QV Queen's Grill menus

[white duck]

Have booked for September on QV and am worried about the new menus in Queen's Grill. Does anybody have any recent experience of the food and service?

Thanks for your help.

White Duck

[Dorchester]

My Wife and I have recently returned from a cruise on QV, and we found that some of the changes to the menu in Queens Grill were not always for the better.

 

With the new menu regime in the Grills restaurants, Cunard now lists the various courses offered as "Prologue", "Main Act", and "Final Finale"! (See attached copies). Why Cunard thought fit to rename the various courses in this way remains a mystery!

 

The preparation of some dishes was not as good as we have remembered them in the past; the Escallop of Pork, whilst well presented, was far from succulent, almost as if it had sat on the pass in the galley for ten minutes awaiting collection by the waiter! Service was not so efficient as previously experienced, with the Sommelier even being pushed into service to collect dishes from our table at times!

 

When my Wife ordered Dover Sole for dinner one evening, we were told that it would take 10-15 minutes to prepare, and this we readily accepted. What we did not find acceptable was that it actually took over 40 minutes to arrive at the table. This level of service is not what one has come to expect in QG, and leads me to suspect that staffing levels have not only been reduced in the restaurant, but also in the galley.

 

The above matters apart, the luncheons were totally divine, as were the breakfasts, and I have to ask myself if after partaking of these meals (plus afternoon tea), then it could have been that our appetites were not quite keen enough for dinner, and perhaps this made us somewhat over fastidious. Let's face it, I feel that it is highly unlikely that any QG patrons are going to faint through lack of nourishment!

 

Regards,

David

[Ray66]

We were on the same trip as you Dorchester, but in the Britannia. We only use it for evening meals and had excellent service from a very quick and efficient waitress.

 

She had her own supply of ice-cream and asked everone at dessert time if they wanted any with whatever dish they had chosen. A lovely girl.

[jozi]

My Wife and I have recently returned from a cruise on QV, and we found that some of the changes to the menu in Queens Grill were not always for the better.

 

With the new menu regime in the Grills restaurants, Cunard now lists the various courses offered as "Prologue", "Main Act", and "Final Finale"! (See attached copies). Why Cunard thought fit to rename the various courses in this way remains a mystery!

 

The preparation of some dishes was not as good as we have remembered them in the past; the Escallop of Pork, whilst well presented, was far from succulent, almost as if it had sat on the pass in the galley for ten minutes awaiting collection by the waiter! Service was not so efficient as previously experienced, with the Sommelier even being pushed into service to collect dishes from our table at times!

 

When my Wife ordered Dover Sole for dinner one evening, we were told that it would take 10-15 minutes to prepare, and this we readily accepted. What we did not find acceptable was that it actually took over 40 minutes to arrive at the table. This level of service is not what one has come to expect in QG, and leads me to suspect that staffing levels have not only been reduced in the restaurant, but also in the galley.

 

The above matters apart, the luncheons were totally divine, as were the breakfasts, and I have to ask myself if after partaking of these meals (plus afternoon tea), then it could have been that our appetites were not quite keen enough for dinner, and perhaps this made us somewhat over fastidious. Let's face it, I feel that it is highly unlikely that any QG patrons are going to faint through lack of nourishment!

 

Regards,

David

 

so it sounds like the changes to the menu were editorial. there was still a "new" menu every day besides the a la carte, right? was the issue that you had to order ahead? that apparently isn't so new...

[Dorchester]

so it sounds like the changes to the menu were editorial. there was still a "new" menu every day besides the a la carte, right?

Wrong Jozi. The 'different every day' dinner menu was available on the first evening, Captain's Cocktail Party evening and on the last evening, but on all other evenings it was the new a la carte menu, which is the same every day, apart from one item in the 'Spa Selection' which does change. As our voyage was only for seven days, this did not present too much of a problem, but if the voyage was for a longer duration .......!

was the issue that you had to order ahead? that apparently isn't so new...

No Jozi, that was not the issue, as after 15 years of traveling QG with Cunard, we would naturally order the previous day should we require some special dish preparing for dinner. To be fair to Cunard, they had marked several dishes on the a la carte menu as "prior order required" (just in case some diner assumed that the galley could whip up a quick Bœuf Wellington for them immediately!)

 

Regards,

David

[white duck]

Hello dorchester

thank you very much for your reply. I remember on the Q E 2

we had a set menu plus an a la carte every night, if we just get the set menu 9 nights out of 12 it could be rather boring also l remember the a la carte being very old fashioned! hope it has changed. On a port intensive cruise like this, dinner is often the only meal we eat in the grill so really look forward to it.

Once again thank you for your help

white duck

[BigMac1953]

If you scroll back to the begining of July, you'll see quite a few more comments on the QG menus.

 

I posted the a la carte.

 

You'll get quite a shock. It's nothing like it used to be. Neither is the service.

 

I'm off to NYC in less than 2 weeks and sincerely hoping that they've still not yet got round to messing up the QM2 menus.

 

Stewart

[Dorchester]

You'll get quite a shock. It's nothing like it used to be. Neither is the service.

 

I'm off to NYC in less than 2 weeks and sincerely hoping that they've still not yet got round to messing up the QM2 menus.

 

Stewart

Quite right Stewart! On almost every voyage we notice that there is something that has been altered or amended in some way - and it is usually not for the better! Only small details each time maybe, but over time all these changes add up to a larger (and significant) overall difference.

 

I fully appreciate that Cunard is run in order to return a profit at the end of the year, but I do wish that they would not use phrases such as "for your comfort and convenience" or "in order to enhance your Cunard experience", when in fact they are reducing their level of service, lowering their standards or decreasing the selections available - or possibly all of these! (Sorry - rant over, but it does irritate me when Cunard imply an improvement but are actually reducing something; 'e'-tickets for example).

 

I do hope that you will find that Cunard have not messed with the menus on QM2, and that you have a fantastic voyage.

 

Regards,

David

[BigMac1953]

Thanks David!

 

Newspeak certainly annoys me.

 

The Victory chocolate ration has increased from 3 oz to 2 oz.

 

WAR IS PEACE

 

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

 

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

 

Stewart

[rjms74]

Hi Stewart

 

I hope too they've not messed around with the Grill menus on QM2 - from my two trips last year on board one PG & one QG the service & food were superb & even better than QE2!!!

 

I am for the first year since 2001 not travelling with Cunard this year had some cruises booked but now cancelled & am trying Silversea - all suites & all inclusive + butler service! I will post back my thoughts to the boards when I've been on the trip in October!

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

Richard (RJMS74)

[Cruachan]

Thanks David!

 

Newspeak certainly annoys me.

 

The Victory chocolate ration has increased from 3 oz to 2 oz.

 

WAR IS PEACE

 

FREEDOM IS SLAVERY

 

IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH

 

Stewart

 

Coughs and sneezes spread diseases!

 

J

[Savoia]

I fully appreciate that Cunard is run in order to return a profit at the end of the year, but I do wish that they would not use phrases such as "for your comfort and convenience" or "in order to enhance your Cunard experience", when in fact they are reducing their level of service, lowering their standards or decreasing the selections available - or possibly all of these! (Sorry - rant over, but it does irritate me when Cunard imply an improvement but are actually reducing something; 'e'-tickets for example).

 

 

Richard touches on an important point, it has been hotly contested this past year the perceptions of what Cunard is expected to be vs what Cunard is today.

 

One thing Richard and others have noted is what he highlights in the above post. The reality is Cunard service is provided and managed by P&O/Princess and their is a level of disconnect between perception and reality. The application by Princess of "their way" of doing business hasn't gone unnoticed by Cunard regulars who, correct or not, have the bar for their Cunard experience set at a certain level. Princess has gone out of their way to highlight the ocean liner experience with Cunard's marketing (and while Cunard handles most of their own marketing P&O/Princess have a tremendous amount of say in what happens). If Princess has a say in how an "ocean liner experience" is supposed to be created, should they apply the same standards of operations to Cunard?

 

In the end Carnival operates several cruise line brands and one self proclaimed "ocean liner experience" and financially Cunard could not be in better hands with that concept. But like all Carnival brands their is so much melding of design and operations there is very little each can call their own. Cunard needs attention, it needs an in house marketing team that can tell the difference between the Queen Mary and a Titanic'd Queen Mary (which Cunard's inhouse marketing team used in a promo video for the new Verendah Grill and quickly yanked it once the mistake went viral). It needs to recognize, in inrcremental steps, that there is a growing disconnect between many current and possible clients over the product provided. Cunard needs to be Cunard in service, design and management and wean itself off of Princess Cruises interpertation of what Cunard should be.

 

In the end, if Cunard the brand want to stand out it has to start to do things to make it stand out. Otherwise, we're getting more of the same just re-packaged and that would be a waste with such a storied brand.

[wripro]

Whiteduck,

 

Please don't confuse a crossing on the QE2 with what you will experience on the QM2. The QE2 was a true ocean liner in the old fashioned sense. The QM2 is one only in hardware. Its software is a cruise ship....Princess with a British accent. That does not mean you cannot have a great time. You just have to know it ain't what it used to be. But then neIther am I!!!

[warringtonian]

The above matters apart, the luncheons were totally divine, as were the breakfasts, and I have to ask myself if after partaking of these meals (plus afternoon tea), then it could have been that our appetites were not quite keen enough for dinner, and perhaps this made us somewhat over fastidious. Let's face it, I feel that it is highly unlikely that any QG patrons are going to faint through lack of nourishment!

 

Regards,

David

 

We tried breakfast in the buffet restaurant one day and in the QG the next and the food was absolutely identical. Maybe it was because I had hash browns, black pudding, etc. I did try eggs Benedict one day in the QG and that was good but not as good as in Sabatinis on the Emerald Princess.

[Cruachan]

We tried breakfast in the buffet restaurant one day and in the QG the next and the food was absolutely identical. Maybe it was because I had hash browns, black pudding, etc. I did try eggs Benedict one day in the QG and that was good but not as good as in Sabatinis on the Emerald Princess.

 

Ah ha! Nice to see there's at least one other black pudding fan around here. But then I guess there was a clue in your boardname and location :D

 

J

[warringtonian]

Ah ha! Nice to see there's at least one other black pudding fan around here. But then I guess there was a clue in your boardname and location :D

 

J

 

Spot on! Although I was born in Dundee, and I've lived in Angus, Fife, Lincolnshire, Germany, Norfolk, Cheshire, Manchester, Bermuda, Liverpool, and, yes, Warrington.

[Cruachan]

Spot on! Although I was born in Dundee, and I've lived in Angus, Fife, Lincolnshire, Germany, Norfolk, Cheshire, Manchester, Bermuda, Liverpool, and, yes, Warrington.

 

Well, the majority of places on that list look like they would contain plenty of black pudding connoisseurs (not entirely sure about Bermuda though).

 

And Fife is just next door to God's Own County ! :D:D

 

J

[MadScientist_01]

Well, the majority of places on that list look like they would contain plenty of black pudding connoisseurs (not entirely sure about Bermuda though).

 

And Fife is just next door to God's Own County ! :D:D

 

J

 

Fife is next to Wales? Did they float it round and bolt it on to Swansea Bay whilst I wasn't looking?! :D Pleased to announce that black pudding is widely available down here as well - and none of this 'would you like to replace the black pudding with something else?' nonsense, you order a breakfast here and it's coming with black pudding, like it or not!

 

I will certainly be interested in what the food is like come Christmas - if they have messed around with it too much then that would probably be it in the grills for me - why bother paying so much if Britannia Club does the same job?

[Cruachan]

Fife is next to Wales?

 

Wales is a county ??? I always thought it was a Principality.

:eek::D

 

J

[MadScientist_01]

Wales is a county ??? I always thought it was a Principality.

 

:eek::D

 

J

 

 

Very true, but we have now been burdened with the title of counties, so Swansea is now a county - oh for the good old days of the shires and bro morgannwg :D

[PeterSt]

Very true, but we have now been burdened with the title of counties, so Swansea is now a county - oh for the good old days of the shires and bro morgannwg :D

 

Strictly speaking Swansea is not a county in fact there are no counties as such in the Country of Wales.

 

The full title is City and County of Swansea Council and it is a unitary council. A unitary council has both first tier and second tier local responsibilities, i.e. is both a County and a District or Borough Council.

 

The Principality of Wales only existed in the northern and western parts of what is now Wales between the 13th and 16th centuries; no principality covering the whole of Wales was ever created. So nowadays it is called the Country of Wales and is run by the Welsh Assembly (for devolved matters) and from Westminster for everything else.

 

Peter

[curlyQ]

In all due respect, can we please get this back on topic?

 

Thanks!

[keithm]

Richard touches on an important point, it has been hotly contested this past year the perceptions of what Cunard is expected to be vs what Cunard is today.

 

One thing Richard and others have noted is what he highlights in the above post. The reality is Cunard service is provided and managed by P&O/Princess and their is a level of disconnect between perception and reality. The application by Princess of "their way" of doing business hasn't gone unnoticed by Cunard regulars who, correct or not, have the bar for their Cunard experience set at a certain level. Princess has gone out of their way to highlight the ocean liner experience with Cunard's marketing (and while Cunard handles most of their own marketing P&O/Princess have a tremendous amount of say in what happens). If Princess has a say in how an "ocean liner experience" is supposed to be created, should they apply the same standards of operations to Cunard?

 

In the end Carnival operates several cruise line brands and one self proclaimed "ocean liner experience" and financially Cunard could not be in better hands with that concept. But like all Carnival brands their is so much melding of design and operations there is very little each can call their own. Cunard needs attention, it needs an in house marketing team that can tell the difference between the Queen Mary and a Titanic'd Queen Mary (which Cunard's inhouse marketing team used in a promo video for the new Verendah Grill and quickly yanked it once the mistake went viral). It needs to recognize, in inrcremental steps, that there is a growing disconnect between many current and possible clients over the product provided. Cunard needs to be Cunard in service, design and management and wean itself off of Princess Cruises interpertation of what Cunard should be.

 

In the end, if Cunard the brand want to stand out it has to start to do things to make it stand out. Otherwise, we're getting more of the same just re-packaged and that would be a waste with such a storied brand.

It's similer to what GM did in the 80's. A Buick Park Ave was hardly distinguishable from Cadillac. Let's hope Carnival doesn't sink further into that trap. Our Nov. cruise will determine whether we stay loyal to Cunard(4 soon to be 5 cruises)or check out other lines such as Celebrity(though, I've heard from some they've slipped as well)

[stormforce]

Hi everyone,

We have just returned from a Baltic Cruise on the Queen Victoria in the Queens Grill and it seems the menu has altered again and I would like to try and allay some of the fears regarding the dinner menu.

 

The new a la carte menu now has a choice of 13 starters ( I am using the old terminology not the new given by Cunard!), 13 entrees, 2 of which have to be ordered in advance but disappointingly only a choice of 6 desserts, one of which is cheese.

 

There is also the reintroduction of a limited menu which changes daily consisting, usually, of 5 starters, between 2 and 4 entrees, a fresh vegetable and potato selection and 3 desserts.

 

On three nights there is a special Gala menu when the a la carte menu isn't available but there was a good choice. There is still the Spa menu consisting of 1 starter, 1 entree and 1 dessert and it is possible to order off menu.

 

The daily luncheon menu always had a good choice and there is still the cream tea in case anyone is hungry.

 

At no time did we have a long wait for our food and the waiters were all excellent and did not give the impression they were short staffed. These menus catered well for our length of cruise although the items on the a la carte menu were always cooked in the same way and with the same sauce etc. I would hope that on longer cruises the daily menu would be enlarged as with the present choice the food could become predictable and boring. It is however cooked and presented to a very high standard.

[BritNavyGal]

 

I fully appreciate that Cunard is run in order to return a profit at the end of the year, but I do wish that they would not use phrases such as "for your comfort and convenience" or "in order to enhance your Cunard experience", when in fact they are reducing their level of service, lowering their standards or decreasing the selections available - or possibly all of these! (Sorry - rant over, but it does irritate me when Cunard imply an improvement but are actually reducing something; 'e'-tickets for example).

 

David, does that mean we don't get our little leather pouch anymore? Oh how I loved the smell of it ;)