Cunard Queens Grill - Not what we’d hoped. Honest and factual review.
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- Опубликовано: 29 июл 2024
- Cunard Line Queens Grill Review.
Ever wondered what it is like to sail on a Cunard ship in their top suites? How does it compare with similar priced six star smaller ships? This insightful review gives you the answers - the good AND the bad. Alternatively, just enjoy some lovely footage of the MS Queen Victoria in all her post refit glory.
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As a manager for Cunard in the 70’s I ate daily in the Tables of the World restaurant, the second class equivalent. We only had Beluga caviar on the menu on Wednesdays!! I did get to dine by invitation in the Princess Grill a few times and only visited the Queens Grill once, by invitation of Rock Hudson but didnt dine there. I also travelled First Class on P&O in the 60’s including the Maiden Voyage of the SS Canberra. The class system was not confined to Cunard at all. All British vessels did this including the NZ Steamship Company and Union Castle Line.
You have the most soothing, calming, pleasant voice. Your narration is top notch.
Thank you so much! (said in a soothing calming, pleasant voice, of course) ;)
But you could still sense the anger in his voice
His voice reminds me of Steve Parker, a book reader. Excellent moderation.
We recently had an Alaska cruise on the Queen Elizabeth in Queens Grill. Most people know the QE is identical in layout to the Queen Victoria. The fare difference between Princess Grill and Queens Grill was about Can.$800 per person, which was reasonable for 10 days. We had booked the cheapest Q6 at the stern as pictured in the video. We were upgraded to a Q4 which was midships. It wasn't any bigger but the division between the sitting and bedroom areas was more pronounced. It felt like a real suite. The bathroom was identical to the one in the video. We actually liked it a lot. The division between the two halves was convenient. Our butler and assistant provided fabulous service. We saw them frequently and they always acknowledged us by name. The butler made sure we had lots of tonic for the gin and our favourite pop: ginger ale. The suite was serviced three times a day, more than we expected. Hors d'oeuvres were brought in early every evening. The in-suite bar list has apparently improved. Bombay Sapphire was the top of the gins list. We didn't see Irish Cream on the list but were invited to make requests with the butler. This was provided in under an hour. We had a drinks package and generous on-board credit so we left the ship without a bill. Although I do agree with many of the comments on the video, I am anxious to repeat this experience on the QE or QV. Overall we preferred the Queens Grill experience on the QE over the Queen Mary 2, although the latter has one benefit: a second lounge for the Grills.
Thanks for watching and for your detailed comments.
Love your videos. They (all) have been instrumental in helping us to zero-in on educating ourselves and assisting us in finding a cruising experience that best suits our style. I also find value in perusing the comments from less open-mined folks - as I know that I won't be seeing them on a Cunard cruise. Yay! Thanks so much. Keep up the great work! Looking forward to our upcoming Dubai to SGP cruise.
Aww, thank you so much Jeff. It's feedback like yours that spur us on to try to keep improving with every video. I'm so glad you've found them useful. :)
Excellent balanced review. It reflects my experience. Have travelled twice with Cunard, both times transatlantic on QM2. First time queens grill, second time princess grill. Loved the queens grill but do agree it was more 5.5 stars. Felt princess grill was almost as good, still 5.5 stars but better value. Cunard could do so much better, making it an excellent 6 star experience for the sake of just a few pounds at the margins. You don’t penny pinch at grills level!
UPDATED Another year on and another transatlantic trip on QM2, this time in a Club Balcony. The cabin is basically a standard balcony cabin so nothing like the space or facilities of either Queens or Princess Grills but perfectly adequate and very comfortable. The big advantage is the dining in a reserved section of the Britannia restaurant at time of choice - just turn up and your table is waiting. Bespoke menu too. The dining experience compared extremely favourably with the Grills, basically the same, just a different location. The waiters were nothing short of first class.
Next time (and there will be a next time) I would definitely take a Club Balcony as my first choice, it is excellent value for money.
Thanks for the good information!
Thanks for the update 👍
And thanks for watching 😊
Excellent feedback. Looks like you are working your way through the Stateroom ranks.
We are to, but the other way around. Have done both inside and inside deluxe, next we are skipping outside for outside deluxe (we have children and need extra space now). The outside deluxe is actually bigger than a balcony, however for safety sake is best with little ones.
I really would like to experience Britannia Club sometime when the children stay home with nanny. The grills experience appears to be something of a “inner circle” that costs quite a lot to get into, however doesn’t quite offer enough.
Britannia Club however sounds very appealing, whilst in Standard Britannia we explored speciality nights.
With Britannia club/Grills do you get access to the private pool which is part of the health suite included?
0:23 The funnel color used to be more orange since 1840 but in 1949 they started using more red than white and orange in the paint mixture.
Interesting. Might be useful in a trivia quiz one day 😁
Thanks for watching 👍
We were fortunate enough to travel Queens Grill from Brisbane to Kobe............. It was the experience of a lifetime. Ruined us for life !! All other cruise lines are just not up to standard. Looking forward to cruising on QM2 next year .
I think Cunard is quite generous; being that MSC Yacht Club, NCL Haven, Royal Caribbean Suite Class, Costa Suite Class, Princess Club Class, Celebrity Suite Class, and even Carnival now has a full class system based on cabin category. On Cunard ships your dining area is the main difference, while all the others have a large percentage (of designated space, 15%+) of their ships, to around 5% of their guests.
Britannia Club Class, is Premium Economy.
Thanks for watching and commenting 👍
Of all the reviews on this website, yours are by far the best/most professional. What a voice! I’m sailing on Queen Victoria in Queens Grill this October so we’ll see how it fares! Keep up the excellent work Richard !
Thank you ☺️
What a pleasant and agreeable voice!
I agree.
Thank you 😊
This is a superbly well done review. This is a channel I will enjoy and a subscription I look forward to counting on. Cheers!
A couple of thoughts..... I understand your not having familiarity with butler service; most of us do not - but did you ask your butler what services they might provide and then could have taken advantage of those services?
You did not like the provided alcohol. Did you ask if those could be switched with brands more to your liking? My understanding is that they will do this if you request it.
Thanks for the comments. :) Well, this is an age old conundrum. If you don't ask, you don't get. But they should offer the info, especially for first timers. What if the guest is shy and doesn't like to ask?
@@visitwithus for the people that are too shy to ask what a butler does there are some RUclipsrs that list what a butler services are and what are not.
@@enjoyslearningandtravel7957 Except every one is different according to cruise line. We’ve had six cruises with butlers. All different. A guide is OK but not definitive. Our Cunard butler did not perform the role of a butler.
Thank you for taking the time to make and post this, we will be taking the QM 2 across the Atlantic in December, we looked at the Grills and after a lot of research, we just couldn't justify the price difference, as I said to the wife, if we go with a grill, we will end up coming off the ship disappointed.
Thank you for your feedback Dave. To be honest, I'd save the cash and go Britannia class, then not worry about spending a little of what you've saved on cocktails, wine, decent coffee at Sir Samuels and meals in the Verandah. It'll give you a more premium experience for a fraction of the price. :)
Just sent you an email with something interesting.
dave smith Thanks! Reply coming!
i so enjoy listening to you talk, great review
Thank you Wendy. Another review coming soon, so stay tuned! :D
Great video! Thank you for inviting me along with you.
Thank you for watching! Please subscribe as there's a lot more cruise related videos to come you might like. :)
A fabulous wine with dinner is worth the extra cost, and therein lays the answer to your query: my idea of fabulous may cost a lot more than the house is willing to provide free of charge with a drinks package. As for the butler: you need to ask for their help, they often don't anticipate but are amply gracious at responding to requests for everything from fixing your broken luggage wheel, to arranging a cocktail party in your suite, to negotiating special food or drink requests with the dinning room, etc.
Thanks for your feedback. We will certainly do differently when we next do QG. :)
Thanks for that, we were considering this for a trip, back to good old trusted ships we’ve been on, and enjoyed before!
Thanks for your comment Pete. The Victoria is a fabulous ship with a very homely feel. We'd be back on tomorrow given half the chance! :)
An enjoyable review I thought. As far as the ship/line goes, I'm of the opinion that I would much rather sail with Regent Seven Seas, Sea Bourne or even Azamara Club Cruises. All inclusive, spectacular food and less "stuffiness". I'm like woodybailey, I'll probably sail on a Cunard, just so I can tick it off.
By the way, I thought your commentary was very well done and you have a good voice for it as well.
Heck, I'd sail with Celebrity Aqua class, Norwegian Haven class and Holland America suites. They are great!
Thank you for your review. We were looking at a 7 day cruise on the QM2 in a princess grille suite. Thankfully your review has put us off now. We cruise with Silversea and everything is included top shelf drinks flights in business class on Med Cruises plus lots more. How much time do you spend in your cabin anyway? Cunard are penny pinching regarding drinks. Give them a wide berth lol.
Thanks for your feedback Michael. I'm glad we were of some help. I agree, Cunard really have to up their game here if they're going to attract new guests away from the six star lines.
Love the narration and honest opinion!
Thank you ☺️
Good to see your post. I have travelled on the QM2 several times, only one time not in the Queen's grill. My problem with the ship is that I went on the return of the QE2's maiden voyage. If you have been on Cunard before Carnival bought it. I always travelled in one of the grill rooms and it was wonderful. On the QM2 the servings of special food seemed to be limited. Never onf the QE2. Carnival makes you feel at times that the stockholders are going to complain. I have travelled on most of the Cunard ships over many years but feel that Carnival is cutting corners. Regretfully they are the only transatlantic crossing. Used to love the Concorde going and coming back on the ship.
Thank you for your comment. Yes, this is a common subject and indeed opinion amongst those who remember the 'pre-Carnival' Cunard. Times change, and sometimes not always for the better eh? :)
You have the absolute best voice ever. I'm listening in my headphones and it's ASMR-level soothing!
Thank you! [he said in ASMR tones] 😆
Congratulations for this excellent video, and a very fair review of the Grill Experience too. I concur with most of your observations. We sailed on all 3 Queens (and the QE2 before that).
Food-wise, I did not find that the food was so much better in the Queen’s Grill. You get more choice, and they will prepare something off the menu if you ask them. One nice thing is to have dinner in the patio outside. Very pleasant on a Summer evening. One major minus point about the Grills, that you do not mention, is that the tables are so close to each other. Most people want tables of 2, and Cunard accommodates that, but the tables are so close that you effectively are sitting with strangers. Some people love that sort of mingling, but we do not. Cunard tends to attract an older kind of people who like to tell you how many cruises they have been on, and how great it was at the time of the Raj… When paying top dollar, we would hope to get our privacy a lot more than is possible in the Queens Grill.
Regarding what a butler does, I agree with your comment that there is not much difference with a regular attendant in Britannia class. The only thing was that we requested a green smoothie made fresh and delivered every morning, which we got flawlessly, while in a subsequent cruise in ‘regular’ Britannia, it was simply not possible to arrange for that.
My opinion is that on the whole, the Grills are not really value for money. Yes, the feeling of exclusivity is pleasant, the service is flawless, and the biggest advantage is the very large suite. We sailed on QV in a Q6 Queens Grill suite prior to the refit that added the bulky stern to the ship. The suite itself was very similar to what you showed in the video, but the terrasse was a lot larger then, which was a major attraction when crossing the Straits of Messina, having breakfast in scenic Kotor, or entering Venice harbour. Alas, that amazing space is no more…
Considering that most of the ship is accessible to all passengers, it is probably a lot more cost-effective to book a cheap Britannia cabin (an inside cabin is good enough) and splurge for dinner at the Verandah Restaurant, which offers really superior cuisine, or at least it did until they switched to that silly steakhouse formula that everybody seems to hate. I expect that Cunard will revert to the old formula of French Cuisine eventually.
We also tried the Britannia Club once, on Queen Elizabeth. It is indeed a very good compromise between ‘regular’ Britannia and over-hyped Grill. The stateroom that goes with it is no different than the regular balcony though, which is a bit of a let-down. The new Britannia Club restaurant on QV looks even more beautiful than the original on QE.
Jean-Paul BINOT :
@@merlethomas2888 commentus interruptus...
"...how great it was at the time of the Raj" Hahaha, or should I go, "Oh, ho. ho, ho!" ? When I was 7 my father worked for Matson Navigation, then one of the 2 shipping companies to Hawaii. We went to San Francisco on the S.S. Lurline, a 4-day voyage. Many of the things you touched upon were true, having your own steward, the same waiter at the same table, printed menus (which I still have), etc. The experience shaped me in ways that I will not go into here, save to say that it showed me another way of living, and that civility and politeness are things to be cherished when one encounters them.
Great review. We booked Princess and Queens Grill on QM2 several times and had a fantastic time. The QV snd QE look nice and we may have to try one of them. One design issue that I don’t care for (other than the ugly backside) are the cheap looking plastic teak look decks. QM2 as genuine teak decks and they are beautiful. Plastic decking on an upper end ship looks odd.
Thanks for your feedback! I'm totally with you regarding the teak decks. There's nothing finer looking than real wood. Unfortunately, the non teak decks that the QV and QE have are not the fault of Cunard. They are due to relatively new fire regulations (SOLAS) and teak is a combustible material. I think the QM2 had special dispensation for some reason and that's why the QM2 still has those fabulous decks. :)
@@visitwithus well I didn’t realize that about the teak decks . I was on the queen Mary two several times and I really like those teak decks.
I always enjoy your reviews. Thank you.
Aww, thanks Andrea. Thank you for watching and commenting. I hope you've subscribed as there's much more to come. The next video is a corker! :D
I think the most shocking thing about this was the failure to provide included wine and drinks with dinner. Maybe they have changed this since your trip, but, I would think that this alone would be a deal breaker for me. It's like they go so far doing a great service and fall short in the easiest areas.
You're absolutely right again Lou. I don't think they have changed it and it is glaringly conspicuous by its absence, especially at this price point.
Nice camera work! I've booked a 2 night Queens grill trip from Southampton to Hamburg in 2025. The short, 2 night trip made it affordable for me. Thank you for an honest review, as their getting harder to find anymore.
Cheers!
Thank you ☺️
I got a chance to travel in The Haven level of Norwegian Bliss. Their were three hot tubs only for guests of The Haven, two on the open decks (which were often closed due to wind on my trip, as they were at the bow end of the ship) and one for the courtyard (near a small pool).
They had a lounge area with a front panoramic view. This was were complimentary tea and coffee was. The bar was in the lobby of The Haven, a little walk away on the same floor.
The butler they had was impeccable.
We’ve yet to sail on NCL but are very intrigued by The Haven 🤔 😁
Thanks for watching 👍
Thanks for your reply, we are a bit restricted for cruising in Sydney, so unless we decide to do the dreaded long haul flying we generally cruise with Celebrity. I find the Solstice class ships are very comfortable & well laid out. I agree with you regarding the QE2 which was coming to the end of its life when we did the transatlantic, but what actually surprised us was the total lack of customer service. Thanks for you videos, very well done. Regards Robert Barnier
Robert Barnier I live not too far from Sydney (about 3hrs drive) and I’ve been trying to find some decent cruise itineraries that start and end - preferably end, at least - in Sydney. Any recommendations?
We have travelled in Queens and Princess Grill Suites on Queen Mary 2 for transatlantic crossings and also for the Fjords cruise. We fly First Class and Business Class on British Airways and the parallels are quite appropriate. For me, the difference in quality between BA Economy and BA Business is quite significant and worth every penny just as the difference between Britannia and Princess Grill on QM2 is also a big step up and, in my opinion, also absolutely worth it. However, the step up from BA Business Class to BA First Class is almost insignificant - just as the step up from Princess Grill to Queens Grill on QM2 is. Given the choice, unless it's a very very special occasion I would always choose Princess Grill over Queens. A very informative and lovely review. Thank you.
Douglas Gillespie Thank you Douglas. Yours is an interesting take on the value of QG vs PG and I’m sure many would agree with you. 🙂
Having travelled business class with BA many times I'm getting the impression standards have dropped significantly beginning with the lounges at T5, food offered and on board entertainment the latter which fails all too often.
@@kevster1007 Absolutely agree. Since Alex Cruz took over as CEO in 2016 he seems Hell bent on a 'race to the bottom' and sees airlines like the despicable Ryanair as his main competition. British Airways is now so far removed from their claim to be 'The World's Favourite Airline' due entirely to Alex Cruz and his insane policies.
I couldn't quite make out, was he in 1st Class, or Business Class. Maybe Cunard would be smart to provide free wine and cocktails at your dining table to 1st Class Passengers. That would differenciate the experience, and make the dining room more of a "club", folks will get boozy and less stuffy. (Maybe a pub brawl or 2 would ensue).
Have used Emirates in recent years and apart from a few flights with 'robotic' and personality lacking crew, the experience is way above the likes of BA. Modern aircraft, superb in flight media entertainment and general young, smart and attentive crew. If the timings work, which often they do, EK is my go to choice.
Brilliant review. I was going to book a QG suite. Thank you for saving me thousands !
Haha! Thanks for watching Richard. It's not all bad, I promise. I just had to be honest about our experience, but that definitely isn't what many people feel. There are a TON of Grills fans out there who love it! :D
Really enjoyed your review- extremely informative- even for me & I'm in the travel business!
Thank you very much Tom! I'm very flattered and thanks for subscribing too. I've got many more videos in the works, so stay tuned! :D
Visit With Us which cruise line have you gone on that lives up to their name ? One that was really pampers its guest without the Guest asking, yet it not Necessarily at the Queen’s level? Which cruise ship gives its guest at least a 6 star experience no matter what level they are on? I do not like to he idea of not having their own hot tub.
I watched another of your video's and it was so well done I thought it was professionally done (with the help of a cameraman etc.) and paid for by the cruiseline. I realized later that it's not but you've done a superb job. You are presenting the best reviews out there.
I was lucky enough to book a 30 day cruise just before the QMII refurb. It was something else and it felt very romantic if you didn't think about the really old people that were on the boat (or deceased ones being carried off every now and then) As well as getting over the Cunard cough that spread to over 70% of the passengers half way through the cruise.
One thing that did bother me was the distinct classes that existed on board amongst the workers and how your nationality would determine what job you would be engaged in on the ship. In this day and age I found it to be degrading and predjudice at it's finest.
Thank you SO much for your lovely comments. It really means everything to us and spurs us on to make each new video better than the last!
With regard to the worker situation on board most cruise lines, I'm afraid to say I totally agree with you. It's the world we live in, and as much as we hate the division, segregation and prejudice, it's so commonplace in every walk of life and everywhere you look, there seems very little we can do about it. :(
We DO try at least to support (ie, spend our money on) those cruise lines that that we know or believe has better working conditions for all of its employees, but it's sometimes difficult to get hold of this information. Our best so far has been our most recent trip on board Silversea's Silver Galapagos. As you will learn in our upcoming videos, ALL of the staff on board the ship were Ecuadorian, most, if not all worked six weeks on, six weeks off and they all seemed to be treated fairly and with respect. THAT'S what the cruise lines should aspire to in our opinion. :)
Great narration. Thank you for the informations. You presented all things very well, and with true good sense of humour. :D
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching. :)
Forgot to mention that we were upgraded to a 2 story suite 3 years ago coming back from England because of going on the QE2 so often.
Cunard is the last line to retain the three-class service of ocean going travel: First (Queen); Cabin (Princess) and Tourist (Britannia) classes. It should hold to all of that in the highest standards. All other cruise lines hold to steerage and nothing more.
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment! :D
@@visitwithus But Cunard like BA is a four class operation.
Great review, very comprehensive. One question I'm left with is whether there is a big difference between the level of cuisine between Queens Grill & Britannia. It sounds like the service is far superior and there are more options in Queens Grill, but the quality of the food is more or less the same as in Britannia. Is my take correct? Or was the quality of the food noticeably better in Queens?
Thanks for your comment Rudy and for watching the review. There IS a difference in cuisine between Britannia and Grills for sure. If you've ever visited the Verandah (or Todd English as it was) premium dining venue on board a Cunard ship, then I'd say the Grills cuisine is more similar to that than the standard Britannia dining. Not that there's anything wrong with the Britannia restaurant though - we've never really had a bad meal in there to be honest! :)
Excellent and very fair review. We totally agree, they need to fix issues with the finer details. Something this line should have built into their D&A.
Thank you for your feedback and I agree, these things simply should not be issues with Grills. Cunard should know better! Thank you also for watching. We hope you consider subscribing to our little channel if you haven’t done so already. 👍🙂
That beef wellington looks DELICIOUS! 🤤
It was! I will always choose it if it's on a menu. Thanks for watching!
I was lucky enough to travel in Princess Grill on both the QM2 and the Queen Elizabeth, and I thoroughly enjoyed both experiences. As a non drinker I really resent all inclusive liquor trends because I don’t want to pay for someone else’s boozing. And quite frankly, if you can afford the fare, you can afford to buy your own wine and drinks.
Thanks for watching Richard. Unfortunately, the 'all inclusive' thing does tend to disadvantage non-drinkers and I completely understand where you're coming from.
If you flew across the Atlantic in first class, the airline would include premium brands and good wine with your meal, regardless of whether you choose to drink it.
Do the maths on a £10 bottle of spirits compared to the up to £10,000 ticket price... I don't think you paying for anyone else's "boozing".
Enjoyed this video, love to try the Grills - we’ve got a butler this summer when we’re in a suite on Britannia going round the Med. I was wondering where he’s going to find some collar starch for me in Cannes but I’m hoping he’s got that one covered!
Thanks for the feedback. I think the one thing we learned from our first time experience with a butler is to not be afraid to ask for things. Anything! Being a bit overfull of the old 'British reserve', we didn't like to, but you've just got to go for it. I'm sure collar starch will be well within his remit. :)
I really love your reviews. Look forward to them!
Thank you. :) I hope you've subscribed to our little channel. Have a lovely day.
I just got back from MSC Seaside Yacht Club, & it is everything that was missing from your voyage: Deluxe Drink Package, three floors of YC, including a private sundeck with small pool, spa, & outdoor cafe. There was a direct elevator to the large Lux Spa, which was included. Furthermore, your YC wristbands got you direct elevator service. The butlers were great (though i agree with his assessment on this point), they took your luggage at drop off, took your through security, and to the Yacht Club Terminal Lounge, which had champagne waiting. Then another one, took you on-board the ship and to your cabin and then a full tour. At every port, the butlers were waiting, to take you back aboard ship and at the end, they took you directly to customs.
Wristbands.......nice! Seriously?
I was a waiter on th original QUEEN MARY I 1957 iin first class I’d love to do this trip on them 2 but money is more than I have in my retirement now my wife and I are cruising on Yolanda America doin Panama and the hawian trips at present this review is nicely done thanks.
Thank you 😊
And thanks for watching 👍
Finally a trip review worth watching, not like the airline bores. Great job
Thank you! And thank you also for taking the time to comment. We appreciate it! :D
At about 14:00 minutes in you hit upon what Grills level is selling, bigger and better rooms, enhanced dining, some exclusive facilities. The fact is you can select an inside deluxe room, veranda dining a wines collection, and flowers amenities in the room and still be way below Grills cost. For an upcoming Alaska cruise we’ll be doing just that, good sized room, good food and wine, excursions and spa / beauty treatments, all for a tailored experience far less than Grills. Cunard has done a good job offering choice, rather a poor job curating the choices to help the guest know what to choose. Suggest Belmond to get a sense of how to showcase high end choices for the customer. The Royal Scotsman was fantastic.
Thanks for watching and for your comprehensive comment 👍
Loved the review. The one glaring thing I noticed was lots of the food were for two people. How would it work for a solo traveler?
Hmm, good question. Not sure if the answer - sorry.
Thanks for watching 👍
That’s exactly my question too! If you find out anything let me know please. And even be interested in Brittania club and if they have tables for the solo travelers who does not want to dine alone. I have gone at least four times on the queen Mary two as a solo traveler in the regular class and have many pleasant experience just dining with four or six other passengers that are also solos and some of us did other things together such as attendance lectures or shows
I am wondering please if a I as solo traveler or relative doesn’t travel with me, and I am fortunate enough to get a princess grill or club, do they have tables for solo travelers or do you always dine alone? I won’t spend the money to do a queen grill alone that’s a bit too much.!!
So sorry but we don’t know the answer to this. Think you can still request to share a table but maybe Tips for Travellers will be able to offer a more definitive answer as he travels solo quite a bit and he has sailed in Queens and Princess Grill 👍
Have just watched your review and may I say how fair and informative it was, just wish it had been available when we booked in 2016. We had our very first cruise in jan 17 and thought what better way than cunard Queens grill just in case we never cruise again. We had 6 star expectations but fell at the first hurdle when our butler and luggage didn’t turn up until minutes before we sailed, so we sat in the suite oblivious to the fact that we could have had lunch whilst waiting, but that’s down to experience won’t happen again. The idea of house wine with your meal is excellent as my wife does not drink and I found it hard to justify £££££ on a bottle for myself. All in all like yourselves we would go Queens grill again but with slightly lower expectations as the experience is still 5.5 star. We had a Q4 on deck 8 which had less room than your Q6. Once again many thanks for your honest and fair critique.
Thank you for your feedback. Your sentiments match ours almost exactly. :)
Hello there. Could you advise please regarding the wine in your suite. Do you get a complimentarybottle of wine per day please.
Hi Duncan. Yes, we got complimentary wine in our suite every day. If you needed a new bottle, you just had to call your butler. :)
@@visitwithus thank you. Saves buying the wine package in advance at anyrate
Have cruised many days over the last 13 years but only on Silversea, Seabourn and Regent. Decided to go for the queens grill last year on the Q Mary. The most annoying thing was it was not fully inclusive, if you are going to offer a first class experience then this should be a given. Admittedly the cabin was larger than you have on the smaller 6 star ships but that is a small price to pay as the rest of the experience on them is way better. Not a fan of large ships so will not be spending my hard earned again on the Queens.
Thanks for your comment Tuppi. I agree, the biggest flaw in the 'Grills package' is the lack of all inclusiveness. It put's Cunard behind the six star rivals straight away!
With regards to butler service, Cunard should in general, and the butler specifically, describe what they’re pleased to do. Shine shoes should be a given, put away clothes upon arrival, serve at table when dining in, lay out clothes before dinner. These are all basic duties of a butler (valet for some of these tasks) I don’t think Cunard is serious about butler service, it’s a marketing term. You’re quite right about most people not know what service entails, and are frankly uncomfortable and put off by the very idea of being waited on.
Thanks for watching and for your comprehensive comment 👍
Very useful review here. I'm a little under-wowed by Queens Grill now, this is something I've planned to do and the shine has come off it a bit. Very important points regarding lack of sockets, for instance, and no premium brand drinks in the suite - completely agree re Jack Daniels or a better selection of wine. Regarding the butlers, I assume they were available if you wanted them to pack or unpack, or to run a bath or press your clothes? If you didn't avail of these services I don't think that is worthy of criticism (but would be if you asked but they didn't deliver). Also, regarding free wine in the restaurant, yes it would be cheap for them in terms of cost, but very very expensive in terms of lost revenue! I can kind of see both sides here, despite it being Queens Grill. You mention many times how expensive Queens Grill is, and this is a large part of what underlies your criticisms, but did you pay full rate or get a deal? If you got a deal, then you are part of the system that results in you paying for wine at dinner...Anyway, thank you for an interesting and informative watch.
Thanks. you make some excellent points here. We paid full price, so our expectations were high, as you would expect. Thank you so much for watching and taking the time to comment. Please consider subscribing (if you haven't done so already) as we have a LOT more brilliant travel content coming up!
I agree with you about the Butler service. You can’t criticize the butler service if you never avail it. Most people don’t have use of a butler of course but in one of the other videos of a different RUclipsr he has a list of what a butler can do on Cunard or some other ships so it might be helpful for people to read that before hand so they know what they can ask for it and what is not a butlers chores. It really helps if you pay that much to know what you can choose as a butler for.
Great review - thank you. Back to Britannia class for us.
Thank you for watching Elliot. Much appreciated. :)
I am glad you and your wife had a great time on that ship...Your suite looked like a nice apartment. yeah the coffee set up there I would have loved. Part of the bath was small. That was different. But overall it looks like you had a great time...I hope you can try that cruise in the summer time soon....Have a great summer and travel safely....
Thanks for watching and taking the time to comment Marcus. Hopefully we'll be back on board a Cunard ship soon - we miss them so much! :)
That was nice to see. I come from the airline industry for traveling. You have a great summer. @@visitwithus
Sure wouldn’t mind traveling in the suite that has this nice bubble massage jets in the tub.
I agree; a great and well balanced review.
Having travelled at least twice in each of the four restaurant "classes" on Cunard I have to say every level was worth it. Our two crossings in Queen's Grill were on the Queen Mary 2. On the Queen Elizabeth (almost identical to the Queen Victoria) we have been in Princess Grill and Britannia. I would say that Princess Grill is a better deal for the money than Queens, certainly on the QM2 and from the video it would appear to be the same on the QE and QV. As for the lack of complimentary wine at meals, lately Cunard is offering those in both "Grills" a free drinks package. This does not include bottles, just glasses, and has an annoying limit of $12 per drink. But that is still a much needed improvement. This drinks package is available to US and Canadian passengers and I have heard it may not be as readily available to those booking in the U.K.
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. Much appreciated. I hope you consider subscribing as we've got a lot more to come very soon! :D
Lovely video. I was surprised with the small details that were overlooked. We always cruise on NCL in The Haven. This is first glass premium all the way. It appears (to me) to offer more than Cunard’s Queen Class.
Well Deb, we haven't experienced the Haven but I think you might be right. We need to do QG again soon to see if things have improved. :)
First time seeing your videos... So relaxing!
Thank you so much for watching. Please consider subscribing and relax some more! :D
@@visitwithus shall do! You do have a knack for narration. Subtle humor, effective description, great voice and content. Look forward to viewing your past work
You did not mention the price of your ticket. So how would one decide if the extra cost is worth it?
Pricing is a difficult thing to reveal, simply because, as you're probably aware if you're a regular cruiser, the prices go up and down and up and down... What's important here is the RELATIVE cost between Britannia class and Grills and if the price differential overall is worth paying. That differential can only be measured literally at the time you make your booking for the reasons stated. :)
We know you did end up charging all your Apples but did you manage to charge your Orange or will you take your Clockwork Orange?
😂😂😂
Thanks for watching 👍
So, what does the cheapest bottle of wine at dinner cost you at the Grill? (With service fee 18%). Is it $30, or $100? (Btw, now I really want to try that table side warmed beef wellington, so I'd be ordering a burgundy).
Alcohol and Wine is actually much better priced on Cunard vs. Oceania or Azamara
Sounds wonderful 😋 🍷
Stayed in Princess Grills Suite for a Baltics cruise in 2019 and absolutely loved it. My package came with Drinks and Tips included. Grills lounge is Amazing and staff were just wonderful. Loved the princess Grill Restaurant. Felt exclusive with your own table throughout the day and cruise.
Yeah, I think we just got off on the wrong foot here. We still loved it though. :)
Pleasant to listen to somebody that is honest ;
From this old boy from Perth down-under ;
Thankyou;
29/08/2021
Thanks Wayne. We like to be honest, but in a polite way. :)
We had our first Queens Grille experience last November on Queen Mary 2. I agree about the butler experience and would pay less to be in the Grills with no butler! Our butler made it clear that he brought room service and other such requests and he did but didn't do much else. Other than that, the Grills experience, particularly the lounge and the restaurant were superb. Would book Grills again for the right price. Our next cruise is in Brittania club which we have done before and completely enjoy! Love your video's!
Thanks for watching and your feedback from your personal experiences. We've been on ships where the butlers have been incredible. Unfortunately, not so this time. Overall though, the Queens Grill was immensely enjoyable. :)
That’s strange that the butler stressed he only brought room service because that’s exactly what the cabin attendants do at the regular class. I had read from someone else a different RUclipsr that they do other things and if I remember rightly such as unpack or pack your clothes and other vastly different things than the regular room service. But I just saw this on another RUclips video and I have not experience that type class yet
Great review. I sailed on the QE2, was totally unimpressed & have enjoyed most other cruise lines since. Rob
Thank for your comment Robert. The QE2 was an old ship, and a liner too, so I'm not surprised she wasn't comparable to most modern cruise ships. All I can say is, the modern Cunard ships are as good ( in our opinion) than most lines in this category. Just our opinion of course! Do you have a favourite cruise line in particular? Do you prefer the larger ships or the smaller?
Perfect review!. Just came off Regents Explorer. People actually smile and look engaged on a ship that truly offers ALL the amenities. While I've never sailed on one of the Queens, I still believe I will at some point... just to take it off my list. However I'll happily keep my expectations low (er). My impression of the Queen experience (after this video) is one of a large bus carrying "the wealthy dead" - Zombies of the rich and famous. Hopefully Cunard will have enough of them left to pad their coffers up to 2020. The industry and its patrons have evolved - not always for the best, but enough that value and a decent adoption of technology must be included. While I doubt Cunard will give your review fair consideration ("imagine a commoner telling "us" how to run a ship!"), but it certainly held my attention (and my money) and gave me insight I'm very happy to have. Thanks again for your great review.
woodybailey Thank you so much for your considered response. Cunard have seen this review and told me there were ‘definitely some points to consider for the future.’ Hollow words or not, at least if they consider this kind of feedback, we’ll all benefit. Thank you once again. Please consider subscribing. 🙂👍
There is a solid class system on other lines and arguably Celebrity retreat is every bit as separated as queens grille.
Indeed. We have also traveled in Celebrity Retreat on the Edge and found it to be a better overall experience tbh.
Thanks for watching.
The original qmary was lavish too I was working on i f a few months in 1957 my notional service was started on the queen Mary
Thanks for watching.
I think it's a fair review. The food looks good! Spending that kind of money, everything should be premium. I didn't realise that even Cunard has been swallowed up by Carnival. Maybe that's where the shortcuts lie. I was an engineer for P&O Cruises in the 90's and I went on a cruise with them two years ago in a suite. The standards have really dropped since the 90's.We used to dine with passengers as officers, that's gone. Really enjoyed the review! Well humored.
Thank you for watching and your own perspective. Like you say, it’s an expensive product that demands an appropriate product and service offering. We probably need to do it again to see if this was just a one off. 🙂
@@visitwithus The level of service still looks superb. I was only agreeing on the mini bar comments by you. Queens Grill is on my bucket list!
I am fairly sure one of the higher passenger clubs such as platinum I forgot what they’re called since I’m not there yet they have officers dining with some of the passengers but that’s rare
Nice review. But I wouldn’t waste the money.
Let's be clear. There is nothing steerage about Britannia class. Dinner is black tie.
Totally agree. My use of the word 'steerage' was very much tongue in cheek. Thanks for watching! :)
The Christmas decorations in the main lobby area were gorgeous.
Thanks for watching Bruce 👍
I've never been aboard Queen Victoria or the (new) Queen Elizabeth. However, I've sailed across the pond many times aboard Queen Mary 2 and QE2 (as well as original Queens Mary and Elizabeth, SS France, and SS United States) and always in Queens Grill accommodation. Most recently, my lady friend and I had the Queen Mary Suite (10004) aboard QM2. In my opinion, the extra fare the Queens Grill accommodation commands is worth it.
Thanks for your feedback. Wow, you've been on some legendary ships, ones which we can only dream about these days. Have you avoided the two new queens or just not yet had the opportunity? :)
For visitwith - Basically, I haven't had the desire to do the cruising thing. I seem to have inherited my father's dislike of flying. That is why I take Cunard when I can. I've also crossed the Atlantic by freighter. Needless to say, I was young when I was aboard some of the ships I mentioned earlier. I do remember quite vividly the interior of RMS Queen Mary. Beautiful woods in profusion.....! Although I was not aboard SS United States for her maiden voyage, I do remember the staff captain saying that when they arrived in the UK after the maiden voyage, they noticed that she had blasted the paint off the bow portion of her hull (due to her speed).
@@jynxjynx3068 Impressive the QE2, the QM2, the original Queens, the France, the United States - you really have sailed aboard some of the greatest ships. You just need to add the Normandie in there - although I suspect she was before your time - and you'd have the full list !
I sincerely hope Cunard Administration/Guest Services views your presentation and incorporates your suggestions. 👍🏻
THIS IS GOOD.
I've got a question for you.
How many tuxedos did you drag along with you?
How many formal shirts?
It seems to me that while I'd love to do grills, and can afford it, dragging along "evening clothes" can be a bit of a bore.
I mean, whom am I impressing?
I've got to think about this.
Well Stuart, I only ever have taken one tuxedo and a couple of formal shirts on even a two week Cunard cruise. I do take another 'lounge suit' and about four other shirts too. To be honest, you only wear the shirt and suit for a few hours in the evening and as long as the evenings aren't too hot and sticky, you can get away with wearing the shirts more than once. Cunard have formal nights regardless of wether you're in Grills or not, so if you book a Cunard cruise, you'll take exactly the same clothes where ever your stateroom is. :)
One word-- Aspire! Thank you for sharing. Cheers from Bermuda
Thank you for watching! :D
What room size can you get on a Viking for the same moolah? But also, the cheese selection. Can they not be more luxurious and imaginative than cheddar, emmental, wensleydale and stilton? Perhaps they went to the same supermarket they got the room bar spirits from...
I'm not sure what you can get equivalent on Viking as we've never been on Viking. Regarding the cheese and bar room spirits - 😂😂😂
@@visitwithus I hardly ever get the cheese cheese selection bit it's a pet peeve that it's always such a mundane selection! P&O and Cunard, I'm looking at you!
So like your reviews and coments in your British vision 👍 To more is see your Posts the more it looks seaborn is the one to opt for
Greetings from.Belgium
Thank you for watching Marc. Please subscribe too! ;) Seabourn, Azamara and Silversea are all the best, but they are more expensive, so you have to consider the cost. :)
Visit With Us fact is If i will do it as an experience i travel solo and for the Price i Pay i expect the best and it looks like seaborn is the bast Value !!! Cunard looks Nice But If i pay double at least in that class i expected more goodies If they charge for the extra person non present 😉
@@TheLuftie Very true Marc. I believe Silversea have a promotion on at the moment where there is no single supplement. Might be worth looking into. :) I would definitely recommend Seabourn, Silversea or Azamara, the ships are much smaller and guests are no more than 700 on any of those. :)
Cheers for this just booked a Q5 Queens suite grade on the Queen Elizabethfor a Hong Kong Tokyo trip for April 2022. Very useful
Ah, that's brilliant! You'll have a brilliant time and I wish we could go back to Queens Grill and do it all over again. Maybe we will! Thank you for watching. I hope you've subscribed. :)
@@visitwithus I have indeed.......
Love the review, we have sailed many times in Queens and fully agree with take, except, when the bar is open I have always got complementary coffee in the Grills Lounge. Also if you report the loud aircon, a maintenance man appears and stuffs foam inside! Much quieter :)| The Buttler is very good at getting nibbles, cheese etc when you host a little drinks party for family/friends.....
Thank you for watching and sharing your experience. It was our first ever QG experience and to be honest, I don’t think it was the norm. We shall see next time. ☺️
This review is not entirely accurate. You can get premium spirits in your fridge. I always go for Grey Goose vodka or Bombay Sapphire Gin. Coffee and tea is available all day in the Grills Lounge at no extra cost. Your Butler will do anything you ask him to do, within reason of course. He will pack and unpack for you if you wish. If you ask him to have the wine chilled before he brings it he will. You do however need to travel more than once in the QG to learn the ropes. Also you did not mention that in the restaurant you can order anything you like off menu. If it's on the ship they will cook it for you. You do not mention that canapés are delivered to your room at around 5.00pm every day. If you prefer you can order hot canapés too. Should you wish to invite friends for a cabin party tell your butler. He will arrange the canapés for as many guests as you are inviting and he will pour the drinks if you ask him. You can have invitations printed and delivered to your guests. The concierge will arrange this. In the summer when sitting on deck you will be served fruit, ice cream and afternoon tea. Iced water is always available and you can ever use the sun tan cream. They will bring cold flannels also. I think you have been rather hard on the the experience if only because you did not know enough about it in advance. All this information is available on forums.
Thanks Brenda. The OVERRIDING issue with our QG experience is that EVERY SINGLE POINT you have made above is totally true, but we were totally unaware of ANY of it! Nobody made us aware or offered such services/drinks options. It is in fact even MORE critical that these perks are offered to first time Grills guests because they simply will not be back a second time if they don't know about the full experience, a fact which is even more critical if those people (like ourselves) are experienced ultra luxury cruisers who pay the same money for a vastly better experience. Cunard need to sort this fundamental problem if they're going to attract luxury cruisers from other lines. :)
And in that respect, I have to disagree with your first sentence. This review is ENTIRELY accurate based on our experience. :)
@@visitwithus You are right. It has taken us a number of QG voyages to find all this out. It should be made clear from the start.
Well, I’ll stick my neck out here and suggest that if you are used to a certain style of living, you will know that all of the mentioned amenities are available without having to be told.
@@tomblack9202 I'll stick my neck out here and say that not all first timers are mind readers. At this level, the butler should know you're a first timer and they should show you the ropes. Anything less is a failure IMO. :)
I think you may need a AAA meeting, really.
My husband and I have been fortunate to do two round trip transatlantic crossings in Queen's Grill on the Queen Mary 2. I agree about the butler. On one cruise we had Cunard's worst butler, Andreas from Chile. He acted like he was better than we were and was doing us a favor just to be there. I have to say that the food was wonderful, and the cabin was beautiful and spacious. My husband won't sail on Cunard any more because they serve stingy martinis.
It’s a shame that our experiences are almost solely based on whether we get good personnel on a particular voyage. The service should be consistent throughout the ship on every voyage. Thank you for watching. We hope you consider subscribing to our little channel. 🙏🙂
Why do the people at the Queen's Grill look so glum? There is much more laughter in Britannia. My wife and I always laugh when we see this.
We've been on about a dozen Britannia class trips on the queens and only one on the QG. To be fair, they're not glum at all, unless they think about how drinks should really be included at this level. Then to be honest WE were a little glum lol!
visitwith.us We just booked with Queen Vic for the first time. We previously only went on QM2. For the Britannia price difference compared to the QC we will be laughing. Lol
Good choice! The Vic is our favourite and you can always book into the Verandah if you want the QG experience for a night! :D
I have travelled in all four restaurant classes and without doubt the most laughter we have had at table was our first time in Queen's Grill. We have never encountered glum dining companions in any of the restaurants. We always book a table for six or eight.
Really well done review and narration
Thank you so much sir! Hope you consider subscribing! Lot's more like this in the works! :D
Would love to see a review on the queen Mary 2... I have some family travelling on qm2 right now interestingly!
I'd absolutely love to do a review of the QM2 - my favourite ship! We've been on her a few times but the footage I got wasn't good enough for a review. I'll have to book another now just for you (any excuse!) lol.
Look forward to it, and thanks for taking the time to do a decent review with good video and audio (not many good reviews on RUclips of Cunard ships)
Great review. I have been told by others that have done the Queens Grill experience a similar thing that the main differences are with the bigger rooms, more private dining experience and private sunbathing area at the top of the ship. I personally think the quality of food in the main dining hall is fantastic and on a summer crossing you are only going back to your cabin to sleep anyway however I would defiantly like to try it at least once for the right price.
For the right price I'd definitely say give it a go but bear in mind it's shortcomings that you MAY experience. :D Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. Please consider subscribing? :)
Is not the best use of money, the upgrade to Britannia Club?
I like and respect the review of the dining. Thanks.
Thank you. We try and give as unbiased view as we can without being rude of course!
Very nice!!
Your commentary reminds me of Sir David Attenborough... your soothing voice really puts me to sleep. love it!
Wow, thank you! What a legend to be compared to! :D
Greetings from India.... Love your review style. Your voice is very soothing and would give John Humphrey a run for his money on The Today Show :) Great effort.... Thanks 😁
Thank you so much for watching and commenting. I hope you're a subscriber! ;)
Your review could be broadcast on public TV, as you have a voice suited for documentaries. I would never complain to the engineers about the A/C noise. I need a good "white noise" background to fall asleep and often ask for a box fan for my room.
Thanks for the review but I wasn’t clear about your final conclusion as to whether Queens Grill is worth the extra money or not? Should I save up or just stick to steerage, know my place and not get above my station?😂
Thanks for watching Rob! Haha! Was my conclusion a bit vague? I think in a nutshell it would be - we love QG/PG but there's room for improvement and maybe on this particular occasion we were dealt a bad hand. My argument has always been, at this price point, there should never be any bad hands. :D
It is unfortunate that your Grills experience was on QV, because the Grills Deck on QM2 has hot tubs. By the way, If you don't like the spirits for your in suite bar(which is 30 plus different spirits, and many wine choices) you can hand write your preference and if it is reasonable, you will get what you want.
Yes, about the spirits, they didn't make us aware of that. If they had done, the review may have been a little more kind. But, you know, first impressions and all that. :)
@@visitwithus it’s probably good to always be curious and ask questions, the worst they can say is no if they don’t include it.
One would hope Cunard would be listening ... somehow, I don't think they are. Perhaps Cunard should follow the exemple of European River Cruises where wines are included at least with lunches and dinners. But profit and more profit is what drives the business, especially now that Cunard is owned by Carnival; and let face it, the ship is full ... so what hope have we got to see an improvement in product value !
Ps: Love your tyle of delivery, your witt and the sound of your voice !
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. We really appreciate it. :)
We have been fortunate to have travelled in all four "classes" on Cunard. We were in Queen's Grill only twice - both times on the Queen Mary 2 - and we were given Bombay Sapphire gin the first time and Beefeater the second. The Champagne is real, of course, yet they still gave us a bottle of that dreadful Pol Acker that they give everyone. We have yet to sail in QV, but have enjoyed Princess Grill on the Queen Elizabeth. Depending on the fare difference between the two Grills, Princess has usually been the better value for us. The PG and QG restaurants on the QV and QE are almost identical (although they are quite different on the QM2) and the main difference is that off-menu ordering is encouraged in Queen's. A limited amount of off-menu ordering is usually available in Princess, but not encouraged too often.
We're on Victoria in July in economy class. 🤣 We always have a balcony cabin and as much as I'd like to experience grills, the cost never seems worth it and I think your video confirms that. I'd rather spend the additional money on a 2nd cruise. I really think Cunard has to up their game to keep up with cruiselines charging a similar amount.
I'd agree with you there Angela. We absolutely love the Cunard queens but the Grills still have us scratching our heads.
So much nicer than the QE2 cruise we took in the Grill in 1982. Makes me want to go again.
Every time I watch back these videos Semsem, it makes me want to go back! Do you think you'll go out to Dubai at some point and stay on the newly opened QE2 Hotel?
I went to Dubai and saw it from far. LOL. No way. There are so many nice hotels on the beach there. I did visit the Queen Mary in Long Beach a few times but never stayed in the hotel. We were very lucky to have gotten into the Queens Grill. We had booked a cheap cabin and kept on getting upgraded. However I am sure that the food is probably just as good in the Brittania restaurant. I loved the quiet lounge where we would have tea. That was my favourite. We also went on the Cunard Countess. Very noisy ship. But the ports of call were great. A one week cruise from San Juan to Caracas with stops in Grenada etc. On both cruises the restaurant staff were not happy with our tips. We stupidly gave it to them one night before the end of the cruise and they made us understand they were not happy. Very unpleasant. We thought we had been very generous!
@@semsemeini7905 Did they have tipping guides back then? American's are know as good tippers, Brits MUCH less so!
Cunard Funnel weren’t always red and black, in old times they were orange and black and then in then in The QE2’s Earlier Days, Her Funnel Was Black And Light Grey
Interesting! Thanks for watching 👍