QE2 July 31: Trade dinner in QG one night for dinner in Princess Grill?

[airships]

I will be on the July 31 "Fire and Ice" cruise to Iceland and Norway. I have never eaten in the Princess Grill (one of the few original rooms on QE2) and would love to have dinner there one night, before the ship leaves us for good. Is there a couple eating in Princess Grill on that cruise who would like to swap tables one night; our table in Queen's Grill for your table in Princess Grill?

 

(I imagine if we go to the Maitre D' together, and let him know we would like to swap, he might not object??)

 

Thanks!

[andhow]

(I imagine if we go to the Maitre D' together, and let him know we would like to swap, he might not object??)

 

Thanks!

 

airships

 

We've done it before and never had any problems - so go for it.

 

Andhow

[rjms74]

I too have dined once in the Princess Grill back in 2005, my usual Restaurant being the Queens Grill but in recent years including when I was onboard earlier this week they say that due to the ship being full it was not possible for my parents to dine in the Princess Grill with me one night due to the ship being full / sold out!

 

I had a very polite letter from the Assistant Food & Beverage Manager re this but nevertheless was disappointed especially as I was in a QG single cabin & my parents had a Q2 suite. That being said my parents were so impressed with the QG Rest (so much so we are trying Queens Grill on the QV next) & my mother in particular did not like the PG Rest re it's art deco style (which I love) so it did not matter too much. I will be interested to hear if you manage to get to have dinner there!

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

[Guest Anorak33]

Hi

We are on the same cruise as the OP, we also usually dine QG but as we have never tried PG/ BG we have booked this, but we don't know which of the two we will be dining in.

 

If you want to swap one night we are certainly up for it.

 

Please let me know.

[rjms74]

hi anorak33,

 

Have you booked the PG or BG Grill for the whole cruise but a Q grade cabin for the cruise?

 

I know from many crew members many of the stars in years gone by used to book the Signal & Sun deck suites & dine in the Princess Grill as it's more intimate & non-smoking although I have not on my past two cruises onQE2 in the QG Rest seen anyone smoke in the Queens Grill Rest. In 2006 though on a 3 weeks crossing & cruise there were lots of smokers in the Grill - it was not nice!!

 

hope you are well.

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

[airships]

Hi

as we have never tried PG/ BG we have booked this, but we don't know which of the two we will be dining in.

 

If you want to swap one night we are certainly up for it.

 

Please let me know.

 

Anorak: What is your cabin # on the cruise, and I can let you know if you are in Princess Grill or Britannia Grill.

 

Cunard is very strict about restaurant assignment; P1 and PG are in Princess, all other P cabins are in Britannia.

 

I am in a P2 cabin on QE2's last transatlantic crossing to America on Oct 10, and so will be eating in the Britannia Grill on that trip. That's why I wanted to eat in Princess Grill at least once on the July 31 cruise. (And I thought my Queen's Grill table on July 31 would make a better "swap" than my Britannia Grill table on Oct 10!).

 

Anyway, if you are eating in Princess Grill on the July 31 cruise, and would like to swap, just let me know how to reach you; my email is dan at airships-net. (And anyone else who would like to use my email address to send me a note, feel free.)

[Guest Anorak33]

Sorry, we will be in Britannia, no good to you!

 

We were not totally impressed with QG last time so thought we better try a different one, no more chances. Not that it was generally bad, just no WOW factor for us, guess we did it too much.

[rjms74]

hi anorak33

 

Hope you enjoy the Britannia Grill more than QG but the 'wow' factor was most definitely there for my family & I this past week onboard & I've been lucky to travel QG grade on 7 out of my 8 cruises onboard & have always enjoyed the dining experience & superb service! It will be interesting to see how the QV's Queen's Grill compares when I am onboard next year.

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

Richard

[rjms74]

andhow,

 

I am curious to know how often you have managed to dine in the PG Grill when you have a table in the QG Rest & is this in the past two years as in both 2007 & this year the ship have not been able to honour my dining request one evening in PG or BG Grill Restaurants? They did though back in 2005.

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

[andhow]

andhow,

 

I am curious to know how often you have managed to dine in the PG Grill when you have a table in the QG Rest & is this in the past two years as in both 2007 & this year the ship have not been able to honour my dining request one evening in PG or BG Grill Restaurants? They did though back in 2005.RJMS74

 

RJMS74

 

We had friends who were travelling in a Princess grade cabin and we just swapped our restaurant assignments for one evening - with David Chamber's and Beniamino's permission of course! They thoroughly enjoyed the Queens Grill and we did likewise in the Britannia!

 

Andhow

[Guest Anorak33]

Hi

How would you describe any difference you found please?

 

When dining in the QG I usually start every dinner with the caviar, I am told its not available in the BG. That much I am prepared for.

 

And I believe you can't order items not on the menu that night.

 

I hardly ever order off the menu now anyway, specially as the last time we were in QG we had a a superscary Assistant Maitre D', the Bulgarian one with the gold teeth and the heavy Russian style accent. We didn't like to complain about anything after the first time , we just sat back and mostly said nothing.

 

Not that there was much to complain about I might add, just fish and steak problems.

[rjms74]

Andhow, many thanks for explaining re your Britannia Grill swap with QG!

 

How did the BG compare to QG? When I dined in the Princess Grill with fellow tablemates from the QG Rest one evening in July 2005 the food I found not disimilar to the Queens Grill but the service was no where as near as attentive - but what a lovely Art Deco Restaurant with sea-view windows!!

 

Anorak 33 - I met friends in the QG Lounge Bar last October who were dining in the Princess Grill & whilst they do not actively encourage you ordering off menu like in QG, my friends ordered like myself in QG caviar every evening and they were served it without charge I hasten to add which apparently happens on the QM2!!!! I am sorry to hear of your steak & fish problems - we had wonderful food & service & I ordered Steak Diane on two nights off menu & just watching Denis the Assistant Maitre D' in the Queens Grill was pure theatre - & it's one of the best meals I've had in the Grill or indeed any Restaurant for sometime or indeed any Rest onland. The Dover Sole & Rack of Lamb were also excellent dishes. I've never seen this Assistant Maitre D' you have mentioned - there is Denis & Mr Chambers & another Assistant Maitre D who I believe is Indian / Pakistani & very friendly.

 

I am just so sorry that I won't be going back again next year for my annual cruise on QE2!!! I hope the QV Queens Grill experience compares favourably!

 

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

RJMS74

[andhow]

Andhow, many thanks for explaining re your Britannia Grill swap with QG!

 

How did the BG compare to QG?

 

 

rjms74

 

First impression of the Britannia Grill was "dark and gloomy" but this turned into "cozy" by the end of the meal! As you mentioned the food was very similar to the Queens Grill but the a la carte menu was not as comprehensive. We found the service was just as good as QG.

 

Andhow

[pnhmrk]

We prefer the Britannia Grill to the Princess Grill. We tried the Princess Grill for a couple of cruises and then went back to the Caronia unimpressed. We got an upgrade to the Britannia for the WC and were so impressed we've booked it again for September.

[stephen@stoneyard.co.uk]

The Britannia Grill was a highlight of my last cruise. As you descend those steps you enter an oasis of calm that the rest of the ship seems to lack. Perhaps it is because you are cut off from the rest of the ship, the sea views, the small size or great service. The Queens Grill did not feel the same for me. I know the Queens Grill is larger but are the tables closer together.

 

Saying all this the Penthouses, Penthouse service and Queens Grill still provide a cruise that is difficult to match on newer and more expensive ships.

 

On my next cruise I have marked my booking not for upgrade so as to stay in the smaller Grill restaurants.

 

Best wishes, Stephen.