Queens Grill dining is it better

Cruise/Crossing fares are all cheaper, in real dollars or pounds, adjusted for inflation than they were even five years ago. The on-line "inflation" calculators are useful and revealing to find just how much cheaper. Fares are cheaper, on board extras cost more. In the end, someone is still making money. A non drinker is likely to make out like a bandit now.

 

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I have done several comparisons with the Bank of Canada inflation calculator with fares I paid as long ago as 1973. I find that some current fares - but not all - are cheaper than they were a long time ago.

The Grills fares have increased considerably in the past five to ten years. In 2013 we cruised to Norway for a week on the QE in PG. The fare was (Canadian) $3200 pp. According to the Bank of Canada the current equivalent is $3476. A similar cruise to Norway in PG now costs between $5300 and $5800.

We never travelled in the Grills on the QE2, but I well remember the first time we crossed in First Class (then the Columbia Restaurant) in 1979. There was silver service in all restaurants at that time - and even in Tourist until at least the late 1980s as I recall. In mere First Class, the section head waiter would come by with his note-pad asking if we had any request for special orders.

That First Class stateroom midships on Deck 3 was large with real wood panelling. Some years later it was "promoted" to PG category. Our last crossing on the QE2 was just six months before her retirement. The Caronia Restaurant was still single-sitting, but it had no other benefits of the former First Class. Our stateroom was originally a Tourist one (small, but it had two beds) and the cost was about $1800 which would be $1879 today. The closest equivalent today would be Britannia Club which costs considerably more.

Comparisons are difficult because QE2 crossings were five days, later six and QM2 crossings were six, later seven. Then there are differences in stateroom sizes and the cost of fuel . Balconies are now available on cheaper accommodations. For many years a "free" flight was offered on one-way transatlantic fares and that is no longer offered to us.

Columbia/Caronia or "old' First Class on QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 was pretty nice. We did a long Med cruise in her around 1995 and although we booked min. Caronia (the cabin alas was ex-Tourist Class and nothing special), we found the single-sitting in Caronia (the original First Class restaurant), menu and service (we had a British steward and stewardess) to be excellent on every level. And yes, back then, it was all silver service, too, and the menu/service still as if First Class for a crossing. Cunard back then still had very professional and attentive maitre d's and head section stewards in Caronia and they made all the difference.

Our overall best Cunard experience actually was CARONIA in 2003... superb throughout, cuisine and service just outstanding. We had engine troubles throughout the whole cruise, they actually sent the replacement part to the wrong port twice and we wound up missing almost every single port and had the best time anyway! Cunard disposing of the ex-NAL ships and not replacing them with MARINA/RIVIERA type vessels, all First Class, was a huge mistake in my opinion. CARONIA was worth repeating and alas will never be.

Columbia/Caronia or "old' First Class on QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 was pretty nice. We did a long Med cruise in her around 1995 and although we booked min. Caronia (the cabin alas was ex-Tourist Class and nothing special), we found the single-sitting in Caronia (the original First Class restaurant), menu and service (we had a British steward and stewardess) to be excellent on every level. And yes, back then, it was all silver service, too, and the menu/service still as if First Class for a crossing. Cunard back then still had very professional and attentive maitre d's and head section stewards in Caronia and they made all the difference.

 

Our overall best Cunard experience actually was CARONIA in 2003... superb throughout, cuisine and service just outstanding. We had engine troubles throughout the whole cruise, they actually sent the replacement part to the wrong port twice and we wound up missing almost every single port and had the best time anyway! Cunard disposing of the ex-NAL ships and not replacing them with MARINA/RIVIERA type vessels, all First Class, was a huge mistake in my opinion. CARONIA was worth repeating and alas will never be.

And therein lies the entire root of the matter when it pertains to the quality of Queens Grill today vs in the past. It’s not about my romanticized memories of past travel so much as the ships were smaller and therefore the food and service was of a higher standard that only a smaller operation can provide. Queen Mary 2 carries 2700 passengers- QE2 carried a thousand less. Every part of the ship is larger including the Grills.

Yes and the QUEEN K'DAM will be exponentially larger still in sheer numbers carried. The distinction between a Cunard and Holland America and a P&O is lost literally in the numbers... too many berths being the common denominator. Imagine a new CARONIA and CARMANIA the same size as Oceania's RIVIERA and MARINA, all First Class... with traditional Cunard touches etc. Alas, it's never going to happen.

Yes and the QUEEN K'DAM will be exponentially larger still in sheer numbers carried. The distinction between a Cunard and Holland America and a P&O is lost literally in the numbers... too many berths being the common denominator. Imagine a new CARONIA and CARMANIA the same size as Oceania's RIVIERA and MARINA, all First Class... with traditional Cunard touches etc. Alas, it's never going to happen.

Or even move over Prinsendam, give her a refit and call her Franconia. That’s not even asking that much!

We have been fortunate to have travelled with Cunard a number of times, in Britannia, Britannia Club, Princess Grill and Queens Grill on all three current Cunard ships.

Obviously the Queens Grill suites were the largest, and as others have said, if this is important to anyone considering booking, then go for it. Britannia Club is great if you like to eat when you want rather than the Britannia set times for dinner and assuming that you do want to eat in your designated restaurant.

However if you do not need a QG size suite, or a butler, and can forgo the canapes served in your suite each evening and cope with not having some additional "free" alcohol, then go for Princess Grill. The list of negatives may seem a lot, but in reality for many people, they are not crucial!

The menus (this was in May 2018) in PG and QG were very similar. QG has a slightly better choice of A'la Carte but nothing to write home about!

As to ordering off menu, QG or PG it makes little difference. We have had no problem ordering off menu frequently in Princess Grill. If going off menu, always give plenty of notice, and the more the better. At worst, order lunchtime, but if possible breakfast time or even the previous evening.

The menu on our May voyage in Princess Grill, as said above was very similar to Queens Grill, but often the Britannia menu was almost entirely different. It used to have the same basis, bit now Cunard seem to be using it to further differentiate the Grills.

Princess Grill passengers still have the concierge, the personalised stationery, the Grills lounge and one the QV and the QE the superb outside sun terraces, plus the open air dining in the Courtyard. Afternoon tea in the grills is served with real clotted cream and it will be served on the terraces as well as in the Princess Grill (the Grills lounge has been deemed too small for the numbers).

So to summarise, If money is no object, then splash the cash on Queens Grill. If you can live without a few embellishments, and often save a considerable sum of money, which you can keep in your pocket or spend on extras and little luxuries, then opt for Princess Grill which offers almost as much as QG, including off menu ordering!

If both are out of your reach financially then choose between Britannia and Britannia Club. Don't worry, you still will not be disappointed, with one provision. Once you have sampled the Grills, especially on the QV and QE where the positions of the restaurants and the terraces etc are much better than on the QM2, few will want to go "back" to Britannia dining. You have been warned!

If both are out of your reach financially then choose between Britannia and Britannia Club. Don't worry, you still will not be disappointed, with one provision. Once you have sampled the Grills, especially on the QV and QE where the positions of the restaurants and the terraces etc are much better than on the QM2, few will want to go "back" to Britannia dining. You have been warned!

This is very true. It is hard to go back to Britannia after experiencing the Grills. I've only sailed QG on QM2 and will be sailing QG on Victoria in a few months' time. I'm looking forward to comparing them. Certainly, the food in QG on the Mary was vastly better than what I've had in Britannia class on QM2 and QE, but that's not to say the food there was poor. I've generally enjoyed my meals on Cunard ships.

However, I have found QG lunch menus to be pretty ordinary. I could be wrong, but judging by some people's comments here, it seems possible to order off menu at lunchtime - is this right? If so, do you need to give notice the day before? I've only got 4 sea days on my upcoming Med cruise, but it would be good to have the ability to order off menu at lunch on those times.

 

However, I have found QG lunch menus to be pretty ordinary. I could be wrong, but judging by some people's comments here, it seems possible to order off menu at lunchtime - is this right? If so, do you need to give notice the day before? I've only got 4 sea days on my upcoming Med cruise, but it would be good to have the ability to order off menu at lunch on those times.

I don't eat from the lunch menu unless the salad looks interesting and then I'll have it sized up as an entree with some cold cuts. I order at breakfast time, stating what I want in my salad. If I want cold lobster in my salad, I'll order the night before.

Specials should be pre ordered but something like a salad or a pizza or a hot dog or a burger etc can be ordered at breakfast time and possibly at the point of ordering but I like to give a bit of notice .

Hope that helps.

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Once you have sampled the Grills, especially on the QV and QE where the positions of the restaurants and the terraces etc are much better than on the QM2, few will want to go "back" to Britannia dining. You have been warned!

Having been fortunate to have travelled in the Grills on our first several crossings on the QM2, I felt that way. We had been fortunate to have had upgrades and substantially reduced fares for all but one of those. Then reality arrived. The Grills fares went up substantially and there were no more upgrades.

We managed to get Britannia Club once at an attractive fare, but we have now become accustomed to Britannia. We had crossed in Tourist several times on the QE2 and enjoyed it. We have enjoyed Britannia on the QM2 and don't feel like we are roughing it in the least. Going back to flying economy when you have been in Club/Business/First Class is a real shock and I will stay home before I suffer like that again on a long flight. But Britannia "class" on Cunard - for the fare paid it's fine with me as long as it is a cabin with a balcony.

Ok. At the risk of being contentious...... just back from a week aboard the QE in a Q6 cabin. We had a wonderful time and thoroughly enjoyed being pampered. The food was on the whole very good but we’ve travelled Britannia cabin before and dare I say it found the fare very similar! Yes in the Grills you may be able to choose what you have on which night or ask for a particular favourite in advance but as we were onboard for only a week that didn’t really worry us. However, we did use the option of having lunch off the menu in our cabin occasionally when we just couldn’t be bothered to trek up to the restaurant. Lovely time though! Lol!

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