dining room for lunch?

[fireguy091]

Boy have things gone downhill. The dining room is oly open for lunch on sea days now..:( ***** I remember when midnight buffit was every night and it was good. Not like the joke they have now.

[Mildred]

DH and I try to eat in the dining room for breakfast each morning and for luncheon when it is available.

When on vacation I just prefer to be served on a white tablecloth in a beautiful setting. No one serves me at home and it makes for a nice change.

Sometimes one or the other of the DSs will join us for breakfast or lunch but they prefer the Windjammer.

[pharmdawg]

dining room was open every day for lunch. When did this change?

[Kathie44]

We've sailed RCI's Explorer and Adventure and Celebrity's Summit and Galaxy and the dining room has almost always been open for lunch. Last year the Galaxy dining room was closed a couple of times due to the shore excursion schedule.

We avoid the BUFFET to keep from gaining 20 lbs or more on a cruise--at least in the dining room you have portions served to you and are less likely to go back for seconds. Plus we like to be waited on and meet new people at our table.

I hope the dining room on Jewel is open for all meals. We are counting the days till our next cruise.

 

1/02 Explorer E. Carib.

1/03 Explorer W. Carib.

8/03 Summit Alaska cruise/tour

2/04 Adventure S. Carib.

2/05 Galaxy Panama Canal

6/06 Jewel Brit. Isles/Nor. Fjords = 3 days in London

[Merion_Mom]

On the Sovereign, the dining room was open EVERY day for lunch.

 

Before that, I had never tried to eat lunch in the dining room, so I can't respond for any of the other ships in my signature.

[RevSmith]

Definatly on sea days, but the food is just as good in the Windjammer.

[wanda1101]

The dining room was open every day except the day we boarded. At least one day, you did have to enter on a specific level for a certain dining room.

 

The pasta bar was more in the center of the dining room (level 3 on Voyager) and was quite good (I had white sauce with garlic, shrimp, scallions and bacon- yum!) Salads were always large and excellent.

 

Windjammer was overall a disappointment, but one of the couples at our dinner table loved it - to each their own. I only used Windjammer for breakfast and maybe a plate of fruit and cheese if I wasn't going to each lunch.

[Sassy Chassis]

We are big dining room people. On Rhapsody we thought all the lunch items were great, with the exception of the minute steak. Steer clear of the minute steak!!! I thought the fish items were quite nice.

 

Oh, and about that mango cheesecake....this was my DH's sole reason for visiting the dining room again and again. He couldn't get enough of it, it really is that good! On one of the last nights at dinner our waiter managed to find a piece for us on special request :)

[Cruise Gopher]

Wow it sounds like there is no definate answer on this.

 

I didn't even know this was true. I love eating in the dinning room every day because you get pampered with the service, it's all about the service. You don't get that at home in your own kitchen.

[Cruisechick82]

Can you ask to sit by yourself at lunch or will they seat with you with other people? I hate sitting with strangers. :o

[Nliedel]

Can you ask to sit by yourself at lunch or will they seat with you with other people? I hate sitting with strangers. :o

 

While they do seat you with others it has never been uncofmortable for me. Even my husband, who is not as outgoing as I am, enjoys it (actually he would rather die than talk to people he does not know. He is quite shy). Usually it's a noded greeting and no more.

[Schplinky]

Can you ask to sit by yourself at lunch or will they seat with you with other people? I hate sitting with strangers. :o

 

You can sit on your own but they may make you wait for a table. They do try to fill larger tables by combining groups but when I was feeling under the weather on Navigator (read: hung over), they gave us our own table.

[NRG]

I was on the Serenade in December, the dining room was only open for lunch on Friday, which was the one sea day. We enjoyed that lunch very much, it was much better, hotter and fresher than the lunch options available in the Windjammer buffet. They sat us with another couple, after 5 minutes we had nothing in common, next time I'ld ask for our own table.

[katstoy]

Three words: CHOCOLATE CREME BRULEE!! That alone is worth getting out of a wet bathing suit and into the dining room for lunch. I was disappointed that there was no creme brulee on any dinner menu, but was happy happy happy that it was served at lunch (of course on the limited days the dining room was open for lunch). I'd rather eat in the dining room, fancier with better quality food. Generally the Windjammer food is lousy and we only eat there when there is no other alternative. CHOCOLATE CREME BRULEE!!!!:D :D :D

[Happy ks]

Definatly on sea days, but the food is just as good in the Windjammer.

 

I've never considered the food to be just as good in the buffet as the dining room. I realize it's plated and kept warm, like the dinners, but the food is not on warming tables being cooked more and more and more. I'll have to say, though, it is good to have choices. When we cruised with a lot of family, one of my cousins preferred the buffet, because in her words she is a picky eater. I could say the same, I'm a picky eater and therefore don't want buffet food!

 

I think the majority of people eat at the buffet for breakfast and lunch, so it does cut down on the crowd in the dining room (that much nicer for those of us who prefer it!). I also think many people believe the myth that the dining room takes a lot longer for breakfast and lunch. While it is true you can linger over your meal, you can actually be out of the dining room in the same, or less time at breakfast, if you prefer.

 

To the poster who doesn't want to be seated with strangers, all I can say is I've met some pretty wonderful people onboard cruise ships at breakfast and lunch.

[sherry7]

Creme brulee...those 2 words will get me to the dining room every time!

 

That was the ONLY disappointment of my recent Serenade cruise...I didn't have any creme brulee. :( We went to Chops the night it was served in the dining room, and it wasn't offered any other night. My next cruise has 8 sea days, so I'll be sure to get my fill of creme brulee this time. ;)

[Nliedel]

Creme brulee...those 2 words will get me to the dining room every time!

 

That was the ONLY disappointment of my recent Serenade cruise...I didn't have any creme brulee. :( We went to Chops the night it was served in the dining room, and it wasn't offered any other night. My next cruise has 8 sea days, so I'll be sure to get my fill of creme brulee this time. ;)

 

Sherry7 why wait? It's very easy to make. Just takes a little time and an oven. Those fancy little torches are nice but I use my oven broiler. It really isn't hard (I also have a killer Tiramisu recipe). Let me know if you want either just drop me an e-mail.

[Cruisechick82]

Hmm, I've never had creme brulee before, I will have to try it if it's available on our cruise. I'm not sure exactly even what it is, I've heard of it before, just never had it.

[Schplinky]

Is a custard onto which has been sprinkles coarse sugar. Then, it is either brolied or blow-torched to carmelise and harded the top. It' very tasty. Once, I had a mental slip and ordered Creme Caramel, which was a very bad error.

[Nliedel]

It's an egg custard. Then, when it's cool (if you can wait that long for the creamy, calorie laden goodness) you put sugar on the top and broil the sucker for about three minutes. You can wimp out and buy a mini torch but there's nothing like too much wine and making Creme Brulee in an oven. At that point it becomes a sport. The top gets crunchy and the custard is all soft and melty. It's better than marital relations certain days of the month. Don't tell my husband I said that :)