Queen Victoria questions and possible madness

[roger3858]

After a year and a bit break from travel and cruising boards I've logged back on. I'm hoping people coped ok with the general (and ongoing) horribleness that has been the disruption and stress that Covid and lockdown has caused.

 

My second but last trip before Covid was an Eastbound TA in December 2019 which both my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed and completely converted us to Cunard. I was very grateful for the information people on here gave me in advance of that trip and it definitely was helpful. As things are starting to reopen we're finally starting to look at booking a trip away again.

 

Whilst 2020 and early 2021 has easily been the most stressful period of my professional life in the NHS it did also come with the happy birth of our first child. I can now vaguely remember what uninterrupted sleep felt like.

 

It may be madness or simply cabin fever but we are looking at booking the 10 day Atlantic escape trip on QV this winter by which time my daughter will be 9-10months but are keen for a bit more information before we pull the trigger on it. Certainly from reading Cunard's websites they seem to be family friendly and well equipped in terms of sterilises, food, facilities etc to allow people to travel with babies and small children relatively easily. At the same time some of the posts I've found online expressed somewhat robust thoughts on people bringing small children aboard.

 

1. Our first trip was on QM2 in a Q6 and we would be looking to book in the Grills again. Trying to book online there seems to be rather more limited choice of cabin classes when booking with a baby. For instance we are able to book a Q4 but not a Q6. Given that a Q6 is bigger than a deluxe britannia inside (which we can also book with a baby) I'm not sure of Cunard's logic and wasn't sure if I was missing something? Is it simply an online thing and needs to be booked by phone or does Cunard restrict cots and children to specific room classes?

 

2. Whilst Osman was very disappointment that the family with the baby at the table beside us never came for dinner in QG on our TA I'm under no illusions that a 9-10month old baby is necessarily going to be settled enough to sit in a well behaved manner through a dinner.

For the avoidance of all doubt (and to prevent me getting flamed on here!) I have no intention of inflicting a crying or screaming baby on other dinners or attempting to spoil their dinner or experience in any way.

I fully expect many of our evening meals will be eaten in the suite unless she is being exceptionally well settled.

QM2 had a table of a reasonable height for a eating at in the Q6 - judging by the pictures and videos I've looked at of QV PG or QG rooms there doesn't seem to be a similar table - only a lower coffee style table. For those that have taken meals in their suite in QV how did you find it?

 

3. I know you can eat off the QG menu in your room during standard hours - am I right in saying this also applies to the PG menu for dinner in your room or is it standard room service if traveling in PG? 

 

4. We are hoping that for the gala nights we will be able to leave the wee one in the night nursery for a few hours to allow us to eat in the restaurant - provided she settles that is! Does any one have experience of using the night nursery on Cunard - keen to hear peoples thoughts and experiences of it.

 

5. Any overall thoughts of PG vs Q4 on QV?

 

Any and all thoughts gratefully received!

[resistk]

Well we were always satisified users of nursery and Fun Zone until the Paul Trotter affair but I know Cunard has upgraded its security since then.  Still, just because you are on a cruise ship one should never make assumptions or take risks one would not on land.  Personally, I would not leave the baby in the nursery for more than few hours at a time.  Also I would keep in mind how busy the Fun Zone or whatever they call it these days would be during that voyage.,

Edited May 5, 2021 by resistk

[navybankerteacher]

Give the nipper (and fellow diners) a chance -- some babies (actually 2 of my 4) thrive on seeing/sitting with strangers for over an hour and make decorative contribution.  Of course if he/she doesn't play fair, you owe it to others to isolate.

[wolfie789]

We too are hoping to sail on the Canaries trip with our daughter who was born in March, so will be 9 months by December. 

 

(1) We booked over the phone and had the exact same issue having to 'upgrade' from a Q6. There seems no logical reason behind this but our really excellent TA escalated it to a supervisor and still got the same answer, so it's not an online glitch.

(3) It's standard room service unfortunately. 

 

You are quite right about some of the strong reactions on previous posts to travelling in QG with a young child. Having been a couple looking for a formal, civilised atmosphere onboard in the QG on our last 10 or so trips, we can relate to this. However, we're very careful on land to whisk our daughter away if she starts to cry and would do so without a moment's hesitation on board. 

 

[david,Mississauga]

3 hours ago, wolfie789 said:

...

(3) It's standard room service unfortunately. 

...

 

 

 

Has there been a change in the offering of PG room service from the PG menu? A few years ago we travelled in PG on the QE and were told we could have meals sent in. We never did because we liked the restaurant even more than the one on the QM2. Copies of the lunch and dinner menus were delivered to us every morning.

 

The Website still promises "In-suite dining from the Princess Grill menu."

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-us/the-cunard-experience/staterooms-and-suites/grills-experience

 

[wolfie789]

2 hours ago, david,Mississauga said:

 

Has there been a change in the offering of PG room service from the PG menu? A few years ago we travelled in PG on the QE and were told we could have meals sent in. We never did because we liked the restaurant even more than the one on the QM2. Copies of the lunch and dinner menus were delivered to us every morning.

 

The Website still promises "In-suite dining from the Princess Grill menu."

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-us/the-cunard-experience/staterooms-and-suites/grills-experience

 

My bad if so - I may be confused but had it down as a QG perk. We only sailed PG once though so I am probably misremembering. 

[roscoe39]

6 hours ago, wolfie789 said:

W

(3) It's standard room service unfortunately. 

 

 

Hi Wolfe,  just for your next sailing, room service in the PG suites includes the PG menu as well as the standard menu, you can order off the menus delivered to your suite each morning. Made for nice easy dining if you didn't want to dress up for the evening...

 

oooops sorry some one has already answered that!@!

Edited May 6, 2021 by roscoe39

[wolfie789]

10 hours ago, roscoe39 said:

Hi Wolfe,  just for your next sailing, room service in the PG suites includes the PG menu as well as the standard menu, you can order off the menus delivered to your suite each morning. Made for nice easy dining if you didn't want to dress up for the evening...

 

oooops sorry some one has already answered that!@!

Thank you!