QA Canaries 10 May Comments

[Victoria2]

23 minutes ago, GeorgianGal100 said:

I thought you could order off menu in the QG restaurant or is it frowned upon if you do it too often?

I wouldn't have said the QG menus were boring but there  were nights when nothing appealed so off menu or a la carte we went.

 

The useful thing was if you asked to see the following day's menu so you could decide whether to go off piste or not, after a day or two, an A4 copy of the following day's menu was placed on your table for perusal without asking.

The staff were all very proactive and every meal time which for us was lunch and dinner, either the M'd or Head Waiter came round to see if we wanted to order for that evening's dinner or following day's lunch and I don't think for one moment we were singled out for that just because we were known for off ordering. I saw them 'work the room'.

Brilliant staff.

[exlondoner]

9 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

I wouldn't have said the QG menus were boring but there  were nights when nothing appealed so off menu or a la carte we went.

 

The useful thing was if you asked to see the following day's menu so you could decide whether to go off piste or not, after a day or two, an A4 copy of the following day's menu was placed on your table for perusal without asking.

The staff were all very proactive and every meal time which for us was lunch and dinner, either the M'd or Head Waiter came round to see if we wanted to order for that evening's dinner or following day's lunch and I don't think for one moment we were singled out for that just because we were known for off ordering. I saw them 'work the room'.

Brilliant staff.

Yes, for us too, every lunch time we were asked if the evening’s menu was OK, or whether they could do something else. One thing, though, is you never know what is over the horizon. One of my favourite lunches is Cunard’s lasagne, which I adore. I had been sure that would appear some time over the fortnight. It didn’t, and by the time I thought about it, it was too late. Obviously, if I had asked earlier on, they would have made it, but I just assumed it would appear. Cannelloni was nice though.

Edited May 27 by exlondoner

[GeorgianGal100]

2 minutes ago, Victoria2 said:

I wouldn't have said the QG menus were boring but there  were nights when nothing appealed so off menu or a la carte we went.

 

The useful thing was if you asked to see the following day's menu so you could decide whether to go off piste or not, after a day or two, an A4 copy of the following day's menu was placed on your table for perusal without asking.

The staff were all very proactive and every meal time which for us was lunch and dinner, either the M'd or Head Waiter came round to see if we wanted to order for that evening's dinner or following day's lunch and I don't think for one moment we were singled out for that just because we were known for off ordering. I saw them 'work the room'.

Brilliant staff.

That's just what I was hoping, thank you.  I don't have a great appetite and so would probably only have a starter and main course but I would like the main course to stimulate the taste buds.  I certainly wouldn't ask for a meal that requires extensive sourcing or preparation but I am rather partial to asian food but didn't want to have to head off to the speciality restaurants.

[exlondoner]

12 minutes ago, GeorgianGal100 said:

That's just what I was hoping, thank you.  I don't have a great appetite and so would probably only have a starter and main course but I would like the main course to stimulate the taste buds.  I certainly wouldn't ask for a meal that requires extensive sourcing or preparation but I am rather partial to asian food but didn't want to have to head off to the speciality restaurants.

They have a lot of Asian chefs, I think, who will be more than happy to provide.

Edited May 27 by exlondoner

[GeorgianGal100]

1 minute ago, exlondoner said:

The have a lot of Asian chefs, I think, who will be more than happy to provide.

Absolutely and I am very excited to see and taste what they prepare, I'm drooling just thinking about it!  Thank you.

[Victoria2]

16 minutes ago, GeorgianGal100 said:

That's just what I was hoping, thank you.  I don't have a great appetite and so would probably only have a starter and main course but I would like the main course to stimulate the taste buds.  I certainly wouldn't ask for a meal that requires extensive sourcing or preparation but I am rather partial to asian food but didn't want to have to head off to the speciality restaurants.

Apart from our obligatory Crispy Duck one night and husband doing his darnedest to add to depleting the stocks of Dover Sole, we didn't have any table side prepared meals.

I can't be fussed with the fuss and for one, the amount prepared is embarrassing. I too love Asian  food and the curries we had and were  galley prepared and delicious after being asked how fierce we wanted the 'heat'!  The spag bol, my stand by, was also galley prepared and delicious.

 

Edit

Actually, not totally accurate. Order a filet mignon off piste and it's 'finished' table side, as is Dover Sole. Cooking, table side is different from finishing.

Edited May 27 by Victoria2

[GeorgianGal100]

Fabulous, thanks so much and I wish I was on board right now, I have cold leftover Pizza waiting for me for lunch!

[Host Hattie]

10 minutes ago, GeorgianGal100 said:

Fabulous, thanks so much and I wish I was on board right now, I have cold leftover Pizza waiting for me for lunch!

Same here

[Windsurfboy]

One final question,  I think you were on one of the banquettes in QG.

 

On the other ships we have a table for two , but in the knowledge that we can talk to the neighbours,  at least say hello, but if both couples want can have a good chat. Was that possible on the banquette or was the person with their back to the wall cut off by the curve of the banquette. 

 

Thanks

Edited May 28 by Windsurfboy

[exlondoner]

29 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

One final question,  I think you were on one of the banquettes in QG.

 

On the other ships we have a table for two , but in the knowledge that we can talk to the neighbours,  at least say hello, but if both couples want can have a good chat. Was that possible on the banquette or was the person with their back to the wall cut off by the curve of the banquette. 

 

Thanks

We weren’t actually at a banquette, but at a table with two chairs next to the banquettes. There was another table with chairs next to us, and we spoke with them a lot. The people on the other side, one of whom sat on the banquette, ate all meals much earlier than us, and were usually leaving as we arrived, so we had little conversation. I did ask whether the banquette was as uncomfortable as it looked and she said it was very comfortable, however. Other adjacent tables at the banquettes seemed able to chat easily.

Edited May 28 by exlondoner

[Windsurfboy]

3 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

We weren’t actually at a banquette, but at a table with two chairs next to the banquettes. There was another table with chairs next to us, and we spoke with them a lot. The people on the other side, one of whom sat on the banquette ate all meals much earlier than us, and were usually leaving as we arrived, so we had little conversation. I did ask whether the banquette was as uncomfortable as it looked and she said it was very comfortable, however. Other adjacent tables at the banquettes seemed able to chat easily.

Thank you

[TowandaUK]

My review of the Canaries voyage. has now been published. It may be of more interest to those in a Britannia balcony. 

[Host Hattie]

Thank you for your very helpful and thorough review. It's here -

Queen Anne Review

[TowandaUK]

5 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

Thank you for your very helpful and thorough review. It's here -

Queen Anne Review

Thank you Hattie

[Victoria2]

53 minutes ago, TowandaUK said:

My review of the Canaries voyage. has now been published. It may be of more interest to those in a Britannia balcony. 

A very fair review.

Thank you👍

[GeorgianGal100]

1 hour ago, TowandaUK said:

My review of the Canaries voyage. has now been published. It may be of more interest to those in a Britannia balcony. 

That was a very interesting, honest and thorough review, it was very helpful, thank you.  

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, TowandaUK said:

My review of the Canaries voyage. has now been published. It may be of more interest to those in a Britannia balcony. 

An excellent and balanced review. Thanks for taking the time to write it. We can relate to many of your comments as we are currently on board QA, although our challenges have been more to do with accessibility issues (my wife is a full time wheelchair user). 

[King Amo]

Interesting review. I really appreciate how matter of fact it is, thanks Towanda.

 

Disappointed to see the comment on the outdated and unacceptable schtick from one of the entertainers. 20 years ago on the QE2 I was compelled to write and complain about something very similar from Duggie Brown. Absolutely ghastly stuff, particularly given the demographic of the staff who were doing such a wonderful job looking after our every whim, and made much worse by how it was lapped up by the aged audience. That it is still happening is just not acceptable. 

[Victoria2]

Interesting.

We giggled like mad at Bernie Flint, loved his musical interludes and thought him one of the best entertainers of the two weeks so differences of opinions of entertainment.

Can't please all of us all the time!

[TowandaUK]

I did state in my review that my comments on Berni Flint were just my opinion. Sadly there were many people who found him funny. However when he told the story similar to the Lola song by the kinks it made me feel very uncomfortable. I didn’t find him funny at all. 
Incidentally the promised refund of $2016 for the drink package has still not materialised and I’m getting nowhere with Cunard. Seems like I shall have to start a dispute proceeding with my credit card company. This despite being told 3 times by the pursers office that the refund was on its way, and having paid pay as you go for all our drinks. 

[TowandaUK]

He did do 2 performances. Perhaps the content differed. I have no intention of commenting further on this one small part of my review. 
To be honest I’m more upset that I have paid for all my drinks twice and getting nowhere with my complaint to Cunard. 

[Megabear2]

Berni Flint is a British icon, yes from a different age but rather his take on telling a story than the obsession the current wave of comedy acts have of telling us straight off their sexual persuasion or discussing farting, nose picking and other bodily functions.  

 

Cunard would be damned if they offered up one of these modern artists, what would you have them do?  Comedy has always been edgey it needs to be a little riskae to make you chuckle, otherwise it's bland and boring.  The "naughtiness" is the secret, the oooh did he just say that moment.

[TowandaUK]

Incidentally. We have not received a survey. Has anyone else received one?  

[exlondoner]

Well, I was actually on that voyage, and I have still never heard or heard of whoever he or she is. So, clearly a small part of life. I was much more irritated by the celebrity guest speaker who was the only male I saw without any sort of tie in the restaurant on formal night. Not that I care as such, but because I think, if you accept these gigs, you should conform.

[Victoria2]

Just now, TowandaUK said:

Incidentally. We have not received a survey. Has anyone else received one?  

No but then we haven't had one, post Covid.