Questions (newbe)

[cavaaller]

I am new to Cunard and could not find the definitive answer to my following questions - maybe s.o. could help me?

 

- if I purchase the premium soft drinks package pre cruise and find out after a couple of days that I would rather like to upgrade to the beers, wines... option.
*) can I do that by just paying the difference or would I need to buy a whole new package

*) would I need to pay for the whole cruise or just for the remaining days?

 

- if I stay in a Q2 suite, can I order (all) my dinner-meals in suite?

 

- would it be possible (for a charge and with prior notice of course) to have items off the Verandah delivered to the cabin?

 

thank you for your help.

 

 

[exlondoner]

You can have all your dinners in the suite, if that is what you want. In a Q2, I’m sure they do anything for you, including Verandah items, if you ask your butler nicely.

 

 

[Pushpit]

For the drinks package, no, you can't just add on since it is possible to have several drinks packages for one person. So technically you can buy Premium and Beers+Wine at the outset or later on. More obviously the soda package and coffee package (which I've done once as an experiment). If you leave it later on, well I think you can only leave it one night, but so on a 7 night sailing you either buy 7 nights as you board, or the next day it's a 6 night multiple instead. My usual comment here is that it's unlikely to save you money, these drink packages make more money for Cunard than the standalone drinks.  But many people find them convenient.

 

You can have all meals in your suite / stateroom via room service if you wish. If Queens Grill then you can effectively choose from multiple menus, whereas if Britannia it's just the room service menu. But at QG you can get the menus in advance via the Grills Lounge / concierge - and they tend to leave a black binder by the side of the entrance to GC (and PG) for you to look at. Personally I think this isn't a good idea, you miss out on a big aspect of your booking, namely the dining experience and ambience therein.

 

Verandah items are not delivered out of the restaurant, however the QG will do their version of the Verandah menu and that can be room service.

[BigMac1953]

If you're in a Q2, and happy to use Verandah every night, why are you bothering about saving a few dollars on a drinks package. It makes no sense, especially as most decent wines are not included in the package.

 

Just pay as you go.

 

Yes you can take all your meals in your suite, but why?

 

 The restaurant is lovely and the level of attention fabulous. You won't get the same service in your room. Sommelier won't visit, and everything will be delivered at once.

 

You may order from the QG menu in your room, but not the Verandah's, although you can order dishes not listed with the appropriate notice.

 

Best advice: just use the QG restaurant and buy the drinks you want,

 

[BigMac1953]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

I’m sure they do anything for you, including Verandah items, if you ask your butler nicely.

 

 

 

No they won't.

[cavaaller]

Of course we will use the Restaurant - but it is nice to know that on some nights we have other options.

 

Thanks everyone

[Victoria2]

QG menus are delivered to your fan/cabin the previous night or first thing in the morning so you can browse through.

The Grills galley will do their best to recreate most of the pop up/Verandah meals for you and yes, you can have these in your cabin. QE/QV Q2s have full sized dining tables for six and if having a full dinner in the cabin, the meal will be delivered on a course by course basis [or it was the last time we experienced this just before Covid halted everything] and it's fun to have a dinner with fellow passengers as your guests in your cabin, but on a regular basis, it's still not as special as dining in the restaurant.

Can't help you on any drinks packages as we buy on the hoof as it were.

 

 

 

Edited February 3 by Victoria2

[exlondoner]

Yes, the restaurant is a surprising amount of fun, especially on formal nights or when they are doing lots of flamed dishes.

[Jim_Iain]

1 hour ago, Victoria2 said:

QG menus are delivered to your fan/cabin the previous night or first thing in the morning so you can browse through.

The Grills galley will do their best to recreate most of the pop up/Verandah meals for you and yes, you can have these in your cabin. QE/QV Q2s have full sized dining tables for six and if having a full dinner in the cabin, the meal will be delivered on a course by course basis [or it was the last time we experienced this just before Covid halted everything] and it's fun to have a dinner with fellow passengers as your guests in your cabin, but on a regular basis, it's still not as special as dining in the restaurant.

Can't help you on any drinks packages as we buy on the hoof as it were.

 

 

 

 

Are Menus delivered to all Queens Suites every day or is this something I should ask the Butler to do?

[Victoria2]

57 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Are Menus delivered to all Queens Suites every day or is this something I should ask the Butler to do?

Every day

on QV. I presume it’s the same on all Cunard ships.

Edited February 3 by Victoria2

[Pushpit]

Yes also on QM2 and QE, and also usually in the evening turndown service (personally I've not had them delayed to the morning but I can see how that could happen). You can also see them in the restaurants and Grill lounge as well. In Britannia the menus are put outside the venues so in a way it's just an easier mechanism for you to see what is coming up, but everyone gets a chance to plan ahead. QV and QE also put up menus in advance in the Lido, but that doesn't happen on QM2 / Kings Court for some reason.

 

But if you want to go off menu and on to the Always Available option (particularly in PG) then it obviously helps to see the menu in advance and perhaps then make an advance request for something else instead.

Edited February 4 by Pushpit

[Victoria2]

In QG on QV, if not put on your bed at turndown, the menus are frequently put in the fans [they are the communication 'pigeon holes' on the wall just outside the cabin door Jim_Iain ] during the night and we retrieve them at breakfast time. 

 

I've never seen the following days' menus in a black folder at the restaurant entrance. That days menu, yes, but if you want to know what they are, you can ask your Head Waiter. They will get you a copy in advance.

 

This is all QE/QV. Hopefully, QM2 will be similar.

 

Don't forget Jim_Iain and cavaaller if you're not sure of anything, just ask. Butler or wait staff, just ask. Nothing is too trivial. I do hope you enjoy whichever ship you're on [I have a sense it might be QM2 for Jim] 🙂 We jumped cruise line in 2011 to Cunard and have never, ever looked back.

Edited February 4 by Victoria2

[Jim_Iain]

On 2/3/2024 at 11:46 PM, Victoria2 said:

I do hope you enjoy whichever ship you're on [I have a sense it might be QM2 for Jim]

 

Yes we will be on QM2.   We now have 2 crossings booked.   We will be taking her instead of flying  prior to a Oceania Med Cruise  and Celebrity TransAtlantic back.   At current First Class Air it is almost a deal and so much more fun.  

 

While I'm very comfortable reading menus on my iPhone it makes it so much easier to take photos of them for my Live Posts if I have a real menu and can get the correct lighting to make a copy.

 

Edited February 5 by Jim_Iain

[NE John]

17 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Yes we will be on QM2.   We now have 2 crossings booked.   We will be taking her instead of flying  prior to a Oceania Med Cruise  and Celebrity TransAtlantic back.   At current First Class Air it is almost a deal and so much more fun.  

 

While I'm very comfortable reading menus on my iPhone it makes it so much easier to take photos of them for my Live Posts if I have a real menu and can get the correct lighting to make a copy.

 

Cunard is real, not virtual…👍

As you read these boards, you’d realize there would be a mutiny if pax have to scan a menu and order online. As many said too, use the real live human Grills Concierge for anything. Such a huge benefit. Plus, enjoy a nice espresso and pastry in the lounge. 

[Jim_Iain]

On 2/5/2024 at 10:06 AM, NE John said:

Cunard is real, not virtual…👍

As you read these boards, you’d realize there would be a mutiny if pax have to scan a menu and order online. As many said too, use the real live human Grills Concierge for anything. Such a huge benefit. Plus, enjoy a nice espresso and pastry in the lounge. 

 

Definitely.... I was referencing reading on iPhone or TV the day before or morning of dining to see what was on the menu.    I sometimes like to take a peek at deserts to figure out what I would order to leave enough room.

 

[Toffeegirl68]

2 hours ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

I sometimes like to take a peek at deserts to figure out what I would order to leave enough room.

 

"Leaving enough room" is an important thing to consider! I always look at the 'puddings' first. 🥰

[Jim_Iain]

10 hours ago, Toffeegirl68 said:

"Leaving enough room" is an important thing to consider! I always look at the 'puddings' first. 🥰

 

Of course -- when you are a small eater you must prioritize things.   Do they have ice cream somewhere on the ship besides the restaurants.

[Toffeegirl68]

I know that QM2 has an ice cream machine in the buffet area. I can't remember about QE / QV. (But about 6 people are about to enlighten us 🥰) 

[exlondoner]

34 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Of course -- when you are a small eater you must prioritize things.   Do they have ice cream somewhere on the ship besides the restaurants.

If you are in the QG, they bring bowls of ice cream to the Grills Terraces on nice days at about 3 pm.

[Victoria2]

6 minutes ago, Toffeegirl68 said:

I know that QM2 has an ice cream machine in the buffet area. I can't remember about QE / QV. (But about 6 people are about to enlighten us 🥰) 

QV  has great soft serve ice cream in the LIdo so assume QE does too.

The chocolate is unfortunately, very more'ish. ☹️

[BklynBoy8]

48 minutes ago, Jim_Iain said:

 

Of course -- when you are a small eater you must prioritize things.   Do they have ice cream somewhere on the ship besides the restaurants.

 

Kings Court or Carinthia Lounge

we found once as a dessert 

[rakkor]

6 hours ago, Toffeegirl68 said:

I know that QM2 has an ice cream machine in the buffet area. I can't remember about QE / QV. (But about 6 people are about to enlighten us 🥰) 

And the Broadwalk Cafe too - QE and QV there's a machine either side of the buffet (just aft of the Pizza/Pasta station), though it's pot luck if they are working or not. 

[majortom10]

We have done numerous roundtrip TAs on QM2 at differing times of the year including summer and the Broadwalk Cafe has never been open.

[exlondoner]

48 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We have done numerous roundtrip TAs on QM2 at differing times of the year including summer and the Broadwalk Cafe has never been open.

It was open on our Med. cruise in 2022.

[Host Hattie]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

It was open on our Med. cruise in 2022.

And on ours last June