Dinner in the Windjammer

[A2Mich]

1 hour ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Yeah some people.....!🙄

Me thinks it is also a cultural thing - some cultures are more sophisticated than others!🤔👍

 

Here is your previous post.....you appear to be implying that you are more sophisticated than others.  That’s the issue, not that YOU enjoy a more upscale setting than others might. Your post was insulting and condescending.

[CharmCity2000]

I love eating in WJ at night.  All day I run around with the kids.  We have dinner together in WJ and they go off with their friends.  I then pull out the laptop and get some work done.  Last cruise there were a few of us catching up on work in the evening.  We sort of formed our our evening group.  Friends can be found everywhere on the ships.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Just now, A2Mich said:

 

Here is your previous post.....you appear to be implying that you are more sophisticated than others.  That’s the issue, not that YOU enjoy a more upscale setting than others might. Your post was insulting and condescending.

Just stating a fact!👍

You are just assuming and implying and trying to twist my post the way you want.....🤔🙄

[Thorben-Hendrik]

5 minutes ago, CharmCity2000 said:

I then pull out the laptop and get some work done.  Last cruise there were a few of us catching up on work in the evening.  We sort of formed our our evening group.

What a nice "dinner" atmosphere!🙄😱

Edited October 6, 2019 by Thorben-Hendrik

[A2Mich]

9 minutes ago, Diver2014 said:

We take most of our meals in the Windjammer when on RCI ships.  The MDR is fine for those who want it but we've had such fabulous experiences on RCI ships that I wouldn't consider bothering with the MDR or specialty restaurants.  We thought the food on the Radiance of  the Seas in the Windjammer was awesome, then we tried Oasis of the Seas and had the same great experience.

We're going on Harmony in January and we can hardly wait.  We love the wide variety of  food available at each 'station' and love trying things we would never order off a menu.

 

We've tended to split dinners between the MDR and buffet.  Some night the sit down waiter service is nice, but can take too long.  WJ is great for those times when you want a quicker dinner experience.  We also enjoy the variety the buffet offers, where we can try several different things.  We don’t personally see the need for the extra expense of the specialty restaurants more than once or twice, as we can have similar dinners in our home town for about the same cost.  Our local grocery store has pretty good fresh made sushi for less than what RCI charges for Izumi.  We may very well switch to all WJ dinners, especially with 3 kids who don’t really even like the kid menu or the always available options of the dining room.  We would rather be enjoying the ship than being in the dining room for an hour and a half.

 

[Thorben-Hendrik]

3 minutes ago, A2Mich said:

WJ is great for those times when you want a quicker dinner experience.

Sure is faster - when you are in a hurry!👍

MDR needs a 45 minutes minimum....🤔

Edited October 6, 2019 by Thorben-Hendrik

[FLACRUISER99]

2 minutes ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Sure is faster - when you are in a hurry!👍

MDR needs a 45 minutes minimum....🤔

I have waited 45 minutes for the waiter to take my order.🙄

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Just now, FLACRUISER99 said:

I have waited 45 minutes for the waiter to take my order.🙄

If you want/ need fast service - grab the Maitre at the entrance and let them know you need to be out within 1 hour - works all the time!👍😎

[HBE4]

3 minutes ago, FLACRUISER99 said:

I have waited 45 minutes for the waiter to take my order.🙄

 

I've waited 45 minutes for my drink to show up!

[Arzeena]

2 hours ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

And I have had very good dinner time experiences in Anthem's WJ.  So as usual, people are different and reactions and tastes are different.

Very true it is subjective.

 We believe the Anthem has one of the best WJ selections of all RC ships. And the layout is excellent.
Cannot say the same for the WJ on the Allure and Oasis.

Edited October 6, 2019 by Arzeena

[A2Mich]

1 minute ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Sure is faster - when you are in a hurry!👍

Many times, there ends up being some event scheduled during dinner time that will be missed sitting in the dining room for nearly an hour and a half, while one could simply grab a small plate or a burger, etc for a quick dinner.  Dining room service isn’t the same experience it was many years ago, and simply doesn’t seem to be much of an upscale experience as it once was.  Food used to be better quality years ago, in my opinion, as was the course by course service.  Then again, ships tended to be smaller and didn’t offer so many diversions as they do now.  Years ago, spending two hours in the dining room wasn’t a big deal, as there weren’t many other things happening at the same time.  Now there are so many options for things to do, I would rather spend my vacation time doing other things, instead of being in the dining room.  Many years ago, there were no dinner options other than the dining room.  First cruise was on the Carnivale, and there was no buffet option, other than a continental breakfast on the pool deck, and no MTD type option.  We are the type of people that go on a cruise every few years, so our time is better spent exploring the ship and it’s activities.  

[Thorben-Hendrik]

18 minutes ago, A2Mich said:

We are the type of people that go on a cruise every few years, so our time is better spent exploring the ship and it’s activities.  

Guess we cruise way tooo much....!🙄

[Thorben-Hendrik]

20 minutes ago, A2Mich said:

and simply doesn’t seem to be much of an upscale experience as it once was.

Totally Agree! 👍

We are still not ready so settle for self-serve cold burgers from a buffet.....!🙄😱

[A2Mich]

2 minutes ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Guess we cruise way tooo much....!🙄

Well that’s awesome if you are able to do so.  For a family of five living in Colorado, we have to fly to any cruise port, and pay for a few nights in a hotel.  Along with spending money, etc, that tends to push a single cruise vacation upwards of $6K on the low end.  Airfare alone is easily $1500 plus.  Combined with wanting to take other vacations and balancing work schedules with school schedules, it can make vacationing a challenge.  

[HBE4]

8 hours ago, KeywestK said:

We will be sailing next week on Majesty (our third time on her.)  We booked this cruise late, and MTD was filled, so they assigned us Late Seating.  We are currently waitlisted for MTD.  So, DH informed me that if we can't get switched to MTD when we're on the ship, he prefers we just have dinner each evening in the WJ.   Yikes!  After 25 years of cruising, we have never once had dinner in the WJ.  What can we expect?

 

Selection and quality of food will be about the same as MDR, give or take a certain dish.  Much less hectic than MDR or WJ at breakfast/lunch

 

Pros: You can sample everything and take a much or as little as you like. Plus, as someone mentioned, much better selection of desserts.

 

Cons: You have to get your own food and drink service is iffy. Sometimes a server will take your drink order, other times it's get it yourself.

 

 

[Thorben-Hendrik]

Just now, A2Mich said:

 For a family of five living in Colorado, we have to fly to any cruise port, and pay for a few nights in a hotel.  Along with spending money, etc, that tends to push a single cruise vacation upwards of $6K on the low end.

Totally awesome - you can even manage to do it!👍👌

[A2Mich]

5 minutes ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Totally Agree! 👍

We are still not ready so settle for self-serve cold burgers from a buffet.....!🙄😱

Never actually gotten a cold burger, but ones that are dripping wet, yes.

[Thorben-Hendrik]

1 minute ago, A2Mich said:

Never actually gotten a cold burger, but ones that are dripping wet, yes.

🤢

[A2Mich]

2 minutes ago, HBE4 said:

 

Selection and quality of food will be about the same as MDR, give or take a certain dish.  Much less hectic than MDR or WJ at breakfast/lunch

 

Pros: You can sample everything and take a much or as little as you like. Plus, as someone mentioned, much better selection of desserts.

 

Cons: You have to get your own food and drink service is iffy. Sometimes a server will take your drink order, other times it's get it yourself.

 

 

 

Have to agree about drink service.  Ok if you have a drink package and carry that plastic cup around if you want soda.  Otherwise, you are limited to whatever is pre-poured into glasses or coffee.  Outside of that, it seemed to be looking for a bar nearby.

[Hoopster95]

True story.....

 

I brought my late 20’s at the time business partner & wife along for a 7 day out of Miami on Freedom a few years back when MDR was still regarded as far superior to WJ. MDR service and food was awful 1st two nights. They thought the formality and length of dinner was a joke.

 

Next night we headed up to WJ. Turns out the maitre’D Up there was the Philippina lady who used to be shown on the welcome video in all state rooms pouring wine for dinner. Anyways, her and two other servers treated us like MDR immediately, bringing bread, changing our cutlery, topping up wine, having chats with us,etc. They asked us whether we were returning the next night and we said likely around the same time.

 

Lo and behold next night we headed up there... they had the same table with a reserved sign on it and fully set for us. They met us at the front entrance and escorted us in. Much better than several MDR experiences I’ve had up until that point. We dined there the rest of the cruise with the great unobstructed aft view against the back windows enjoying sunsets. My then late 20’s business partner, now mid 30’s, still does not like MDR. 

 

I experienced excellent MDR on Brilliance last year in Europe (enjoying amazing Scotland sail aways and scenery from the open back deck rather than from a mostly view-less MDR seat) and most recently the WJ theme nights in the awesome WJ on Ovation (Q Class WJ much better than all other classes in my humble opinion with various options, bakery area, etc)... again in my humble opinion a much better experience than sitting in a view less American Icon or Chic.

 

Caveat to the above positive feedback... it’s not always positive. My experience on Explorer and Jewel WJ were very bad, so much so on Explorer the one time we left most of our food on the table and quickly dashed down to MTD before they closed. WJ was quite unacceptable

that night, shocked me frankly.

 

 

[A2Mich]

2 minutes ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

🤢

 

Even if they were dripping in grease, you’d be able to remove most of it.  Their burgers sometimes seem as if they are boiled and are wet in what looks like gray water.  Hot dogs seem to be a better bet than the burgers.  Curious to checkout the hot dog place to see if it’s better,  yet their hours seem rather limited.  My only disappointment with the WJ is purely personal, and that is there seem to be quite a bit of curry and Indian dishes (which I’m not a fan of), but there is usually a rather good selection where I can find a few options that I like.  Kids love the cookies at WJ in the evening, though.  

[Thorben-Hendrik]

1 minute ago, A2Mich said:

 

Even if they were dripping in grease, you’d be able to remove most of it.  Their burgers sometimes seem as if they are boiled and are wet in what looks like gray water.  Hot dogs seem to be a better bet than the burgers.  Curious to checkout the hot dog place to see if it’s better,  yet their hours seem rather limited.  My only disappointment with the WJ is purely personal, and that is there seem to be quite a bit of curry and Indian dishes (which I’m not a fan of), but there is usually a rather good selection where I can find a few options that I like.  Kids love the cookies at WJ in the evening, though.  

Thanks!👍

If at all possible we will stick with the MDR - dinner in the WJ is just not what we would like!👎

 

Just the site of the melting mushy ice-cream and the line at the crepe - station and people working on their laptops or reading books....is turning me off enough - to leave that place - before I even looked at the mushed up foods....😱🙄🤢

[Grobi]

We always eat dinner at the WJ. Once we tried the MDR, it was awful. Dinner in WJ is a much calmer atmosphere.

[A2Mich]

4 minutes ago, Hoopster95 said:

 

 

Caveat to the above positive feedback... it’s not always positive. My experience on Explorer and Jewel WJ were very bad, so much so on Explorer the one time we left most of our food on the table and quickly dashed down to MTD before they closed. WJ was quite unacceptable

that night, shocked me frankly.

 

 

 

Was it the selection, presentation, or quality that made it so bad? I’ve found some dishes that were either rather bland, over seasoned, or some that were just not what I was expecting, or how I would make something.  Which is why I enjoy the selection and variety, as I can generally find something that appeals to me.  Inconsistency seems to be the norm for many buffets in my experience.  While the preparation should theoretically be the same each time, I think the holding times for various dishes is not consistent, whether they are kept in a hot box too long, or on the serving line for too long.  Dishes can become flavorless, dry out, change in texture, etc.

[Hogbay]

22 minutes ago, Thorben-Hendrik said:

Totally Agree! 👍

We are still not ready so settle for self-serve cold burgers from a buffet.....!🙄😱

The chef's are right there so if you're burger happened to be cold ?? They can cook you a fresh one . No point complaning after the fact on SM