Windjammer

[bmill7272]

I’ve recently seen videos of a RC ship where the Windjammer entrance was separated to reservation or no reservation. Any recent cruisers care to share their experience using the Windjammer?

[WVHillbilly]

Was on the Adventure of the Seas in August and they had two separate lines, but I never saw a line.  Since we didn't have reservations I went up the no reservation side, they scanned my sea pass and in we went.  They scan your sea pass card entering and leaving the Windjammer to control the numbers, but with the reduced capacities I don't think it's been a problem of over crowding.

[flamingos]

On Mariner, we made reservations, but there was no line. Then again, we went early to avoid people so I don't know what it was like at peak lunch hours. 

[Tree_skier]

On Serenade there was no need ever to make a reservation for the Windjammer.  They scan your card every time you enter and exit but that was just for capacity control.

[bmill7272]

8 hours ago, flamingos said:

On Mariner, we made reservations, but there was no line. Then again, we went early to avoid people so I don't know what it was like at peak lunch hours. 

 

[bmill7272]

Was your reservation at the Windjammer for Diner or were you just deciding to pop in for something to eat? Seem like it would be annoying to make a reservation for a snack.

[Floater4life]

We sailed 9/12 on the Oasis. Never made a reservation in the windjammer. They make you scan your card to keep a count to make sure they don't exceed a pre determined capacity. Never had a problem. One problem that made eating there a pain was since both vacced and unvacced can eat there they "social distanced" to an extreme and made finding a place to sit a struggle. If the ship had more passengers this would have been a nightmare but we were 2400 in a ship that holds 6000. I think they went over board. I saw maybe 3 adults without the blue bracelet and there was only a hand full of kids. Everyone is tested so more tables please,

[Nymich]

Currently on OTS no reservation needed.  Only open breakfast and lunch.

[lovelife]

No Windjammer ressies on Liberty currently. Just scan your card on entry and exit. I appreciate the table distancing and have easily found a table.

[flamingos]

12 hours ago, bmill7272 said:

Was your reservation at the Windjammer for Diner or were you just deciding to pop in for something to eat? Seem like it would be annoying to make a reservation for a snack.

 

Lunch - it was not open for dinner.

[homedepot124]

We were on both Adventure and Serenade in August and on Adventure again and Freedom in September and never needed a reservation at WJ on any of the four cruises.  But as said before, they scan you can both when entering and leaving on all of the ships. 

[deliver42]

We were on the Ovation 2 weeks ago, and never needed a reservation.

[coaster]

Hoping the closure for Windjammer for dinner does not become permanent. 

[PhillyFan33579]

We have sailed on Adventure and Mariner recently and never had to wait to enter the Windjammer despite never making a reservation. I assume reservations will become more important as ship capacities increase.  

[BirdTravels]

19 hours ago, bmill7272 said:

Was your reservation at the Windjammer for Diner or were you just deciding to pop in for something to eat? Seem like it would be annoying to make a reservation for a snack.

The Windjammer is not open for dinner. And for Breakfast and Lunch, 1/2 or less of the buffet line is actually open. There are insufficient passengers to warrant more service than that. With a very limited number of passengers onboard, they also have reduced the crew, so there aren't crew members to open the Windjammer, even if they wanted (especially with the "no self serve" COVID rules still in effect). 

[RhondaC]

9 hours ago, coaster said:

Hoping the closure for Windjammer for dinner does not become permanent. 

It’s only open for breakfast and lunch on our December 6 Freedom sailing. 😞

[smokeybandit]

12 hours ago, coaster said:

Hoping the closure for Windjammer for dinner does not become permanent. 

It won't. RC has already said as much.  Just too few people cruising right now to justify having a buffet open for dinner

[sargenet]

I didn’t realize the windjammer was closed for dinner on Mariner till after I booked.  I just booked a last minute cruise as a single traveler ..first time ever!  I was looking over menus in dining room and a bit concerned….after all the chemo and surgeries I have had I love being able to just pick certain things at windjammer and I like to avoid sauces and stick to very simple.  Hopefully I will just be able to load up more on a few appetizers if the entrees don’t appeal.  The app shows a menu for each night and I usually stick with chicken dishes and they have the same one every night. 😳

[lauren0309]

Some tables have a reserved sign on them to keep people from sitting near each other

Edited October 10, 2021 by lauren0309

[WVHillbilly]

4 hours ago, sargenet said:

I didn’t realize the windjammer was closed for dinner on Mariner till after I booked.  I just booked a last minute cruise as a single traveler ..first time ever!  I was looking over menus in dining room and a bit concerned….after all the chemo and surgeries I have had I love being able to just pick certain things at windjammer and I like to avoid sauces and stick to very simple.  Hopefully I will just be able to load up more on a few appetizers if the entrees don’t appeal.  The app shows a menu for each night and I usually stick with chicken dishes and they have the same one every night. 😳

I would talk to your waiter on the first night about your dinners, I have heard of them having the chef come out and talk to those with special dietary requirements.  The chef even offered to make special meals.  Never hurts to ask, so you don't have to eat the same thing every night.

[KarmaElectra]

Are you permitted to take a plate of food away, like if you want to eat on the pool deck, or in your room?    We've always done this on cruises in the past, but am wondering if they want to keep all the plates, silverware, etc. in one place due to Covid.

[crzndeb]

I have heard once capacity reaches 50%, Windjammer will open for dinner. It did this week on Ovation. Last week it was still closed.

 

8 minutes ago, KarmaElectra said:

Are you permitted to take a plate of food away, like if you want to eat on the pool deck, or in your room?    We've always done this on cruises in the past, but am wondering if they want to keep all the plates, silverware, etc. in one place due to Covid.

I always take desserts to my cabin, so I don’t think there would be any problem taking food out elsewhere,

[ONECRUISER]

3 hours ago, crzndeb said:

I have heard once capacity reaches 50%, Windjammer will open for dinner. It did this week on Ovation. Last week it was still closed.

 

I always take desserts to my cabin, so I don’t think there would be any problem taking food out elsewhere,

Good to hear. Thanks

[TheBucketLister]

On 10/9/2021 at 8:43 AM, smokeybandit said:

It won't. RC has already said as much.  Just too few people cruising right now to justify having a buffet open for dinner

I think it has more to do with staffing since most employees who work at the Windjammer are also MDR staff. So since they are serving at each station, they cant have the staff in two places at once for dinner.

 

Just went on the Freedom of the Seas, no reservations needed.

Edited October 11, 2021 by TheBucketLister

[daninwi]

Like many others on the thread, we just got off a cruise, the Oasis, and there were no reservations needed for Windjammer.  You did need to scan in and scan out during each visit.  Many tables have 'reserved' signs to keep them empty for social distancing.  Food was pretty good for both breakfast and lunch - certainly we miss dinner in the Windjammer too.