Dining on QM2 vs QE2

[hcrane]

Just curious as to the different dining venues on the two ships.

 

Using airline terminology, both ships have First and Economy (single or double seating for dining)

 

On QE2, First was again broken down into First (Queens Grill), Business (Princess/Britannia Grill) and Premium Economy (Columbia/Caronia), followed by Economy (Tables of the World/Mauritania)

 

QM2 also has First and Economy - Queens and Princess in First and Premium Economy (Britannia Club) and Economy (Britannia)

 

The Columbia/Caronia restaurant on QE2 was much larger than the Britannia Club on QM2 - why not the same space on QM2 - could it have been a design decision to make the Britannia Restaurant a truly spectacular space on QM2?

[Oahucruiser]

IIRC, there was no Britannia Club on the QM2 at the start. They sectioned it off after a couple (?) of years so that's probably why it's smaller than the Caronia DR was. It's a popular venue so Cunard put it on the new QE but it is a fairly small room but very attractive room on there also.

[foodsvcmgr]

The much maligned Winter Garden could make a nice spot for a

Caronia-style restaurant venue, offering a full range of cabin choices

like its predecessor, in this case to include both hull and glass verandas.

[cruiserking]

The service and meals aboard the QM2 are absolutely first rate. I would consider the Britannia Restaurant just a notch or so below the standard of Caronia aboard the QE2 but, a very close second.

 

Jonathan

[Leucothea]

Hmm, Princess Grill as Business Class...well that's a corporate American interpretation of it I guess.

 

I feel that Caronia on QE2 was very elegant and pleasant; for those who either no longer have money, or who do not believe in ostentatious spending, Caronia was a good compromise. I wouldn't call it "premium economy", however. It was somewhat nicer than that.

 

Caronia was small and intimate, as was QE2 in general (compared to QM2). I tried Britannea on QE2 once, and found my tablemates to be the "I resent wearing formal clothes and all this la di da" types (then why on earth travel on QE2?).

[pnhmrk]

I tried Britannea on QE2 once

 

Do you mean the Britannia Grill or the Mauretania Restaurant? I think the BG was the best restaurant on the ship :)

[missfrankiecat]

The actual venue of the Britannia on QM2 is to my mind far more beautiful than either the Mauritania or Caronia on QE2. It is a simply stunning room throughout but especially downstairs. The food isn't as good as either of the non grills on QE2 but is still good value and perfectly adequate - I equate it to medium quality hotel food. The overall experience (depending on table companions of course!) unparalleled.

[Leucothea]

Do you mean the Britannia Grill or the Mauretania Restaurant? I think the BG was the best restaurant on the ship :)

 

Yes, sorry, I meant Mauretania, not Britannea.

[Nippy Sweetie]

On QE2 the Brittania Grill was one of the 2 Princess grill restaurants. It was, and remains, our favourite cruise restaurant. A lovely smallish space with great waiting staff. We were also in the Caronia restaurant for one trip. We found it quite large and, with a very low ceiling, it felt a bit oppressive. Fingers crossed for our next trip on QV.

[PeterSt]

On QE2 the best restaurant, IMHO, was the Princess Grill. This was the smallest restaurant, seemed to have the best service and was one of the few areas on the QE2 that had not been altered.

 

On QM2 the Britannia Club is the smallest restaurant but does not have the excellent service of the Grills class.