QV 22nd Oct 2016 7nt Rome to Barcelona Suite 7142 review

[princess grills]

We flew into Rome from Heathrow on a BA charter. When we landed we were bused to the terminal and then queued for the automated passport control which was quite quick. We waited about 15 minutes for the luggage and there were 2 ladies waiting by the exit with Cunard boards telling people where to find the coaches. We were staying in the Queens Grill so there was a seperate board going around with our names on it along with six others. We had to wait a little longer because it seemed two people were missing and had already gone through. This happened in the summer in Athens, the staff are always very visable and you really have to go out of your way to miss them. I say this, as the staff came across the missing two outside customs, who were not happy to have been missed and thought that it was the staff's fault.

We were taken and your luggage was placed on a trolley and pushed for you if needed, we didn't, but it was nice to be offered. There were two seven seated Mercedes cars/vans waiting for us.

The driver was very pleasant and the journey was about forty minutes, no horses were spared and Lewis Hamilton would have been proud and possibly a little scared. On arrival at the port our luggage was unloaded and taken by the baggage handlers while we walked into the terminal.

We used the priorty embarkation line and only waited a couple of minutes to reach the desk. This was a special trip for us and we were booked into The Aquitainia Suite 7142 a Q1. We were given a special card with the suite name and asked to hand it to our butler Jerome when we boarded the ship.

We were met by Jerome as soon as we boarded and he knew our names and introduced himself and took our hand luggage from us. He took us to our suite chatting all the way, we felt very special. But I did feel sorry for him as it was a long way to the stern of the ship and our bag and suit carrier with eight suits inside was very heavy.

This was our first cruise in a Q1 we normally are in a Q3. There is only one word for the suite, wow, 2249 sq feet, with a balcony that is so huge it has a six seated dining table and six loungers on it and three doors to access it.

People often ask the difference between Britannia and the Grills on this site and for me when we travel in Britannia we just sleep in the room and are out of it as much as we can. But in the Queens Grill we spend most of the cruise in the suite and the balcony.

There was the usual Pol Acker (treat/bushtucker trial) and a bottle of Verve Cliquot waiting for us. We were shown around the suite, it could be a half day tour with a break for lunch it is that big, it takes half the stern of the ship.

I asked for the bed to be changed with different flat sheets etc and different pillows, I'm always hot and a duvet is too warm for me, though my other half is cold so needs one. I said there was no hurry but Jerome was back in five minutes to redo the bed, amazing.

We had ordered the two bottles that you get in the grills, which are replaced when empty, and some extra sodas for the kid in me.

We then went for lunch in the Queens Grill.

I had asked for a specific table that we had had during the summer, because we loved our waiters. The Maitre 'd asked if we were happy with the table because he would move us to the forward end of the restaurant where the Q1,2,3 normally have their tables but we were by the window with a bit more space between us and the next table off to the side so we stayed.

 

After the drill we set about finding our favourite crew member Lucia a 36 year veteran of Cunard, a true star. She had moved from the Grill Lounge to Midships, our new home.

After dinner which was very pleasant we were at midships where we were informed about the 'List of notables' onboard. I had never heard of this. It is a list with photos of the guests in the four Q1 suites and two Q2 suites plus the most travelled guests with their names and the photo that was taken at check in. This is handed out to all staff so they know who you are. A really nice touch. The list is never shown due to data protection etc.

 

We ordered room service for breakfast everyday. It was laid up by the Butler on the dining table then as you have a seperate bedroom with a door, he would telephone the bedroom phone and wake us. We would then go out after he had left, so non of that dressing gown bed hair embarassment.

 

Now Anne Widdecombe was the guest speaker and was truely amazing, it did feel at times we were at a Tory party conference. She was witty, engaging, a true delight.

Anne did another speech and got her second standing ovation. When we spoke to Sally Sagoe ( our favourite Entertainment Manager) she said no speaker has ever even had even one ovation.

 

We had seen all the shows before other than the pickpocket, who struggled to get audience participation (we were in a box, otherwise I would have got up, no really I felt sorry for him). But when things started to go wrong the star of the show was the guest who was on a different planet, he even got back up on stage at the end when Sally was doing her closing speech. It was so bizzare that even Sally broke in to fits of laughter and couldn't carry on. Brilliant.

 

I love the dance shows, since they changed to an all British cast they seem in my opinion to really get into the dances and can sing along with the singers as its their language. The singers were great especially the American lady who kept 'knocking it out of the park' with every song.

 

We would order lunch from the Queens Grill menu and have it in the suite or on the balcony or 'the promenade' as I called it. The table would be laid up by Jerome with all the food delivered together in one go. Our food was never served course by course as I thought it would be but this was never a problem.

To eat outside everyday was lovely.

Because you can have wine in your suite we had an endless supply as it was restocked when we finished it.

We also ate dinner most nights here which was amazing, nice and cool for me, very private, no rush for dinner, then we could head for the show and a drink at our leisure.

We also had afternoon tea delivered, each time we were asked how many sandwiches, what kind, how many cakes, what tea? Wonderful.

 

We didn't spend any time on the Grills deck, which was always a favourite of mine, as our balcony was so big. We would only leave to go for a swim or jacuzzi.

 

There was a little noise of people moving chairs above us but it was never a problem and never early or late so we were never disturbed.

There was no noise or vibrations at the stern and absolutley no noise from neighbours, they aren't any.

It is a walk to everything but I never understand the complaints, walking is good for you. Being away from the lifts there is no noise and at the stern there is no noise because no one walks past.

 

We felt like we were on a private yacht and we loved it. It is a shame the stern is changing so they will lose the huge depth of balcony.

 

I can not praise the suite enough. Everytime I left the suite I looked forward to going back to it. I was not bothered about being looked over by the rooms and Lido above, you can always move further in and not be seen by anybody.

We even played a game where you had to guess which of the three doors the other person would come out of to get back on the balcony, well it made us laugh.

 

It is just a shame after the semi private transfer to the ship you are thrown in with everyone else when you leave. But that's the only gripe.

 

We loved it!

[AZNative2000]

Happy to hear you all enjoyed this cruise as much as we did. Welcome home.

 

Cheers!

[laktex]

 

It is just a shame after the semi private transfer to the ship you are thrown in with everyone else when you leave. But that's the only gripe.

 

We loved it!

 

Yes, its a bit like getting off a plane from First Class, all that attention checking in, the lounge, the flight, the food - then its a fight for immigration!!

[easyboy]

Glad to know you enjoyed your cruise! Thanks for a great review.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[bazbov]

Hello and thanks for posting your review. Glad you had a good time. We like Sally Sago too. Happy cruising.:)

[Host Hattie]

Lovely review, what a wonderful treat for your special trip.

[ClanMcLean]

How fabulous!

[royce168]

Hello and thanks for posting your review.it was so interesting any photos?and how was the food did you go off menu.

[princess grills]

Here are some of my photos of the suite. Sorry some of the photos rotated while uploading them.

Edited November 19, 2016 by princess grills
the photos rotated in error

[princess grills]

HI Royce

We did not go off menu this cruise as we had planned to eat mostly in the suite. During the summer I ate off menu every night except the first. Being vegetarian I feel that I am a second class citizen while my other half has the spectacular meat dishes. So I told the head waiter what I did not eat and just to surprise me every night. This was not an easy task to arrange as she was not willing to do this unless I told her exactly what I wanted. But again I said surprise me! The head Chef was Malaysian, and that was mostly the theme and it was amazing, and one night vegetarian escargot, work that one out if you can but after our waiter said it isn't snails I checked twice. Would I do it again? Probably not, it was quite a hassle I felt, this would not have been the case if I asked everyday for chips and egg, I was a Brit in Spain after all!

Caviar again was not advertised and only the regulars were having it being in the know, my other half loves it.

One night I thought that the Britannia menu was better than the Queens Grill and then some nights it was exactly the same.

But every meal was beautifully presented and tasty and you do get bigger portions than Britannia. My highlight is always the cheese trolley, just wheel it round and leave it there.

We did miss the fruit kebab/sandwiches/ice cream service on the Grills deck during the day as we stayed in the suite mainly.

 

Two further things I remembered was the lovely roses and carnations in the suite. The roses were changed once, white to red. Stunning.

Also in the bathroom was a gift tin of Penhaligans womens perfumes from housekeeping , which was a very nice touch.

[Colin_Cameron]

Being vegetarian I feel that I am a second class citizen while my other half has the spectacular meat dishes.

 

Amazing the difference from one cruise to the next. We boarded as you left and had the opposite impression. I've mislaid some of the menus, but going through the ones I have to hand (main course only):

 

Day 3: 3 veg, 1 fish, 2 meat

Day 4: 3 veg, 2 fish, 1 meat

Day 5: 4 veg, 1 fish, 1 meat

Day 6: 3 veg, 1 fish, 2 meat

Day 7: 3 veg, 1 fish, 2 meat (chicken and turkey!)

Day 8: 3 veg, 1 fish, 2 meat

and so it went on. Thank goodness for the a la carte.

 

BTW. I managed to get a look into your suite and it looked spectacular. So jealous.

 

Regards, Colin.

[royce168]

thank you for posting your photos and also your feed back on the food. we do know the Malaysian chief because he used to work in a Singapore hotel many years ago. but he did do a few Malaysian dishes for us when we were on the QV we both like Caviar so have it a few times instead of the 5 o'clock canapes.

The reason for asking about the off menu is just to see any new ideas to come up with because in the grills other passengers seem never to have anything new and we do something and everyone starts asking for it we are off in a few weeks pre-Christmas and i want them to do me mac and cheese with chateaubriand i have the recipe.

 

thank you again for your posts and feed back

Royce