tablecloths in WJ

[UandMe4Ever]

Hi Cruisers,

Just a couple of questions, please. We have sailed on EX, but never ate dinner in the WJ....Since we'll be on a B2B, 18 days, we thought we'd change up a bit from MTD in the DR and try WJ for dinners a few times.

:confused:

1) Do they have tablecloths dinnertime?

2) Does anyone serve you anything, i.e. cofee, drinks?

3) Can you take your food and eat "al fresco", near pool area?

Are there any pros/con to WJ dining? We don't mind dressing for DR, but just looking for another dining option, other than Portafinos or Prom...

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance and safe sails always:)

[cb at sea]

Yes..they do tableclothes for dinner. It's still a buffet and you will get your own food, but there are folks who will refill drinks and such. Yes, you can take your food elsewhere, if you prefer.

[BecciBoo]

Pros: I think it's good quality cafeteria food

Cons: there is variety but it rarely changes from day to day

I like it in a pinch, but we eat MDR for almost every meal unless we're late from a port stop or early up for breakfast.

[kc320]

We like the WJ for dinner as they often have a cooked to order station...either Pasta or someother type food...nice to be able to sample a variety of items...

[Ashland]

Yes..they do tableclothes for dinner. It's still a buffet and you will get your own food, but there are folks who will refill drinks and such. Yes, you can take your food elsewhere, if you prefer.

In addition to the above your cloth napkin wrapped silverware is already on the tables....and the lights are dimmed...

 

We prefer the WJ for dinner and usually sit at the same table/area and have the same waitstaff...we get to know them very well as they aren't rushing you due to a serving time frame...

 

A lot of the staff, officers and even the Captain can be found dining there many nights throughout the cruise.

 

Some of you that have never tried it just might be surprised !!

[Aquahound]

Yes..they do tableclothes for dinner.

 

If they are still using table cloths for dinner, it must only be on certain ships. I have not seen a table cloth for dinner in the WJ for a couple years now.

 

They do still, however, set the tables with rolled silverware and sometimes place mats.

[sue999]

Been on 10 cruises with RCI now and I have never seen tableclothes in the WJ.

Please dont let this put you off eating in the WJ.

I have had some really nice dining experiencies over the years :)

[Retired LEO]

Just off the Monarch and they do not have tablecloths and the tables are not set with silverware. Your plates and silverware are picked up at the beginning of the line. The same as lunch. They do come around to offer you drinks. I'm sure it varies from ship to ship.

[UandMe4Ever]

In addition to the above your cloth napkin wrapped silverware is already on the tables....and the lights are dimmed...

 

We prefer the WJ for dinner and usually sit at the same table/area and have the same waitstaff...we get to know them very well as they aren't rushing you due to a serving time frame...

 

A lot of the staff, officers and even the Captain can be found dining there many nights throughout the cruise.

 

Some of you that have never tried it just might be surprised !!

 

Thanks to all for the prompt and informative information! We're not that particular about table cloths in the WJ...We'd just like to try something different in the dining options!

Think we will most definitely give it a try....If we're pleased, we'll do it again--and again..... Maybe we'll even see the Captain?? Ya never know who lurks about in the WJ for dinner;)

Safe sails all and many thanks...

PS Still confused only as to the different posts re: no tablecloths, yes tablecloths..Guess it does vary..We're on Explorer!

[Debde]

 

 

PS Still confused only as to the different posts re: no tablecloths, yes tablecloths..Guess it does vary..We're on Explorer!

 

On every sailing, except for this last one on Voyager-I had tablecloths in the WJ for dinner. Love it!! Truly my time dining!! I find the menu changes and often.

[BillOh]

Pros: I think it's good quality cafeteria food

Cons: there is variety but it rarely changes from day to day

I like it in a pinch, but we eat MDR for almost every meal unless we're late from a port stop or early up for breakfast.

 

They don't serve the full dining room menu in the WJ, but there is frequently something from the MDR on the menu in the WJ. I've seen this a couple of times, so the evening menu does vary in a small percentage. I ate twice in the WJ on Jewel and each night had one or two different things. One night was an excllent Pork Chop, the other it was very good ribs. On the other ships it SEEMS (from questionable memory) that whats at the carving station changes daily.

[hazeleyez3]

We were on the Brilliance 01 Sept-08 Sept, and ate in the Windjammer most nights.

 

• Food was decent for a buffet
  
• Many of the MDR dishes could be found there
  
• No Tableclothes
  
• No pre-set silverware
  

[BillOh]

We were on the Brilliance 01 Sept-08 Sept, and ate in the Windjammer most nights.

 

• Food was decent for a buffet
  
• Many of the MDR dishes could be found there
  
• No Tableclothes
  
• No pre-set silverware
  

 

This is probably a good example of not all ships do things the same way. On Freedom there was the tableclothes and silverware, but on Jewel, there was not. (Or things change, it was 2008)

[dreamer976]

Don't know RCI's rhyme or reason, but a couple of years ago on the Freedom, decided to try the Windjammer one night for dinner and were very pleasantly surprised - tablecloths, dimmed lighting and a fantastic array of appetizer type foods and entrees.

 

Last year on the Radiance in Alaska, decided to show my parents what a great experience having dinner in Windjammer would be (especially since it was still light out and we could get a table right at the window, unlike the MDR for us). No tablecloths and the food selection was really awful and quite minimal. Very surprised and quite disappointed.

[lacey jane]

If they are still using table cloths for dinner, it must only be on certain ships. I have not seen a table cloth for dinner in the WJ for a couple years now.

 

They do still, however, set the tables with rolled silverware and sometimes place mats.

 

we just home from a cruise on 22nd and we had no tableclothes or cutlery on table!!!

[micdee]

Just got off the Explorer 9/9/12 to 9/16/12 and no tableclothes or siverware on tables in the WJ. Servers will take cocktail and beverage orders.

[Lottycruiser]

Mariner didn't have tablecloths or cutlery on the tablecloths in the windjammer .

In answer to your other question , I went into to the windjammer and helped myself to a plate of curry and took it out poolside and sat and ate while watching a movie on the big screen , this was at 8pm and there was only half a dozen people outside watching the movie .

[SevenSeas1492]

Went up to Winjammer on the Allure one night during dinner time just for curiosity--no tablecloths.

[Ashland]

As can be seen from mine and many of the posts and experiences above it can be a hit or miss.. Much depends on ship/itinerary/staff etc....But the nice thing with the WJ is if it's not up to your expectations...move on....no one is forcing you to stay...We have seen many just pass through after dining in the MDR to grab dessert...Enjoy !!!!

[whyrlygig]

We havent seen tablecloths in a very long time. Still really like eating in the wj just the same.

[UandMe4Ever]

As can be seen from mine and many of the posts and experiences above it can be a hit or miss.. Much depends on ship/itinerary/staff etc....But the nice thing with the WJ is if it's not up to your expectations...move on....no one is forcing you to stay...We have seen many just pass through after dining in the MDR to grab dessert...Enjoy !!!!

 

 

Thanks and I'm sure it will be fine to try....Guaranteed, we won't go hungry if it doesn't work out. Can't see why it won't.

[BillOh]

We havent seen tablecloths in a very long time. Still really like eating in the wj just the same.

 

Your probably right, looking back through my history 2008 was the last I saw the "enhanced Windjammer dinner experience" It was a nice experience having dinner in the WJ on jewel, but not like what we were referring to as far as experience, but the food was really good.

[CarpeCerevisi]

When you think about it, having tablecloths on the table really wouldn't make sense. To maintain proper cleanliness they would need to be changed after every diner leaves the table. Without them the table simply needs to be wiped down. I regularly eat dinner in the WJ and have seen how busy it can be especially in the early dinner hours, the amount of extra laundry could be quite large.

[retiredgram]

We were on the FOS in 2011 and went to the WJ for dinner. We had missed our early seating. They had tableclothes and the silverware was wrapped and on the table. We were quite surprised because we had never ate dinner there before.

Of course things could have changed since then.