Larger dining room tables in the Grills - how does it work?

[NE John]

I’ve sailed only on Britannia class before and dined at larger tables, second seating. We like meeting and bonding with others and enjoyed the experience. Also same experience on other ships. 

Making a move to the Grills, how does larger table seating work with open dining?

My concern is that we get to a table of 6-8 and arrive at 7 o’clock for dinner and two people already have finished their starters and two others join us in halfway through our meal. Any group “flow” seems difficult to achieve with rotating diners.  
Do diners agree on a set time? If yes, does that go contra to the benefit of open dining. 
For breakfast or lunch, I would find that two sitting alone at a table for 6-8 would be awkward as table mates may do room service or be elsewhere. 
Any feedback or thoughts on this subject would be appreciated. Am I overthinking this issue?

Edited January 21, 2023 by NE John

[Host Hattie]

Some tables may agree a time, others won't.

We shared a table with a couple who liked to eat early so we often arrived when they were having dessert or coffee. It worked more like a table of 4 than 6.

Lots of people eat elsewhere for breakfast and lunch, there's no awkwardness, the staff are used to it. 

[Victoria2]

14 minutes ago, NE John said:

I’ve sailed only on Britannia class before and dined at larger tables, second seating. We like meeting and bonding with others and enjoyed the experience. 

Making a move to the Grills, how does larger table seating work with open dining?

My concern is that we get to a table of 6-8 and arrive at 7 o’clock for dinner and two people already have finished their starters and two others join us in halfway through our meal. Any group “flow” seems difficult to achieve with rotating diners.  
Do diners agree on a set time? If yes, does that go contra to the benefit of open dining. 
For breakfast or lunch, I would find that two sitting alone at a table for 6-8 would be awkward as table mates may do room service or be elsewhere. 
Any feedback or thoughts on this subject would be appreciated. Am I overthinking this issue?

Yes.

 

Background, nearly 300 nights QV/QE in QG so have a little experience to draw on.

 

Prior to Covid, we always went for the large tables. Sometimes it worked so the whole table were happy to dine in the evening at a similar time, sometimes it didn't work as well.

Either way it didn't  matter.

 

We have only ever had one occasion when one couple dined on the dot at 6.30 pm and had almost finished by the time the rest of us appeared and then left the table to the six of us, not even stopping to chat. Their loss.

 

The food is served when fellow diners want it. ''You'' can wait for the next course if you're joined later or ''you'' can continue at ''your'' own pace. Up to the individuals and the wait staff will accommodate accordingly.

Most people choose a large table, to be sociable and so are fairly willing to compromise on dining time to a certain extent and although there's no fast rule at all,  the norm has been a window of around twenty mins in which to turn up, usually 7.30pm to around 7.45pm being a popular time.

 

As to eating on your own as a couple for lunch or breakfast, that is no problem whatsoever and not in the slightest bit awkward.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Victoria2

[exlondoner]

From observation, not experience, it often seems to be the case that the earlier arrivals slow down a bit, unless they have a particular deadline, so that by coffee and petit fours they are all more our less synchronous.

[NE John]

It’s great to hear from veteran Cunarders!

 

I believe it would be fun to have a full table sharing a Chinese banquet, Indian smorgasbord, Italian Sunday “gravy” dinner, etc; those types of meals would be better served in group settings. 

From what I have read on these boards, those types of meals would be part of the Grills experience. 

[Victoria2]

4 minutes ago, NE John said:

It’s great to hear from veteran Cunarders!

 

I believe it would be fun to have a full table sharing a Chinese banquet, Indian smorgasbord, Italian Sunday “gravy” dinner, etc; those types of meals would be better served in group settings. 

From what I have read on these boards, those types of meals would be part of the Grills experience. 

When you say ''Grills'', which one are you referring to?

 

Edit

I ask as there will be no problem ordering a table meal in QG, but have no idea if that's possible in PG.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Victoria2

[exlondoner]

2 minutes ago, NE John said:

It’s great to hear from veteran Cunarders!

 

I believe it would be fun to have a full table sharing a Chinese banquet, Indian smorgasbord, Italian Sunday “gravy” dinner, etc; those types of meals would be better served in group settings. 

From what I have read on these boards, those types of meals would be part of the Grills experience. 

I have certainly seen splendid Indian banquets. And once a large table of Thais had a whole sucking pig for lunch. There was so much they gave us some, as we were looking on admiringly from a next door table. This must have been arranged before boarding, as I don’t imagine they have sucking pigs hanging around in the stores, just in case. Anyway, it is worth arranging such meals with plenty of notice.

[NE John]

5 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

When you say ''Grills'', which one are you referring to?

 

Edit

I ask as there will be no problem ordering a table meal in QG, but have no idea if that's possible in PG.

QG, going all in!

[NE John]

Just now, NE John said:

QG, going all in!

I’ve been on QM2 and QE, and thanks to your positive commentary, I look forward to traveling on QV, a “happy” ship. Excellent!

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, NE John said:

I’ve been on QM2 and QE, and thanks to your positive commentary, I look forward to traveling on QV, a “happy” ship. Excellent!

Fantastic. We LOVE Victoria.

 

The restaurant is your oyster.

Remember, if the ingredients are on the ship, and it does help if  the chef knows the recipe 🙂,  you can order ''off'' menu, anything you fancy.

[exlondoner]

3 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Fantastic. We LOVE Victoria.

 

The restaurant is your oyster.

Remember, if the ingredients are on the ship, and it does help if  the chef knows the recipe 🙂,  you can order ''off'' menu, anything you fancy.

Given that many of the chefs are from Asia, dishes from that area of the world may be especially stunning.

[Victoria2]

Just now, exlondoner said:

Given that many of the chefs are from Asia, dishes from that area of the world may be especially stunning.

Believe me, they are. I have even managed to get street food cooked to perfection.

[NE John]

My wife is not a big fan of cruises in general (she liked the Crossing) but she is a foodie and Grills dining experience is my selling point. 

[Victoria2]

8 minutes ago, NE John said:

My wife is not a big fan of cruises in general (she liked the Crossing) but she is a foodie and Grills dining experience is my selling point. 

We're not foodies at all but we do have an inkling what decent food is so whilst you'll get folk who will knock the product [and it won't be perfect all the time], we have very little to complain about. Can't be all that bad if we keep coming back for more, and so saying,  we have a few cruises booked for this and next year already. 🙂

[Solent Richard]

On 1/21/2023 at 2:49 PM, NE John said:

I’ve sailed only on Britannia class before and dined at larger tables, second seating. We like meeting and bonding with others and enjoyed the experience. Also same experience on other ships. 

Making a move to the Grills, how does larger table seating work with open dining?

My concern is that we get to a table of 6-8 and arrive at 7 o’clock for dinner and two people already have finished their starters and two others join us in halfway through our meal. Any group “flow” seems difficult to achieve with rotating diners.  
Do diners agree on a set time? If yes, does that go contra to the benefit of open dining. 
For breakfast or lunch, I would find that two sitting alone at a table for 6-8 would be awkward as table mates may do room service or be elsewhere. 
Any feedback or thoughts on this subject would be appreciated. Am I overthinking this issue?

Good morning @NE John .

 

I would guess that a lot would depend on which of the 'Grills' you are planning on booking.

 

Having myself done a substantial - wouldn't dream of putting a figure to it - number of nights in both Princess and Queens Grills I can offer you my experiences which are that you would be far more likely to expect a 'settled' and more convivial  'larger' table in Princess Grill.

 

With regard to size, then I'd also say that opting for a 'six' is by far the better choice in both Grills. Again, that size tends to promote conviviality.

 

My choices would be similar on all three Queens which I do have experience on.

 

 

[NE John]

2 hours ago, Solent Richard said:

Good morning @NE John .

 

I would guess that a lot would depend on which of the 'Grills' you are planning on booking.

 

Having myself done a substantial - wouldn't dream of putting a figure to it - number of nights in both Princess and Queens Grills I can offer you my experiences which are that you would be far more likely to expect a 'settled' and more convivial  'larger' table in Princess Grill.

 

With regard to size, then I'd also say that opting for a 'six' is by far the better choice in both Grills. Again, that size tends to promote conviviality.

 

My choices would be similar on all three Queens which I do have experience on.

 

 

Thank you Richard. I appreciate all the experience shared from so many on these boards. 

[tv24]

On 1/21/2023 at 7:34 AM, exlondoner said:

I have certainly seen splendid Indian banquets. And once a large table of Thais had a whole sucking pig for lunch. There was so much they gave us some, as we were looking on admiringly from a next door table. This must have been arranged before boarding, as I don’t imagine they have sucking pigs hanging around in the stores, just in case. Anyway, it is worth arranging such meals with plenty of notice.

Never witnessed this in the Grills.  But it is nice to know that it has happened.

[buchanan101]

On 1/21/2023 at 2:49 PM, NE John said:

I’ve sailed only on Britannia class before and dined at larger tables, second seating. We like meeting and bonding with others and enjoyed the experience. Also same experience on other ships. 

Making a move to the Grills, how does larger table seating work with open dining?

My concern is that we get to a table of 6-8 and arrive at 7 o’clock for dinner and two people already have finished their starters and two others join us in halfway through our meal. Any group “flow” seems difficult to achieve with rotating diners.  
Do diners agree on a set time? If yes, does that go contra to the benefit of open dining. 
For breakfast or lunch, I would find that two sitting alone at a table for 6-8 would be awkward as table mates may do room service or be elsewhere. 
Any feedback or thoughts on this subject would be appreciated. Am I overthinking this issue?

The tables for two in QG on QM2 are so close together that we ended up chatting to the table either side of us as if they were the same table…

[Solent Richard]

6 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

The tables for two in QG on QM2 are so close together that we ended up chatting to the table either side of us as if they were the same table…

 

[buchanan101]

7 hours ago, Solent Richard said:

 

If you have one of the middle ones you effectively have a table of 6 with the added bonus that you don’t HAVE to talk to them (though that works both ways)

 

(on our crossing we had s Swiss couple on the next table. First night in NYC we went to Katz Diner (THE one from When Harry Met Sally) when in walked the Swiss guy - he had seen us through the window. In the whole of NYC what are the chances of that?)