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how long to wait for tardy dinner companions


mef_57
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Hello. What is Cunard's practice for waiting for a table to be filled before taking orders or serving?

 

One big trouble with a large table, you can be waiting for the table to fill up, but some people may go for cocktails (which they are entitled) but it gets annoying when they arrive at the table late, and the waiter is waiting for the full table before they take your orders.

Yes on the first night it can be manic, that is usual on the first night of any cruise.😡

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One big trouble with a large table, you can be waiting for the table to fill up, but some people may go for cocktails (which they are entitled) but it gets annoying when they arrive at the table late, and the waiter is waiting for the full table before they take your orders.

Yes on the first night it can be manic, that is usual on the first night of any cruise.😡

Yes, my concern exactly. Day 1, at least you can chat and get to know others, but every night could be a pain.

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One couple on a table for 6 were 15 minutes late the first night. They said that were in the Commodore Club. We had been there before dinner as well so we all met up in CC before dinner each night. We never made it down for 8.30 but we're always there before 8.40.

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Our experience in the Britannia Restaurant has been that, other than the first night, there has been very little actual delay in ordering resulting from late arrivals. We get our menus when we arrive and after about ten minutes or so the waiter will ask if we wish to order or wait for the others to arrive. That's not much more time than we would be given to study the menus anyway if everyone had arrived on time, so it doesn't result in much difference in the end (assuming you wish to go ahead and order then rather than wait).

 

One amusing story I have about late arrivals for dinner occurred on one of our eastbound crossings. It was the evening of the first day when the clocks had been set ahead an hour at noon. One of the couples at our table for second seating arrived at 9:32 and wondered why everyone had already been served their main courses since they were only two minutes late. Well, of course they were actually an hour and two minutes late. Somehow they had managed to make it through the entire afternoon and early evening without realizing they were one hour behind the ship's time. The wait staff was very gracious and did not turn them away. They were able to scramble and still got them their main courses and desserts, so all was not lost for that couple.

Edited by bluemarble
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One couple on a table for 6 were 15 minutes late the first night. They said that were in the Commodore Club. We had been there before dinner as well so we all met up in CC before dinner each night. We never made it down for 8.30 but we're always there before 8.40.

 

Only 10 mins late, why should other guest wait while the people who are late, have been enjoying themselves?😡

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My thought as well, but, I didn't want to rock the boat (so to speak).

 

 

We always have a table for two. Problem solved.

At lunch time we always sit at a large table and speak to other guest and nobody is put to any inconvenience.😇😉

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We always have a table for two. Problem solved.

At lunch time we always sit at a large table and speak to other guest and nobody is put to any inconvenience.😇😉

If there was 'any time dining' in Britannia, I would too, but I am late to the party so wait listed for 6pm and a solo diner, so we will see what falls out in the end. 8:30 is not my preferred time.

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I was on my desert at about 10pm. My partner had dined in the Kings Court as she had some activity she wanted to attend. She popped in to the restaurant to say hello to our table. Without taking a breath she said hello to our steward and ordered a full meal. You should have seen the stewards faces. We had built up a good relationship during the cruise and they did see the funny side.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.

 

 

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One amusing story I have about late arrivals for dinner occurred on one of our eastbound crossings. It was the evening of the first day when the clocks had been set ahead an hour at noon. One of the couples at our table for second seating arrived at 9:32 and wondered why everyone had already been served their main courses since they were only two minutes late. Well, of course they were actually an hour and two minutes late. Somehow they had managed to make it through the entire afternoon and early evening without realizing they were one hour behind the ship's time. The wait staff was very gracious and did not turn them away. They were able to scramble and still got them their main courses and desserts, so all was not lost for that couple.
I have a simlar amusing story. We were on a cruise on which the ship did not change to local time. We had been in port (Central time, whereas the ship was on Eastern time) and after we were back aboard told oldest son (then 16) to meet us in the dining room for dinner. Went to dinner - no son. We ordered, figuring son must have opted for the Lido buffet and being annoyed that he hadn't told us he wasn't coming to dinner. About 45 minutes later son arrived, very nicely dressed and looking completely confused. Yes, he was using his cell phone for the time - and the phone was on Central time. I told him to go to the buffet, but our headwaiter laughed, told him to sit down and handed him a menu, saying "entree and dessert only." That son is now a Navy lieutenant and litertally has sailed around the world. He knows the time now. :D
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We always endeavor to be punctual on the first evening. After that, on many voyages, we've been able to convince our table-mates to meet in one of the bars/lounges before dinner and then enter the dining room together, usually fashionably late (no more than 10 minutes). Doing so allowed our wait staff to take orders from their other tables and decant our wine before we arrived together. More than one head waiter expressed his appreciation for our "efficiency." The occasional mistake aside, if one is dining at an 8 or 10 top, it's just rude to keep others waiting.

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Our experience in the Britannia Restaurant has been that, other than the first night, there has been very little actual delay in ordering resulting from late arrivals. We get our menus when we arrive and after about ten minutes or so the waiter will ask if we wish to order or wait for the others to arrive. That's not much more time than we would be given to study the menus anyway if everyone had arrived on time, so it doesn't result in much difference in the end (assuming you wish to go ahead and order then rather than wait).

 

One amusing story I have about late arrivals for dinner occurred on one of our eastbound crossings. It was the evening of the first day when the clocks had been set ahead an hour at noon. One of the couples at our table for second seating arrived at 9:32 and wondered why everyone had already been served their main courses since they were only two minutes late. Well, of course they were actually an hour and two minutes late. Somehow they had managed to make it through the entire afternoon and early evening without realizing they were one hour behind the ship's time. The wait staff was very gracious and did not turn them away. They were able to scramble and still got them their main courses and desserts, so all was not lost for that couple.

I imagine it's quite easy to do that on the 1st sea day,considering the lack of clocks around the ship.Princess seem to be the only line to have a clock outside every bank of lifts.
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Hello. What is Cunard's practice for waiting for a table to be filled before taking orders or serving?

 

It is simple common courtesy is to turn up on time.

 

My view is that if you are more than 15 minutes late then it would be better if you didn't turn up at all, instead of confirming to your dining companions that you have no consideration for them.

 

On my last cruise on a table of six, one couple had the courtesy to do that one evening when they were running late and went to the buffet instead.

 

However the other couple turned up late every night, never earlier than 10 minutes late, usually 20 minutes, and occasionally more. At 10 minutes late the waiters hustled them into making a quick decision from the menu as the rest of us had already decided. When they turned up 20 minutes late they seemed slightly shocked that we were part way through the first course.

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It is simple common courtesy is to turn up on time.

 

My view is that if you are more than 15 minutes late then it would be better if you didn't turn up at all, instead of confirming to your dining companions that you have no consideration for them.

 

On my last cruise on a table of six, one couple had the courtesy to do that one evening when they were running late and went to the buffet instead.

 

However the other couple turned up late every night, never earlier than 10 minutes late, usually 20 minutes, and occasionally more. At 10 minutes late the waiters hustled them into making a quick decision from the menu as the rest of us had already decided. When they turned up 20 minutes late they seemed slightly shocked that we were part way through the first course.

Thank you for outlining what the waiter did as well. I agree it is common courtesy - and I would also hope people would tell the server or maitre d' if they intended to eat elsewhere so others weren't kept waiting. I most likely wouldn't decide until same day, but I would do my best to convey my change of dinner plans.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 10/8/2018 at 6:31 PM, mef_57 said:

It is simple common courtesy is to turn up on time.



My view is that if you are more than 15 minutes late then it would be better if you didn't turn up at all, instead of confirming to your dining companions that you have no consideration for them.

On my last cruise on a table of six, one couple had the courtesy to do that one evening when they were running late and went to the buffet instead.

However the other couple turned up late every night, never earlier than 10 minutes late, usually 20 minutes, and occasionally more. At 10 minutes late the waiters hustled them into making a quick decision from the menu as the rest of us had already decided. When they turned up 20 minutes late they seemed slightly shocked that we were part way through the first course.


Thank you for outlining what the waiter did as well. I agree it is common courtesy - and I would also hope people would tell the server or maitre d' if they intended to eat elsewhere so others weren't kept waiting. I most likely wouldn't decide until same day, but I would do my best to convey my change of dinner plans.

 

Later than what time in the above references to 'late' ?  The Daily Programme states dining from 18:00 with last orders by 18:30.

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We will be on our first Cunard cruise and have, I hope, a simple question. We've only had any time dining on our previous non Cunard cruise. What is the expected process to notify someone that we will not be having dinner in the dining room? Sometimes we prefer a nice lunch and something light for dinner instead or just want to eat elsewhere.

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