Queen Victoria Queens Grill

[north east girl]

Never been on Queen Victoria and have booked Queens Grill. I've been reading all I can about what to expect. Just wanted to find out what it would be like to be in this category.

 

If anybody would like to share their experiences of Queens Grill on Queen Victoria I would love read about it.

 

Catherine

[safarigal]

We were upgraded to a Q3 on QV this time last year, and it was a wonderful experience. The cabin itself was not large, but it was certainly bigger than PG, with loads of drawer space and a separate tub and shower which I really like. The loo and handbasin were also separate form the tub and shower which was really convenient. My side of the bed was close to the window, so I could lie in bed and see the ocean. Our butler was lovely, and always kept our fridge well stocked. We had a couple of small soirees and she really seemed to enjoy helping get these arranged. Together with the extra canapes she organized cheese and biscuits and a fruit tray - so we really had a lot of food. She also set everything up, and made the room look great. The canapes ervery evening were also great, my husband has food allergies and we were always given canapes without the forbidden foods.

 

I thought the service in the dining room was excellent and the a la carte menu had good choices - it wasn't available the first night or on the night of the captains party, but there was always a lot to chose from on the main menu too so that wasn't an issue.

 

I really enjoyed QG, I'm not sure that I would ever actually book this grade as I am more than happy with PG, but this was a real treat, and I would love for the upgrade fairy to pay another visit one day.:)

[Bispham Boo]

Hi Catherine, sounds amazing! When do you go? We'll need a full report when you get back :)

[Pies4u]

Been in a Q5 twice on Q Vic. Top class experience, partic if weather is good and you can take full advantage of the grills deck and al fresco dining area. Of course, those spaces are available for all grill guests but when added to the overall package they make the Queens Grill option amongst the most attractive at sea for me.

 

The dining room service is exemplary and the range and variety of food is more than adequate. The actual room facilities are similar to a suite on P & O but the ambience, decor and general feel of the accommodation is a notch above. Expect, in the main, to find reasonably well healed & well travelled companions who know how to behave, hold a knife & fork & afford politeness and courtesy to their fellow guests. There is less of the sunbed hogging, ill mannered & brash brigade, although they do exist in small numbers.

 

We make little use of the butler but for in suite dining, b'fast or dinner, it is a handy service.

 

You have to be very hard to please if you don't find the grills, P or Q, a truly memorable experience - every time. Q Vic is, to date, my favourite ship. Love the Chart Room, the piano and string quartet music plus the overall style, together with the grills experience. It is a ship that conveys a quiet elegance and a degree of comfort that makes travelling a real pleasure.

[north east girl]

Hi Catherine, sounds amazing! When do you go? We'll need a full report when you get back :)

Hi, We are treating ourselves on this trip. Not going until November, very excited about it. Lots of time to look forward to it.

 

Catherine

[north east girl]

We were upgraded to a Q3 on QV this time last year, and it was a wonderful experience. The cabin itself was not large, but it was certainly bigger than PG, with loads of drawer space and a separate tub and shower which I really like. The loo and handbasin were also separate form the tub and shower which was really convenient. My side of the bed was close to the window, so I could lie in bed and see the ocean. Our butler was lovely, and always kept our fridge well stocked. We had a couple of small soirees and she really seemed to enjoy helping get these arranged. Together with the extra canapes she organized cheese and biscuits and a fruit tray - so we really had a lot of food. She also set everything up, and made the room look great. The canapes ervery evening were also great, my husband has food allergies and we were always given canapes without the forbidden foods.

 

I thought the service in the dining room was excellent and the a la carte menu had good choices - it wasn't available the first night or on the night of the captains party, but there was always a lot to chose from on the main menu too so that wasn't an issue.

 

I really enjoyed QG, I'm not sure that I would ever actually book this grade as I am more than happy with PG, but this was a real treat, and I would love for the upgrade fairy to pay another visit one day.:)

Thanks safarigal, This sounds wonderful, something to look forward to. Not going until November will have to be patient.

 

Catherine

[north east girl]

Been in a Q5 twice on Q Vic. Top class experience, partic if weather is good and you can take full advantage of the grills deck and al fresco dining area. Of course, those spaces are available for all grill guests but when added to the overall package they make the Queens Grill option amongst the most attractive at sea for me.

 

The dining room service is exemplary and the range and variety of food is more than adequate. The actual room facilities are similar to a suite on P & O but the ambience, decor and general feel of the accommodation is a notch above. Expect, in the main, to find reasonably well healed & well travelled companions who know how to behave, hold a knife & fork & afford politeness and courtesy to their fellow guests. There is less of the sunbed hogging, ill mannered & brash brigade, although they do exist in small numbers.

 

We make little use of the butler but for in suite dining, b'fast or dinner, it is a handy service.

 

You have to be very hard to please if you don't find the grills, P or Q, a truly memorable experience - every time. Q Vic is, to date, my favourite ship. Love the Chart Room, the piano and string quartet music plus the overall style, together with the grills experience. It is a ship that conveys a quiet elegance and a degree of comfort that makes travelling a real pleasure.

Hi Pies4u, This was a choice between a cabin on P & O or Queens Grill on Queen Victoria for the same price. I decided that I wanted to try Queens Grill just once. I hope the weather is good enough to use the al fresco dining, that would be brilliant.

 

Just going to make the most of looking forward to it, won't be going until November.

 

Catherine

[cinta]

You will love it North East girl. Where are you going? The whole Grills lounge area is wonderfully club like. If you get the chance to eat in the Courtyard I hope you do as it is like being somewhere like Italy & a lovely way to enjoy lunch (you still have your own waiters) & chat to people you don't normally sit near.

We are on QM2 in QG in May. It will be wonderful as there are many things we prefer on her, but I shall miss that lounge in the sky. Oh & those views from the restaurants P or Q are unbelievable..........

 

We usually book a PG guarantee as the grills are great wherever you are, but treated ourselves this time too.

[cinta]

I've just checked North East girl. The Canaries. We've done that twice in November, last year on QV in PG suite 5002. It's one of two front facing big suites, wonderful! You should be able to use the Courtyard a few times then :D

[north east girl]

You will love it North East girl. Where are you going? The whole Grills lounge area is wonderfully club like. If you get the chance to eat in the Courtyard I hope you do as it is like being somewhere like Italy & a lovely way to enjoy lunch (you still have your own waiters) & chat to people you don't normally sit near.

We are on QM2 in QG in May. It will be wonderful as there are many things we prefer on her, but I shall miss that lounge in the sky. Oh & those views from the restaurants P or Q are unbelievable..........

 

We usually book a PG guarantee as the grills are great wherever you are, but treated ourselves this time too.

Thanks cinta, I'm looking forward to the whole experience of queens grill, I may not be able to do it again. Hoping the weather is going to be good, we are going to Spain, Portugal, Morroco, can't remember the other ports of call. Will have to have a look.

 

We did go to the Canaries with RCI last November and the weather was warm in most places.

 

I love QM2 and have experienced princess grill and it was amazing. Loved every thing that princess grill had to offer.

 

Catherine

[slhw]

I thought that I would enjoy reading this thread, reading about the QG to which I had hoped to eventually aspire. That is until I read pies4u's comments about ill-mannered brash people. How condescending. Think I'll stick with my inside or balcony staterooms and dine in Brittania where I have only ever met charming and well-mannered people who all knew how to use a knife and fork.

[Pies4u]

I thought that I would enjoy reading this thread, reading about the QG to which I had hoped to eventually aspire. That is until I read pies4u's comments about ill-mannered brash people. How condescending. Think I'll stick with my inside or balcony staterooms and dine in Brittania where I have only ever met charming and well-mannered people who all knew how to use a knife and fork.

 

Condescending? Simply a statement of fact based upon personal observation & opinion. If you are put off anything because a few people can't behave properly, or think it is their role to entertain the entire dining room, that's entirely a matter for you. Do you have qualifications in irony, or just sarcasm?

 

If you are put off something because you think it's condescending for anyone else to offer an opinion, with which you may or may not concur, then you are in for a tough life. I realise you are on a "fishing expedition", or have completely misunderstood the point, but it may help to read the entire post and apply some perspective as opposed to being selective & literal with your quotes - I guess that is condescending too, by design.

[msk68]

We enjoyed our QG experience on the QV. I would caution one thing about the Courtyard. It is right under the ship's whistle which affords a marvelously dramatic backdrop but....if you are departing a port during lunch, they will ring the ship's whistle several times. Gave me quite a start would be a mild description of my experience. Any other time is fantastic!

[Chunky2219]

I thought that I would enjoy reading this thread, reading about the QG to which I had hoped to eventually aspire. That is until I read pies4u's comments about ill-mannered brash people. How condescending. Think I'll stick with my inside or balcony staterooms and dine in Brittania where I have only ever met charming and well-mannered people who all knew how to use a knife and fork.

I'm sure you will be entirely happy in familiar circumstances. It's a pity that you won't be bringing your experiences to a wider audience or getting a wider perspective of your own.

 

Let's be clear here. The only way you will normally know on board ship if someone is in the Grills is if you see them use the card in the lift to get to the top floor or see those in the real high-rent cabins subtly hand over a card to get an early tender ticket.

 

And yes, like all lines Cunard has enough people on board who are ill-mannered in public spaces for pies4u to realistically conclude they were not eating in the same location as him. There is definately no sunbed hogging on the top deck, probably because there are more beds than there are people who want to spend time basting in the sun like a Christmas turkey.

 

Just to add a little balance, let me tell you a QG story about one of our voyages. One mature diner and his (ostensibly) young wife used to turn up for breakfast straight from the gym, dripping in sweat and in her case, scantily clad. One of our table mates took exception to the diversion of her husband's gaze and complained to the maitre d'. The reply was, "Oh, I can't fix that, it's Lord So-and-So". She insisted and it was indeed sorted. For the remainder of the voyage decorum was maintained, until the final formal night. He turned up in jeans and a tee shirt and she was dressed like a showgirl.

 

If you go looking for the brash and ill-mannered you will find them all over the ship. There just seems to be fewer in the grills and you have to pay a bit more attention to spot them.

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[Pies4u]

To be fair, my initial comments were "tongue in cheek" but I was, light heartedly, implying that Cunard passeners, in general - not just in the Grills - are less inclined to the more intrusive/annoying habits that can be readily observed on other lines.

 

I think the poster who responded was either trolling or, as I said, just "on a fishing expedition" to provoke a reply, either way they completely misinterpreted my post. The fact that they subsequently disappeared without trace only compounds my suspicion.

[Whitemarsh]

Thanks cinta, I'm looking forward to the whole experience of queens grill, I may not be able to do it again. Hoping the weather is going to be good, we are going to Spain, Portugal, Morroco, can't remember the other ports of call. Will have to have a look.

 

We did go to the Canaries with RCI last November and the weather was warm in most places.

 

I love QM2 and have experienced princess grill and it was amazing. Loved every thing that princess grill had to offer.

 

Catherine

 

Like you, I had done Princess Grill and was curious about Queens Grill. Having now done Queens Grill my curiosity is sated and I will be back in the Princess Grill or Britannia. Unless the QV & QE are run differently to QM2, you will find the Queens Grill experience extremely similar to the Princess Grill experience.

 

For example, the food and service in the two restaurants is almost exactly the same. Both restaurants have a similar a la carte menu and trust me when I tell you that the Oven Baked Dartmoor Lamb cooked by the same person, in the same kitchen, tastes exactly the same - irrespective of whether it ends up on a Princess Grill table or a Queens Grill table. The differences between the two restaurants are minor: free caviar and foie gras in the Queens Grill, in addition to Lobster Thermidor available daily on the Queens Grill a la carte menu (from memory that wasn't available in the PG every day back in 2012).

 

The service in the Queens Grill this year on QM2 was no better than the service in the Princess Grill last year. In fact, the service in the Princess Grill was slightly slicker last year for some reason (and this was again commented on by a Queens Grill table-mate who dined in the Princess Grill about two weeks again) - nothing to do with our excellent waiter Andrew.

 

Your Queens Grill experiences in the Queens Grill lounge and Concierge Lounge will be exactly the same as your Princess Grill experiences in the Queens Grill lounge and Concierge Lounge. You are not treated differently in either based on whether you are in Queens or Princess Grill.

 

Queens Grill suites are much larger and come with the additional services of a butler. I saw him more often than the steward and appreciated having him on call. Of course, you need to be in your suite to utilise the services of the butler (generally speaking) so there is a limit to what you can use them for.

 

It will be interesting to see what you think, whether you notice any major differences between Queens Grill and Princess Grill. Apart from the size of the suites, I didn't notice any major differences. I did notice little differences, such as the little rectangle shaped piece of white cloth they put down at night next to the bed and that room service is laid out completely on the tablecloth covered table by the butler. Of course there is also the complimentary booze and soft drinks, and it was nice to have a free coke whenever I wanted to.

 

I enjoyed the Queens Grill, I hope you will too. Just don't expect it to be wildly different to the Princess Grill experience.

[north east girl]

Like you, I had done Princess Grill and was curious about Queens Grill. Having now done Queens Grill my curiosity is sated and I will be back in the Princess Grill or Britannia. Unless the QV & QE are run differently to QM2, you will find the Queens Grill experience extremely similar to the Princess Grill experience.

 

For example, the food and service in the two restaurants is almost exactly the same. Both restaurants have a similar a la carte menu and trust me when I tell you that the Oven Baked Dartmoor Lamb cooked by the same person, in the same kitchen, tastes exactly the same - irrespective of whether it ends up on a Princess Grill table or a Queens Grill table. The differences between the two restaurants are minor: free caviar and foie gras in the Queens Grill, in addition to Lobster Thermidor available daily on the Queens Grill a la carte menu (from memory that wasn't available in the PG every day back in 2012).

 

The service in the Queens Grill this year on QM2 was no better than the service in the Princess Grill last year. In fact, the service in the Princess Grill was slightly slicker last year for some reason (and this was again commented on by a Queens Grill table-mate who dined in the Princess Grill about two weeks again) - nothing to do with our excellent waiter Andrew.

 

Your Queens Grill experiences in the Queens Grill lounge and Concierge Lounge will be exactly the same as your Princess Grill experiences in the Queens Grill lounge and Concierge Lounge. You are not treated differently in either based on whether you are in Queens or Princess Grill.

 

Queens Grill suites are much larger and come with the additional services of a butler. I saw him more often than the steward and appreciated having him on call. Of course, you need to be in your suite to utilise the services of the butler (generally speaking) so there is a limit to what you can use them for.

 

It will be interesting to see what you think, whether you notice any major differences between Queens Grill and Princess Grill. Apart from the size of the suites, I didn't notice any major differences. I did notice little differences, such as the little rectangle shaped piece of white cloth they put down at night next to the bed and that room service is laid out completely on the tablecloth covered table by the butler. Of course there is also the complimentary booze and soft drinks, and it was nice to have a free coke whenever I wanted to.

 

I enjoyed the Queens Grill, I hope you will too. Just don't expect it to be wildly different to the Princess Grill experience.

Hi Hindmarsh, Thank you for replying to my post, I have been enjoying reading yours.

 

I can see what you mean that there is ery little difference between the two grills. You get mostly the same benefits other than the bar set up, butler and larger stateroom.

 

We love the food and the service in Princess grill. I think the main thing about the grills that I like was having the same table thoughout your trip from breakfast to evening meal. This enables your waiting staff to get to know you and you them.

 

I have really enjoyed your blog, I love reading live blogs. It helps pass the time until I will be sailing with Cunard again.

 

Catherine

[Bispham Boo]

"I have really enjoyed your blog, I love reading live blogs. It helps pass the time until I will be sailing with Cunard again." well said Catherine! It's the same for me.

We have a P&O cruise this year but next year will be our 5th wedding anniversary so we hope to do something with Cunard, maybe QM2 but not decided yet.

Bev

[north east girl]

We enjoyed our QG experience on the QV. I would caution one thing about the Courtyard. It is right under the ship's whistle which affords a marvelously dramatic backdrop but....if you are departing a port during lunch, they will ring the ship's whistle several times. Gave me quite a start would be a mild description of my experience. Any other time is fantastic!

Hi msk68, Thanks for the warning about the ships whistle. Do you have to book to eat in the Courtyard?

 

Catherine

[north east girl]

"I have really enjoyed your blog, I love reading live blogs. It helps pass the time until I will be sailing with Cunard again." well said Catherine! It's the same for me.

We have a P&O cruise this year but next year will be our 5th wedding anniversary so we hope to do something with Cunard, maybe QM2 but not decided yet.

Bev

Hi Bev, How nice to have your 5th anniversary to plan for next year. We have our 30th next year, will probably want to celebrate somewhere with Cunard ourselves.

 

What time of the year is your anniversary? Ours is October, will have to pick somewhere with warm weather.

 

Catherine

[Skyhigh]

Another benefit of QG is that you can order off the menu with one day's notice although most of the time we've been able to do this at breakfast on the same day.

 

Have used this mostly for dessert (flambeed strawberries, pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving) but is great on a short voyage if they aren't going to serve something on your special list.

[Glenndale]

Another benefit of QG is that you can order off the menu with one day's notice although most of the time we've been able to do this at breakfast on the same day.

 

Have used this mostly for dessert (flambeed strawberries, pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving) but is great on a short voyage if they aren't going to serve something on your special list.

 

........Do you have to book to eat in the Courtyard?

 

Catherine

 

You are also encouraged to order off menu in Princess Grill and no, you don't have to book to eat in the Courtyard, it's a case of 'first come, first served'.

As others have said the main differences are the size of the accommodation, the bar set up and Butler.

[Bispham Boo]

Hi Bev, How nice to have your 5th anniversary to plan for next year. We have our 30th next year, will probably want to celebrate somewhere with Cunard ourselves.

 

What time of the year is your anniversary? Ours is October, will have to pick somewhere with warm weather.

 

Catherine

 

It's April. We managed to hit New York on Easter Sunday for our honeymoon, prior to our TA home. Not sure if we will aim for a cruise around that time, or wait until later in the year. The fjords sound good, but then so does somewhere warm :)

[London boys]

Hey north east girl, hope you enjoy the Q/G , I have only done the P/G, I'll be aboard the same cruise ,, really looking forward to it , in the Britannia this time , still 12 nights of fun and 12 relaxing days , ENJOY and see you on board .

 

The London boys

[keithm]

To be fair, my initial comments were "tongue in cheek" but I was, light heartedly, implying that Cunard passeners, in general - not just in the Grills - are less inclined to the more intrusive/annoying habits that can be readily observed on other lines.

 

I think the poster who responded was either trolling or, as I said, just "on a fishing expedition" to provoke a reply, either way they completely misinterpreted my post. The fact that they subsequently disappeared without trace only compounds my suspicion.

Yeah, I figured it was a bit of dry humor. Too bad he took it so literal.