prefer windjammer over Dining room ?

[MM27]

[quote name='Paula_MacFan']Eating with a table of strangers is not my idea of vacation either.[/quote]

[FONT=Century Gothic][SIZE=3][COLOR=darkorchid]I'm with you on that one![/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[emdia43]

I eat in the dining room on the first night and then it's WJ all the way for me. I much prefer the food there and the relaxed atmosphere.
I tip the waiters and Maitre d' regardless as I figure they are there ready to wait on me if I wish,I just don't enjoy the dining rooms.
I like Jade the best,their lamb curry is sooo good. I was hoping it would be on the menu more often than it was.:)

[Lowcountrygal]

[quote name='nanfromatlanta']We love the Mongolian barbecue. You select your meats (sliced chicken, beef or pork), select your veggies, select your sauce, and they will stir fry it for you and bring it to your table. They will also grill a steak for you, and you have a selection of many of the same soups and entrees which are in the dining room. We often see the captain and some of the officers dining there in the evening.

It is a very relaxing atmosphere... lots of tables (with tablecloths), and no lines.[/quote]

I will compare & contrast the Radiance WJ with that of the Mariner:

I recall the Mongolian BBQ and the tablecloths aboard the Radiance. I distinctly recall hurricane lights on the tables with low overhead lighting in the WJ as well. The Windjammer aboard the Radiance seems much more intimate and interestingly, offering a nicer variety of entrees / sides and with more elegance. We dined there often because it was so different from the Mariner. Our teen son loved that he could add toppings to his own pizza and then have it baked; he also thought the Radiance WJ offered much better hamburgers at any time of the day or evening. We did not care for our dining room table assignment aboard the Radiance and didn't want to bother with trying to change it on a sold out cruise, so we opted mostly for the WJ instead and were so pleasantly surprised. Our normal supper time is in-between seatings, so we didn't have to rush back from port for early seating and didn't have to wait so late for the second seating.

On the Mariner, I recall a limited section of tables with tablecloths near Portofino & Chops. Often, I found the ship's officers dining at those tables. I don't recall a Mongolian BBQ aboard the Mariner at all. The Mariner's WJ is larger but the intimacy, the upscale offerings, and tablecloths were much less than aboard the Radiance.

Rose

[Lowcountrygal]

[quote name='joanne59']Over the years, we find that several eating choices help make the cruise more interesting. We have done the "dining room" thing but now prefer to eat at our pace and have decided that the windjammer and all the other options fit our schedule much better than 2 hours, with the same people, dressed up, at a certain time each night. We tend to spend more time participating in the other night activities when we are not trying to work around a set dining time. It makes for a more relaxing cruise and our suit cases are lighter in the long run without all those suits, formal clothes and extra shoes. We love the choices in the windjammer and you actually are able to taste more than one option without feeling like you are wasting something if it is not to your liking. After eating all day, it is also fun to just have tea and dessert before heading to the show. I find we don't gain as much and feel better when we get off the ship, which makes for a comfy tummy as we return to the real world.

Don't get me wrong, I love to eat and a good portion of our cruise experience involves food. However, the flexability of staying away from the dining room is so much more enjoyable for us at this point in our cruising life. Thank goodness for the options that RCCL allows its passengers.[/quote]

Well said......and I couldn't agree more.
We will take a couple of nights out for Chops & Portofino. We have often found very interesting dining companions in the WJ as opposed to some of our dining room tablemates who were so low on conversation or preferred their native language instead even when fluent in English. You don't always get easy to talk to tablemates in the dining room! Like you, I enjoy selecting my own food and my own portion (smaller) together with the ability of enjoying more vegetables & less meat.

[CKZ]

I'm sure that tipping is accepted... Question is do you use cash, or are there vouchers...? I'm thinking cash, $5.00- $10.00 ... does that sound about right ?
Thanks ! Charles.

[Lowcountrygal]

We always do prepaid gratuities so the dining staff get their tip no matter if we eat in the dining room or not.

We would tip on a daily basis to the WJ staff that waited on us -- bring us additional drinks, coffee, wine, etc. clear our plates, etc.

We also noticed, at least on the Radiance, that a large tip box with envelopes appeared at the WJ entrance on the last day of the cruise so that a general tip could be placed there to be distributed to all WJ staff. Dining room staff are rotated to the Windjammer on a regular interval (every six to eight weeks?) or so for a week's duty and they miss their normal dining room tips and rely on passengers to either tip daily in the WJ or leave a general tip in the tip box.

We would tip on a daily basis and leave also left a general tip in the tip box. I don't remember vouchers for the WJ, but someone will chime in if I'm forgetting this.

[Cruz-On]

Dh and I love the WindJammer. We usually do dinner the first nightin the dining room then we hit the WJ as both of us hate dressing up and like be wearing shorts or whatever. We usually sit in the same area and have the same wiat staff who knows our names. They are wonderful!! We tip them. We enjoy the ambience of the dimmed lights, quietness and we don't have to eat with people we don't know or care to dine with. Love having choices to each thier own.

[Ken Greco]

Once is a while we will have breakfast in the formal dining room. It is nice to be seated with other people differnet from your dinner tablemates. The great part is if you do not like them you do not have to see them again. We have found some very interesting guests that way though.
Ken

[ColoradoMom!!]

[quote name='Lowcountrygal'] I don't recall a Mongolian BBQ aboard the Mariner at all.

Rose[/quote]

Oh dear! That's a bummer. I already told my family about it -- oops!!

[charlesjoy]

[quote name='b&wcruiser']We only eat in the Windjammer (or in a speciality restaurant).
I's so relaxing, you don't have to dressup to much, go at a time you want to eat, and have all the time.
Are there other people who prefer the Windjammer over the Dining room?
You never see much people in the Windjammer at dinner time.

Theo[/quote]

The answer is a big YES, for the same reasons you list and 2 hours for dinner to us is a big waste of time. I know others will not agree but the Windjammer is so much more relaxing and that's why we cruise (to relax)!

[BearySweet2Cruise]

[quote name='Ella2']We have done Windjammer/Jade dinners on VOYAGER CLASS ships, but not on the Monarch...the choices were NOT appealing and MUCH more limited than they are on the larger ships (as they were at breakfast and lunch as well).

Sorrento's on the Monarch is also not the same as Sorrento's on a Voyager or Freedom Class ship.

I just want to warn folks that there are differences in the facilities between the classes of ship in the fleet, so I would advise taking a look at the dinner options onboard when deciding where to eat. That's not to say the Windjammer (and Jade on ships that offer it) are BAD alternatives, they are not, and we have used them as well. Just be sure you will want to eat something that is offered there.[/quote]
I feel that the choices in the WJ are very adaquete and even overwhelming with the extensive varieties to choose from. We have found that most of the time, the same entre's being served in the dining room are also offered in the WJ. I love teh jammer. My DD loves teh dining room experience, so when sailing with DD it is DR, when she is not with me it is WJ all the time. Now some folks have asked about tipping in the jammer.. you can do a few options here.. you can give the wait staff cash after the meal, just as you would in a regular restraunt back home, or you can add the standard tipping amount for head waiter, assistant waiter, etc.. as the same waiters who serve you in the DR are rotated to the wind jammer and still need to be tipped. This can be added to your sea pass account and then a voucher will be printed in which you can place in the envelope provided. I prefer cash by far over the vouchers because it makes me feel warm fuzzies to know that I can personally hand cash
directly to the recipient and then I am 100% certain they get the cash.

[MM27]

I had a fabulous server in the Windjammer on my last cruise. We sat in his section every night and he would even come by in the mornings when he was working breakfast to see us. He was so attentive and would come talk to us, bring us things and always made sure our drinks were refilled. He even told us what they had at the dessert station and would ask if he could bring us anything. On the last night we put money in a card for him and he was so surprised and greatful. I also wrote a note on the comment card about how wonderful he was and how he made us feel so special on this cruise.

[threeofus]

[quote name='Paula_MacFan']Eating with a table of strangers is not my idea of vacation either.[/quote]

Really I couldn't agree more....trying to make small talk with people you may have nothing in common with is too much work!

[ColoradoMom!!]

[quote name='MM27']I had a fabulous server in the Windjammer on my last cruise. We sat in his section every night and he would even come by in the mornings when he was working breakfast to see us. He was so attentive and would come talk to us, bring us things and always made sure our drinks were refilled. He even told us what they had at the dessert station and would ask if he could bring us anything. On the last night we put money in a card for him and he was so surprised and greatful. I also wrote a note on the comment card about how wonderful he was and how he made us feel so special on this cruise.[/quote]

That's awesome. What ship were you on?

[Candleonwater]

For us, Windjammer makes for such a relaxing vacation. No "set" schedule to follow, no having to get dressed up - just what I need on a vacaton.

[cleob]

On our first cruise we took my 14 year old daughter and sat at a table for 8 with just one other couple and their 15 year old son. Sounds like a decent match right? Not so much. The family were awful snobs and clearly were annoyed with us being at their table.
We went to the Windjammer every night after that first night and had no complaints at all.
On our next cruise we were determined to make the best out of whatever tablemates we got and enjoy the dining room experience. We made out much better the second time. We had a table for 10 and although one of the couples were snobbish, the others were great fun. We meet a couple of the couples for drinks at one of the pubs during the cruise.
We go again in March and plan to eat mainly at the dining room although we will be going to Chops this time.
If one situation doesn't work there are always other options which is great.

[frito58]

Does anyone know if they have mongolian barbecue on the AOS? It sounds great.

[KillaFee]

We only decided to check out the Windjammer for dinner on our last two cruises and I'm sure glad we did! I love it! It's very intimate, quiet, and calm, and I can't believe how different it is from the WJ atmosphere during the day. It's also nice to see alot of the dancers and cruise directors staff enjoying dinner away from the crowds - it's nice to see them relax.
We will usually go there for dinner once or twice during a week long cruise.
Laura

[Puffinater]

[quote name='Ocean Boy']Then maybe you should try standing in line like an adult.[/quote]

This was just too funny. Thanks for the laugh. I needed it.

[Puffinater]

Never gave dinner in thethe WJ much thought but after reading all these posts I can see us trying it on our next cruise.

[nanfromatlanta]

[quote name='frito58']Does anyone know if they have mongolian barbecue on the AOS? It sounds great.[/QUOTE]

Yes, they do.

[frito58]

Cool, thank you nan:cool:

[AdMaven]

We dined exclusively in the WJ this weekend on the Monarch with the exception of the last night (handing out tips). We had excellent personal service there and I asked one of the waiters about getting tipped in the WJ and he told me they alternate every week between the dining room and the WJ so every other week they all work for no tips. Tips or no, we were very impressed with the service we received in the WJ and they usually had the same entree available at dinner.

Two years ago Jade had a menu in addition to their sushi, but no longer. I don't know when that changed, but we really missed it!

[toriwc]

I've always considered myself a dining room person, and DH would have preferred the WJ. On our last cruise, we did the WJ one night, and I was really pleased. I think we will be frequenting the WJ more often from now on for dinner. He and I are super fast eaters (like no matter where we are or who we are with, people comment on it...ugh.), so there is no waiting around, and we really liked being away from the crowds. I should have listened to DH sooner! (Just don't tell him I said that! :) )

[daisysheridan]

Windjammer! When I worked in an office my feeling was that I had to dress for work 5 days a week. I didn't want to HAVE to do the same on vacation. We pack SOOO much less when we decide to just do the Windjammer for dinner. We can always go to the Dining Room for breakfast or lunch.