Grills Lounge on QA - Capacity and Speculation

[exlondoner]

3 hours ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

When we went QG on QM2 back in 2007, the Grill Deck was most certainly only for QG. Which perhaps accounts for its size and certainly for the service we received up there. That was special. Indeed so was QG although they ran out of caviar by the third day of the six-day crossing... that wasn't so special!

How odd. I have just checked the stuff for our QM2 TA in 2006, and the Grills Lounge seems to be for all Grills. Can’t find anything about the deck. Don’t remember getting any service there at all, not like recently on the Vistas.

[WantedOnVoyage]

Well on trans-Atlantic crossings, c. 2007, they had beef boullion (which sadly is no longer offered), coffee and tea although serve yourself and I think there was a phone to ring down for... well anything else you fancied. We did and one of the  Queen's Grill Lounge stewards made the long trek up there in a split second. Silver tray, nibbles... the lot. The sign most certainly said "Reserved for Queen's Grill Passengers Only".  In 2020 to the West Indies in QM2, there were two stewards detailed to the grills deck from 11-5 ish as I remember and a full bar set up, and the usual fruit skewers, sandwiches and full tea. Sometimes it would be crowded but usually not for long and I liked the real teak deck and the jacuzzi. QV/QE have an ideal set up of course despite the cheap (and hot) plastic deck.  Plus the real advantage of shade if you want it. 

 

I honestly don't remember if the then Queens Grill Lounge was open for Princess Grill, too, c. 2007.... I'd be surprised if it was but maybe with the retirement of QE2 where the lounge was most certainly only for QG, they made the change. We did PG and BG in QE2 on crossings and cruises and no way did you get into the QG lounge back then. 

Edited July 10, 2023 by WantedOnVoyage

[carlmm]

1 hour ago, WantedOnVoyage said:

 

I honestly don't remember if the then Queens Grill Lounge was open for Princess Grill, too, c. 2007.... I'd be surprised if it was but maybe with the retirement of QE2 where the lounge was most certainly only for QG, they made the change. We did PG and BG in QE2 on crossings and cruises and no way did you get into the QG lounge back then. 

Interesting.

On all of my QE2 crossings and cruises the QG lounge was open to all Grill guests.

[WantedOnVoyage]

Really? The only grills lounge on QE2 was physically attached to the Queen's Grill on Boat Deck.   When did you sail in QE2?  We did a crossing in '93 (honeymoon!) and a North Cape Cruise in 1999 in Britannia and Princess (which was actually the original Grill) grills respectively and no way did we have access to the Queen's Grill Lounge. On the crossing, you got a First Class deck chair of course and First Class bars and lounges but never the QG lounge unless you had a table there.  For starters, it wasn't nearly big enough for QG let along PG and BG... it was the old art gallery and coffee shop I think and like a corridor lounge. 

[exlondoner]

By our final QE2 voyage in 2008, the QG lounge was described as ‘exclusively reserved for our Grills guests’, so at some point in her later years it changed.

, 

[Victoria2]

Whatever happened in the past, if the booking blurb says exclusive lounge etc, then there will be the 'exclusive lounge'.

Whether anyone will be over/under subscribed, is another matter.

[exlondoner]

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

Whatever happened in the past, if the booking blurb says exclusive lounge etc, then there will be the 'exclusive lounge'.

Whether anyone will be over/under subscribed, is another matter.

For our round UK cruise, the booking blurb said Q1-4 would have priority tendering. We didn’t get our tickets. When I remonstrated, Sandra, the wonderful Concierge, said it was now only Q1-2, but they would of course honour what it said. The tender tickets duly arrived, but I had Covid, so didn’t use them. I wonder how many other Q3s and Q4s didn’t get them at all. The latest brochure still says priority tendering for Q1-4. So booking blurbs aren’t terribly reliable, unless you are on the ball.

[Victoria2]

11 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

For our round UK cruise, the booking blurb said Q1-4 would have priority tendering. We didn’t get our tickets. When I remonstrated, Sandra, the wonderful Concierge, said it was now only Q1-2, but they would of course honour what it said. The tender tickets duly arrived, but I had Covid, so didn’t use them. I wonder how many other Q3s and Q4s didn’t get them at all. The latest brochure still says priority tendering for Q1-4. So booking blurbs aren’t terribly reliable, unless you are on the ball.

I think there's a huge distinction between tendering tickets and access to an exclusive lounge, but I take your point.

 

You can have mine next time!  🙂

 

edit

Never really studied what's available in various cabin grades but we don't get an ipad any more. They were handy as the butler used to download two newspapers a day on it for our use. On nosing around the site, I saw this

• An iPad in selected suites on all ships.

I shall be a pain and ask for one and see is the blurb is truly off kilter there!

Edited July 11, 2023 by Victoria2

[exlondoner]

24 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

I think there's a huge distinction between tendering tickets and access to an exclusive lounge, but I take your point.

 

You can have mine next time!  🙂

 

edit

Never really studied what's available in various cabin grades but we don't get an ipad any more. They were handy as the butler used to download two newspapers a day on it for our use. On nosing around the site, I saw this

• An iPad in selected suites on all ships.

I shall be a pain and ask for one and see is the blurb is truly off kilter there!

I think I would rather have tender priority than access to a windowless room, in fact. But our next two voyages don’t involve tendering luckily.

 

I’m afraid that the 2024 brochure does not mention iPads as a perk. Perhaps they reckon everyone brings their own anyway.

[Victoria2]

38 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I think I would rather have tender priority than access to a windowless room, in fact. But our next two voyages don’t involve tendering luckily.

 

I’m afraid that the 2024 brochure does not mention iPads as a perk. Perhaps they reckon everyone brings their own anyway.

I do, but not with daily papers downloaded.

I shall have a try as it's on the website. Nothing ventured and all that.

 

As to the original lounge musing, PG  folk would be outraged and quite rightly, if they didn't get lounge access, however windowless it might be. .

Our own lounge area sounds more inviting for lounging around  so I don't think we'll be spending too much time, windowless.

 

[david,Mississauga]

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

By our final QE2 voyage in 2008, the QG lounge was described as ‘exclusively reserved for our Grills guests’, so at some point in her later years it changed.

, 

 

Although we never travelled in the Grills on the QE2 I do remember changes over the decades. Our last QE2 crossing was in April 2008. Because of discussion on Cruise Critic I had a look at the sign and it was as exlondoner saw.

 

A friend who was once a member of this forum was on a 2002 voyage. He posted one of his photos to show that the QG lounge was available to all Grill guests.

[Colin_Cameron]

A small windowless room. Sounds like a description of the original Grill Room Bar, latterly the Pricess Grill Lounge,  on QE2. A wonderful cosy little space with a spiral staircase up into the Grill/Princess Grill. Its exclusivity was enhanced by it only rarely being shown on deck plans so was only used by those who knew about it.

 

Re the Queens Grill Lounge, I remember a sign on a wooden stand outside the door with "Grill Passengers only" on one side  and "Queens Grill Passengers only" on the other side. (I don't think passengers were called 'guests' in those days.) It could be turned depending on the numbers on any particular voyage. I only became aware it was reversible when one evening it was set for "Grill Passengers" and the person entering the lounge in front of us grunted and turned the sign round to read "Queens Grill Passengers". Clearly not happy about the lower orders having access to his lounge.

Edited July 11, 2023 by Colin_Cameron

[exlondoner]

9 minutes ago, Colin_Cameron said:

A small windowless room. Sounds like a description of the original Grill Room Bar, latterly the Pricess Grill Lounge,  on QE2. A wonderful cosy little space with a spiral staircase up into the Grill/Princess Grill. Its exclusivity was enhanced by it only rarely being shown on deck plans so was only used by those who knew about it.

 

Re the Queens Grill Lounge, I remember a sign on a wooden stand outside the door with "Grill Passengers only" on one side  and "Queens Grill Passengers only" on the other side. (I don't think passengers were called 'guests' in those days.) It could be turned depending on the numbers on any particular voyage. I only became aware it was reversible when one evening it was set for "Grill Passengers" and the person entering the lounge in front of us grunted and turned the sign round to read "Queens Grill Passengers". Clearly not happy about the lower orders having access to his lounge.

Only on our last voyage did I manage to find that little bar, though it is mentioned in the Daily Programme for several of our voyages. 

[D&N]

6 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

I do, but not with daily papers downloaded.

Thank you for reminding me.

That's another thing I used internet for. Downloading daily paper to phone on PressReader. I need to remember for internet threads.

[3rdGenCunarder]

23 hours ago, carlmm said:

Interesting.

On all of my QE2 crossings and cruises the QG lounge was open to all Grill guests.

 

On our PG crossings on QE2 in 2003, we were allowed to use the QG lounge. And on QM2 in 2016, we used the lounge (mainly for tea, as we preferred the Chart Room for drinks) and the grills terrace. 

 

I was not impressed with the Grills Lounge on QE. It was just a bar with short hours and rather unpleasant bartenders. On HAL, the Neptune Lounge lacks a view, and the bar is a limited "honor bar," but there are nice snacks all through the day, Harney's tea, and a coffee machine that makes any specialty coffee you could want.  

 

I'm going to give QA a try. With my misgivings based on HAL's Koningsdam (too crowded and not enough shady outdoor spaces), I've upgraded my booking to PG, hoping to use the covered deck space on the sea days.

 

I agree that the PG cabins on QM2 are much nicer than the long skinny ones on the other ships. I don't care about a tub. I'd rather have a decent sized shower. And it looks like I won't have to walk through a closet to get to the bathroom. I found that strange on QE.

[jaypo63]

We're booked on Queen Anne for Xmas & New Year 2024,in a Queens grill suite,totally dismayed at seeing they have no windows in the bar area,the one thing we love doing on QV & QE is sitting having drink and looking out to sea,I can see us going to some other bar and mingling with the common people lol 

[exlondoner]

13 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

On our PG crossings on QE2 in 2003, we were allowed to use the QG lounge. And on QM2 in 2016, we used the lounge (mainly for tea, as we preferred the Chart Room for drinks) and the grills terrace. 

 

I was not impressed with the Grills Lounge on QE. It was just a bar with short hours and rather unpleasant bartenders. On HAL, the Neptune Lounge lacks a view, and the bar is a limited "honor bar," but there are nice snacks all through the day, Harney's tea, and a coffee machine that makes any specialty coffee you could want.  

 

I'm going to give QA a try. With my misgivings based on HAL's Koningsdam (too crowded and not enough shady outdoor spaces), I've upgraded my booking to PG, hoping to use the covered deck space on the sea days.

 

I agree that the PG cabins on QM2 are much nicer than the long skinny ones on the other ships. I don't care about a tub. I'd rather have a decent sized shower. And it looks like I won't have to walk through a closet to get to the bathroom. I found that strange on QE.

I love the Grills Lounges on the Vistas, though I rarely consume more than a morning coffee there, but sit happily enjoying the view for a long while, though I admit the Commodore Club has an even better view. It’s strange about the snacks, though why we need them I can’t imagine, but if you think they bother to take fruit skewers and ice cream and sandwiches upstairs for the sunbathers, you would think they might have something for those indoors. But, as I say, I love the view.

[techteach]

Grills Lounge on QM2 last week we were offered skewers every night with our cocktail.

[Germancruiser]

Queens Grill aside- I would never book a Queen Anne voyage before I have seen the whole product.

When she really turns out like the Cunard version of the Nieuw Statendam ( or any of those ships) I will possibly never sail on QA. The worst ship layout ever- no proper prommenade deck, many lounges with no windows- I could go on...!

For me the purpose of sea travel is to actually SEE the ocean,  not spending in an enclosed environment.

[Victoria2]

15 hours ago, techteach said:

Grills Lounge on QM2 last week we were offered skewers every night with our cocktail.

As you both mentioned skewers, you were referring to the evening nibbles to accompany drinks, and I'm ready to be corrected here, but I think exlondoner was referring to the day time nibbles brought round [on some itineraries] on the Grills sundecks which don't translate to the Grills lounge at the same time.

I can't eat the pre dinner stuff. The opportunity to eat all waking hours would mean the wheelbarrow required to cart me off the ship would have to be a bariatric version! 😕

[exlondoner]

3 hours ago, Germancruiser said:

Queens Grill aside- I would never book a Queen Anne voyage before I have seen the whole product.

When she really turns out like the Cunard version of the Nieuw Statendam ( or any of those ships) I will possibly never sail on QA. The worst ship layout ever- no proper prommenade deck, many lounges with no windows- I could go on...!

For me the purpose of sea travel is to actually SEE the ocean,  not spending in an enclosed environment.

I didn’t intend to book QA, but I want to book a cruise next year. I don’t fly, QE is away from Europe, QV is doing flycruises, and QM is on her TAs. So what am I left with?

[Victoria2]

8 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I didn’t intend to book QA, but I want to book a cruise next year. I don’t fly, QE is away from Europe, QV is doing flycruises, and QM is on her TAs. So what am I left with?

Exactly our quandary

From a 'never say never' [no thanks in reality] to  'it's the only Cunard ship available for us', it's  the only reason we have two QA cruises booked.

Having swallowed the disappointment of QV's itinerary, we are now looking forward to the new experience because my glass is always half full, not half empty. 🙂

[exlondoner]

41 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Exactly our quandary

From a 'never say never' [no thanks in reality] to  'it's the only Cunard ship available for us', it's  the only reason we have two QA cruises booked.

Having swallowed the disappointment of QV's itinerary, we are now looking forward to the new experience because my glass is always half full, not half empty. 🙂

And the top cabins do look very nice in the impressions.

[Wonky]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

I didn’t intend to book QA, but I want to book a cruise next year. I don’t fly, QE is away from Europe, QV is doing flycruises, and QM is on her TAs. So what am I left with?

How about train to Barcelona, QV back via Istanbul? The only annoyance is the change of station in Paris.

[Victoria2]

38 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

And the top cabins do look very nice in the impressions.

Well, you're always welcome to have a look see! 🙂