Balconies and tables for two

I think the answers so far show that everybody is different. We both have busy lives and enjoy down time together. We enjoy our own company and frankly are not particularly interested in meeting other people on a cruise. I fear that as the years pass intolerance grows. Last year on our first and I have to say last, P&O cruise, although we had a very nice spacious table for 2, one of our neighbours at a table for 8 was so loud and obnoxious that we and all the surrounding tables might as well have joined his table. Most of the people in that corner of the restaurant can now tell you exactly how his company operates!

It is for this reason that I would never share a table.

Similarly, with a balcony cabin, one can sunbathe, read or just relax without having one's neighbours chair or sun lounger jammed up against you. Life today is very public and privacy counts.

Reading this over, I sound anti social - and it's probably a fair criticism - however I totally agree with previous poster who said that if one ate at a good restaurant ashore you would not expect to be asked to share a table.

If you cruise enough you will encounter the occasional obnoxious table mate (s) who may ruin the dining experience for all , late , loud or food fusspot .

We now always request a table for 2 not wishing to play Russian Roulette

with our dining experience .

I can understand OP's preference to dine with strangers as she is cruising alone , but not our preference .

Thank you all for taking the time to explain your preferences in table sizes and the one or two who mentioned balconies.

For those of us who travel solo due to a missing spouse or significant other it is apparent that should Cunard switch over to anytime dining, we are doomed. I once spent several weeks on board NCL as a presenter back when NCL made the attempt at enrichment programs and over the three weeks during anytime dining I was able to secure a sharing table only 3 times, even after standing at the host stand for upwards of 20 minutes. The rest of the time I had to dine alone and put up with the staff's "Pity Party" comments of "will you be dining alone oh so sorry" etc. A most unpleasant experience.

As to sharing open seating during breakfast and lunch, yes one does meet a lot of new people but we all ask the same six questions and get the same answers everyday with the new people. Much better to have a table for 8 or 10 and actually get to know these folks beyond a single meal.

Do not get me wrong, we are not trolls and I have yet to dine on any young children (heard they are good with BBQ sauce). However, we are very private people and enjoy each others company exclusive of others. Add to that when DH is out to sea I may not see him for half the year and frankly I miss him. Thus we always ask for a table for 2 at dinner. For the other meals I am an early riser and DH sleeps late so I ask for a table for 6-8 for breakfast and lunch to at least not be the pathetic single woman eating alone and he happily munches on buffet and room service.

Thank you all for taking the time to explain your preferences in table sizes and the one or two who mentioned balconies.

 

For those of us who travel solo due to a missing spouse or significant other it is apparent that should Cunard switch over to anytime dining, we are doomed. I once spent several weeks on board NCL as a presenter back when NCL made the attempt at enrichment programs and over the three weeks during anytime dining I was able to secure a sharing table only 3 times, even after standing at the host stand for upwards of 20 minutes. The rest of the time I had to dine alone and put up with the staff's "Pity Party" comments of "will you be dining alone oh so sorry" etc. A most unpleasant experience.

 

As to sharing open seating during breakfast and lunch, yes one does meet a lot of new people but we all ask the same six questions and get the same answers everyday with the new people. Much better to have a table for 8 or 10 and actually get to know these folks beyond a single meal.

That's ironic, considering they've added single cabins. I don't think they will go to anytime. There are enough passengers who like to have the same table, same companions, same waiters that fixed is likely to stay. And if we find ourselves on the same cruise, you'll be welcome to join us.

Hi Queenie1603,

From my experience when travelling as a single (a few years back), yes.

That is not to say that on a large table with several "single" passengers that all seated there will be travelling on their own, but "singles" are grouped together, I've noted.

 

Best wishes.

Thanks Pepper, I noticed that Cunard do offer get togethers for single travellers and have more single cabins than when I started cruising with them.

Best wishes

Queenie

We don't cruise to socialize or make friends. Plus, my DH is a very fussy eater, so we special order every night, In the past, when we did share a table, others sometimes got offended that he did not like anything on the menu. We also do not do more than two courses. It is easier with a table for 2.

We enjoy our balcony, we also enjoy breakfast in our cabin and room service if we want a snack mid day because usually only eat two meals day at home.

When you choose cruise or travel solo... that is a choice, just like asking for a table for 2 is a choice for us.

We don't cruise to socialize or make friends. Plus, my DH is a very fussy eater, so we special order every night, In the past, when we did share a table, others sometimes got offended that he did not like anything on the menu. We also do not do more than two courses. It is easier with a table for 2.

 

We enjoy our balcony, we also enjoy breakfast in our cabin and room service if we want a snack mid day because usually only eat two meals day at home.

 

When you choose cruise or travel solo... that is a choice, just like asking for a table for 2 is a choice for us.

Just to mention that it is possible to ask for the following night's menu and select in advance that which appeals to you - this is an especially good option for those with dietary restrictions. Also, the dinner menu is posted outside the main dining room in the early afternoon, so passengers are well informed prior to dinner. If all else fails, and nothing on the menu appeals, there are other standard options - for instance, I have asked for broiled chicken breast and a plain salad when nothing on the menu appealed to me. Neither the server or any tablemates took offense at my request which was made quietly and politely. (This is based on my experiences on QM2 - albeit only 12 voyages, and none this year - so things might have changed?)

Salacia

We don't cruise to socialize or make friends. Plus, my DH is a very fussy eater, so we special order every night, In the past, when we did share a table, others sometimes got offended that he did not like anything on the menu. We also do not do more than two courses. It is easier with a table for 2.

 

We enjoy our balcony, we also enjoy breakfast in our cabin and room service if we want a snack mid day because usually only eat two meals day at home.

 

When you choose cruise or travel solo... that is a choice, just like asking for a table for 2 is a choice for us.

Just to mention that it is possible to ask for the following night's menu and select in advance that which appeals to you - this is an especially good option for those with dietary restrictions. Also, the dinner menu is posted outside the main dining room in the early afternoon, so passengers are well informed prior to dinner. If all else fails, and nothing on the menu appeals, there are other standard options - for instance, I have asked for broiled chicken breast and a plain salad when nothing on the menu appealed to me. Neither the server or any tablemates took offense at my request which was made quietly and politely. (This is based on my experiences on QM2 - albeit only 12 voyages, and none this year - so things might have changed?)

 

Salacia

So true DW tries to stick to a vegan diet, has never had a problem asking the waiter for something that fits her requirements, a couple if times we have had some smart comments (especially if she has a small piece if meat) they don't usually get repeated, they don't call her tiny but dangerous for no reason.

So true DW tries to stick to a vegan diet, has never had a problem asking the waiter for something that fits her requirements, a couple if times we have had some smart comments (especially if she has a small piece if meat) they don't usually get repeated, they don't call her tiny but dangerous for no reason.

How did she do with the vegan diet?

I know that there are always vegetarian options, but vegan is more difficult to find. A family I know is sailing on QM2 in a month or so (Britannia restaurant) and one of the adult women follows a strictly vegan diet. She often finds that multiple appetizers work OK in a restaurant. In the past, you could ask for a dinner-sized version of an appetizer. Will they still do that?

With tongue firmly in cheek though perhaps looking back in time through rose tinted lenses I do wonder if part of the problem has also been created by the cruise companys themselves wanting to be all things to everyone at any price..

I would rather sit in a corner stabbing my eyes out with a fork than interact with some of the guests onboard certain ships.. :rolleyes:

 

I would rather sit in a corner stabbing my eyes out with a fork than interact with some of the guests onboard certain ships.. :rolleyes:

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Please reconsider! Think of how you can regale multitudes of people in the future with tales of "certain passengers"!

How did she do with the vegan diet?

 

I know that there are always vegetarian options, but vegan is more difficult to find. A family I know is sailing on QM2 in a month or so (Britannia restaurant) and one of the adult women follows a strictly vegan diet. She often finds that multiple appetizers work OK in a restaurant. In the past, you could ask for a dinner-sized version of an appetizer. Will they still do that?

She has never had a problem and yes they will give different size meals ie the app as a main or the main a an app.

She isn't strict and will have vegetarian and sometimes small amounts of meat.

We just did a TA WB and even got married on QM2. So it was a very personal journey which we preferred to enjoy on our own and at a table for two. I personally and on one of our next trips would like to go for a table with more but hesitate as we also experienced (during lunch or breakfasts) that your table mates might not be the ones you would like to stay with for even another 10 minutes. It is as always in life - some you get along with, others you do not want to as it simply does not fit. We have also seen on other tables with 4 or 6 that not all arrived at the time - and it is not really nice if people at the table start Dinner at different times or even have to wait for the others. Or sit at a table that is half empty as they are not coming at all. Furthermore my English is pretty okay, my husband is not that confident - understanding everything, but speaking (as often with foreign languages) on a constant conversation-basis is not yet really his. So it is also a language issue. In addition we both travel a lot business wise and mostly only see during weekends - the time on QM2 therefore is OUR time. We have met really very very nice people during our TA and we are still in contact! We had time together on QM2 for different reasons - coffee, bar, dance, tea time etc. - but Dinner was just the two of us!

We just did a TA WB and even got married on QM2. So it was a very personal journey which we preferred to enjoy on our own and at a table for two. I personally and on one of our next trips would like to go for a table with more but hesitate as we also experienced (during lunch or breakfasts) that your table mates might not be the ones you would like to stay with for even another 10 minutes. It is as always in life - some you get along with, others you do not want to as it simply does not fit. We have also seen on other tables with 4 or 6 that not all arrived at the time - and it is not really nice if people at the table start Dinner at different times or even have to wait for the others. Or sit at a table that is half empty as they are not coming at all. Furthermore my English is pretty okay, my husband is not that confident - understanding everything, but speaking (as often with foreign languages) on a constant conversation-basis is not yet really his. So it is also a language issue. In addition we both travel a lot business wise and mostly only see during weekends - the time on QM2 therefore is OUR time. We have met really very very nice people during our TA and we are still in contact! We had time together on QM2 for different reasons - coffee, bar, dance, tea time etc. - but Dinner was just the two of us!

That's our preference, others for breakfast and lunch just us at diner.