Does the Windjammer have trays?

[mr walker]

Lunch and dinner may start with a salad, then move on to a main course from the buffet, and finish up with a dessert. You simply cannot carry all these things on one plate with two hands, and even if you could, nobody wants their main course to sit and cool down while you eat your salad, or your ice cream to melt while you eat the meal.

 

So how would having trays help?? Unless you use it to keep those pesky people away from your table and cutlery:D

[DrD]

I do this all the time without a tray, I just take the stairs and knock on the cabin door with my head. That way I can carry both plates. In a crisis I can put one down very briefly.

[TPKeller]

So how would having trays help?? Unless you use it to keep those pesky people away from your table and cutlery:D

You are correct, we sort of migrated to a second issue on this thread. :)

 

Theron

[cruisnseas]

Thanks but your post was not helpful in any way whatsoever. Just because you choose to eat only what might fit on one plate has no relevance to anyone else on the ship, and your choice certainly does nothing to fix the very real problem that I and several others have experienced.

 

And while perhaps lunch does not always entail multiple courses, I like cookies and milk for dessert... and I really don't like milk that has sat on the table for 20 minutes getting warm... which means that I do tend to get up and go get milk at the end of the main meal, so it will be cold.

 

Theron

 

There is no reason to eat more than what fits on one plate per person. Their plates are huge.

 

Drinks are another matter entirely and a tray would not assist you here as it very well could be cleared with your plates when you go to get your milk.

[Ocean Boy]

There is no reason to eat more than what fits on one plate per person. Their plates are huge.

 

Drinks are another matter entirely and a tray would not assist you here as it very well could be cleared with your plates when you go to get your milk.

 

And how much any person eats is your business because.....

[Ocean Boy]

I have seen people using the metal tray that the ice bucket sits on in the windjammer...

 

I have also witnessed someone just walking up and taking the whole gray round platter of cake :eek:

 

Using a room service or ice bucket tray to take a few things back to the room wouldn't be as noticeable!

 

And that is probably the reason why RCI has now stationed staff specifically to watch over the dessert stations.

[TPKeller]

There is no reason to eat more than what fits on one plate per person. Their plates are huge.

 

Drinks are another matter entirely and a tray would not assist you here as it very well could be cleared with your plates when you go to get your milk.

Hmm... sounds like you might be one of those people who lets all their different kinds of foods touch each other on the plate! :eek:

 

Theron

[The Sunset Glow]

It is very common for the waitstaff to clear the table while I leave to pick up the next part of the meal. If one is sitting with someone, it's easy enough to have them inform the waiter that you are returning. No such luck when sitting alone.

 

A single eater must literally plan to lose everything they have at the table, and go back and start completely over for the next part, with not only a new plate (as always) but new silverware and drink as well. And if it's even moderately crowded, plan on finding a new seat to continue with your meal as well, because someone else will have come and sat at your now empty table.

 

As I started out with, this has been one of the most frustrating changes to cruising for me, and I really wish they could come up with a way to allow single eaters to simply enjoy a whole meal at one place.

 

Theron

 

This is even a hassel for a family of 4 so I can only imagine how difficult it is for a single! Even with the 4 of us the meal is thrown off because one of us always has to stay at the table so we can't really enjoy a meal together. I would really like RCI to come up with a way to keep your table until you are done all courses without having to leave any personal items there. Maybe a small sign that says "occupied" that you leave on the table while you go back to the buffet? However, it would have to be done in such a way that the signs don't turn into "saving" of tables before you even get food - I can see the new threads now on the "table hogs"!:rolleyes:

[TPKeller]

This is even a hassel for a family of 4 so I can only imagine how difficult it is for a single! Even with the 4 of us the meal is thrown off because one of us always has to stay at the table so we can't really enjoy a meal together. I would really like RCI to come up with a way to keep your table until you are done all courses without having to leave any personal items there. Maybe a small sign that says "occupied" that you leave on the table while you go back to the buffet? However, it would have to be done in such a way that the signs don't turn into "saving" of tables before you even get food - I can see the new threads now on the "table hogs"!:rolleyes:

Yes, yes!

 

It would need to be something built into or onto the table, not something that might walk away, and it would have to be something that could not fail if you forgot to set it properly when you were really done with your meal.

 

Maybe a 3 to 5 minute timer device of some sort... that would allow a person 3 to 5 minutes to go get something, and return... but after the time runs out it would automatically change back to an unoccupied status.

 

Obviously if you were back by then, the table is occupied.

 

Theron

 

You know what... how about a simple 5 minute sand glass timer? Get a rugged model with a wood frame, mount it right on the table, and if the sand is still running, the waiters would know to leave the table alone!

[TPKeller]

Here we go! An enterprising travel agent could buy them with a logo by the hundreds for their passengers...

 

:)

 

Theron

[tdmullins]

Hmm... sounds like you might be one of those people who lets all their different kinds of foods touch each other on the plate! :eek:

 

Theron

 

I am a weirdo and I do hate having food touch..lol. But Breakfast I am usually ok except things with syrup. My usual mode of operation was to get one plate with breakfast meats and eggs, and whatever cool things they may have like little breakfast quiches. I would then put enough pancakes or french toast on one plate for both DH and I. But without a tray any extra bread, butter, jelly or fruit etc...I pick up I cant carry without a tray.

[jcl410]

Another solo traveller chimes in here who has experienced the very same thing as the above poster in the Windjammer.

 

 

When I'm a single in the WJ, I locate the wait staff taking care of my area; when I want to get another plate, I'll let them know I'm coming back. (either telling them if they are close by, or catching their eye if more distant.)

 

Aloha,

 

John

[dreamer976]

Back to the OP's question. . . I've haven't seen any trays in the Windjammer for quite a few years now, on any ship, but if they have them by the entrance, great!

 

If you can't get a tray, I wouldn't worry. I've seen many people taking the elevator back down towards whatever floor their stateroom is on with a plate or two covered by a napkin.

 

Ah, yes. Breakfast out on the balcony. The best "dining room" at sea!

[Heidils]

The plates are NOT huge!

[gerif]

There is no reason to eat more than what fits on one plate per person. Their plates are huge.

 

Drinks are another matter entirely and a tray would not assist you here as it very well could be cleared with your plates when you go to get your milk.

 

Plates have gotten much smaller of late. I, for one, like a nice salad and maybe something hot and definitely do not want hot and cold on the same plate. Not that it's really any of your business.

[JimAOk1945]

[SIZE=3]We miss the trays, too. :([/SIZE]

[Kenlorz]

I asked this same question quite a few months back as we would like to have breakfast on our balcony, but want to have more to choose from than the room service menu offers.

Someone made an excellent suggestion which we plan to follow. Order room service on embarkation day... perhaps a cheese plate and some spinach dip and chips to sit out on the balcony with at the end of the day (point being... ordering 2 items = 2 covers). Then, keep the covers and the tray from the room service, but return the dirty items. Let your room attendant know you're keeping them for the week and VOILA.... a tray and 2 food covers to use back and forth to the Windjammer AND some yummy treats to kick off the cruise :D.

[Heidils]

[quote name='Kenlorz']I asked this same question quite a few months back as we would like to have breakfast on our balcony, but want to have more to choose from than the room service menu offers.

Someone made an excellent suggestion which we plan to follow. Order room service on embarkation day... perhaps a cheese plate and some spinach dip and chips to sit out on the balcony with at the end of the day (point being... ordering 2 items = 2 covers). Then, keep the covers and the tray from the room service, but return the dirty items. Let your room attendant know you're keeping them for the week and VOILA.... a tray and 2 food covers to use back and forth to the Windjammer AND some yummy treats to kick off the cruise :D.[/QUOTE]

Ok the CC'ers are gonna get me on this one...I actually brought dish soap. I washed our wine glasses, and put them away and had the ability to wash waterver we brought back. Win win for me but I'm sure not everyone wants to do that.

Also on that note...Dollar Store! Spray lysol for the remotes and basically everything else. That with constant hand washing and Purell, we stayed healthy.

[tdmullins]

[quote name='Kenlorz']I asked this same question quite a few months back as we would like to have breakfast on our balcony, but want to have more to choose from than the room service menu offers.

Someone made an excellent suggestion which we plan to follow. Order room service on embarkation day... perhaps a cheese plate and some spinach dip and chips to sit out on the balcony with at the end of the day (point being... ordering 2 items = 2 covers). Then, keep the covers and the tray from the room service, but return the dirty items. Let your room attendant know you're keeping them for the week and VOILA.... a tray and 2 food covers to use back and forth to the Windjammer AND some yummy treats to kick off the cruise :D.[/QUOTE]

This is great advice. I hadn't really thought about covers because I am only one deck down. But it sure wouldn't hurt to have them.

Again thanks for the help from everyone.

[cruisnseas]

[quote name='Heidils']The plates are NOT huge![/QUOTE]

[quote name='gerif']Plates have gotten much smaller of late. I, for one, like a nice salad and maybe something hot and definitely do not want hot and cold on the same plate. Not that it's really any of your business.[/QUOTE]

I was just onboard a few weeks ago and the plate was more than large enough for my piece of chicken, veggie salad and potatoes. I had room to spare and even added a roll!