FOS - Unusual dining question

[A2Mich]

Does anybody know what menu is offered on Wednesdays on Freedom of the Seas or does it vary from cruise to cruise? The reason I'm asking is that we are booked on Eastern Caribbean and will be in St Thomas that day from noon to 7:00pm. We re currently booked for early seating dinner, and would rather not cut port time short just to rush back for dinner. We always enjoy the MDR and would rather not have dinner at Windjammer. Could we use My Time Dining for the one night, or do we need to change our preference to MTD and prepay our gratuities? Of course we always have the option of the Windjammer or a specialty that night so we can go later (or just have an early dinner in Charlotte Amalie).

[dplusd]

You can not go back and forth between Traditional and MTD. If you prefer to keep Traditional dining, either return to the ship in time for diner or choose an alternative dining venue that one day.

[PSCruiser]

Not sure of the menu, except that with the late port it will not be a formal night, so not the lobster night.

I wouldn't make a change to MTD because of one night. Instead, I would talk to your head waiter early in the week and explain that you will be late getting on on Wed., and could you be accommodated? I'd be pretty sure they can work you in somehow.

Worst case, the Windjammer can be pretty good at dinner. Looks like you haven't sailed RC before, so you might want to give it a try.

[papaflamingo]

Best guess is Pimiento is the menu on Day 4. We did the New Years sailing so it was a bit different schedule due to New Years Eve, but I think it is Pimiento. A good night to do Chops. I believe that's what we did.

[tidygirl]

If I were you I'd try the Windjammer then you can eat when you want. I think it is a completely different scene in the evening! Lights are dimmed, much more relaxed and not very busy and they usually offer a specialty meat that they are serving in the MDR! We have been on about 9 RCI cruises and have only ate at the MDR 1 time! We like to eat when we choose and when we are done just get up and go! Some may thinks that's crazy but to each his own!

[negc]

You can also check in the dining room (or the CL or DL, if you have access to one or both of them) and ask to see the menu for that night and make your decision at that time. As others have already mentioned you can't choose between traditional and my time dining on a nightly basis, but you can choose to dine in the Windjammer or one of the specialty restaurants that evening if that is what best fits your schedule.

[Retiredprofessor]

Just returned from sailing on Independence last week and noticed that in the Compass they stated that for the 6 o'clock seating the doors "closed at 6:45" and for the 8:30 seating the doors "closed at 9:15" . I don't remember seeing that before. When I looked at a few Compasses that I had saved, they did not have that included. If it is a new policy, then I think it takes it out of your waiters hands to accommodate you.

[A2Mich]

Thank you all. I didn't think it would be a formal night. Have never been on any cruise where formal night is on a port day. I didn't think we could choose to do the MTD for one night. We'll likely just do Windjammer for dinner or plan ahead and make a reservation for a specialty that night. We have 3 kids, who will 10, 8, and 2 at the time, and were hoping to get set up with AO for the My Family Time Dining which would preclude us from doing the MTD, so a one night change of plans is not a big deal. We may also be so worn out from being ashore that we'll be back in time for MDR anyway. Thanks again to all of you!

[Raenstoirm]

Thank you all. I didn't think it would be a formal night. Have never been on any cruise where formal night is on a port day.

 

Interesting. OT, but we have never been on a cruise where the 2nd Formal Night was on a sea day. It has ALWAYS been on a port day.

[beautiful.thing]

Does anybody know what menu is offered on Wednesdays on Freedom of the Seas or does it vary from cruise to cruise? The reason I'm asking is that we are booked on Eastern Caribbean and will be in St Thomas that day from noon to 7:00pm. We re currently booked for early seating dinner, and would rather not cut port time short just to rush back for dinner. We always enjoy the MDR and would rather not have dinner at Windjammer. Could we use My Time Dining for the one night, or do we need to change our preference to MTD and prepay our gratuities? Of course we always have the option of the Windjammer or a specialty that night so we can go later (or just have an early dinner in Charlotte Amalie).

 

Thank you OP for asking this question because I am struggling with exactly the same thing and was going to ask this myself. I want to do an excursion that will end at 5:30 and have early dining. We never miss the MDR so I am torn.

[negc]

Interesting. OT, but we have never been on a cruise where the 2nd Formal Night was on a sea day. It has ALWAYS been on a port day.

It depends on the itinerary. Some cruises only have one sea day and others have a sea day as the last day before passengers debark which would cause problems for guests who want to spend the last afternoon packing. In general, on a 7 night cruise, the second formal night is held on the second last night of the cruise, whether or not it is a sea day or a port day. When the formal night is held on a day when the ship is in port, the ship usually sails earlier in the day, say 3 or 4 pm instead of 5, 6. or 7.