The Grills- Princess vs Queen

[bahrain_not_dubai!]

Hello Cunarders !

 

 

I am considering taking a transatlantic crossing across the North Atlantic in the not-so-distant future, and I would appreciate any help I can get about this question- how great is the difference between the Princess Grill and the Queens Grill? Would you consider one as a 'premium' product while the other to be 'luxury' (normal PG Suite as opposed to a Q5 Queens Grill suite) or is the difference insignificant?

 

Also, I just have a few questiosn regarding PG-

 

Upon boarding, does someone escort you to your suite, or are you just pointed in its direction?

 

Is the QG lounge open soley for QG guests, or can PG passengers have access to them aswell, and lastly is their a major difference between the service and quality of the two products, or just the size of the room plus the distinction on the luggage tags ?

 

 

Thanks a million ! :)

[wripro]

since you are planning a crossing I assume you are referring to QM2. I can answer some of your questions.

 

QG Lounge is open to PG passengers as well as QG passengers.

 

The two restaurants are equal in size and look except that PG is accented in sliver tones while QG is accented in gold tones. Service is good in both though I believe caviar is no longer included in PG. It was when I sailed but I believe it has been eliminated. (I have sailed in both categories.) I believe you can order off the menu in both restaurants. though the choices are greater in QG. I would say both are luxury products, at least as luxurious as you can get on Cunard.

 

No one escorted us to our cabin either time I sailed. Others may have had a different experience.

 

A main difference between the two is the size of the cabin. PG was 381 sq. ft. including balcony and was quite nice and commodious. But QG is 506 sq. ft and it makes a big difference. Also you'll get a bar setup and butler service which may or may not be useful to you.

[pb82]

Four of our QM2 cruises were in PG cabins and three were in QG cabins. The extra size of the QG is nice, but what my wife really likes is the separate dressing table (curiously, the Q4s don't have one).

 

The only time we were ever escorted aboard was the crossing when we brought our cat along. The kennel man carried the cat and took all three of us to the kennels. After that we found our cabin on our own. Maybe the Q1, Q2, and Q3 folks are escorted, but not Q5 in our experience.

 

The Concierge Lounge, the Queens Grill Lounge, and the Deck 11 Grills area are available to both PG and QG passengers.

 

The PG and QG restaurant menus are nearly identical, just a couple more choices in QG. Both restaurants are served by the same kitchen.

 

Perrier-Jouët Champagne instead of Pol Acker sparkling to welcome you to your cabin, evening canapés, two complimentary bottles of wine or spirits, the butler, etc. are delightful, but only you can decide if they are worth the extra money.

 

By the way, I've uploaded lots of both PG and QG menus among the mementos in the sub-albums of my homepage, take a look. (Click on pb82 by my avatar, then click on "Visit pb82's homepage!") You will have a ball on QM2, whatever your choice. Bon Voyage!

[pb82]

... The two restaurants are equal in size and look except that PG is accented in sliver tones while QG is accented in gold tones. ...

Believe it or not, the QG restaurant is a bit larger than the PG restaurant; there are 96 QG cabins and 76 PG cabins on QM2.

[Whitemarsh]

Would you consider one as a 'premium' product while the other to be 'luxury' (normal PG Suite as opposed to a Q5 Queens Grill suite) or is the difference insignificant?

 

Our Princess Grill experience was amazing. I find it hard to imagine how the Queens Grill experience could be any better - but I'd be happy to find out via an upgrade. :D

 

We did have caviar on the menu in the PG - just not every night.

 

As a PG passenger you have access to the exact same Grill amenities (Queens Grill lounge, Grill deck & Grill concierge) that Queens Grill passengers do - but for less money.

 

For what it's worth, my advice is that you book Princess Grill (book a P1 category so your cabin is in the centre of the ship and your table in the better part of the restaurant) and use the money you saved, by not booking Queens Grill, on alcohol, gifts and spa treatments.

[Ocean_Liner_Traveller]

my advice is that you book Princess Grill (book a P1 category so your cabin is in the centre of the ship and your table in the better part of the restaurant) and use the money you saved, by not booking Queens Grill, on alcohol, gifts and spa treatments.

 

Let alone that by booking P1 you would probably have more chances for a complimentary upgrade to Q.

[Jrhmdtraum]

Due to complaints of those paying Q, I was told that P will no longer be allowed in Q area?

 

I was also told that only QG have unlimited in room dining?

[sthrngal]

wow... the 100 or so people in QG had complaints about PG passengers? heavens only knows what they'd have to say about us Britannia folk.

 

~tammy

[Whitemarsh]

Due to complaints of those paying Q, I was told that P will no longer be allowed in Q area?

 

Previously the situation was that Princess Grill passengers did not have access to the Queens Grill lounge (and I believe, but I'm not certain, the Grill deck) but they did have access to the Grill Concierge.

 

After complaints from Princess Grill passengers they allowed them access to all the Grill areas.

 

I suppose they could go back to how it was, but then they'd be receiving complaints from PG passengers.

 

It would be a foolish decision to make. One which would only please the (I'm assuming) minority of QG passengers that have complained about the issue whilst displeasing all PG passengers.

 

I was also told that only QG have unlimited in room dining?

 

Single-seating dining in the Princess Grill, or In-suite from the Princess Grill menu

 

[Dorchester]

In suite dining in PG is restricted to dishes listed on the Princess Grill Menu, whereas QG passengers may order off menu for in suite dining. This naturally requires prior arrangement.

 

Regards,

David

[wripro]

PG passengers were always allowed in the QG Lounge but not the QG deck.

[keithm]

Hello Cunarders !

 

 

I am considering taking a transatlantic crossing across the North Atlantic in the not-so-distant future, and I would appreciate any help I can get about this question- how great is the difference between the Princess Grill and the Queens Grill? Would you consider one as a 'premium' product while the other to be 'luxury' (normal PG Suite as opposed to a Q5 Queens Grill suite) or is the difference insignificant?

 

Also, I just have a few questiosn regarding PG-

 

Upon boarding, does someone escort you to your suite, or are you just pointed in its direction?

 

Is the QG lounge open soley for QG guests, or can PG passengers have access to them aswell, and lastly is their a major difference between the service and quality of the two products, or just the size of the room plus the distinction on the luggage tags ?

 

 

Thanks a million ! :)

A few notes..We've done both PG & QG. We never were escorted to our room either case. We pretty much know our way around, so it's not a problem. I feel if you are in a penthouse(or larger)you should be escorted to your room. The menu is a bit more varied in Queens Grill. Caviar is free in Q-grill, but only free once a trip in P-Grill. You can(and should)order off menu in both. Definately give some advance notice(a day or so is good)Butler service is standard to Q-Grill pax. Other than that things are pretty similer.

[Nick&Simon]

If you are in a named suite you are given a red card at check-in with your suite name on it. Upon boarding your Butler should be waiting in the boarding area and escort you to your suite.

 

That is the theory anyway.

 

In the last six months I have done Q1, Q2 and Q3 and only been escorted to my cabin once.

 

But I don't consider it a problem, if you know your way around the ship I don't see the point anyway.

 

 

As an aside, the cunard literature still lists QG Lounge access only for QG passengers, although I know this is not the practice. My understanding was that the QG lounge on QM2 was initially so underused that they granted access to PG passengers to get some much needed life into the place. I was told that this could change when the planned refurb of the Lounge is completed and it is has a more 'Gentlemans Club' feel to it. If that happens, watch this board light-up!

[north east girl]

When we were in princess grill I noticed the only time the QG lounge was busy was when they had entertainment in there. All the other times is was very under used.

 

Catherine

[wripro]

Frankly, imo anyone on either PG or QG should be escorted to their his suite. Isn't that what White Star Service should be?

[William Dean]

Frankly, imo anyone on either PG or QG should be escorted to their his suite. Isn't that what White Star Service should be?

 

It is less than two and a half years since everyone was escorted to his cabin. Mind you, the QE2 way appears not to be the modern Cunard way, which is the loss of the modern Cunard.

 

WD

[Jrhmdtraum]

I suppose they could go back to how it was, but then they'd be receiving complaints from PG passengers.

 

It would be a foolish decision to make. One which would only please the (I'm assuming) minority of QG passengers that have complained about the issue whilst displeasing all PG passengers.

 

I'm not sure. I think they would prefer not to loose the higher moneys. Airplanes now restrict the first class bathrooms (not because of FDA according to friends that are FA. If one is paying double, they should expect to get double. One of the other cruse ships now has private decks (inside the cabin suites) for the suite passengers.

[Whitemarsh]

I'm not sure. I think they would prefer not to loose the higher moneys. Airplanes now restrict the first class bathrooms (not because of FDA according to friends that are FA. If one is paying double, they should expect to get double. One of the other cruse ships now has private decks (inside the cabin suites) for the suite passengers.

 

Well this is the first I've heard that it is an issue (PG passengers allowed in the QG lounge). It hasn't come up as a complaint on these boards previously. So thanks for bringing it to our attention.

 

I'd be pretty interested in reading about QG passengers threatening not to travel Cunard again because PG passengers are allowed into the Queens Grill lounge. That's the meaning I took from your comment about Cunard preferring not to loose the higher moneys. After all, it doesn't matter if you're PG or QG, you still pay the same amount of money for the same drink in the QG lounge.

 

Still, if it's a big issue and there are many cancellations from QG passengers (or recurring complaints) then I guess they will have to do something about it. They will have to dry dock Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria. Their combined Grill lounge and other 'Grill' areas will need to be redesigned so that Princess Grill passengers are unable to access them. They might even have to relocate the Princess Grill restaurant to another area of the ship.

 

It's poor planning on Cunard's part. For Cunard to have signed off on ship designs for the QE & QV (both of which have a combined Grill area) after receiving (what I understand to be) so many complaints from QG passengers about PG passengers accessing the QG lounge on QM2 is baffling.

 

BTW - the difference between PG 1 and Q 7 is not double. It's about $3k pp usually on a TA.

[capnpugwash]

This could be an ideal opportunity to create employment, what Cunard need is Door Supervisors, or what used to be called Bouncers to keep these uppity PG folk away from the uber class. Cunard won't do that though, I am willing to wager that they will resort to razor and barbed wire, I have already invested heavily in the manufacturers shares. I gaze fondly from steerage up to those inhabiting Mount Olympus and I bask in their reflected glory.

[Nick&Simon]

I think it is either a myth or has been misconstrued on this thread that QG guests complain about PG guests in the QG lounge on QM2.

 

The real question is what Cunard think about it, I think it is safe to say that Cunard are happy with the Queens Grill Lounge on QV and QE (although I know there was some discussion about a larger bar-more stools on QE, but they ran out of time to make this change happen), however on QM2 Cunard accept that the Queens Grill Lounge doesnt work and are planning changes. If you read the wording in the Cunard brochures (hard copy, not online), you will see that for QV & QE they explicitely include Queens Grill Lounge access for PG guests, but on QM2 this is not the case (ditto Grills sun deck). Of course it could simply be an oversight, but why would you not highlight a marketing plus.

 

I suspect they are keeping their options open re QM2 for after the Lounge refit. Now this is just me speculating, combine that with changing Todd English into a Verhanda type restaurant and their is a possibility to increase differentiation between QG and PG.

 

Just for the record, the views I have attributed to Cunard in this post are those expressed to me by Hotel Management, the rest is idle speculation.

[Jrhmdtraum]

 

Just for the record, the views I have attributed to Cunard in this post are those expressed to me by Hotel Management, the rest is idle speculation.

 

Ditto

My views are what I heard from AmEx Centurian Cruise Desk.

[Lake Barcroft Sailor]

Well this is the first I've heard that it is an issue (PG passengers allowed in the QG lounge). It hasn't come up as a complaint on these boards previously. So thanks for bringing it to our attention.

 

 

Still, if it's a big issue and there are many cancellations from QG passengers (or recurring complaints) then I guess they will have to do something about it. They will have to dry dock Queen Elizabeth and Queen Victoria. Their combined Grill lounge and other 'Grill' areas will need to be redesigned so that Princess Grill passengers are unable to access them. They might even have to relocate the Princess Grill restaurant to another area of the ship.

 

It's poor planning on Cunard's part. For Cunard to have signed off on ship designs for the QE & QV (both of which have a combined Grill area) after receiving (what I understand to be) so many complaints from QG passengers about PG passengers accessing the QG lounge on QM2 is baffling.

 

BTW - the difference between PG 1 and Q 7 is not double. It's about $3k pp usually on a TA.

 

Actually, it is only on the QM2 that the lounge is called the "Queens Grill Lounge". On both the Queen Victoria and the Queen Elizabeth it is simply "The Grills Lounge", thus clearly indicating that the lounges on those ships are open to both PG and QG passengers.

[keithm]

I think it is either a myth or has been misconstrued on this thread that QG guests complain about PG guests in the QG lounge on QM2.

 

The real question is what Cunard think about it, I think it is safe to say that Cunard are happy with the Queens Grill Lounge on QV and QE (although I know there was some discussion about a larger bar-more stools on QE, but they ran out of time to make this change happen), however on QM2 Cunard accept that the Queens Grill Lounge doesnt work and are planning changes. If you read the wording in the Cunard brochures (hard copy, not online), you will see that for QV & QE they explicitely include Queens Grill Lounge access for PG guests, but on QM2 this is not the case (ditto Grills sun deck). Of course it could simply be an oversight, but why would you not highlight a marketing plus.

 

I suspect they are keeping their options open re QM2 for after the Lounge refit. Now this is just me speculating, combine that with changing Todd English into a Verhanda type restaurant and their is a possibility to increase differentiation between QG and PG.

 

Just for the record, the views I have attributed to Cunard in this post are those expressed to me by Hotel Management, the rest is idle speculation.

Funny, my brochures for QM2 state Princess Grill pax having access to both the lounge & the Grills upper terrace. I certainly would be rather ticked if we do a P-suite and are denied access to the forementioned places.

[Whitemarsh]

Funny, my brochures for QM2 state Princess Grill pax having access to both the lounge & the Grills upper terrace. I certainly would be rather ticked if we do a P-suite and are denied access to the forementioned places.

 

Me too.

 

Actually, it is only on the QM2 that the lounge is called the "Queens Grill Lounge". On both the Queen Victoria and the Queen Elizabeth it is simply "The Grills Lounge", thus clearly indicating that the lounges on those ships are open to both PG and QG passengers.

 

My downloaded brochure (the same one that's mailed out) also explicitly says that Princess Grill passengers have access to the 'Grill's Lounge".

 

From the same brochure they refer to the lounge outside the Queens Grill restaurant as 'The Grills Lounge'

 

Cunard's website also calls it 'The Grills Lounge'.

http://www.cunard.com/Ships/Queen-Mary-2/Bars-and-Lounges/

[Whitemarsh]

I think it is either a myth or has been misconstrued on this thread that QG guests complain about PG guests in the QG lounge on QM2.

 

It may be a myth but the statement made about the complaints doesn't leave any room to be misconstrued - see below.

 

Due to complaints of those paying Q, I was told that P will no longer be allowed in Q area?

 

 

The real question is what Cunard think about it, I think it is safe to say that Cunard are happy with the Queens Grill Lounge on QV and QE

 

It's not called the Queens Grill Lounge on the QV & QE. It's called the Grills Lounge.

http://www.cunard.com/Ships/Queen-Elizabeth/Bars-and-Lounges/

 

http://www.cunard.com/Ships/Queen-Victoria/Bars-and-Lounges/

 

And I still am quite baffled by the decision of Cunard to build two ships with a 'Grills Lounge' with access to both PG & QG guests when apparently it's such an issue for QG passengers and/or Cunard. That doesn't make sense to me. If Cunard doesn't think that PG passengers should have access to the Queens Grill Lounge (or Grills Lounge.....call it what you will) on QM2 why build two new ships with a combined Grills Lounge? Surely if it's a problem on QM2 it would be a problem on any other Cunard ship?

 

however on QM2 Cunard accept that the Queens Grill Lounge doesnt work and are planning changes. If you read the wording in the Cunard brochures (hard copy, not online), you will see that for QV & QE they explicitely include Queens Grill Lounge access for PG guests, but on QM2 this is not the case (ditto Grills sun deck). Of course it could simply be an oversight, but why would you not highlight a marketing plus.

 

The downloadable brochures from Cunard's website (which would be the same as their hard copy brochures) explicilty state that PG guests have access to the Grills lounges and and concierge. If there is another Grill lounge apart from the Queens Grill lounge on the QM2 then it was very well hidden because I couldn't find it.

 

Queen Mary 2's luxury Princess Grill accommodation offers elegant comfort and personal service. Guests enjoy access to private lounges and our Grills concierge, and dine at a reserved table in the single-seating Princess Grill restaurant - plus a variety of exclusive amenities.

 

They do call the same lounge by different names though - which is weird. The above is a blurb regarding PG amenities. The below is the blurb regarding QG amenities. And you're correct about the sun deck - it's only mentioned under the QG staterooms.

 

Access to Grills Concierge Lounge, Queens Grill Lounge and private Queens Grill sun Deck

 

With regards to marketing, it would be a strange decision to reduce the amenities available to PG passengers on QM2 whilst maintaining the current level of amenities for PG passengers on QE & QV.

 

I cant imagine how Cunard will market that as a positive for potential PG passengers on QM2.

It would have to go something like this:

Queen Mary 2's luxury Princess Grill accommodation offers elegant comfort and personal service. Guests no longer enjoy access to private lounges but they do still dine at a reserved table in the single-seating Princess Grill restaurant. In order to provide our Princess Grill guests with a more enjoyable voyage experience we've removed a variety of exclusive amenities that they've previously enjoyed. However guests will still enjoy paying the same rates as before.

 

I suspect they are keeping their options open re QM2 for after the Lounge refit. Now this is just me speculating, combine that with changing Todd English into a Verhanda type restaurant and their is a possibility to increase differentiation between QG and PG.

 

Again, it would be strange to increase differentiation between QG & PG just on the one ship?

 

Can you imagine the travel agents "Now if you book PG on QM2 you only get this and this. If however, for the same money, you book PG on QE or QV you will get this, this this and this".

 

Just for the record, the views I have attributed to Cunard in this post are those expressed to me by Hotel Management, the rest is idle speculation.

 

Well I look forward to seeing how Cunard are going to market the reducing the amenities for PG passengers on one ship (QM2) whilst maintaining the current privileges of PG passengers on its other ships (QE & QV).