poll for anytime dining section in brittania

With other threads going round in circles with opinions on this subject.A poll may demonstrate a true feeling of opinion and may interest Cunard also as they are putting out feelers on this subject.

With other threads going round in circles with opinions on this subject.A poll may demonstrate a true feeling of opinion and may interest Cunard also as they are putting out feelers on this subject.

Great idea brian1

I have voted 50/50 because neither early, nor late sittings, suit us, which is one important reason - of several - why we choose to book in the Grills!

I do agree though, that if at any stage this was introduced, it would be essential to have the different options on different decks, to maintain the ambiance of those on Club Dining.

Interesting 208 views and only 25 votes cast so far seems its a low priority issue despite the heat of discussion on other threads.

Interesting 208 views and only 25 votes cast so far seems its a low priority issue despite the heat of discussion on other threads.

In order to vote you have to be registered and logged in. Not everyone who views posts on CC are necessarily registered and logged in.

I voted to set dining. The Brittania dining room is so big I don't think it would work to have any time dining. All that coming and going, people getting up constantly from tables. I feel this would spoil the atmosphere greatly.

I have voted 50/50 because neither early, nor late sittings, suit us, which is one important reason - of several - why we choose to book in the Grills!

 

I do agree though, that if at any stage this was introduced, it would be essential to have the different options on different decks, to maintain the ambiance of those on Club Dining.

Hi,I've only been on the QE,so the 2 tier MDR would be easy to convert and club is a separate dining room.I didn't realise the QM2 was all on 1 level.So as Don says, we'll build a wall,lol.Cheers,Brian.

Interesting 208 views and only 25 votes cast so far seems its a low priority issue despite the heat of discussion on other threads.

I originally logged in via the app on my phone and I couldn't vote on there. I had to get the tablet out to vote. That may be another reason for the disparity between the number of views and the number of votes.

Fixed dining for me. I enjoy getting to know my table mates and the wait staff.

I originally logged in via the app on my phone and I couldn't vote on there. I had to get the tablet out to vote. That may be another reason for the disparity between the number of views and the number of votes.

 

Fixed dining for me. I enjoy getting to know my table mates and the wait staff.

I hadn't realised about the app or the logged in to vote bit that Ray66 pointed out which is probably a big part of the disparity.

I'm with you as I find quite a few people become more animated over time as you get more familiar and while anytime the people you dine with are perfectly polite it tends to encourage more casual & superficial exchanges and I like more substance.

Hi,I've only been on the QE,so the 2 tier MDR would be easy to convert and club is a separate dining room.I didn't realise the QM2 was all on 1 level.So as Don says, we'll build a wall,lol.Cheers,Brian.

Britannia restaurant on QM2 is not all on one level.

Britannia restaurant on QM2 is not all on one level.

Hey guys,knock down that wall,quick.

I have voted 50/50 because neither early, nor late sittings, suit us, which is one important reason - of several - why we choose to book in the Grills!

 

I do agree though, that if at any stage this was introduced, it would be essential to have the different options on different decks, to maintain the ambiance of those on Club Dining.

You just delivered the perfect argument why Cunard should stay with the current system.

Personally I prefer the late sitting at 2030, but don't see why I should be against anytime dining being available for other people.

I assume that anytime dining must be a complete nightmare for the crew.

You just delivered the perfect argument why Cunard should stay with the current system.

Personally I prefer the late sitting at 2030, but don't see why I should be against anytime dining being available for other people.

 

I assume that anytime dining must be a complete nightmare for the crew.

I would be concerned that splitting a dining room serviced by a single kitchen wouldn't work well.

I have voted 50/50 because neither early, nor late sittings, suit us, which is one important reason - of several - why we choose to book in the Grills!

Since you wouldn't have to deal with the consequences, surely you aren't entitled to an opinion on the matter! :D

I should think it's a nightmare for the kitchen, the worst food I have had on a cruise ship was on anytime dining, I am sure that wasn't a coincidence.

I would be concerned that splitting a dining room serviced by a single kitchen wouldn't work well.

We have only been on one cruise with anytime dining, terrible, went for dinner, all tables full, they gave us a pager, when a table was free they sent you a message, let Cunard stay with what we know, at least we know what time we eat.

On Princess with anytime you can reserve in the morning for dinner times.Never had any problems with service or cold dinners or whatever.

What I am suggesting is the best of both worlds,so nobody should be unhappy.

Currently on the Queens, Fixed Dining allows for two seatings per table per evening. Open Dining allows for only one seating. So in order to convert 50% of the MDR tables to Open Dining would require 25% more tables and of course 25% more space. So despite any poll results its doubtful that Open Dining will be expanded.

Currently on the Queens, Fixed Dining allows for two seatings per table per evening. Open Dining allows for only one seating. So in order to convert 50% of the MDR tables to Open Dining would require 25% more tables and of course 25% more space. So despite any poll results its doubtful that Open Dining will be expanded.

Not only does the food quality suffer from my experience with "Freedom Dining" but it also has an impact on those on special diets. My wife has to have a very strict gluten free diet (Celiac desease not some fad diet) and we were absolutely amazed how much better Cunard catered to it in Britannia with a fixed sitting vs. say Oceania with "Freedom Dining".

The biggest drawback once you get to the table, I find, is the often horrendously long and varied wait times between courses or indeed to be waited on fullstop.

Cunard works. It's one of the few lines with set sittings. Don't like it, avail yourself of the 98% other lines and ships out there with "Freedom Dining".

If a group of four sat down at 7pm or 7.30, they could easily still be at the table, chatting over coffee or an after-dinner drink at 9:00 or 9:30 (or later).

(Currently they clear the first seating out two hours after arrival at 6:00/6:30, so without that pressure of emptying the entire restaurant (for second seating), I can see people relaxing and expanding their dining/chatting times to over two hours).

Give a little time to clear, replace the linens, and then reset the table... so the table becomes free again at say 9:00 - 9:30/10pm.

Not many people will want to sit down to dinner from 9:30 and later.

So, effectively many tables will have only one seating per evening.

This would greatly decrease the number of available tables and greatly increase queuing/waiting for a table to become free.

Fixed dining for me. I enjoy getting to know my table mates and the wait staff.

On Princess with anytime you can reserve in the morning for dinner times.

Two thoughts:

If I make a reservation/book a table for a particular time, is that still "anytime" dining? A term which surely implies just turning up at the restaurant whenever suits me, at "anytime"?

If, in order to be certain of a table being free, I have to book a time to dine, then Cunard already cater for this with the Alternative Restaurants. Exactly as suggested above, I simply book a table in advance at a time to suit me.

Not only does the food quality suffer from my experience with "Freedom Dining" but it also has an impact on those on special diets. My wife has to have a very strict gluten free diet (Celiac desease not some fad diet) and we were absolutely amazed how much better Cunard catered to it in Britannia with a fixed sitting vs. say Oceania with "Freedom Dining".

The biggest drawback once you get to the table, I find, is the often horrendously long and varied wait times between courses or indeed to be waited on fullstop.

Cunard works. It's one of the few lines with set sittings. Don't like it, avail yourself of the 98% other lines and ships out there with "Freedom Dining".

What I am suggesting is the best of both worlds,so nobody should be unhappy.

Breakfast and Lunch are "open seating" and "anytime dining".

Dinner however, has two "seatings", but with the bonus of a guaranteed seat at a table "size" of your choice in most cases, and with no waiting/hanging around*.

So two meals of the day have one system, one has the other. Not quite 50/50 I know.

(*For those Britannia grade passengers who wish to continue with "anytime" into the evening, Cunard have already provided several suitable alternative venues for dining).