Death of MDR, rise of Windjammer

[caribbeanboy]

They need the MDR real estate to put more cabins on the ship;p

[LSUfan4444]

Outside of the "event" that a night in the MDR is, I personally feel it's probably one of the worst options for dinner when you consider the amount of time it takes and the quality of food compared to other (non specialty) options around the ship.

[ILCTCRUISER]

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

 

Agree. Consider also that so many decisions that RCL has made over the past few years, if not longer, come down to maximizing revenue and lowering costs. Well, it is a business after all. Show me a business that doesn't try to do this and I'll show you a business not worth a penny of your investment. Does anyone recall the size of the original 10 cent Hershey candy bar and what it looks like today? Just when did the 5 lb bag of sugar become 4 lbs with little or no change in price? Nothing alarming here. Price inflation is part of the story but not the whole story.

 

With RCL such cost-cutting certainly is evident in the MDR. Specialty restaurants certainly generate additional revenue. We also know how RCL really hypes the specialty restaurant "experience" and promotes the specialty dining packages.

 

The idea of RCL working toward eliminating the MDR and going with a buffet/specialty restaurant model may not be to everyone's liking (we still go to the MDR, though not as often as we did in the past), but it seems possible if not probable.

[42CruiseCrazy]

They need the MDR real estate to put more cabins on the ship;p

 

 

 

More cabins means more passengers and add to that, less dining space. It might make economic sense but not likely to enhance the cruising experience.

 

 

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[sunshinelover59]

A buffet is the last place I'd eat at on land. Same can be said at sea.

This!

 

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[WeLuvVacation]

Always prefer MDR to the madness, rudeness and self serve mentality of the WJ. Try to eat as few meals as possible in a WJ setting. We cruise to be served not eat in a fast food restaurant setting.

[time4u2go]

Always prefer MDR to the madness, rudeness and self serve mentality of the WJ. Try to eat as few meals as possible in a WJ setting. We cruise to be served not eat in a fast food restaurant setting.

Have you ever eaten in WJ for dinner? If not, you might be pleasantly surprised.

[Pearlieq]

At this point we only do traditional dining room dinners on Disney. Every other cruise line, we almost always eat dinner at the buffet. It's usually quiet and peaceful, almost everything from the MDR menu is available plus other surprise options, and there's none of the excruciating waits and small talk.

 

We've tried in the past to make the MDR experience better by requesting 2 tops. More than once we've been lead to a table for 2...directly next to 3 other "tables for 2" separated by less than 6". All orders were taken and served together across the 8 diners, but, I guess technically we were at our own tables. :-D

[LSUfan4444]

 

We've tried in the past to make the MDR experience better by requesting 2 tops. More than once we've been lead to a table for 2...directly next to 3 other "tables for 2" separated by less than 6". All orders were taken and served together across the 8 diners, but, I guess technically we were at our own tables. :-D

 

Im definitely not a fan of sitting with others at dinner. We are very social while on-board and love meeting new people but at dinner we prefer a little privacy.

[Ocean Boy]

Always prefer MDR to the madness, rudeness and self serve mentality of the WJ. Try to eat as few meals as possible in a WJ setting. We cruise to be served not eat in a fast food restaurant setting.

What, exactly, is self serve mentality? And how else are you supposed to get your food if you don't get it yourself?:confused:

[Ocean Boy]

Have you ever eaten in WJ for dinner? If not, you might be pleasantly surprised.

I think it is time to let the people that think the Windjammer is the dredges of cruise ship dining continue to think that way. It is getting crowed enough at dinner time.;)

[WeLuvVacation]

What, exactly, is self serve mentality? And how else are you supposed to get your food if you don't get it yourself?:confused:

 

Get served at your table in the MDR.

[WeLuvVacation]

Have you ever eaten in WJ for dinner? If not, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Once and we were pleasantly surprised. But if the MDR goes away then the WJ at dinner will be just like the WJ at breakfast and lunch. A madhouse.

[42CruiseCrazy]

Once and we were pleasantly surprised. But if the MDR goes away then the WJ at dinner will be just like the WJ at breakfast and lunch. A madhouse.

 

 

 

I think most of us would agree that we don’t want that!!! Better keep the MDR for those that prefer it.

 

 

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[OCSC Mike]

I think it is time to let the people that think the Windjammer is the dredges of cruise ship dining continue to think that way. It is getting crowed enough at dinner time.;)

 

Agreed. (y)

[Ocean Boy]

Get served at your table in the MDR.

So what make the "self serve mentality" of the Windjammer any worse than the "wait on me mentality" of the MDR? No idea why people feel the need to knock other people's preferences but go at it if it makes you feel superior.

[Jasonm921]

I can see that happening, with that you also use less wait staff which probably opens up room for another 100 or so more passengers. It’s always about how to improve revenue for the next Quarter for the share holders which doesn’t always work great for the guests.

 

 

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[island lady]

I think it is time to let the people that think the Windjammer is the dredges of cruise ship dining continue to think that way. It is getting crowed enough at dinner time.;)

 

I agree. Let them all think the WJ is a noisy, crazy, cafeteria atmosphere at night...keeps it the quiet, relaxing, and uncrowded area we enjoy. ;)

[sellwingri]

And I love that more go to the Windjammer for dinner. It thins out the crowd in the MDR making service better.

[island lady]

And I love that more go to the Windjammer for dinner. It thins out the crowd in the MDR making service better.

 

Alas...if that were the case, we would be back to dining in the MDR. But the last 5-6 cruises, it was not. Bad service, long waits, cold/blah food, noisy and crowded. We always try it at least once or twice, and then give up and go to Specialty or WJ.

[nyllrap]

We were on the Rhapsody last week, and I did not think that the Windjammer dinners were very good. I thought the dining room was much better, although service definitely is not what it used to be in MDR. I prefer the MDR, hubby prefers buffet, so we tend to do half and half.

[ILCTCRUISER]

Alas...if that were the case, we would be back to dining in the MDR. But the last 5-6 cruises, it was not. Bad service, long waits, cold/blah food, noisy and crowded. We always try it at least once or twice, and then give up and go to Specialty or WJ.

 

Agree here as well. At some point in time, staffing changed in the MDR. Not sure if table count for waiters changed or if it affected only asst waiters. MDR tends to be noisy. Now it's also a hectic scene with waiters and asst waiters rushing about.

 

Just returned from Brilliance TA. We ate in MDR 3 times. One of those nights in the MDR, I sww the following: A couple was seated very near us at a table for two. At one point, while they were having their main course, the waiter and asst waiter, standing right next to their table, talked through orders. The waiter had his order pad out and was telling the asst waiter who got what at which table. Why they had to do this standing right above the two diners was beyond me: they could just as easily stepped back and away from the table. They probably didn't even realize that they were doing it, and that is due, I believe, to the pressure to take orders and get them served asap. We have new menus with desserts, and that change all had to do with processing diners though the MDR as quickly as possible.

[island lady]

We were on the Rhapsody last week, and I did not think that the Windjammer dinners were very good. I thought the dining room was much better, although service definitely is not what it used to be in MDR. I prefer the MDR, hubby prefers buffet, so we tend to do half and half.

 

That's a shame. We were on in February and thought the WJ was pretty good. Tried MDR twice for dinner...bad experiences each time. Something may have changed?

 

In comparison, we totally enjoyed both food and service in the MDR for breakfast and lunch. Breakfast especially was very nice.

[island lady]

Agree here as well. At some point in time, staffing changed in the MDR. Not sure if table count for waiters changed or if it affected only asst waiters. MDR tends to be noisy. Now it's also a hectic scene with waiters and asst waiters rushing about.

 

Just returned from Brilliance TA. We ate in MDR 3 times. One of those nights in the MDR, I sww the following: A couple was seated very near us at a table for two. At one point, while they were having their main course, the waiter and asst waiter, standing right next to their table, talked through orders. The waiter had his order pad out and was telling the asst waiter who got what at which table. Why they had to do this standing right above the two diners was beyond me: they could just as easily stepped back and away from the table. They probably didn't even realize that they were doing it, and that is due, I believe, to the pressure to take orders and get them served asap. We have new menus with desserts, and that change all had to do with processing diners though the MDR as quickly as possible.

 

Agree, those two tops that are just inches apart adds to crowding and no privacy. It's tough for the waiters to move around the tables also.

[John&LaLa]

MDR has been very nice the past few weeks. Neither noisy or crowded. In and out in about an hour.

 

3 apps

Entree

Souffle

 

Banana rum soup. [emoji16]

 

We are sitting as two at a four top by the window

 

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