Reasonable Grills Premium

[Bigmike911]

21 minutes ago, alc13 said:

Neuhoftraveler - we’ve done both - PG twice and QG once, and I would stick with PG.  I love the PG stateroom on QM2, and we don’t need the extra space.  The QG dining room is also too brightly lit for my taste.  Finally, and I may be in a minority here, I thought Osman the QM2 Maitre d’ was snooty.
 

The best parts of a transatlantic on QM2 are the ship Itself and being on the ocean.  I’m a bit envious of you right now.

You are quite wrong. Osman is not at all snooty, he is a delightful gentleman and I have sailed with him twelve times. 

[alc13]

3 minutes ago, Bigmike911 said:

You are quite wrong. Osman is not at all snooty, he is a delightful gentleman and I have sailed with him twelve times. 

I’m not good at a particular kind of banter - perhaps that accounts for my experience.  And I felt scolded when we asked for caviar on the last night and we’re told we needed to have asked earlier in the day.  

[bluemarble]

3 hours ago, Neuhoftraveler said:

I have been following QM2 T/A pricing for almost two years now (and actually sailed in December 2018).  Never have I seen PG offered for anything remotely like $290-$410 per person per night.  That is a p/p fare of $2,870.  Where, or better yet, when did you get such fares?

 

Last year Cunard advertised "Sailing Soon Savings" (promo code "RGS") for a limited time with the US fare stated as $2,199 per person for a P2 cabin on both the 7-night December 8, 2019 Eastbound and December 15, 2019 Westbound crossings. Naturally that was for late bookings after final payment date.

[Bigmike911]

16 hours ago, alc13 said:

I’m not good at a particular kind of banter - perhaps that accounts for my experience.  And I felt scolded when we asked for caviar on the last night and we’re told we needed to have asked earlier in the day.  

If you have followed the threads on special food orders in Queen Grill, you will have read that in order to satisfy your wants, the dining crew needs to be aware of you wishes by lunch time at the latest. You were not scolded, simply advised of the logistics of preparing special off menu requests and your request could not be fulfilled at that late hour because they didn't have time to prepare it. 

[ExArkie]

17 hours ago, Neuhoftraveler said:

I have been following QM2 T/A pricing for almost two years now (and actually sailed in December 2018).  Never have I seen PG offered for anything remotely like $290-$410 per person per night.  That is a p/p fare of $2,870.  Where, or better yet, when did you get such fares?

Our crossings were from May 2010 to December 2018, so far. The first was during recovery from a world-wide financial recession and prices had not yet risen to reflect current pricing. However, the price we paid for the latest crossing was essentially the same, not adjusted for inflation, but was an incredible deal from an on-line travel agent and not representative of what Cunard was charging.

 

It varies as to where the fares were found. On two occasions, we booked through Cunard after the final payment due date, when the prices were reduced (P2 sold for less than US$2,000 on one of those times). Twice, we booked through a large, on-line travel agent that had unbelievably low pricing - when we booked one of them, the price we paid for PG was less than Cunard's Web site was charging for Brittania Club at that time (I tracked that one through to departure date, and Cunard's PG price was never less than US$500 more than what we paid, with that being offered only after final payment). Two were booked through whatever promotion that was running that gave us those prices, I believe one through Cunard and one through a TA. Our remaining crossing was the one for which I paid the most, as we were not flexible in schedule or able to forgo that crossing.

 

Three important points: (1) We always book during the less in-demand times, usually November and December. Due to potential weather issues, lack of long school breaks, etc., there are almost always lower prices on those months. (2) I am obsessive about finding travel deals, spending a good portion of each week looking at varying prices for hotels, flights, packages, and some cruises. That also means jumping on good prices immediately before someone changes them. I have been very lucky in finding bargains, allowing us to travel more than a lot of other people of similar financial means. (3) Our last crossing was the December 15, 2018, westbound (perhaps you were on the same one?), and I have not found "grab them now" prices since then, but some that were pretty reasonable. Perhaps I was also lucky to find the prices we paid at a time before Cunard realized they could charge more.

 

Basically, the prices I found were a combination of obsession (looking constantly), diversity (looking at every price outlet I could think of), and pure dumb luck. (The last of which has been remarkably vital in my career.) 

 

Edited February 5, 2020 by ExArkie
Corrected error, clarified a couple of statements

[Reuben's 3rd]

The original poster wanted a variety of experiences, so here goes.  We like the transatlantics.  Our 1st was Princess Grill, late April 2013.  We enjoyed it, but it was really just a "bucket list" check off.  Then for the following November, we we offered an eastbound crossing, Britannia class, for about $900 Cdn each.  That is the trip that hooked us.  We could do all of the things that we enjoyed, the lectures, the music, the promenade, and we got to meet more people over breakfast, lunch and dinner in the Britannia restaurant.  It could have just been the crossing that we were on, but we found Princess Grill rather stiff.  My husband, not a dessert eater, would request coffee instead but never succeeded in getting it until everyone at the table had finished dessert.  His request generated some puzzled, some horrified looks, but no coffee.

This second trip was 5th deck, midships aft.  We encountered converging storms, gale force 10, but did not even have a shampoo bottle fall over.  I have a cranky knee, and appreciated the walk in shower over the PG bathtub.  The space in Princess was pleasant, but we find Britannia class more than sufficient.  Martin has no trouble getting his coffee when he wants it!

[alc13]

4 hours ago, Bigmike911 said:

If you have followed the threads on special food orders in Queen Grill, you will have read that in order to satisfy your wants, the dining crew needs to be aware of you wishes by lunch time at the latest. You were not scolded, simply advised of the logistics of preparing special off menu requests and your request could not be fulfilled at that late hour because they didn't have time to prepare it. 

Re the caviar, a simple "Let me check..." would have been just fine. 

[Neuhoftraveler]

6 hours ago, ExArkie said:

(3) Our last crossing was the December 15, 2018, westbound (perhaps you were on the same one?)

 

That is the one we were on.  We thought we had a pretty good deal, but you obviously have mastered the system.  We had booked and re-booked PG a couple of times, and when the PG price again went down, from $3,700 p/p to $3,400, we sought to rebook again.  (All this was prior to the final payment date.)  Cunard countered with an offer to upgrade us to Q5 if we stuck with the $3,700.  We took it.

 

Our next crossing is in May 2020 eastbound, and we've booked PG1 for $3,921 through an online travel agent (which includes autograts, the drinks package, $200 OBC from Cunard, and $300 OBC from the agent). Again, this was booked well before final payment date for that voyage, and I don't think such extras are usually offered on late bookings.

 

If you subtract all those from the stated fare, it's not that far off the figure I found so astonishingly low.  So maybe the real truth is that one way or another, Cunard gets what Cunard wants to get, and it's only what the customer gets that varies.

[alc13]

We’ve also found great fares on the December crossings.  About what others have reported.

 

(Shh, don’t tell anybody)

Edited February 6, 2020 by alc13

[juicyjuju]

Just booked a three night coastal California cruise for May 2020. The Grills are a great price now but of course, I can't use my future cruise deposit,  and no drinks package or gratuities included. 

[orvil]

I have gotten the drinks package, tips included promotion in QG.  There is a trick to the drinks package.  Order the small glasses of wine rather than the big glass.  The big glass will generate a charge.  The unlimited small glass never generates a charge.  I can order champagne or a kir royale, but I can't order a champagne cocktail as it is much more expensive.  I like all of them, so it's not a sacrifice to not have a champagne cocktail.  As I said, there is a trick to it.

 

 

[oskidunker]

Real Champagne?

[TV Dad]

On 1/13/2020 at 2:03 PM, CabinC said:

 

Greetings,

 

II was interested in paying for the upgrade to Princess Grill for the 14 night sailing but the premium to move to Princess Grill was $8,000 more or $572 more per day (on top of the hefty price I already paid for the cabin I already have.) While I would surely enjoy the experience I cannot justify such a big jump. 

Happy Sailings

If you cannot justify such a big jump in price for Queen's Grille, then it is not for you. QG is best enjoyed by people who are not concerned about the extra cost. They want the experience, no matter the price. The extra cost won't bother them. It is quite an experience. I enjoyed my 10 day cruise in QG immensely.

 

You will still enjoy the cruise and the food in the Main Dining Room. You will also enjoy knowing you paid substantially less than Grill customers. Don't give it another thought. Or conversely, if you have to think about the cost, you won't enjoy the Grills.

[Se1lad]

1 hour ago, TV Dad said:

If you cannot justify such a big jump in price for Queen's Grille, then it is not for you. QG is best enjoyed by people who are not concerned about the extra cost. They want the experience, no matter the price. The extra cost won't bother them. It is quite an experience. I enjoyed my 10 day cruise in QG immensely.

 

You will still enjoy the cruise and the food in the Main Dining Room. You will also enjoy knowing you paid substantially less than Grill customers. Don't give it another thought. Or conversely, if you have to think about the cost, you won't enjoy the Grills.

Sorry I don’t think that’s true.  I will pay up to £3K per person for a 7 night TA in QG, but no more - I certainly won’t travel in QG whatever the cost.

 

I am careful with my budgeting and spend, and enjoy QG all the more knowing I got a good deal for it!

[SargassoPirate]

4 hours ago, TV Dad said:

If you cannot justify such a big jump in price for Queen's Grille, then it is not for you. QG is best enjoyed by people who are not concerned about the extra cost. They want the experience, no matter the price. The extra cost won't bother them. It is quite an experience. I enjoyed my 10 day cruise in QG immensely.

 

You will still enjoy the cruise and the food in the Main Dining Room. You will also enjoy knowing you paid substantially less than Grill customers. Don't give it another thought. Or conversely, if you have to think about the cost, you won't enjoy the Grills.

 

I have an eastbound crossing booked next year.  In a sheltered balcony, BV class, it was $222 PP, per night, with some nice OBCs from Cunard and my big box warehouse club travel department.  For us, a nine night crossing beats an overnight flight hands down.  The least expensive Queens Grill I could find at the time was $487 PP, per night.

 

Since we are simply using the QM2 for transportation to the UK for a month of travel in Europe instead of flying over, I could not justify the extra cost for the Grill. 

 

 

[TV Dad]

On 3/3/2020 at 7:35 AM, Se1lad said:

Sorry I don’t think that’s true.  I will pay up to £3K per person for a 7 night TA in QG, but no more - I certainly won’t travel in QG whatever the cost.

 

I am careful with my budgeting and spend, and enjoy QG all the more knowing I got a good deal for it!

We actually just agreed with each other. You just didn't realize it.  You can justify paying  £3K and cannot justify paying more. That's pretty much what I said.  "If you cannot justify such a big jump in price for Queen's Grille, then it is not for you. ." Don't forget, I'm American. You're British. We don't speak the same language. 

[Neuhoftraveler]

On 3/2/2020 at 9:43 PM, oskidunker said:

Real Champagne?

Was it?

[Se1lad]

4 hours ago, TV Dad said:

We actually just agreed with each other. You just didn't realize it.  You can justify paying  £3K and cannot justify paying more. That's pretty much what I said.  "If you cannot justify such a big jump in price for Queen's Grille, then it is not for you. ." Don't forget, I'm American. You're British. We don't speak the same language. 

I still don't think we did agree with each other - you also said 'QG is best enjoyed by people who are not concerned about the extra cost. They want the experience, no matter the price.'  I am happy to pay £3k, but no more.