QM2 Queens Grill Dining Latest Sit-down Time

[richarduk]

Hello. What would usually be the latest acceptable arrival time in The Queens Grill restaurant on QM2? Thank you.

Edited July 26 by richarduk

[s.s.France]

Its my understanding you can show up right until the end ( i think its 0900pm) but i have never seen people show up so late.

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, s.s.France said:

Its my understanding you can show up right until the end ( i think its 0900pm) but i have never seen people show up so late.

I have seen people come in at about 8.57, admittedly a while ago. But I do think that is a little mean.

[richarduk]

Obviously I don't want to 'hack' the staff off at all. It would be good though if I knew an official latest sit-down time for everyone's benefit. I'll ask them onboard.

 

The main reason I ask because I prefer to eat when it's much quieter, plus as they're fixed tables it's a bit more important than if flexible dining.

 

I may be wrong, but I'm assuming the majority will eat a bit earlier to give time afterwards to enjoy the ship's venues and entertainment?

 

Thanks for your replies.

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, richarduk said:

Obviously I don't want to 'hack' the staff off at all. It would be good though if I knew an official latest sit-down time for everyone's benefit. I'll ask them onboard.

 

The main reason I ask because I prefer to eat when it's much quieter, plus as they're fixed tables it's a bit more important than if flexible dining.

 

I may be wrong, but I'm assuming the majority will eat a bit earlier to give time afterwards to enjoy the ship's venues and entertainment?

 

Thanks for your replies.

The staff will say 9 pm. Do you not like hubbub or are you worried about speed of service?

[s.s.France]

It gets quiet towards 0900, but some tables are still busy. Most people show up between 0700 and 0800 i think.

 

[richarduk]

I prefer it less busy. I'm not concerned at all about speed of service. I've seen how close the tables for two are! I think this is an area the Cunard maybe need to look at, but I'm sure they've don't their homework!

Edited July 26 by richarduk

[Pushpit]

56 minutes ago, richarduk said:

I prefer it less busy. I'm not concerned at all about speed of service. I've seen how close the tables for two are! I think this is an area the Cunard maybe need to look at, but I'm sure they've don't their homework!

That's is easier to resolve. You will find that there are some tables where the diners always eat early, or indeed late. So long as you quickly work out who they are (and the elderly tend to be the early and consistent to dine as a not-always-correct stereotype) then you can see if you get the table near them but come in at another time.

 

To give an example, some couples always want to be ready for the first show in Royal Court, or want to be ready for the first Queens Room dance, they are going to be sat down around 6pm and will be out well before 8pm. If you talk to the Maître d', s/he will be totally and professionally aware of this sort of thing and will find a table that works for you.

 

As a hint, many people ask for a window table, though in QM2 the view isn't exactly amazing, so wanting a table away from the window may also do the trick. But so long as you articulate your preferences to the Maître d' then all will be well. At anyone time QG in QM2 is never more than half full and usually a lot less.

[richarduk]

Thanks very much for this. Much appreciated.

[NE John]

Don’t forget that a huge benefit of Grills dining is that you have your table for the entire voyage for all meals so show up when you want (within reason as some hinted). Newer passengers to Cunard sometimes need a second to realize that awesome feature. You and your wait staff establish a good rapport and they remember so many details. 

[BklynBoy8]

1 hour ago, NE John said:

Don’t forget that a huge benefit of Grills dining is that you have your table for the entire voyage for all meals so show up when you want (within reason as some hinted). Newer passengers to Cunard sometimes need a second to realize that awesome feature. You and your wait staff establish a good rapport and they remember so many details. 

 

Totally agree with you John.

 

It's an honor to dine in the Queen's Grill with cuisine, wait staff assigned for the sailing, and set table to enjoy a delightful meal the three times each day. I never knew even on land anyone that dines towards the far-est times of the set dining times.

 

You always wants and should respect the serving staff assigned and appreciate their dedicated service during your sailing.

 

We always do and receive their appreciation on return sailings.

 

 

 

 

Edited July 27 by BklynBoy8

[exlondoner]

5 hours ago, BklynBoy8 said:

 

Totally agree with you John.

 

It's an honor to dine in the Queen's Grill with cuisine, wait staff assigned for the sailing, and set table to enjoy a delightful meal the three times each day. I never knew even on land anyone that dines towards the far-est times of the set dining times.

 

You always wants and should respect the serving staff assigned and appreciate their dedicated service during your sailing.

 

No, it is not an honour. It is simply something you have paid for, along with a larger balcony etc. But it is indeed a delight and pleasure and the staff are lovely.

[Victoria2]

13 hours ago, richarduk said:

Obviously I don't want to 'hack' the staff off at all. It would be good though if I knew an official latest sit-down time for everyone's benefit. I'll ask them onboard.

 

The main reason I ask because I prefer to eat when it's much quieter, plus as they're fixed tables it's a bit more important than if flexible dining.

 

I may be wrong, but I'm assuming the majority will eat a bit earlier to give time afterwards to enjoy the ship's venues and entertainment?

 

Thanks for your replies.

Peak time for a reasonably full restaurant has always been around 7.45/8.00pm in our experience.

[BigMac1953]

We always aim to arrive circa 8:00pm and have a wee aperitif in the lounge before entering the QG restaurant.

[exlondoner]

I wonder in fact if it is at its emptiest just after it opens, though this may apply more on European voyages, as they tend, I think, to dine later. On our recent trip on QA, we never saw our neighbours on one side at dinner, because they had finished and gone by the time we turned up at about 7.40. Much the same happened at other meals, though we did occasionally overlap.

[david63]

11 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I wonder in fact if it is at its emptiest just after it opens, though this may apply more on European voyages, as they tend, I think, to dine later

As a generalisation many Americans like to eat early - I have read on other fora that 17:00 is too late for some!

[godfreyb]

We always tend to arrive late on in the dining process, after a few drinks in the Grills lounge.  Never had a problem and later dining seems to improve the service timings - prompt but not rushed.  One evening we were very late (after 10:30 p.m.) with another couple of diners and the servings staff did not seem to mind.  

[BklynBoy8]

8 hours ago, exlondoner said:

No, it is not an honour. It is simply something you have paid for, along with a larger balcony etc. But it is indeed a delight and pleasure and the staff are lovely.

 

In Our Honest Opinion, we do feel it's a honor and pleasant experience each time we sail. Since we do not sail as often as many others, we look forward to the service. Even though I have a Culinary Background, we look forward not having to do all the tasks to prepare a meal at home for the period we are sailing.

 

 

[richarduk]

4 hours ago, godfreyb said:

We always tend to arrive late on in the dining process, after a few drinks in the Grills lounge.  Never had a problem and later dining seems to improve the service timings - prompt but not rushed.  One evening we were very late (after 10:30 p.m.) with another couple of diners and the servings staff did not seem to mind.  

Thanks for sharing this.  When you say after 2230, what time did you arrive? 

[Jim_Iain]

We are late diners and normally will show up around 8:45.   One think we enjoy about late dining is that it gets quieter and quieter as other guests finish their dining.   We have never felt rushed or frowned upon and often the staff feel more comfortable engaging in longer conversation, not having to rush to server others.    

 

I have to say that this is 99% on Celebrity as we will not sail Cunard for the first time until October.

Edited July 27 by Jim_Iain

[cpc3639]

9 hours ago, godfreyb said:

We always tend to arrive late on in the dining process, after a few drinks in the Grills lounge.  Never had a problem and later dining seems to improve the service timings - prompt but not rushed.  One evening we were very late (after 10:30 p.m.) with another couple of diners and the servings staff did not seem to mind.  

Do you not think the staff are entitled to finish their shift at a reasonable time? 

[stan01]

11 hours ago, godfreyb said:

We always tend to arrive late on in the dining process, after a few drinks in the Grills lounge.  Never had a problem and later dining seems to improve the service timings - prompt but not rushed.  One evening we were very late (after 10:30 p.m.) with another couple of diners and the servings staff did not seem to mind.  

 

Arriving just before 9:00 PM and chatting until 10:30 PM while the crew cleans up and gets ready for breakfast is fine, but I'd read the room and see if your waiter is keeping busy just because you are still there.  Yes it is their job to provide great service and in the QG they take pride in it, but at the same time passengers can respect their personal time to eat, talk to their families, and sleep so they are ready to do it again the next day.

[godfreyb]

21 hours ago, richarduk said:

Thanks for sharing this.  When you say after 2230, what time did you arrive? 

Between 8:30 and 8:45 p.m.

[godfreyb]

13 hours ago, stan01 said:

 

Arriving just before 9:00 PM and chatting until 10:30 PM while the crew cleans up and gets ready for breakfast is fine, but I'd read the room and see if your waiter is keeping busy just because you are still there.  Yes it is their job to provide great service and in the QG they take pride in it, but at the same time passengers can respect their personal time to eat, talk to their families, and sleep so they are ready to do it again the next day.

I don't pay for a cruise and expect to have to look after the staff.  In this case, it was unintentional and involved diners who knew each other from the cruise, and we were engaged in talking to the PG Maitre'd and Assistant Maitre'd.  We don't sit there deliberately to keep the wait staff there, but I don't intend to rush my dinner (and opening hours are until 9 p.m.) just for the convenience of the staff.  In case you don't get the point, the staff are there to look after me, I am not there to look after them.  But this doesn't mean one can act deliberately to inconvenience the staff, in his case it was harmless enjoyment with fellow diners.

[richarduk]

I guess what I'd ideally like to know is a reasonable and agreeable latest arrival time for dinner for one (yes, just me) I prefer to eat later, but not at the expense of the crew.