening, despite the food not always being as well as expected. We like the slow pace of having dinner and the appetizers are a nice change each night. I like a nice glass of wine at dinner, which just seems to go better at a dining table. The dining at night is a big part of our cruise for us.

When we ate in the WJ at dinner, we were finished very quickly and we each get up different times to get food and desserts. My wife loses her appetite looking at all the food. I do like the WJ very much especially at lunch with all the variety.

PS: after the second or third day on the ship, the upselling seems to diminish a lot.

We like the WJ on the Radiance class and lots of times will skip dinner in the MDR to just get something light there, I don't care for the deserts as they all seem to look nicer than they taste but it's nice if they have a crepe station set up some evening.

I hope the MDR does remain though as it wouldn't be long otherwise before RCI would then start a booking system or a pay more for a window view etc.

Have to agree about the new menus. Very limited choices. Appetizers were much better with a good variety. Learned to order multiples to make the MDR worthwhile. First time since cruising for 27 years that we ate dinner at a buffet. Windjammer was a good choice last week on the Rhapsody.

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We ditched the MDR for WJ several cruises ago (and were reminded why last summer when my in-laws took us on a family cruise on Oasis and so we ate in the MDR with the family). We had early seating b/c of my 2 young nieces and ended up checking the WJ after dinner anyway. Agree with all the points you made. Also, specifically for us, my wife is very picky and winds up ordering the standby chicken and caesar salad almost every night in the MDR. She has more of a chance of finding different stuff in the WJ and I'm a fan of buffets. I'm also not a fan of dressing up and wouldn't even bring pants on our usual summer Caribbean cruises if we didn't frequent the DL.

We went back on Oasis by ourselves 3 weeks later last summer after finding a great last minute fare and checked the WJ during each meal even if we wound up eating breakfast/lunch in park cafe or wipeout cafe. Some of the unique displays in the WJ were quite impressive. They had an amazing chocolate mousse type set-up one day with all types of different treats, mostly served in various glasses including the big RC souvenir glasses used for fancy drinks. They also had lobster twice, once on the actual MDR lobster night and again the next night. The tails were cut in half but were no better or worse than those being served whole in the MDR. One of those nights was actually entirely seafood themed with many other options. Basically, there was something unique each day for the various meals.

Looking forward to checking out the WJ on Radiance in Alaska in two months as I've only been on a ship smaller than Voyager once and that was Enchantment for 4 nights. The outdoor WJ seating looks like a nice option, weather permitting.

I thought this the minute I saw the ultimate dining package. I think your assessment is correct, In another five or ten years the buffet will be free, but eating anywhere else will be a fee. I expect most cruise lines to go this route when it happens.

I like to be served. I've eaten dinner in Windjammer once in 20+ cruises and while it was okay, it was still a buffet. I'll stick with MDR.

We like the WJ on the Radiance class

I was writing my post before I saw yours. Since I just mentioned I was looking forward to the Radiance WJ in two months, could you share what you liked about it?

Did they have any cook-to-order stations for dinner like pasta or wok where you pick your ingredients and they make it for you fresh? (Like an omelette station). My wife loved those on Freedom a few years ago when the WJ alternated b/t pasta and wok stations each night.

We are on NOS as well and agree that the Windjammer dinners have more to offer than the MDR. Many of the experienced cruisers are now passing on the MDR and going to the Windjammer for dinner.

We have enjoyed the breakfasts and lunches in the MDR (waffle bar, tutti salad, chocolate fountain, noodle bar....). I give them praise for trying out some new ideas.

We are on NOS as well and agree that the Windjammer dinners have more to offer than the MDR. Many of the experienced cruisers are now passing on the MDR and going to the Windjammer for dinner.

 

We have enjoyed the breakfasts and lunches in the MDR (waffle bar, tutti salad, chocolate fountain, noodle bar....). I give them praise for trying out some new ideas.

Seeing many people in DL and Cosmopolitan Club nicely done up for dinner and many are in WJ. Will probably try MDR lunch again today since we are at sea. Tutti salad a reliable hit.

As an aside, Have been able to use my drink vouchers in WJ, MDR, and Sepcialty Dining and Patricia DL Concierge doing super job w great varied appetizer setups each night in both rooms.

I like to be served. I've eaten dinner in Windjammer once in 20+ cruises and while it was okay, it was still a buffet. I'll stick with MDR.

Totally agree, I hate WJ , have done more than 60 cruises and one dinner there, just did a celebrity cruise thet food in buffet was way better than rccl, I honk all other lines have a better buffet than rccl

Just got off the Adventure, didn’t step foot in the dining room due to specialty package and not wanting to put on long pants the other nites. Windjammer was fine, with the exception of many sticky tongs. They should change them more frequently.

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MDR is one of my favorite parts of cruising. I love sitting at a table every night with the same people and the same servers. We made friends with everyone at our table during our last cruise and ended up doing activities on ship with them.

We checked out WJ for lunch this past cruise on Allure and it was alright. Perhaps dinner is better? I thought the food in the MDR was excellent. :) Husband and I prefer Solarium Bistro for breakfast/lunch buffets compared to the WJ.

Lunch and dinner in WJ is night and day difference. Can’t compare the two.

Long and short; wife and I both believe it won’t be long before cruise ships offer buffet only w fare and specialty dining as upcharge, no MDR middle ground. They’ll need to physically expand windjammers and extend hours to make this work but sure seems like MDR being purposely de-emphasized w new menus and constant annoying upsell tactics

I don't see Icon class differing much from current design. While Spectrum is ditching the 4 separate venues of the DD days, the MDR idea will endure for some time, for the same reason DD was killed - you have lots of traditionalists (like in this thread) that just can't let go of it.

Despise buffets. Hope it never comes to pass that my options are buffet or specialty dining only. I am not impressed by "variety" which seems to be the biggest selling point of buffets. I would much prefer a small menu of well-prepared dishes served to me by a waiter than acres of mediocre options. We attempted to have one meal in the Windjammer on Oasis this past fall and it was awful. The room was so loud and bustling I could not stand it, and the couple of items I sampled were tasteless and warmed-over. Shame, because otherwise it was one of our best cruises yet. Also not interested in the dine-and-dash mentality. We enjoy leisurely dinners with plenty of good conversation, but to each his own.

As a solo traveler, I prefer MDR, usually at a large table, especially for dinner. It's difficult to do a buffet as a solo. So often when you get up to go get something you lose your table! If I am in the Windjammer I usually try to tell a staff member, or someone at an adjacent table that I am not finished.

I guess it's old fashioned, but at least one meal a day I prefer be served, without having to go to a specialty restaurant.

Can anyone confirm that the mdr no longer has a children’s menu? That seems like an odd choice if it is true.

After having way too many bad experiences lately in the MDR (bad/slow service and cold/unappetizing meals) we started just going to the WJ on the smaller ships. We enjoy happy-tisers in the lounges with cocktail hour later than we would do at home, so a lite bite in the WJ just fits.

We can choose just what we want, and as little as we want. Going in around 8 pm, we notice so many ship's officers enjoying it in there also. It is also much quieter in the WJ at night. The MDR has begun to be so much noisier and too much bright lights. Feels more like a cafeteria.

On other nights we do specialty restaurants.

The one exception is CK on Oasis series. Our favorite. :)

onboard Navigator now and Windjammer has been the best...ever. Varied nightly dinners, very impressive dessert bars. Last nights cake displays would look familiar to anyone that had been to a real midnight buffet. Many MDR items on dinner buffet. Only negative is they close at 9pm. Food has been excellent in Jammer and room packed each night no matter when you arrive. Chefs and crew happy and interactive.

 

New MDR menus very limited. Dining room no wait and not more than 60% full. Had 4 different people approach during dinner in Sapphire dining room on one evening to sell me specialty dining; already have specialty dining package and constant interruption pretty annoying and put me off. Lunch in MDR food blah (besides excellent salad bar). No kids menu in MDR (we have asked and were told they don’t have anymore; which I find shocking and probably not correct)

 

Long and short; wife and I both believe it won’t be long before cruise ships offer buffet only w fare and specialty dining as upcharge, no MDR middle ground. They’ll need to physically expand windjammers and extend hours to make this work but sure seems like MDR being purposely de-emphasized w new menus and constant annoying upsell tactics

Yes, already this situation is on ships of german operators TUI and Aida. Buffet and specialty restaurants only. Very good meals on buffet and amazing in specialty restaurants with accent to the quality and freshness. Best food I ever had on ships.

We rarely enjoy dinner in the mdr-It is too noisy, too crowded and too slow. We just want to eat and then go and do all of the fabulous things available during the evening. I am not looking for a two hour dinner. Even the specialty restaurants seem to move at a quicker pace than the mdr. Many options in the windjammer such as salads make it a healthier choice on days when we over indulge elsewhere.

Can anyone confirm that the mdr no longer has a children’s menu? That seems like an odd choice if it is true.

John just posted a children's menu from Mariner earlier today.

We rarely enjoy dinner in the mdr-It is too noisy, too crowded and too slow. We just want to eat and then go and do all of the fabulous things available during the evening. I am not looking for a two hour dinner. Even the specialty restaurants seem to move at a quicker pace than the mdr. Many options in the windjammer such as salads make it a healthier choice on days when we over indulge elsewhere.

Exactly this ^