socializing at dinner

Making our first crossing in just over a month. Greatly value the information from seasoned travelers on this site. Would love to hear about people's experiences with their dinner companions. I've never been in this situation, with assigned dining partners, before. Our details: QM2 Britannia Restaurant Table for 8 late seating

Have met some lovely people with stories to tell that have kept us at the table long after we've finished eating. One gentleman was a teacher who taught Shakespeare in prisons! Apparently they couldn't get enough of the plays and loved the sonnets.

Also met a Canadian couple who told us about the wine industry - I didn't know Canada produced wine.

We've been very lucky with our table companions over our cruises and hopefully you will too. However, if you want to you can always change tables. On our last voyage the young lady had changed tables because she was fed up with a conversation based solely on Trump this, Trump that :D

We've done 2 TAs on the QM2 and 2 Mediteranean cruises on the Queen Victoria. On both TA's we had some really great dinner companions, with lots of great conversations. On one of our Queen Victoria cruises we had an equally nice bunch of people at our table. On the last Queen Victoria cruise we found ourselves at a table with a group of fellow diners we just couldn't connect with. After the first night's dinner, we spoke to the Maitre d' and asked for a table for two for the rest of the cruise and he was able to accomodate us.

On our second TA, the 6 of us as the table had collectively asked to be moved to a different part of the restaurant as the waiters were so bad and the position of the table was pretty much in Siberia! We were given a much better table for 8 people for the rest of the crossing and were joined by a delightful young couple who'd asked to move from their table of 8 because they had some problems with a person on their initial table.

In general, our experience of having unfortunate dining companions is the exception rather than the rule. Whilst most people might have their own individual horror story of the "Fellow Diner From Hell" - the majority of people have a really great time meeting new people. (I share your concern by the way, as I had the same minor reservations myself the first time I did a crossing on the QM2 - but I needn't have worried!)

Making our first crossing in just over a month. Greatly value the information from seasoned travelers on this site. Would love to hear about people's experiences with their dinner companions. I've never been in this situation, with assigned dining partners, before. Our details: QM2 Britannia Restaurant Table for 8 late seating

In my view, a table for eight is the perfect size. A table for four can be hit or miss, but we have always had great experiences with tables for eight. I don't know if it's typically planned this way, but each time we have had a table for eight on the QM2, one of the other couples has been from the US (like us) and the other two have either both been from the UK or one has been from the UK and the other from another commonwealth country such as Australia. It has always been an entertaining mix and a rewarding experience.

Regards,

John

A table for 8 should always allow you to have dining companions if others at your table choose to dine elsewhere. I would think it would be rare that the other 6 would decide to dine at a different venue on the same evening.

If you find that your dining companions at whatever table size you may be are not to your liking on that first night, don't hesitate to ask to be re-seated.

I needed to do so on one cruise, did not, and have learned my lesson. It was one of several instances on that cruise that impacted me negatively as to my memory of that Grand World Voyage experience. This was on M. S. Amsterdam.

We've done 4 T/A crossings. Twice at tables for 6 and twice at tables for 8. We still keep in touch with some of our tablemates. Only once did we consider changing (we didn't) was at a table for 8 where the other six people were travelling together. They were very nice and we had pleasant conversations, but it was clear that we were the odd ones out. Most of their conversations revolved around people and situations back home.

We almost always had breakfast and lunch in Britannia, and would ask for a table of 8 or 10. You would get a good cross-section of travelers and the conversations could sometimes be very interesting. It also provided us with a larger group of passengers we would recognize and chat with in the Queens Room, pub or other areas of the ship.

I agree to all said in the posts before - i met some of my best friends- my best friends even- at a dinnertable- we shared wonderful meals and are fast friends since many years now and cruise together every year!

I also had tablemates which were quite unnerving- I wont go as far as to write " from hell"- but close- LOL: I always ask for an " international" table- since alls those not so nice experiences are with - sad so say- my fellow Germans! Also a reason why I avoid all " German Aida - Ships"!

I met those " I am so important people"- who tried to get attention. All meals had to be without salt- special diet! All understandable and reasonable- as long as the "saltless soul" does not eat one bread after the other! Which as we all now contains salt- and complained that there was no " salted butter" available. ...! So and so fare- every dinner table has it´s own interessting people. Just remember- you don´t have to move into an appartment with them- just share nice meals...!

I have had amazing luck getting interesting, friendly dinner companions. Traveling as a solo, dinner is the only area I really worry about. So far, that worry has not been necessary. When I did the WV on QE, I was at a table for 10 and all of us were cruising solo. It worked nicely and we became like family looking out for each other and doing activities together.

Enjoy your crossing and don't stress!

Consider me an outlier, but a table for 8 is too large. It's only possible to speak with the person on either side of you without yelling across the table. In the dining room, it is difficult enough to hold a conversation with the person 3 seats away...4 seats away is a long shot! Not to mention how difficult it is to serve dinner at a table for 8.

I agree with the others that a table for 8 is the perfect setup. On our first QM2 crossing, DH and I had a table for 8 [although there were only 7 of us assigned to it] and it was the perfect size. We sat with a doctor from Yale who was travelling solo, an English couple who retired to Spain [whom I still keep in touch with via email] and another retired English couple who own a winter home in the US and spend half the year here. All wonderful people with wonderful conversation. One night, one of the entertainers filled in the 8th seat which was also a lot of fun.

I really enjoy having assigned dining times at the same table with the same waitstaff and dinner companions. You get to meet some wonderful people and learn of others' experiences. The trend on other lines is more "as you wish" or "anytime" dining which IMO is much less fun than Cunard's traditional approach. There is always a chance of a nightmarish person but as others have stated, you CAN change tables if that happens and it has yet to happen to us on any of our cruises.

I have had amazing luck getting interesting, friendly dinner companions. Traveling as a solo, dinner is the only area I really worry about. So far, that worry has not been necessary. When I did the WV on QE, I was at a table for 10 and all of us were cruising solo. It worked nicely and we became like family looking out for each other and doing activities together.

 

Enjoy your crossing and don't stress!

Scrapnana, that is very nice to know and is has it should be: shipmates look out for each other. Cheers,

Salacia

On QM2 recently we were on a table for 11, a little large. Requested as always table for 8. No worries we accepted it, nice people.

The only reason why I think a table of 8 is right is that chances are there will be a couple you don't enjoy so at least there are four other people to chat with. But as per Salacia's point you can't chat with them all every night. So we are currently rotating.

We have had good luck with a table for six, though we had three cases of "not meshing" with our first dining companions (only one was on a transatlantic). Happily, each time we asked to be moved our second group was a perfect match. The first time we kept trying to make conversation and failed for three evenings. Now we decide after the first night. Life - and the voyage - is too short to be uncomfortable.

And right you are newcruise- I learnded that the hard way- but that was on board Celebrity´s Millenium...not a single tablemate which adress I needed to bring home- and visa verse I should admit..! So next time I move after the first evening!

Always happy to be in on a table for eight when dining in the Britannia and never had a problem generating conversation.

Prefer a table for six when dining in the Grills.

What has always been to the fore though is the great diversity of the tablemates as well as their varying nationality.

Maybe some would say we've been lucky but I would retort that you make your own luck.

Always happy to be in on a table for eight when dining in the Britannia and never had a problem generating conversation.

 

Prefer a table for six when dining in the Grills.

 

What has always been to the fore though is the great diversity of the tablemates as well as their varying nationality.

 

Maybe some would say we've been lucky but I would retort that you make your own luck.

Totally agree Sir Richard, Cunard aside, on any Line, love a big table of different nationalities at dinner or at any meal really, buffet included. One never stops learning about the big wide world. Happy voyaging to you Sir. :halo:

;)

 

Maybe some would say we've been lucky but I would retort that you make your own luck.

We were on an "unlucky" table and it wasn't our fault that one of the people on it was effing and blinding, another told a waiter to "b****r off" and his wife told me to leave her teapot alone when I was nowhere near it. It's the only time we have had to change tables.

;)

 

We were on an "unlucky" table and it wasn't our fault that one of the people on it was effing and blinding, another told a waiter to "b****r off" and his wife told me to leave her teapot alone when I was nowhere near it. It's the only time we have had to change tables.

Oh dear !! Were there 'Chavs on board' ? On Cunard even? Sorry you had the bad experience.:mad:

;)

 

We were on an "unlucky" table and it wasn't our fault that one of the people on it was effing and blinding, another told a waiter to "b****r off" and his wife told me to leave her teapot alone when I was nowhere near it. It's the only time we have had to change tables.

But did they dress appropriately?

Oh dear !! Were there 'Chavs on board' ? On Cunard even? Sorry you had the bad experience.:mad:

No, they were not chavs. You don't have to be a chav to behave badly.

Have met some lovely people with stories to tell that have kept us at the table long after we've finished eating. One gentleman was a teacher who taught Shakespeare in prisons! Apparently they couldn't get enough of the plays and loved the sonnets.

 

Also met a Canadian couple who told us about the wine industry - I didn't know Canada produced wine.

 

We've been very lucky with our table companions over our cruises and hopefully you will too. However, if you want to you can always change tables. On our last voyage the young lady had changed tables because she was fed up with a conversation based solely on Trump this, Trump that :D

Thanks! We hope to avoid discussing the President.

Thanks! We hope to avoid discussing the President.

Probably a good idea, at least on the first night !

We were on an interesting table on QV with Americans and Mexicans, we did discuss our country's politics by the end of the cruise but I wouldn't normally.

We usually ask for a table of 6 and have never had any problems.

We ask for a table for 2 now cause they seem to put all the disabled together and then it's a competition to see is the most disabled, we don't want to discuss medical issues :(

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Oh, dear. Why would they segregate people with special needs?

I use an oxygen concentrator when I'm active, though once I'm seated I can remove it with no trouble and tuck the small machine under my feet. I realize my portable oxygen concentrator may be the first thing someone notices about me, but I don't want it to be the last. I have no intention of discussing my supplemental O2 use--unless someone asks because they have a friend or loved one who needs extra O2 and is interested in my equipment.

Who wants to talk illness for pity's sake? I'm far more interested in art, music, history and travel.