Britannia vs Britannia Club

I'm confused - but that's not an abnormal state for me! I've tried to answer this question using the Cunard website but it eludes me: What are the differences between Britannia balcony and Britannia Club balcony facilities to justify the difference in price. As far as I can make out it is just the dining option of the Britannia Club or am I missing more esoteric diferences?

You get a towelling robe instead of waffle, strawberries dipped in chocolate on embarkation day, and there's supposed to be a pillow concierge (although we were never aware of one). That's about it as well as dining in the Britannia Club restaurant. Cabins are the same and the Club cabins are right up on deck 12 on the QM2.

Same - we have never been made aware of pillow concierge either, and have stayed in Club Britannia rooms Deck 8 on QV and QE several times.

Main benefit for us is anytime dining between 6:30-9pm, also Sonny on QE makes the most amazing flambes!

Re: justifiying the price difference: Our experience on the QM2 has been that the Britannia Club dining room is more than just the separate space - it's the level of the service, the little touches like chargers on the table as you arrive for dinner, the daily a la carte choices, and the cheese cart and tableside flambée desserts. Also, BC passengers go to the Grills' Captain's reception, where the bubbly flows a little more freely. That, plus the flexible timing, same waitstaff, and greater availability of tables for two, sells it for us.

Same - we have never been made aware of pillow concierge either, and have stayed in Club Britannia rooms Deck 8 on QV and QE several times.

 

Main benefit for us is anytime dining between 6:30-9pm, also Sonny on QE makes the most amazing flambes!

Even in Princess and Queen's Grills I never saw or heard anything about the promised pillow concierge. We had no complaints about the pillows and I assume if we wanted different ones the steward or butler would be able to accommodate the request.

The "club" anytime dining applies to all three meals, unlike the Britannia Restaurant where it may be necessary to queue for a while to be seated at the open seating at breakfast and lunch. We never waited more than a minute to be shown to a table in Britannia. As with the Grills, it is comforting to be able walk to your Britannia Club table at any time.

We have asked for, and received, various different pillows in QG.

The differences aren't enormous, but the dining anytime option was worth it for us. More personal service while dining. A few more food options at dinner. We also found the dining room in the Club to be very convivial as we met and continued to chat with those at tables close by.

Thank you for all your replies. We are sailing PG in Dec but I was curious about the Club thing. Now it makes more sense!

I was upgraded to Club on my last QE cruise. I never saw anything about different pillows but I didn't ask since I find the regular ones very comfortable. The bathrobe was the same fabric as the one I had the year before in Britannia. I found my deck eight stateroom noisier than my previous one on deck seven. I tend to go to dinner about the same time every night so going "anytime" didn't make much difference. It was nice to be served as soon as I sat down (rather than waiting until the entire table is present) but it was not enough that I would pay that much extra for the priviledge. If I were going to splurge, I would move up to PG.

I'm confused - but that's not an abnormal state for me! I've tried to answer this question using the Cunard website but it eludes me: What are the differences between Britannia balcony and Britannia Club balcony facilities to justify the difference in price. As far as I can make out it is just the dining option of the Britannia Club or am I missing more esoteric diferences?

Your cabin will have nicer amenities for one thing. I think you get a pillow "concierge" for a choice in pillows. The menu, though mostly the same as Britannia offers an Al a Carte' selection as well. The Britannia Club on the Qm2 is a part "walled" off from the main dining room done several years back in dry dock. On the QE, it's own separate restaurant outside of the Britannia. Personally, I feel it's worth the extra fee for the smaller(less crowded venue)as well as the better food selections.

Even in Princess and Queen's Grills I never saw or heard anything about the promised pillow concierge. We had no complaints about the pillows and I assume if we wanted different ones the steward or butler would be able to accommodate the request.

 

The "club" anytime dining applies to all three meals, unlike the Britannia Restaurant where it may be necessary to queue for a while to be seated at the open seating at breakfast and lunch. We never waited more than a minute to be shown to a table in Britannia. As with the Grills, it is comforting to be able walk to your Britannia Club table at any time.

We saw the "Pillow Concierge" in our brochure. Upon asking, we got a pillow "menu" & chose the types we liked. This was in both P&Q Grill. We just knew about it in BC as well. always pick up a brochure in the future bookings station. We found the one for British pax to be almost like a very thick high quality magazine. Lots of info. in those brochures.

Same - we have never been made aware of pillow concierge either, and have stayed in Club Britannia rooms Deck 8 on QV and QE several times.

 

Main benefit for us is anytime dining between 6:30-9pm, also Sonny on QE makes the most amazing flambes!

Could you please clarify what you say about staying in the Club Britannia rooms on QV?

We are booked in a Deck 8 balcony and were advised by our TA that on QV there are no Club rooms nor Club area in the Britannia restaurant.

These, we were told, are only on QE and QM2.

Your TA is correct, there are no Club rooms or restaurant on Queen Victoria. There was a rumour they might remove the Chart Room for a Club restaurant at the last dry dock but it didn't happen.

If you want to travel Britannia Club you need to book QM2 or QE.

Your TA is correct, there are no Club rooms or restaurant on Queen Victoria. There was a rumour they might remove the Chart Room for a Club restaurant at the last dry dock but it didn't happen.

 

If you want to travel Britannia Club you need to book QM2 or QE.

Thanks for clarifying that.

It's gratifying to know that our TA knows what he's talking about!

With 30 more Britannia Club staterooms being added during the May/June refit I was wondering where the 60 people will eat. The post-refit deck plan shows a second Club restaurant that will be created on the starboard side. It appears the two rooms are not connected. I will see how that works out in Oct. when we travel in the "club".

This reminds me of Princess Grill on the QE2 which, in later years, had two restaurants. They were quite different in décor and passengers were assigned according to their stateroom number. If they wanted a particular PG restaurant they would have to book their stateroom accordingly. One restaurant was called Princess Grill (which was originally the Queen's Grill) and the second one was called Britannia Grill. The equivalent of the current Britannia Club was the former first class restaurant Caronia, originally Columbia.

Complaints about the lack of a single-sitting restaurant on the QM2, other than the Grills, resulted in Cunard introducing the Britannia Club.

Could you please clarify what you say about staying in the Club Britannia rooms on QV?

We are booked in a Deck 8 balcony and were advised by our TA that on QV there are no Club rooms nor Club area in the Britannia restaurant.

These, we were told, are only on QE and QM2.

Same with us. When were on QV, there was NO B/C. I'm not sure they could retrofit it easily onto the QV.

Same with us. When were on QV, there was NO B/C. I'm not sure they could retrofit it easily onto the QV.

Losing QV's Chart Room (where the BC is on QE) would be a travesty.

Chart room was pretty quiet when we were on the QV.

Losing QV's Chart Room (where the BC is on QE) would be a travesty.

We agree. We love it there and it's a perfect place for a drink before dinner as the dining room is so close. On the several cruises that we have taken on QV it has been quite popular.

Bumping up to see if there are any current updates. 

There is now Britannia club on QV

6 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

There is now Britannia club on QV

Certainly is and I had a chance to photograph the facilities on my recent cruise onboard her...

*****

Really nice layout and all pristine.

Hi, 

The new Britannia Club restaurant on the Queen Victoria is a very attractive space. During a cruise on the Queen Victoria in September 2018, I visited the restaurant late in the evening and took some photos. I was impressed with the decor.

Chuck

We are extremely pleased with the choice of Club Britannia till we one day experience a Grill stay like we once did on the QE2.

The design and offerings of the Club Cabins, their perks and dining in the Club Britannia Restaurant (Deck 2 - Aft).

We always look forward to dine in the imitate and set aside setting of the Club Restaurant like the other Grill Restaurants on Deck 7. Enjoying the three meals during the day there and able to select the time we wish to dine during the evening meals (630PM - 900PM ).

Also the exemplary service by the staff and the special requests prepared at the table side which are treats to us. 

Yes we have in the past experienced the Britannia Restaurant & Class but now enjoy the Club Experience..

47 minutes ago, BklynBoy8 said:

We are extremely pleased with the choice of Club Britannia till we one day experience a Grill stay like we once did on the QE2.

 

The design and offerings of the Club Cabins, their perks and dining in the Club Britannia Restaurant (Deck 2 - Aft).

 

We always look forward to dine in the imitate and set aside setting of the Club Restaurant like the other Grill Restaurants on Deck 7. Enjoying the three meals during the day there and able to select the time we wish to dine during the evening meals (630PM - 900PM ).

 

Also the exemplary service by the staff and the special requests prepared at the table side which are treats to us. 

 

Yes we have in the past experienced the Britannia Restaurant & Class but now enjoy the Club Experience..

I think the (new) Club dining venue is actually a touch more opulent than the Grills.