QM2 Brittania class advice needed

[Rosepoint]

My husband and I will be taking the January 3 cruise on the QM2. We are in a B2 cabin and have been trying, unsuccessfully, to upgrade to a P1 or P2. After reading the posts on the board we are concerned that we will be disappointed with the food service on this ship. Our last two cruises have been on Radisson and we loved the food and the service.

 

Any tips on how to enjoy our cruise and avoid some of the waits and disappointments that others have experienced on this ship? Are there better times to eat than others? Do we ignore the Britannia dining room and try to book at all of the alternative dinner venues?

 

My husband has limited mobility, not in a wheelchair, and can only stand in line for a limited amount of time so from what I have read about Kings Court this doesn't look like a good option for us at breakfast or lunch.

 

Again any advice would be greatly appreciated. We are looking forward to seeing this ship.

 

Rosepoint

 

Dawn Princess - June 2001

 

Radisson Mariner - December 2003

 

Radisson Navigator - May 2004

 

QM2 - January 2005

[sailsalot]

My best suggestion to you would be to get to the dining room right when it opens for dinner. That way, your waiter can get your order in right away and you have a better chance of getting quick service. We had a big group, and most nights, by the time we got everyone to the dining room and seated, many tables around us were already on their 2nd or 3rd course! Not that you want to race through your meal, but looking back, I wish we could have gotten in at the start of dinner. Other than the delay in getting food, which was probably caused in part by our late arrival, the service was outstanding, and every effort was made to meet our requests, even for things not on the menu. The waitstaff was fantastic, and the matre'd was very attentive.

 

I wouldn't avoid the Brittania just based on what people say here. It's a beautiful room and very pleasant to eat in. Given your husband's situation, I would agree with you that Kings Court wouldn't be good for breakfast or lunch. You might want to give Golden Lion's Pub a shot for lunch. I hear they serve very good food. We never ate in Brittania for breakfast or lunch, so I'm not sure how it was then.

 

Good luck and enjoy yourselves. Don't let the negative comments here make you nervous about your trip--I'm sure you're going to have a great time!!

[imacruizer]

Sailsalot has good advice. We, too, experienced good service in the Britannia. Usually the second seating is more relaxed. If you do not feel your service is what you expect after the first or second night, ask the Maitr'd to move to a different table. Explain your concerns and I'm sure he will be happy to help. We ate in the Britannia twice for lunch and once for breakfast. The service is slower but the food was good. If the longer meal is a problem for you, you might ask for a table for two for breakfast and lunch. That might make things move more quickly. However, as sailsalot pointed out, just go with the idea that the meals will take longer and enjoy the experience.

 

I do think the Kings Court would be difficult for someone who has limited mobility. It is a large area and the layout is a little confusing.

 

You can also order room service for breakfast or lunch.

 

The QM2 is an amazing ship. It is extremely large so go with the idea that it will take a little longer to get from area to area on the ship. Have a great cruise and give us a report when you return.

[OrangeAndBlue]

Agree with what the above posters have stated. Our service was a little slow in the restaurant but thanks to great dinner conversation we hardly even noticed. As long as I can go out in time to see the show, it doesn't really bother me that much. We were usually out by 8:00 PM for the first sitting...

 

Paul

[Happy ks]

I hope the buffet is not the only choice onboard for breakfast and lunch. If the dining room is open for other meals, the OP should just make use of that instead of the buffet.

[Rosepoint]

Thanks for all of your advice. We are in the second seating for dinner so we will try the Britannia restaurant. We are looking forward to the cruise and hopefully have set our expectations appropriately (I always love having a better trip than I expected). I will post a review when I return.

[imacruizer]

The Britannia is open for breakfast and lunch. Just check the daily programme for the hours. However, I might mention that the Britannia was not open for lunch on embarkcation day on our cruise. You might keep that in mind when boarding. Don't know what time you plan to board. You might want to eat lunch before you get on the ship. If you plan to board early, you might try to find a nice table by the water for your husband and then get his food in the Kings Court. You can always ask a waiter for help.

 

Since your husband has problems with standing in line, you might look for a porter and get a wheel chair when you board. The lines can be long there and it might may things easier for him.

 

Your positive attitude will help make your cruise great.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

Another couple of options for lunch. The Golden Lion does traditional pub food that seems to get good reviews. Todd English is open for lunch and is very quiet and civilised. I enjoyed lunch at Todd English on several days of my crossing.

 

At the Golden Lion just take a seat and there is no extra charge. At Todd English you have to book and pay an extra charge.

 

Hope this helps, Stephen.