Dinner Seating

[RocketMan275]

Considering booking an American Queen cruise but do not understand how dinner seating works.

 

Is it like traditional seating on an ocean cruise like Princess?

Or, is it more like Any Time Dinning?

Can you choose to share a table or are their two-top tables available? (We don't hear good and sharing a table just doesn't work.)

[Calliope]

Breakfast and lunch are open seating on the AMERICAN QUEEN. You show up at the time you like during the set hours. You are then seated with others or, if available, at a two top table. At dinner there are two seatings, and you dine at your assigned table each evening.

 

The AMERICAN EMPRESS is a bit different. Breakfast and lunch are open seating, but dinner has two seatings. The difference is on the AE you are seated at an available table, and not the same one each evening.

Edited August 19, 2016 by Calliope

[RocketMan275]

Breakfast and lunch are open seating on the AMERICAN QUEEN. You show up at the time you like during the set hours. You are then seated with others or, if available, at a two top table. At dinner there are two seatings, and you dine at your assigned table each evening.

 

The AMERICAN EMPRESS is a bit different. Breakfast and lunch are open seating, but dinner has two seatings. The difference is on the AE you are seated at an available table, and not the same one each evening.

 

So, on American Queen, you could be assigned to any size table for dinner? Assigned to anything other than a two-top is a deal killer.

What other options are there for dinner?

[Calliope]

There are a large number of two tops on the AQ. For your first trip your table is assigned the day of the sailing, so in your case there honestly would be no guarantee of a table for two. You can hedge your bet by requesting that the reservation agent puts into the record your need for a two top when/if you make reservations, or be willing to go to either dinner seating. If you're are fine with second seating, the chances are real good on getting one. For as long back as I can remember, most AQ passengers want first seating.

 

The other options on the AQ are to have buffet service at "The Front Porch of America" where each night there is a different selection of food items. The "River Grill" is open for dinner when the weather cooperates as it is outdoors by the calliope. I have never dined there and can not comment on it.

 

I fully understand your situation as I too have diminished hearing, but I can still get along fine with a table of four. Gone are the days of being able to hear everything said at a large table, so I now request a table for four. It gets tiresome to keep repeating, would you repeat that or to just smile while others at the table are smiling.

[RocketMan275]

There are a large number of two tops on the AQ. For your first trip your table is assigned the day of the sailing, so in your case there honestly would be no guarantee of a table for two. You can hedge your bet by requesting that the reservation agent puts into the record your need for a two top when/if you make reservations, or be willing to go to either dinner seating. If you're are fine with second seating, the chances are real good on getting one. For as long back as I can remember, most AQ passengers want first seating.

 

The other options on the AQ are to have buffet service at "The Front Porch of America" where each night there is a different selection of food items. The "River Grill" is open for dinner when the weather cooperates as it is outdoors by the calliope. I have never dined there and can not comment on it.

 

I fully understand your situation as I too have diminished hearing, but I can still get along fine with a table of four. Gone are the days of being able to hear everything said at a large table, so I now request a table for four. It gets tiresome to keep repeating, would you repeat that or to just smile while others at the table are smiling.

 

I appreciate your responses. I'll share this with the wife. The buffet would probably be our preference. We have only done the MDR twice in our last three cruises.

[Jet2727]

We found in our American Queen cruise last December it as easy to get an assigned table for 2 at the late dining sitting.

[LDVinNC]

We just returned from 2 weeks on the AQ, round trip St Louis to St Paul (actually Alton IL to Red Wing MN).

 

We booked the weeks at different times and the first week we were unable to get first seating, so we ate each night at the Front Porch buffet. The food was very good and the service was great, too. We enjoyed the casual atmosphere and flexible timing. The second week we were with friends and had a table for 4 at the early seating. Again, we were very happy with the dining experience.

 

We usually ate breakfast and lunch in the dining room both weeks, and usually asked for a table for two. We had to wait 5 minutes once or twice, but getting a table to ourselves was never a problem.

[RocketMan275]

We just returned from 2 weeks on the AQ, round trip St Louis to St Paul (actually Alton IL to Red Wing MN).

 

We booked the weeks at different times and the first week we were unable to get first seating, so we ate each night at the Front Porch buffet. The food was very good and the service was great, too. We enjoyed the casual atmosphere and flexible timing. The second week we were with friends and had a table for 4 at the early seating. Again, we were very happy with the dining experience.

 

We usually ate breakfast and lunch in the dining room both weeks, and usually asked for a table for two. We had to wait 5 minutes once or twice, but getting a table to ourselves was never a problem.

 

Thank you. That information is very useful.

 

Couple of questions:

 

I don't want to take up too much of your time but could you describe a few of the choices on the buffet?

 

Is the front porch available for breakfast and lunch?

 

I suspect that if we were to book a cruise, we would take most of our meals at the buffet. We do that on most of the ocean cruises unless we doing room service. I don't see any tables suitable for dinner in any of the rooms so that's probably not a good choice.

Edited August 24, 2016 by RocketMan275

[LDVinNC]

Room service is a no-go unless you are in a top of the line suite. We had an AAA cabin - which they call a suite but is still pretty small- on our second week but there is no table suitable for dining in the cabin.

 

The Front Porch buffet works fine. Dinner is served from 5:30 to 8:00. There are tables both inside and outside and we never had a problem finding a place to sit. It is always open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner and throughout the day (and probably night) it is open for coffee, tea, fruit juice, cookies, ice cream and popcorn. There is also a bar which was open most of the day and into the evening. Soda is always free and wine and beer are free (certain kinds) at dinner time.

 

The dinner menu at the buffet varied, of course, but always included salad, rolls, vegetables, potato (usually baked) or rice, and a chicken dish. Fish was usually on the menu too and there is a "carving station" with pork or beef. Nice selection of desserts, too. We always found something good to eat. Lunch menu was similar and breakfast always had oatmeal, cold cereals, nice cut fresh fruit, bacon, sausage, potatoes, biscuits, scrambled eggs and eggs cooked to order.

[LHT28]

I suspect that if we were to book a cruise, we would take most of our meals at the buffet. We do that on most of the ocean cruises unless we doing room service. I don't see any tables suitable for dinner in any of the rooms so that's probably not a good choice.

 

just to mention the buffet area is pretty small not like on Ocean cruise you may want to try the dining room at least for dinner

 

this is the serving area the counter does extend maybe 2 ft longer to the right in the picture

 

 

refreshment counter

you can see the food counter in background

 

it is not a big area

 

dining area

Edited August 27, 2016 by LHT28

[RocketMan275]

Thank you so much. That looks like it will work.

[knitwitt44]

I just told by my travel agent that we did not get the lst seating because of glitch but we could go to the Front Porch and ask for the main dining menu and have what is being served in the main dining room. Is that True?

[LDVinNC]

I am not sure; I guess you could call the AQ office. They DO display the dining room menu at the Front Porch, but I am not sure if that is for informational purposes only. On two of our trips we were not able to get first seating and we ate at the Front Porch every night, and were always satisfied with the meals.

[LHT28]

I just told by my travel agent that we did not get the lst seating because of glitch but we could go to the Front Porch and ask for the main dining menu and have what is being served in the main dining room. Is that True?

They may have a couple of the same items from the DR in the Front porch but when we were on AQ there was no way to order from the DR to the buffet

LDV or someone who has more sailings would know better or call AQ & ask

 

At the hotel when you check in for your cards with AQ ask again for the 1st sitting some prefer the 2nd sitting so may be wanting to switch also

[LDVinNC]

It has been our experience that we could not switch to first seating at check in time. We were told that if you appear at the dining room about 15 minutes after the seating begins you may be able to get a table if there are no-shows. We never tried it.

 

On our most recent trip, at the early seating, 3 tables around us were empty after the first night - one table for 4 and two 2-tops. So, maybe repeated requests to the maître d' would work.

[knitwitt44]

I really thank you for the suggestion of checking after day two. I thought the travvel agent was wrong about getting the main dining room menu up at the buffet. Really annoyed at this. Also annoyed about booking a pre night at the hotel with them. I was told to call the hotel and they will link me to the AQ reservation but they couldn't do it. I have to wait till I get to the hotel.

 

Hoping we will enjoy the trip. I am sure we will but the dining thing threw me off.

[LHT28]

Also annoyed about booking a pre night at the hotel with them. I was told to call the hotel and they will link me to the AQ reservation but they couldn't do it. I have to wait till I get to the hotel.

 

Hoping we will enjoy the trip. I am sure we will but the dining thing threw me off.

I wonder if you call AQ if they can link your extra hotel reservation with your AQ one ?

Might be worth asking

Usually if you use a TA you need to go through them but if you are staying in the same hotel as the complimentary one they offer a deal for extra nights

 

Hopefully the cruise will be more enjoyable

[LDVinNC]

Suggestion about an extra hotel night - call the hotel directly. You may get a better rate than the AQ rate. For our trip next spring we want to stay 2 nights at the end of the cruise in New Orleans. AQ quoted a rate more than $100 higher than what I got directly through the hotel. For an extra pre-cruise night in Memphis, however, the AQ rate was better than what I saw online. Worth a call.

[knitwitt44]

I did make the reservation for the extra with the hotel. My travel agent told me to do so because AQ doesn't book the extra but I should call direct. I have the reservation which wasn't too expensive and checked that AQ reservation is there but I have to check with the front desk about linking them to the same.

 

Oh, well. Thanks so much for your suggestions.

[LHT28]

I did make the reservation for the extra with the hotel. My travel agent told me to do so because AQ doesn't book the extra but I should call direct. I have the reservation which wasn't too expensive and checked that AQ reservation is there but I have to check with the front desk about linking them to the same.

 

Oh, well. Thanks so much for your suggestions.

What hotel or port city are you booked in??

[LDVinNC]

Your travel agent is wrong.

 

AQ does indeed book extra hotel nights, as I mentioned in my last message. My point is that sometimes their quoted rate is good, sometimes you can do better yourself.

 

Likely you will have no problem when you check in mentioning that you are staying another night that was booked through AQ. We have done that and not have had to change rooms.

[TinCan782]

Suggestion about an extra hotel night - call the hotel directly. You may get a better rate than the AQ rate. For our trip next spring we want to stay 2 nights at the end of the cruise in New Orleans. AQ quoted a rate more than $100 higher than what I got directly through the hotel. For an extra pre-cruise night in Memphis, however, the AQ rate was better than what I saw online. Worth a call.

 

 

You will not be able to link an extra night until the hotel has you (by name) in the system for the AQ reservation. I booked the night before in the hotel (The Historic Davenport Hotel in Spokane) months ago. Then, after receiving my travel documents, I called the hotel and had my reservation linked with the AQ reservation so I wouldn't have to change rooms. My own reservation was for the same accommodation class as the AQ reservation. Once the agent located my AQ reservation, she was able to link it to my own reservation for the night before. She cross-referenced my confirmation # with the AQ confirmation #. She also provided me with the AQ confirmation #.

Edited October 2, 2016 by TinCan782

[LDVinNC]

When we separately booked an extra night before, we just mentioned at check in that we were with the AQ group arriving the next day. They did not make us change rooms.