Live from…. Victoria, Cunard Vs Celebrity, Grills Vs the Retreat

[Victoria2]

groryjm We have never been actively sought out by the concierge, but then, we wouldn't expect to be. Maybe a subtle difference between Cunard/Celebrity, that or we're just too ordinary to be bothered with! 😀

 

I really don't think level of cabin, PG or QG has anything to do with the attitude of the concierge and if  the concierge was Julia, whom we saw in August, I cannot see her as anything other  than lovely and helpful. You must have got her on a bad moment.

 

[groryjm]

On our many of our sailings on Celebrity ships we have had the privilege of being given tours of the bridge organised by the suite concierge and on these tours I have often spotted little plaques and gifts given to the ship on their first arrival at a port. I have even taken sneaky pictures of these little glimpses in to ship life

 

 

 

But on Cunard’s Queen Victoria there is a corridor at the front of the ship en route to the Commodore Club were these treasures not kept in the captains domain as on Celebrity but are on view to all  😎😎😎

 

 

 

 

[Glenndale]

I was surprised to see that coffee in the Grills Lounge is no longer complimentary.

[groryjm]

8 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

groryjm We have never been actively sought out by the concierge, but then, we wouldn't expect to be. Maybe a subtle difference between Cunard/Celebrity, that or we're just too ordinary to be bothered with! 😀

 

I really don't think level of cabin, PG or QG has anything to do with the attitude of the concierge and if  the concierge was Julia, whom we saw in August, I cannot see her as anything other  than lovely and helpful. You must have got her on a bad moment.

 

 @Victoria2 I don't believe it was Julia. After that first initial meeting She was extreemly freindly and helpfull. I gathered later that at that pooint I had not been by any manner of means the only one to comment on the lack of internet. I suspect it had been a trying day as the internet at that point had been down for nearly two days and it was not just the guests having problems as the system in the US had gone down .

 

I had been hopping for a refund of a pro rata rate for the lost service on the last few days but on checking my account on departure noticed we had been refunded the full $480. Touch annoying on check out day as it left me with $160 of unspent OBC which had I known earlier I would have tried to reasing as extra tips.

 

[groryjm]

6 minutes ago, Glenndale said:

I was surprised to see that coffee in the Grills Lounge is no longer complimentary.

Thinking about it I belive they are but the menu I photo'd is the one on every table in the lounge with a price for coffee indicated. 

 

I was asked for a card the first couple of times we ordered in there but it could well have been for drinks. We did have the full drinks package so I can't be sure.

[Victoria2]

14 minutes ago, Glenndale said:

I was surprised to see that coffee in the Grills Lounge is no longer complimentary.

Coffee is still complimentary.

[exlondoner]

23 minutes ago, groryjm said:

On our many of our sailings on Celebrity ships we have had the privilege of being given tours of the bridge organised by the suite concierge and on these tours I have often spotted little plaques and gifts given to the ship on their first arrival at a port. I have even taken sneaky pictures of these little glimpses in to ship life

 

 

 

But on Cunard’s Queen Victoria there is a corridor at the front of the ship en route to the Commodore Club were these treasures not kept in the captains domain as on Celebrity but are on view to all  😎😎😎

 

 

 

 

There are some of these behind the bridge viewing area on QM2 but I can’t remember about the Vistas. All the ships used to do excellent small group ships tours, lasting about 4 hours for $120, but they don’t seem to have restarted after Covid.

[Victoria2]

23 minutes ago, groryjm said:

 @Victoria2 I don't believe it was Julia. After that first initial meeting She was extreemly freindly and helpfull. I gathered later that at that pooint I had not been by any manner of means the only one to comment on the lack of internet. I suspect it had been a trying day as the internet at that point had been down for nearly two days and it was not just the guests having problems as the system in the US had gone down .

 

I had been hopping for a refund of a pro rata rate for the lost service on the last few days but on checking my account on departure noticed we had been refunded the full $480. Touch annoying on check out day as it left me with $160 of unspent OBC which had I known earlier I would have tried to reasing as extra tips.

 

Nice of them but also very frustrating.

 

We had 24hrs of the same thing. Even Julia 'was down'. Again, VERY frustrating.

[Host Hattie]

Thanks again for taking the time to post such a detailed review. It's very nice to see some of the things we take for granted with fresh eyes.

I love reading the plaques and notices on the way to the Commodore Club but I didn't realise it was unusual to have them on public display.

[Se1lad]

1 hour ago, Glenndale said:

I was surprised to see that coffee in the Grills Lounge is no longer complimentary.

It’s only the liqueur coffees that are chargeable.

[BigMac1953]

There are no bridge viewing areas on the Vistas, only on QM2.

 

From time to time, invitations are sent for bridge tours.

 

The QV captain's chair:

 

 

[groryjm]

Just over a week ago a very Tallented barman in the Grills lounge took my challange to create me a drink to my some what twisted tastes...

 

This is what Aaron made for me and we christened it "Aarons twisted Bombay sour" ....

 

 

So now I am home I will try and reproduce Aarons creation

 

 

Delicious. 

 

Here's the recipie. Feel free to enjoy

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by groryjm

[exlondoner]

27 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

There are no bridge viewing areas on the Vistas, only on QM2.

 

From time to time, invitations are sent for bridge tours.

 

The QV captain's chair:

 

 

Yes, I do know that, and I thought I had implied that QM2 is the only one with that facility. However, a visit to the bridge used to be the culmination of the ship’s tour.

[Se1lad]

1 hour ago, groryjm said:

Just over a week ago a very Tallented barman in the Grills lounge took my challange to create me a drink to my some what twisted tastes...

 

This is what Aaron made for me and we christened it "Aarons twisted Bombay sour" ....

 

 

So now I am home I will try and reproduce Aarons creation

 

 

Delicious. 

 

Here's the recipie. Feel free to enjoy

 

I’d like to give that one a try!  I couldn’t see Mr Black on the list you uploaded from the grills lounge - did you bring your own bottle from your suite?

[Victoria2]

4 hours ago, bbtablet said:

A cheeky one, I know, but given the constant references to imbibing throughout your fascinating reports, what percentage of this cruise would you estimate you were stone cold sober?

Certainly makes our consumption these days look almost [but not quite 🙂] tee total!

 

 

[groryjm]

13 minutes ago, Se1lad said:

I’d like to give that one a try!  I couldn’t see Mr Black on the list you uploaded from the grills lounge - did you bring your own bottle from your suite?

No it may not be on the list but they do have it on board. A new addition I think

 

This is a shot of the Commodore bar... center of the front row😎

 

Edited October 26, 2022 by groryjm

[Se1lad]

2 minutes ago, groryjm said:

No it may not be on the list but they do have it on board. A new addition I think

 

That’s good to know! Does the Mr Black make this more of a post dinner drink?

[groryjm]

1 minute ago, Se1lad said:

That’s good to know! Does the Mr Black make this more of a post dinner drink?

Think of Kahlua as a sticky sweet vaguely coffee flavoured lacquer at 20% by vol where as Mr Black is COFFEE on steroids at 23% by vol. Great in an expresso martini or as an addition to a boulevardier but great with ice

[Covepointcruiser]

Jim/Ian, Grill cabins booked from the U.S. do include a drink package, internet and gratuities.    Upper Level Suites, Q4 and above do include at least an extra guest bathroom on the QM2.   Suites on the Victoria and Elizabeth are much smaller than the QM2.   I believe you would really enjoy Cunard even though you would not have your Zenith status.

[ClefsDor]

6 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Grill cabins booked from the U.S. do include a drink package, internet and gratuities.

I've heard of certain Grills packages when booked in the US including drinks and gratuities but have not heard of internet being thrown in as well?

[Covepointcruiser]

Internet is in the package for one device when we sail on 12/3.   It’s not from our Travel Agent.

[Jim_Iain]

19 hours ago, groryjm said:

No it may not be on the list but they do have it on board. A new addition I think

 

This is a shot of the Commodore bar... center of the front row😎

 

Ahh... I thought it was the content of all your suit cases.   LOL

[Jim_Iain]

16 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Jim/Ian, Grill cabins booked from the U.S. do include a drink package, internet and gratuities.    Upper Level Suites, Q4 and above do include at least an extra guest bathroom on the QM2.   Suites on the Victoria and Elizabeth are much smaller than the QM2.   I believe you would really enjoy Cunard even though you would not have your Zenith status.

 

Zenith status was a reason not to sail other lines.  Originally it included Retreat Access regardless of class sailed, Free Internet, Premium Drink Package and Free Unlimited Laundry has been diluted by having most of it standard in the suite pricing.   They also took away the Retreat Access if not in a suite.  It was a good privileged when you could book without perks.

 

We always sail in suites no longer much of a perk.   About all you get now is usually a luncheon with Senior Staff and/or Captain.

[Jim_Iain]

I've really been enjoying the review and enlightening me about Cunard.   The idea of taking Cunard back from Europe instead of flying is becoming more attractive with the spiraling cost of First Class transcontinental air fares.    I thought about it last year but our stay in Europe didn't match up with a sailing.  

[BestGuessed]

Thank you groryjm for your review I have really enjoyed reading your comparisons with Celebrity.  My husband and I are great fans of both lines.

We were also onboard QV on the Norway cruise and we were having our our first Grills experience but we were in Princess Grill.  We are due to be onboard again in three weeks time but we have booked QG for that one.

Our Celebrity cruises have also been in suites, mostly S1 but also on one occasion an S2.  

We agree with most of your comments comparing the two lines.  Our personal opinion of Celebrity is that we find it to be a more modern, upbeat, slightly frivolous experience whereas Cunard have stuck with the tradition and quality which is synonymous with their name.   We love the standards they uphold and the formal dress evenings.  However, both Cunard and Celebrity are equally good but in different ways. 

My husband made a comment that I think quite appropriate which is that he would compare Celebrity to a top of the range BMW whereas Cunard would be a similar model Mercedes !!

One point that hasn’t been mentioned, which makes Cunard’s Grills favourable for us, is that the Grills restaurants are open every day for lunch even when the ship is in port but Celebrity only opens Luminae at lunchtime on sea days.
As we are quite often very content to spend the day on board relaxing when the ship is docked we would like to be able to take lunch in the restaurant that is dedicated to suite guests and not have to take lunch in the buffet but that is a small issue. 
 

Thank you again for taking the time to post, I’m sure many people have enjoyed reading and gleaned a lot of valuable information.