Breakfast & Lunch in the Main Dining Room

[BigGayBert]

Hello all!

 

My cruise is Friday and I have thought of another question for everyone! I notice that when people post reviews, they almost invariably eat lunch and dinner at the Windjammer versus the dining room. Does anyone ever eat in the dining room for lunch or dinner? My DH and I enjoy dining, and I prefer being served rather than eating at a buffet on most occasions (but don't get me wrong...I will still be making plenty of time for the Windjammer!). What are the advantages and disadvantages to eating lunch and breakfast in the main dining room? I figure we will probably do room service for breakfast on at least a few days, since we got a balcony! :D I am so friggin' excited about that balcony!!!

 

As always, thank you all for your wealth of knowledge. Cruise Critic has been such a great resource, and I know it is really going to make my vacation even more special and enjoyable!!! When I get back from the Explorer, I'll be sure to post the details!

 

 

Happy Cruising! :)

[Sue L]

On sea days we always eat breakfast in the dining room, but it does take longer than the buffet does. We usually don't eat lunch there though only because we tend to eat lunch very late and the dining room is closed by then. We do late seating dinner so if we eat lunch early then we are starving.

 

Enjoy your balcony and if you are like most of us you will never go back. My hubby still blames Princess for costing us the extra $$ each cruise for our balcony. Years ago on one of our first cruises they were doing a promotion for an upgrade to a balcony for 49$ per cabin. We took the upgrade, like who wouldn't, and have been spoiled ever since.

[kicker]

It took me 4 cruises before I ever tried lunch in the dining room. Once I tried it I wanted to do it each day. Pros: a good choice of items on the menu (I ordered two entrees with no problem). Also, if you like meeting other people, seating is determined by when you arrive, and you'll probably sit with people you haven't met before (e.g. - we're from NY, sat with people from No Carolina, one of whom went to college with an associate of my wife!). Cons: with the busy ship schedule you might miss something, or because of excursions not have time to use the dining room.

We're doing a 4 day in July. i hope to use the dining room on some days for breakfast and kunch, but it will probably depend on how much free time we end up with.

[Saintsfan007]

I've only been on one cruise, and did both the Windjammer and dining, both for lunch and dinner. Please do yourself a favor, and try the dining room for lunch, as it was quite good. For dinner, there is so much to chose from on the menu, you will not be disappointed. I even asked for something they served the day before, and was very delightfully surprised that I could get it. I don't know if I could get away with that every day, that depends upon your wait staff, which ours was top notch.

[mclou]

I've been on 5 cruises and have only missed the dining room for dinner once (an open seating night in port until late). I have eaten breakfast and lunch in the Windjammer but prefer the dining room - especially for lunch. If the Windjammer has an omelet station then breakfast is fine there but the dining room is far superior for lunch.

[cruisefanatic01]

I agree with mclou. Breakfast - Windjammer, Lunch & Dinner - dining room.

[happysinglemom]

My cruise is Friday and I have thought of another question for everyone! I notice that when people post reviews, they almost invariably eat lunch and dinner at the Windjammer versus the dining room. Does anyone ever eat in the dining room for lunch or dinner?

 

I am assuming you meant "breakfast and lunch"...yes?

 

We always ate breakfast in the Windjammer because we don't eat much for breakfast...prefer oatmeal, cereals, grits....and we were always in a hurry - excursions every day so we don't like to waste time waiting to be served. We rarely ate lunch on the ship - on our one sea day we didn't even eat lunch. Dinner was a different story however - we looked forward to the dining room every night for a relaxed and pampered evening.

[BigGayBert]

I am assuming you meant "breakfast and lunch"...yes?

 

We always ate breakfast in the Windjammer because we don't eat much for breakfast...prefer oatmeal, cereals, grits....and we were always in a hurry - excursions every day so we don't like to waste time waiting to be served. We rarely ate lunch on the ship - on our one sea day we didn't even eat lunch. Dinner was a different story however - we looked forward to the dining room every night for a relaxed and pampered evening.

 

hehehehe....my brain has already switched to vacation mode!!! ;) Yes, I did indeed mean breakfast and lunch. The sad fact is that I actually proof-read that post at least five times before posting it. Obviously I really need this cruise!! :D

 

Thanks, everyone, for your responses! It sounds like the dining room is definitely "our style", although we will most certainly be checking out the Windjammer several times...oh, the beauty of a 9-nighter! My only other cruise was 3 nights, and someone had to drag me off of that ship (Big Red Boat)!

[Hypo]

I too, echo the sentiment for eating in the dining room for most meals. However, the dining room is not always open for lunch. On our last two cruises, the dining room was open for lunch only on sea days.

 

Hypo

[cb at sea]

I can't imagine paying so much for a cruise, and then eating buffet food all week! Crazy! The dining room is wonderful--and it doesn't take that much longer for breakfast!!! By the time you wander around the Windjammer, searching for a table, carrying you plate and utensils, juggling your drinks, etc.... you could have been served (on tableclothes!) in the dining room--and guess what? Your food will be HOT!!!!! Lovely!!!

Lunch--if you're at the pool, the dining room is a bit of trouble, since you can't wear a bathing suit cover-up in there. The windjammer works for a quick bite!

Dinner--We LOVE the dining room!!!!! You have tablemates to share your daily stories with (unless you decided to sit alone--why?????), find out what everyone's next day plans are, and generally make dinner a social experience!

I've never understood why the Windjammer seems to be the destination of choice for so many!

[zantedeschia]

Lunch in the dining room - pro: the menu is very nice. Con: it's hit and miss with tablemates.

 

Didn't like breakfast in the dining room any of the times I tried. The buffet is excellent for breakfast, room service is good too.

[TEXASMUNK]

I can drive to a Luby's any time.

 

Why would I want to walk a buffet line, carry trays, seek a seat,etc,etc,etc,

 

I am on vacation

[gandh621]

Hello all!

 

My cruise is Friday and I have thought of another question for everyone! I notice that when people post reviews, they almost invariably eat lunch and dinner at the Windjammer versus the dining room. Does anyone ever eat in the dining room for lunch or dinner? My DH and I enjoy dining, and I prefer being served rather than eating at a buffet on most occasions (but don't get me wrong...I will still be making plenty of time for the Windjammer!). What are the advantages and disadvantages to eating lunch and breakfast in the main dining room? I figure we will probably do room service for breakfast on at least a few days, since we got a balcony! :D I am so friggin' excited about that balcony!!!

 

As always, thank you all for your wealth of knowledge. Cruise Critic has been such a great resource, and I know it is really going to make my vacation even more special and enjoyable!!! When I get back from the Explorer, I'll be sure to post the details!

 

 

Happy Cruising! :)

 

Hi there! I think that breakfast in the dining room was more relaxed and nice if you don't have an excursion that leaves really early in the morning. They are a little bit slower from my past experience.....than at dinner time, but still it is nice. We ate there 3 out of 4 mornings on the Sovereign.

For lunch, we only got to eat in the dining room during sea day since we were on excursions or hurrying in from one to eat at the Windjammer and head back out for something else to do in port. In my opinion, the dining room lunch was the best one we had. The selection was good, food was great and it was the only dessert I had that I truly LOVED. It was a dark chocolate creme brulee and it was heavenly! Wish I had known that I could requested it at dinner but I wasn't a CC member yet to know the good tips.

Anyway, to answer your question.....you will love the dining room for those meals........but if you're pressed for time get there a little earlier or make it a Windjammer meal . :D

Have a great cruise!!!!!!! You're so lucky that you get to go on Friday!! WOW!:eek:

Holly

[albertiger]

(Love your screen name!)

I travel alone quite a bit and something i really enjoy is dining, meaning Being Served! Just off Empress and had breakfast and lunch in the dining room every day it was open! I like to sit alone and read my book or newspaper and not have to make chit-chat so i make friends with the headwaiter at the door on the first day to get a nice table for two with a view and then compensate him at the end of the week!;)

[negc]

I may be in the minority who prefer the Windjammer. Occasionally we have gone to the dining room for breakfast or lunch during our cruises and while I am not usually a fan of buffets, on RCI I generally prefer the Windjammer for a couple of reasons. The breakfast and luncheon offerings in the dining room are relatively limited, and for breakfast, at least, we have found the service to be painfully slow. Selections in the Windjammer for both meals is far more extensive, with a variety of carved meats at, vegetables, salads, deli sandwiches and desserts at lunch and just about anything you can think of available for breakfast. On Radiance class ships, we especially enjoy dining al fresco at the rear of the ship, and only rarely have difficulty finding a suitable table. Waiters circulate offering juices, coffee and tea, and it really isn't necessary to juggle things unless you insist on bringing everything to your table at one time. I usually get juice and oatmeal to start off and then return for the eggs, bacon etc. - No problem.:)

[berylde]

We find the buffets usually very crowded, espically on sea days. And from what I,ve read on these boards, the two largest ships can be a "mob scene"

 

We use the dining room alot--very relaxing. Also, if you want a table just for 2---just ask

[Truluv]

Breakfast: Most of my family members are unfit to carry on a conversation in the morning. I end up doing all the talking so we don't sit there as a silent, surly group, and then I feel like an idiot. One of my kids is a bacon addict, and prefers to help himself at the buffet.

Lunch: We like the offering at the buffet, especially the carver station. When in port, the dining room is usually closed anyway. I also stand a better chance of getting everyone together at the Windjammer, even if some people are coming and some are going, then getting everyone together at a fixed time to eat in the dining room.

[Bufordite]

I'm a fan of the dining room for breakfast! We normally have a heavy breakfast and then snack in the late afternoon, so I've never had lunch in the dining room.

[gaileeh]

If time allows, breakfast and lunch in the dining room is much better than the windjammer. The food in the windjamer is good but we prefer the dining room. Open seating allows you to meet more people, DH and I enjoyed experience of meeting different tablemates at each seating.

[piercetc4]

before every cruise we say we will try main dining room one breakfast and one lunch in addition to dinner- have yet to make it there since we are running here after a quick bite or running there- this thread makes me want to try harder next time - sounds like a lovely experience to be served in the main d.r. versus buffet line and table searching....:)

[katiel53]

We were on Mariner last week and had breakfast in the dining room most days. They make fresh omelets and it seems to be easier than going to the Windjammer. If you like to really sleep in, then you probably would have to go to the Windjammer.

 

Lunch in the dining room can be quick if you so desire. The menu is basically the same for lunch every day except that there is a special daily. We also had a pasta station that was wonderful. I ordered fettucini with a white wine alfredo type sauce and had bits of ham, onion and garlic added. I absolutely loved it. Each day there is a different kind of pasta, but I think the sauces stay the same.

 

I think eating in the dining room is less rushed feeling and more relaxing. The days we ate breakfast in the Windjammer, I had an omelet made to order and they had the best breakfast potatoes right near the omelet station.

 

Lunch on the port days was in the Windjammer as the dining room is closed. The exception to that was our day in Coco Cay. I like the carving station and salad area. There is always something that appeals to us.

 

Enjoy your cruise. I wish we were going again soon.

 

 

Katie

[KarinaGW]

:rolleyes:

The following are from two different trip reports 4 and a half years apart:

 

Voyager 3/2002

Breakfast - actually preferred breakfast in Windjammer/Island Grill (if Island Grill is open, go back there...same food, shorter lines. If it's not open, go on the left side in the Windjammer...same reasons) to the dining room (the one morning I was up to try it). There was a good variety and I love to just have a little of whatever strikes my fancy.

 

Explorer 9/2006

Woke up at 8:45. had our only breakfast in the Dining Room. It was fine, but actually felt slightly more harried than breakfast in the WJ. Not to mention, I am just not awake enough in the mornings for chit-chat with tablemates who would change everyday. Note: You get two eggs benedict when you order Eggs Benedict.

[PattyW]

I went to lunch in the dining room once and said never again. We were seated with tablemates who ordered courses and courses of food. We ordered just entrees but had to wait until the entire table finished their appetizer and salad first. What a waste of time - I have no desire to spend over four hours of my day eating while on vacation (1 hour Breakfast, 1 hour lunch, 2 hours dinner)

[reallyitsmema]

Bert, try it all and decide what works for you. I don't like breakfast in the dining room, took way too long. We have our first balcony too and are going to order breakfast from room service. I want to sit out and enjoy the view. It is your vacation, enjoy it your way:)

[terri23]

the food can be better (not always) in the DR but, as others have noted, you will be seated at a large table according to arrival time. last cruise, we were a group of 4, and requested our own table at DR lunch once and that was no problem at all. we just don't enjoy the 'big tables with strangers' mode of dining at breakfast or lunch.

 

I think if you want a fast lunch, skip the DR or ask your waiter if he'll bring your entree right away. They will probably accomodate you.

 

have a great cruise :)