Drinks prices and Bars on QM2

I discuss the price of drinks and the Bars on QM2 on my blog from the current World Cruise. See martinandjansjourney.com

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Another very interesting instalment, thank you for posting.

Personally, I've never found the drink prices, in general, to be outrageous. Certainly not cheap and, considering that the booze is duty-free, an item with a large markup. However, they're in line with "nice US bar" charges and less than NY or London hotels (and thankfully, not a puny English shot). I'd certainly love for the drinks to be cheaper, or the portions like at my local bar - but their prices are not out of line with my expectations.

I DO stand with cruising buddy, eroller, in thinking that it's silly and irritating to charge for drink mixers if they come out of a can (as in tonic in a G&T). Cunard is also alone, amongst all the lines with which I'm familiar, to charge for this.

Personally, I've never found the drink prices, in general, to be outrageous. Certainly not cheap and, considering that the booze is duty-free, an item with a large markup. However, they're in line with "nice US bar" charges and less than NY or London hotels (and thankfully, not a puny English shot). I'd certainly love for the drinks to be cheaper, or the portions like at my local bar - but their prices are not out of line with my expectations.

 

I DO stand with cruising buddy, eroller, in thinking that it's silly and irritating to charge for drink mixers if they come out of a can (as in tonic in a G&T). Cunard is also alone, amongst all the lines with which I'm familiar, to charge for this.

I would have agreed before the QM2 refurbishment, with the introduction of the two different measures and price increase that came with it. Plus the additional expense charged now for the "splash from the gun"

But you really need to order the 2oz measure now which used to be the one and only measure . However unless you ask for 1 oz we all know they supply a 2oz with the additional charge.

A standard UK shot can be 25/35ml but a 2oz USA measure is about 60ml which compares to a double UK measure.

Hi,just off the QE.Not as bad as I expected.1 large voddy and coke each in room getting ready(brought on booze). 3 2oz voddys and 1 bottle of coke for OH,1 bottle of cheapo rose for me.Approx £50,I was expecting around 60,cheers,Brian.

Can confirm the prices are in line with most Dallas area ‘nice’ venues. Given that I can have a Manhattan cocktail in the Commodore Club for the same price as an Applebees in Dallas- I would say QM2 is a good deal.

Obviously alcoholic drink prices are dearer in the US than in the UK unless comparing with top hotels in London once you go North in the UK and away from big tourist cities the prices on Cunard for alcoholic drinks are very expensive bordering on obscene.

Can confirm the prices are in line with most Dallas area ‘nice’ venues. Given that I can have a Manhattan cocktail in the Commodore Club for the same price as an Applebees in Dallas- I would say QM2 is a good deal.

My bet is that Applebee's has a heavier pour, so there's more bang for your buck. The standard Cunard pour is not a bargain in my book, and I'm not sure that in reality I will be able to get the promised free cocktails for booking in a grill room. If a standard pour of my preferred drink a Makers Mark Manhattan is more that $13.00, what's the use of a "free drink" offer?

You should be OK

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Up north, here in Glasgow (and also in Edinburgh) Cunard's prices are similar to what we pay in the city centre.

A pint of beer, for example, will certainly set you back between £4 - £5 and I would expect to pay around £30 for a bottle of wine when out for a meal.

In almost 20 cruises/crossings, I've never considered prices at any time to be obscene, just normal.

Stewart

OTOH, in the cheap Midlands, I'd expect to pay no more than £3 for a pint of bitter in a local pub; £2.40-£2.60 would be more usual. And wine in a restaurant starting under £20.

Stuart

You should be OK

 

 

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Thanks, Hattie!

Up north, here in Glasgow (and also in Edinburgh) Cunard's prices are similar to what we pay in the city centre.

 

A pint of beer, for example, will certainly set you back between £4 - £5 and I would expect to pay around £30 for a bottle of wine when out for a meal.

 

In almost 20 cruises/crossings, I've never considered prices at any time to be obscene, just normal.

 

Stewart

Edinburgh especially is a tourist city attracting people from all over the world and has always been notorious for expensive alcoholic drinks in bars. Bet there is a world of difference in the rest of Scotland. In Staffordshire where I occasionally drink a pint of bitter £2-50, Guinness £3-50 and wine about same price. A world away from the prices charged by Cunard.

Yes but you are on holiday and does it really matter! I mean if you wanted to save money why not rent a blow up boat and sit on it in the local swimming pool and have beer at your local midland pub and sleep in your own bed.Its only a bit of money and you can't take it with you!

Happened to be in Las Vegas a couple of days ago. Nice bar charged $18 a cocktail. I have paid that in NY city.

OTOH, in the cheap Midlands, I'd expect to pay no more than £3 for a pint of bitter in a local pub; £2.40-£2.60 would be more usual. And wine in a restaurant starting under £20.

 

Stuart

Try Broad Street on any given night and you will think Cunard is cheap! Not all of the Midlands are equal.

I do have a question, please. If I buy a "soft" drinks package am I able to drink this in any bar too? I love a G&T but like the odd soft drink in between as I'm a bit of a lightweight.

Live in NYC- head over to theSt Regis’ King Cole Bar. A Manhattan served up is around $25. Granted you have to do this weird maneuver at first to take a few sips because it’s so full to the brim you can’t pick it up- but makes Cunard look downright cheap.

It’s sort of funny- we’re very conditioned to cocktails being extremely expensive so we never blinked once signing a bar chit on QM2 as it always seemed very reasonable. Where the sticker shock came was the end of the trip when you realize how fast all of those “cheap” cocktails added up to a pretty hefty bill.

Try Broad Street on any given night and you will think Cunard is cheap! Not all of the Midlands are equal.

 

I do have a question, please. If I buy a "soft" drinks package am I able to drink this in any bar too? I love a G&T but like the odd soft drink in between as I'm a bit of a lightweight.

Yes,

Elsewhere "up north" around Newcastle. My local (not a Weatherspoons by the way) I pay around £15-£18 for a bottle of wine. £5-£6.5 for a 250ml glass and £3.20 for a very nice pint of ale. Even a pint of Peroni (which is considered very expensive) is £4.05

In a "very nice" good chinese restaurant that we frequent then a pint is around £3.80 and a normal table wine is £18. A nice Premier Cru Chablis is £31 and a very nice good Sancerre is £32.

By comparison this makes the prices on Cunard, extremely high. I have calculated that we will be paying at least £100 per day for drinks for the two of us. That is a hell of an additional cost.

However, it is what it is and I knew this when booking the cruise so accept it as part of the cost. But that does not mean the prices are reasonable though.

It compares with the prices we came across in the Maldives last year though. Where, as with Cunard, it is marketed as high end luxury so you can't realistically expect the same cost as your local pub.

Although, I do take exception to an automatic 15% service charge on everything.

I like to tip good service, and I tip very handsomely when I receive it. Though it should be my choice, it is not a tip if it is automatically applied. Then it becomes the cost of the item. They are nowhere near the same.

a very nice good Sancerre is £32.

That's about $45

a pint of Peroni is £4.05

That's about $5.60

So where's the problem?

Remember you can pay to have your own bottle corked too, also free to drink in your own stateroom.

Love the blog

firsttimewithcunard thank you for sharing.

Remember you can pay to have your own bottle corked too, also free to drink in your own stateroom.

Love the blog

firsttimewithcunard thank you for sharing.

Sorry but dont go on a cruise to sit in my stateroom drinking just to save money.

Yes but you are on holiday and does it really matter! I mean if you wanted to save money why not rent a blow up boat and sit on it in the local swimming pool and have beer at your local midland pub and sleep in your own bed.Its only a bit of money and you can't take it with you!

Whilst I agree with you sentiment and dont go on holiday to save money but with recent alcohol price increases onboard will cut my cloth according and reduce my alcoholic amount to what I have had in the past.

a very nice good Sancerre is £32.

That's about $45

a pint of Peroni is £4.05

That's about $5.60

So where's the problem?

Depends how you manipulate figures to compare. $45 doesn't seem an issue if its for Sancerre or equivalent but is does for table wine. To have an argument for "where's the problem" you should have quoted £18 for table wine to $45 with the 15% added on. Then it is more of an issue.

Think you'll find the Sancerre is $60 plus 15% i.e. $69 ish on board. Canny addition bearing in mind its about £13 ($18 in a shop). The price on board for a table wine is comparative to the Sancerre. Which is not a standard table wine.

The Peroni is also much more than $5.60 on board for equivalent of a pint.

Pint of ale on board is about $6.00 - $6.40 plus 15 % - say $7 where as in pub or the restaurant quoted it would be $5.20.

All in all a fair mark up. The spirits are worse.

However, as I stated, that's what you sign up for when you book a cruise. So shouldn't complain.

I wasn't complaining, just commenting on the fact that they prices are high, even compared to a good restaurant in the area I live.

My cruise is 20th July on The Queen Victoria, and looking forward to it. But it will be interesting to see what the bars and restaurants are like. Already there are many comments about fewer bottles of wine being drunk at the table as well as fewer people drinking in the bars. There is a point at which people say enough is enough and vote with their consumption. Only Cunard will be able to know the whole answer.

However, as a comparison, I go to quite a few concerts where you also expect to pay a great deal for a drink. There used to be extensive queues at the bars. Last month when I went the bars were very quiet. The cost of a pint late last year was around £4.80 yet last month it was £6.00 for the same. People voted with their wallets. The bars around the venue were extremely busy.

If Cunard are offering inclusive drinks to our American cousins then those customers from the UK are going to demand the same as oppose to having to face ever increasing prices.

Just a thought.