Death of MDR, rise of Windjammer

[grapau27]

I am guessing that too. Also see show entertainers in there.

I've only eaten dinner once in the WJ because we usually do MTD or Speciality but reading all the positive posts on here and knowing officers and show entertainers prefer it we will have to give it another try.

 

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[mcatmcat]

6pm we go for quick bites at windjammer

830pm we go to MDR to eat again but mainly talk and catch up with our family 2/3 not expecting much from the menu

[Oceansaway17]

You make a good case for WJ.

 

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why thanks. I try. and really as each cruise goes along folks find there way to it.

 

When I did Harmony in 2016 it's first full cruise after arriving in FT Lauderdale, there was much confusion for MY Dining. I went to the WJ instead. And then I noticed each day it got busier.

On the next to last day I walked by the dining rooms around 6pm and no one in line and the folks taking names looked bored.

 

To me the dining staff comes off a bit superior and think they offer the best experience, but I can tell you nosy room with waiters running around frantic is not something I admire.

They have several layers of managers all watching everyone and it can be a bit intense too.

 

I have had WJ employees tell me they would not want to work in the MDR even for more money.

 

toodles 3 weeks from today I get on the new NCL BLiss yea. Will do the new Symphony is 2020.

[KansasK]

If they see the Windjammer jammed with people, whoever is in charge of the MDR needs to ask what is causing people to leave the MDR. I think the shortage of staff is one thing that causes meals to last too long. They should stop serving steak in the MDR since it is always tough, or learn how to cook a less expensive piece of meat to make it taste good, or serve better pieces of meat.

 

The bread basket is OK if you are with family, but with people you don't know, it can be awkward. Tongs would be nice. We had a man unexpectedly sit down at our table for six and there were four of us, on the third night and proceed to take all the rolls from the basket with his hands until he found the ones he wanted. He ate two of the rolls and then his wife found him and took him to their table. We asked for another basket of rolls and the assistant waiter had to get permission. In the Windjammer, you could load a dozen rolls onto your plate and nobody would care, so why are they rationing the rolls in the MDR?

 

We have always liked the MDR, but our last experience on the Harmony was not great. All the waiter staff had too many tables, so service was slow. The food was not as good as it has been on several nights, but very good on others. The hassle to get traditional early dining before sailing is a detriment. We finally got it and our account on the web showed this, but then were moved to My Time dining on the ship. We asked to be moved back to traditional dining and ended up at the table for six that a family had left after one night. Another couple were moved to that table as well. Our waiter was basically absent after delivering our food. We dealt more with the assistant waiter, if we could flag her down. He told us later in the week that he had a table of "special" people he had to spend more time with. I had thought we were "special".;)

 

We have a cruise in June, 2019 and hope by then the MDR is a good option again.

[KmomChicago]

You all should all stay in the MDR at all times. It’s much better for you. Also will leave WJ a bit less crowded for us. [emoji57]

 

 

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[LMaxwell]

In WJ now for seafood night. Endless shrimp, mussels, crab legs, fried scallops, blackened salmon, corvina, shrimp veggie stir fry, huge crab cakes (swear it is same as Chops), seafood Mac n cheese, shrimp potstickers, scungilli, and more. Haven’t even checked the “regular” stations yet. The dessert section is made to order crepes prepared however you like. Servers circulating w drinks. Cheese plates are huge and almost as much selection as MSC Divina. This place is PACKED

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

I too have used the WJ more and more. Why you ask..... welll

3. If I want 3 helpings of something or at least a larger portion, I don't get 2-3 plates.

 

Ew. You are supposed to use a CLEAN (as in UNUSED, not "I ate all the food I had on it") plate every visit to the buffet.

[KmomChicago]

Ew. You are supposed to use a CLEAN (as in UNUSED, not "I ate all the food I had on it") plate every visit to the buffet.

 

 

 

I think they mean they heap up the one plate with 2-3 portions, not that they bring it back up.

 

 

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[Aquahound]

I think I actually prefer the buffet on cruise ships nowadays. The dining room has grown so noisy and chaotic. Dining in the WJ at night is actually very relaxing and much more quiet than the MDR.

[CruisingNole]

I don’t eat buffets but during my last Oasis cruise, I did observe. Please keep in mind, this was only 2 days of a 7 day cruise:

 

1. Tongs/utensils dropped on the floor, then placed back on the buffet

2. Children picking up bread/desserts, smelling it, and then putting it back on the buffet

3. Sweaty passengers grabbing tongs with sweat dripping into pans of food at Labadee.

 

I’ve worked in the service industry. I’m not naive. I know unspeakable things happen behind the scenes in the kitchen. But for the love of god at least I can’t see it. But these are things I’ve seen. Add that onto what happens “behind the scenes” and LOL, good luck.

[Junkhouse]

I had late sitting on LOS and would check Windjammer every night. The only thing that was a "wow" is they had swordfish steaks the night after we had them at the MDR. I have to admit it was darn good though.

[queenfrostine22]

I don’t eat buffets but during my last Oasis cruise, I did observe. Please keep in mind, this was only 2 days of a 7 day cruise:

 

1. Tongs/utensils dropped on the floor, then placed back on the buffet

2. Children picking up bread/desserts, smelling it, and then putting it back on the buffet

3. Sweaty passengers grabbing tongs with sweat dripping into pans of food at Labadee.

 

I’ve worked in the service industry. I’m not naive. I know unspeakable things happen behind the scenes in the kitchen. But for the love of god at least I can’t see it. But these are things I’ve seen. Add that onto what happens “behind the scenes” and LOL, good luck.

You are right. Germs are everywhere. Including the supermarket shopping carts, ATM machines, door handles, gas pumps and even the magazines in a doctors office. I know they are there but I'm not going to live my life worrying about it and not having the best experiences that I can in the one life I get to live! :)

[depplep]

I am not sure if I want to know how you know what dog and cat food tastes like but like others in this thread I prefer WJ over MDR added in with occasional specialty dining.

Love it!

[time4u2go]

You are right. Germs are everywhere. Including the supermarket shopping carts, ATM machines, door handles, gas pumps and even the magazines in a doctors office. I know they are there but I'm not going to live my life worrying about it and not having the best experiences that I can in the one life I get to live! :)

I agree. Not to mention the fact that we can't even see what goes on in the galley as far as cleanliness.

[davekathy]

We prefer the MDR for all three meals.

[Tatka]

In our last three experiences on Anthem, Grandeur, Freedom all within last half a year dinner buffet was incomparable weaker than MDR.

I’d not expect escargots to be there, but seafood was also basically absent in buffet, and many other things.

 

As for MDR we couldn’t get a table for 2 for the first seating or switch to MTD on Freedom. On Anthem there were lines every night. On Grandeur there was no lines for dinner, but it had the weakest buffet out of three and the best MDR food.

 

If I compare quality of food to our first RCCL cruises in 2004, 2007, 2009, we actually find it better despite everybody and their grandmothers saying that quality is going downhill. It’s not Celebrity, Princess or Holland’s food, but better than we experienced before, in 2000-s.

[Pstreet12]

It seems that people who choose the main dining room want "nicer" surroundings (table cloths/being served/a slower pace for eating/conversation with other cruisers) and those who choose Wind Jammer want their food more quickly and don't care about the "niceties." At least from these posts, it appears that a significant %age of cruisers do not value leisurely dining. I don't think it's a matter of some cruisers "not letting go" of traditional dining as much as it is a reflection of different values.

[JustUs275]

We have dined in WJ rather than MDR for most of our dinners the past couple of cruises. I enjoy the flexibility, atmosphere, and variety. But then...if I don't have to shop for it, prepare it, cook it, and clean up - I'm pretty easy to please. :D

[time4u2go]

It seems that people who choose the main dining room want "nicer" surroundings (table cloths/being served/a slower pace for eating/conversation with other cruisers) and those who choose Wind Jammer want their food more quickly and don't care about the "niceties." At least from these posts, it appears that a significant %age of cruisers do not value leisurely dining. I don't think it's a matter of some cruisers "not letting go" of traditional dining as much as it is a reflection of different values.

In our opinion, we find the WJ to be more leisurely and relaxed than the MDR. There's a lot less people. It's quieter. The waitstaff isn't continuously scrambling around. There are tablecloths.

 

I'm curious if you've had dinner in the WJ. If you are basing your opinion on how the WJ is at breakfast or lunch, then you might give it a try for dinner. You might be pleasantly surprised. We were.

[Jax129]

We ate dinner in the WJ for the first time on our last cruise & were pleasantly surprised. Then we ate in the MDD,& had pretty bad service so we ate the last night in the WJ again & got all the leftover lobster from formal night for free. I do like a nice relaxing dinner with wine & prefer to be served but for a 3 nighter the WJ served our needs better

[Iamcruzin]

Long and short; wife and I both believe it won’t be long before cruise ships offer buffet only w fare and specialty dining as upcharge, no MDR middle ground. They’ll need to physically expand windjammers and extend hours to make this work but sure seems like MDR being purposely de-emphasized w new menus and constant annoying upsell tactics

 

This has been my prediction as well for other lines. The new Royal class on Princess comes to mind when I read all of the rave reviews about the buffet and not so rave reviews about the MDR. I'll take it a step further by saying once this transition happens watch out for the decline in the buffet leaving specialty restaurants the only alternative to a good meal.

[42CruiseCrazy]

I like to be served. I've eaten dinner in Windjammer once in 20+ cruises and while it was okay, it was still a buffet. I'll stick with MDR.

 

 

 

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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[John&LaLa]

Who said that? Haven’t had poor wait staff but constant upsell in MDR highly annoying and off putting. New menus presented as 3 course dinner and kind of skimpy.

 

Dinner in WJ has nightly theme and wait staff for beverages. Made to order stir fry and pasta stations. Huge vegetarian section. Lights a little lower and quality/presentation great. Nothing like lunch madness.

 

Just had lunch in MDR again an hour ago, asked for kids menu and told there is none. Not sure what’s with this ship but have not been able to get a kids menu in any venue all week. Just odd.

 

Tonight is seafood night in WJ should be good.

 

Many of the sides in Chops were identical to buffet and desserts not as good. Not worth the cost for Chops anymore.

Here you go. Just show to waiter.

 

 

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[John&LaLa]

For our family, it would be a sad, sad day to see the MDR turn into something else. We greatly value the family time at dinner in the MDR, enjoying good conversation and excellent food (so far) in an elegant atmosphere. In all of our cruises we've only missed the MDR twice for dinner.

 

We cruised the NOS back in 2016 and were very happy with the MDR. However, we heard the same thing about the MDR from friends that just returned from the 9 night on the Navigator. We are booked on the NOS next March, so hopefully the MDR improves between now and then.

 

Dan

Bungee jumping from Deck 5.

 

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[Luv my furbaby]

I know this a RCCL section, but I also found on my Princess cruise in January that I preferred the buffet to MDR. In 14 days I only went twice to MRD and the rest of the time the buffet. I think the buffet has more variety. When on Freedom in October I have a 2 night dining package and will probably eat the rest of the time in WJ.