Princess Grill or Queens Grill ?

[Trevor33]

Apart from the obvious difference in the size of the Suite what are peoples opinion of the difference  between the Princess grill and the Queens Grill experience on board the Queens? Have people preferred the food in one restaurant than the other? Whilst the Queens Grill has a slightly different Menu and a greater choice on the a la carte do you think the quality of the food or service is any different? Personally for the difference in price I have found the food as good in the Princess Grill but would be very interested to hear what other people think. Do you think the standard of the Grills restaurants vary between the three Queens? 

[exlondoner]

38 minutes ago, Trevor33 said:

Apart from the obvious difference in the size of the Suite what are peoples opinion of the difference  between the Princess grill and the Queens Grill experience on board the Queens? Have people preferred the food in one restaurant than the other? Whilst the Queens Grill has a slightly different Menu and a greater choice on the a la carte do you think the quality of the food or service is any different? Personally for the difference in price I have found the food as good in the Princess Grill but would be very interested to hear what other people think. Do you think the standard of the Grills restaurants vary between the three Queens? 

 

I would go QG on the Vistas because of the hideous shape of PG cabins, and be happy with PG on QM2 because the cabins are much nicer.  I have enjoyed the greater choice in QG restaurants on all the ships, but of itself it wouldn't be enough to make me choose QG. 

 

I think the restaurants are much much nicer on the Vistas: better shape, better view.

[Francophile]

Apart from the obvious difference in the size of the Suite what are peoples opinion of the difference  between the Princess grill and the Queens Grill experience on board the Queens? Have people preferred the food in one restaurant than the other? Whilst the Queens Grill has a slightly different Menu and a greater choice on the a la carte do you think the quality of the food or service is any different? Personally for the difference in price I have found the food as good in the Princess Grill but would be very interested to hear what other people think. Do you think the standard of the Grills restaurants vary between the three Queens? 

Having taken both PG and QG several times on QM2, I would choose PG as the better value for money. I like the PG rooms better, finding wasted space in QG, and found the butler in QG not worth the extra cost. I didn’t find the food in QG anything to write home about and the attitude of the QG maitre d’ on our crossings was to be honest, obnoxious. The PG restaurant was more friendly and welcoming, and the food was the same as QG.


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[Trevor33]

Yes that is very interesting and I agree that the food is good and very similar in both restaurants. The Grills are marketed very highly in the brochure as you would expect. I think the position of the Grills restaurants on Victoria and Elizabeth are better positioned as they are slightly forward of midships and on a higher deck than the Grill Restaurants on QM2. Too late now but would have been better if Grills on QM2 were not at the stern of the ship but guess they use the main Galley whereas the QV & QE have galley close to the Grills.

[Solent Richard]

Of course there are also some differences in the Grills between the Flagship, Queen Mary 2 and her smaller sisters, Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth.

 

Like Francophile, I have travelled all three in both Grills on each and would say categorically that each class of ship  offers a very different experience and guest mix.

 

You will certainly find more 'Celebs' to fawn over on Queen Mary 2 if that's your thing in life. 😁

 

 

[Solent Richard]

2 hours ago, Francophile said:

Having taken both PG and QG several times on QM2, I would choose PG as the better value for money. I like the PG rooms better, finding wasted space in QG, and found the butler in QG not worth the extra cost. I didn’t find the food in QG anything to write home about and the attitude of the QG maitre d’ on our crossings was to be honest, obnoxious. The PG restaurant was more friendly and welcoming, and the food was the same as QG.


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Interesting comment Francophile.

 

Though my wife and i have travelled more often in the Queens Grill we have certainly found the more sociable and interesting passengers in the Princess Grills.

 

And as far as staff go, they have both proved excellent at either level.

[wripro]

ON QM2 I much prefer the PG restaurant. It's a more inviting atmosphere. When they remastered the ship in 2016 they rode the QG restaurant with far too amy tables and the decor now looks like a catering hall in Dubai.

[Trevor33]

Yes I felt the Queens Grill on QM2 was more impersonal than QE & QV. The Grills Lounge on QM2 is so much better since they refurbished it. Having said that the QV &QE restaurants and Grills Lounge seem more private than QM2 perhaps because they are on the Grills deck.

[tv24]

I have a hard time rationalizing the much higher cost of the QG experience, with the exception of cabin design on the Vista ships.  I agree with Exlondoner that the PG cabins on the Vista ships are not attractive, and IMHO not much better than a basic Verandah room.  However on the QM2, the PG cabin hits the sweet spot for me, big enough and at a price point that makes sense.  As to menu choices, just slightly more variety in QG, so again not worth the extreme price.  I suppose the snob appeal of QG is priceless.

[david,Mississauga]

On 4/9/2020 at 3:18 PM, exlondoner said:

 

I would go QG on the Vistas because of the hideous shape of PG cabins, and be happy with PG on QM2 because the cabins are much nicer.  I have enjoyed the greater choice in QG restaurants on all the ships, but of itself it wouldn't be enough to make me choose QG. 

 

I think the restaurants are much much nicer on the Vistas: better shape, better view.

 

My opinion is the same as that of "exlondoner." We have not experienced Queen's Grill on the QE or QV so I can't comment on whether it is worth the difference. But I wouldn't book Princess for the stateroom which is just a longer version of Britannia accommodation with a tiny balcony.

 

We enjoyed QG twice on the QM2. Both times were upgrades from Princess so it might be difficult to say if it is worth it. Osman, the Maitre d', was excellent and the extra items on the menu were appreciated. There was nothing snobbish about Queen's. The fare difference between the Grills varies considerably. If the 1/3rd larger stateroom and balcony and complimentry bar and butler service are not immportant, then I would say Princess is good value.

[Solent Richard]

14 hours ago, wripro said:

ON QM2 I much prefer the PG restaurant. It's a more inviting atmosphere. When they remastered the ship in 2016 they rode the QG restaurant with far too amy tables and the decor now looks like a catering hall in Dubai.

 

Oh I don't know, but never having actually dined in a Dubai catering hall I could be mistaken. 😁  I certainly very much enjoyed our last Christmas crossing...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2017/01/02/queen-mary-2-remastered-trans-atlantic/

 

 

...and certainly nothing had changed at my favourite table...

 

[Solent Richard]

13 hours ago, Trevor33 said:

Yes I felt the Queens Grill on QM2 was more impersonal than QE & QV. The Grills Lounge on QM2 is so much better since they refurbished it. Having said that the QV &QE restaurants and Grills Lounge seem more private than QM2 perhaps because they are on the Grills deck.

 

I fully agree with you regarding the Grills Lounge on Queen Mary 2 Trevor.

 

However, a year ago on Queen Victoria we only visited the Grills Lounge on two occasions. The second time was to confirm if it really was as dull as the first.

 

 

[Austcruiser84]

On 4/10/2020 at 4:36 AM, Trevor33 said:

Apart from the obvious difference in the size of the Suite what are peoples opinion of the difference  between the Princess grill and the Queens Grill experience on board the Queens? Have people preferred the food in one restaurant than the other? Whilst the Queens Grill has a slightly different Menu and a greater choice on the a la carte do you think the quality of the food or service is any different? Personally for the difference in price I have found the food as good in the Princess Grill but would be very interested to hear what other people think. Do you think the standard of the Grills restaurants vary between the three Queens? 

 

I have yet to sail PG, but have sailed QG on both QM2 and the vistas. 

 

On Mary, I think it really depends on what kind of voyage you book. A transatlantic has a very different atmosphere to a shorter cruise. When you are at sea the entire time, a QG suite is lovely to have and I found I spent quite a lot of time in the restaurant. That said, I'm not a fan of the garish red in the refitted restaurant and much prefer the blue decor of the refitted PG restaurant (although this is also somewhat too ostentatious, both reminding me of the Burj or First class on Emirates - somewhat tacky). The understated decor on QV and QE is more to my taste. 

 

Agree with other posters that PG on the vistas is basically a longer balcony cabin. I dislike the shape so have paid the extra for QG. I recently had one of the refitted QG suites on QV with the dark panelling and purple highlights. A little compact in the living area (coffee table could be smaller) but I thought it spoke luxury in a classy way compared to the more in your face UAE decor of the Mary's dining rooms (that said, I think the refitted suites on QM2 look very nice as well and will be even nicer when the bathrooms are updated - the marble and glass fittings on the vistas is much more in keeping with the luxury focus of the grills). 

 

The restaurants on the vistas are identical in appearance and the food the same. I hear people order off menu in PG too (though not as last minute as in QG - even when they say they need a half day's notice for off menu, they have as a once off kindly conjured up wonders with an hour's notice) so I feel that besides the size of the suite there's little difference to be found.

 

Company in QG has always been fantastic and although one of the perks is anytime dining, most at larger tables agree to an approximate dinner time on the first night. I haven't found it terribly snobbish, but there are a few Mrs Buckets around (even to be found in Britannia, more so in my experience). I find them entertaining if anything (yet to spill my tea or develop a nervous twitch as a result). Celebrities in QG to be sure, but the ones I've noticed have been largely left alone. 

 

The butler service in QG needs review. I've had more negative than positive experiences. That's not to say I think they should remove it, but I do believe Cunard should train their butlers up to be true to the word. As a returning guest they should anticipate my likes and dislikes and if someone is new, then they should spend time explaining how the butler service works on arrival. Pre-voyage contact for all QG guests would be appropriate as well, which is what top hotels and some airlines do for their First class passengers. At the moment, they are mostly just glorified stewards (with some exceptions). 

 

If you can afford it, I recommend the grills. PG on QM2 I would book in future but would rather spring for QG on the vistas. 

[Guest SilverHengroen]

On 4/9/2020 at 8:18 PM, exlondoner said:

 

I would go QG on the Vistas because of the hideous shape of PG cabins, and be happy with PG on QM2 because the cabins are much nicer.  I have enjoyed the greater choice in QG restaurants on all the ships, but of itself it wouldn't be enough to make me choose QG. 

 

I think the restaurants are much much nicer on the Vistas: better shape, better view.

Interesting take - I've only ever done QG when I've plumped to travel in the grills, but to my eye the PG 'suites' on QM2 look overcrowded, like they've tried to squeeze in more, or larger furniture than the room can really hold. The PG 'suites' on Elizabeth and Victoria look more like just expanded Britannia balconies, the bathroom is upgraded with a bathtub, and the 'sitting room' is increased in size and partially sectioned off. I would say that area could do with something opposite the sofa, either a faux fireplace, big bookshelf and painting, or something so you aren't sat staring at a blank wall! I don't think either look ideal (why I've always gone for penthouses on the couple of times I've splurged!) but at a push if I had to choose one as the better layout, I'd say at least you look less likely to be constantly squeezing around furniture on a QE/QV PG room. Perhaps I will have to give PG a try and see if staying in the rooms changes my mind!

[Windsurfboy]

I have the opposite option 're cabins.

 

My wife is prone to  sea sickness, so we must book a suite mid ships. We find the QG penthouses on the vistas to be very badly designed, please look at the cabin plans.  The lounge area is cramped compared to the aft grills suites. I've never been in a Vista PG suite but the lounge area looks just as good as the much more expensive QG penthouses.  If we could use an Aft suite which àlthough the same size feel a lot bigger with more usable space , it may be different.

 

QM2 is a different matter, both PG and QG suites are better designed. The big difference on QM2 is that the grills deck is much smaller than  on a Vista ship , so a bigger balcony is of more value than on a Vista ship where the grills deck is so much bigger.

 

As for ordering off menu,  thought it was great idea at first, but the novelty wears off , it becomes to much to think about , so often end up just ordering on menu or a La carte.  

[BigMac1953]

Windsurfboy, the aft suites on the Vistas were once Q4's and the majority on Deck 7 were Q6's. Then they swapped them over. Recently. they changed them again, so Q6's on the stern are now Q5's and Q4's.

 

The stern suites are our favourites and we've had them on nearly 20 trips.

 

The down side, is that you are at the end of the see saw and if there's rough weather you certainly know about it. Not that it puts us off. It's also quite a trek to midships to go up to the QG restaurant and obviously a lot further for the Commodore or Haemorrhoids/Yacht Club.

 

Hopefully, Covid permitting we'll be back there in October and also November next year.

 

 

[majortom10]

We had a Q6 on QE at the aft on deck 5 and although the suite was lovely and was very nice to sit on the balcony overlooking the aft when at sea in rough weather you certainly feel the movement of the ship and think in future I would go for a PG2 midships and save a few quid.

[Francophile]

Concerning ordering off-menu, I found that on my QG crossings, I was unable to successfully get anything that I asked to have.  It appeared that there was a set menu for off-menu orders, and I found myself the target of Dover Sole upselling.  (We joke about the twice-cooked Dover Sole on QM2).  On the other hand, I have always succeeded with off-menu orders on PG where staff seemed delighted to be of help. 

 

I wanted to add that the fellow passengers in QG were not Hyacinth Bouquets, it was the maitre d' who was particularly sniffy.  You find the HB's in all ranges of accomodation, unfortunately.

Edited April 11, 2020 by Francophile

[Trevor33]

50 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We had a Q6 on QE at the aft on deck 5 and although the suite was lovely and was very nice to sit on the balcony overlooking the aft when at sea in rough weather you certainly feel the movement of the ship and think in future I would go for a PG2 midships and save a few quid.

Yes similar thing, had a Q4 midships, great suite but compared to price difference the P2 cabin is better value. If it helps we find a P2 Suite better positioned than a P1 due to P1's' having generally an entertainment deck above them.

[BigMac1953]

Hi Franco

 

I can honestly state that we've never had any problem whatsoever when ordering off menu.

 

We do realise that some requests, such as Peking Duck, take several days, otherwise we order by lunchtime without any problems. Occasionally, we've ordered on arrival and been accommodated.

 

 

 

 

[gkbiiii]

So what is your opinion on Britannia Club vs. Princess Grill dining room?  The cost is often substantial, other than the room size difference, how is the dining? 

[Trevor33]

The extra fare in Queens Grill gives you a larger suite in a choice of locations around the ship whereas all the Princess Grill Suites are midships. I suppose some of the decision about whether you choose QG or PG may be based on how long you are travelling for and whether you prefer a stable cabin in those seas that are anything but friendly.

[Solent Richard]

On 4/9/2020 at 8:18 PM, exlondoner said:

 

I would go QG on the Vistas because of the hideous shape of PG cabins, and be happy with PG on QM2 because the cabins are much nicer.  I have enjoyed the greater choice in QG restaurants on all the ships, but of itself it wouldn't be enough to make me choose QG. 

 

I think the restaurants are much much nicer on the Vistas: better shape, better view.

 

Hideous Shape?

 

 

*****

 

*****

 

 

Pretty standard 'shape' I'd have thought.

[exlondoner]

6 minutes ago, Solent Richard said:

 

Hideous Shape?

 

 

*****

 

*****

 

 

Pretty standard 'shape' I'd have thought.

 

Precisely, so not worth paying extra for. A long thin dark space, with a narrow balcony. May as well have a Britannia, unless you especially want a bath.

[BklynBoy8]

6 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

So what is your opinion on Britannia Club vs. Princess Grill dining room?  The cost is often substantial, other than the room size difference, how is the dining? 

IOHO....We like very much the Britannia Club booking for the last 5 sailings and the dining feature is the main attractions.

We have the set table and location we wish for all three meals when not jogging around to the other dining options around the ship. We are not obligated to a set time to come because of a possible second seating following. We can come when we are ready and enjoy the whole experience. And our past experience with the Britannia Club Menu with the added Ala Carte menu is enough choices for us. We were delighted when our Maitre D' offered to make off the menu items with the Flambe Table tableside. Also we like Flambe desserts offered each night.

 

Our cabin is fine. We like the locations of Club cabins and the higher deck locations. We prefer the Deck 12 over the Deck 13 newly added ones.

 

Of course, we would love if a Upgrade Fairy offered us a PG experience....