worldtraveller99 Posted July 13 #1 Share Posted July 13 I have chosen a table for 4 in Queens Grill, because I feel like being sociable. But my friend ( a P&O regular cruiser) says that if you are on a table of more than 2 they won't serve you until the other couple(s) arrive - and they may be on a different excursion / at a show, and not come until an hour later than you do. I said that can't be true - if we get in they will serve us, irrespective of when the other couple do or do not arrive. Who is right please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare D&N Posted July 13 #2 Share Posted July 13 (edited) Regardless of who is right, I'd just tell them the other couple aren't coming tonight. 🤣 Edit: Being more serious; if it's QG and you don't currently know who you might be sitting beside, how do you know what time they will appear for dinner? The only restriction is the opening hours of the restaurant. I think you can safely say that you'll get served when you choose to go to dinner. Edited July 13 by D&N 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Pushpit Posted July 13 #3 Share Posted July 13 At Grills level the staff seem to know how it plays out, some maritime version of telepathy. I'm sure you too will quickly find out what the other couple's preferences and timings anyway. But you definitely won't be hanging around for an hour, or anything like it, and your food will arrive before, during or after their arrival, whatever is sensible. So, a non problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rakkor Posted July 14 #4 Share Posted July 14 We were on a table for 6 in PG last year and rarely ate at the same time as our companions, they were early birds and we eat at around 19:30 and they were generally on dessert by the time we arrived, so don't worry on that regard. You'll probably come to an agreed time to eat anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Victoria2 Posted July 14 #5 Share Posted July 14 Absolutely no problem at all. You will be served whenever you want. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephen@stoneyard.co.uk Posted July 14 #6 Share Posted July 14 I have not had a problem. There was a couple of our eight who liked to eat early and would be on main courses when the rest of us arrived. We chatted, they finished dinner, we started ours, and they went to various entertainment. The six of us often by chance met in the lounge for a drink before dinner. We would then wonder in together well after eight. It all worked well and nobody had an issue. If you did have somebody who makes an issue of you dinning time just let the restaurant manager know and I am sure they will find you a table with nicer people. If the waiters are not serving you at the pace you like a quiet word would soon resolve that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worldtraveller99 Posted July 14 Author #7 Share Posted July 14 Thank you all very much - that makes sense! I am hoping we will like the other couple very much! Personally I would prefer sitting with different people each day (or not) as we wish, but I am sure as you say, it will all work out ok! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare foodsvcmgr Posted July 14 #8 Share Posted July 14 Your friends reference applies to Britannia or in their case P&O main dining room with fixed seating where the entire table typically will be served course by course together having arrived at the same time. In Grills or BC with open arrival time range would be as others have described here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan01 Posted July 14 #9 Share Posted July 14 (edited) In Grills they will serve you on your own schedule. In Britannia they may serve the whole table together. Keep in mind that most of the two top tables are pretty close together, so it is easy to talk to the people next to you. You can even ask them to push the tables together in most cases if you find you want to do that after you meet your neighbors. There are pros and cons to assigned seating, but part of the Grills experience is having the same service crew every meal so they get to know your preferences and can give you the higher level of service. I'd have to recommend going with the flow on Cunard, and if it isn't for you then trying Seabourn, Regent, or one of the other luxury cruise lines if Grills isn't for you. We enjoy a variety of cruise lines, but we don't expect Cunard QG to be like Seabourn and we don't expect Seabourn to be like Cunard QG. Edited July 14 by stan01 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Se1lad Posted July 14 #10 Share Posted July 14 I was on a table for 8 in QG on QM2 a couple of months back - we all arrived at different times- one couple arrived at 6.30ish, more at 7.30 and I arrived at 8. The early diners were normally on their coffee when I arrived. There’s no way they could expect you to wait for the other diners - you could potentially be sat there for almost 3 hours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worldtraveller99 Posted July 14 Author #11 Share Posted July 14 Thank you all again. All sounds great! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare NE John Posted July 14 #12 Share Posted July 14 (edited) 6 hours ago, worldtraveller99 said: Thank you all very much - that makes sense! I am hoping we will like the other couple very much! Personally I would prefer sitting with different people each day (or not) as we wish, but I am sure as you say, it will all work out ok! The QG feature of “owning” your own table throughout the voyage, along with the great team serving and getting to know you (and you them), is a unique feature that, I believe, is a better experience than meeting others via table hopping. We had a great time with the two couples around us during a recent 10 night QG cruise along an adjacent couple in PG too. Don’t hesitate to bring any concerns you may have to the M’d or head waiter. Just saw your last response. Pls report back with your experience. Edited July 14 by NE John 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stan01 Posted July 14 #13 Share Posted July 14 I would just request a 2 top rather than a 4 top. If this is your first Cunard cruise you'll almost certainly be assigned a table that has another table on one or both sides of yours. You can decide which couple you talk to more, or talk to both. The window and more private two tops generally don't go to first timers; they will typically go to people with Diamond status, more expensive suites (Q1-Q3 if QM2), and people on the ship for a long time. Not always, but that's typically how the "better" tables will get assigned although I have seen someone throw a tantrum and successfully get a window table. I've also seen people ask for window tables and be told "sorry, that's not available". 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worldtraveller99 Posted July 14 Author #14 Share Posted July 14 Thank you - that makes sense. I think one reason I wanted a 4 seat table is that I love duck a l'orange and my husband does not, so I am hoping the other lady may feel the same, and we could share that one night? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exlondoner Posted July 14 #15 Share Posted July 14 2 minutes ago, worldtraveller99 said: Thank you - that makes sense. I think one reason I wanted a 4 seat table is that I love duck a l'orange and my husband does not, so I am hoping the other lady may feel the same, and we could share that one night? If you ask them nicely, they may do one just for you, and the other half will get used for pâté. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue-B Posted July 14 #16 Share Posted July 14 Just now, exlondoner said: If you ask them nicely, they may do one just for you, and the other half will get used for pâté. Agree! They definitely do - my husband has often politely asked and ordered it just for himself. 👍😀 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worldtraveller99 Posted July 14 Author #17 Share Posted July 14 Thank you both - i wouldn't want to waste an entire duck just on me. I am sure it will all work out! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exlondoner Posted July 14 #18 Share Posted July 14 8 minutes ago, worldtraveller99 said: Thank you both - i wouldn't want to waste an entire duck just on me. I am sure it will all work out! I was pleased to see two different versions of duck pâté appear at lunch and dinner on the final or penultimate day of our last cruise. I was pleased as I hate waste, but it was obviously where all the carcasses etc went. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worldtraveller99 Posted July 14 Author #19 Share Posted July 14 Thank you - I hadn't understood re the pate - I like duck pate too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare NE John Posted July 14 #20 Share Posted July 14 You can also order the Dover sole and rack of lamb for one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worldtraveller99 Posted July 15 Author #21 Share Posted July 15 Thank you - does it say this anywhere on the menu? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Pushpit Posted July 15 #22 Share Posted July 15 You will get a hefty menu binder, with the day's menu for the first couple of pages, and the back of the binder has the à la carte menu. You will get that even at breakfast since you may need to pre-order. Many of the items will be marked "for two", including the duck, but this gets to be negotiable on the day. Plus there maybe someone else in the Grills in a similar position. Some items on that menu are not for two, the steak and the turbot. The duck is not for two in Britannia Club, it's a single person dish on their à la carte menu, but they won't carve it at the table there unless it is for two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
worldtraveller99 Posted July 15 Author #23 Share Posted July 15 Aha! Ok that is great thank you - if 6 different people love the duck they will cook it for all of us, no matter which table we are on. So have any of you ever chosen to have a table for 4 randomly, and did it work out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Victoria2 Posted July 15 #24 Share Posted July 15 (edited) We have yet to have our requests of a menu’d meal for two, prepared for one turned down. 🙂 Edited July 15 by Victoria2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Pushpit Posted July 15 #25 Share Posted July 15 5 minutes ago, worldtraveller99 said: Aha! Ok that is great thank you - if 6 different people love the duck they will cook it for all of us, no matter which table we are on. So have any of you ever chosen to have a table for 4 randomly, and did it work out? Not in QG since the pandemic, but I did choose a table for 8 in PG a few months back, and many times in Britannia - 4 to 8. Though I'm also happy as a solo on a table for 2, I've always enjoyed sharing the table. In Britannia, on Open dining, it's easy to change from night to night as to whether to be sociable or not. In PG on the table for 8, to take my most recent example from January this year, some people would turn up at the same time, others would go earlier or later. Some would only stay for a quick meal, others would want the full experience. And the next night do something different. No matter, the wait staff have the professionalism to work around all of that and no-one would have had any complaints on their service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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