Steerage class guest dining in the Queen's Grill?

[Bollinge]

Is it possible for "steerage" class passengers to have one meal (maybe lunch) in the Queens / Princess Grill restaurants aboard QM2 / QE2?

 

I was thinking of greasing the Maitre d's palm - which usually works!

[mufi]

Unlikely, very unlikely.

 

David.

[2moose]

Is it possible for "steerage" class passengers to have one meal (maybe lunch) in the Queens / Princess Grill restaurants aboard QM2 / QE2?

 

I was thinking of greasing the Maitre d's palm - which usually works!

I tried but it did not work for me and i was in the princess grill however they did allow me to have non grill paxs at my table one eve for dinner. we were a deuce with a table for four. but give it a try!! good luck!!

[mtbny7]

I doubt it but maybe.... who would turn down $500?

 

Michael

[2moose]

I doubt it but maybe.... who would turn down $500?

 

Michael

YOUR TABLE IS READY SIR!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[MollyBrown]

Is it possible for "steerage" class passengers to have one meal (maybe lunch) in the Queens / Princess Grill restaurants aboard QM2 / QE2?

 

I was thinking of greasing the Maitre d's palm - which usually works!

 

I think it's so funny that you call Brittania "steerage" class. Steerage Class was left behind with the old liners, I believe. There was no luxury what-so-ever in "steerage". Brittania is more like the First Class of the old liners than it is like the cheaper Class which was mostly populated by those who needed passage, but could not afford any more than this very basic level of travel.

 

I prefer Brittania because

 

a) The dining room is much larger and one can meet so many more people,

b) I prefer the deck I'm on because I don't do too well in rough weather, and only Britannia cabins are on this deck, and

c) To tell you the truth, I prefer to meet a mix of people than to be confined to one type---("look at me, I'm rich now!"). Sorry. Perhaps I'm being unfair.

[seacruise9]

Hi,

 

In 2003, I did a crossing on the QE2 and was booked in a Mauretania inside single cabin. I had a friend who was traveling on this same crossing and dining in the Queens Grill. During the crossing, he was dining alone at a table for two. He asked the maitre d if I could join him for lunch one day. The maitre d said that it was "impossible."

 

Later, l talked to the hotel manager and explained how much I would like to have lunch in the Queens Grill and that I had sailed with Cunard many times in the past. The hotel manager contacted the maitre d and I was invited to have lunch in the Queens Grill with my friend. The lunch was wonderful. Thus, it is possible to do this but I don't think it happens very often.

[JGR01]

If you wish to dine in the Queens Grill (or for that matter have access to the Queens Grill Guests ONLY space on deck 11) .. you need to pay for Queens Grill accomodation.

 

You could ask the same question .. can a Brittania pax have tea in the Queens Grill Lounge? They don't really 'check' your cabin number for tea, but the expectation is that pax obey the signs provided (in this case Princess and Queens Grill pax have the Lounge reserved for their tea as well as pre-dinner cocktails).

 

Would you have the nerve to ask an airline (British Airways maybe??) when you are flying in Coach class if you could have a glass of Champagne from First Class .. or the fruit plate from the Business Class breakfast?? Or maybe you would just like to go into Club World and sit for 5 minutes to see how comfortable the seats are??

 

Since as has been reported by other posts herein, the menus between the three dining venues are normally the same (lunch and dinner) .. the differences in QG is the extensive ala carte menu availabe at all dinners (the duck is FABULOUS) as well as the ability to request special meals with a bit of notice. I had a shrimp Korma on my birthday that was outstanding. A couple at my table had pre-ordered a total 'wild game' dinner menu .. and the wife had pre-ordered a vegetarian menu that was heavy on the morel mushrooms (even though there was a separate vegetarian menu).

 

That said, I cannot tell you how Kings Court (thats the buffet right??) or the other dining venues rated .. as I never strayed from my table in Queens Grill.

 

So we each have different experiences on the Queens .. I am glad that the tradition continues. I've pre-booked on the Queen Victoria in 2008 for a Queens Grill suite already.

[Bollinge]

I have been upgraded free to First / Business Class on many airlines, including British Airways. I have never been impressed enough to pay for anything other than steerage, although I do upgrade occasionally using mileage.

 

We are Gold members of the Cunard World Club and Elite members on Celebrity. We went on four cruises in 2005, so it might be that a meal in a Grill restaurant is a sprat to catch a mackerel.

 

If we enjoy the experience and think the difference worth the money, Cunard might end up with regular Grill passengers. But until we try it we don't know, and will carry on cruising in 3rd class.

[patwell]

My parents came to this country steerage from Scandinavia. They did not have a lovely cabin like a Britannia class cabin with a balcony. They didn't dine in elegance in the grand Britannia restaurant or have a spa for relaxation or ballrooms for dancing. I'll be cruising on the QM2 in Britannia class so I guess I"m following in proud footsteps if this is considered steerage.

[2moose]

my grand father fell off the boat in nyc from ireland(queenstown) in 1908 i have his billing invoice ands some other paperwork from the voyage.the cost of being in steerage was $10.00 usd and it said to bring your own fork and knife, now based on todays rates no one is in steerage and you dont have to bring your own knife and fork. regards to all

[bonni99]

If you wish to dine in the Queens Grill (or for that matter have access to the Queens Grill Guests ONLY space on deck 11) .. you need to pay for Queens Grill accomodation.

 

Interesting that another post mentions how 6 passengers in the Britannia were asked to move from their late to early sitting so that Queens Grill passengers could sit at the table in the britannia in front of the mural! I think ym answer would have been- yes they can take my table and I will take theirs in the Queens grill! I agree with getting what you have paid for, but expecting those in the Britannia to "make way" for the Queens Grill passengers is, in my opnion- a darn cheek! Makes me think that maybe the poster who said steerage wasnt far from the truth...certainly in the way Cunard can view those passengers!

[dougnewmanatsea]

the cost of being in steerage was $10.00 usd

That's about $200 in today's money - not as cheap as it sounds!

 

Those of us who call Britannia (QM2)/Mauretania (QE2) "steerage" do so jokingly. In reality, steerage went the way of the dodo in the 1920s when the US ended unlimited immigration from Europe. It was replaced by "tourist third cabin", the ancestor of tourist-class which is basically what Britannia/Mauretania are today.

[ricker]

The appropriate gesture on the part of Cunard would be to provide the Britannia passengers with complimentary Todd English reservations for giving up their table.

Rick

[MollyBrown]

To summarize my previous post:

 

BRITTANIA IS NOT "STEERAGE".

[Gould]

I think it's so funny that you call Brittania "steerage" class. Steerage Class was left behind with the old liners, I believe. There was no luxury what-so-ever in "steerage". Brittania is more like the First Class of the old liners than it is like the cheaper Class which was mostly populated by those who needed passage, but could not afford any more than this very basic level of travel.

 

I prefer Brittania because

 

a) The dining room is much larger and one can meet so many more people,

b) I prefer the deck I'm on because I don't do too well in rough weather, and only Britannia cabins are on this deck, and

c) To tell you the truth, I prefer to meet a mix of people than to be confined to one type---("look at me, I'm rich now!"). Sorry. Perhaps I'm being unfair.

 

 

Actually, the Grills are not just composed of "nouveau-riches", as you seem to think. Not to be pompous, but I travel in QG, and our family is very "old money".

However, I have travelled in Brittania, and I do agree that it is most certainly far too luxurious to be called "steerage"!

[dougnewmanatsea]

BRITTANIA IS NOT "STEERAGE".

I really don't think anyone is seriously suggesting that it is! As I said, many of us call it that jokingly. Including non-Grill passengers. I do apologise if you find it disparating or not funny but it is not meant seriously.

 

Actually, the Grills are not just composed of "nouveau-riches", as you seem to think.

They're not just composed of riches, nouveau or otherwise!

 

I know people who are not rich, but their priorities are such that they spend a lot of money on travel. Maybe they drive an old economy car and live in a small house but they will travel in the Grills. Other people can be the same way with cars or clothing or whatever. Not everyone who buys something expensive is rich; they might just be cheap about everything else ;) !

 

But at any rate, I agree with you that the profile of Grill passengers as pompous noveaux riches is just not accurate. You will find all kinds of people in the Grills as you will find all kinds of people in the other restaurants. I have plenty of friends who travel in the Grills and obviously they are not snobby enough not to associate with me ;) !

[2moose]

Actually, the Grills are not just composed of "nouveau-riches", as you seem to think. Not to be pompous, but I travel in QG, and our family is very "old money".

However, I have travelled in Brittania, and I do agree that it is most certainly far too luxurious to be called "steerage"!

i dont believe either of the above choices are correct. after 2 trips on the qe-2 in the p-cat and one trip onthe qm-2 in in the p-cat many of the people we met were like my wife and i that is average hard working people perhaps celebrating a special occasion which they saved long and hard for. the 3 trips we have enjoyed were for our 30,35,and 40th anniversary. The opposite i found to be also true many people in less expensive cabins could well afford the q cat but choose to dine in the larger dining areas fo personal choices. regards to all ( by the way my family is from no money!!!!!!)

[planetcadillac]

They're not just compused of riches, nouveau or otherwise!

 

I know people who are not rich, but their priorities are such that they spend a lot of money on travel. Maybe they drive an old economy car and live in a small house but they will travel in the Grills. Other people can be the same way with cars or clothing or whatever. Not everyone who buys something expensive is rich; they might just be cheap about everything else ;) !

 

We do this very thing. I operate an antique car business and am a mechanic by trade and can fix anything. Thus we drive what I happen to have around or are working on. Thus no car payments, the house is always fixed up (by me) and we don't spend much money on any other frivolous personal habits (no smoking, drinking, etc.) We drive old cars and travel. Live in a very old (1930s & 1940s houses) but modest middle class neighborhood don't even have cable TV. No kids though which is a big thing I know. But yes we probably spend a large proportion of our yearly budget on travelling maybe 15% of our income believe it or not but we travel regularly and are well known in our social circles for doing it. I would rather see places than have a fancy and expensive new plasma TV in my living room, etc.

 

Don't travel in Grills though, lol. Mainly because we are not food connosieurs (I am diabetic for one thing) and well rather see and do more than spend the extra $ on uplevel accomodation. We DID however book suites on the Norwegian Majesty in December 2005. Far far cry from suites on QM2/QE2 but suites none the less with the living room/bedroom setups couches full bathrooms, concierge and the amenities. It was nice and definately worth it what we were able to get. But $1,500pp is far different than $6,000+ pp. We have friends in the old car business who are more well-to-do and travel on the Queens regularly as well. However they always book the Grills mainly because of the wife who is an up and comer in the coporate world and is well on that snob kick I guess.

 

People are people its what makes you happy that counts. If you get on a cruise and have a blast no matter where you sleep or what you do it is a success!

[MollyBrown]

The opposite i found to be also true many people in less expensive cabins could well afford the q cat but choose to dine in the larger dining areas fo personal choices. regards to all ( by the way my family is from no money!!!!!!)

 

That is exactly my case, because I prefer the larger dining room and a greater variety of people to meet (I travel solo), and because I prefer to be on a particular deck that I like, which is better for rough weather, and does not have any Grill cabins except very fore and very aft (which are terrible during rough weather).

 

I don't know why they put all the Grill cabins in areas of the ship that are the worst in terms of motion during rough weather.

 

Another reason I travel in Brittania is, I suppose, is that half my family are from rather Puritan stock who believe it is better to choose simplicity over ostentatiousness. Then again, the other side of my family is the opposite, and in other areas of life, I'd choose a little luxury. It depends on your particular preferences.

 

It really comes down to whether or not the Grills are worth it, and I think Brittania is good enough. Also, I think some travel in the Grills, not because the Grills are better, but because they want to feel like VIP's. Nothing wrong with that to a point I suppose, but at least please don't call Brittania "steerage".

[Ldybrnwyn]

I've been on the QM2 before and it's not a good idea to try and "tip" anyone. One complaint from a Queen's grill passenger and someone loses their job. Stick with Britannia (you will NOT be dissapointed!) and save your money for the canyon ranch spa :-) 500 will get you a couple of 100 min Eurphoria treatments. Just take a look at http://www.canyonranch.com/spaclubs/queenmary2/pdfs/qm2_guide.pdf

on page 24. That spa will change your life! Although I recommend signing on to http://www.canyonranch.com/spaclubs/queenmary2 to pre-book your services.

[mufi]

That's about $200 in today's money - not as cheap as it sounds!

 

.

 

This would be for the CROSSING, not per day. I would willingly bring my own knife and fork for that deal.

 

David.

[mufi]

I go along with MollyBrown and Planetcadillac. Always look at what is on offer and how much it costs. Would never choose Grill class because for me it is just poor poor value. If I had had really bad food or lousy service in the lower grades I may have been pursuaded, but up to now Caronia/Britannia has been fine for me.

 

It always amuses me to read the comment "we had caviar every night" Says it all for me.

 

David.

[Ldybrnwyn]

 

It always amuses me to read the comment "we had caviar every night" Says it all for me.

 

David.

 

David,

 

I heard that! When we were in the Carribean on QM2 I never did get a chance to visit the tea in the Queen's room or the golden Lion Pub (I'm a HUGE fan of Bangers and Mash). Two places I definitely plan on visiting on the Hawaiin trip.

[patwell]

This would NOT be an enticement for me!!!!