What have we been missing at the Windjammer??

[CruiseMomTX]

We just got of the Liberty for the 3rd time Jan 12th, 2020 and finally looked at what the Windjammer was serving for dinner on the last night...on the way to Chops.  It was 8:30 and they were closing at 9 so we didn't have time to sample or go back, lol.  About mid week I asked the washy washy girl going in if they had a seafood night and she said on the last night they have sushi.  We had dinner reservations at Chops the last night so took a quick look through the Windjammer right before and not only did they have sushi (the sushi at our HEB grocery store looks better though) if you went all the way to the back they had all kinds of good stuff including crawfish, shrimp, salmon wellington, and all kinds of other things that looked really good.  So now we are wondering what other theme nights or possibly great food we have been missing out on at the Windjammer by going to the MDR or specialty restaurants.  

[Jehaams]

In have not cruise don Liberty but just returned last weekend from a week on Vision and I would say that with the exception of the anti pasta selections in the Windjammer you aren't missing anything by going to the MDR or elsewhere. 

[Magicat]

We were on the Vision last year and the Windjammer was fabulous.  One evening they had a Mongolian grill, another evening a pasta station and then a grilled to order steak night.  

[Clarea]

We like the made to order pasta and Mongolian BBQ stations.

[toxicfairy]

This is good to know. We'll be on the Independence in Feb and I was looking at recent menus and though I'm not super picky it looks like my favorites are gone. Maybe I'll check out the windjammer for dinner if I don't find something I'm excited about in the MDR. My favorites were the fruit soups and the scallops augratin. I don't see them on the menu as starters any more.

[03063Dad]

We’ve always loved the Windjammer for dinner. It’s our first choice over MDR. 

[CruiseMomTX]

1 hour ago, toxicfairy said:

This is good to know. We'll be on the Independence in Feb and I was looking at recent menus and though I'm not super picky it looks like my favorites are gone. Maybe I'll check out the windjammer for dinner if I don't find something I'm excited about in the MDR. My favorites were the fruit soups and the scallops augratin. I don't see them on the menu as starters any more.

Im a picky eater so wouldn't eat the crawfish or shrimp but Hubby was sad to be missing out!  I did see many things that night including the biggest pan of nachos ever I would have enjoyed!  I think we will for sure look at the buffet each night next time just in case but do enjoy the MDR especially if we have great staff the first night and can get them the other nights.  I get tired of the MDR menu too.

[packedandready]

Last 2 cruises we ate exclusively in the windjammer and will probably do the same on our next in april. Didn't feel like we missed out on anything from the MDR. What we liked about it was that we could eat early and still make it to the early show and then go back and get dessert after the show. Always had hand dipper ice cream and usually a hot cobbler of some kind.

 

[karen of PA]

Ooh...I love the idea of going to the Windjammer, seeing a show, and then going back for dessert!

[fredflint]

Only problem I have with the Windjammer vs MDR is portion control.  With the MDR the size of my entree is what comes on the plate.  Windjammer I can get 2 pieces of fish and another entree of jambalaya and some nice spare ribs, along with 2-3 side and a healthy salad 🙂

[Bailey & Sophie]

 

Last Feb on Navigator the Windjammer served lobster 3 times. They were good if you got them right away.

A couple of years ago on Serenade there were fresh grilled lamb chops. I had to wait a super long time as people ahead of me were taking 6 at a time. But yum. Worth the wait.

[fredflint]

You just need to make friends with some of the staff and they will take care of you 🙂

[ONECRUISER]

Been Cruising on Royal over 30yrs, WJ Dinners(& some Lunches) I've seen last 2 yrs are better Choice and taste then ever

[Tee & Chilli]

Serenade Windjammer - excellent!

[SRF]

I have found that most times, the same dishes are available in the WJ as the MDR, plus additional ones.

 

Plus theme nights.

 

Check it out.

[Norwich Cruiser]

We normally eat in the Windjammer a couple of evenings on every cruise and have always been extremely impressed.

[JamesEM]

On my last couple of cruises (Freedom & Allure) I have eaten in the Windjammer and have skipped the MDR, and have been happy, just wait and hour so the crowd thins out and sit in the same section and you will have a server.

[JBSteelerfan]

10 hours ago, toxicfairy said:

This is good to know. We'll be on the Independence in Feb and I was looking at recent menus and though I'm not super picky it looks like my favorites are gone. Maybe I'll check out the windjammer for dinner if I don't find something I'm excited about in the MDR. My favorites were the fruit soups and the scallops augratin. I don't see them on the menu as starters any more.

 

Many times the cold soups are available in the WJ the same night offered in MDR.  Love having the strawberry bisque!!

[thrifty99]

My only issue with Windjammer is the cleanliness. I pretty much avoid it now (especially cruises with lots of kids). The last time I ate in Windjammer I saw 2 things that turned me off on the same day. One child dropped a serving spoon on the floor and then picked it up / put it back in the food. Another child was licking his hand that had some food on it and then was using a serving utensil. I decided eating at Windjammer and using any shared utensils increased the chance of picking up a bug. 
 

If I had to go, i would do so right when it opens to ensure everything was cleaner. 

[normannna]

25 minutes ago, thrifty99 said:

My only issue with Windjammer is the cleanliness. I pretty much avoid it now (especially cruises with lots of kids). The last time I ate in Windjammer I saw 2 things that turned me off on the same day. One child dropped a serving spoon on the floor and then picked it up / put it back in the food. Another child was licking his hand that had some food on it and then was using a serving utensil. I decided eating at Windjammer and using any shared utensils increased the chance of picking up a bug. 
 

If I had to go, i would do so right when it opens to ensure everything was cleaner. 

 

I know what you mean.  I like the Windjammer for convenience and just a quick dinner. I'm not overly germ averse but I now bring hand gel and use it before eating.  Some people just don't know how to behave around food!

 

One thing that gives me shudders is seeing people eat the food off their plates with their hands while going round the sections and then handling more tongs.  Can't people wait until they get to the table.

 

In terms of portion control I really really wish they would do smaller serving spoons.  it is almost impossible to get a small portion of some items with the size they are.

[tribeagle]

We were on the Rhapsody in the fall and they had some pretty good Indian dishes in the Windjammer.  

 

 

[BerlinLink]

49 minutes ago, normannna said:

One thing that gives me shudders is seeing people eat the food off their plates with their hands while going round the sections and then handling more tongs.  Can't people wait until they get to the table.

 

It's no different than if they eat with their hands at their table and then go up for seconds and handle the tongs.

 

Almost 20 years ago, before kids, DH and I ended up at a busy McD before a catching a movie. It was packed and the only seating was in the playland. We ate there and saw a kid eating a nugget off the floor that they'd found (not their food), another kid eating a hamburger that he'd dropped in the aisle and someone had stepped on. It was also very, very loud with both crying and screaming in good measure. We joked that it was all the birth control we needed and we'd come back if we ever thought of having kids just to be sure we really did.

[Zach1213]

In my opinion, none of the food on Royal Caribbean is all that great, so I don't feel as though we've missed out on anything by not doing the MDR. In fact, we usually never step foot inside the MDR for dinner because we don't enjoy the experience at all. We do enjoy the Windjammer, especially on busy shore days where we're exhausted...being able to wander in to a (usually) fairly quiet Windjammer, grab a drink at the bar, throw some things on the plate, and enjoy the relaxation. I'm sold on it. 

[compman9]

Dear Father in Law was so hammered for New Years that we went to WJ

 

We took a photo of his plate of beef wellington with spinach filled pasta and a slice of watermelon

 

He was horrified when he saw it the next day

[mac66]

We were on Allure in April and stopped by the WJ after lobster night dinner in the MDR. There were mounds of lobster in the WJ.   Was back on Allure in Dec and checked the WJ on lobster night again. Not a lobster to be found in the WJ the whole week.