Windjammer for dinner questions

[mspeg]

On our last cruise I was pleased to find I had a perfectly located table, right next to the Captains but unfortunately we were seated with a table of 7 woman having a family reunion of sorts who basically seemed to treat us as intruders and tried to ignore us most of the evening. Although we normally love the dining room ambience, this proved to be a rather uncomfortable dining experience and we came to dread the few evenings we dined together. Fortunately we had made reservations for Chops on our final evening and we enjoyed it so much we should have eaten there every night.

 

On our April cruise we are considering choosing the Windjammer for our dinner alternative. For those who choose the Windjammer - do you tend to sit in the same section every evening? I understand they serve the same menu but is it still a buffet? Are second servings delivered by the waiters? Is alcohol served if requested? Is it the rush and crunch like breakfast and lunch time or is there a quieter more calmer area for dinner?

 

I'd appreciate your thoughts!

[Laid-back]

Funny we had the exact same thing happen to us. Does make you feel like a third cog. Experience with WJ for dinner is that it is far less congested but it is still a buffet. Since the crowds are pretty small the servers are available for help if needed. Interestingly enough on our last cruise on Radience the ship's captain ate his dinner meal right next to us. Thought that that was interesting. We are thinking of doing the exact same thing for the dinner on our next cruise on Brilliance.

[wrp96]

The Windjammer is still a buffet at dinner. That being said, it is a lot calmer and quieter than at breakfast or lunch. They have soft lighting, waiters will bring you drinks and help you out, etc. Most of the same items are offered in the WJ as are offered in the main dining room, but there are a few that aren't offered (lobster for example).

[cruzobsessed]

on our last cruise (december) we ate most dinners in the windjammer. we found the presentation, quality and selection to be outstanding. we are also a family that doesn't want to get out of our casual clothing to "dress" for dinner.

my only recommendation is to not eat at the windjammer on the last night. while we still tipped all the waitstaff in the dining room (it was not their fault that we chose not to eat there and they depend on the tips).....we then went to the windjammer for dinner and it was awful. we were the only people there and because they weren't expecting a big crowd the selection was bad. but on every other night it was great.

[Amymacc]

HI,

 

Don't forget if you find yourself in this situation and don't want to lose out on the opportunity to eat in the main dining room, just ask to be switched. Most cruises this can happen and they're more than happy to accomodate you.

 

Amy

[MGoBlue2]

HI,

 

Don't forget if you find yourself in this situation and don't want to lose out on the opportunity to eat in the main dining room, just ask to be switched. Most cruises this can happen and they're more than happy to accomodate you.

 

Amy

So true. On our last cruise on the second or third night, a new couplle was introduced to the people at a table next to ours. From what I observed, they all - including the new couple - had a great time.

[booze brothers]

We ate either in the windjammer or on our large balcony every evening. We chose not to dress up and this suited us perfectly.We brought only two carryons - boy was that nice!!

The food and selection (Radiance) was wonderful, even the last night. We notified the dining room that we would not be there so they could use the table for someone else. We tipped WJ and room service but not the dining room.

[Nliedel]

I am so sorry that happened to you. I have had good tables and the infamous, "chick sitting in my husbands lap incident" but still managed to have fun.

 

I would go a couple times and see before I made up my mind. All in all the Windjammer is nice but not the same as the dining room.

[Silvery Seas Cruiser]

My first advice in such a situation would be to ask the maitre d' for a different table. However, as far as the Windjammer goes, that is my husband's preferred place for dinner.

 

He can't stand the slow pace of the dining room. It drives him batty. Also, the early seating is too early and the late seating is too late. He wants to eat when he wants. He wants to pick it out himself in the quantity he wants.

 

The Windjammer is quiet and peaceful at night. You can order wine. They'll even save the bottle for you if you don't drink it all. The waiters have time to talk and to assist you if you need or want it. We get to know these waiters well and tip them the last night. I haven't noticed that the food selection the last cruise night is smaller than the other nights. Maybe it is, but I just have never noticed.

 

We also like Portofino and Chops for dinner, but because we feel we eat too much in those wonderful restaurants, we restrict ourselves to one meal a cruise in them.

 

The WIndjammer at night is nearly ideal for us. We can just have a salad or a light sandwich if we want. We are really trying to cut back on the eating, eating, eating of cruises. I had to laugh last week on Majesty of the Seas when I overheard a woman at another table saying, "It seems like all I have done is eat on this cruise." We've decided that staying out of the dining room is one of the very best ways to avoid that scenario.

[Treven]

Regarding the Windjammer, is there usually a staff person available to assist the handicapped?

 

I dislocated my left shoulder early last February and due to a lot of muscle & nerve damage I don't have much use of my arm/hand - it's just there. So I usually have trouble carrying things - such as a food tray.

[OliverTheCat]

Regarding the Windjammer, is there usually a staff person available to assist the handicapped?

 

I dislocated my left shoulder early last February and due to a lot of muscle & nerve damage I don't have much use of my arm/hand - it's just there. So I usually have trouble carrying things - such as a food tray.

 

I can answer this for you. I traveled in a wheelchair my last cruise on Navigator, and the staff at WJ was MORE than willing to carry my tray for me so I didnt have to while wheeling around. Since your injury may not be noticeable to others, just ask a staff member when you walk in and they will assist you with no questions asked! Also, alot of the time they remember you by face...so they will be there everyday to assist you!

 

Have a great time, and dont let the shoulder hold ya back. I didnt let my injury or the wheelchair interfere...and it was my honeymoon I was confined like that!

[Captain Crunch]

On our last cruise I was pleased to find I had a perfectly located table, right next to the Captains but unfortunately we were seated with a table of 7 woman having a family reunion of sorts who basically seemed to treat us as intruders and tried to ignore us most of the evening. Although we normally love the dining room ambience, this proved to be a rather uncomfortable dining experience and we came to dread the few evenings we dined together. Fortunately we had made reservations for Chops on our final evening and we enjoyed it so much we should have eaten there every night.

 

On our April cruise we are considering choosing the Windjammer for our dinner alternative. For those who choose the Windjammer - do you tend to sit in the same section every evening? I understand they serve the same menu but is it still a buffet? Are second servings delivered by the waiters? Is alcohol served if requested? Is it the rush and crunch like breakfast and lunch time or is there a quieter more calmer area for dinner?

 

I'd appreciate your thoughts!

 

The cruiseline should have known better than to seat a couple at a table where 7 other people already know each other. That was poor planning on their part and after the first complaint they should have gone out of their wayto accomodate your request.

[Treven]

Thanks much. I assumed there would be in this day and age.

 

It isn't that I've not seen handicapped pax before, but they were always in a group with able-bodies around to assist with whatever is needed; but I choose to travel alone.

[mspeg]

Thanks for all the information - the windjammer seems like a reasonable option for dinner. I just wanted to have that choice and not feel like I'm held hostage.

 

Yes, I agree the seating was not well thought out and we should have requested a change. 7 family members traveling together should have received a table of their own. However, I requested a table change on a previous cruise and on that occasion was only offered the option of changing the time rather then the table. Since this was only a 5 night cruise, and we had already eaten together once and already had reservations for Chops I felt it would just be easier to sit through 3 nights of upturned nose and cold shoulder. We kept our sense of humor and actually used them as a barometer and when we met people would either say how we wished we had been seated with them or, would say how things could have been worse :) ......

[bobbie0253]

We didn't go to the dining room at all on our cruise a couple of weeks ago.

 

We decided before the cruise that we wanted to try it and see if we liked skipping the dining room all together.

 

It was nice. I wound up napping through first seating most days. Sometime before second seating I woke up, got dressed and we went to Windjammer. It was great to be able to eat whenever we wanted.

 

Windjammer on the Navigator was VERY quiet. No lines and everything was hot at all times. We never saw the same waiter twice though, and only once had a conversation with one. I did miss the interaction with a normal waiter and assistant.

 

We did Chops one formal night and Portifinos the other formal night. It was VERY easy to get a reservation for both on formal night. They even had lobster on "lobster night".

 

On the last night of the cruise we did room service. I wish we did that more than once. It was the first time we have ever had room service for a full meal at dinner. It was great to have the same food as the dining room without having to sit for at least an hour. And it was served hot which surprised me. I expected warm, not hot. We also brought our own wine with us, so it was romantic. Never mind the fact that the three course meal was eaten in my pajamas :)

 

We may try just room service for dinner on our next cruise every night. The food really was as good as the dining room.

 

FYI if you sometimes like "simple" foods. The kids menu has great mozzarella sticks, fries and chicken fingers :) I ordered the mozarella sticks as an appetizer.

[herecomesthesun]

I really hope those of you that choose to not go to the Dining Room let your waitstaff know that you won't be there ahead of time, especially if you don't go on the first day. That way they know not to wait for you.

[mspeg]

Thanks - even room service sounds like a good dinner option!

[OliverTheCat]

I really hope those of you that choose to not go to the Dining Room let your waitstaff know that you won't be there ahead of time, especially if you don't go on the first day. That way they know not to wait for you.

 

Well, we will be doing that after we board out of courtesy.

[Captain Crunch]

I really hope those of you that choose to not go to the Dining Room let your waitstaff know that you won't be there ahead of time, especially if you don't go on the first day. That way they know not to wait for you.

 

I find cruisers to be highly concerned about the staff's well being.Why is that? It seems considerate, and I would always cancel a reservation if I didn't use it, but they won't give your table away. Do you care this much about the guy at the Jiffy Lube, the girl at McDonalds, the Pizza delivery person?

[dh01498]

Sorry to hear about your negative experience.:( I think what happened to you was the exception not the rule. I think that most cruisers who find themselves at a table with strangers at least make an effort to meet and mingle since they are going to be tablemates for the rest of the cruise. I know we, and the others at our table did.

And most of the time the others are just as willing as you to converse and make each other feel welcome and get to know your tablemates.

Having said that I think that I would have requested another table and that yes it was definitely poor planning on the seating planner's part. I feel that we pay way too much for these cruises to feel uncomfortable in any situation like that. You are entitled to enjoy your dinner in the Dining Room and to feel welcome and comfortable there IF you choose to dine there, but that choice should be based on where you want to eat not based on being forced out because your uncomfortable feelings.

Supposedly the cruise line & staff have your comfort as their main priority so I would definitely have at least asked for a different table and tell them why and that you are very disappointed with your table designation.

And if they would not move you I would write a not so kind letter to RCCL when I got home and explained it to them... again you are paying for the cruise, it is not free, so make your (reasonable) requests known to them. JMHO;)

[Merion_Mom]

There is NO reason to assume that the head waiter would not have accommodated such a request (to change tables). The OP stated that she did NOT request such a change.

[Cruising89143]

I really enjoying eating at the Windjammer for dinner for several reasons. One, I like the casual atmosphere where I can wear shorts if I feel like it and not bother the ones that would rather dress and eat in the regular dining room.

 

Second, I do not like eating at the same time each evening and I like having the flexibility of eating withing the three hour window that RCI gives you.

 

Also you can sit anywhere that you want and still get great service for drinks and such.

[herecomesthesun]

I find cruisers to be highly concerned about the staff's well being.Why is that? It seems considerate, and I would always cancel a reservation if I didn't use it, but they won't give your table away. Do you care this much about the guy at the Jiffy Lube, the girl at McDonalds, the Pizza delivery person?

 

The reason I suggested cruisers let their waitstaff know if and when they would not be in the Dining Room is not only for the staff's sake but for their tablemakes. From what I understand, the waiters usually waits to take orders until the whole table is there. This could cause a long wait for your tablemates if you don't show up on the first night. If you let them know that you will not be dining in the dining room the whole week, both your tablemates and your waitstaff know what to expect. I think the same goes for nights you will be in Portofino or Chops -- they can just go ahead and take the rest of the table's orders without wondering, how long should we wait for them to show up? All you have to do is just make a quick call down. It seems like the considerate thing to do, and I don't think you can ever be too considerate.

 

Concerning what you said about reservations -- I personally think that when you book on the cruise and choose a dinner time, unless you request to not have a table assignment in the dining room like some people do, you are essensially making reservations in the dining room.

 

And, yes, I do care about the guy at Jiffy Lube, the girl at McDonald's, and the pizza delivery person. I try to have consideration for pretty much everyone I come in contact with. I don't find that to be out of the ordinary.

[Merion_Mom]

sun: some people just like to be negative and/or 'stir the pot'. You don't need to justify or explain your post. It was a good one.

[Xine]

We've been chastised by our tablemates in the past for deciding at the last minute not to go to the dining room and instead go to the WindJammer. The next night the other 8 people were all scolding us and the talk the rest of the night was what a meal we missed, how long they had to wait on us, etc. My only response was to apologize.

 

We didn't eat there that night because we didn't want to change out of our shorts and t-shirts. We were already at the pool deck enjoying sunset with a glass of champagne and just decided to go to the WJ instead. We weren't making a concious decision to "diss" our tablemates.

 

On the next cruise, while we felt stupid doing it, we again made a similar decision at the last minute, and my DH went in to the dining room and found our waiter and told her we wouldn't be there. Of course, he felt like an idiot doing it since he wasn't appropriately dressed.

 

I think that the servers should wait a reasonable amount of time (10-15 minutes) and then move on. My experience has been that it usually takes that much time just to get the drinks ordered and for folks to peruse the menu and make their selections anyway.