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We are frequent cruisers, but this will be our first time on Cunard. We will be sailing on the Queen Victoria. We have a couple of questions?

 

1. We are in a Queens Grill stateroom. Do we need to make dining reservations before we board? What about speciality restaurants? Which would you recommend? Neither of us drink wine or alcoholic beverages, so pairings restaurants are not of interest.

 

2. I have heard that we can charge our credit card in the casino. Can we also also use cash at the tables and slot machines? What currency(s) do they allow. We can bring USD, Euros or Pounds.

 

 

3. Are there table tennis tables onboard? What deck are they on? I couldn't find them on the deck chart.

 

 

4. How would you rate the ship's excursions. On most ships, we book our own excursions, but we are open to trying there's.

 

 

5. Ellie really likes playing mahjong. Does anyone know if they have mahjong sets onboard? How would we communicate with other passengers. There is virtually no activity on our roll call.

 

 

6. Is there anything special that we should know about Cunard versus other luxury cruise lines?

 

 

Thank you so much for your assistance.

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1. No need to reserve. Your table is yours for all meals, at the time you want. Most people in Grills don't consider specialty dining to be a step up compared to what's on offer in their normal dining room.

2. The currency onboard is US$. If you bring other currency they will convert the amount to $ at a rate that is disadvantageous to you. You can use cash at the tables; I'm not sure about machines.

3. Table tennis is on Deck 12 forward of the Pavilion Pool. I think there's one table.

4. Cunard excursions are run by the same contractors who do other lines' excursions in that port. Cunard's prices might be a bit more reasonable. If you're used to booking your own excursions privately you probably should do the same on Cunard.

5. I'm not sure. There may be sets on one or more of the game tables on Deck 3L Port next to the Royal Court Theatre.

6. Many people will point out that Cunard is a bit shy of a luxury line (like, say, Seabourn). Obviously Queens Grill raises the level of accommodation but don't forget that there will be on the order of 2500 other passengers sharing public spaces and most entertainment. It's more refined and less obtrusive than a mass market line (the Cruise Director announcements on Holland America and Princess are jarring in comparison to Cunard, where you're generally left alone aside from the Captain's noon announcement).

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Just to add I think maybe Underwatr is thinking of the QM2 and not Queen Victoria?

The table tennis tables on the QV are on deck 9. When we were on the ship last year we noticed they had at last got a second table but it was not yet in use.

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Welcome to the wonderful world of Cunard. I’m sure you’ll love it. Enjoy the QG - something we are yet to try (but will do one day!)

Table tennis is hidden away behind the spa pool area (its outdoors but under shelter)

Happy sailing!

 

 

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2. I have heard that we can charge our credit card in the casino. Can we also also use cash at the tables and slot machines? What currency(s) do they allow. We can bring USD, Euros or Pounds.

 

For the machines, you have to register your cruise card first. When you use it for the first time it asks you to create a PIN. Then to play a machine you either transfer from your cruise card account or put cash (dollar bills only) into the machine. When you cash out, any winnings do not get put onto your card, instead they are credited against your room, but they pay that out in cash. So you can either collect it there and then, or anytime you like and it will just keep adding up throughout your cruise.

 

It did catch me out, because I played a bit, cashed out a few times and when we got an interim statement, my winnings were not on it, but the transfers out of the cruise account were. Then I got a call from the casino and the last but one day asking me to come and get my winnings (well, I say "winnings" - wasn't up on the deal !)

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Thank you all for your prompt responses. One more question: On most other cruise lines, breakfast and lunch in their sit down restaurant is a log drawn out experience, similar to dinner. We enjoy that for dinner, but mostly chose the Lido for other meals. Is it the same on Cunard? What other choices are available for breakfast and lunch?

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Breakfast and lunch in the dining rooms is served at your table, so it may seem long and drawn out (But the QG breakfast is yummy.) Note also, that the restaurants are open on port days, different from many other lines.

 

Other options, besides the Lido/King's Court are Room Service and delicious pub lunches in the Golden Lion Pub. There also is a grill outside the Lido on the deck.

 

The QM2 serves light snacks in the Carinthia Lounge, but I'm unaware of a similar option on the QV.

Edited by MarkBearSF
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Thank you all for your prompt responses. One more question: On most other cruise lines, breakfast and lunch in their sit down restaurant is a log drawn out experience, similar to dinner. We enjoy that for dinner, but mostly chose the Lido for other meals. Is it the same on Cunard? What other choices are available for breakfast and lunch?

We have found breakfast and lunch in the grills restaurants to be fairly fast. You do have other options if you prefer: room service, the buffet, the pub( at least on QM2).

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As you are dining in the Queens Grill you will get a very extensive breakfast menu and will be served at the same table by the same waiters that you have for dinner. They quickly become aware of your requirements. If you want a quick breakfast or lunch they will accommodate you. Also for lunch you have the opportunity to eat al fresco in the courtyard with full Queens Grill menu (weather permitting). As an alternative your butler will serve you any meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner in your suite

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Just to add I think maybe Underwatr is thinking of the QM2 and not Queen Victoria.

Yes, I was. Sorry about that; I think most of my other comments still apply (passenger numbers are a little lower on Queen Victoria and Queen Elizabeth).

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On most other cruise lines, breakfast and lunch in their sit down restaurant is a log drawn out experience, similar to dinner.

 

A familiar name from the Crystal forum! We did our first Queens Grill at the start of July this year.

 

I found breakfast service to be fairly fast. However, I normally turn up for breakfast around 8am and the Queen's Grill restaurant is was rather empty.

 

The only reason I went to breakfast buffet was to get Frosties which is not on the Queen's Grill restaurant menu (same every day like Crystal's MDR. Unlike Crystal's breakfast menu, there is no Chinese or Japanese breakfast).

 

Sushi is available on the lunch buffet but never in the Queen's Grill restaurant menu.

Never tried asking for that at lunch (they would have to send someone from the kitchen to collect a plate of sushi from the buffet).

 

Don't forget that while caviar is not listed anywhere, you can pre-order it (night before, during breakfast time but by lunchtime same day for dinner) from the Queen's Grill restaurant Maitre D'. Decent portion of it too. On our 12 day cruise, we ordered it twice. Also various forms of spaghetti that can be cooked at the table. Crepe Suzettes for desert, cooked at the table, are also not listed on the menu but available with pre-order. Watch the Head Waiter check he is not below the fire sprinkler before flambé-ing it.

 

On our 12 day cruise on the QM2, we never felt the need to have a meal elsewhere. I suppose the size of QM2 is just under 3000 passengers so the Queen's Grill restaurant was a haven of peace and quiet. The service and food were great (but not as nice in taste and presentation as Crystal but that is a subjective opinion).

 

By the way, they do provided complimentary mineral water in the Queen's Grill suites like Crystal as well as two bottles of spirits. Butler arranges for this. You also get get a decent bottle of champagne at the start of the cruise and lesser brand of champagne in the fridge. The butler also replenishes the drinks in the fridge so just tell him your drinks preference. Big plus for me is the provision of a kettle in all rooms on Cunard so I can make tea in the room. You can also get tea, coffee, juice and snacks in the Grills Lounge. This includes sandwiches and scones at tea time if you are too lazy to go down to the Queen's Room.

 

By the way, the table in the Queens Grill is dedicated to you. If you do not turn up, then it remains empty. You do not get moved around so for all meal times, you are seated with the same people around you. If you do not like the table location of the people on the table next to you, ask the Queen's Grill restaurant Maitre D' to move you asap. We noticed there is movement of some person over the first couple of days. We had a very elderly couple (boy, they were both rather hard of hearing) on a table next to us who only turned up for lunch once throughout the cruise. Never saw them at breakfast or dinner so we had an empty table next to us.

 

By the way, I do not gamble these days but I found the Cunard's casino to have fewer table than on both Crystal's ships (pre-Genting ownership even)

 

Final tip. Ignore the time on the form that Cunard tell you to check-in. Turn up around 11am (Southampton or Brooklyn) to avoid the check-in queues. We got our luggage and access to our suite as soon as we boarded. We were fully unpacked in time for lunch at the Queen Grill's restaurant lunch. You will get both a walk in closet room for your clothes so it is very easy to unpack (and we mainly pack many of clothes on hangers already (in suiters)

Edited by JohnKen3
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A familiar name from the Crystal forum! We did our first Queens Grill at the start of July this year.

 

I found breakfast service to be fairly fast. However, I normally turn up for breakfast around 8am and the Queen's Grill restaurant is was rather empty.

 

The only reason I went to breakfast buffet was to get Frosties which is not on the Queen's Grill restaurant menu (same every day like Crystal's MDR. Unlike Crystal's breakfast menu, there is no Chinese or Japanese breakfast).

 

Sushi is available on the lunch buffet but never in the Queen's Grill restaurant menu.

Never tried asking for that at lunch (they would have to send someone from the kitchen to collect a plate of sushi from the buffet).

 

Don't forget that while caviar is not listed anywhere, you can pre-order it (night before, during breakfast time but by lunchtime same day for dinner) from the Queen's Grill restaurant Maitre D'. Decent portion of it too. On our 12 day cruise, we ordered it twice. Also various forms of spaghetti that can be cooked at the table. Crepe Suzettes for desert, cooked at the table, are also not listed on the menu but available with pre-order. Watch the Head Waiter check he is not below the fire sprinkler before flambé-ing it.

 

On our 12 day cruise on the QM2, we never felt the need to have a meal elsewhere. I suppose the size of QM2 is just under 3000 passengers so the Queen's Grill restaurant was a haven of peace and quiet. The service and food were great (but not as nice in taste and presentation as Crystal but that is a subjective opinion).

 

By the way, they do provided complimentary mineral water in the Queen's Grill suites like Crystal as well as two bottles of spirits. Butler arranges for this. You also get get a decent bottle of champagne at the start of the cruise and lesser brand of champagne in the fridge. The butler also replenishes the drinks in the fridge so just tell him your drinks preference. Big plus for me is the provision of a kettle in all rooms on Cunard so I can make tea in the room. You can also get tea, coffee, juice and snacks in the Grills Lounge. This includes sandwiches and scones at tea time if you are too lazy to go down to the Queen's Room.

 

By the way, the table in the Queens Grill is dedicated to you. If you do not turn up, then it remains empty. You do not get moved around so for all meal times, you are seated with the same people around you. If you do not like the table location of the people on the table next to you, ask the Queen's Grill restaurant Maitre D' to move you asap. We noticed there is movement of some person over the first couple of days. We had a very elderly couple (boy, they were both rather hard of hearing) on a table next to us who only turned up for lunch once throughout the cruise. Never saw them at breakfast or dinner so we had an empty table next to us.

 

By the way, I do not gamble these days but I found the Cunard's casino to have fewer table than on both Crystal's ships (pre-Genting ownership even)

 

Final tip. Ignore the time on the form that Cunard tell you to check-in. Turn up around 11am (Southampton or Brooklyn) to avoid the check-in queues. We got our luggage and access to our suite as soon as we boarded. We were fully unpacked in time for lunch at the Queen Grill's restaurant lunch. You will get both a walk in closet room for your clothes so it is very easy to unpack (and we mainly pack many of clothes on hangers already (in suiters)

 

 

 

Thank you so much for posting this. My sister and I will be in QG for the January crossing. We had been wondering how it would all work—-and how it would compare to Crystal. One question : is QG dress very formal ? Thanks. Janet

 

 

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I'd expect that you'd have to special request it these days, but 20 years ago, in the QE2 Queen's Grill, my husband usually ordered the shirred eggs with cream and a small dollop of caviar for breakfast. If it sounds like a treat, I'm sure they could make it for you. (One of these days we'll spring for QG or get a crazy-good upgrade again)

 

...In the old days of infinite caviar, the next table literally ordered plates of it every dinner and at occasional lunches.)

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Thank you so much for posting this. My sister and I will be in QG for the January crossing. We had been wondering how it would all work—-and how it would compare to Crystal. One question : is QG dress very formal ? Thanks. Janet

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

You will have a fantastic time in QG - They spoil you rotten!

 

The ship overall is very formal as another poster has said. I would say QG is possibly a tad more so (i.e. more suits and/or ties on the non-formal evenings) but that most passengers dress the same as others throughout the ship.

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You will enjoy QG, we have sailed QG on the QE for the past 2 years with another booked for next year. Our main reason is that I have several food allergies and intolerances and normally we find it difficult to dine out. However we found that I have no problems in QG they go the extra mile to make sure I am ok. You can order off menu and if they have something on board chef will cook it for you. The Grills Lounge is comfortable and the deck area is good with some loungers under a canopy for those like us who are not sun worshipers. Enjoy yourselves.

 

 

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Thank you so much for posting this. My sister and I will be in QG for the January crossing. We had been wondering how it would all work—-and how it would compare to Crystal. One question : is QG dress very formal ? Thanks. Janet

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Just a bit more formal than Crystal's MDR/Waterside. Its jackets mandatory every night for men.

 

The difference is that Crystal's passengers are mainly Americans who prefer informality. We did the QE for Christmas 2017 where 80%+ of the passengers were British (90% of Europeans) since this was a Southampton-Southampton cruise. Coupled with the holiday cruise, I have never seen the entire ship so dressed up every night of the 14 day cruise.

 

On our QM2 transatlantic, there was an even balance of US and British passengers. QG passengers do not dress up any more or any less than the rest of the ship. The other half and I still managed to make an impact with our evening wear most nights in the QG restaurant so it was not that dressy (i.e. not New York Metropolitan Ball standard or even even red carpet standard).

 

A transatlantic has about four formal nights. The one night even all the ladies seem to make a real effort is the Roaring 20s theme nights. Very "Charleston"-style fashion by most women as you would see on Strictly/Dancing with the Stars.

 

Just to mention, the QG restaurant is casual for breakfast and lunch. Only evenings matters when it comes to dressing up.

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