Options if we miss our 6p early dining time?

[niklynn1]

We are sailing RCL Jewel to Alaska in June. We've booked an excursion for ourJuneau day that is scheduled to be over at 6:15p, which will cause us to miss our early dining time in the main dining room.

 

Are we allowed to switch to MTD for just this one night, or will we instead have to forgo fine dining this night and instead eat from someplace like WindJammer?

 

Also, where can I figure out what the menus will be for our June cruise and which nights will be formal night?

 

Thanks!

[Langley Cruisers]

Sorry no, you can't go to MTD for just one night. Your options are Windjammer (which is very nice in the evening, give it a try!), room service, or specialty dining at Chops or Portofino. Jewel has the last Sea View Cafe in the fleet, but it is usually not open for dinner when WJ is open.

.

[Retired LEO]

The Windjammer is really nice for dinner. Nothing at all like breakfast and lunch.

[cb at sea]

There is NO REASON for you to "miss" your assigned time....you'll be onboard in plenty of time!

If you choose not to go, the buffet or room service, or a specialty restaurant will be your options.

[Ourusualbeach]

There is NO REASON for you to "miss" your assigned time....you'll be onboard in plenty of time!

If you choose not to go, the buffet or room service, or a specialty restaurant will be your options.

 

Um..if you read the post you would have seen the reason.:rolleyes:

[RHilla619]

Windjammer at night is a hidden-gem, you won't be able to switch to MTD for just one night. I would just go on your excursion and enjoy it, once back on board head to the MDR and see if they can seat you without a reservation if your dead set on eating there.

[niklynn1]

There is NO REASON for you to "miss" your assigned time....you'll be onboard in plenty of time!

If you choose not to go, the buffet or room service, or a specialty restaurant will be your options.

 

Our Whale Watching/Mendehnall Glacier excursion goes from 1:15-6:15 so we won't be back in time for our early dining time.

[niklynn1]

The Windjammer is really nice for dinner. Nothing at all like breakfast and lunch.

 

If we got to Windjammer, is the dress code more relaxed than the main dining room, even though you mention that it's "really nice" for dinner? After being on a Whale Watch boat all afternoon, I am not sure I want to rush back and have to get fancied up. :-)

[Ourusualbeach]

If we got to Windjammer, is the dress code more relaxed than the main dining room, even though you mention that it's "really nice" for dinner? After being on a Whale Watch boat all afternoon, I am not sure I want to rush back and have to get fancied up. :-)

 

So relaxed that you can wear shorts if you want.

[At Sea 4Ever]

If we got to Windjammer, is the dress code more relaxed than the main dining room, even though you mention that it's "really nice" for dinner? After being on a Whale Watch boat all afternoon, I am not sure I want to rush back and have to get fancied up. :-)

 

 

When we were on the Jewel the Sea View had later hours. I think from like 8:30 ish to 2am. Depending on how late you wanna eat dinner that night but they have great Reuben sandwiches!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Retired LEO]

Also the Windjammer offers a wider range of food to choose from. They have most of the MDR items and then some. A waiter will come around to take your drink order and a bar waiter roaming around. There is no searching for a table unlike breakfast and lunch. You might even have a one man band playing (Well, some dude playing the guitar)

Bottom line is it's a nice atmosphere at night.

[wassup4565]

Yep, second all the above re the Windjammer, for dinner. It's not crowded, not noisy, you can wear what you like, and the food choices are very good. Rather than rushing to try to get to the dining room, give the WJ a chance. Also, since you know you're not going to make it back in time for dinner in the dining room, tell your waitstaff you won't be there for dinner that day. They will know not to delay taking the other people's orders, waiting to see if you will show up.

Edited January 28, 2015 by wassup4565

[wolfcathorse]

the time posted on the website may be different than the time listed on the ticket left in your cabin. In my experience of booking RCI excursions, I can't remember a time where we were back at the time listed on the website. In fact, the time listed in the brochure, on the website, and on the ticket differed and we have always been back at least 20 minutes before the stated time. Now, you'll still probably won't feel like changing out of your jeans in a rush to get to a 6 pm seating but remember, they will still seat you and serve you even if you're late. The night before mention to your waiter that you'll be late so that the whole table doesn't wait for you. I think they'll still seat you as late as 6:30-6:45 pm.

[A2Mich]

Our Whale Watching/Mendehnall Glacier excursion goes from 1:15-6:15 so we won't be back in time for our early dining time.

 

You don't need to justify. CB is notorious for drive-by postings. Makes a post on every single thread and never returns to any of them. We may have a similar issue in St Thomas. We are scheduled of early (5:30) dinner, yet are scheduled to be in St Thomas, which means that we could be on shore still even at 6pm. We may either do Windjammer that night or Giovanni's.

[Alter Ego]

the time posted on the website may be different than the time listed on the ticket left in your cabin. In my experience of booking RCI excursions, I can't remember a time where we were back at the time listed on the website. In fact, the time listed in the brochure, on the website, and on the ticket differed and we have always been back at least 20 minutes before the stated time. Now, you'll still probably won't feel like changing out of your jeans in a rush to get to a 6 pm seating but remember, they will still seat you and serve you even if you're late. The night before mention to your waiter that you'll be late so that the whole table doesn't wait for you. I think they'll still seat you as late as 6:30-6:45 pm.

 

This is what I was going to say. It will likely not only be you with this problem, but many people from many tours.

 

This happened to me several years ago on a Mediterranean cruise. Since it was so long ago, I would absolutely bring it up the day before as my experience could be stale. But, it was not a problem and something that they are used to working around.

 

The Windjammer may be a great alternative. However, everyone may also be having the same thought and going there rather than the MDR.

[drarill]

the time posted on the website may be different than the time listed on the ticket left in your cabin. In my experience of booking RCI excursions, I can't remember a time where we were back at the time listed on the website. In fact, the time listed in the brochure, on the website, and on the ticket differed and we have always been back at least 20 minutes before the stated time. Now, you'll still probably won't feel like changing out of your jeans in a rush to get to a 6 pm seating but remember, they will still seat you and serve you even if you're late. The night before mention to your waiter that you'll be late so that the whole table doesn't wait for you. I think they'll still seat you as late as 6:30-6:45 pm.

 

Great advice. We have done this in the Med, but keep in mind that you won't have time to go to your room and get ready for dinner. If we are too tired after a long excursion we prefer to go to the Windjammer. If the next day is a sea day, then we make a specialty restaurant reservation that will give us time to get ready. :)

[trev71]

I havent missed a dinner yet. But from what I heard from a few friends they can confrim The Windjammer has some good food at night nothing like lunch time

[BillOh]

Um..if you read the post you would have seen the reason.:rolleyes:

 

Um, he doesn't clearly say if the excursion ending time is back on the ship. If its Alaska they may not be in beach clothes and if its casual night, being 20 minutes late if you let your waiter know ahead of time may not be bad. We booked Chicago on Allure and the only time we could get overlapped dinner a bit. The night before we told the waiter we probably wouldn't be there if the show ran on time or late. He said, if we liked, come later and he would adjust. He even brought us out the next night's menu. He then knew not to hold up everyone else. We did show up 15 minutes late and the first we saw him was him brining us our drinks and appetizers.

Edited January 28, 2015 by BillOh

[Jimmers]

With all these great reviews of the Windjammer it would seem you owe it to yourself to give it a try regardless of what time you get back.

 

Haven't ever tried it myself but I might even give it a whirl on our next cruise:)

[subtchr]

We chose MTD for our Alaska cruise for the very reason you described, that we knew there were times we would still be on shore for the early main dining time (and late is just too late for us!).

 

If you want to stay with early, I'd do what the others suggest, give the WJ a try that night.

 

I would NOT go to the MDR expecting to join the 6 pm dinner crowd at 6:30 or 6:45. Yes, your waiter will accomodate, especially if you warn him ahead of time, but if you have tablemates it would be awkward, and even if you don't, you would be creating extra work for your servers, since your service would be outside the normal "flow" of that meal.

 

One thing worth mentioning, at least for us, our Alaska cruise had a completely different feel than our Caribbean ones. The focus is outside -- it's all about the amazing scenery and wildlife. MDR attire was VERY relaxed, with lots of jeans and hiking boots. But it was a fantastic trip. You'll have a wonderful time!

[chickadee1]

Although the people we ate dinner with at a 6PM seating were very pleasant, they did not show up most nights until 6:30 or 6:45, often joining us when we were finishing our dinner. They had no problems arriving at that time and were seated but it did make our dinner a little odd as we had a table for 6 and there were just the two of us much of the time. I felt that they should have done MTD and we could have sat with people for the entire dinner and had a regular conversation! Since we were going to be late one night we did go to WJ and had a pleasant dinner! We had told our waiter we weren't going to be there. Of course, I don't know what happened with the other people! I think when we cruise next time we will just select MTD.

[soccerdad72]

Um, he doesn't clearly say if the excursion ending time is back on the ship. If its Alaska they may not be in beach clothes and if its casual night, being 20 minutes late if you let your waiter know ahead of time may not be bad. We booked Chicago on Allure and the only time we could get overlapped dinner a bit. The night before we told the waiter we probably wouldn't be there if the show ran on time or late. He said, if we liked, come later and he would adjust. He even brought us out the next night's menu. He then knew not to hold up everyone else. We did show up 15 minutes late and the first we saw him was him brining us our drinks and appetizers.

 

That's good to know for our upcoming cruise - I'll try to keep that in mind if I know if we are going to have some tight timing. Thanks for the tip!

[negc]

Um..if you read the post you would have seen the reason.:rolleyes:

 

Come now. Consider the source and you should understand that "reading" the post is only optional before our resident seagull comments.;)