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Windjammer nightmare

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dpostman

dpostman

Posted
Posted
Big breakfast before boarding...

Hit the bar at boarding time.....

Drink until rooms open...

Store luggage....

Hit the bar again....

No problems!

I will drink to that

 

Next round is on me! That would be my favorite stratergy as well. Having a big tall glass of liquid whole wheat sandwich (Stout) :D

 

dp

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JEDIKNIGHT

JEDIKNIGHT

Posted
Posted
I love the chaos everyone else causes when I am having my paella and melon water in the WJ that first lunch....don't take my pleasure away -- leave me to my pleasure!

 

Yeah, I think I just fell in love.

 

(I love watching them schlepp around with their stupid bags)

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ptcgal

ptcgal

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usually that's the suite lunch area for freedom class - if you are in a suite, you can pick up your food at windjammer but eat it in chops or portofino (depends on the cruise). if you flashed a gold card, that's why you got in. if you weren't in a suite, maybe they just used it as overflow for embarkation day, or maybe they just liked you. :D they are usually very strict - i usually travel in a suite but with non-suite friends, and they are not allowed into the suite area for lunch (which means i don't eat there, either).

 

 

 

 

You never know what people's limitations are. personally, if i eat more than a cracker within 3 hours of getting up, i get nauseous. which means i'm smack-dab in the middle of windjammer chaos, because i get hungry just as we board.

 

My best embarkation lunch experience ever was on allure - we spent $15 to eat lunch on embarkation day at giovanni's, and it was one of the best $15 i ever spent. made for a much more relaxing first day. and i liked it so much, we went back a second time. normally i would not pay for lunch, but thanks to being open on embarkation day, royal made an extra $120 off of us (lunch for 4, at $15 a head, twice during the cruise).

 

the buffet was chaos on all 4 lines we cruised. the worst was my disney dream cruise last oct - they usually have a second buffet set up in one of the other dining rooms but for some reason didn't that cruise, so it took us over half an hour to find a table (we ended up eating leaning on a counter), and our food was frigid by the time we found even that. some un-disney-like words left my lips that day, let me tell you. i have not been on carnival, but based on cruising on 4 different lines, i think the buffet is probably a mad-house no matter what.

 

We also chose Giovanni's Table on the Allure on embarkation day. Nice, quiet, empty and you can sit out front and watch the insanity of boarding day with a glass of wine. Good value for $15 and great for your disposition. Other RCI ships have some specialty restaurants open and almost all have the Park Café.

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twindaddy

twindaddy

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Can someone help out a RCI Newb, boarding Oasis 11:45ish, Windjammer will be nuts I am sure. Do they find you a table and/or serve you drinks?

 

I love my lunch Diet Coke (soda sticker already paid for), is there a soda machine in the Park Cafe?

 

Debating between lunch at Sabor, Park Cafe, or Windjammer.

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BekkaW

BekkaW

Posted
Posted (edited)
Can someone help out a RCI Newb, boarding Oasis 11:45ish, Windjammer will be nuts I am sure. Do they find you a table and/or serve you drinks?

 

I love my lunch Diet Coke (soda sticker already paid for), is there a soda machine in the Park Cafe?

 

Debating between lunch at Sabor, Park Cafe, or Windjammer.

 

No, there is no machine in park cafe. Also, because you bought in advance, the cup (which you need to activate the machine) will be waiting in your stateroom which you won't have access to until 1pm. You can still get a diet coke from any bar by showing them your pass so just stop somewhere on your way. i'm uncertain whether the trellis bar in central park is open at that time. I love park cafe and definitely recommend it for lunch the first day :)

Edited by BekkaW
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CatgirlNC

CatgirlNC

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Posted (edited)

Yeah, those first few hours of the cruise are my least favorite part of cruising (okay, maybe second-to-least, after having to pack up at the end). First, dealing with the crowds at the buffet, and then just having a few hours to kill before the muster drill, but not enough time to really relax and feel like your vacation has started. It didn’t even occur to me to go to Promenade Café or Sorrentino’s for lunch that first day on Independence- next time I’m on Royal, I’ll have to remember that there are other options.

 

Last year, we took HAL to Alaska, and even though it was our first time on HAL, we had 1-star Mariner status, due to previous Carnival cruises. I knew from Cruise Critic that HAL serves lunch in the MDR on embarkation day, but only to Mariners, and if your sailing has a high proportion of Mariners, they sometimes limit it to a certain level, like only 3-Star Mariners or higher. But on our trip, it was open to all Mariners even us lowly 1-stars with zero nights sailed! So, we headed straight to the MDR as soon as it opened, and had a nice, quiet sit-down lunch. It was a relaxing way to start a great cruise.

Edited by CatgirlNC
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bigque

bigque

Posted
Posted (edited)
LOL....Have your friends been to the buffet on a Carnival ship on embarkation day? From a Platinum Carnival cruiser, believe me it's just as bad if not worse. That's the #1 reason why I stopped arriving at the port until cabins are ready.

 

I can check in faster (usually lines are non existent later), board the ship, go straight to my cabin and drop my carry ons, unwind for a bit and THEN go grab a bite to eat, usually at an alternative venue. This is a MUCH better start to the cruise than doing the starving mad dash with bags in tow to the buffet at the same time as 2-3,000 other people with the same dumb idea.

 

Last time we sailed on Royal (this past summer) we bypassed the Windjammer and went straight to the Park Cafe. We had a choice of quiet tables right by the windows, no lines to get food, and best of all, the fresh made to order salads, soups, and creative paninis were a healthier and much more enjoyable option to start the cruise than piling up a plate with junk at the Windjammer a la Golden Corral.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

I know I will be the only person to admit it on here but I actually like Golden Coral! :eek:

Edited by bigque
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Guest maddycat

Guest maddycat

Posted
Posted
First, we find a table. Then my husband makes himself comfortable with the carryons while I go get a plate of food. I return and he goes for his food. We have a nice lunch. Not a big deal. :D

 

We do the same. We don't linger over lunch. When we finish eating we leave and find a lounge to wait in until the cabins are ready.

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sross6019

sross6019

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Posted

What irriates me about the Windjammer, esp on first day, is all the people sitting around and talking, playing cards, doing anything but eating. Esp on first day, eat the meal and be polite go visit some place else and let others enjoy a meal.

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F27TW

F27TW

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Posted
I love the chaos everyone else causes when I am having my paella and melon water in the WJ that first lunch....don't take my pleasure away -- leave me to my pleasure!

 

LOL!!! (and whats melon water?)

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F27TW

F27TW

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Freedom on embarkation day was indeed a madhouse. Interestingly, when we got to the center of it, facing out over the bow, there were employees telling us that THEY would find seating for us. There was a line there. We had been wandering all over, when there was an orderly line the whole time. If only they had let us know earlier!

 

As it was, we expressed confusion to someone, and they took us to...Portofino? The specialty restaurant near the entrance of WJ. They had seating in there for lunch-eaters. It was most excellent.

 

 

Isnt the WJ in the stern of the Freedom class ?

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F27TW

F27TW

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Posted
You're right! The Windjammer is at the back (stern) and the spa is at the front (bow).

 

I always thought that was a waste of a GREAT view ... putting the gym up there instead of a lounge or restaurant where people could enjoy it.

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temple1

temple1

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Posted
I always eat breakfast before I leave home but it's the day before the cruise :p

 

Bill

 

LOL, Even then we ate breakfast just south of Charleston because we hit the road at 4:00 am! :eek:

 

Perhaps we're there before it gets crazy but we've not had a huge problem with the WJ. Even with the screwed up embarkation on Freedom last week, the Wj wasn't that bad.

 

I think it is fun watching the first timers spin around in circles. :D Remembering what it was like for us on our first cruise.

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temple1

temple1

Posted
Posted
Can someone help out a RCI Newb, boarding Oasis 11:45ish, Windjammer will be nuts I am sure. Do they find you a table and/or serve you drinks?

 

I love my lunch Diet Coke (soda sticker already paid for), is there a soda machine in the Park Cafe?

 

Debating between lunch at Sabor, Park Cafe, or Windjammer.

 

I don't know how Oasis is, but the servers in the WJ will get a soft drink for you, especially on day 1 by showing your card.

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F27TW

F27TW

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It is Strawberry and Melon drink....I can't call it juice, because it isn't. Only once have I found it on a ship on any other day besides day 1. So I enjoy it on day one along with paella.

 

Tradition!

 

it sounds great! I bet a little vodka or rum in it wouldn't hurt either ! ;)

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Dayenu

Dayenu

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Posted
Still fighting bad taste in the mouth of travelling companions after absolute MADHOUSE on boarding day in the windjammer. Wayyyyyyy too crowded and not near enough seating. I'm talking 5 laps around with luggage. Am I missing something? Sea days interior spaces...same thing. Freedom of the Seas. These guys are looking for Carnival now. More space per person!

 

Go very early, or find a place to sit and go to WJ when they announce that the cabins are ready. If it's packed, find a table with an empty seat.

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Langley Cruisers

Langley Cruisers

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Posted
...Park Cafe... the fresh made to order salads, soups, and creative paninis were a healthier and much more enjoyable option to start the cruise than piling up a plate with junk at the Windjammer...

 

I have seen each of those things in various Windjammers. Bountiful salad fixings, two kinds of soup, and healthy sandwiches (or you can make your own) are also available in WJ. I'm sorry you feel that there is "junk" there. I always manage to eat healthy in the WJ and on 2 cruises, I have actually lost weight. :)

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