Death of MDR, rise of Windjammer

[Big_G]

I think the Windjammer sucks.;):D

 

 

Me too, no selection, same every day.

 

 

 

Is this ‘collusion’ or a conspiracy?

 

 

 

Gregg

[ZambiniGold]

I am on the Grandeur right now, and MTD is not chaotic and no waiting at all the entire cruise. The waiters were not stressed and it ran smoothly.

 

 

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Just got off Grandeur, and I found the MDR (late seating) to be very pleasant and the food enjoyable. Smooth and efficient.

 

Had WJ for lunch a couple times...meh. WJ has more options for breakfast tho.

[teacherman]

I always order turkey on the last night. It is "going home" comfort food, and you know what it will taste like. On longer cruises (10+ days) we will probably eat in the WJ for a couple of dinners. Our main dining room "enjoyment" usually is determined by which table we get and how close our waiters' serving style matches our dining style. You know, it's only food. And food is all over the ship.

 

Our most recent cruise was our least enjoyable in the DR. We were usually given a table near to a serving station-very noisy with dirty dishes on carts 3 feet from our table. Our waiter and assistant seemed to have little co-ordination. Roll baskets were moved from one table to another. Food that was dropped on the floor was stepped over by many staff for a 45 minute period and I finally picked it up.

 

We were sometimes seated at our table before it was fully set for the meal. One time, I opened the roll basket napkin and there was HALF of a roll on top. The longer you cruise, the less WOW there is. We cruise because we like to be on the water and meet new people. DW likes some time out of the kitchen-no shopping, preparing, or cleaning up afterwards.

[boscobeans]

I

 

 

 

 

We were sometimes seated at our table before it was fully set for the meal. One time, I opened the roll basket napkin and there was HALF of a roll on top. The longer you cruise, the less WOW there is. .

 

My wife and I are very easy going passengers and have been doing one or two cruises to the Caribbean every year since 2001.

 

Food may be a matter of opinion and honestly we have never really had a bad experience aside from a few things not worth bringing to the attention of anyone beyond our waiters.

 

Having said that, If we found a, possibly already eaten, part of a roll in amongst our different breads the maitre d would have been at our table posthaste..

 

bosco

[sgmn]

Just back from the Navigator TA. We had late seating. The food in dinning room wasn't amazing but usually found something that was OK.

 

What made us keep coming back was the great table mates we had. We had a table for 8 and closed down the dinning room most nights, though that was partly due the fact that the dinning service took over two hours each night. Sometimes dessert wasn't brought out until after 10 pm. We did do Windjammer once and there was a big choice but I preferred the formal dinning experience. Got the three night dinner package and the speciality restaurants were definitely worth the cost. The steaks were fantastic.

[teacherman]

About he half roll-we called the assistant waiter over and he looked shocked. He immediately went to the head waiter, who then talked to someone else. The head waiter came over and apologized. He said that when the table next to ours was being re-set, the setter person moved the rolls to our table and forgot to remove them after he set the table. The head waiter was checking with us several times every meal following that incident.

 

I have just started another thread concerning the training of wait staff.

 

Our last cruise was the first one where we were given a basket of rolls, rather than being served a roll. I do not think they throw the rolls out. Some people don't eat any of them, so why would they throw them away. I also saw this several years ago in a very nice restaurant in Rome. There was a large basket of rolls under the server station. They would put a couple on a plate and serve them. Uneaten rolls were just dumped back into the basket.

[time4u2go]

About he half roll-we called the assistant waiter over and he looked shocked. He immediately went to the head waiter, who then talked to someone else. The head waiter came over and apologized. He said that when the table next to ours was being re-set, the setter person moved the rolls to our table and forgot to remove them after he set the table. The head waiter was checking with us several times every meal following that incident.

 

I have just started another thread concerning the training of wait staff.

 

Our last cruise was the first one where we were given a basket of rolls, rather than being served a roll. I do not think they throw the rolls out. Some people don't eat any of them, so why would they throw them away. I also saw this several years ago in a very nice restaurant in Rome. There was a large basket of rolls under the server station. They would put a couple on a plate and serve them. Uneaten rolls were just dumped back into the basket.

I've seen this in Paris also. As soon as the people from a table would leave, they'd dump their uneaten rolls into a basket on another (unoccupied) table for the next guests. Didn't bother me a bit.

[boscobeans]

I've seen this in Paris also. As soon as the people from a table would leave, they'd dump their uneaten rolls into a basket on another (unoccupied) table for the next guests. Didn't bother me a bit.

 

Cost cutting or not, this is wrong. Never did it in either of my two restaurants and wouldn't expect it from any others.

 

I wonder what they do with a half eaten bowl of soup?

 

bosco

[SUSIEK]

I agree. When I’m on vacation I like to be served my dinner. Maybe I’m old fashioned. To me, Buffet is just a fancy name for Cafeteria.

 

 

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Agree 100%, It's a cafeteria. If you want to eat dinner there then great... enjoy. We have eaten in the buffet a few times for dinner when someone wasn't feeling well. I always felt slightly cheated.... LOL.

We don't eat dinner there as we prefer table service, dressing a bit more and the general atmosphere. It's a "date night" for us.

We've been cruising since the mid 80's and dinner has been a favorite part of our experience. We are not "foodies" in the least. We are there for the experience. The longer the better. We enjoy each others conversation along with a bottle of wine followed by coffee. And,,, it's nice being waited on. :-)

Luckily there are so many options for meals while cruising. Room service breakfast on the balcony is our favorite too!

[grapau27]

I didn't mean to turn this into a "restaurants near Disney" thread, I swear. :o

Never mind but good advice.

 

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[grapau27]

Cost cutting or not, this is wrong. Never did it in either of my two restaurants and wouldn't expect it from any others.

 

I wonder what they do with a half eaten bowl of soup?

 

bosco

Uneaten veg,chips,meat etc the mind boggles what might be recycled.

 

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[boscobeans]

Uneaten veg,chips,meat etc the mind boggles what might be recycled.

 

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Imagine if one event of recycling food was actually exposed and done so with documented physical proof?

 

The story would be on the network and cable news 24/7, as we all know how much they love to find fault with cruise lines.

 

When our tables have been bussed I have always seen plates, ramekins, bowls and other serving pieces dumped out and stacked together. All cutlery set in one area. I am totally sure they don't have kitchen staff separating butter patties, jelly/jam packets, croissants or anything else from the gravy, pasta or mashed potatoes.

 

Just ONE incident could cost millions of dollars and possibly worse to any cruise line that did this.

 

 

bosco

Edited May 7, 2018 by boscobeans

[42CruiseCrazy]

I think you are absolutely right. It would be ridiculous to risk passengers health and the cruise line’s reputation to save a few dollars worth of food.

 

 

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[Jeannie333333]

On Navigator now. Had My Time Dining and went only once. Greatly streamlined menu, lacking choice. Specialty restaurants are outstanding. Windjammer is amazing, lots of choices, food is hot and staff there are great. It is getting more crowded every night. Several guests have told us they abandoned their traditional dining because service has been dreadful (slow, orders wrong, food cold, poor attitude). Disappointing to hear. Has me wondering if it is just this ship or if it is happening across the cruise line.

 

Absolutely agree, have just completed the survey and slammed the new menu. RCI senior management have made it clear that the cost of cruising is going up - but they are continuing to also make significant cuts on things like quality and selection of food.

 

This cruise was a first for us as we ate in the Windjammer in the evenings more than My Time Dining due to poor food selection. Previously, on nearly 40 RCI cruises we had eaten ONCE in WJ in the evenings. AS the cruise progressed, more and more people were eating in the WJ for diner. We spoke to many people on the cruise and every one complained about the food. We have always considered the evening dining an enjoyable part of the cruise, but not on this cruise. Sad times ....:(

 

 

Jean

[grapau27]

I think you are absolutely right. It would be ridiculous to risk passengers health and the cruise line’s reputation to save a few dollars worth of food.

 

 

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I can think of an occasion where mixed nuts were left in a bowl openly on a bar for people to help themselves and the nuts were replenished a few times

 

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[boscobeans]

I can think of an occasion where mixed nuts were left in a bowl openly on a bar for people to help themselves and the nuts were replenished a few times

 

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I have been to many bars all around the world and seen this as well. Bowls of nuts pretzels and the like. Like having cheeses and cold cuts laid out at a "free lunch". venue years ago. Eat at your own risk..

 

It is different since you can see, like in a self serve buffet, others may be dipping in and that is YOUR decision. However different is being served a bowl of bread, salad or anything else that someone else has been eating from when you expect the dish was FOR YOU and YOU ALONE.

 

I think we are mostly of the same opinion that laying out a few of cocktail snacks or a bowl of pretzels at a bar or at a party in one's home is different than service at a sit down dinner.. LOL;p

 

 

bosco

[grapau27]

I have been to many bars all around the world and seen this as well. Bowls of nuts pretzels and the like. Like having cheeses and cold cuts laid out at a "free lunch". venue years ago. Eat at your own risk..

 

It is different since you can see, like in a self serve buffet, others may be dipping in and that is YOUR decision. However different is being served a bowl of bread, salad or anything else that someone else has been eating from when you expect the dish was FOR YOU and YOU ALONE.

 

I think we are mostly of the same opinion that laying out a few of cocktail snacks or a bowl of pretzels at a bar or at a party in one's home is different than service at a sit down dinner.. LOL;p

 

 

bosco

Thats true.

 

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[42CruiseCrazy]

I can think of an occasion where mixed nuts were left in a bowl openly on a bar for people to help themselves and the nuts were replenished a few times

 

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It’s one thing to carelessly refill a bowl of snacks at a bar and something quite different to purposefully recycle “leftovers” from uneaten plates at the buffet.

 

 

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[Redrobo]

I can think of an occasion where mixed nuts were left in a bowl openly on a bar for people to help themselves and the nuts were replenished a few times

 

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Much like mint imperials, they used to be loose in a bowl, so many fingers having been in there. They now offer them individually wrapped, more hygienic.

[ScottieLuvr]

Been reading this thread with great interest. IF the MDR goes away, pretty much everyone knows that then you'll have to choose between specialty dining, buffet, or fast food type dining for your evening meal. When specialty dining began, it was a novelty and special indeed, with arguably better food and service for a fee. But you knew that going in. And a lot of people passed on that option (including DH and I) because there was nothing wrong with the MDR, and why pay extra for a specialty restaurant when the MDR was just as good and included in the price of your cruise?. Buffet dining was what you did in a pinch or if you didn't feel like "dressing up" for dinner. What you didn't expect was a parallel decline in the MDR, a pleasurable, long-time mainstay of the cruise experience. Now, while still a good option, MDR has undeniably changed (for whatever reason) and meanwhile, specialty restaurants have an increased presence (and are heavily pushed) and Windjammer dining for the most part has been spiffed up for dinner.

 

Don't want to pay the premium for specialty dining + MDR going downhill + don't want or like fast food for dinner = Windjammer. That's why it's getting more crowded. Plus you can get what you want and be out of there in short order if you need to be. Royal surely knows this. If the intention is to reduce choice and service in the MDR so passengers will be eating at either specialty restaurants or Windjammer, then Royal needs to consider attaching a lower price to the specialty restaurants, AND the Windjammer will need to increase in terms of size and dining hours. Soon, closing at 9:00 PM won't cut it. In the not-so-distant future, I can actually imagine having Windjammer service split into shifts similar to early versus main dining times now in the MDR.

[rt1092]

Just got off a Rhapsody B2B first leg we ate in the dining room for dinner. It was good no complaints. On the second leg we ate dinner in the Windjammer all 7 nights. We were very pleased with the food.

And were surprised to see how many upper point people were eating there. Maybe they should change the name of the Windjammer to the Pinnacle Palace .

Hope the other ships are as good upstairs.

[biomedbob]

We,too, almost eat exclusively in the WJ and many Pinnacle folks seem to be in there as well!

[time4u2go]

Cost cutting or not, this is wrong. Never did it in either of my two restaurants and wouldn't expect it from any others.

 

I wonder what they do with a half eaten bowl of soup?

 

bosco

It's apparently not wrong in Rome or Paris. :D

[islandwannabee]

Just off the Oasis and didn't go to the Windjammer or buffet once. I enjoy being served. At home I am the server.

[Maraprince]

Just off the Oasis and didn't go to the Windjammer or buffet once. I enjoy being served. At home I am the server.

 

 

I'm with you on that!!!!:D

 

At home I do the shopping, cleaning, cooking and washing up. It's great having the choice of foods to choose from and having someone else serve me. Also enjoy pleasant dinner conversation with others at our table who can also provide advice on ports and what to do in them and hearing how they spent their day.

 

May be if I was with my spouse/loved one we would rather be at a table for 2 and enjoy some alone time. However, I am sailing with my cousin and we both enjoy meeting other people and finding common ground with them. Besides, it's more fun with more people at dinner than just the 2 of us.:halo:

 

MARAPRINCE