Grills drink package offer

[WantedOnVoyage]

I am still waiting for a reply from my query to Cunard if the U.S. Grills drink package is indeed the same as the paid for one aboard ship viz a viz the now higher drinks prices, the higher included limit and if the old $12 limit still applies... if it does, it's now a much diminished benefit.  Much. 

 

This is a pretty dysfunctional organisation... what they tell you in the US often has no relation to what goes aboard ship.  I know the pursers office and the poor wine stewards and bar stewards are driven to distraction by all this.  Many to the point of gaming the system in your favour... and that's fine by me!

[NE John]

37 minutes ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

I am still waiting for a reply from my query to Cunard if the U.S. Grills drink package is indeed the same as the paid for one aboard ship viz a viz the now higher drinks prices, the higher included limit and if the old $12 limit still applies... if it does, it's now a much diminished benefit.  Much. 

 

This is a pretty dysfunctional organisation... what they tell you in the US often has no relation to what goes aboard ship.  I know the pursers office and the poor wine stewards and bar stewards are driven to distraction by all this.  Many to the point of gaming the system in your favour... and that's fine by me!

The limit was $12 for US Grills promo on our June TA. A bit maddening when an Old Fashioned is $12.30…

There were still plenty of choices though. 

[WantedOnVoyage]

That was June.... this is September and now the paid for drinks package limit is $13.50 and the drinks prices have all been increased accordingly. $12 is going to get you... squat.  I think there's one martini left at $11.90 (!) and every one else is more. Not sure what other cocktails like a Negroni costs now, I doubt it's under $12. 

 

I would assume for the sanity of the bar staff, on board accounting etc. Cunard would not actually operate two parallel drink packages... but assume and Cunard are best not employed in the same sentence.

 

Anyway, if they bother to reply to my query, I'll post it.  

[WantedOnVoyage]

So never got a reply from my e-mail so called Cunard today and was told absolutely, positively that the Grill Drinks Package is identical to the one sold aboard for $70 a day with a $13.50 limit per drink. 

[CGspouse]

26 minutes ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

So never got a reply from my e-mail so called Cunard today and was told absolutely, positively that the Grill Drinks Package is identical to the one sold aboard for $70 a day with a $13.50 limit per drink. 

Thanks for that info, I've wondered that same thing? My paperwork says Grills package limit is $12 so I'm guessing they increased it along with the other package increases?

[WantedOnVoyage]

Judging from the agents immediate and helpful but quite adament reply, I suspect I was not the first to ask!  

 

BTW, don't be surprised too if the letter in your cabin still says $12.  I'd check your bill the next day to be sure but she assured me it's not an issue. 

[godfreyb]

15 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

BTW, don't be surprised too if the letter in your cabin still says $12.  I'd check your bill the next day to be sure but she assured me it's not an issue. 

I would advise getting clear written clarification from the Cunard office on land as to whether it's $12 or $13. On a recent cruise (after denying for several days that we HAD the Grills Drinks Package) I had on drink for $12.95 and I was charged as if the limit was $12.  As it was only one drink on a 25 day cruise I did not challenge it, but our TA knows that on our next cruise I am going to need written confirmation of the $13 limit.  There seems to be a disconnect between Cunard land systems and the ships systems.

[WantedOnVoyage]

How recent? I ask as the change in the paid for drinks package and the increase in the limit ($13.50) only occured the beginning of this month.  

 

But yes... the bookeeping aspects of this can be tiresome... on QM2 in Jan 22 it was a constant headache but absolutely not on QV this May.  

 

Trust but verify... always!

[godfreyb]

April, but my travel agent's paperwork from Cunard, which she forwarded to me while on board, stated $13.  As you know you are charged on your account and refunded at midnight.  As the one drink over $12 was late in the voyage and I hadn't checked I didn't notice until the final statement was dropped off the night before disembarkation.  I didn't challenge it as it was just one drink and I had wasted essentially half a day earlier in the cruise going backwards and forwards with the Grills Concierge and phoning my TA, I wasn't going to spend any more time on it.

[WantedOnVoyage]

Thanks... we were on QV in May and had no issues, except the last day and it was cleared from our bill at disembarkation.

 

But as I said the drink prices have all been raised as has the limit for the paid for package to $13.50 per drink.  If you call Cunard they tell you the Grills package has also been upped to $13.50 but.... they decline, refuse or unable to tell you that in writing (!).  

[Bearlythere1]

I was on the September 11 to 18  New York to Southampton in the Queens grill on QM2 and can say emphatically that the limit for the grills drinks package was $12 per drink. We had a note in our suite on embarkation that stipulated this.
Waiters  were great and if they could price a mixed drink at $12 or less they would. Often they would ring the spirits up individually as singles then repeat for the same drink.