Benefits of Princess Grill

[Caroline63]

Hi there,

 

I am travelling on the Queen Mary 2 from New York to Southampton at the end of the year with my parents.

 

I have been given two options by the travel agent...

One is to book a Balcony Britannia Club Room for my parents and an inside stateroom on the same floor for myself,

The other option would be to book one Princess Suite and have a fold away couch for myself.

 

I'm just wondering if anybody could give me their opinion on the Princess Suite versus the Balcony Club Cabin and what the benefits are of getting a Princess Suite?

 

Any information would be fantastic!

Thanks =)

[pmb1]

This CC thread from February 27 has a list of grills benefits.

[Caroline63]

Thanks!

[Calliope]

I would find another travel agent whom knows something about Cunard.

 

If your parents are in Britannia Club they will be at a table in the Britannia Club section of the Britannia Restaurant. If you are in an inside room, you will not be allowed to dine with your parents as your assigned table will be somewhere in the main section of the Britannia Restaurant. Your parents could dine with you, but they would be paying a high price for that, perhaps greater than $1,000.00.

 

Using the sofa bed in the Princess Grill room would ensure dining together. Or perhaps your parents would be happy in a Britannia Restaurant standard balcony room and you across the hall in a Britannia Restaurant inside room. You all will be assigned the same table that way.

[Caroline63]

Oh ok, I think we will go for the Princess Grill - it seems like most of the positive reviews come from those who've stayed in the Grill suites.

My only concern would be the size of the cabin with three of us in there, however we've stayed in many hotel rooms which have this format, and understand that the size will be smaller.

Thanks for your help!

[jimmybean]

If you book an inside room along with a balcony room across the hall (each Britannia rooms), you could eat together, have more privacy, and have two bathrooms for the three of you instead of having to share a single bathroom.

 

But, you would have to pay for two people (or one and three-quarters) for the single room. From what I understand, you can't book a "single" with Cunard without paying at least 175% of two fares. (If I am wrong about this, someone please correct me)

 

Still, that would no doubt be less expensive than booking three Princess Grill level passages.

 

Unless your parents need assistance and need you in the same room, maybe opting for more privacy and having your own bathroom is the best choice. Maybe after reading advantages and benefits of traveling Princess level, you will decide sharing a single room/single bathroom more appealing.

 

You say you plan to travel "at the end of the year." Usually, there are bargain fares in the winter months, before World Cruise starts. Call Cunard directly. There should be many locations on the ship with cabins in close proximity.

 

Have a wonderful time!

[Salacia]

Is it important for you and your parents to have the same muster station? If so, and you decide to book two separate cabins, you need to ask before booking if you will have the same muster station.

Edited March 4, 2014 by Salacia

[jimmybean]

Still thinking about your challenge...

 

Here is a video of a Princess suite. Shows the room size. I don't see how the sofa could pull out to make a bed ??? I would double-check with Cunard about this.

 

 

Another issue might be using the tub, if your parents have mobility issues. You can see in the video that it is a "high step" to get in and out of the tub.

 

The Queens suites are much more generous in size. A sofa would have room to pull out. But, these rooms have the same high-sided tub (if that would be a problem).

 

Balcony cabins and inside rooms have walk-in showers (no tub side to climb over).

 

Maybe, two Britannia Club balcony rooms, side-by-side, with an adjoining door could be a possibility? The Britannia Club dining room is smaller and gives more personalized service than the main dining room.

 

But, a Club cabin would lack other perks that goes with Grills level accommodations… And, maybe these things are very important to you.

[jimmybean]

Another practical consideration in the Princess suite is that a pulled-out sofa in that space would block the pathway to the bathroom for the person sleeping in the far side of the regular bed.

 

Maybe, a solution would be to sleep on the sofa NOT pulled-out?

[david,Mississauga]

Although I have not needed the third berth in Princess Grill, I was curious as to whether it was like a traditional pull-out bed chesterfield or a railway convertible berth. I experimented with it and found it to be neither, but closer to the railway berth. I can't recall exactly how it made into a bed other than it was a single bed size and is parallel to the back of the sofa. So there is still sufficient space to move around the room, although it might be more convenient to move the coffee table.

[jimmybean]

Thank you for correcting my misinterpretation, David. Of course that makes total sense and would work just fine. My mistake!

[MeredithFairfax]

Although I have not needed the third berth in Princess Grill, I was curious as to whether it was like a traditional pull-out bed chesterfield or a railway convertible berth. I experimented with it and found it to be neither, but closer to the railway berth. I can't recall exactly how it made into a bed other than it was a single bed size and is parallel to the back of the sofa. So there is still sufficient space to move around the room, although it might be more convenient to move the coffee table.

 

Yes, this is indeed the case. We have actually used the sofabed in a Princess Suite and it was surprisingly comfortable. It was only single size but it didn't feel too small even if you are tall. The cabin steward came and made the sofabed up each night and tidied it away each morning, so it was no trouble to us at all.

 

We did find it easier to push the table closer to the wall though, as you said, but we didn't mind that as there was still room to move about.

 

Am I right in thinking that the QM2 PG suites are larger than the other ships?

[david,Mississauga]

Yes, this is indeed the case. We have actually used the sofabed in a Princess Suite and it was surprisingly comfortable. It was only single size but it didn't feel too small even if you are tall. The cabin steward came and made the sofabed up each night and tidied it away each morning, so it was no trouble to us at all.

 

We did find it easier to push the table closer to the wall though, as you said, but we didn't mind that as there was still room to move about.

 

Am I right in thinking that the QM2 PG suites are larger than the other ships?

 

You were wise to let the steward make the bed and put it away. Although I was just being curious, it wasn't nearly as easy to handle as the equivalent on a Canadian train. Once I got the bed open I saw a notice saying only the staff should do it - wise advice! It took me a while to figure out how to put everything back together and for a while I feared I would have to confess to my steward that I was tinkering with the bed for no reason.

 

The QM2's PG staterooms appear to be larger than those on the smaller Queens, but I believe they are approximately the same square footage. I didn't care as much for our PG room on the QE as we do for those on the QM2. On the QE and QV the PG staterooms are very narrow - like regular balcony rooms - but somewhat longer. The balcony is very small compared to those on the QM2. But the QE's rooms have more of a division between the sleeping and sitting areas. That might be a benefit if using the extra bed.

[cunardaddict]

PG on QE and QV is as narrow as a standard stateroom, only deeper in length. Not really a difference.

 

PG ***** QM2 is a half cabin width wider than a standard stateroom and nice - if you do not need to use the desk. They desk is placed between the bed and the wall and the chair does not fit in between if used by a man. As I have to work at a desk for 3 to 5 hrs on sea days I cannot accept this. QG is fine.

 

Thy BC restaurant on QM2 is lacking the atmosphere of the MDR or the grills with its low ceiling, few windows and the entrance to the kitchen stairs close by.

[david,Mississauga]

PG on QE and QV is as narrow as a standard stateroom, only deeper in length. Not really a difference.

 

PG ***** QM2 is a half cabin width wider than a standard stateroom and nice - if you do not need to use the desk. They desk is placed between the bed and the wall and the chair does not fit in between if used by a man. As I have to work at a desk for 3 to 5 hrs on sea days I cannot accept this. QG is fine.

 

Thy BC restaurant on QM2 is lacking the atmosphere of the MDR or the grills with its low ceiling, few windows and the entrance to the kitchen stairs close by.

 

I am by no means a thin man, but I found use of the the desk comfortable for short periods. I agree, though, that it would be too tight for a lengthy period as you describe. That is another advantage of the QE & QV Princess staterooms: the desk is in a spacious location. Overall, I still prefer the QM2 rooms.

 

Two other things I forgot to mention earlier: on the QM2 the bathroom is a little bigger and there is a large walk-in closet with a door. On the smaller ships the wardrobe area is basically an alcove near the bathroom entrance. Any visitors will see all your clothes.

[keithm]

You were wise to let the steward make the bed and put it away. Although I was just being curious, it wasn't nearly as easy to handle as the equivalent on a Canadian train. Once I got the bed open I saw a notice saying only the staff should do it - wise advice! It took me a while to figure out how to put everything back together and for a while I feared I would have to confess to my steward that I was tinkering with the bed for no reason.

 

The QM2's PG staterooms appear to be larger than those on the smaller Queens, but I believe they are approximately the same square footage. I didn't care as much for our PG room on the QE as we do for those on the QM2. On the QE and QV the PG staterooms are very narrow - like regular balcony rooms - but somewhat longer. The balcony is very small compared to those on the QM2. But the QE's rooms have more of a division between the sleeping and sitting areas. That might be a benefit if using the extra bed.

We had a handicap room on our QV trip in 2012. We found it as large(if not slightly larger) than our P-1 on QM2. We were offered a P-1 on the QV,(instead of the handicap room) but turned it down do to it's smaller size. The fact that there was no price reduction(it was full price)didn't help.

[MeredithFairfax]

You were wise to let the steward make the bed and put it away. Although I was just being curious, it wasn't nearly as easy to handle as the equivalent on a Canadian train. Once I got the bed open I saw a notice saying only the staff should do it - wise advice! It took me a while to figure out how to put everything back together and for a while I feared I would have to confess to my steward that I was tinkering with the bed for no reason.

 

The QM2's PG staterooms appear to be larger than those on the smaller Queens, but I believe they are approximately the same square footage. I didn't care as much for our PG room on the QE as we do for those on the QM2. On the QE and QV the PG staterooms are very narrow - like regular balcony rooms - but somewhat longer. The balcony is very small compared to those on the QM2. But the QE's rooms have more of a division between the sleeping and sitting areas. That might be a benefit if using the extra bed.

 

I imagine that conversation with the steward would have been a little awkward :D

 

I do feel I'm missing out on trying the PG rooms on QM2 - we would love to do a TA but we really want to stay for more than one day in New York. If you don't want to fly (which I don't), it makes for a very long and very expensive holiday. Maybe next year ;)

[Caroline63]

Thanks so much for all your helpful information, it's great!

 

One more question though, does anybody know the difference between forwardship and midship on the 10th floor?

 

I see that forwardship is less expensive, is this just because there may be less stability than in midship?

 

Thanks!

[pmb1]

...

I see that forwardship is less expensive, is this just because there may be less stability than in midship?

 

Thanks!

That's the theory, but in a very large and stabilized ship like QM2 the difference is more theoretical than actual. Our experience has been that 10008 (forward) was just as comfortable as 10057 (midships).

[Caroline63]

Thanks! I had a feeling that would be the case.