Princess Grill or Queens Grill

[Victoria2]

5 hours ago, Bigmike911 said:

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I always make sure that there is a special envelope for the Butler with a generous remembrance and trust me they remember. 

Not a wildly discussed subject with others as gratuities are very personal but, as far as I can tell, the regulars we know, all give a 'thank you envelope' to both their room attendants, but after the event, not before and yes, pleasant clients are definitely remembered by the staff, throughout the ship and not just in the rooms or dining areas. 

 

Having had the misfortune to see passengers being so imperiously disagreeable with staff in the restaurant and to the Grills Concierge, I'm sure the unpleasant passengers are also remembered! 

 

 

 

[david,Mississauga]

I have never been comfortable with tipping in advance. The two times we were in QG we did tip the butler as well as the stateroom steward at the end of the crossing.

 

We were lucky both times to have an excellent butler. We had little reason to call on his services, but on both crossings we let the butler know we were having our table-mates in for drinks before dinner and requested some extra ice and wine glasses. We were offered plenty of snacks to go with the ice. In fact, with one butler we had to ask him not to bring all the "goodies" he promised because we were going to dinner after. When we returned from tea we saw that he set up what could be called a buffet, with plates, napkins, a cheese tray, a fruit tray and a bowl of nuts. He dropped by to see what hot hors d'oeuvres he could bring. He seemed disappointed when we said: "No more food, please."

 

Although our tips could not be called generous, they seemed to appreciate it. On a subsequent crossing our first butler remembered us and asked us who are butler was this time. On the next crossing we saw the butler in a corridor and he asked who our butler was. We confessed we were in PG not QG that time. The next time we saw the man we were in Britannia, but he didn't sneer at us. I prefer to think he remembered us not because of the modest gratuity, but because of our attitude.

[BigMac1953]

One of our best butlers was Emilia (from Poland). We had her twice in a row, and when we returned next time, she presented herself and told us that she had spotted us on the manifest, so asked to be assigned to us.

 

She has since been promoted and is now Deck Manager on QM2.

 

On our last B2B on QM2 she sent a floral arrangement to our room and had it replaced on our second week.

 

When she visited us in our room, she brought a bottle of champagne.

 

Very efficient and always spotless and well turned out. A credit to Cunard.

[majortom10]

Always thought tipping or gratuity was a reward for excellent service. How can you tip anyone at the beginning when you dont know how good a service you are going to get from your butler, stateroom steward or anyone else. In my eyes it is nothing more than bribery in the hope that it will get you better service than somebody that doesnt do it.

[Windsurfboy]

Firstly  keeping to PG vs QG, I've  never understood  why PG has to pay extra auto gratuities as they only have a cabin  steward same as everyone else. QG with Butler and steward I can understand increased gratuity.

 

Whether to give an extra tip is a personal and private decsion. 

 

I think how you treat and interact with and take an interest in staff has the biggest impact on service. 

[North West Newbie]

20 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Firstly  keeping to PG vs QG, I've  never understood  why PG has to pay extra auto gratuities as they only have a cabin  steward same as everyone else. QG with Butler and steward I can understand increased gratuity.

 

Whether to give an extra tip is a personal and private decsion. 

 

I think how you treat and interact with and take an interest in staff has the biggest impact on service. 

 

PG guests also benefit from access to the Grills Concierge and the Grills Lounge and Terrace which may account for the increased auto gratuity. They also have an enhanced dining experience to those in Britannia.

[Windsurfboy]

5 minutes ago, North West Newbie said:

 

PG guests also benefit from access to the Grills Concierge and the Grills Lounge and Terrace which may account for the increased auto gratuity. They also have an enhanced dining experience to those in Britannia.

 

I understand the above,  the Grills concierge is one person for 2 hours in morning and same in afternoon divided by 200+ passengers , so would only need a few cents per head extra. The grills lounge has a similar staffing level to other lounges.  Yes there is service on grills terrace, which both PG and QG get, but again only a couple of extra staff divided by 200+ passengers . I don't know if there is more staff per head in QG and PG restaurants than Britannia,  Brittania needs a high staff ratio to complete 2 sittings  a night, whilst QG and PG service is more leisurely, so may not need that many more staff. It's butlers that are the biggest difference.

[BigMac1953]

In QG, you rarely see the restaurant more than 75% max capacity. This increases to about 90% on the party nights when everybody comes in at once.

 

There is a far greater staff to pax ratio, including the Maitre d' who actually prepares and serves, unlike the Britannia Maitre d'.

 

Apart from the Maitre d', there are two Head Waiters who also prepare and serve, then there is the waiter and the waiter's assistant.

 

Two sommeliers serve the drinks (down from 3).

 

The level of service is outstanding, way beyond any restaurant I know of, and we don't grudge the extra charge.

[majortom10]

We must have been unlucky when we were in Queens Grill on QV the waiter was no better than any we have had in Britannia restaurant and the Maitre d' couldnt even carve Duck a l'orange without it ending up on the floor.

[Windsurfboy]

I don't begrudge the extra charge in QG, just commenting that with a bultler  QG service charge should be higher than PG.  QG does well. The butler that adds significantly  to staff per head in QG vs PG. If PG auto gratuity is Brittania  plus x, QG should be Brittania plus 2x.

 

I think I got my maths wrong re restaurant , at any time Britannia will have a similar staff per Table to grills to get things done in one sitting , but this will mean half the staff per person.  QG is a  leisurely and enjoyable experience. 

 

NB Sommeliers get their 15%,  which is far better than auto gratuities, but you are right 2 Sommeliers is not really enough if they are to be Sommeliers not wine waiters.

[North West Newbie]

47 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

I don't begrudge the extra charge in QG, just commenting that with a bultler  QG service charge should be higher than PG.  QG does well. The butler that adds significantly  to staff per head in QG vs PG. If PG auto gratuity is Brittania  plus x, QG should be Brittania plus 2x.

 

I think I got my maths wrong re restaurant , at any time Britannia will have a similar staff per Table to grills to get things done in one sitting , but this will mean half the staff per person.  QG is a  leisurely and enjoyable experience. 

 

NB Sommeliers get their 15%,  which is far better than auto gratuities, but you are right 2 Sommeliers is not really enough if they are to be Sommeliers not wine waiters.

 

That is not what I understood you meant at post #30 where you said “Firstly keeping to PG vs QG, I've never understood why PG has to pay extra auto gratuities as they only have a cabin steward same as everyone else.” My reading of that is an assertion that PG should be paying the same auto gratuity as Britannia.

[Mickb]

If you have a port side P1 cabin midships, I would stick with PG. The south side of the ship is noticeably warm and brighter than the north. We found the PG experience better than the QG - the other passengers were friendlier and not bragging about how many crossings they had made. There was still the opportunity to order off menu, albeit there was a wider choice in QG. Service was very good in both grills although slightly more formal in QG.

Both are a wonderful travel experience - smooth sailing  with which ever you decide on😁

[Windsurfboy]

12 hours ago, North West Newbie said:

 

That is not what I understood you meant at post #30 where you said “Firstly keeping to PG vs QG, I've never understood why PG has to pay extra auto gratuities as they only have a cabin steward same as everyone else.” My reading of that is an assertion that PG should be paying the same auto gratuity as Britannia.

 

Yes that's what I originally meant, but as I acknowledged  I got my mental maths wrong about waiters in Grills restaurants.  PG do get more staff per head than Britannia but less than QG

[Victoria2]

11 hours ago, Mickb said:

If you have a port side P1 cabin midships, I would stick with PG. The south side of the ship is noticeably warm and brighter than the north. We found the PG experience better than the QG - the other passengers were friendlier and not bragging about how many crossings they had made. There was still the opportunity to order off menu, albeit there was a wider choice in QG. Service was very good in both grills although slightly more formal in QG.

Both are a wonderful travel experience - smooth sailing  with which ever you decide on😁

I haven't experienced the ambiance in PG, but any 'friendlier' in QG and I think we'd be sitting on each other's knees!

Seriously though, with a couple of hundred nights in QG under our belt and more booked [not a brag, just a scene setter to show we have a little QG experience], I can honestly say there was only one cruise when we, and others on our table, moved due to unpleasant table companions. The rest of our experiences have been positive and friendly. So much so, we link bookings with friends made onboard if we happen to be on the same sailings. Well, we did before any possible Covid distancing restrictions. 

 

Definitely no sitting on knees with that in mind! 🙂

[buchanan101]

On 12/12/2020 at 5:36 PM, alc13 said:

Maybe a minority view, but we prefer PG on QM2.  The room is spacious enough and very comfortable, and our PG dining room experiences have been nicer.  We haven't seen the advantage of a butler.  But whichever you choose, I know you will enjoy it. 

Thank you. I think I will stay with PG - seems to be most of what QG get, and I'd have to switch a midships port for a forward starboard so room position is much better (westward crossing in October).

[buchanan101]

17 hours ago, Mickb said:

If you have a port side P1 cabin midships, I would stick with PG. The south side of the ship is noticeably warm and brighter than the north. We found the PG experience better than the QG - the other passengers were friendlier and not bragging about how many crossings they had made. There was still the opportunity to order off menu, albeit there was a wider choice in QG. Service was very good in both grills although slightly more formal in QG.

Both are a wonderful travel experience - smooth sailing  with which ever you decide on😁

Yes it's port amidships, not starboard forward which would be the QG for £300 more pp (no port available anywhere).  I may go for starboard if July but not October.  Thank you.

[laktex]

37 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

Thank you. I think I will stay with PG - seems to be most of what QG get, and I'd have to switch a midships port for a forward starboard so room position is much better (westward crossing in October).

 

The old POSH rule for travelling across the Atlantic is certainly valid and I have had several sailings even in January when there has been pleasant sunshine portside on deck and indeed on one's balcony when it is very nice to sit out with that G&T or other tipple - so I too would be inclined to stay portside. That said QG is a very pleasant place - I remember one solo sailing in 10005 (starboard) which was wonderful (the butler was great, tablemates delightful and Osman never failed to satisfy) but I did miss the sun on my balcony!

[Solent Richard]

On 12/8/2020 at 11:40 AM, buchanan101 said:

Blowing out on a transatlantic crossing on QM2 for my 60th. I currently have a port side P1 midships for end of October 2021 (is there any warmth worth having during the crossing on a port side cabin?)

 

QUESTION:   Is it worth spending £300pp more for a starboard side Q5? (but get $100 more pp obc)

 

First time cruising (well, since SS Nevasa and SS Uganda about 45 years ago...)

 

As far as I see it: bigger room, butler, some "free" booze in the fridge, and maybe better food in a slightly larger restaurant. I think both get priority embarkation and disembarkation, and both get same access to Queens Grill bar and sundeck?  

 

Good afternoon Sir or Madam.

 

You are of course very correct to raise the issue  that you do as a Trans-Atlantic Voyage on Queen Mary 2 is the ultimate classic Cunard experience: the two sisters merely play at being Cunard in a more general cruise environment.

 

As someone with more 'crossings' as one care's to remember - (and at all grades with the exception of an inside)  - and maybe a couple of hundred nights on Queen Mary 2 (alone, not a brag, just a scene setter😁 ) deciding which level of accommodation on this particular route is very important.

 

Your day, all of it, will be unlike any other time at sea - it is The Cunard Experience. Simply put I have yet to make a crossing on Queen Mary 2 where I have not complained that there just isn't enough time in the day.

 

And that, you may find,  could well be a factor in making your decision. While of course,  none of us on here passing offerings of  particular advice could possibly guess what exactly would be your expectations and style. 

 

So yes, to answer your question in a nutshell, the Queens Grill would be worth a mere £300/00 per person. Remember, that these are the 'Voyages' that embark the 'A' Listers as both passengers, lecturers and entertainers and the creme de la creme of those are also accommodated in Grills suites. Indeed, a few years ago my wife and I were delighted, as both being retired military ourselves, to have Lord and Lady Dannatt join our table: we got on so well we were invited back to The Tower for a private visit (but I digress)😉

 

The Queens Grill 'Free Booze' is but a mere bagatelle on an Atlantic crossing. I mean to say,  apart from maybe hosting a few friends...

 

...surely one wants to be out savouring the music and atmosphere around the ship, the Chart Room, The Champagne Bar and the Commodore Club, etc.

 

Butlers are of course very handy but not the be all and end all. It is of course, unless one is going to choose a dinner table for two, a bit of a lottery as to who one's table mates will be. At this juncture I'm more than happy to put my neck on the line and say that I've always found Princess Grill Guests far more natural at the social level. But hey, as I said earlier, only you know your expectations. Both 'Grills' of course have access to the Grills Lounge which is a  far superior facility to the ones on the smaller sisters. While of course you also have access to the Grills Concierge Lounge - another excellent facility unique to Cunard's flagship.

 

So there, the ball is back firmly in your court. Whatever level you do decide I just know you are going to have a wonderful experience on what is a uniques ship built for purpose. And who knows, get a few crossings under one's belt and you could even join the ...

 

 

 

[Solent Richard]

56 minutes ago, buchanan101 said:

Thank you. I think I will stay with PG - seems to be most of what QG get, and I'd have to switch a midships port for a forward starboard so room position is much better (westward crossing in October).

Aw shucks, just after I wrote that tome above. 😅 Never mind, it passed twenty minutes   before Chelsea kick off. 😅

Edited December 15, 2020 by Solent Richard

[Solent Richard]

19 hours ago, North West Newbie said:

 

That is not what I understood you meant at post #30 where you said “Firstly keeping to PG vs QG, I've never understood why PG has to pay extra auto gratuities as they only have a cabin steward same as everyone else.” My reading of that is an assertion that PG should be paying the same auto gratuity as Britannia.

 

7 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Yes that's what I originally meant, but as I acknowledged  I got my mental maths wrong about waiters in Grills restaurants.  PG do get more staff per head than Britannia but less than QG

 

Ah, an issue I raised earlier in the year. Indeed, I made a reduction on my last Princess Grill for mainly that reason: though I was also not satisfied with the Hotel Manager's response to a letter I wrote him regarding provision  of Pol Acker in the Process Grill.

[Windsurfboy]

17 minutes ago, Solent Richard said:

 

 

Ah, an issue I raised earlier in the year. Indeed, I made a reduction on my last Princess Grill for mainly that reason: though I was also not satisfied with the Hotel Manager's response to a letter I wrote him regarding provision  of Pol Acker in the Process Grill.

 

Half a bottle of champagne would be better than a full bottle of Pol Acker.

 

Even a bottle of water would be more drinkable. 

[Bigmike911]

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Half a bottle of champagne would be better than a full bottle of Pol Acker.

 

Even a bottle of water would be more drinkable. 

Amen!

[BigMac1953]

Half a bottle of Pol Acker would be better than a full bottle.

 

It's years since we opened one. We probably get the same bottle every trip.

[Solent Richard]

8 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

Half a bottle of Pol Acker would be better than a full bottle.

 

It's years since we opened one. We probably get the same bottle every trip.

What actually got my hackles up was that having taken the trouble to write a letter the response was a phone call.

[BigMac1953]

2 hours ago, Solent Richard said:

What actually got my hackles up was that having taken the trouble to write a letter the response was a phone call.

I'm going to start to tell people that it's lovely. Maybe then they'll start to drink it and finish the stuff for good.

 

Surely, it must be coming to an end soon. Please don't tell me they've made more.