MDR Breakfast .. Stinks .. Why All The Love On Here ?

[brenderlou]

We like the MDR for breakfast over the feeding trough aka Windjammer. Never had an issue with slow service and we don't need a pile of food. Perfect portions for us.

[Paulette3028]

We like the MDR for breakfast over the feeding trough aka Windjammer. Never had an issue with slow service and we don't need a pile of food. Perfect portions for us.

 

On our very first cruise a friend who we were cruising with commented that she like the MDR because this way she doesn't overeat. She was on Weight Watchers at the time and the temptation of WJ was just too much for her at breakfast and even at lunchtime on many days.

 

As you say 'perfect portions' want more just order more.... a 3 egg omelette is still a 3 egg omelette.

[iheartbda]

Then I guess it is fortunate that it doesn't really matter whether you understand me or not.

Touche'.:D

 

We like the MDR for breakfast over the feeding trough aka Windjammer. Never had an issue with slow service and we don't need a pile of food. Perfect portions for us.

Certainly to each his own but, you don't have to take a pile of food from the feeding trough and you can get perfect portions.;)

[MOcruiserman]

I cannot see, going back to Royal Caribbean, if the food is that bad, so why go back. You pay for service, and that is what I expect. Oh, well I will have my first experience, and if it is bad. Will not be back. Good sit down service or I am not coming back on Royal Caribbean.

We ate most of our meals in the MDR, most breakfasts in the Windjammer. Overall we greatly enjoyed the dining experience. On our two HAL cruises I either lost weight or stayed the same. On my RCI cruise I gained 5 pounds.

[jmf123]

And perhaps I'm mis-remembering a different restaurant, but I thought the surcharge on Chops was $25? Varies between breakfast and dinner I guess?

 

Years ago, Chops dinner was $20 and delicious. Currently, Chops prices seem to vary by ship at $30, $35, and $39. YMMV (Your Meal May Vary). :D It was $35 on Jewel this past September.

[peteukmcr]

After several years of enduring the scrum down that is the WJ we discovered the MDR for breakfast. Never found Eggs Benedict in the WJ on RCI (they are in the buffet on Celebrity and Carnival). Never found fluffy pancakes in the WJ, only dried up hard circles of batter that are supposed to be pancakes.

 

Don't have to stand in line for eggs in the MDR.

 

Have always had great service on a table for 2 in the MDR, except on Splendour where the issue was with the door host not the wait staff.

 

We can both sit down in the MDR instead of 1 saving a seat in the WJ whilst the other waits in line to self serve and then the other gets up to wait in line once the other gets back.

 

Don't have to witness the unhygienic practices of some guests when helping themselves to buffet food and so passing that station by.

 

MDR for us and this is our experience over 21 RCI sailings.

[cincicruisers]

Our family enjoys the Windjammer for breakfast. There is plenty to choose from so everyone is happy.

[cruisecam1]

Food seems to have gone downhill from a few short years ago. For example, room service breakfast which is a treat on balcony for vacation, only powdered cold eggs and cold cereal available. Celebrity by comparison much better. Service very good. Food sadly doesn't match.

[Margy23]

We usually have a room service breakfast on our first morning - sleep in, then enjoy a Continental style breakfast on our balcony. We order pastries, a banana to share, and a fruit plate. I feel the coffee is better than the WJ, but we have learned to avoid room service eggs.

 

We like the MDR on days when we are not in a hurry - Kadota figs, which I avoid at home because of the calories, are a treat in the MDR. Also if I ask for just one egg Benedict or one poached egg, they are happy to oblige. We take two pieces of fruit bread when they offer the pastry tray and save one to eat instead of toast with our food. My husband is never disappointed with their bacon and eggs. Again, the coffee is better than the WJ. We enjoy visiting with people, so if the service is slow, we don't mind.

 

The WJ's strong point is the omelets, so we always include the WJ once or twice a cruise, although I feel the coffee is barely acceptable.

 

If we aren't very hungry, we may go to the Park Café to enjoy really good bagels with cream cheese and a nice selection of fruit.

 

The only breakfasts we have been unhappy with were two recent invitation-only Diamond breakfasts. I don't remember which ships or whether they were on the same ship, but they amounted to long waits and then long buffet lines for unexceptional food. I'm not talking about ships that have a special Diamond area in the MDR or an eat-with-an-officer breakfast - those we enjoy.

 

As the saying goes, these are definitely first world problems. We're cruising on Vision on January 11th, and I look forward to the opportunity to make these decisions. I'm not cooking and my husband isn't loading and emptying the dishwasher, so we're happy campers!

 

Margy

[MommaBear55]

If we want a fresh made omelet, we do the Windjammer. They have the pastries, fruit, bacon and sausages we like as well.

 

If we want French toast or pancakes or our favorite granola, fruit and yogurt bar in a calm and quiet environment, we do the MDR. We like meeting other's, so that is not an issue for us. The one time we asked for a table for two we were sat immediately.

 

On our cruises we are about 50/50 for the two venues.

 

I avoid toast at any restaurant anywhere, because it is never going to be like home.

[mollyeilis]

We've only gone to the MDR on a Royal ship once that we recall, and it was for the Dreamworks breakfast when it was free. That was a horrid menu with awful service. (and shortly after they started charging for it LOL)

 

 

Other than that experience, when we're awake for breakfast we go to WJ. On both of our family (vs the honeymoon cruise we barely recall) cruises we found the egg station quickly. Bob, I've gotten poached eggs there, in case that's the only reason you're going to the MDR.

 

If I have my real eggs, some coffee, some fruit, maybe a piece of toast or some potatoes, I'm good. :)

[Crown Vic]

RCI breakfast is uniformly terrible in all venues. Throw a dart and pick any other cruiseline and I guarantee their breakfast is better.

 

You just gotta eat kippers for breakfast...absolutely delish....

[polymedia]

I always eat breakfast alone at my own table in the mdr. Sometimes the food and service is better than others but generally perfectly acceptable. I can't ever remember long waits for anything. Most of the time it's faster than a busy restaurant or diner, in my experience.

[LMaxwell]

The clear emerging pattern is those who exclusively sail Royal like it just fine. Those that have sailed other lines realized that Royal just isn't as good in this area.

[davekathy]

The clear emerging pattern is those who exclusively sail Royal like it just fine. Those that have sailed other lines realized that Royal just isn't as good in this area.

 

We Cruise other Cruise lines and disagree with your statement. However I'm only speaking for my wife and me.

[MommaBear55]

The clear emerging pattern is those who exclusively sail Royal like it just fine. Those that have sailed other lines realized that Royal just isn't as good in this area.

 

I have sailed on Princess and Celebrity and have not noticed any distinct difference in the breakfasts. I am not a coffee drinker but I have certainly heard from my travel companions that the coffee varies tremendously not only between cruise lines but between ships in the same line and even can be different in different venues on the same ship.

 

One thing RCI has done is to have dedicated hot water pots for room service tea, rather than putting hot water in coffee castes.

[goodycruising]

We do love our room service fruit plate and pastries. They are options that don't spoil while the room service staff gets around with the trolley.

 

Then sometimes we go up to the Windjammer a bit later when the main rush is over (hot pancakes and cream!), and sometimes to the Diamond Lounge, where they have a self serve toaster. I like to have my toast well done so I have enjoyed that option.

 

That is the beauty of it, so many options to suit everyone. :)

[roswellcruiser]

I prefer the Park Cafe for breakfast... a sandwich, bagel, or burrito along with fruit and coffee equals a tasty breakfast for me.

[mapleleafvoyage]

Fresh off the Grandeur, found the food serving sizes much smaller than our last cruise last April.

Don't get me wrong, we were never hungry, but... it was not the best in the MDR for breakfast, I normally just went with the omelette, the toast-forget it, you couldn't eat it. We actually just went to the Windjammer and had fruit and I got a bagel there, that was at least edible.

 

My biggest complaint is that the coffee is absolutely terrible! Every single cup tastes different? Always has been on all our cruises.

Edited December 28, 2015 by mapleleafvoyage

[TravelerThom]

RCI breakfast is uniformly terrible in all venues. Throw a dart and pick any other cruiseline and I guarantee their breakfast is better.

GUARANTEE? Let's get real.

The clear emerging pattern is those who exclusively sail Royal like it just fine. Those that have sailed other lines realized that Royal just isn't as good in this area.

I have sailed on quite a number of lines during my sailings to all seven continents, and think you have absolutely nothing to support your statements. RCI certainly is less than perfect in a number of areas including breakfasts, but I have no problem finding lines that have worse breakfasts than RCI.

[F27TW]

We do love our room service fruit plate and pastries. They are options that don't spoil while the room service staff gets around with the trolley.

 

Then sometimes we go up to the Windjammer a bit later when the main rush is over (hot pancakes and cream!), and sometimes to the Diamond Lounge, where they have a self serve toaster. I like to have my toast well done so I have enjoyed that option.

 

That is the beauty of it, so many options to suit everyone. :)

 

 

We do the same! We call room service tray our "Pre-Breakfast" .. gotta have that coffee first thing on the balcony too.

 

Then up to WJ -- always find things up there to be happy with ... MDR is just not worth the effort for lousy food and service.

[pharaoh]

My last cruise prior to my most recent one was back in 2010 on Liberty, and I have such good MDR breakfast memories. But I was so disappointed in the breakfast I had at the MDR on Allure [emoji24]

 

Room service offerings were pretty poor as well. Those eggs are legit gross. Windjammer was okay.

 

Next time I have to try Wipeout Cafe as I hear good things about it from everyone!

 

Not interested in JR breakfast. Had terrible service there for lunch one day and not interested in returning, but never say never.

[goodycruising]

We do the same! We call room service tray our "Pre-Breakfast" .. gotta have that coffee first thing on the balcony too.

 

Then up to WJ -- always find things up there to be happy with ... MDR is just not worth the effort for lousy food and service.

 

One of my favourite things about cruising. I totally agree that for room service eggs, toast and other hot items can be an issue, but the fruit is lovely and fresh. On sailings we do out of Australia anyhow :) This picture shows two fruit plates put on one. We each pick the things we want. Assorted pastries can be a lottery, but there is usually something we like if not every thing on the pastry plates. So relaxing!

 

[sharpasice]

on Liberty a few weeks ago, anyone who did that were bluntly told at least a 20 minute wait, or you could be seated immediately with others. for breakfast and lunch. only larger parties( at least 6) could be seated quickly by themselves.

 

when you consider it will take an hour minimum, and you get a small scoop of scrambled eggs and a smaller dollop of hash browns, and no one coming back with the pastry tray, we learned long ago to not bother.

 

now, we do Chops since we are in a suite. while the serving sizes there can be equally skimpy, we simply augment with self serve pastries and fruit.

 

We just got off Freedom on the 20th...we asked for a table for 4 in the MDR and were told we couldn't since they were seating everyone together. We insisted (since we could see there were many 4 top tables available and there were seating people at them) so they finally gave us a table for 4...and then took 2 hours to complete breakfast!!! No one even came to take our orders for 15 mins, then another 15 for coffee. They never brought our juice and after placing our orders it took another 30 mins!!! The waiter came over and said sorry it's slow, someone else took your orders, so my supervisor will be serving you! Supervisor took another length of time and when we were finally served...never offered an apology (didn't even identify himself) and served eggs without the bread ordered...in fact, I went to the buffet to get my Mom some type of bread to have with her eggs and there was NONE on the mediocre buffet either! I was told we had to ask our waiter...who just disappeared! HORRIBLE experience. Two days later we tried the MDR again...this time they immediately seated us at a table for 4. But still the waiters were horrible.(totally different section than there first day) We were served coffee, placed our orders and were asked if we wanted bread, rolls etc. My Mom said not now but when my meal comes then yes please...Again, when her meal came..we looked everywhere for our waiter...no where to be found...and when we finally found the person with the bread...he actually said to my Mom...you didn't want any before and now you do! How horribly insulting! Head waiter came by and we told him what happened ...he said..some days are just too busy! He didn't care at all.

 

Our last two cruises on Oasis were not at all like this and we enjoyed breakfast in the MDR. I really don't understand at all what is really going on, Freedom really sucked for breakfast in the MDR

[LMaxwell]

GUARANTEE?

 

Yes. The loyalists who wouldn't dare book another line because they are afraid 1 or 2 activities might differ sing the praises of Royal's food. Those that have sailed elsewhere already know Royal's food doesn't measure up. You said as much yourself.