Ordering Off Menu, Why?

There is no Freedom dining as such on Cunard Line, unless you opt to book Britannia Club or the Grills ,these have a more flexible time for evening meals. However, you can eat in one of the alternative dining venues but these include an additional charge. Other than that, it's self service I'm afraid.

So, there is a buffet open in the evenings?

Yes, there is a buffet open in the evenings. And you can also order room service.

I am intrigued about this notion of ordering off-menu. My question is, why?

 

From some of the threads it almost seems like a sport between the passengers and the chefs.

 

I'm not looking to get flamed or relegated to eating rations in a lifeboard on my next cruise. :D

 

I can understand asking for a substitution of a vegetable or request the sauce for an entree be served on the side. There are also food allergies and minor dislikes. But it sounds like people order completely different dishes that aren't an adaptation of an exisitng dish.

 

The chefs & Cunard have gone to the trouble to create menus with a variety of dishes as well as offer the option of other eateries (potentially with a surcharge.)

 

Please enlighten me as to why order off-menu?

 

Thanks!

We're both in the food industry & when cruising in Queens Grill we dined on & off menu. Many dishes used to be on the menu, but do to issues like "political correctness"(a crap saying, if ever there was one!)some dishes like "Sweetbreads" or "Foe Gras" are no longer listed, but are easily obtained if one wishes to request them. We sometimes like to see what the chef was capable of doing. We'd say "Chef's Prerogative" & let them surprise us. If you wish to live in the confines of a standard menu, that's fine, but some of us like to live it up a bit!

But what about Britannia? My understanding that unlike almost every other line (Princess, Celebrity, MSC) the average passenger does not have the option to order a steak, salmon, or chicken breast for dinner. Ten years ago you could do so and it was noted as always available on the Cunard menu but now I do not think so. I am not complaining but is this is one of those Cunard eccentricities?

I never had a problem getting an off menu item in Britannia. Mind you, I'm not talking Wellington or bake stuffed Lobster, In the Grills, yes, but not in the MDR. Salmon/Chicken/Steak is always available, but you DO need to ask. It's true that Princess/Celebrity have their "anytime favorites". Not sure why Cunard doesn't, but either way you still can get some leeway.

Cunard has a daily menu and a regular menu. You can order off of either, Regular are things like fish, steak, chicken, shrimp cocktails things of excellent quality. Daily are the menu specials Steak Diane, Lobster Thermador, things that can be made in large numbers but vary daily. The off menu in Cunard are special items like lobster tails, Boeuf Wellington, Chateaubriand. Not on either. Cunard is a more 'traditional' line but hardly rigid. I have cruised on Princess and Holland America and there is a noticable difference in service and quality on Cunard.Perhaps you should try it.

Some of the dishes you mentioned are usually relegated to the Grills. I ordered bake stuffed Maine(or Canadian)Lobster in Queens Grill & never had trouble getting it. I always request an off item a day in advance to give them proper time. Sweetbreads & Foe Gras are pretty much available at dinner if you gave them notice by lunch time.

Ozman (in the QG) usually came to our table every day at lunch and asked us "can I get you anything special tonight" - they want you to order off menu. I may be wrong but I don't know that they will do a separate table side flambe in Britannia, though I frequently have flambe dessert in the QG. The guys would laugh to see just how far they can do it but not set the sprinklers off!

I order things I don't like to make at home because they are a lot of effort - a wild mushroom risotto, bouillabaisse and such. If you are in the QG then order whatever you like (with notice) because that is one of the purposes of being in the QG. Why else would they give you the dinner menu at lunch time? So you know if you want something different.

Ozman (in the QG) usually came to our table every day at lunch and asked us "can I get you anything special tonight"

That is if he takes a liking to you. He ignored us until I complained to the Hotel Manager.:eek:

Ugh I wonder what was going on that week...

We always sit alone at a table for 2 off in the corner and it is right around the entrance corner, so maybe he just remembers that is where we are on every voyage we take. The 1st time we were there, he told us no one likes that table because it is isolated in a corner and I told him thanks but that is exactly why we do like it - we will keep it! We kept it on every one of our voyages since.

Ozman (in the QG) usually came to our table every day at lunch and asked us "can I get you anything special tonight" - they want you to order off menu. I may be wrong but I don't know that they will do a separate table side flambe in Britannia, though I frequently have flambe dessert in the QG. The guys would laugh to see just how far they can do it but not set the sprinklers off!

 

I order things I don't like to make at home because they are a lot of effort - a wild mushroom risotto, bouillabaisse and such. If you are in the QG then order whatever you like (with notice) because that is one of the purposes of being in the QG. Why else would they give you the dinner menu at lunch time? So you know if you want something different.

Ozman knew we were foodies & was always ready to suggest items, or ask what we'd like. I thought he really made our nights in the Queens Grill, along with the excellent staff. I felt like we were eating in the Beaver Club(in Montreal, closed now sadly)

That is if he takes a liking to you. He ignored us until I complained to the Hotel Manager.:eek:

He really catered to us! Normally I don't feel the need to tip the Maître D(as they are well compensated)but he always went above & beyond for us!

Ugh I wonder what was going on that week...

 

We always sit alone at a table for 2 off in the corner and it is right around the entrance corner, so maybe he just remembers that is where we are on every voyage we take. The 1st time we were there, he told us no one likes that table because it is isolated in a corner and I told him thanks but that is exactly why we do like it - we will keep it! We kept it on every one of our voyages since.

Yes! we were at that table! The couple who booked the cruise cancelled at the last second & the table was available to us at Ozman's request. That table belonged to the Sandringham suite. I actually offered to take the suite for $3K over our Q-6. They turned me down & the suite stayed empty for the cruise. Now that's wasting money!!

:D:D

I bet that is known as the foodie table now!

Try Princess, Celebrity, or MSC even an inside cabineer can get a shrimp cocktail, steak, chicken or fish any dinner unlike Cunard which sets itself apart by its rigidity.

You forgot to mention the escargot, which the Celebrytiers (new word??) get all excited about having.

The downside is that the food quality in the MDR is about comparable with a motorway service station. As for the new Luminae (the Grills equivalent), the food is good, but the menu is only two or three starters and three or four entrees. Or, you can have anything brought in from the MDR which rather defeats the object.

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Grills are a lot more expensive than Celebrity and Princess. Anyway, what Cunard may subjectively lack in food (it really is not the best in Britannia IMO) it more than makes up in service, heritage and itinerary.

Grills are a lot more expensive than Celebrity .............. Anyway, what Cunard may subjectively lack in food (it really is not the best in Britannia IMO) it more than makes up in service, heritage and itinerary.

Not now after the introduction of "suite class" when the prices went up with a bump. Like for like there's nothing in it on UK sailings, UK bookings.

It was the Celebrity MDR that I was likening to motorway service station fare.

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Grills are a lot more expensive than Celebrity and Princess. Anyway, what Cunard may subjectively lack in food (it really is not the best in Britannia IMO) it more than makes up in service, heritage and itinerary.

Check the suite(full suites, not mini suites) prices on Celebrity/Cunard/Princess. Surprisingly they are quite close. Cunard gives the best food. Princess, I feel really rips you off in amenities for their suites. Celebrity is somewhere between. Luminae is still having it's teething pains.

You forgot to mention the escargot, which the Celebrytiers (new word??) get all excited about having.

 

The downside is that the food quality in the MDR is about comparable with a motorway service station. As for the new Luminae (the Grills equivalent), the food is good, but the menu is only two or three starters and three or four entrees. Or, you can have anything brought in from the MDR which rather defeats the object.

 

 

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On the Eclipse we always found the food superior to Britannia in quality. We also like the Celebrity "favorites", which has Escargots among other choices.

:D:D

 

I bet that is known as the foodie table now!

Sounds like a table I would enjoy the experience of being a foodie!

I appreciate not being relegated to the lifeboat of shame with gruel (ordered by lunch) & sparkling water (at bar cost!) :D

Looking forward to my first winter TA

Sounds like a table I would enjoy the experience of being a foodie!

 

I appreciate not being relegated to the lifeboat of shame with gruel (ordered by lunch) & sparkling water (at bar cost!) :D

 

Looking forward to my first winter TA

The Life boat of Shame? That's a great saying!