First time Cunard ... and maybe last time ?!

[exlondoner]

2 hours ago, LibertyBella said:

 

 

P.S. There are always lots of window seats available for breakfast and lunch on port days when everybody is out on excursions!  At night, in the dark, there is nothing to be seen anyway.

Remember in much of Europe in the summer it is not dark until dinner is over. You may of course be blinded by the setting sun, but it is well worth having a window seat. And they won’t move you to someone’s empty table during the day either, in my experience.

[Pushpit]

15 hours ago, ajpeter said:

To sum it up; no, we cannot imagine to be on the Queen Victoria for a longer period of time like the half of the world cruise we had in mind. We might consider an atlantic crossing on the Queen Mary2 in the future.

 

I very quite sad to read of your experiences, and I think 2 things stick out for me. Firstly that the expense of the Queens Grill experience is such that every single passenger should walk off feeling they have had a great time and looking forward to the next. That clearly didn't happen to you. Secondly that the customer service aspects that you came across are from a professional perspective unnecessary. So the "taking the Mickey" comment is totally pointless - even if you were then it should not be said!

 

Some aspects should have been more evident to you before booking. So the room layout and the nature of fixed dining. You see it as a window seat, they see it as getting in the way of their fixed dining plans. (It should still be handled sensitively though).  I only do Grills via free upgrades since I can spend 3 to 4 times longer sailing by being in Britannia balcony. But strangely it easier for us in the cheaper staterooms thanks to Open Dining, at some point the stars will align and you will get a terrific window table at least for a couple of nights.

 

Overall I would say your experience is untypical, I would expect your QM2 experience to be far better, but maybe consider the right cabin at least - that liner has a vast number of room combinations and I would imagine somewhere is the right one for you.

Edited August 10, 2023 by Pushpit

[majortom10]

Sorry but with my very limited experience in QG I think those in Q1 or 2 get far better service than those in Q6. Some will say they should and cannot argue that but for those that say the experience is the same whatever grade of suite whether it be butler maitre'd or waiting staff is clearly mistaken. TBH our only experience in QG on QE was very disappointing and we have had far better service and experience in PG on QE/QV.

[Windsurfboy]

11 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

It takes a day or two for waitstaff to get to know you and for people who are new to QG to ask all the inevitable questions and learn things like the time frame for ordering special items. Then you're just settling in and it's over.

 

New passengers shouldn't have to learn things, it should be duty of MD or head waiter and butler to ask is this your first-time on Cunard / QG and explain everything thing you mention to new passengers on the first lunch and when butler introduces themselves on first afternoon.

[Victoria2]

31 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

New passengers shouldn't have to learn things, it should be duty of MD or head waiter and butler to ask is this your first-time on Cunard / QG and explain everything thing you mention to new passengers on the first lunch and when butler introduces themselves on first afternoon.

We were asked and explained to on  very first evening by the Head Waiter and the butler, who has other things to do on the first day said, 'anything, anything at all, ask. I am here to make sure you have a very comfortable time with us, here is your room wine list and I will  be able to explain more tomorrow' or words to that effect.

[Victoria2]

40 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Sorry but with my very limited experience in QG I think those in Q1 or 2 get far better service than those in Q6. Some will say they should and cannot argue that but for those that say the experience is the same whatever grade of suite whether it be butler maitre'd or waiting staff is clearly mistaken. TBH our only experience in QG on QE was very disappointing and we have had far better service and experience in PG on QE/QV.

I am probably one of the few who can answer this definitively.

You have one QG trip under your belt and of course you are entitled to your own opinion based on very limited experience. I however have many more than one cruise and in cabins Q5 up to Q1.

 

Our first trip was in a Q5. We had the large table in the auspicious [not] area by the kitchen doors but had the good fortune to meet lovely couples, one pair who were in a Q1 and with whom we linked up on quite  a few subsequent cruises. Great table by dint of our fellow diners.

 

After that, our table for eight was in 'the bubble', still a Q5 and 'only'  silver passengers.The service still impeccable.

 

I can assure you, the only 'special' treatment we got as we 'climbed the numerical ladder' was the confidence that 'our' table choice would materialise and once 'at the top', our cabin would be serviced at the time of our choosing.

 

If that's your preferential service definition, then so be it.

.

[exlondoner]

And pink champagne. 🙂

[Victoria2]

7 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

And pink champagne. 🙂

Good grief. I forgot that.😀

 

Of course. THAT's the tipping point for preferential service, and by the way, the teddies loved it!

 

 

[exlondoner]

15 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

Good grief. I forgot that.😀

 

Of course. THAT's the tipping point for preferential service, and by the way, the teddies loved it!

 

 

And I would hope that, if, for instance, a lot of people wanted unpacking, then Q1s and Q2s would be done first. But then I’ve never come across anyone wanting unpacking.

[Victoria2]

10 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

And I would hope that, if, for instance, a lot of people wanted unpacking, then Q1s and Q2s would be done first. But then I’ve never come across anyone wanting unpacking.

The teddies wanted to be packed by the Butler  but as they're red tops in more than one way, I told them I'd do it.

Packed into my carry on

Edited August 10, 2023 by Victoria2

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, Victoria2 said:

oops, duplicate

 

Edited August 10, 2023 by Victoria2

[Windsurfboy]

There is nothing wrong with Q1 , Q2 getting better service, they have paid a lot more. It should also be so subtle that they don't notice it.

[Victoria2]

1 minute ago, Windsurfboy said:

There is nothing wrong with Q1 , Q2 getting better service, they have paid a lot more. It should also be so subtle that they don't notice it.

Nothing subtle about asking for a certain time and getting it!!

 

Subtlety is being understated/flying under the radar so folk are surprised if they join you for drinks and they didn't realise you were in a 1 or a 2.

 

[North West Newbie]

9 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

There is nothing wrong with Q1 , Q2 getting better service, they have paid a lot more. It should also be so subtle that they don't notice it.

 

Agreed, but their "better service" should not be at the expense of those in the lower grade Q's.

[Victoria2]

My goodness, at this rate, each QG cabin will need its own fleet of staff in order for all cabins not to miss out on 'service'! 😁

[exlondoner]

27 minutes ago, North West Newbie said:

 

Agreed, but their "better service" should not be at the expense of those in the lower grade Q's.

How can it not be, if a Q1 and a Q6 both want to have their cocktail parties at the same time? The poor butler can’t be in two places at once.

[North West Newbie]

9 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

How can it not be, if a Q1 and a Q6 both want to have their cocktail parties at the same time? The poor butler can’t be in two places at once.

 

By having a structured support system whereby there is some built in spare capacity between butlers and, moreover, perhaps the Q1’s should have dedicated butlers who are not assigned to other suites but can offer assistance when they are not required by their own guests.

[BigMac1953]

Our butlers have always asked if we want them to serve at our cocktail parties. We've always declined, but are quite happy for them to set up the room and provide extra nibbles/canapes along with orange juice and extra beers and soft drinks.

 

Before lunch (11:00am):

 

 

 

[BigMac1953]

After lunch (2:30pm):

 

[Host Hattie]

It's great that others have had much more positive experiences in QG (including me) but this reviewer didn't and he is perfectly entitled to express his opinion. 

Hopefully he will find a more satisfactory experience elsewhere. 

[Victoria2]

Just now, Host Hattie said:

It's great that others have had much more positive experiences in QG (including me) but this reviewer didn't and he is perfectly entitled to express his opinion. 

Hopefully he will find a more satisfactory experience elsewhere. 

He certainly is and as I have said, I hope he gives QV another try so he can discover what some of us bang on about when we say how wonderful the experience is.

[Host Hattie]

Just now, Victoria2 said:

He certainly is and as I have said, I hope he gives QV another try so he can discover what some of us bang on about when we say how wonderful the experience is.

I would think that's unlikely at this point. 

[exlondoner]

1 hour ago, North West Newbie said:

 

By having a structured support system whereby there is some built in spare capacity between butlers and, moreover, perhaps the Q1’s should have dedicated butlers who are not assigned to other suites but can offer assistance when they are not required by their own guests.

I saw some Gloucester Oldspots flying over the other day.

But seriously, the other lot would still be disadvantaged by not having their butler.

[Windsurfboy]

3 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Nothing subtle about asking for a certain time and getting it!!

 

Subtlety is being understated/flying under the radar so folk are surprised if they join you for drinks and they didn't realise you were in a 1 or a 2.

 

 

I think you missed my point, something like getting the table you want should be taken for granted that's not subtle.  Neither should be the fact that a Q1,Q2 butler should serve less suites and have more time to service cabin at exactly time you want. That's just good management.  

 

What I was talking about is attention in dining room. It should be done in away that neither the Q1s or anyone else notices. 

[Victoria2]

6 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

I think you missed my point, something like getting the table you want should be taken for granted that's not subtle.  Neither should be the fact that a Q1,Q2 butler should serve less suites and have more time to service cabin at exactly time you want. That's just good management.  

 

What I was talking about is attention in dining room. It should be done in away that neither the Q1s or anyone else notices. 

 

BigMac will know what I'm talking about when I say in the restaurant, it would be known by those who know, we were Q1s. No subtlety about that but you have to know theses things, to know and quite frankly we have no intention of changing that so not our fault guv!

 

Service wise, we got and get attention the same as everyone else. The M'd didn't come over very often and chat as he did to others.

Does that matter? Does it fiddlesticks.

 

Did we have chats with the head Waiters? Yes we did but that wasn't because of any cabin grade. It was because we are well known and nothing has changed since our 'elevated status' so I'm afraid I think you're getting a bit unnecessarily deep now.