OCruisers Posted September 10, 2015 #126 Share Posted September 10, 2015 Our reason for not going to the MDR on Formal nights has nothing to do with the dress code which is quite lax anyway. We just LOVE to have dinner in Specialty restaurants. YUM! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sitzmark Posted September 10, 2015 #127 Share Posted September 10, 2015 I was just interested in hearing some opinions from other RCI cruisers after having a discussion with some friends. Do any of you go to the MDR for both formal nights, one night, or none of them? For me even though formal nights don't appear to be really FORMAL these days, the only time I typically get to eat lobster and my key lime pie is on formal night #2. My friends say they don't really care about it anymore and would opt for specialty or Windjammer. What are your thoughts? Based on the conversations on CC, I'm not sure that I'll enjoy the MDR any night. I certainly have my expectations set low so they won't have to work hard to impress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCI Cruisers 004 Posted September 11, 2015 #128 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Yes we do both formal nights. We used to skip the MDR and just go to WJ but now we enjoy the MDR and hardly ever go to WJ. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulette3028 Posted September 11, 2015 #129 Share Posted September 11, 2015 Yes we do both formal nights. We used to skip the MDR and just go to WJ but now we enjoy the MDR and hardly ever go to WJ. What brought you back (??) to the MDR, may I ask? We personally always have enjoyed the MDR and only go to Izumi, for one dinner, as a specialty restaurant if it is on a ship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCI Cruisers 004 Posted September 12, 2015 #130 Share Posted September 12, 2015 What brought you back (??) to the MDR, may I ask? We personally always have enjoyed the MDR and only go to Izumi, for one dinner, as a specialty restaurant if it is on a ship. The best answer I can give you is we got tired of carting a tray of food around a crowded room, looking for a table and trying to stay out of the way of the grazers hell bent on claiming the last scoop of smashed taters ! We found it much more relaxing just showing up at MDR and having excellent service ! We enjoy the food there and have never had bad service ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulette3028 Posted September 12, 2015 #131 Share Posted September 12, 2015 The best answer I can give you is we got tired of carting a tray of food around a crowded room, looking for a table and trying to stay out of the way of the grazers hell bent on claiming the last scoop of smashed taters ! We found it much more relaxing just showing up at MDR and having excellent service ! We enjoy the food there and have never had bad service ! We enjoy the MDR; plenty of people berate the MDR experience and do the specialty restaurants or WJ. Some like the WJ for its ultra casualness (personally I like to change into nicer clothes for dinner). The only specialty restaurant we go to is Izumi, for the Japanese food, which has always been good. I see no reason to go to a steak house or Italian restaurant on the ship when many of those types of foods can be found on the MDR menu and you are already paying for that. I have never had a bad meal in the MDR -- if I did not like something, I asked for something else and always got it. Got a great chuckle when you described the 'grazers hell bent on claiming the last scoop of smashed tater'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RCI Cruisers 004 Posted September 12, 2015 #132 Share Posted September 12, 2015 We enjoy the MDR; plenty of people berate the MDR experience and do the specialty restaurants or WJ. Some like the WJ for its ultra casualness (personally I like to change into nicer clothes for dinner). The only specialty restaurant we go to is Izumi, for the Japanese food, which has always been good. I see no reason to go to a steak house or Italian restaurant on the ship when many of those types of foods can be found on the MDR menu and you are already paying for that. I have never had a bad meal in the MDR -- if I did not like something, I asked for something else and always got it. Got a great chuckle when you described the 'grazers hell bent on claiming the last scoop of smashed tater'. Agree with everything ! Much more relaxing to put on your nice duds and have some else take care of you. Like you, we have always had good meals in MDR, and if you don't care for something, they have lotsa something else ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulette3028 Posted September 12, 2015 #133 Share Posted September 12, 2015 (edited) We always eat in the MDR. We have "dressed" (me in suit, wife in a nice dress). The food is sometimes better those nights, but not always. Given the level of participation we observed in "dressing" those nights we made the decision that on future cruises we will probably dress as we do on the other nights and save the packing space. I know it is a horror to some...but we will still dine in the MDR on those nights. The formal part of formal night has gotten a less formal over the years. DH doesn't take his tux nor do I bring a cocktail dress. But we do dress a little different than we might do on the other professed less formal nights. No horror to me at all.....as long as the bathing suit attire and the wet towel doesn't show up, JMO. Edited September 12, 2015 by Paulette3028 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockdoctor Posted September 12, 2015 #134 Share Posted September 12, 2015 We think the Formal Night menu's tend to be better than non-formal night menus. So we try not to miss Formal Night in the MDR. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjdixon4 Posted September 13, 2015 Author #135 Share Posted September 13, 2015 We think the Formal Night menu's tend to be better than non-formal night menus. So we try not to miss Formal Night in the MDR. OP here- I agree with you, that I think formal night MDR food is a little better. But then, that's purely subjective, isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark-Sheffield Posted September 13, 2015 #136 Share Posted September 13, 2015 (edited) For us, its not just about the food ! Cruising for my wife and i is all about dressing up and it is a major part of our holiday. On shore i can eat in Michelin star restaurants if we choose where the food is arguably better, but every night on a cruise is a special night and dress wise we make a big effort. Edited September 13, 2015 by Mark-Sheffield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare mcatmcat Posted September 13, 2015 #137 Share Posted September 13, 2015 OP here- I agree with you, that I think formal night MDR food is a little better. But then, that's purely subjective, isn't it? Maybe it is, but the only time you will see lobster without a charge is on formal night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjdixon4 Posted September 14, 2015 Author #138 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Maybe it is, but the only time you will see lobster without a charge is on formal night. That's true, and MDR formal night is when I make certain that I get my fill of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
srlafleur Posted September 14, 2015 #139 Share Posted September 14, 2015 (edited) We always eat in the MDR on formal nights. We dress for it, but we eat there more because we like the menu offerings those nights. (Truth be told, we rarely eat anywhere else on any evening.) Edited September 14, 2015 by srlafleur Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 14, 2015 #140 Share Posted September 14, 2015 We always eat in the MDR on formal nights. We dress for it, but we eat there more because we like the menu offerings those nights. (Truth be told, we rarely eat anywhere else on any evening.) What is main dish on first formal? I don't seem to recall Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarea Posted September 14, 2015 #141 Share Posted September 14, 2015 What is main dish on first formal? I don't seem to recall Saffron menu. Barramundi, Duck, Beef Tenderloin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare John&LaLa Posted September 14, 2015 #142 Share Posted September 14, 2015 Saffron menu. Barramundi, Duck, Beef Tenderloin. Medium rare tenderloin, yummy. :D Duck is good as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nomoreknothead Posted September 14, 2015 #143 Share Posted September 14, 2015 We are in the MDR every night, unless one of us happen to be ill! We love the formal nights and actually dress up even on non-formal nights! We don't dress up at home so we enjoy it while on vacation! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
george35 Posted September 14, 2015 #144 Share Posted September 14, 2015 We eat all our meals in the MDR unless our TA gives us a meal in the Pay for dinning resturants. I love the Formal nights because I get to see my wife of 58 years REALLY dress up & I am so proud to show her off. LONG LIVE FORMAL NIGHTS. george35 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTBCruiser Posted September 14, 2015 #145 Share Posted September 14, 2015 We've eaten all of our meals in the MDR and don't go overboard (no pun intended) to dress up for formal night. :cool: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UpcountryTravelers Posted September 14, 2015 #146 Share Posted September 14, 2015 We eat all our meals in the MDR unless our TA gives us a meal in the Pay for dinning resturants. I love the Formal nights because I get to see my wife of 58 years REALLY dress up & I am so proud to show her off. LONG LIVE FORMAL NIGHTS. george35 Amen. Formal nights are one reason we cruise!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlake Posted September 14, 2015 #147 Share Posted September 14, 2015 We eat all our meals in the MDR unless our TA gives us a meal in the Pay for dinning resturants. I love the Formal nights because I get to see my wife of 58 years REALLY dress up & I am so proud to show her off. LONG LIVE FORMAL NIGHTS. george35 That is so very sweet, I bet she feels like a very special girl. We always go on formal nights and love to dress up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cjdixon4 Posted September 14, 2015 Author #148 Share Posted September 14, 2015 We eat all our meals in the MDR unless our TA gives us a meal in the Pay for dinning resturants. I love the Formal nights because I get to see my wife of 58 years REALLY dress up & I am so proud to show her off. LONG LIVE FORMAL NIGHTS. george35 George, what a beautiful sentiment! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHateSnow! Posted September 15, 2015 #149 Share Posted September 15, 2015 We tend to look at the menus and decide. When we go as a group we almost always at least have a light meal in the MDR. This upcoming cruise we're not going formal. But we are bringing MDR appropriate clothing. More than likely well do chops/sabor on formal night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ladysilver Posted September 15, 2015 #150 Share Posted September 15, 2015 We enjoy both formal nights. :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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