Queens Grill Gratuity

[RJChatsworth]

If they tell everyone in advance about the off-menu meals the kitchen might be  overloaded.  Perhaps they hope you find out slow-time!  It’s like caviar - they don’t advertise that and I’m told if you request it you are restricted to the number of times you can have it.  Depending on who you are!!  Reminds me of the old times on P&O.  They had Stilton but only on request if you knew about it!!

[Victoria2]

Andrew Nelder is famous for his African or  Indian reply when a guest tried to trip him up on off menu requests by asking for elephant ears.

For info, the guest didn’t get either.

 

Back to reality, I often hear HWs asking if anything can be prepared and one or two M'ds often ask too but just as some M'ds are slow on the circulating bit, so do some leave it to their HWs.

 

[Victoria2]

9 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

If they tell everyone in advance about the off-menu meals the kitchen might be  overloaded.  Perhaps they hope you find out slow-time!  It’s like caviar - they don’t advertise that and I’m told if you request it you are restricted to the number of times you can have it.  Depending on who you are!!  Reminds me of the old times on P&O.  They had Stilton but only on request if you knew about it!!

If the kitchen is overloaded, the wait staff will tell you and advise for the next day. It happens.

[Windsurfboy]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Well we have so it just shows all experiences are not the same.

 

Perhaps things have changed, nowadays do not want to explicitly encourage new off menu orders, but off course do not want to upset loyal customers.  Fits in with the fact Cunard no longer advertises off menu ordering.  

 

Off course logically wrong thing to do , as want to set a outstanding first impression to entice people back.

[Victoria2]

A

55 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Perhaps things have changed, nowadays do not want to explicitly encourage new off menu orders, but off course do not want to upset loyal customers.  Fits in with the fact Cunard no longer advertises off menu ordering.  

 

Of course logically wrong thing to do , as want to set an outstanding first impression to entice people back.

As we’re onboard at the moment ( waiting in the theatre ) and HWs have been overheard asking if there’s anything guests would like the chef to prepare, I will leave it at ‘experiences must vary'.

[david,Mississauga]

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

We've never heard or experienced an M'D saying or explaining  in simple words to ourselves or to any new Cunarders,  " the chef will prepare what ever you want if there's nothing you fancy on the menu, just tell me in the morning or at lunch time"

 

Exlonders idea of a simple one page note as you arrive, guide to Cunard QG for new guuests is a simple but excellent idea

 

 

 

The first time we travelled in First Class on the QE2 in 1979 we dined in the Columbia Restaurant (which was later renamed Caronia).  Our head waiter mentioned that we could order anything special for dinner by requesting it at lunch or the day before.  Although there was no a la carte menu, the daily menus were huge compared to what you get these days. We saw no reason to make a special request, but it was nice to know we could do so without having to pay for Queens Grill.  

[BklynBoy8]

1 hour ago, david,Mississauga said:

travelled in First Class on the QE2 we dined in the Columbia Restaurant (which was later renamed Caronia). 

Our head waiter mentioned that we could order anything special for dinner by requesting it at lunch or the day before. 

Although there was no a la carte menu, the daily menus were huge compared to what you get these days.  

 

We too experienced that on the QE2 and enjoyed the offer. Dover Sole was the favorite of our table and those passengers around us.

 

The Head M'd there at that time David was very accommodating and allowed our Head Waiter to take our special requests with no problem. We enjoyed many dishes during  9 - 11 and/or 13 day sailings to the Caribbean. We selected items they were taking on at Ports of Call we were docked at that day for dinner.

 

Those menus, which I have copies of, were quite large to make a selection. No need for extra menu. Especially with those Midnight Buffets hours later to enjoy.

[SusieAV8R]

On 8/2/2023 at 7:35 AM, NE John said:

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…

Actually paz in the Celebrity Cruise Sky Suites are being advised that their personal butler is being replaced with a team of Butlers.  The remaining suites on the 3 classes of ships will still have a personal butler assigned to assist them. In other words, only one type of Retreat Suite is losing the personal butler.