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Do You Visit MDR for Any Formal Nites?

cjdixon4

By cjdixon4,
in Royal Caribbean International

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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.

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

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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.

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RCI Cruisers 004

RCI Cruisers 004

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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 !

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

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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'.

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RCI Cruisers 004

RCI Cruisers 004

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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 !

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Paulette3028

Paulette3028

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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 by Paulette3028
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cjdixon4

cjdixon4

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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?

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Mark-Sheffield

Mark-Sheffield

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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 by Mark-Sheffield
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John&LaLa "Live from...." Rare

John&LaLa

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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

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george35

george35

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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

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UpcountryTravelers

UpcountryTravelers

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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!!

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starlake

starlake

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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

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cjdixon4

cjdixon4

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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!

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IHateSnow!

IHateSnow!

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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.

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