Queen’s Grills butlers - what do they do?

[AspirationalFlyer]

Hello all 

 

I hope everyone is safe and well. 

 

I am travelling Queen’s Grills for the first time in a few days. 

 

My room apparently comes with Butler service. Does anyone know the difference between the butler and a regular room steward? Is the butler in addition to, or instead of, the room steward? What things would you normally ask a butler to do? Can they help arrange a canapés and drinks if I wanted to invite a few people over to view the room? Can they do ironing? 

 

Happy to be directed to another thread if this is covered in detail elsewhere. 

 

[exlondoner]

32 minutes ago, AspirationalFlyer said:

Hello all 

 

I hope everyone is safe and well. 

 

I am travelling Queen’s Grills for the first time in a few days. 

 

My room apparently comes with Butler service. Does anyone know the difference between the butler and a regular room steward? Is the butler in addition to, or instead of, the room steward? What things would you normally ask a butler to do? Can they help arrange a canapés and drinks if I wanted to invite a few people over to view the room? Can they do ironing? 

 

Happy to be directed to another thread if this is covered in detail elsewhere. 

 

 

You will have a steward as well. They will definitely arrange a drinks party, and serve if you would like. They will tie your bow tie for you I believe? Don't know about ironing. They will probably recommend the laundry service for that.

[Victoria2]

You will get many answers as to how the Butler's look after you so I will just say

 

Ask

 

Do not be worried about saying this is your first time in QG and you're not sure what his/her duties are. You'll get conflicting comments from some on the efficiency of the Butler but in hundreds of nights in QG, we have been so well looked after.

The Butler has a pager and there's a 'Butler button' on the phone which patches you straight through. If it's not answered, there's an answer phone and they will get back to you.

 

Also, bear in mind, the Grill's Concierge will also be your go to if you have need to book anything or have an issue which needs sorting.

 

Just ask, about anything, either here or when you get onboard. I'm quite excited for you so enjoy and do tell us how your first experience of QG panned out. 🙂

 

 

 

[BigMac1953]

Fully agree with Victoria2.

 

If you are arranging a cocktail party, tell the butler the number attending and they will provide additional seating, ice buckets and glasses if required. In the evening they will also provide hot canapes if asked.

 

Laundry goes into the laundry bag and the butler will take it away. Same with anything needing to be pressed.

[turnip eater]

Are cocktail parties allowed yet as they were suspended when cruises first resumed?

Also, the Butlers are not specifically for you, but you do share them with other Queens Grill guests.( Don’t know about Q1 and Q2. Are they dedicated to individual suites?)🙂

[BigMac1953]

Private cocktail parties were never banned as far as I know. We had one last November.

 

All butlers look after several suites, even Q1's.

 

We had the same lady butler on a few occasions. On one occasion, she had noticed us on the manifest and asked to be allocated to us. She is now a deck manager on QM2 and sent two floral arrangements to us on our last B2B crossing (one each way).

[turnip eater]

24 minutes ago, BigMac1953 said:

Private cocktail parties were never banned as far as I know. We had one last November.

 

All butlers look after several suites, even Q1's.

 

We had the same lady butler on a few occasions. On one occasion, she had noticed us on the manifest and asked to be allocated to us. She is now a deck manager on QM2 and sent two floral arrangements to us on our last B2B crossing (one each way).

Oooh lovely!

If I remember correctly, private dos were suspended when we sailed last September. To keep everyone at a distance.🤔

Can’t believe Q1s don’t have their own Butler.😳😁

 

[Victoria2]

3 minutes ago, turnip eater said:

Oooh lovely!

If I remember correctly, private dos were suspended when we sailed last September. To keep everyone at a distance.🤔

Can’t believe Q1s don’t have their own Butler.😳😁

 

Big Mac is right. 1s and 2s are no different from the other QG suites. Butlers and Assistant Butlers are shared.

 

[alc13]

We once got upgraded to a Queen's Grill suite.  On the first formal night, the zipper broke on my gown, so we called the butler for help.  He said the seamstress was at dinner; and that was the end of the conversation.  We managed to fix it ourselves so it turned out well, but it left me unimpressed.  Arranging cocktail parties don't interest us much; besides that, I can't think of a reason to want one.  We enjoyed Queen's Grill again on a later date and never used the butler's services except to cancel the canapés.

 

The Grills concierge is pretty terrific, though.

[Victoria2]

13 minutes ago, alc13 said:

We once got upgraded to a Queen's Grill suite.  On the first formal night, the zipper broke on my gown, so we called the butler for help.  He said the seamstress was at dinner; and that was the end of the conversation.  We managed to fix it ourselves so it turned out well, but it left me unimpressed.  Arranging cocktail parties don't interest us much; besides that, I can't think of a reason to want one.  We enjoyed Queen's Grill again on a later date and never used the butler's services except to cancel the canapés.

 

The Grills concierge is pretty terrific, though.

Could be, the seamstress was, at dinner 🙂

Could have been fixed the following day perhaps.

 

We are very easy, undemanding Grillers but it's nice to know should we have need of anything, there's someone there to take care of it.

[majortom10]

On our one and only cruise in QG on QE when our butler finally put in an appearance about 2-3hrs after we arrived in our suite he new it was our first time in QG because I told him. He never offered any help in what he was able to do or what I could ask or expect him to do. The only thing he was definite about is that I couldnt have brandy(sorry cognac) as my preferred choice of spirit. TBH we very rarely saw him for the whole duration of the cruise.

Edited March 13, 2022 by majortom10

[AspirationalFlyer]

Thanks very much for your help everyone. 

 

I shall report back with my experiences, either on this thread or maybe I could do a mini review with a couple of photographs. 

 

I have been on Cunard a few times (I will turn platinum this trip) but never in the Grills (QG or PG). 

 

I will certainly double check onboard, but is the idea that you can state a preference as to what wine and spirits is left in the room? Is that a discussion with the butler, or just the steward? 

[s.s.France]

You get a list with choices of spirits, which you can mark. I got something that wasnt on the list by asking, as far as I remember. I never did not get something I asked for in Queens Grill, but I am not very demanding, either.

[Victoria2]

The list has wines and spirits and became far more comprehensive around three years ago. You choose two and they are replaced when finished or as in our and many cases, near finished.

The Butler will leave the list with you and you indicate your preferences and sign for them. If you have a preference which isn't on the list, it's worth asking about it but we've always been happy with what's on the list.

You will get a plate of very small canapes around 4.30 ish, just in case you're peckish before dinner. We aren't keen on them and ask for a fruit plate if we want pre dinner snacks. I have heard some Grillers  ask for caviar but I leave that as a dinner treat.

Just ask. It's a new experience for you and the staff will be delighted to help.

[exlondoner]

And also ask for things like lime or lemon slices if you like them with your gin. The fridge has a variety of mixers and some beer.

Edited March 13, 2022 by exlondoner
Illiteracy

[Victoria2]

21 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

And also ask for things like lime or lemon slices if you like them with your gin. The fridge has a variety of mixers and some beer.

Good points and again, if the choice of beer isn't there, ask.

[BigMac1953]

On one of my B2B's with one of my sons, we asked for extra beers. The butler filled the cupboard with a couple of dozen tins.

[Lakesregion]

If the Butler is really a good one, they will unpack your suit cases and put everything away. They will layout your sleep wear when they turn down the bed at night and lay our the evening clothes on formal evenings. They will bring you hot coffee and a biscuit every morning, keep the fresh fruit bowl refreshed, make certain the cabin Stewart is brining fresh towels twice a day. Keep you shoes polished etc. Anything less and they are loafing on the job.

[Victoria2]

Our Butlers don't loaf.

 

I don't want anyone putting my clothes away.

I don't want my evening clothes laid out by anyone other than myself  and in fact, I don't want anyone other than myself touching my clothes.

Our shoes have never needed polishing.

 

Our Butlers are excellent.

 

 

 

 

[majortom10]

The spirits list was already on the table with other documentation when we first arrived in our suite. I did not fill it in as my preference was not on the list so I waited for the butler to make an appearance and when he did I asked him for brandy and he said a firm no that was not available so I ticked the whisky and when it was put in suite the next day it wasnt even the same make as what I had ticked.

[Victoria2]

13 hours ago, majortom10 said:

The spirits list was already on the table with other documentation when we first arrived in our suite. I did not fill it in as my preference was not on the list so I waited for the butler to make an appearance and when he did I asked him for brandy and he said a firm no that was not available so I ticked the whisky and when it was put in suite the next day it wasnt even the same make as what I had ticked.

As I have said before you had the most unfortunate encounter, one which we have never come across. I can only hope, if there's a next time for you, you will have a better experience.

 

I also hope AspFlyer will be so forearmed, he'll ride the waves, so's to speak. Can't wait to hear his verdict. 😀

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

As I have said before you had the most unfortunate encounter, one which we have never come across. I can only hope, if there's a next time for you, you will have a better experience.

 

I also hope AspFlyer will be so forearmed, he'll ride the waves, so's to speak. Can't wait to hear his verdict. 😀

There will never be a next time in QG unless a free upgrade from PG which I very much doubt will ever happen. We have cruised twice in PG since our QG cruise on QE in November 2019 and for what the extra charge is for QG we personally do not think it is worth the extra money they charge.

[Stu UK]

This was the QG suite drinks list in November. Our butler provided lovely hot and cold canapés each evening we entertained in the suite as well as food from QG restaurant menu. 
 

Also remember there is a pillow menu. 

[exlondoner]

If you are booked in a Queens Grill Suite, we offer a complementary mini-bar. The mini-bar is stocked with two bottles of 750ml wine or 1 bottle of spirit of your choice from a selection advised by your butler/steward. A variety of mixers and soft drinks* will also be provided.

*Substitutions can be made, however they may incur an additional charge. All drinks are subject to availability. 

 

Notice reference to 1 bottle of spirit in this extract from FAQs. Is this happening?

[BigMac1953]

Always been one bottle EACH, as it was for us last November. We actually declined another bottle on our second last day as one of them was getting low. It would have been a waste.