Buffet Menu on Formal Nights

[Rewind]

A formal night thread that has nothing to do with dress code!

 

Even after eight Royal cruises, I've only ever eaten at the Windjammer once for dinner and that was just to grab a quick bite. But now that we have experienced the same menus repeating over and over in the MDR, we are thinking of moving the Windjammer up in priority for our dinner venue. I know there is great variety, but I was wondering on the selection of choices on formal nights. Does the Windjammer add some of the "higher end" items like prime rib or lobster or will those be reserved for the MDR?

 

I'm just trying to get a ballpark idea of what to expect, but either way I think we will be checking it out on our next cruise.

[Clarea]

I have read reports of lobster in Windjammer, but I've never seen it myself.

 

Our experience has been that there are usually one or two items from the MDR menu each night, and a whole lot of other choices.

[BillOh]

A formal night thread that has nothing to do with dress code!

 

Even after eight Royal cruises, I've only ever eaten at the Windjammer once for dinner and that was just to grab a quick bite. But now that we have experienced the same menus repeating over and over in the MDR, we are thinking of moving the Windjammer up in priority for our dinner venue. I know there is great variety, but I was wondering on the selection of choices on formal nights. Does the Windjammer add some of the "higher end" items like prime rib or lobster or will those be reserved for the MDR?

 

I'm just trying to get a ballpark idea of what to expect, but either way I think we will be checking it out on our next cruise.

 

Hi neighbor. Good point about the newer repeating menues. What ship are you going on? I've found this varying from ship to ship. I'm about to go back on Jewel, and I've had some very good dinners there while skipping formal night. I've seen a carving station in the evening as well.

[Barklee]

I have read reports of lobster in Windjammer, but I've never seen it myself.

 

Our experience has been that there are usually one or two items from the MDR menu each night, and a whole lot of other choices.

 

I was on Oasis in February and they had lobsters in the Windjammer on lobster night. This is the first time I've seen them in the WJ. They were smaller than what I've had in the MDR, in the shell, but cut in half. I had one and it was over cooked and inedible. There was a server handing them out and people were getting multiple at one time.

[ValerieJo]

I have read reports of lobster in Windjammer, but I've never seen it myself.

 

Our experience has been that there are usually one or two items from the MDR menu each night, and a whole lot of other choices.

 

This has been our experience as well. We typically will do a specialty restaurant on Formal nights.

[Rewind]

Hi neighbor. Good point about the newer repeating menues. What ship are you going on? I've found this varying from ship to ship. I'm about to go back on Jewel, and I've had some very good dinners there while skipping formal night. I've seen a carving station in the evening as well.

 

We are heading out on Rhapsody in two weeks and as Winter just hasn't left Columbus yet, we are looking to take advantage of all the warm weather we can get. Less time in restaurants means more time enjoying the pool or sitting out on the deck. Plus I think we just want to be a bit more casual and free flowing with our schedules this trip.

 

Both of us are not into seafood, but I thought I'd get info for anyone out there with a similar question. A carving station sounds great to us though.

[Ocean Boy]

I was on Oasis in February and they had lobsters in the Windjammer on lobster night. This is the first time I've seen them in the WJ. They were smaller than what I've had in the MDR, in the shell, but cut in half. I had one and it was over cooked and inedible. There was a server handing them out and people were getting multiple at one time.

Once, on either Oasis or Allure, we found lobster tails in the Windjammer. They were in exactly the same condition that you described.... inedible. It didn't matter how much butter I poured on it.

 

This recent cruise that we did on Allure had a seafood night in the Windjammer but there was no lobster.

[Sailor_Sally]

Last year on the Freedom transatlantic they had all you can eat lobster and shrimp in the Windjammer and it was perfectly cooked.

[Clarea]

Last year on the Freedom transatlantic they had all you can eat lobster and shrimp in the Windjammer and it was perfectly cooked.

Was that on the TA from the US to Europe? I'm wondering if they were depleting the stock of lobster since they normally don't serve that in Europe.

[ONECRUISER]

Been cruising on Royal over 30 years. Most ships offer the best WindJammer dinners now with more selection, even better on Formal nites...

[Nessa1dc]

On 2 of our cruises, we went to the windjammer on Lobster night (also formal) and were pleasantly pleased to see they had lobster, steak, and salmon (cooked to order)....it was wonderful..

 

However, it doesn't happen like that on all the ships. You never know. Depends on the ship.

[Rala]

A formal night thread that has nothing to do with dress code!

 

Even after eight Royal cruises, I've only ever eaten at the Windjammer once for dinner and that was just to grab a quick bite. But now that we have experienced the same menus repeating over and over in the MDR, we are thinking of moving the Windjammer up in priority for our dinner venue. I know there is great variety, but I was wondering on the selection of choices on formal nights. Does the Windjammer add some of the "higher end" items like prime rib or lobster or will those be reserved for the MDR?

 

I'm just trying to get a ballpark idea of what to expect, but either way I think we will be checking it out on our next cruise.

 

I've never seen prime rib, but they have had a pretty good roast beef carving station on occasion in the WJ. Also, have had hand-scooped hard ice cream with dessert sauces for dessert in the WJ. :D

[Rewind]

Just reporting back - we went with the Windjammer for every night except for one of the formal nights. We were always able to find something to eat but didn't seem to find anything special on the formal night we did do the buffet.

 

Best dish of the entire cruise, they had a Strawberry Tart that was amazing. My DW thinks it was a frangipane base with the strawberries on top - out of this world!

[Zach1213]

Last year on the Freedom transatlantic they had all you can eat lobster and shrimp in the Windjammer and it was perfectly cooked.

Last week on Freedom they had lobster either the same night or (I think) the night after formal night. It was dry and absolutely awful.

[OCSC Mike]

Had WJ lobster on the 2nd formal night in July on Oasis and again on the last night. One of them was a full seafood night with many other options. I also had lobster in the MDR on Oasis 4 weeks earlier. I'm not picky and definitely not a lobster connoisseur but I found very little difference (neither version was great, both were perfectly edible)... other than the fact that I could help myself to as much as I wanted in the WJ (they were pre-cut in half making it easy) without having to dress up.

 

To each his own though and YMMV. I'd prefer as many people stay away from the WJ for dinner as possible. :) Looking forward to eating there every night in Alaska next month other than one night at Giovanni's.

[Zach1213]

To each his own though and YMMV. I'd prefer as many people stay away from the WJ for dinner as possible. :) Looking forward to eating there every night in Alaska next month other than one night at Giovanni's.

Agreed. Last week was only my second cruise, but we did three of the six nights in Windjammer. In my opinion is was vastly superior in every way - quiet, quick, relaxed, tons of choices, some of it was actually shockingly good. Having a full, quick bar doesn't hurt either.

[vawalkers]

While I can't say that I know if they have Lobster in the Windjammer on Lobster Night, I CAN say that my husband and I totally loved eating in the Windjammer a couple nights on the Jewel. We sat outside at the back of the ship. The strategically placed lights and the sails in the ceiling gave the illusion of eating at an over the water restaurant....it was even better. The stars, the ocean breeze, very few people at adjoining tables.....think that is where we will visit a little more often.......

[SevenSeas1492]

It’s been a few years since we have gone on a Royal cruise, and don’t particularly want to dress up on formal nights. Celebrity spoiled us with their no formal nights. Are shorts permitted in the Windjammer at night? Going on the Allure in October. Thanks!

[OCSC Mike]

Are shorts permitted in the Windjammer at night?

 

Absolutely.

[SevenSeas1492]

Yeah to not having to dress up! My husband will be delighted!