Order off menu?

Cruisluvva - Thank you so much for putting the work in with this, which offers many of us some reassurance. We never took advantage in PG last autumn, but were encouraged by both the Head Waiter and Maitre D on QV to order off menu every now and again. It made the experience very special for us and really helped to build up a nice rapport with them. Would be sad to see this possibility go.

They claimed they are currently "monitoring" the situation and the range of off menu ordering is not as wide as QG - whatever that means! But they acknowledged that dining off menu remains part of the PG experience we booked.

 

I have no doubt they will try and wriggle out, but at least I'll be able to make my point.

Did they mention the shortened version of the A La Carte menu in PG as reported by someone on another thread?

Did they mention the shortened version of the A La Carte menu in PG as reported by someone on another thread?

I was wondering about that as well! We have a ship visit to QE on August 16th, and are hoping we might be able to find out more about 'off menu' and if the Al La Carte menu has been shortened.

No I'm talking about ordering things no where in the menu.

but it makes no sense. What's the purpose on having a menu? :confused:

I was wondering about that as well! We have a ship visit to QE on August 16th, and are hoping we might be able to find out more about 'off menu' and if the Al La Carte menu has been shortened.

A la carte has definitely been shortened on QE in QG and so I imagine it will have happened in PG too. Off menu ordering isn't advertised as such in QG but is freely available if you ask and give a little notice. I had a couple of items off the Jasmine [Pan Asian pay for restaurant in the Lido] menu which were prepared for me in the Grills Kitchen. When I asked, our Head Waiter phoned the Grills Kitchen to make sure this was possible and then told me on which days the items would be served. I have no idea what the protocol about off menu ordering is in PG.

The Maitre'd told me this change of menu would be introduced on QV later this year.

Did they mention the shortened version of the A La Carte menu in PG as reported by someone on another thread?

No, they completely ignored that.

Have you been able to order a totally different meal than is listed on the menu on other lines?

Yep. We love curry too so in Blu restaurant on Celebrity they prepared a wonderful Indian banquet just for us. The crew were very excited and happy we had asked for it.

Blu and Aqua in Celebrity is a step below PG.

Interesting to read that Pushka, though I have always found food I like on the menu so have never really asked.

Slightly off topic folks. On both the WB and EB TA after 'Remastering', at the senior officer's cocktail party the ice sculptures, prawn fountains and hot canapés were not in evidence. Was this a settling down thing after dry dock and have they been reinstated? Just curious.

MM

Slightly off topic folks. On both the WB and EB TA after 'Remastering', at the senior officer's cocktail party the ice sculptures, prawn fountains and hot canapés were not in evidence. Was this a settling down thing after dry dock and have they been reinstated? Just curious.

MM

It must be another money saving exercise as there were no sculptures of canapes last November on QV either.

Stewart

Slightly off topic folks. On both the WB and EB TA after 'Remastering', at the senior officer's cocktail party the ice sculptures, prawn fountains and hot canapés were not in evidence. Was this a settling down thing after dry dock and have they been reinstated? Just curious.

MM

It is never consistent because it all depends on who the 'Food & Beverage Manager' is onboard the ship at the time. It's a well know fact there is one particular F&B manager who likes to get Brownie Points for a saving on his budget allowance at the end of his contract.

Well known amongst some UK seasoned Cunaders and told to me by another F&B manager. ;) Honestly.

Some lines have an "always available" section of maybe chicken, salmon or steak but that is not the same as ordering completely off menu. This is only advertised as available in QG on Cunard.

I still have my brochures from back to 2004. You used to be able to order a meal to your liking("Our chefs will endeavor to create a meal just for you")in Princess Grill up to less than 2 years ago. The deal with the Curry seems trivial that Cunard can't oblige that. Cunard could & likely will lose some pax to lines like Oceania & Viking where cuisine is as much a destination as the ship is itself. We used to do Cunard exclusively, but now sail mostly with Celebrity. We found the food much better on the Eclipse than on the QV, our last Cunard cruise. I understand cutbacks, but being in the food industry, that doesn't go well with us. We did a few Grills trips. Without a doubt the Queens Grill was & is still our favorite trip. Prices generally dictate more modest travels now. The 14 day cruise to the Caribbean on the Eclipse seems to offer the best bang for the buck.

but it makes no sense. What's the purpose on having a menu? :confused:

We ordered Scotch Eggs for lunch one time in the Queens Grill. It was not on the menu, but for the price you pay there should be no issues for ordering off menu an item you like! We order for the next day. This gives them time to prepare a more unique dish.

When we were on QM2 in May of 2014, I heard that one of the guests in Queen's Grill had brought her own recipe for meatloaf and it was prepared for her.

Might have been urban legend. ;-) Who knows?

I will admit that when we were in PG we never thought to ask for anything that was not on either the Anytime of daily menu. A few times the Head Waiter made a special dessert for me as I am Gluten Free but I really never thought that I could ask.

In my earlier post on this thread, I thought that the person was referring to something that might have been on the Anytime menu and that it was not permitted to order any more.

If they can send an assistant waiter(to wherever he went) to get a Cappuccino for you, they can certainly send someone to Coriander to pick up a curry.

When we were on QM2 in May of 2014, I heard that one of the guests in Queen's Grill had brought her own recipe for meatloaf and it was prepared for her.

Might have been urban legend. ;-) Who knows?

I will admit that when we were in PG we never thought to ask for anything that was not on either the Anytime of daily menu. A few times the Head Waiter made a special dessert for me as I am Gluten Free but I really never thought that I could ask.

In my earlier post on this thread, I thought that the person was referring to something that might have been on the Anytime menu and that it was not permitted to order any more.

If they can send an assistant waiter(to wherever he went) to get a Cappuccino for you, they can certainly send someone to Coriander to pick up a curry.

I have had dishes prepared for me after describing them to the Head Waiter so it might not have been an urban legend.

I assumed my Jasmine menu meals would come from the Jasmine kitchen. Not so. I was informed all meals for the Grills restaurants are prepared in the Grills kitchen. I would have thought this the same across all three ships.

I have an Amercian friend who is a regular world cruise passenger. We have sat together on a couple of full world voyages so I know what I am going to tell you is true. He is vegan. Has the special menu delivered daily. Nothing unusual there.

This year whilst we were on QE world cruise my friend had brought with him his own recipes for vegan meals. He wanted a change as he put it.

He handed them to the Chef in Britannia Resturant and he got his meals made up just for him.

Now sometimes they were good, sometimes not as maybe his instructions were not clear. What I am getting at here is, it doesn't matter where you dine, Cunard will always try to fit in your demands and needs.

They have had a change of heart, or read this forum! We had room service one evening next time we went to restaurant for breakfast they said we are making you a curry for tonight, it seems the crew were having curry and they made one for me, I have got to say it was the nicest Cunard curry I have ever had. They can't seem to do enough for us at the moment.

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Thanks for letting us know, enjoy the rest of your trip.

They have had a change of heart, or read this forum!

I was informed by the chief purser on one of my recent trips that senior personnel on board certainly do read the forums.

I was informed by the chief purser on one of my recent trips that senior personnel on board certainly do read the forums.

Time to behave methinks.

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I was informed by the chief purser on one of my recent trips that senior personnel on board certainly do read the forums.

They certainly do, and some even reply.;)

I have had dishes prepared for me after describing them to the Head Waiter so it might not have been an urban legend.

 

I assumed my Jasmine menu meals would come from the Jasmine kitchen. Not so. I was informed all meals for the Grills restaurants are prepared in the Grills kitchen. I would have thought this the same across all three ships.

Not always so Victoria.

When travelling in both Grills on Queen Mary 2 I would occasionally check at lunch time if there was a 'Pastrami Joint' available at the Chef's Kitchen.

Having been confirmed I would request some pastrami slices, a baguette and green salad.

I am delighted to report that the head waiter for my seating section produced a full pastrami joint on a trolley and carved it at the table.

I'm looking forward to my next booked return to the Queens Grill on Queen Mary 2.

Hi Richard

Two years ago, I happened to mention to Eduardo, one of the Head Waiters in QG, that I very nearly went to the Lido for a pepperoni pizza instead of the restaurant.

He told me that in future, if that's what I fancy, just come along to the restaurant and he'll send down for a pizza!

On the day in question, the liver and bacon won.

Stewart

They claimed they are currently "monitoring" the situation and the range of off menu ordering is not as wide as QG - whatever that means! But they acknowledged that dining off menu remains part of the PG experience we booked.

 

I have no doubt they will try and wriggle out, but at least I'll be able to make my point.

PG situation in July was indeed pretty grim but had improved somewhat by our August return TA. Duck and Chateau Briand had indeed returned to the a la carte menu and lamb was not on the menu but could be requested. Shrimp cocktail and escargot also were returned to the menu from exile. However some of the daily menu concoctions are just plain awful - cat food type appetizers, tasteless ice cream, spiritless desert parfaits and entrees like mackerel cakes and pureed peas that surely would please no sane individual. However, while service was top notch quality was not not - dry fish and duck, oversauced fish, minuscule salads and fatty meats.

Hi Richard

 

Two years ago, I happened to mention to Eduardo, one of the Head Waiters in QG, that I very nearly went to the Lido for a pepperoni pizza instead of the restaurant.

 

He told me that in future, if that's what I fancy, just come along to the restaurant and he'll send down for a pizza!

 

On the day in question, the liver and bacon won.

 

Stewart

Good morning Stewart.

I'm at risk of going off topic here but your 'L&B' reminded me of another 'classic' story.

When I was an officer in the Royal Navy, and serving on HMS Bulwark, liver was never served in the Wardroom - it was offal and officers never ate offal. (or so I was told)

One evening as Officer of the Day part of one's duty was to ensure the 'men' were being fed well.

Stood behind the serving counter with the Chief Chef I commented on how good the trays of Liver and Bacon looked.

During our conversation we discussed the fact it wasn't available to officers and I replied that I missed it.

Within 10 minutes the Chief had his office table covered with a white tablecloth and yours truly tucked into an excellent Liver & Bacon dinner.

True dit.