Queens Grill Dining Table

[Wedgie Wedgie]

First time Cunard. We have a Q3 pent suite. It is just the two of us. We asked for a 4 top at booking simply because the duece's are so small and we may make friends who wish to dine with us.

 

Is the dining table assigned with flexibility and is it first come first pick?

[Victoria2]

QG dining is flexible in as much the table is yours for the duration. In our experience, if you want to dine with friends, you link your bookings and that will be the table set up for the duration of the cruise. You turn up at any time within the dining hours

Edit

If you have booked a four top, you will be dining with two other people.

 

Pre Covid, we used to go for the largest table possible but now, unless linking bookings which we did most successfully on one of our '23 cruises, go for a two top.

 

The tables will have been preassigned by the M'd although there might be a degree of flexibility during the cruise if you wish to move tables and a table can be found.

 

If we wish to dine with friends either we see/make onboard, or friends from another restaurant, we book [and this is from QE/QV cruises] into a Lido pop up.

The other option is to hold a cabin party and invite your companions in,

 

As has been said, discuss with your Butler the kind of nibbles, hot and cold  you would like and whether it be a small'ish array or a full on party table [that's a sight to see and eat]. Depending on the size of the gathering, the Butler offers to buttle for us, but we usually shoo the Butler out as we're all quite capable of pouring our own drinks.

 

Just be aware, any champagne, wine or spirits  beyond your two cabin bottles allowance [they are replenished when nearly empty], will go on your account.

 

Enjoy and remember, no question is too trivial to ask either on this board, of the Butler or of the Grills Concierge.🙂

Edited March 17 by Victoria2

[Pushpit]

There is flexibility here and it's not as simple as first come, first pick (though inevitably there is a bit of that).  But at the front desk they have years of experience in coming up with a solution that you will work for you and that you will like.  In particular if after your first night you're unhappy about the table, then have a gentle word at the desk when you leave and something will be sorted for you.

[BigMac1953]

Tables for 2 are quite large and certainly more than adequate.

 

As has been pointed out, if you have a table for 4, you will be dining with the same 2 strangers every morning,noon and night.

 

The Maitre d' allocates the tables. Q1's are always in the front area,then Q2's. Some regular and well known pax are also prioritised.

[Victoria2]

38 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

There is flexibility here and it's not as simple as first come, first pick (though inevitably there is a bit of that).  But at the front desk they have years of experience in coming up with a solution that you will work for you and that you will like.  In particular if after your first night you're unhappy about the table, then have a gentle word at the desk when you leave and something will be sorted for you.

There's no element of first come first pick on boarding as demonstrated by some very irate fellow diners berating the QG M'd/Head Waiter on the position of their allotted table.

edit

There is an anecdotal thought date of booking is part of the allocating process but as Big Mac has said, certain cabins [on QE/QV] do usually dine in set parts of the restaurant although we were on the periphery with our four top as we were allocated a window table and the usual window tables were two tops.

Not an issue. Our table was lovely and so were our companions.

We have moved tables, along with another lovely couple, once when we had had enough of a rather loud 'I'm always right' diner who made fun of the other couple. We were both found two tops for the rest of the cruise and dined twice together in a pop up.

Edited March 17 by Victoria2

[Pushpit]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

There's no element of first come first pick on boarding as demonstrated by some very irate fellow diners berating the QG M'd/Head Waiter on the position of their allotted table.

There is some element because if a long queue of people had been to the Maïtre d' with their requests, at some point the number of available tables will diminish and the options with it. But as I said I wouldn't put it as a big factor.

[Victoria2]

8 minutes ago, Pushpit said:

There is some element because if a long queue of people had been to the Maïtre d' with their requests, at some point the number of available tables will diminish and the options with it. But as I said I wouldn't put it as a big factor.

Sorry, I am referring to QG and there's never a long queue of unhappy bunnies.

Early arrival does not automatically give first dibs on table change as there are a few factors involved in changing tables.

It is possible to change, as we know, but not on boarding. We have had folk joining a large table and we have had folk leave a large table after the first day.

Apparently, we were all too jolly!  😄

 

edit

I have heard the M'd say. 'let me see what I can do but please be seated for this meal'.

Edited March 17 by Victoria2

[WantedOnVoyage]

We have changed tables a few times from what was allotted with no issues, certainly never have seen a "queue" in QG or PG for any reason or any time and trust Grill passengers not to be "irate" over anything. I would be not pleased, however, standing behind a "Do you know who I am?!" sort and making quite sure we were not seated within 50 yards of him or her wherever they wind up. A really good seating plan always has a "sent to Coventry" location for these sorts anyway....

 

More than even the food or table service, I value the Grill experience for its quality of ease, grace and professionalism.  Qualities which ensure that something as simple as securing a conviable or convenient table is easily arranged. 

 

But no... you're not going to prebook a "four" with the expectation you are going to be seated there as a couple.  

[Wedgie Wedgie]

I just went to my Cunard to see what I did initially setup. A table for 6! We generally have no qualms of dining with strangers and enjoy chatting with other cruisers. 

 

But I can't roll the dice that we'll be stuck with "that guy" so I changed it to a table for 2. I'm sure if we wish to dine with another couple or two we'll figure something out.

 

[BigMac1953]

Although we always take a 2 top, we always end up chatting to those around us and often invite others around to join us in our room for fizz/cocktails before dinner.

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

We have changed tables a few times from what was allotted with no issues, certainly never have seen a "queue" in QG or PG for any reason or any time and trust Grill passengers not to be "irate" over anything. I would be not pleased, however, standing behind a "Do you know who I am?!" sort and making quite sure we were not seated within 50 yards of him or her wherever they wind up. A really good seating plan always has a "sent to Coventry" location for these sorts anyway....

 

More than even the food or table service, I value the Grill experience for its quality of ease, grace and professionalism.  Qualities which ensure that something as simple as securing a conviable or convenient table is easily arranged. 

 

But no... you're not going to prebook a "four" with the expectation you are going to be seated there as a couple.  

On most voyages I have seen a queue at lunch on the first day, as lots of people drift up to lunch shortly after it opens, usually at 1, and then all the new passengers need to be shown to their tables, so it can take a little while. Obviously nobody gets irate about this. Often the Maître d’h does know (or pretend to know) who many passengers are as they have done many repeats.

[Lakesregion]

Do keep in mind that if you wish to dine with a non-Grill Passenge or two or more you will have to dine in their assigned dining room as the lower cabins are not allowed to dine above the salt.

[Solent Richard]

On 3/16/2024 at 9:11 PM, Wedgie Wedgie said:

First time Cunard. We have a Q3 pent suite. It is just the two of us. We asked for a 4 top at booking simply because the duece's are so small and we may make friends who wish to dine with us.

 

Is the dining table assigned with flexibility and is it first come first pick?

 

Good morning.

 

As I see you have indicated that your Grills accommodation is a Q3 Penthouse then I accept that you will be sailing on either Queen Victoria, Queen Anne or Queen Elizabeth and not Queen Mary 2.

 

As pointed out earlier, you should not worry that a table for two are too small - this is Cunard...

 

 

 

Being allocated a good table, no matter what size one has requested, can depend to a large extent on whether one is going a fresh cruise or joining in between legs of a longer cruise.

 

Whatever, it is most important, as others have mentioned, to head to the grill restaurant as early as possible to take a rain check of table size and position.

 

In all my times sailing either  grills only once was a pre-sailing request to the ship, for a particular table,  NOT met and that was when joining a world cruise leg. On that occasion I declined the allocated larger table and was given a table for two.

Edited March 18 by Solent Richard

[worldtraveller99]

We have just booked our future cruise (first with Cunard, and third ocean cruise overall) and chosen a table for 4. I once won a Fred Olsen cruise where we had a table for 2, but the next table was very near, so we did chat to them every day. They were elderly (and we were much younger than now!), and they had not gone out at the ports, so it was a bit strained.

 

I am assuming they will choose people to share with us who are similar to us in age? Do you think that is right?

[david63]

2 minutes ago, worldtraveller99 said:

I am assuming they will choose people to share with us who are similar to us in age? Do you think that is right?

Passenger allocation on tables is a black art known only to a few and there is no apparent logic to it - you can end up with anyone

[Pushpit]

I'm slightly familiar with how it works on Fred. Olsen, and their approach to table allocation is quite different to Cunard. On Cunard somehow it usually works, and if you are unhappy with your table the front desk will just find you another table. 

[worldtraveller99]

Thank you! We shall see!