Queens Grill Gratuity

[Victoria2]

3 minutes ago, tv24 said:

This is a total mine field with different cultural tipping habits, different gratuities included packages on board, and different experiences with service in QG.  Recently we sailed on QM2 on a crossing and had grats included.  We are from the US, a tipping culture, so are used to tipping.  The service we received in QG was adequate, nothing special.  Same with the service in the stateroom.  We felt a little shake down on the last day as our stateroom attendant was hovering, so we gave him and his assistant a little extra.  Then we went to QG for breakfast and as we left it seemed as though the wait staff were also hovering.  We did not hand over any envelopes as we were not all that impressed and witnessed a bunch of frowns.  Not White Star Service.  Just weird.  Like I started, a total mine field.

and yet in all our days on Cunard, we have never experienced 'hovering staff'. Indeed, we make a habit now of handing over any personal grats. on the penultimate day as we often were in danger of missing the staff we wanted to say thank you to.

[RJChatsworth]

I noticed in the QG restaurant the passing of tips was less discrete and in the form of rolled up notes rather than envelopes. I seem to remember in years gone by it was always envelopes!

[Wordzz]

3 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

and yet in all our days on Cunard, we have never experienced 'hovering staff'

That's been our experience, too. Never seen staff 'hovering' on any of our 16 cruises/crossings, including our most recent one on QV in June. Indeed, like Victoria2 we have not infrequently had to actively seek out waiters/sommeliers in order to discreetly give them an envelope. We don't tip on every voyage, but have never noticed any adverse reaction if we don't. Nor, thankfully, have we ever received any obsequious gratitude if we do tip. 

[RJChatsworth]

When we left the QG restaurant after breakfast on disembarkation day there were two head waiters either side of the walkway to the exit.  Was that a friendly and polite goodbye to departing passengers or hovering.  I wouldn’t have a clue.

[NE John]

5 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

I don’t know which ship you’re sailing on, but on Victoria, and I would imagine Elizabeth too, there are tables deemed to be more desirable and they are usually the window tables. However, not every passenger can be seated by the window however much they might want.
 

Working out the seating plan must be a nightmare for staff, as shown by those asking to swop to a window table before the first lunch. There is a very loose seating plan eg 1sand2s generally get tables for two ( if asked for) by the window in the smaller area of the restaurant, but to call it class hierarchy is pushing it.

@Victoria2 I don’t believe the above poster meant the Grills has a class system, he meant the entire Cunard ship has a class system (certain YouTube videos are critical of Cunard’s “class” system). 
I agree that there is no formal hierarchy in the Grills and more importantly no class hierarchy within the entire ship. Except for mainly dining and indoor/outside lounges, Grills guests are not segregated from the rest of the shop like other Suite passengers from other lines are to the rest of their ships. 
Grills guests stand in line for most of the other ship’s activities like everyone else. I would argue that MSC, Celebrity, and NCL have more of a suite level hierarchy vs Cunard. 
 

[Victoria2]

7 minutes ago, NE John said:

@Victoria2 I don’t believe the above poster meant the Grills has a class system, he meant the entire Cunard ship has a class system (certain YouTube videos are critical of Cunard’s “class” system). 
I agree that there is no formal hierarchy in the Grills and more importantly no class hierarchy within the entire ship. Except for mainly dining and indoor/outside lounges, Grills guests are not segregated from the rest of the shop like other Suite passengers from other lines are to the rest of their ships. 
Grills guests stand in line for most of the other ship’s activities like everyone else. I would argue that MSC, Celebrity, and NCL have more of a suite level hierarchy vs Cunard. 
 

I replied to this sentence

 But then even have class hierarchie within one restaurant is somewhat sad.

 

Sorry if I misinterpreted it.

[NE John]

5 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

I replied to this sentence

 But then even have class hierarchie within one restaurant is somewhat sad.

 

Sorry if I misinterpreted it.

I didn’t mean to come out as corrective, no need to apologize. 
My missive was more to explain to @ajpeter, as a new Cunard passenger, that the overall onboard Class system on Cunard is not as severe as others state online and actually less than others. 

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, RJChatsworth said:

When we left the QG restaurant after breakfast on disembarkation day there were two head waiters either side of the walkway to the exit.  Was that a friendly and polite goodbye to departing passengers or hovering.  I wouldn’t have a clue.

I err on the ‘good bye safe journey home' etc rather than 'hovering'. I think it’s entirely a personal mindset how you interpret staff presence at the end of a cruise. We give discreet envelopes to those who have helped to enhance our holiday so just maybe, have a different take on staff saying goodbye but either way, the poor staff can’t win. If they stand to say goodbye, some folk assume they’re hovering and yet if they don’t say goodbye, that could be interpreted as indifference.

 

 

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, RJChatsworth said:

When we left the QG restaurant after breakfast on disembarkation day there were two head waiters either side of the walkway to the exit.  Was that a friendly and polite goodbye to departing passengers or hovering.  I wouldn’t have a clue.

Think your answer will be in that were they both there on either side of walkway when you left restaurant after breakfast every morning, if not then they were obviously hovering.

Edited August 1, 2023 by majortom10

[RJChatsworth]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

I err on the ‘good bye safe journey home' etc rather than 'hovering'. I think it’s entirely a personal mindset how you interpret staff presence at the end of a cruise. We give discreet envelopes to those who have helped to enhance our holiday so just maybe, have a different take on staff saying goodbye but either way, the poor staff can’t win. If they stand to say goodbye, some folk assume they’re hovering and yet if they don’t say goodbye, that could be interpreted as indifference.

 

Entirely agree with you Victoria2.

 

[RJChatsworth]

59 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Think your answer will be in that were they both there on either side of walkway when you left restaurant after breakfast every morning, if not then they were obviously hovering.

No, only on the last morning, but I’m reluctant to jump to any conclusions because their gesture might be one of good to meet you and have a safe journey home.  Could be seen as good Cunard PR!

[Victoria2]

7 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

No, only on the last morning, but I’m reluctant to jump to any conclusions because their gesture might be one of good to meet you and have a safe journey home.  Could be seen as good Cunard PR!

You would be correct in that assumption.

Considering the number of f2 f staff employed by Cunard, it would me naive of me to say not a single one, would 'do the hover' but to assume ( not you) staff who are there at disembarkation time are, for want of a better word, soliciting grats. is rather sad and unfair on those who are being polite and saying goodbye or who are waiting to service the cabin for the next tranche of passengers.

 

We think the best of people. Maybe that’s why we get such excellent service every time we take a holiday with Cunard.

[majortom10]

Always find it I testing that we never see our cabin steward during the cruise but suddenly is around on our last morning. Sorry but the cynical in me thinks the they are "hovering" in the hope of a extra bit of cash.

[LittleFish1976]

On 7/31/2023 at 2:20 AM, Victoria2 said:

I have no idea which restaurant he would move to, but it won’t be QG on QA. I have  been told who it will be but won’t reveal, just yet until I get further confirmation.

What I will say is thirty percent of staff from each ship will join Anne, with the remaining ten I presume, being new to Cunard, and they will board in April in order to bond, before the Maiden.

Sadly for us, the staff we have a 'bond' with, will be staying on QV. Darn it!

 

Those percentages of staff moving across the ships is what I was told, and reported on this board, back in February by a not-junior member of staff in the QG restaurant. I was also told that they would be moved against their will if required, which is rather sad. This member of staff, who wasn't particularly old to my eyes also said he would be leaving Cunard. My room steward (with at least a couple of decades of service - the exact number escapes me) told me she would also be leaving. I do hope they manage to maintain the esprit de corps and company culture with so many leaving and one assumes, so many new ones being recruited.

[Victoria2]

9 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Always find it I testing that we never see our cabin steward during the cruise but suddenly is around on our last morning. Sorry but the cynical in me thinks the they are "hovering" in the hope of an extra bit of cash.

Room stewards have a long window of at least six hours, judging by the carts still in corridors occasionally early afternoon and it’s not surprising passengers don’t see their own stewards from day to day unless the happen to be around when the stewards are there.

 

Embarkation day is a different scenario and the window is short so if stewards are seen in corridors waiting to pounce on cabins when passengers leave, their loitering is in order to anticipate empty cabins and not 'hovering' but then I approach this from a position of having given, or left, a thank you so have no feelings of 'being hovered' for extra grats.

 

Point of interest, if you never see your steward, how do you know which one is yours?

[BigMac1953]

As we always go for breakfast at 8:00am, we ask the butler and room steward to make up our room as early as possible and normally, it's done before we come back.

 

Las November on QE, we were waiting in our room until disembarking time and noticed our butler and stewart "hovering", but they were waiting to get into our room. We told them just to ignore us and make a start, which they did.

 

They also got a wee extra thank you.

[DaisyUK]

On each of the lines we've sailed (Regent, Oceania, Crystal and now Cunard) the question of tipping has come up on CC. I've always sought out these posts, wondering what the 'norm' is in terms of who to tip, when to do it, how much to give, but nowhere have I managed to find a conclusive answer, presumably because there isn't one. We pay the automatic gratuities and then tip for excellent service where we have received it, usually in the restaurant and bars plus the butler and cabin staff, but have no idea whether we tip too much, too little or just right. One of life's mysteries!

[North West Newbie]

43 minutes ago, DaisyUK said:

On each of the lines we've sailed (Regent, Oceania, Crystal and now Cunard) the question of tipping has come up on CC. I've always sought out these posts, wondering what the 'norm' is in terms of who to tip, when to do it, how much to give, but nowhere have I managed to find a conclusive answer, presumably because there isn't one. We pay the automatic gratuities and then tip for excellent service where we have received it, usually in the restaurant and bars plus the butler and cabin staff, but have no idea whether we tip too much, too little or just right. One of life's mysteries!

 

I don’t believe there is a “correct” amount; it is a matter of personal choice and how one values the “service” one is rewarding. As for the recipient, I feel sure they are grateful for whatever amount they receive.

[Victoria2]

23 minutes ago, North West Newbie said:

 

I don’t believe there is a “correct” amount; it is a matter of personal choice and how one values the “service” one is rewarding. As for the recipient, I feel sure they are grateful for whatever amount they receive.

Perfect reply.  I would also add it’s up to individuals as to whether they give extra, or not. No pressure either way unless the pressure is self imposed.

[majortom10]

3 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Room stewards have a long window of at least six hours, judging by the carts still in corridors occasionally early afternoon and it’s not surprising passengers don’t see their own stewards from day to day unless the happen to be around when the stewards are there.

 

Embarkation day is a different scenario and the window is short so if stewards are seen in corridors waiting to pounce on cabins when passengers leave, their loitering is in order to anticipate empty cabins and not 'hovering' but then I approach this from a position of having given, or left, a thank you so have no feelings of 'being hovered' for extra grats.

 

Point of interest, if you never see your steward, how do you know which one is yours?

From the very first day on embarkation when they come to your cabin and introduced themselves. That has always happened on every cruise I have been on whatever the cruise line 😀😀

[NE John]

I recently read that Celebrity Cruises is doing away with butler service for Retreat guests. I guess Celebrity suites pax have one less tip to worry about…

[david,Mississauga]

On 7/30/2023 at 7:09 AM, exlondoner said:

All interesting. I really cannot see any distinction between a tip in advance and a bribe. 
 

We’ve travelled in QG on QM2 in Q5s and Q6s (all these Qs!) a number of times. I had no idea there was a Q5 end of the restaurant. Once we were near the entrance (by far the worst), once we were next to the window, once we were in the middle, and once we were at the back of the indentation. I’m not sure what this means. Where is the Q5 end?

 

We have travelled in QG only twice on the QM2. Both times they were upgrades to a Q5 from Princess. The first time we were at a large table not far from the entrance. The second time our large table was close to the rear.  

 

On our second time in QG there was a couple, obviously well-known to the staff, who had a table for two at the rear window. Every morning we enjoyed the ritual when Osman and the head chef attended their table, note-books in hand. The man would dictate their precise requirements for all courses for the day's lunch and dinner - right down to the sauces.  Whether they had booked in one of the large suites or were frequent travellers (or both) I do not know.  

[godfreyb]

40 minutes ago, david,Mississauga said:

 

We have travelled in QG only twice on the QM2. Both times they were upgrades to a Q5 from Princess. The first time we were at a large table not far from the entrance. The second time our large table was close to the rear.  

 

On our second time in QG there was a couple, obviously well-known to the staff, who had a table for two at the rear window. Every morning we enjoyed the ritual when Osman and the head chef attended their table, note-books in hand. The man would dictate their precise requirements for all courses for the day's lunch and dinner - right down to the sauces.  Whether they had booked in one of the large suites or were frequent travellers (or both) I do not know.  

That's why we prefer Princess Grill....too many of those types who the Maitre'd and head waiter have to fawn over.

[Victoria2]

1 hour ago, godfreyb said:

That's why we prefer Princess Grill....too many of those types who the Maitre'd and head waiter have to fawn over.

It’s not fawning. It’s called delivering the product which has been paid for.

[Bell Boy]

1 hour ago, david,Mississauga said:

 

We have travelled in QG only twice on the QM2. Both times they were upgrades to a Q5 from Princess. The first time we were at a large table not far from the entrance. The second time our large table was close to the rear.  

 

On our second time in QG there was a couple, obviously well-known to the staff, who had a table for two at the rear window. Every morning we enjoyed the ritual when Osman and the head chef attended their table, note-books in hand. The man would dictate their precise requirements for all courses for the day's lunch and dinner - right down to the sauces.  Whether they had booked in one of the large suites or were frequent travellers (or both) I do not know.  

 I do have to smile at this post 🤭

One doesn't  always have to travel in the Grills to be a Noted Guest ( Cunard jargon for VIP)  I'm flexible with the categories I often book, either Entrance level Britannia,  BC, PG, or QG , however, always been treated as a 'valued guest',  on more than one occasion I've experienced the head chef visit my table in Britannia restaurant.