Windjammer in the evening??

[1st mate]

I was wondering if most cruisers got to the main dinning room for dinner or do you take a night off and go to windjammer or specialty resturant.

 

We have found we enjoy going to WJ at least once for a quiet retreat. Anyone do the same???????????

[nanfromatlanta]

I was wondering if most cruisers got to the main dinning room for dinner or do you take a night off and go to windjammer or specialty resturant.

 

We have found we enjoy going to WJ at least once for a quiet retreat. Anyone do the same???????????

 

At least once on every cruise we dine in the Windjammer for dinner. We love the relaxed casual atmosphere.

[BunkerVA]

We enjoy the Windjammer for dinner on occasion. On our Brilliance cruise in 2004, my husband became very ill after our first port stop and was quarantined in our room. I spent the next 7 days eating dinner in the Windjammer and got to know the wait staff quite well. I was a regular at the fresh pasta bar and, by the end of the cruise, Victoria was making me all sort of interesting concotions! It was like having my own personal chef!

 

Anyway, it's nice sometimes. We almost always have lunch there instead of the dining room.

 

Safe Travels, Sam :D

[BroncosFan2010]

We try to do the Specialty restaurants at least once every week of cruising. That is perfect for our B2B, as we will do Chops one week and Portofino the next!

[Puffinater]

There have been times where we just don't feel like heading to the MDR to eat so we stop by the MDR early and let the head waiter or our servers not to wait for us and we hit the WJ when we are ready to eat.

[abhb]

We always do a specialty dining experience once a cruise. I would like to try the WJ for dinner but DH doesn't want to:mad:.

[DonnaK]

Not us. We love traditional dining in the MDR and look forward to it each night. It's an event that we savor as much as the food.

[riclop]

Going to the wj is so nice you can pick the food you want in whatever quantity and go sit down and eat right away in a very relaxed atmosphere, shorts slippers etc.

[twoatsea]

We only eat dinner in the Windjammer; do not eat in the MDR. Obviously, we like the Windjammer. We will not cruise on any other mass market cruiseline because of their no-fee, non-MDR, dinner options. RCCL's dinner buffet is the best quality, for a buffet. On the few nights that we do not see anything we want, we eat at the great salad bar - it's great - lots of veggie choices instead of just the fattening options of eggs, bacon, cheese, etc. We love RCCL's salad bar.

 

In advance, just in case someone wants to know why we only eat in the Windjammer, besides that the food is good - we don't like 2 hour dinners; are not interested in the social contact during dinner (cruising is our "alone" time together); don't like the banquet dining style of the MDR; prefer buffet/cafeteria style (on cruises) so we can "pick & choose" from the many selections, and so we can see what we are getting (we are picky); the food is hot when we put it on our plate & therefore hot when we return to our table & eat it (I can't stand food that should be hot, but is not); we gain less weight by eating at the buffet because there are so many less fattening items in our sight (fruits, veggies, fish, etc), so we select those. Also in the MDR, one is stuck with what is received, no matter the quality, unless one wants to send it back & then not dine with his/her tablemate(s), unless the tablemate(s) waits & then has cold food. I remember on one cruise we dined in a "for fee" restaurant, which we only do so when it is a 'gift', which is rare (too much included food on ships to pay for more food, in our opinions; not knocking anyone else doing so, just not for us). I ordered my steak to be cooked medium (I explained - pink, but no running blood); it came out running blood. I sent it back because I could not eat it. I got the same steak back - blackened! So, in the buffet, getting food replaced is so easy.

 

However one prefers it, MDR, for fee dining, Windjammer, room service, etc, it all is good, because we don't have to shop for it, cook it, & clean up afterwards!

 

Happy cruise dining.

[1st mate]

There have been times where we just don't feel like heading to the MDR to eat so we stop by the MDR early and let the head waiter or our servers not to wait for us and we hit the WJ when we are ready to eat.

 

 

We have found that it is nice on occasion, the wait staff is very accommodating, the food is very good, it is usually not crowded and it is very peaceful.

 

We would not want to do it every night, unless we had to for some reason, it is fun to dine with your tablemates and make new aquaintences.

 

But it is a very do-able option.

[Cruising89143]

I usually prefer the WJ to the dining room. It is much more quiet than the MDR. Usually visit a specialty dining room once or twice. On the Oasis, we never once dined in the MDR for dinner and only once for lunch. We liked all of the other options of specialty dining. Did not miss the MDR at all.

[cb at sea]

We;ve NEVER done the buffet for dinner....not a fan of buffets! We generally will stick to the MDR, as we enjoy our tablemates! On the rare occassion that we've done the specialty restaurants, it's been nice.... not sure it's worth the "upcharge", but it's OK.

[not2old]

We usually check the MDR menu each day, if the choices don't "wow" us, we eat in the WJ. We rarely use the specialty restaurants-why pay twice for a meal?? We are looking forward to all the choices available on our upcoming Allure B2B in Jan! On each of our cruises, we have experienced the nicest and most friendly waitstaff in the WJ @ dinner!

[Ocean Boy]

We also eat all of our dinners in the Windjammer. I dislike the MDR for many of the same reasons that twoatsea stated. Unfortunately, if everyone felt like us then dinner in the Windjammer would be very much like lunch in the Windjammer.:eek: So all of the MDR lovers please keep going there.:D

[bluegirlum]

Depending on what ship we go on next, we'll probably never eat in the MDR again. I have been so unimpressed by the food and service on our last 2 cruises and it's just not worth it to us. We take cruises for alone time, so we get a table for two, and the WJ or specialty restaurants serve our purposes just fine. I've found the WJ food to be so much better lately, and we enjoy the leisurely pace and numerous food options. Oasis was so wonderful for us precisely for all the dining options it offers. We felt no need to go to the MDR after the first night. The menu is so been there, done that.

[twoatsea]

Good point Ocean Boy! Maybe I shouldn't give all of the good reasons to eat in the Windjammer for dinner. I forgot to mention the absence of a crowd & the lack of noise - have to strain my voice to be heard by my tablemate in the dining room. Windjammer won't be so quiet if others find out how nice it is! Also forgot to mention the made to order pasta & steak stations!

[pamurchu]

We sailed on Serenade on May 23rd. We ate 5 nights, MDR (MTD), one night Windjammer, and one night Seaview Cafe. WJ and SV were nice breaks in an otherwise perfect week!

[MoonBead]

I was wondering if most cruisers got to the main dinning room for dinner or do you take a night off and go to windjammer or specialty resturant.

 

We have found we enjoy going to WJ at least once for a quiet retreat. Anyone do the same???????????

 

 

We sail out this Sunday and won't be taking anything fancy to wear so we'll most likely do WJ most nights.

;)

[jackdiamond]

On our October Radiance cruise, we have decided to eschew formal and informal nights and eat three times in the Windjammer. We have eaten there before; and, we enjoy it.

[chotton]

We always eat in the windjammer for dinner unless we are going to Chops or Portofinos. On the last night of the cruise there is a windjammer tip box and we always put more than the recommended dinning room amount. Also one of the first thins we do when we get onboard is go to the MDR and tell them we will not be coming so they can back will our seats.

[Debde]

Good point Ocean Boy! Maybe I shouldn't give all of the good reasons to eat in the Windjammer for dinner. I forgot to mention the absence of a crowd & the lack of noise - have to strain my voice to be heard by my tablemate in the dining room. Windjammer won't be so quiet if others find out how nice it is! Also forgot to mention the made to order pasta & steak stations!

 

I agree with you both.

We need to tell folks how crappy dinner is in the WJ!!! ;)

 

Enjoy having dinner in the WJ every formal night and the family has now decided they may prefer to dine there every night. works for me. No major dress code to follow and walk in for dinner whenever. True MTD!!!:D

[nanfromatlanta]

We also eat all of our dinners in the Windjammer. I dislike the MDR for many of the same reasons that twoatsea stated. Unfortunately, if everyone felt like us then dinner in the Windjammer would be very much like lunch in the Windjammer.:eek: So all of the MDR lovers please keep going there.:D

 

I'm with you on that one, expecially to those who would "NEVER" dine there. The less they know, the better for us. ;)

 

We've been cruising for well over 20 years. We also travel quite a bit and go to a number of catered functions, so the MDR is not a big deal at all. As a matter of fact, except for having pleasant conversation with our tablemates, the MDR has long ago lost it's luster. It is no longer the fine dining experience it once was. :eek:

[oldguysandgalls]

No question about it; it's the Windjammer for us!

 

We like it because of the relaxed ambiance, the variety of dishes, not being rushed. Dining at a table by the floor to celing windows looking out over the ocean is a treat we don't want to miss. It's Windjammer in the morning, in the afternoon and in the evening for us, followed by a long leisure stroll. (we often pop back in just for coffee and desert)

[Havingfun2010]

Eating in Buffets, carry you own plate, finding a table, having to get up for seconds, getting up for dessert, after paying to be pampered in served, seems like the place for someone else. I pay good money to be served, and not have to serve myself.

[bluegirlum]

Eating in Buffets, carry you own plate, finding a table, having to get up for seconds, getting up for dessert, after paying to be pampered in served, seems like the place for someone else. I pay good money to be served, and not have to serve myself.

 

Great! More room for us then! :)