Cunard playing silly buggers with CONFIRMED dining

Just to clarify, Saver Fares - both Early and Late are normally, though not always, on a Guarantee basis, but Cunard Fares can be Guarantee too - if there are few cabins of the required grade left.

If someone books late, they are unlikely to be guaranteed the dining choice. Of course we don't know when the guests in question booked.

Personally, I would ALWAYS choose late dinner sitting over early, if I had to choose one or other.

Just to clarify, Saver Fares - both Early and Late are normally, though not always, on a Guarantee basis, but Cunard Fares can be Guarantee too - if there are few cabins of the required grade left.

 

If someone books late, they are unlikely to be guaranteed the dining choice. Of course we don't know when the guests in question booked.

 

Personally, I would ALWAYS choose late dinner sitting over early, if I had to choose one or other.

Interesting. Can you say why your preference is for late sitting? I always chose late sitting, but lately I get really tired around 10.00pm so have chosen early so I can enjoy some entertainment before I doze off.

Interesting. Can you say why your preference is for late sitting? I always chose late sitting, but lately I get really tired around 10.00pm so have chosen early so I can enjoy some entertainment before I doze off.

We find early sitting means getting ready too early.

After a day ashore, or enjoying all the ship has to offer if at sea, we like a lie down for an hour around 5pm, followed by getting ready at 6pm and then a cocktail at 6.45-7ish. On the rare occasions we had to eat early, we were ready for bed by 11pm!

Because we normally are able to choose the time we go to dinner these days, we tend to go in around 7.30pm. That suits us very well.

1800 is too early and 2030 is too late.

But between the two I would go for 2030. On our last cruise we were on the 1800 because it was the preference of the people we went with.

I think this is another reason I've gone off cruising; I'm paying and yet someone else tells me when I can eat.

Yes, I know you can pay considerably more for flexible dining or eat in the canteen.

We are all different thankfully but for me eating a 5 course evening dinner that starts at 8-30pm and finishes after 10-00pm is far too late for me and wouldnt want that lying on my stomach when I go to bed it wouldnt do my indigestion any good. Having said that we all have our preferences and no time is right or wrong we choose what we prefer and if somebody has different view so be it thats life.

I am fairly sure that there are only two types of bookings, CUNARD FARE or EARLY SAVER.

Where you say "Its not an early saver fare..its a guarantee", a guarantee merely refers to the fact that a cabin has not been allocated at the time of booking. I think it is more than likely that this booking is an Early Saver Fare, which has little to do with the actual time the booking was made.

As for saying confirmed, that can be changed at any time up to receiving the on board dining arrangements, which is a card in the cabin giving the dining arrangements. It seems likely they have been bumped in favour of a Cunard Fare party, who take precedence.

 

The OP has already stated that this isn't an early saver fare but a guarantee.

As cruiseluvva has pointed out, Cunard sometimes offers guarantee only cabins but at a select/Cunard fare, which sounds as if this is the case.

In which case your dining sitting would be confirmed at booking.

Generally this situation will be resolved by the second night.

1800 is too early and 2030 is too late.

 

But between the two I would go for 2030. On our last cruise we were on the 1800 because it was the preference of the people we went with.

 

I think this is another reason I've gone off cruising; I'm paying and yet someone else tells me when I can eat.

 

Yes, I know you can pay considerably more for flexible dining or eat in the canteen.

I feel the same about the early sitting being too early and the second sitting too late. (I am grateful to Cunard for the opportunities to have travelled in the Grills and the Britannia Club due to upgrades or considerably reduced fares, but of course this doesn't happen all the time.) As with other cruise lines, we sometimes choose early and sometimes late. The last time we had early sitting on QM2 we were disappointed with not being able to get a pre-dinner drink in one of our preferred lounges. In particular, we wanted to enjoy the string quartet or harpist when they were playing in the Chart Room but this was always full from 17:00 on.

For our upcoming Quebec-NY-So'ton voyage we have gone back to choosing second sitting. Because of the change in time on the transatlantic portion, the 20:30 sitting should seem like 19:30 to us on five days. The late dinner sitting makes it more likely we can enjoy tea in the Queen's Room. I would rather pass on lunch than tea.:)

Just to clarify, Saver Fares - both Early and Late are normally, though not always, on a Guarantee basis, but Cunard Fares can be Guarantee too - if there are few cabins of the required grade left.

 

If someone books late, they are unlikely to be guaranteed the dining choice. Of course we don't know when the guests in question booked.

 

Personally, I would ALWAYS choose late dinner sitting over early, if I had to choose one or other.

(bold is mine)

We booked our recent TAs fairly late--after final payment. We are in the US, so fare structures are different, but timing does seem to matter. We want the early seating. I can't sleep after a late meal and DH needs to eat earlier than 8:30. But we got late and were waitlisted for early. I think it's the first time this happened, but we usually book our trips early.

I went to the maitre d' on the first day and asked to be changed. He said they would try to make the change, but for the first night, show up at 6:30 and they'd try to find seats for us. They did get us a table for that first night, and were able to change us to early for the rest of the cruise. When I went in at lunch on the second day to see what was happening, he had just finished doing the new dining cards. He had quite a stack of them, so there were lots of changes being made.

I'm sorry the OP's family ran into an unpleasant Maitre d'. I dealt with two different ones, and both were helpful.

The OP has already stated that this isn't an early saver fare but a guarantee.

As cruiseluvva has pointed out, Cunard sometimes offers guarantee only cabins but at a select/Cunard fare, which sounds as if this is the case.

In which case your dining sitting would be confirmed at booking.

Generally this situation will be resolved by the second night.

Guarantee is not a type of fare.

Guarantee is not a type of fare.

I didn't say that guarantee was a type of fare :)

I said that Cunard sometimes will offer only a guarantee cabin at a Select/Cunard fare.

I didn't say that guarantee was a type of fare :)

I said that Cunard sometimes will offer only a guarantee cabin at a Select/Cunard fare.

(y)

I sure hope matters get sorted by this evening but i wont know until they hit land tomorrow

If there was correct warning about the possibility of late dining occuring ...fine

But irrespective of all the comments thus far

Cunsrd UK have confirmed that Early seating is on their booking

The cruuse personliser states very clearly ....early seating requested

Early seating CONFIRMED

None of it would be so bad if the entertainment was early for late diners and after dinner for early diners but its not thus if you have late dining all entertainment does nit start till 10.30 which mskes it far too late for msny people to enjoy

It's all subjective, yes, but I never feel a few people rightfully or wrongfully complaining about seating at the maître d' desk in Britannia dinning, with almost 246 tables for almost 1,250 guests, would mean the system or the entire room is in disarray.

Well clearly Cunard decided that confirmed means exactly that and sorted things yesterday with a table for 6pm even a table for 2 which i am sure is extremely unusual as normally they are very difficult to get

Have to wonder why they could not have got things right from the outset ...seems such a needless shamozzle all round

Good to hear that it was resolved.

Great news. Hope they have a wonderful time.

Hi,the problem here seems that ships of this size on other lines have an ATD room and a TRAD room.On cunard it seems the PG and QG probably replace the ATD.This creates all this hassle and confrontation.Thank god we are club on our QE cruise next year and will dine when we want,which is normally late after a few voddies and wine,cheers,Brian.

Daughter and grandaughter currently on Elizabeth ..early dining has been confirmed for weeks

Get on board and folk who want late dining given early and confirmed early diners given late seating

Maitre D being downright rude to everyone

Pursers no help

This is ridiculous who wants to eat at 8.30 and not have access to entertainment till 10.30

Talkabout spoiling their first and what will now be last cruise on Cunard

If thats how they treat people they can stuff it

We are Diamond members and on it on 25th and also have confirmed early dining so Cunard need to start thinking

Even their phone number for head office in theUK is not answering calls despite it not yet being 8pm

It is clearly in the contract dining time is not guaranteed. Only cruise on QM2 and no problems, whatsoever. Think this could have been resolved. Cannot imagine CUNARD not accomodating if possible.

WELL SAID...... poster # 22!

interesting that your 'name' is Welshred

Traveling with a sense of entitlement in any venue often creates the very response one wishes to avoid & causes friction for ALL.

In my experience on dining issues with all cruise lines, if I need a different time, et al, I see the mature d & keep asking. My dress & attitude makes a difference. I have also presented a discreet $20, one was accepted & usually do not do it. My gratitude & appreciation always wins the day.

Traveling with a sense of entitlement in any venue often creates the very response one wishes to avoid & causes friction for ALL.

In my experience on dining issues with all cruise lines, if I need a different time, et al, I see the mature d & keep asking. My dress & attitude makes a difference. I have also presented a discreet $20, one was accepted & usually do not do it. My gratitude & appreciation always wins the day.

Many have told me I'm naïve, that "greasing the palm" of the maître d is SOP, but in my opinion, that's not a gratuity, it's a bribe. Such is the way of the world, I suppose.

At the end of the voyage, that is the time to show appreciation to those who provided extraordinary service - clearly opinions differ.

Regards,

Salacia

Many have told me I'm naïve, that "greasing the palm" of the maître d is SOP, but in my opinion, that's not a gratuity, it's a bribe. Such is the way of the world, I suppose.

 

At the end of the voyage, that is the time to show appreciation to those who provided extraordinary service - clearly opinions differ.

 

Regards,

Salacia

Salacia, I feel the same way. I always say thank you after good service has been provided and refuse, on principle, to offer a bribe.

We have English friends who always book the cheap last-minute rate (and get low fares that I almost never see on this side of the pond) but have no choice of dining sitting. On each trip they are assigned the late sitting but prefer the early one. They see the maître d' and always get moved to the first sitting without offering a bribe. Occasionally they have been asked to accept the late sitting for the first night, but all is sorted by the second day.

 

We have English friends who always book the cheap last-minute rate (and get low fares that I almost never see on this side of the pond) but have no choice of dining sitting. On each trip they are assigned the late sitting but prefer the early one. They see the maître d' and always get moved to the first sitting without offering a bribe. Occasionally they have been asked to accept the late sitting for the first night, but all is sorted by the second day.

It's great for your friends that it's worked out that way so far but I hope they are not too upset the first time they are told No.

. I have also presented a discreet $20, one was accepted & usually do not do it. My gratitude & appreciation always wins the day.

Back to a brown envelope stuffed under the door of the gents.

. I have also presented a discreet $20.

In an envelope presumably.

David