QV versus QM2 Kings Court

[GrimWheel]

Just back from the 11 day Norway/North Cape trip on QM2. Third time on QM2 and glad to report improvements ! - never really had any gripes but its now 10/10 instead of 9.5/10 0 specifically - Kings court speciality dining - just amazingly and entirely unexpectedly excellent ! - the thai tasting menu was as good as the best eastern/oriental meal we've has anywhere land or sea. We tried all 4 areas - all superb and dare I say it slightly better than the Britannia, especially portion-wise being slightly more generous.

 

Todd English - similarly superb though this not a suprise - the TE is a longtime favourite. Somebody here said "equal to Britannia" - can't agree, its a whole star better. Expanded menu this time too - around 8 mains to choose from.

 

We are old fans of the QE2's midnight buffett/lido, and had until now found nothing to compare - but this time the QM2/KC was nearly on target - just excellent - several hot choices and well stocked cold choices and lovely sweets, plus interested looking staff/chefs on hand. Well done !

 

The QV KC (last year) in comparison, from late evening/early hours was simply dreadful. We had to ask for cutlery and were treated like we should not be up at that time bothering the staff ! The choices were poor and badly stocked, a real let down. More Old style British Rail Caff than Cunard. Anyway my Q is this - has it improved in line with the obvious extra polish we found on the QM2 this year ? We really hope so as we found QV otherwise delightful. We left feeling there was a real problem with the KC late night management.

 

Anybody got any up to date reports ? We're doing the QV again in 2011 so would like to know !

[pepperrn]

The QV KC (last year) in comparison, from late evening/early hours was simply dreadful. We had to ask for cutlery and were treated like we should not be up at that time bothering the staff !

 

Hi,

 

Interestingly, your experience with lack of cutlery in the Lido on QV last year was also mine last year! Only on the last day of my cruise did cutlery wrapped in cloth napkins appear. Prior to that there were (sometimes empty) trays of cutlery and piles of tiny, thin, PAPER napkins (McRejects). I had to ask for cutlery. Also, late one night, I tried to have a snack in the "24 hour" buffet. Nothing was available and the staff were not happy to see a passenger out and about.

 

Actually, I made more use of one the Britannia Restaurants on QV for breakfast and lunch than I have in the past, and enoyed the food and service there.

 

I am glad you liked Lotus on QM2, I was "encouraged" to go there with friends on one cruise and, whilst they LOVED every second of it, I couldn't stand the food or the service! We all have different tastes!

 

Very best wishes

[Cruachan]

Hi,

 

Interestingly, your experience with lack of cutlery in the Lido on QV last year was also mine last year!

 

Pepper,

 

I have to say that, after two QV cruises, the only aspect of the ship that I don't like is the Lido. There was nothing particularly wrong with the food and the staff seemed helpful enough. But the layout is, IMHO, vastly over complicated and I found many of the "customers" to be, quite frankly, bloody rude! I was frequently elbowed out of the way and tut-tutted at while trying to make a selection (not something I'm good at I admit), and I just felt under pressure the entire time - not a relaxing experience. Not that it bothered me all that much anyway because I vastly prefer the Britannia dining room for all my eating requirements.

 

J

[GrimWheel]

Oh dear its not looking good. Will I need to bring my own knife and fork next time ? And elbow pads.

 

Speaking of "customers" the QM2 trip we've just returned from had the nicest, most decorous crowd I've seen since QE2 days.

[Ray66]

Just back from the 11 day Norway/North Cape trip on QM2. Third time on QM2 and glad to report improvements ! - never really had any gripes but its now 10/10 instead of 9.5/10 0 specifically - Kings court speciality dining - just amazingly and entirely unexpectedly excellent ! - the thai tasting menu was as good as the best eastern/oriental meal we've has anywhere land or sea. We tried all 4 areas - all superb and dare I say it slightly better than the Britannia, especially portion-wise being slightly more generous.

 

We are old fans of the QE2's midnight buffett/lido, and had until now found nothing to compare - but this time the QM2/KC was nearly on target - just excellent - several hot choices and well stocked cold choices and lovely sweets, plus interested looking staff/chefs on hand. Well done !

 

The QV KC (last year) in comparison, from late evening/early hours was simply dreadful. We had to ask for cutlery and were treated like we should not be up at that time bothering the staff ! The choices were poor and badly stocked, a real let down. More Old style British Rail Caff than Cunard. Anyway my Q is this - has it improved in line with the obvious extra polish we found on the QM2 this year ? We really hope so as we found QV otherwise delightful. We left feeling there was a real problem with the KC late night management.

 

Anybody got any up to date reports ? We're doing the QV again in 2011 so would like to know !

 

We just came off the QV yesterday. We also prefer the Kings Court to the QV's Lido. And we thought the Lotus speciality in the QM2's KC was wonderful.

We've been on the QV three times now and each time the Lido reminds us of a supermarket restaurant with everyone facing each other.

The whole of the Kings Court on the QM2 seems to work better somehow

 

We've never had any problems with the late night staff or finding cutlery in the Lido although they did keep running out of cocoa. The coffee is awful. We did find it annoying though when you get your first course from one section, eat it and when you go back for dessert, they've closed that section off and you have to wonder round to find one that's open.

[pris993]

Hope you folks are providing feedback when you do your critiques and asking to talk with management while on board.

 

They will never get it right if someone does not speak up. I am sure we will, when we go next March 2011 on a TA. My husband is never shy -- he will set them straight. He was a Matre'd in Europe in the south of France some years ago.

 

This will be our first on Cunard but have cruised for years on Princess, HAL and Celebrity, along with some other lines.

 

A few years back my husband called the food on a Princess Lido garbage. He got their attention quickly. On another trip when he was told they had a fish he wanted and they were saving it for a special luncheon - a meeting with the Matre'd's boss got that problem solved in no time.

 

Sometimes the staff forget who they are working for, i.e., us. :)

 

Happy cruising.