Best day to skip MDR for Windjammer

Looking to do Windjammer one or two nights on our nine day cruise on the Explorer and would like recommendations on which night to skip MDR.

Do you skip based on attire, meaning not wanting to dress up for formal night, or is there a particular night that you don't care for the menu?

Also, are most items in the MDR available in Windjammer or is it entirely different offerings?

formal nights to lighten packing. most foods are available in wj.

Yes, most foods are available in the WJ. We skip whenever the food sounds unappealing in the MDR (which is about 50% of the time). We also skip formal nights.

If I was going to skip the MD for anything, it would be for the alternative restaurant. Not the WJ.

Your waiter will tell you the weakest meal nights of the cruise if you ask

We ban formal nights!! ;)

WJ dinner is just fine. Wish I could choose that as my dining choice. Add a specialty restuarant once or twice and bingo-no MDR at all!!!

formal nights to lighten packing. most foods are available in wj.

We skipped the second formal night on our last cruise with RC. Was pleasantly surprised by the Windjammer in the evening.

I could see us doing this again, especially to lighten the packing load. (I have a problem in that area!)

We have started skipping formal nights also . Also nights when youi have had a long shore excursion during the day and just feel like grabbing something quick to eat for dinner .

We've never done dinner in the buffet....not our favorite dining option! But, you can go to the dining room once onboard and tell them to release your table. Then, you can do the buffet and specialty restaurants without having a dining room table held for you at all.

As far as tipping goes, the suggested tips should remain in place....that way, you don't have to worry about tipping individuals as you go....the dining room tips cover everyone who serves you in the WJ, too!

As far as tipping goes, the suggested tips should remain in place....that way, you don't have to worry about tipping individuals as you go....the dining room tips cover everyone who serves you in the WJ, too!

Your opinion. I personaly do not agree but-why not have another tip discussion. They always turn out so pleasant and informative!!!:D

We've never done dinner in the buffet....not our favorite dining option! But, you can go to the dining room once onboard and tell them to release your table. Then, you can do the buffet and specialty restaurants without having a dining room table held for you at all.

As far as tipping goes, the suggested tips should remain in place....that way, you don't have to worry about tipping individuals as you go....the dining room tips cover everyone who serves you in the WJ, too!

That is why we do MTD. We don't have to worry about where or when we have dinner. Plus we can make the decision that day if we want the main dining room that night or another venue on the ship without having to worry about releasing a table.

Back before MTD when we would decide to not use the main dining room one of us would take a few minutes and stop by and let our service team know we would not be in that night as a courtesy to them and our table companions. Yeah, I know courtesy, I probably should have cut and pasted the definition. :p

For us the night we would skip the most in the old days was the last night just because we're trying to pack and get ready to leave the next day. With late dining it is tough to get it all together. I would usually run down and give the servers their vouchers and thank them for their care during the cruise.

To the OP's question - I think SeaUs has a good idea. I usually just look at the menu sometime during the day and decide then. The problem other than the suggestion of formal night if you don't care to dreass up, everyone's taste is so different. What is awful to me is manna to someone else.

More proof they have something to meet everyone's tastes. I personally try to only hit the WJ for lunch after boarding. It's not the food to me, it's the behavior of other passengers that makes the WJ an unpleasant experience for me. Too many folks not capable of waiting that insist upon reaching in front of me and not obtaining their food in a sanitary manner.

-J

Whenever we're in port late we skip the MDR. We just got off the Explorer yesterday which included a late port day in St. Martin. We chose the Windjammer instead of the MDR which turned out great. Only downside most of the ship had the same idea.

Thanks for all the quick responses. Some good points about being a long day in port, tipping and also the sanitary issues of a buffet. We have to pack formal for one night as we are hoping to get an extended family picture of four families.

I'm glad that most of the menu from MDR is also in Windjammer as I was concerned about missing something. I laughed out loud at the comment about not finding anything appealing on most nights at MDR. I'm a little concerned about that as we will be eating there most nights. :eek:

What I find most appealing is being waited on in MDR. It's a cruise and I don't necessarily like the idea of going to a buffet for dinner every night. One or two nights is probably what we will do.

Whenever we're in port late we skip the MDR. We just got off the Explorer yesterday which included a late port day in St. Martin. We chose the Windjammer instead of the MDR which turned out great. Only downside most of the ship had the same idea.

Did you have trouble finding a table or was it just crazy going through the buffet lines?

Did you have trouble finding a table or was it just crazy going through the buffet lines?

No issues at all finding a table. The only day finding a table may be a issue is embarkation day. Even during the busiest times you can find a table. Our mode of operation grab the utensils and place on table the hit the buffet. Lines never really bad maybe a five or ten minute wait for the pasta bar.

We ban formal nights!! ;)

WJ dinner is just fine. Wish I could choose that as my dining choice. Add a specialty restuarant once or twice and bingo-no MDR at all!!!

I had sent a suggestion a few months back to RCL that they add a "no dining room option" for those who never frequent the dining room and got a response that they are working on that sort of thing.

I would go to the WJ on the days where I didn't like the MDR menu. Explorer has a good stir-fry section at night (not sure if it's every night) that we had on the yucky MDR nights or when we were too tired from being in port. You pick the ingredients and they cook it while you wait.

No issues at all finding a table. The only day finding a table may be a issue is embarkation day. Even during the busiest times you can find a table. Our mode of operation grab the utensils and place on table the hit the buffet. Lines never really bad maybe a five or ten minute wait for the pasta bar.

We are somewhat new to cruising and don't know what a lot of these acronyms mean. Where is the best place on these "boards" to help us get started ?? There is SO much information out there.

Did you have trouble finding a table or was it just crazy going through the buffet lines?

It was quiet the evening we dined in the WJ; mostly officers and a few passengers. It was the second formal night of our cruise, and we were tired, sunburned, and just didn't feel like dressing up. We did go to the dining room beforehand and told them we wouldn't be dining there.

I had sent a suggestion a few months back to RCL that they add a "no dining room option" for those who never frequent the dining room and got a response that they are working on that sort of thing.

insert LIKE button!!!! :D

We are somewhat new to cruising and don't know what a lot of these acronyms mean. Where is the best place on these "boards" to help us get started ?? There is SO much information out there.

This should help

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1396434&highlight=acronyms

Whenever we're in port late we skip the MDR. We just got off the Explorer yesterday which included a late port day in St. Martin. We chose the Windjammer instead of the MDR which turned out great. Only downside most of the ship had the same idea.

We had the same idea and boy were we wrong to. It seemed everyone missed main dining and chose the WJ as well and there was a mixture of those who had cleand up and others still in beach wear. Was not fun.

We just look at the MDR menu during the day and if there aren't any entrees that we want we go to WJ or specialty dining if there are openings. This helps us figure out what to wear for the evening too, per where we are going to be dining.

We just look at the MDR menu during the day and if there aren't any entrees that we want we go to WJ or specialty dining if there are openings. This helps us figure out what to wear for the evening too, per where we are going to be dining.

Ditto !!!

This is exactly what we do too !!!

And we really like the atmosphere in the WJ in the evening, seems very relaxed with the subdued lighting etc... Very different than for breakfast & lunch !!!

We enjoy both the MDR, alternative dining options and the WJ for dinner. Each day the menu is posted outside the MDR, if we don't like the menu, we will go to the WJ that night.

We too have been to the WJ when the ship is in port for later hours, some people really should be turned away! :eek: :p :D

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