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Queen Mary dining room question


ilv4cruising
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Hi,

 

I started "cruising" with my first Transatlantic crossing back in 69. We have done a lot of cruising over the last number of years and we still prefer more "traditional" dining that open seating seems to have trouble accommodating. For example, we enjoy the same waiters every night (gives them a chance to know our preferences and us to get to know them). We feel very pampered this way. Another challenge for us with open seating is having table mates eating at different stages of the meal (e.g. us ordering an appetizer while others are having dessert). We feel this is a challenge for quality service and enjoyment. We have had open seating a couple of times on cruise ships (not our choice, preference of our traveling companions) and did not enjoy it. We enjoyed late seating at the same table as we feel it is a more intimate and enjoyable dining experience.

 

Reason for making this known isn't to debate the pros and cons but to try and understand how open seating works on QM2. We are looking at doing a Transatlantic next year (milestone celebration for us) and have been looking at the various differences between Balcony, Balcony Club and Princess Grill. BC and PG are open seating though so I would like to hear about the experience. Do you get seated with others regardless of what stage of the meal they are in? Do you have the same table/table mates or is it strictly first come/first served. Other things we should know for PG that would convince us to spend the extra money :)?

 

Thank you.

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Britannia Club (and the Grills) has open seating albeit at the same table and same table mates for all meals throughout your voyage. If you arrive say 45 minutes after your table mates you'll be seated with them in the middle of their dinner. I'd imagine it might work better to coordinate an arrival time with others at your table but we're in Britannia as a rule.

 

Britannia has assigned dining times and tables for dinner, and at breakfast and lunch you're seated as you arrive, either at a table for two if requested or at whatever larger table they're filling at the moment.

 

Someone else will have to justify the premium for Grills.

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I can't speak for BC as it's ten years since we dined there, but in the Grills, MOST, but not all, of the tables are for two. They are pretty close so you can build up a rapport with your neighbours, but have the freedom to dine at a time of your own choosing.

 

It works extremely well.

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I can't speak for BC as it's ten years since we dined there, but in the Grills, MOST, but not all, of the tables are for two. They are pretty close so you can build up a rapport with your neighbours, but have the freedom to dine at a time of your own choosing.

 

It works extremely well.

I agree - it certainly works very well for us. We choose Cunard and Grills mainly because of the availability of a dedicated table for two for all meals at a time we select. Of course, for some people sharing a table is part of the cruise experience they enjoy - but since we always go for a table for two, I can't comment on how it works for larger tables, other than to say as I've observed it, people who arrive early start early and others join as and when they get there.

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As others have stated, in BC PG & QG, the only thing that is open about the open seating is the arrival time. You can arrive whenever you want, within the dining hours. But you will be at the same table every evening, and if you are at a table larger than 2, you will have the same dining companions each evening. You will get to know your serving staff. My view, the reason why we have traveled in PG & QG is not for the dining, but for the size of the stateroom and access to the concierge and grills lounges.

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I can't speak for BC as it's ten years since we dined there, but in the Grills, MOST, but not all, of the tables are for two. They are pretty close so you can build up a rapport with your neighbours, but have the freedom to dine at a time of your own choosing.

 

It works extremely well.

 

I agree. Many tables in the Grills for two and they are close enough to speak with your neighbors when you like but far enough apart so conversation is not required.

 

Same table and wait staff every meal in The Grills, but you get to arrive when you like. I think it is the same in BC.

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We are booked on QM2 in August - it will be our first Cunard cruise. I am a little surprised to hear that even though we are assigned a table for six at a specific seating, our tablemates may be coming and going throughout the meal. Not at all what I was expecting. We have cruised on other lines, and even with open seating, if you arrive at the dining room and are willing to share a table, the service doesn't begin until the diners are all there. If not enough people come to fill your table after ten minutes or so, the extra place settings are removed.

 

I think it will be very jarring to be halfway through our dinners when others arrive at the table - or likewise to be joining others who are halfway through their meals.

 

Is this just me?

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We are booked on QM2 in August - it will be our first Cunard cruise. I am a little surprised to hear that even though we are assigned a table for six at a specific seating, our tablemates may be coming and going throughout the meal. Not at all what I was expecting. We have cruised on other lines, and even with open seating, if you arrive at the dining room and are willing to share a table, the service doesn't begin until the diners are all there. If not enough people come to fill your table after ten minutes or so, the extra place settings are removed.

 

I think it will be very jarring to be halfway through our dinners when others arrive at the table - or likewise to be joining others who are halfway through their meals.

 

Is this just me?

 

scdreamer, crucial question - what accommodations have you booked? -

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We are not Grills.

 

If you haven't booked Grill or Britannia Club accommodations, then you have no worries about your tablemates staggering in during dining times. Britannia Category has two seating options (early or late) either of which is determined before you board. Orders must be placed no later than 30 minutes from the start of dining hours. Passengers need not wait until all tablemates arrive to place their order.

 

Although it is not always possible, passengers in the MDR usually advise their table mates if they will be late or dining elsewhere.

 

Just to mention that my husband and I very much enjoyed a Britannia Club table for six, and most nights we all arrived at different times. The staff did an amazing job at making it so seamless. Somehow, we were all served

our flambé at the same time . Happy memories :) Wishing you the same - Salacia

Edited by Salacia
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screamer, on all the QM2 voyages I have been on in Britannia (late dining) we have all arrived at our table within about 5 minutes of each other. There was never anyone so late that orders were taken before they had arrived. In most cases we have been on a table of 8 - 10.

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QM 2 dining..... my experience, last NOV T/A crossing, 14 days....

Our table for 6 had lovely companions, no one was ever late,

and the service was excellent / personal and very professional.

Early seating.....Can't wait to do it again this NOV.

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Thank you for the information. The last number of cruises, if it is just us, we also request a table for 2 (and yes chat with the neighbours :)) and also manage to get one (long story on the switch). The larger cabin of the PG, some additional amenities that we like plus this will be a milestone celebration makes me lean towards the splurge. I'm hoping we will be successful with a table for 2 then.

 

Now to decide what time of the year - I love cruise planning :)

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May I ask a question here too?

We are booked and have late assignment in Britannia restaurant.

We prefer early dining and tables for two.

 

We are still debating if we should keep late seating as on this ship we would like to attend afternoon tea and probably won't be hungry by 6:30, but we really want to have a table for two. How easy is to get it? Are three many of them available?

 

Thank you in advance.

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May I ask a question here too?

We are booked and have late assignment in Britannia restaurant.

We prefer early dining and tables for two.

 

We are still debating if we should keep late seating as on this ship we would like to attend afternoon tea and probably won't be hungry by 6:30, but we really want to have a table for two. How easy is to get it? Are three many of them available?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Hi Tatka. My husband and I prefer late seating, and sometimes we request a table for six, sometimes a table for two; those requests has always been accommodated.

 

On our QM2 Caribbean cruise last year, we were assigned a table for two on Level 3 of the MDR. That was the best ever, much to our surprise!

 

So in answer to your question, yes, there are many tables for two available on second seating. My personal suggestion is that whatever table you are assigned, try it for the first night and if you don't like it, request a different table after dinner - and please remain open minded about the upper levels of the MDR.

 

Happy voyage,

Salacia

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Thank you very much Salacia.

It is great that there are many tables for two available! We will be happy with any location.

We usually go to dining room first thing after boarding and check our assignment. If we don't get a table for two weeks ask for it. It was always accommodated. I hope for the same.

 

We are looking very much forward to our first experience on this great ship and line.

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I'm pleased to see that others have commented on the term "open seating" much used on this board. It does not apply to Cunard except at breakfast and lunch in the Britannia Restaurant. The Grills and Britannia Club are not open seating. Seating is assigned for all meals on the voyage but dining times are flexible. "Single sitting" or "one sitting" are the traditional terms for this style of dining. This was the way it was when "First Class" was the description for the better accommodations.

 

We have been fortunate to have travelled in all restaurant categories. We always choose a table for six. Our experience in the Grills and Britannia Club is that on most voyages most of those arrived for meals close together. On one crossing everyone showed for all three meals every day within five minutes of each other. On another voyage there was one couple who dined early, we dined in the middle, and one couple dined late at most dinners. This was unusual, but we got used to it. In the Grills and BC the staff do not wait for others to arrive. Some people may not find this to their liking, so this could be considered one negative aspect of the Grills and BC.

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Good point David about "open seating" (we are neighbours by the way, we live in Toronto :) and I stand corrected on the term I used. I recognize that it will be the same table. Was interested in the flexible eating time and if people arrive at different times how disruptive it might be for us and for our table mates.

 

Thank you to everyone for the information

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For what it's worth, we're on our third TA and each time we've asked for and received a table for two in the Britannia Restaurant - late seating. Key here is late seating. Looking around the dining room tonight, I noticed many empty tables, including a couple of "deuces."

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May I ask a question here too?

We are booked and have late assignment in Britannia restaurant.

We prefer early dining and tables for two.

 

We are still debating if we should keep late seating as on this ship we would like to attend afternoon tea and probably won't be hungry by 6:30, but we really want to have a table for two. How easy is to get it? Are three many of them available?

 

Thank you in advance.

 

Unfortunately I would say that if you didn't get your first priority of seating time then the chances of getting a 'table for two' on any sitting are particularly slim.

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Good point David about "open seating" (we are neighbours by the way, we live in Toronto :) and I stand corrected on the term I used. I recognize that it will be the same table. Was interested in the flexible eating time and if people arrive at different times how disruptive it might be for us and for our table mates.

 

Thank you to everyone for the information

 

On my last 'crossing' in December my wife and I had, on request, our usual table for 6...

 

30914680513_a16d3fd626_z.jpg

 

On our first evening we would have appeared to be 'late' to our table companions because we do like to either dance or take pre-dinner drinks in the Commodore Club.

 

Having introduced ourselves a discussion took place and for the remaining six nights we all arrived within minutes of each other and our 'routine' remained intact.

 

With one exception many years ago, this has been our experience in both Grills.

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On the subject of 'tables for two' I have always considered that the four tables at the very rear of the Queens Grill to be the best positioned and isolated as far as other seating goes.

 

30914680513_a16d3fd626_z.jpg

 

Their allocation however always appears to be linked with the top Grills Suites: and quite rightly so.

 

Tables for two by their very nature take up more space and a 'degree of privacy' comes at a premium...

 

31608919441_8cd6a11c87_z.jpg

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