Feedback on open dining Britannia Restaurant

[Kordy]

20 minutes ago, TonyLon said:

Previously (on QM2) we've always gone for 2nd sitting Fixed Dining, but on our Queen Anne trip last week we went Open.
 

This worked well for us in that we got a wide location of tables over the 9 nights, and a wide range of dining companions (we always asked for a table for two but 90% of the time that means you will be only a few inches from another table for two, so in essence you are sharing). And on two occasions we got a more separated table for two (once by the balcony overlooking Level 2 and once next to the window).

I know the downside  (over fixed dining on the same table each night) is that you don't get to know your dining staff, but with the reduction in staff generally in the restaurants they don't seem to have much time to chat anymore anyway.

And the upside: being able to eat when you want, (we never had to wait for more than 3-4 mins), the chance to meet different people each night, and a different view every night more tha made up for any drawbacks.

 

 

Your answer makes it sound like Open Dining is the current best way to go .... especially when you are into doing Activities in the Daily Programme and especially if there are Port Calls involved, where you want to maximise the time spent in the port calls.

[Rat Noir]

We've gone with open dining a few times, generally found it to work well for us. If we got some wait staff that we really liked, generally a request on arrival of "Anything in xxxx's area?" was easily accommodated. As long as we weren't fussy about the exact table, which we weren't.

[Kordy]

I think a good strategy may be to start with Fixed Dining and if after 1 or 2 nights, you have a good experience, and a good table and you like it, stick to it... But if not, you can ask to be changed half-way through the cruise to Open Dining and that way you can get the "best of both worlds" experience, on a single cruise?

[*Miss G*]

I have not had open dining on Cunard but have had it on other lines. The queues and the unknowns (table, proximity to others, wait-staff lottery) and the haphazard neglectful service does not a nice dining experience make.

 

When I make the effort to dress for dinner, I prefer that likes, dislikes, and allergens are on the waitstaff’s minds without me having to explain them each and every night. And, even then, I have still been served allergens so there are unsafe consequences if I go that route. I also like that my wine is already at my table without me having to fend off the order-takers until I can review the wine list and have a glass in hand while I peruse the menu.

 

I found that the late dining on this most recent crossing caused conflict with some activities and performances which I would have loved to attend, but fixed is still my preference whether it be first or second seating.  It is so much more civilized that way.

[missson1967]

On 6/25/2024 at 7:03 PM, Kordy said:

Thank you for doing this .... this will be useful.  I am actually not sure if I should go for Fixed Dining or Open Dining on my upcoming cruise on QM2 in Britannia.  My only criteria is that I would like to have a table for 2 which is not RIGHT next to other people and that we have some privacy.  I'm hearing that most tables for 2 in Britannia are only 6 inches from each other and therefore they are basically tables for 6 separated by a tiny amount.  Not sure if it is even possible to have a table with a little privacy(?).

 

I wonder if we choose FIXED dining, maybe we can maximise the chance of a better table.  Or maybe with OPEN dining, there is more preferences opened up?

We will only dine at a table for two & would rather wait for a 'private' table to become available than join one of the chains of 3/4 tables in a row.  We have, however, never had a problem getting a table for 2 & have found (& been told by staff) the best description to use is to request a "single table for two".  Having said that, you will be very lucky to get a "single table for two" by a window on QM2, whether you opt for fixed or open dining (there are far more of those available on QV/QE).  You are more likely to end up by a serving station on QM2, but for us, the 'privacy' is more important than the location or view.    

[rakkor]

11 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

So, 5 of you voted that it was terrible but not told us why, any additional comments about what made it terrible ?

Long waits for a table? Poor service once you got one ?

 

Fat fingers on my part - I meant to select OK but prefer fixed but selected terrible without realising

 

My main gripes about open are long queues for the dining room, different wait staff every time and very long waits to get half drunk bottles of wine, some times well into entrees being served - our only experience though was on one of the cruises to nowhere post lockdown, since then it's been PG and a short party cruise which was fixed

Edited Saturday at 08:48 PM by rakkor

[Kynance]

My experience isn’t recent - 12 months ago on QV and was something I posted about at the time but it’s still fresh enough in my mind that I think I could only ever contemplate it again for a short trip of 3 or 4 nights where we would probably do alternative dining on a couple of evenings. As I said at the time, we were meant to be on fixed late but somehow got allocated open. We are not early eaters on holiday and ended up on a couple of tables in rubbish locations, inches from other tables. The service was dire on the first night and we were never offered a drink, other than water. We were rushed through as well and the waiter bringing our desserts practically dropped them on the table and got them the wrong way around. Things were a bit better in the second evening but we still nearly didn’t get a drinks order taken.  We are also introverts - the thought of making conversation with new people every evening when we just want to eat and enjoy our own company is just not appealing. Fortunately, we did manage to switch to late eventually, although that too came with a big downside (as noted in my review). All in all, last June wasn’t the best cruise we had for dining, it has to be said. I would still take late fixed over open though. 

[Classiccruiser777]

We usually book longer voyages and prefer having the same table with the same waiters. They get to know our preferences, we learn about them and we establish a rapport which adds to the enjoyment of the cruise.

[missson1967]

10 hours ago, Kynance said:

My experience isn’t recent - 12 months ago on QV and was something I posted about at the time but it’s still fresh enough in my mind that I think I could only ever contemplate it again for a short trip of 3 or 4 nights where we would probably do alternative dining on a couple of evenings. As I said at the time, we were meant to be on fixed late but somehow got allocated open. We are not early eaters on holiday and ended up on a couple of tables in rubbish locations, inches from other tables. The service was dire on the first night and we were never offered a drink, other than water. We were rushed through as well and the waiter bringing our desserts practically dropped them on the table and got them the wrong way around. Things were a bit better in the second evening but we still nearly didn’t get a drinks order taken.  We are also introverts - the thought of making conversation with new people every evening when we just want to eat and enjoy our own company is just not appealing. Fortunately, we did manage to switch to late eventually, although that too came with a big downside (as noted in my review). All in all, last June wasn’t the best cruise we had for dining, it has to be said. I would still take late fixed over open though. 

Sorry to hear your disappointing QV MDR experience is still fresh in mind, @Kynance.  We completely understand why getting the right table for two is so important, regardless of which restaurant you are in, as it can spoil your dining experience and put a cloud over your holiday generally.  We'd certainly recommend that next time you ask for a "single table for two", as the MDs & Head Waiters seem to understand what that means in practice.  You can get lucky with phrases like a "private" or "quiet" table for two, but the problem with those is that you can start off with a "private" or "quiet" table at one end of the chain of 3/4, but as those other tables fill out, your table is no longer "private" or "quiet".  There's really no ambiguity with the phrase a "single table for two", so that has worked best for us.

 

As far as 'open v fixed' is concerned, in our view, fixed provides by far the better dining experience (although open obviously provides the flexibility), so like you, we would certainly take fixed over open, not least because (as a general rule) we have found the service to be more attentive on fixed.          

[*Miss G*]

With regard to the single table for two issue… when explaining to the Maitre d’ that I’d reserved a table for two and not a sharing table, he checked his seating chart, then stopped and asked “A separate table?”  Yes, a separate table, quiet and apart from others.  This seemed to make a difference in his decision and he quickly assigned exactly that… a separate table in a quiet area.  It was perfect.

[Kordy]

I just did Open Seating in Britannia on gala night June 30. It was not good at all. Line far too long, up to after Golden Lion, and people turned away and asked to come 1.5 hours later. We were told - restaurant full.  Virtual line closed also. 

[Lakesregion]

2 hours ago, Kordy said:

I just did Open Seating in Britannia on gala night June 30. It was not good at all. Line far too long, up to after Golden Lion, and people turned away and asked to come 1.5 hours later. We were told - restaurant full.  Virtual line closed also. 

Such is the problem when you offer too many choices for dining and then have a gala evening with the "possibility" of an extra good menu. The buffet crowd and those that partake of the extra charge places will flock to the "better" menu free place. Speaks well for having an assigned table at an assigned time. No lines. 

[Silverspringcruiser]

Just got off the QE Alaska cruise and we (2) never had a problem. We used the "app" as requested to make reservations and even if we showed up 15 minutes early they still sat us immediately. We were also only asked if we wanted to share a table once. Although, as has been mentioned above, the tables are so close together its as if we were.

[Kordy]

1 hour ago, Lakesregion said:

Such is the problem when you offer too many choices for dining and then have a gala evening with the "possibility" of an extra good menu. The buffet crowd and those that partake of the extra charge places will flock to the "better" menu free place. Speaks well for having an assigned table at an assigned time. No lines. 

You are spot on.  But the food in the restaurant was worth it.  We walked by the King's Court just to check it out and Britannia definitely had a better menu. Chateaubriand steak, you name it.  Easily $150/person value in a New York City restaurant.