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Queens Grill dining is it better


Windsurfboy
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Not yet, will let people know when I have. I'm a novice to cruising, just so far used P&O as a way of getting from a to b, Cape Town to UK after spending winter on water in South Africa. P&O suites were good, but food not bad but nothing to write home about. Hence try QG. Mrs W wanted to go to St Petersburg, coming up, also booked QM2 for another return from SA.

 

Just thought it would be a good idea to remind Angus about the importance some of us attach to cuisine.

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Thanks for replying , just to say, you'll be very impressed when the time comes to try out QG..... I'd take no notice of those 'on line menu's' as things are different once onboard and you've interacted with the restaurant MD .;)

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Not yet, will let people know when I have. I'm a novice to cruising, just so far used P&O as a way of getting from a to b, Cape Town to UK after spending winter on water in South Africa. P&O suites were good, but food not bad but nothing to write home about. Hence try QG. Mrs W wanted to go to St Petersburg, coming up, also booked QM2 for another return from SA.

 

Just thought it would be a good idea to remind Angus about the importance some of us attach to cuisine.

 

Thanks for replying , just to say, you'll be very impressed when the time comes to try out QG..... I'd take no notice of those 'on line menu's' as things are different once onboard and you've interacted with the restaurant MD .;)

 

Ah, so TWO Cunard voyages.

 

The anticipation and excitement is giving me an adrenaline kick.

 

:'):')

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Personally having done QG on QE last October and although the food was excellent having seen the menu for Princess Grill if I am ever lucky enough to consider booking either again I would save my money and book Princess Grill.

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Personally having done QG on QE last October and although the food was excellent having seen the menu for Princess Grill if I am ever lucky enough to consider booking either again I would save my money and book Princess Grill.

 

 

 

You essentially give up caviar and special off menu ordering (although PG MDs have entertained special requests in the past- it’s just not standard like QG). Off menu ordering doesn’t seem to be as freewheeling as it was in the past on QE2 these days though.

 

PG is a good value for what you get.

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You essentially give up caviar and special off menu ordering (although PG MDs have entertained special requests in the past- it’s just not standard like QG). Off menu ordering doesn’t seem to be as freewheeling as it was in the past on QE2 these days though.

 

PG is a good value for what you get.

 

Do not actually gave up much caviar was only offered once during 12nt cruise and we were never asked once if we fancied anything "off menu" or given the chance to do that.

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Hi , we're new to cruising, had a P&O suite first time suite nice but no other benefits, so attracted by Queens Grill.

 

I noticed that Princess and Queens grills dinner menus on cunard web site were identical. I asked cunard customer service if this was a mistake or was queens grill the best culinary experience. The answer was all cunard food is great whatever dinning room, but queen's grills have butlers. Have we made a mistake in booking queens grill?

No! Not at all. Yes, both menus are similar. There is a more extensive A La Carte menu with Queens Grill, however. Also in QG you have the option to venture "off menu". Princess Grill used to allow this as well, but the "cutback gurus" have really trimmed this option. You will need to give some notice to do so, however. You may meet with the Maître D & give him/her some ideas as to what you like & they can forward it to the chefs. You may also ask to have he chef prepare a "surprise" meal. You will need to give likes & dislikes & any allergy issues if any. Overall, I think you're in for a real treat!

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Its lovely to read people's grills experience. We love the atmosphere of Britannia, shortly to try Club in November, and feel it may be time to book the grills experience. No doubt once people experience grills they often re-book. For those Frasier enthusiasts I can only imagine it must be a little like Niles and Frasier Crane experiencing the golden door at the spa.

Thank God there's no "last" door! Thank you for bringing a memory back of an excellent episode of an excellent show! My favorite episode is still the one with the "hot" caviar. Niles scrapping the Caviar off his tongue back into the jar was hilarious, and really gross, too!

Edited by keithm
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Do not actually gave up much caviar was only offered once during 12nt cruise and we were never asked once if we fancied anything "off menu" or given the chance to do that.

Hate saying..you need to ASK! We got Caviar every night as a canapé by our butler. Staff doesn't always volunteer info. to the pax. You don't ask, you then don't know what's available & the cruise lines makes extra $$ off our blissful ignorance. Osman the Maître D on QM2's Queens Grill always knew we were foodies & suggested go off menu. We'd get Foie Gras/Sweetbreads. Items that used to be on the menu, but due to politically correct PIA's, they removed the items, but they are STILL available if you request them. Some items on the A La Carte menu need to be ordered by lunch. I'd make some extensive requests.. A whole cold water Baked stuffed Lobster, for example. That took a day & a half to get, but was worth it. It's all there. You just need to be an informed consumer!

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Do not actually gave up much caviar was only offered once during 12nt cruise and we were never asked once if we fancied anything "off menu" or given the chance to do that.

 

Strange.

 

We were on the same trip last year and were asked every single day if we were happy with the menu or if we wanted anything else. That was either Zoltan, one of the head waiters or Ico.

 

We did opt for a few off menu treats including Peking Duck that takes 3 days to prepare.

 

We were also invited to dine with the F & B Manager one night in steerage. That was good fun.

 

Stewart

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Strange.

 

We were on the same trip last year and were asked every single day if we were happy with the menu or if we wanted anything else. That was either Zoltan, one of the head waiters or Ico.

 

We did opt for a few off menu treats including Peking Duck that takes 3 days to prepare.

 

We were also invited to dine with the F & B Manager one night in steerage. That was good fun.

 

Stewart

 

Well, our QG experience was much like majortom's. I think we met you, Stewart, on a Canary Islands cruise and if that is so then I think you are a regular customer? I suspect that "regulars" do get enhanced treatment in the Grills. And given how much they are spending, that seems entirely reasonable. I also appreciate the comment earlier in this thread that one has to ask (at least at first). Frankly, the offered menu and the a la carte options were more than enough for us. When using a restaurant, we like to be able to decide what we want when we sit down to eat and not a day or two in advance! Thinking in advance is too much like being at home!

 

On the food front, it seems that people often choose to order caviar or lobster when going off menu. I worked in Russia for six and odd years and have had all the caviar that I want, to the extent that I would not go out of the way to request it. And lobster is not one of our favourite foods: except lobster bisque at Tasty's Restaurant in Anguilla (apologies for the advert!). I am sure the OP will not be disappointed whichever choices he makes.

 

However, we were regularly asked in QG if we were happy with the menu, so the opportunity was there. The great thing about QG is that people can make it what they want. For us, I think we have decided that PG suits better. We don't really take that much advantage of the QG extras like the free bar in cabin. And, frankly, we found our excellent aft QG room a bit too large (and bouncy going across the Bay of Biscay).

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However, we were regularly asked in QG if we were happy with the menu, so the opportunity was there. The great thing about QG is that people can make it what they want. For us, I think we have decided that PG suits better. We don't really take that much advantage of the QG extras like the free bar in cabin. And, frankly, we found our excellent aft QG room a bit too large (and bouncy going across the Bay of Biscay).

 

We do travel QG on a regular basis, with two coming up this year. It is entirely possible that we did meet on a Canaries trip. We're doing the same one in November, and again, in an aft cabin, which we really like despite the bounces.

 

Her indoors likes the large rooms and I appreciate the mini bar, so I'm afraid it's still QG for us.

 

Stewart

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We enjoy off menu ordering in the QG. I enjoy foods that are not heavily sauced. My favorite was King Crab Legs although I was given far too many to eat!! Must have been over a pound. We also njoyed the Princess Grill on the QE2. In her later years it was actually the former Queens Grill and included the original statues. It was much more intimate than the new Queens Grill which required a much larger restaurant because of the addition of many more Queens Grill Suites.

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Our view has always been that the "giant leap" is from Britannia to Princess Grill and that the difference in the dining experiences between the two Grills is modest.

 

In theory, I agree that the main difference is that off menu ordering is encouraged far more in QG than PG. For example, we often order off menu for lunch in the QG but would feel this would be pushing it a little in PG.

 

That said, a lot comes down to the waiting team you have in a particular restaurant. A couple of years ago in PG on QV we were actively encouraged to order off menu desserts and other dishes that were on the QG a la carte menu. Our first time in QG on the QV Beniamino Acler (since retired) was constantly suggesting off menu dishes and seemed to really enjoy table side cooking. When we were in QG on the QE last December however, this wasn't the case. Off menu requests were always agreed to politely but were no means encouraged and we never once saw the Maitre D cooking table side.

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I have done 2 PG and 5 QG - I never really saw a difference except the suite size and I enjoy the vanity in QG.

As for Off menu - the one thing I loved to order off menu are flambe desserts and both restaurants had fun coming up with different things to light on fire for dessert. The only other thing I have ever ordered off menu is risotto once per cruise. Never had any issue with either restaurant - they seem the same to me. It is the flowers, the cabin size and the nice vanity and large closet which make the difference.

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We really enjoyed the Princess Grill on QE in autumn 2016, and decided there was no need to consider Queens Grill. We booked PG again for 28th November 2017, and when the price plummeted got upgraded to Queens Grill, and without doubt the finest dining experience we have ever had. Certainly, off menu was never offered to us, but knowing about it, I did make a request which was carried out. We noticed lots of table side cooking, and on the last evening had the Romney Marsh rack of lamb, cooked table side, and it was wonderful!

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Well it certainly isn’t Beluga, so Toad may have a point.

 

David

Then he should explain himself better. We all know it's Hackleback or similar(hopefully NOT Paddlefish roe) If in QG, you can ask if they have a higher brand of Caviar. They might.

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Then he should explain himself better. We all know it's Hackleback or similar(hopefully NOT Paddlefish roe) If in QG, you can ask if they have a higher brand of Caviar. They might.

 

 

 

It used to be of a very high quality a while ago- usually sevruga on the QE2 in Queens Grill. QG today vs QG on the QE2 the last 10 years she was in service are similar but it used to be of a higher quality overall than now.

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