Newbie question concerning what's included in the Grills Suites fare

[SusieAV8R]

I apologize in advance if responses to this question have already been posted, (I've looked, but maybe my vision is not what it used to be 🥲), but is laundry of any form included in the fare of the Grills suites  (for example in a Q3 or Q4)?  A beverage package, up to a certain price point, is included, correct?  Is there any dining location which requires an additional fee?  Is there an additional fee for ensuite dining?  (I am trying to calculate the cost of  "extras" while researching the cost of basic fares of different suites.) 

[rmsEtruria]

Laundry in any form is not included in the Grills fare. For bookings made in the U.S., the Grills fare usually includes the Drinks Package; the details of this, though, apparently can be tricky, and I’ve never tried to figure them out. Dining in the Verandah Steakhouse requires a cover charge of ca. $50 per person at dinner; less, I believe, for lunch. There is no charge for dining ensuite (in fact, there is no charge for room service in any cabin category). Finally, with bookings made in the U.S., the Grills fare usually includes the hotel service charge (or whatever it’s called at the moment), i.e., the tips, at a current rate of ca. $17 per person per day.

Disclosure: I have not travelled on Cunard yet, but extensively studied their website and this board. I believe the information above is accurate, but experienced Cunarders may correct and augment.

[Victoria2]

This loyal Cunard passenger would say, a pretty comprehensive post  rmsEtruria. I and would add US and UK bookings vary with what's included so best to stick with answers from which ever side of the pond the bookings are made.

[Pushpit]

The other extras to budget for - not always applicable - are

- spa treatments (but just using the gym is free), packages are available

- casino spend

- wifi (Cunard's loyalty scheme helps the regular passengers here)

- on board photography costs

- printing in the library (they'll probably let 1 or 2 pages slip by though, if you are nice)

- shore excursions or self excursions

- some more obscure refreshment package add-ons such as champagne with afternoon tea, coffee card, Speciality Hot Drinks

- shop spend

Some of which can be mitigated by any onboard credit from the package you negotiate, shareholder credit, armed services / veterans credit (UK, UKOT and USA service only, plus National Guard and Merchant Navy).  Plus any personal tips that you wish to give direct, that's a personal decision. You can change the Hotel and Dining Service Charge upwards or downwards, that comes out of the OBC if you have that.

Edited September 2, 2023 by Pushpit

[exlondoner]

3 hours ago, Pushpit said:

The other extras to budget for - not always applicable - are

- spa treatments (but just using the gym is free), packages are available

- casino spend

- wifi (Cunard's loyalty scheme helps the regular passengers here)

- on board photography costs

- printing in the library (they'll probably let 1 or 2 pages slip by though, if you are nice)

- shore excursions or self excursions

- some more obscure refreshment package add-ons such as champagne with afternoon tea, coffee card, Speciality Hot Drinks

- shop spend

Some of which can be mitigated by any onboard credit from the package you negotiate, shareholder credit, armed services / veterans credit (UK, UKOT and USA service only, plus National Guard and Merchant Navy).  Plus any personal tips that you wish to give direct, that's a personal decision. You can change the Hotel and Dining Service Charge upwards or downwards, that comes out of the OBC if you have that.

And, if they are offering a full ship’s tour, which lasts 3-4 hours, it is $100 or more, and is worth every penny. So include that. 🙂

[njpln]

We’ve cruised QG and PG, love them both…main difference for us is cabin size and butler, although there are several more.  Check the website.

 

There ARE diy laundry facilities on most floors at no cost, detergent provided gratis.  Great for every day clothes.  Best time to use is on shore days when you return to the ship.  Also you can send out for pressing, laundry or dry cleaning for a charge….We usually get so much OBC in QG that we send out the items we can’t wash and it’s not big deal.

 

Yes the beverage package is included up to $12.50 I believe, and most popular drinks are under that price point.  Anyway, their drink prices are very reasonable compared to other cruise lines. This applies to alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. So things like specialty coffees and bottled water are included.

 

In your room, you’ll have a small refrigerator and your butler will stock it per your choices with two bottles of alcohol or two bottles of wine if you prefer. They will also stock it with sodas.

 

Not only is there no service charge for en-suite dining, you can order from the QG restaurant menu and your butler will serve you, course by course if you like.

 

Gratuities are also covered. Although we like to reward good service and give addl tips at the end of the cruise. 

 

The QG restaurant has a lovely menu every night. There’s only one thing we don’t love and that’s the beef, the steaks on Cunard. We Americans are used to much more tender quality of steak. We also don’t go to the veranda restaurant—we find there’s plenty of things on the QG menu.  The best meat on the menu is when they have venison. It’s outrageously delicious.  And the lamb is good also.  They serve duck, sole, and lamb table side.  It’s so nice. 
 

Last point, the grills lounge is nice to sit in the morning for a specialty coffee or a pre dinner drink.  It’s open all day and the concierge is located there, his/her hours will be posted.

 

Overall we love the grills and recommend you try them at least once!

[NE John]

The US Grills promo covers drinks up to $12 and includes specialty coffees. My DW took advantage of hot chocolates. 
That Grills promo $12 covers many cocktails but some other popular ones are $12.30 etc. It seems the $70/day drinks package civets up to $13. 

You’ll enjoy your experience. 

Edited September 2, 2023 by NE John

[techteach]

You do need to watch the gratuities and drink inclusion when you book. We have a 3 nighter on QE in Sept. 2024, and neither is included, and it is QG5.

[SusieAV8R]

On 9/2/2023 at 1:28 AM, rmsEtruria said:

Laundry in any form is not included in the Grills fare. For bookings made in the U.S., the Grills fare usually includes the Drinks Package; the details of this, though, apparently can be tricky, and I’ve never tried to figure them out. Dining in the Verandah Steakhouse requires a cover charge of ca. $50 per person at dinner; less, I believe, for lunch. There is no charge for dining ensuite (in fact, there is no charge for room service in any cabin category). Finally, with bookings made in the U.S., the Grills fare usually includes the hotel service charge (or whatever it’s called at the moment), i.e., the tips, at a current rate of ca. $17 per person per day.

Disclosure: I have not travelled on Cunard yet, but extensively studied their website and this board. I believe the information above is accurate, but experienced Cunarders may correct and augment.

Thanks rmsEtruria for your detailed response and the disclosure. I enjoy the Cunard Board/threads because folks like you are helpful and honest.  😄

[SusieAV8R]

On 9/2/2023 at 8:56 AM, njpln said:

We’ve cruised QG and PG, love them both…main difference for us is cabin size and butler, although there are several more.  Check the website.

 

There ARE diy laundry facilities on most floors at no cost, detergent provided gratis.  Great for every day clothes.  Best time to use is on shore days when you return to the ship.  Also you can send out for pressing, laundry or dry cleaning for a charge….We usually get so much OBC in QG that we send out the items we can’t wash and it’s not big deal.

 

Yes the beverage package is included up to $12.50 I believe, and most popular drinks are under that price point.  Anyway, their drink prices are very reasonable compared to other cruise lines. This applies to alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. So things like specialty coffees and bottled water are included.

 

In your room, you’ll have a small refrigerator and your butler will stock it per your choices with two bottles of alcohol or two bottles of wine if you prefer. They will also stock it with sodas.

 

Not only is there no service charge for en-suite dining, you can order from the QG restaurant menu and your butler will serve you, course by course if you like.

 

Gratuities are also covered. Although we like to reward good service and give addl tips at the end of the cruise. 

 

The QG restaurant has a lovely menu every night. There’s only one thing we don’t love and that’s the beef, the steaks on Cunard. We Americans are used to much more tender quality of steak. We also don’t go to the veranda restaurant—we find there’s plenty of things on the QG menu.  The best meat on the menu is when they have venison. It’s outrageously delicious.  And the lamb is good also.  They serve duck, sole, and lamb table side.  It’s so nice. 
 

Last point, the grills lounge is nice to sit in the morning for a specialty coffee or a pre dinner drink.  It’s open all day and the concierge is located there, his/her hours will be posted.

 

Overall we love the grills and recommend you try them at least once!

njpin, thanks for your detailed response.  I loved your comment regarding the venison and the grills lounge.  DH and I are soooo looking forward to our first cruise on Cunard!  😄

[Victoria2]

On 9/2/2023 at 1:56 PM, njpln said:

Last point, the grills lounge is nice to sit in the morning for a specialty coffee or a pre dinner drink.  It’s open all day and the concierge is located there, his/her hours will be posted.

 

 

Just to clarify, the QV/QE  lounge [no idea about QM2] is open 24/7, no entry restrictions at all, but coffee and tea etc  is only available when the bar is staffed which is usually approx 10am ish to after lunch, then around five ish to around eleven pm ish.

[NE John]

3 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Just to clarify, the QV/QE  lounge [no idea about QM2] is open 24/7, no entry restrictions at all, but coffee and tea etc  is only available when the bar is staffed which is usually approx 10am ish to after lunch, then around five ish to around eleven pm ish.

On QM2, there is an additional Grills Concierge Lounge that offers high-end machine coffee and light bites during the day, even if Concierge is not present. Some day it’s soulless, I’d say it’s a nice quiet area with strong WiFi connections to catch up on things. This lounge is not open 24/7 however. 

[SusieAV8R]

12 hours ago, NE John said:

On QM2, there is an additional Grills Concierge Lounge that offers high-end machine coffee and light bites during the day, even if Concierge is not present. Some day it’s soulless, I’d say it’s a nice quiet area with strong WiFi connections to catch up on things. This lounge is not open 24/7 however. 

 

12 hours ago, NE John said:

On QM2, there is an additional Grills Concierge Lounge that offers high-end machine coffee and light bites during the day, even if Concierge is not present. Some day it’s soulless, I’d say it’s a nice quiet area with strong WiFi connections to catch up on things. This lounge is not open 24/7 however. 

Thanks 

 

12 hours ago, NE John said:

On QM2, there is an additional Grills Concierge Lounge that offers high-end machine coffee and light bites during the day, even if Concierge is not present. Some day it’s soulless, I’d say it’s a nice quiet area with strong WiFi connections to catch up on things. This lounge is not open 24/7 however. 

Thanks NE John for the additional comment regarding QM2, the ship DH and I are considering first.  (Strong WIFI connections for catch-up is a positive.)

[BigMac1953]

Should you decide to invite a few new friends to your room for drinks, your butler will arrange extra seating, extra mixers and beers, extra ice buckets if required, canapes, crisps and nuts.

 

If you want, your butler will pour the drinks. On one occasion, we asked our butler to serve the first drink, then quietly slip away.

[LargeNegroni]

1 hour ago, BigMac1953 said:

Should you decide to invite a few new friends to your room for drinks, your butler will arrange extra seating, extra mixers and beers, extra ice buckets if required, canapes, crisps and nuts.

 

If you want, your butler will pour the drinks. On one occasion, we asked our butler to serve the first drink, then quietly slip away.

Thank you for the information @BigMac1953 Are the additional drinks added to the final bill or part of the QG package? 
 

[Victoria2]

56 minutes ago, LargeNegroni said:

Thank you for the information @BigMac1953 Are the additional drinks added to the final bill or part of the QG package? 
 

Additional, although just occasionally, a half drained bottle of wine will be added to with a new one. Beers and sodas are included in your QG fridge offerings and are non chargeable.

[LargeNegroni]

Thank you @Victoria2 🍾🥂

[Victoria2]

3 minutes ago, LargeNegroni said:

Thank you @Victoria2 🍾🥂

We don't 'entertain' every cruise as it depends entirely on whom we meet but we have had some cracking do's in the past and the 'nibbles', hot and cold, laid on 'free', have been akin to a small but luxurious buffet.

One springs to mind when two table companions got married and as we had the largest cabin, we offered to host 'a do' for a dozen or so fellow passengers [luckily we had a huge obc which took care of the champagne and wine].

Some of us didn't make dinner that night. 🙂

and some of us didn't make breakfast either!!😕.....😄

[LargeNegroni]

Sounds wonderful @Victoria2. 🍾🥂 cin cin 

[BigMac1953]

4 hours ago, LargeNegroni said:

Thank you for the information @BigMac1953 Are the additional drinks added to the final bill or part of the QG package? 
 

 

All included, unless you order fizz or spirits.

 

We always bring along 5 or 6 bottles of champagne.

Edited September 5, 2023 by BigMac1953

[Victoria2]

17 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

 

All included, unless you order fizz or spirits.

 

We always bring along 5 or 6 bottles of champagne.

Wine, in our experience has to be paid for if it's beyond the two bottle allowance.

[SusieAV8R]

11 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

Should you decide to invite a few new friends to your room for drinks, your butler will arrange extra seating, extra mixers and beers, extra ice buckets if required, canapes, crisps and nuts.

 

If you want, your butler will pour the drinks. On one occasion, we asked our butler to serve the first drink, then quietly slip away.

 

11 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

Should you decide to invite a few new friends to your room for drinks, your butler will arrange extra seating, extra mixers and beers, extra ice buckets if required, canapes, crisps and nuts.

 

If you want, your butler will pour the drinks. On one occasion, we asked our butler to serve the first drink, then quietly slip away.

BigMac1953, I love your fabulous suggestions!  What fun!!  What a wonderful way to really to get to know new friends!! 👏