Cunard Cruises - Queen Mary 2 Cruises Answers

Just to add an extra point - don't forget that going west to east, your days will only be 23 hours long - worth bearing in mind when you finally decide!

If you like making the most of your days on shore and really enjoying your sightseeing, then I think the 2nd sitting is better. This gives you time after your full day out exploring to have a shower, and perhaps a short nap, before getting ready for your evening meal. Batteries should then be fully recharged to enjoy a nice long evening. However, on the Transatlantic Cruise, you will probably be spending quite a few days at sea and I think you may well prefer the first sitting. Whatever, I hope you enjoy your cruise.

The problem with sittings is that the first sitting is too early and the second sitting is too late. Many a time we were sunbathing on deck and people were already passing by in evening dress for the first sitting. They were missing the sun and we were not. The only problem on later sitting is that sometimes it's well past nine when you finish and this splits the evening up far too much. This makes the rest of your evening seem so short it passers by in an instant. On the QE2 we solved the problem by paying a bit extra and going in the Caronia restaurant which did not have sittings. You could go at any time after 7.00 i think. It was worth the extra outlay just for the freedom.

Whether to go first sitting or second - that is the question? and depends on the time of year!. If you go mid-summer then the second sitting is far better allowing you more outside time before getting ready for dinner. In the autumn or late winter I think first sitting is best allowing you to go to the theatre etc before retiring. Normally it is not great walking on deck in the late evening in the winter so most people go to bed earlier. Hope that helps. Have a lovely time!.

hi. well i went on a first sitting on my 1st cruise and i wish i had gone on the second. I was to full to drink after my early dinner. I like a nice drink and to mix with other people its all part of the holiday but eating early just made me so tired and bloated, the evening went so slow and looking at the later diners they were full of energy etc. I have now booked two more cruisers and late sittings cant wait. Im quite young? and i just love cruising who says its for older people, just wish i had more holiday days. What ever you decide im sure you will be fine.ENJOY.

it is a personal choice the later does not have many children in and is more leisurely as you are not being rushed for the next sitting. We much prefer this. if you are at sea all day th4n all you do is eat at different times and there is always afternoon tea as well, we where never hungry going later.

Last year we decided to change from second sitting dinner to first and it was a big mistake. On P. & O. we found that it was too much of a rush to get to dinner at 6.30pm and then to the first show at 8.30pm. The theatre was generally full to capacity at least ten minutes before the start of the show and lots of people were turned away. If like me you like to sit over your coffee and talk you can do so and still get into the second show at 10.30pm when there are less people. So we are back to second sitting dinner and much prefer it.

I have recently returned from QM2 Transatlantic round trip. On all previous Cunard cruises I have always opted for first sitting and the questionner is correct, this indeed gives more time for the evening entertainment. The only problem being that if you take full advantage of all on-board catering, then afternoon tea is a bit close to the first sitting meal time. If you can 'pace yourself' as to food consumption you should be OK. You will usually have some 2 hours for your first sitting meal, so there is o need to rush.

Its all down to your personal preference, personally my husband and I prefer to do early sitting, by that time we have had enough sun for the day, have had our afternoon tea and after shower and changing getting dressed for dinner. Although most of the shows are shown twice for both the sittings (thomson Cruise) its time to relax for us and wind down after a hard day in the sun, (which you most admit us brits are not used to it). We don't eat late at home as we carn't seem to get to sleep and we like to see as much of the entertainment on an evening as possible. After all good entertainment is far and few between these days. You enjoy yourself and I am sure whatever sitting you opt for will be the right one for you, You could always opt for the first sitting and if you dont like it then I am sure you will be able to change to the second sitting or vise versa.

We usually choose 2nd sittng ,the reasons being ,you don't have to rush if you've been in port for the day and gives you more time to get dressed for dinner.We also think there won't be children on the second sitting (although we have been proved wrong on a few occasions ) If you do get peckish in the afternoon there is always afternoon tea(wonderful) if you go for 1st sitting there is always the midnight buffet. The only thing we didn't like about 2nd sitting is the rush to get out for a quiz at 9-45 or 10-00,if you're having a wonderful after dinner conversation you don't want to rush off. Oh the dilemmas