Eating on our balcony

[FrankNBrew]

We are booked on Liberty in a deck 10 aft cabin with a spacious balcony. I'm wondering if we decide to eat meals on our balcony (breakfast, lunch and/or dinner) would we be better off ordering room service, or heading to the Windjammer ourselves and filling up a plate? Is there a charge for room service, or is this an included service of the cabin steward? If we want to peruse the buffet, load up a plate and head to our room, do they have carry out containers with lids? How long should we expect it to take us to get from our room to the Windjammer, load up a plate from the buffet, and get back to our room? I'm guessing there are no stairs in the back of the boat...just the stairs about 1/3 of the way from the back of the ship. Is this correct? I'm guessing walking up and down between 10 and 11 is much quicker, and preferred over waiting for an elevator. All suggestions and tips appreciated!!

[Clarea]

Except for continental breakfast for a few hours in the morning, room service now costs $8 (plus 18%) per order.

 

No carry out containers in Windjammer.  We use two plates each and cover one plate with the other plate.

 

No guest accessible stairs aft.  Figure about 10 minutes for the round trip to WJ, plus any time you spend loading up plates. 

[Dajbman22]

The cold continental breakfast room service is complimentary (including coffee and instant juices). All other meals through room service incur an $8+gratuity fee (the fee is per order, not per item, so it may be worth it if you're getting a full meal). They do not have to-go containers/lids at the windjammer. I have never sailed on the Freedom class, and never in an aft cabin, so I can't comment on how long/the logistics of carrying your food back from the Windjammer would be for your exact situation.

 

In general, my wife and I tend to have breakfast on our balcony just about every day we've cruised, and we usually base the meal around the included continental breakfast, and I'll often shoot up to whatever ship's buffet for a couple of extra items like some sausages or hashbrowns... usually only what I can fit on one plate. We've always managed to get a higher-floor cabin near the aft stairs/elevators, so it's always been only 2-3 decks and a couple steps for me to have to carry my one plate of supplemental food. We also occasionally will have a small midday or pre-dinner snack on our balcony, also either procured from the buffet or if on RCI, one of the other grab-and-go venues like Cafe Promenade. I just fit what I can reasonably on one plate.  

[John&LaLa]

20 minutes ago, FrankNBrew said:

We are booked on Liberty in a deck 10 aft cabin with a spacious balcony. I'm wondering if we decide to eat meals on our balcony (breakfast, lunch and/or dinner) would we be better off ordering room service, or heading to the Windjammer ourselves and filling up a plate? Is there a charge for room service, or is this an included service of the cabin steward? If we want to peruse the buffet, load up a plate and head to our room, do they have carry out containers with lids? How long should we expect it to take us to get from our room to the Windjammer, load up a plate from the buffet, and get back to our room? I'm guessing there are no stairs in the back of the boat...just the stairs about 1/3 of the way from the back of the ship. Is this correct? I'm guessing walking up and down between 10 and 11 is much quicker, and preferred over waiting for an elevator. All suggestions and tips appreciated!!

 

There is a crew stair that I may have used back in the day.  😉 Lots of sign saying you're not supposed to be there.  It is also the closest fire stairs to your cabin.  Ends up st the rear of WJ.  I think by the semi enclosed round booth

[Biker19]

6 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 Lots of sign saying you're not supposed to be there.  

and weird stares from the crew if they do see you in there.

[Big_G]

21 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

There is a crew stair that I may have used back in the day.  😉 Lots of sign saying you're not supposed to be there.  It is also the closest fire stairs to your cabin.  Ends up st the rear of WJ.  I think by the semi enclosed round booth

 

Rebel without a cause. 😀

[Clarea]

5 minutes ago, Big_G said:

 

Rebel without a cause. 😀

 

I was thinking troublemaker.

[John&LaLa]

48 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

and weird stares from the crew if they do see you in there.

 

He only has 1 floor to go. I had like 4

[John&LaLa]

34 minutes ago, Big_G said:

 

Rebel without a cause. 😀

 

More like Rebel without a Clue. 😎

[FrankNBrew]

3 hours ago, John&LaLa said:

 

There is a crew stair that I may have used back in the day.  😉 Lots of sign saying you're not supposed to be there.  It is also the closest fire stairs to your cabin.  Ends up st the rear of WJ.  I think by the semi enclosed round booth

Now that’s what I was looking for. 👍

[cruiseguy1016]

21 minutes ago, FrankNBrew said:

Now that’s what I was looking for. 👍

 

It's also the stairs that you will use in the event of an emergency. It will be marked on the emergency evacuation route posted on the inside of your stateroom door. If you get questioned by a crew member you can just say "Oh, I was just verifying my evacuation route in the event of an emergency". Wink, wink.

[PhoenixCruiser]

It used to be easier when they had trays in the Windjammer.  Even with room service it is just a pain to eat on the balcony.

[John&LaLa]

29 minutes ago, PhoenixCruiser said:

It used to be easier when they had trays in the Windjammer.  Even with room service it is just a pain to eat on the balcony.

 

I just save a tray from a cabin delivery

[OCruisers]

Not fun eating on your balcony when it's windy or Sea Gulls are flying around.  

[John&LaLa]

4 minutes ago, OCruisers said:

Not fun eating on your balcony when it's windy or Sea Gulls are flying around.  

 

Dont forget hot and humid

[Clarea]

6 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

I just save a tray from a cabin delivery

 

I ask the stateroom attendant.

[OCruisers]

2 minutes ago, John&LaLa said:

 

Dont forget hot and humid

 

Exactly! 

 

[OCruisers]

Botton Line:  While eating on your balcony seems like a great thing to do,  it really is not. 
Coffee or drinks FINE!  Food/Meal not good idea.   

[Coochuck]

7 minutes ago, OCruisers said:

Botton Line:  While eating on your balcony seems like a great thing to do,  it really is not. 
Coffee or drinks FINE!  Food/Meal not good idea.   

Agreed....we only get room service when we have to leave the ship early.  We use room service as our wake up call....with a pot of coffee and other varied items.

[vacationlover_mn]

If you want to bring back juice/coffee, I suggest bringing a drink holder (like what they have at Starbucks).  I bought a nice collapsible one on amazon, and can’t wait to finally use it 🙂

Edited November 30, 2018 by vacationlover_mn

[BillOh]

10 hours ago, OCruisers said:

Botton Line:  While eating on your balcony seems like a great thing to do,  it really is not. 
Coffee or drinks FINE!  Food/Meal not good idea.   

I disagree, nothing is 100%, but the one time we had the spacious corner aft on Jewel, we had two nice breakfasts on the balcony. Very enjoyable. 

[spookwife]

most we ever do is  Mr Spook will bring back a plate of  danish and 2 cups of coffee( in the to go cups)  after his morning workout.   without going to  room service delivery, it's about all one can reasonably expect to handle.  

 

furthermore,  the table out there may not even be table height, or large enough to accommodate a full meal for 2, let alone a larger party.  

[cruiseguy1016]

The tables on the balconies are short and not very big, certainly not big enough for two people to have a meal at. Because they are short, if you try to dine at one of them, you will be bent over for the entire meal. With that being said, the aft balconies are definitely big enough for two tables, you may be able to ask your room steward to bring a second one for you.

[FrankNBrew]

12 hours ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

 

It's also the stairs that you will use in the event of an emergency. It will be marked on the emergency evacuation route posted on the inside of your stateroom door. If you get questioned by a crew member you can just say "Oh, I was just verifying my evacuation route in the event of an emergency". Wink, wink.

I'm thinking the nice walk down the hall and up the stairs will be nice exercise, but once I have a hot plate of food in my hands the shortcut sounds like a good plan. I doubt they will throw me/us off the ship for testing the emergency exits. <wink>

 

11 hours ago, OCruisers said:

Botton Line:  While eating on your balcony seems like a great thing to do,  it really is not. 
Coffee or drinks FINE!  Food/Meal not good idea.   

I guess we will figure that one out in the first day, or so. We have an extra large balcony, hopefully with a table, two chairs and 2 chaise lounges. We can rearrange the table under cover, or not, as needed. Heat and humidity will not be an issue. If it gets over 100 degrees I'll eat in the shade.  We have some large, sturdy, covered carry out containers I'll plan to bring along in case we can tolerate eating on our balcony, in the heat, with the ocean in view.  I have a feeling we'll be just fine. 

 

[FrankNBrew]

56 minutes ago, cruiseguy1016 said:

The tables on the balconies are short and not very big, certainly not big enough for two people to have a meal at. Because they are short, if you try to dine at one of them, you will be bent over for the entire meal. With that being said, the aft balconies are definitely big enough for two tables, you may be able to ask your room steward to bring a second one for you.

We've eaten plenty of meals on our recliners (binge watching Breaking Bad).  We can always opt to relax on our chaise lounges with a plate. I was hoping to lose some weight before the trip, but I may need the belly to hold my plate.