QM2 Britannia Club - advice/info appreciated

[GrimWheel]

We are thinking of doing a TA, the last one of the year on 11th November. This would be our third TA (QM2 2005, QE2 2008).

 

We can't afford to travel QG or PG, in fact we would prefer to experience the Britannia Restaurant for its own sake, being the grandest room at sea and all that, which we think it is.

 

Britannia Club sounds intriguing. Anybody experience this yet ? – I know its “open dining” in respect of time, but where is it physically located ? Is it within the main Britannia, or stuck away in an adjacent room (not good). Can we still descend the Grand Staircase ? Actually this is such a thrill, even when seated “upstairs” we usually made the effort to go down and then up again. Sometimes more than once.

 

Finally, tables for two in Britannia Club – are they well provided for ? My partner and I are sociopaths of alarming appearance and alternative table manners, and we would wish to forestall any complaints from fellow diners. Booking late, as we would be, makes me think tables for two might be in short supply.

 

Comments gratefully received.

[Ray66]

We are thinking of doing a TA, the last one of the year on 11th November. This would be our third TA (QM2 2005, QE2 2008).

 

We can't afford to travel QG or PG, in fact we would prefer to experience the Britannia Restaurant for its own sake, being the grandest room at sea and all that, which we think it is.

 

Britannia Club sounds intriguing. Anybody experience this yet ? – I know its “open dining” in respect of time, but where is it physically located ? Is it within the main Britannia, or stuck away in an adjacent room (not good). Can we still descend the Grand Staircase ? Actually this is such a thrill, even when seated “upstairs” we usually made the effort to go down and then up again. Sometimes more than once.

 

Finally, tables for two in Britannia Club – are they well provided for ? My partner and I are sociopaths of alarming appearance and alternative table manners, and we would wish to forestall any complaints from fellow diners. Booking late, as we would be, makes me think tables for two might be in short supply.

 

Comments gratefully received.

 

It's situated in a sectioned-off part in the far right hand corner of the Britannia restaurant lower level. So yes, you can still ascend the staircase.

 

I would say your chances of getting a table for two is very slim. We asked for one when we sailed Britannia Club last year and were assigned a table for six because we had "booked late" three months before the trip.

[navylark]

I advise against it - as the previous reply says the romm is on the port side at the very rear of the lower level. It has a low ceiling and lacks any atmosphere. You can of course walk down the grand staircase - but cannot see it from the Club area.

Be very careful before you book - there is a strong chanceof being disappointed.

The naylarks were!!

[Host Sharon]

I had lunch in the Britannia Club restaurant and didn't like it at all. I felt we were cut off from people and the atmosphere was enclosed and claustrophic. The only advantage I can see is the single sitting.

[GrimWheel]

Thanks for those replies !

 

Looks like Mrs Grimwheel is going to be inflicted on the main restaurant then....

[SueOverend]

I think you will find that there are not many A category cabins left apart from the AA category for that sailing (as we are on it, and I've been checking). Why don't you take the AA, but book a Guarantee and keep your fingers crossed for an upgrade to PG. The sailing is not selling too well at the top end. Sue

[GrimWheel]

I think you will find that there are not many A category cabins left apart from the AA category for that sailing (as we are on it, and I've been checking). Why don't you take the AA, but book a Guarantee and keep your fingers crossed for an upgrade to PG. The sailing is not selling too well at the top end. Sue

 

Sue - that sounds like good advice, thankyou. Choices, Choices...

 

Can U save me a lot of bother on the website and outline what a "guarantee" is in respect of a booking ?

 

Thanks so much in anticipation !

 

I suppose one always has the option of hiding away in the Todd English...

[Cornus]

Just curious...:confused:...care to provide any more info as to what they might be?

[Host Sharon]

Sue - that sounds like good advice, thankyou. Choices, Choices...

 

Can U save me a lot of bother on the website and outline what a "guarantee" is in respect of a booking ?

 

Thanks so much in anticipation !

 

I suppose one always has the option of hiding away in the Todd English...

 

A Guarantee Cabin is just that. You book a grade of cabin but don't get allocated a specific number. You are guaranteed to be on the voyage and guaranteed a cabin of the grade you have booked or higher.

[garigoun]

Thanks for those replies !

 

Looks like Mrs Grimwheel is going to be inflicted on the main restaurant then....

 

Don't worry about being sociopathic Grimmy, Cunard have a special policy for that. They put all the Sociopaths together on tables for 10. In respect of the alternative table manners well... they let Cruachan back on board so you shouldn't experience any problems.

Gari

[SueOverend]

Sue - that sounds like good advice, thankyou. Choices, Choices...

 

Can U save me a lot of bother on the website and outline what a "guarantee" is in respect of a booking ?

 

Thanks so much in anticipation !

 

I suppose one always has the option of hiding away in the Todd English...

 

As mentioned by booking a "Guarantee" you are guaranteed a cabin in that category, but you won't be able to book a specific cabin. It will then allow Cunard to put you in which ever cabin that suits them (but in no lower than the category you have booked). This allows them to see more cabins lower down the grading (which are easier to sell) and then they move everybody upwards to accommodate their new bookings. As there are very few AA cabins, if you end up in one of these, there is not much to choose between them as they are all close together on Deck 12. We normally take Guarantees and have often been upgraded. I haven't seen the Britannia Club dining area, but we certainly enjoyed our Grill dining, with no set times. Bliss! Sue

[GrimWheel]

Just curious...:confused:...care to provide any more info as to what they might be?

 

I have on occasion been known to use the wrong cutlery. I also sometimes wear my cummerbund upside down.

 

Mrs Grimwheel will tend to throw bread rolls* at passing passengers she takes a fancy to. She's got a thing about uniforms especially officers. You'll understand why a large table is a bad idea.

 

*A throwback to her P+O days I'm afraid.

[Terrence Richards]

We are thinking of doing a TA, the last one of the year on 11th November. This would be our third TA (QM2 2005, QE2 2008).

 

We can't afford to travel QG or PG, in fact we would prefer to experience the Britannia Restaurant for its own sake, being the grandest room at sea and all that, which we think it is.

 

Britannia Club sounds intriguing. Anybody experience this yet ? – I know its “open dining” in respect of time, but where is it physically located ? Is it within the main Britannia, or stuck away in an adjacent room (not good). Can we still descend the Grand Staircase ? Actually this is such a thrill, even when seated “upstairs” we usually made the effort to go down and then up again. Sometimes more than once.

 

Finally, tables for two in Britannia Club – are they well provided for ? My partner and I are sociopaths of alarming appearance and alternative table manners, and we would wish to forestall any complaints from fellow diners. Booking late, as we would be, makes me think tables for two might be in short supply.

 

Comments gratefully received.

 

Hi, GrimWheel,

 

When I was on board the QM2 last October, I visited the Britannia Club area of the Britannia Restaurant between lunch and dinner when the restaurant was empty of passengers.

 

As some have stated here, the Britannia Club has a lower ceiling than the three level area of the Britannia in the main middle area. I thought the Britannia Club was very attractive with nice graphics on the walls, nice soft colors of the room, attractive table settings, and several windows with views of the sea.

 

My wife and I have always dined in the lower level of the Britannia Restaurant on the starboard side in an area with a low ceiling. It did not bother us to be there. We did not feel closed in, because the restaurant is so large.

 

The big bonus that you pay for is the one sitting, but you do get a stateroom that has less square footage than those on Deck 4, 5, and 6 with sheltered balconies.

 

There is a Roll Call on these boards for the November 11, 2009, crossing from Southampton to Brooklyn. My wife and I will be on board with you as we return to Brooklyn being we are doing a roundtrip crossing.

 

Go to the top of the Cruise Critic Home Page and look in the upper left for "Boards". Click on that and scroll down to "Roll Calls", then click on "Cunard Roll Calls". Scroll down the list and look for the "November 11/Caribbean Cruise" started by my friend "Virgin Cruiser". There are more than ten pages of messages. If you have not signed on, go to the last page and introduce yourself.

 

As you may know, Cruise Critic Members, usually get together on the first full day at sea (November 12) at 2 PM, in the Commodore Club on Deck Nine, forward.

 

Welcome Aboard,

 

Terrence (Terry)

 

P.S. If you send me your E-mail name to me at terrencerichards@verizon.net I will send you some photos of the Britannia Club.

[SueOverend]

Hi, GrimWheel,

 

When I was on board the QM2 last October, I visited the Britannia Club area of the Britannia Restaurant between lunch and dinner when the restaurant was empty of passengers.

 

As some have stated here, the Britannia Club has a lower ceiling than the three level area of the Britannia in the main middle area. I thought the Britannia Club was very attractive with nice graphics on the walls, nice soft colors of the room, attractive table settings, and several windows with views of the sea.

 

My wife and I have always dined in the lower level of the Britannia Restaurant on the starboard side in an area with a low ceiling. It did not bother us to be there. We did not feel closed in, because the restaurant is so large.

 

The big bonus that you pay for is the one sitting, but you do get a stateroom that has less square footage than those on Deck 4, 5, and 6 with sheltered balconies.

 

There is a Roll Call on these boards for the November 11, 2009, crossing from Southampton to Brooklyn. My wife and I will be on board with you as we return to Brooklyn being we are doing a roundtrip crossing.

 

Go to the top of the Cruise Critic Home Page and look in the upper left for "Boards". Click on that and scroll down to "Roll Calls", then click on "Cunard Roll Calls". Scroll down the list and look for the "November 11/Caribbean Cruise" started by my friend "Virgin Cruiser". There are more than ten pages of messages. If you have not signed on, go to the last page and introduce yourself.

 

As you may know, Cruise Critic Members, usually get together on the first full day at sea (November 12) at 2 PM, in the Commodore Club on Deck Nine, forward.

 

Welcome Aboard,

 

Terrence (Terry)

 

P.S. If you send me your E-mail name to me at terrencerichards@verizon.net I will send you some photos of the Britannia Club.

 

Terence - The Stateroom is actually the same size in all Balcony categories - it is just the balcony size which makes the "in hulls" on decks 4, 5 & 6 have a larger square footage. Sue

[WNcruiser]

I see it says you are invited to the grills captains cocktail party. Does anyone know if you are you able to use the grills lounge and check-in at the grills check-in line?

 

It is about $1500 extra pp on our crossing so there must be SOME extra perks besides the single seating in brittania club.

 

Steve

[pb82]

I see it says you are invited to the grills captains cocktail party.[sometimes you are, sometimes you aren't.] Does anyone know if you are you able to use the grills lounge [No, it's for QG and PG.] and check-in at the grills check-in line? [No, unless you are also World Club Platinum.]

 

It is about $1500 extra pp on our crossing so there must be SOME extra perks besides the single seating in brittania club. [Dining when you want, and having the same table and staff for every meal, means a lot to some.]

 

Steve

....

[Ray66]

I see it says you are invited to the grills captains cocktail party. Does anyone know if you are you able to use the grills lounge and check-in at the grills check-in line?

 

No, you can't.

 

It is about $1500 extra pp on our crossing so there must be SOME extra perks besides the single seating in brittania club.

 

The difference between AA Club cabins and A1 cabins is about £200 on a crossing. Only small extra perks like terry bathrobes instead of waffle, and a pillow concierge menu.

 

...

[doverphil]

Having returned today from a cruise on the QM2, and having enjoyed exemplary service in the Britannia Club, I would thoroughly recommend it. There were plenty of tables for two. On tables for six or eight, rarely were all diners present at the same time. The menu seemed more extensive than in the main Britannis restaurant. Certainly worth the extra cost.

[SeaMatesNYC]

Having returned today from a cruise on the QM2, and having enjoyed exemplary service in the Britannia Club, I would thoroughly recommend it. There were plenty of tables for two. On tables for six or eight, rarely were all diners present at the same time. The menu seemed more extensive than in the main Britannis restaurant. Certainly worth the extra cost.

 

We traveled this grade for three nights (a so-called "party" cruise) for our introduction to QM2 (and Cunard for that matter) and found it somewhat lacking. This was over a year ago. I am hoping for better results on this year's Christmas/New Year's Cruise on QM2, as I should think that the staff will (1) not be quite so overwhelmed with additional demands (3rd and 4th berths, etc.) and (2) be able to get to know one's tastes/peculiarities better on a 15 night voyage. That's the hope, anyways!