Princess Grill Questions

[Minnie29]

We have sailed with Cunard previously but this August will be our first time in Princess Grill. 
Any tips would be warmly welcomed. 
we are considering purchasing the coffee package. Do you think this is necessary in Princess Grill? I particularly love lattes. 
Also will there be bottled water and soft drinks in the cabin or Grills lounge? 
thank you so much

[exlondoner]

You can usually get free coffee of your choice in the Grills Lounge, whenever the bar is open. You will have a Lavazza (I think) coffee machine in your cabin. I wouldn't have thought it was worth it.

[exlondoner]

Sorry, it's an Illy machine, if that makes a difference.

[majortom10]

There are no soft drinks/bottles of water provided in your suite. Coffee is available free of charge in Grills Lounge when bar is open but any other drinks have to be paid for.

[Nick&Simon]

It just goes to show that you never stop learning, 75+ QG trips in hand and I never new coffee was free in the Grills Lounges.

 

Anyway, personally I would rather pay for coffee than sit in the Grills Lounge (most of the time), the atmosphere in the Lounge can be very dull in my opinion - refined maybe - but dull all the same. There are bubbles of activity and life through the day, but in general they make an average airport lounge look exotic.

 

 

 

 

[tv24]

We love going to the Grills Lounge late mornings for a latte.  On the QM2, we are often the only ones there, making it a peaceful place outside our stateroom for our reading and hobbies.  We found the Grills Lounge on the Victoria to be very, very busy mornings.  And we always get lattes with lunch and breakfast in the PG dining room;  available at dinner time as well for those who like their caffeine late.

[Victoria2]

2 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

It just goes to show that you never stop learning, 75+ QG trips in hand and I never new coffee was free in the Grills Lounges.

 

Anyway, personally I would rather pay for coffee than sit in the Grills Lounge (most of the time), the atmosphere in the Lounge can be very dull in my opinion - refined maybe - but dull all the same. There are bubbles of activity and life through the day, but in general they make an average airport lounge look exotic.

 

 

 

 

I think that’s the point for many passengers. An oasis in which to sit, read,  have a drink, chat with others if you want and daydream.

If that’s dull, suits me.😀

[Windsurfboy]

3 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

It just goes to show that you never stop learning, 75+ QG trips in hand and I never new coffee was free in the Grills Lounges.

0

Anyway, personally I would rather pay for coffee than sit in the Grills Lounge (most of the time), the atmosphere in the Lounge can be very dull in my opinion - refined maybe - but dull all the same. There are bubbles of activity and life through the day, but in general they make an average airport lounge look exotic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The grills lounge has two modes , empty or full. Always busy at morning  coffee time, dead after dinner. At coffee time full of chat, a nice place to chat to someone you know , or meet someone new.

 

Clearly not aiming to be exotic. As for comparison with average airport lounge, such a wide range to compare. Better than many , e.g. all of BA , but certainly not up to the top , like the Pier in HK or Finniars funky new lounge in Helsinki. Hard to believe being nostalgic about airport lounges.

[exlondoner]

I think there is all the difference in the world between the Grills Lounges on the Vistas, with their elegant dome and wonderful view, and that on QM2, which is an odd shape and rather gloomy.

[majortom10]

We found the Grills Lounge on QE very small with little capacity and disappointing as more times than not if we went mid morning for a coffee it was always full with no vacant seats.

[Nick&Simon]

I am not a fan of the Grills Lounge on the Vista's. There are not enough bar stools for my taste and the ones that are there are fixed (if I recall correctly) and not at all comfortable.

 

I once got kicked out on QE as well as it was afternoon tea time and despite having sat there quietly for an hour playing backgammon with a friend I was told I had to leave unless I was having afternoon tea. Not at all impressed.

 

Although, we did have fun in the Grills Lounge on QM2 once, when we asked maintenance to put a door handle on the glass wall at the far end of the Lounge, and enjoyed watching people walking through trying to get to Melamine Alley.

[Bigmike911]

If you are on Queen Mary 2, you can get coffee, juice and a sweet roll in the morning in the Concierge lounge, nine deck, midship.

[BigMac1953]

2 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

I am not a fan of the Grills Lounge on the Vista's. There are not enough bar stools for my taste and the ones that are there are fixed (if I recall correctly) and not at all comfortable.

 

I once got kicked out on QE as well as it was afternoon tea time

 

The stools on QV are useless as there is no recess for your legs, but they rectified that on QE. Nevertheless, there are only four on each ship.

 

For the last three years afternoon tea has been served in PG not the lounge.

[exlondoner]

3 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

I am not a fan of the Grills Lounge on the Vista's. There are not enough bar stools for my taste and the ones that are there are fixed (if I recall correctly) and not at all comfortable.

 

I once got kicked out on QE as well as it was afternoon tea time and despite having sat there quietly for an hour playing backgammon with a friend I was told I had to leave unless I was having afternoon tea. Not at all impressed.

 

Although, we did have fun in the Grills Lounge on QM2 once, when we asked maintenance to put a door handle on the glass wall at the far end of the Lounge, and enjoyed watching people walking through trying to get to Melamine Alley.

 

What is enjoyable about watching people go the wrong way, poor things?

And what is melamine alley?

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, Bigmike911 said:

If you are on Queen Mary 2, you can get coffee, juice and a sweet roll in the morning in the Concierge lounge, nine deck, midship.

 

But it is a dark and depressing room, with no natural light.

[Nick&Simon]

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

 

And what is melamine alley?

 

Slang for Kings Court.

[Windsurfboy]

3 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

I once got kicked out on QE as well as it was afternoon tea time and despite having sat there quietly for an hour playing backgammon with a friend I was told I had to leave unless I was having afternoon tea. Not impressed 

 

Should have just ordered a cup of tea

[Nick&Simon]

Just now, Windsurfboy said:

 

Should have just ordered a cup of tea

 

We tried that, and were told you had to have the "full afternoon tea". It was a Fawlty Towers moment.

[exlondoner]

How strange. I have many times just had a cup of tea, or just a cup of tea and a sandwich. In fact, very rarely do I manage the full works.

[Solent Richard]

3 hours ago, Nick&Simon said:

I am not a fan of the Grills Lounge on the Vista's.

Well I'd certainly back you on that point. Less than spectacular and as for them being a base for the Grill's Concierge desk it smacks of being an afterthought. 

 

Now that all changes on Queen Mary 2 of course where one has a choice for meeting the OP's question. The Grills lounge or the Grills Concierge Lounge.

 

The other shortfall with the vistas of course is that afternoon teas are now served in one of the Grills which never originally happened...

[exlondoner]

This seems to me a distinct improvement, as it gives more space, and one can stretch ones legs out comfortably without worrying about jogging the stuff on the table. Of course, if the weather is conducive, tea is also served outside on the terraces.

[Nick&Simon]

24 minutes ago, Solent Richard said:

Well I'd certainly back you on that point. Less than spectacular and as for them being a base for the Grill's Concierge desk it smacks of being an afterthought. 

 

Now that all changes on Queen Mary 2 of course where one has a choice for meeting the OP's question. The Grills lounge or the Grills Concierge Lounge.

 

The other shortfall with the vistas of course is that afternoon teas are now served in one of the Grills which never originally happened...

 

After tea, it's another thing on my list of things I have never done on Cunard, with the exception of Csaba (remember him) inviting us to the very first Champagne Afternoon Tea as a guest. We staggered away sloshed!

 

[Victoria2]

20 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

This seems to me a distinct improvement, as it gives more space, and one can stretch ones legs out comfortably without worrying about jogging the stuff on the table. Of course, if the weather is conducive, tea is also served outside on the terraces.

We can get a cup of tea anytime during the bar hours and we  prefer the restaurant for afternoon tea if we're going to eat anything. More space and so don't feel as if we should let a sort of  second sitting in if we happen to be early birds.

I like a mug of Earl Grey and a scone, on deck. I don't have to change and I can multi task; drinking, eating and reading my book!

[rkacruiser]

On 6/18/2021 at 11:19 AM, BigMac1953 said:

The stools on QV are useless as there is no recess for your legs, but they rectified that on QE

 

That is an issue at the Yacht Club bar on MSC Meraviglia.  Where does one put one's feet?  I have a pair of dress shoes with scuffed toes by sitting at the bar.  

 

On 6/18/2021 at 8:18 AM, Nick&Simon said:

I once got kicked out on QE as well as it was afternoon tea time and despite having sat there quietly for an hour playing backgammon with a friend I was told I had to leave unless I was having afternoon tea. Not at all impressed.

 

That is inexcusable!

 

Trying to find reasons to book a Grills Level stateroom.  This type of experience does not encourage me to do so.  

[Victoria2]

 

Many a time, QE and QV,  I had been reading in the lounge on a rainy day and the room was prepared around me and when asked, I had a cup of tea. No kicking out involved.

I wouldn't let one historic anecdote  put you off trying the product because the overall service Cunard deliver in their Grills level can't be all that bad judging by the percentage of repeaters we see all the time.